What’s it all about?:
The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.
With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.
In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.
What did I think?:
It’s no secret that I’m an unashamed Throne Of Glass fangirl and I’ll be eternally grateful for my little sis, Chrissi Reads for introducing me to this series. She hasn’t really felt the same connection since the fourth book in the series, Queen Of Shadows and (I think?) has decided to bow out of reading the rest of the books but I’m still one hundred percent invested and am always excited to see where Maas is going to take the story next. To be perfectly honest, Empire Of Storms, the fifth book in the series is not one of my favourites but still a solid, exciting continuation of the story and at nearly 700 pages in paperback, it’s quite a chunky book. At times, not very much happens, then it all royally kicks off and you better prepare yourself for some serious reading spurts where you might struggle to put the book down.
Sarah J. Maas, author of Empire Of Storms.
As this is the fifth book in the series, I’m very wary of giving away spoilers so I’m not going to talk about the plot a whole lot. However, if you’re a fan of fantasy, please do yourself a favour and start this series – I’d love to hear your opinions on it. In this instalment, I was delighted to hear from the perspectives of more secondary characters as our female lead, Aelin Galathynius takes somewhat of a back seat. I already adore the world-building that Maas has created with a series of countries/dominions that feel so imaginative and well thought out but when she starts fleshing out every single one of her characters, that’s when I really start to admire her as an author. I may not like all of them, for example, I’m not the biggest fan of Aelin’s love interest Rowan but some of them, like Manon, her faithful companion Abraxos, Elide, Lorcan and Lysandra, I honestly couldn’t get enough of.
Amazing fan-art of Aedion and Lysandra from Court Of Dreams on Pinterest.
Although Empire Of Storms has one of the highest average ratings I’ve ever seen for a book on Goodreads i.e. 4.58, there are some incredibly negative reviews out there from readers who have found the series as a whole, problematic. In some ways, I see where they are coming from. Some people suggest that Aelin has become a shadow of herself since she shacked up with Rowan and why should being in a relationship change your personality/actions? As a character, he’s rather possessive and could be seen as slightly controlling which of course, I don’t agree with and personally, their partnering is one of my least favorite things in the book. However, I do think that Aelin is being quiet for a different reason, not just because she is letting her boyfriend take the lead and by the end of Empire Of Storms and that astounding, heart-breaking ending, we begin to see what her motives for keeping herself distant might have been.
I adore this series and can see myself continuing right to the end, despite how Maas chooses to take the narrative. I’ve fallen head over heels for the way she creates and develops characters, her vast, detailed and descriptive sequences of the world she has built and the constant feeling that she knew exactly what was going to happen at each stage of this process. This is a series that feels meticulously planned but at the same time, spontaneous and exciting for the reader and I’m on the edge of my seat to discover what’s going to happen next.
Would I recommend it?:
But of course!
Star rating (out of 5):
