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Heir Of Fire (Throne Of Glass book 3) by Sarah J Maas (book review)

‘Heir Of Fire’ is book three in the ‘Throne Of Glass’ series and, as such, this review will be containing some spoilers from previous books.

In this book, we’re following Celaena on her journey through some of her darkest memories as she turns from a young girl into a possible queen. At the same time, we’re watching as the King of Adarlan creates some truly terrifying creatures and armies in order to completely destroy all neighbouring countries in order for him to become their conqueror.

Wow! In those first few chapters we are introduced to a lot of new characters, some of whom are just background to Celeana’s point of view chapters and others, who are completely new character point of views for us to follow. I particularly liked Manon, although I’m still not 100% sure how her story will converge with the main story of Celeana. I really enjoyed reading about the witch clans. Having been slightly introduced to them in previous books, they really are a scary bunch but I have high hopes for them in future books given what they get up to in this book.

As I’ve said, we have multiple points-of-view in this book from Celeana, Manon, Chaol, and Dorian to name a few! I found that switching between voices and the places where those voices were occurring was a bit confusing at times and I do hope that not many more voices are added in future books. Also, I can’t wait for some of these voices, new and old, to start converging with each other. I really enjoyed certain voices, such as Manon, but found some a bit too whiney for my liking. Celeana, especially, seems to spend a lot of this book feeling really sorry for herself. She has quite the pity party going on for a good portion of the book which I found to get a little annoying. I really wanted to tell her to get her act together at times, even though I am aware of the rough life she has had up until that point. Then author Sarah Maas is a little bit sneaky and uses some flashbacks to show the reader exactly what has happened to Celeana, which does get a little more sympathy out of me for her.

Maas is a very interesting writer. She seems to be trying to write each book differently to the previous one, which means that just because you liked or disliked book one, ‘A Court Of Thorns And Roses’, doesn’t mean you will continue in this vein. I personally loved book one in the series and then having books two, ‘Crown Of Midnight’ and three so different means I’m losing my love for this series. I found this book veered far more into the more traditional high fantasy tropes, such as a young person learning to control their power which coming to terms with their past. I found book one to be a lot more basic, much more to the point, and I enjoyed that. These later books do seem to be getting bigger and bigger and I end up getting bored or confused at one point or another. I hope that the later books in this series start to pick up the faster pacing of book one. ‘Heir Of Fire’ was definitely laying some groundwork for later books, so it was much more character driven and world building driven than plot.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book rather than books one and two in this series is the lack of a love triangle! I was so happy that everyone could just get on with their own love interests or just their lives without having to be part of some big love triangle, so much more enjoyable in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, there is some romance going on but it doesn’t really form so much a part of the book as it has in the previous books.

I have to say that overall I do prefer Sarah J Mass’s other series, I’m not sure why but I just seem to follow it a lot better than this one. I will continue with the ‘Throne Of Glass’ series purely to see what happens in the end but it is a bit more of a struggle for me to read.

Sarah Bruch

January 2017

follow me @shelbycat

(pub: Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2014. 565 page paperback. Price: £ 7.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-40883-912-6)

check out website: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/childrens/

 

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