Iron Flame

Rebecca Yarros

Nov 2023 · The Empyrean Book 2 · Sold by Entangled: Red Tower Books

About this eBook

Discover the instant #1 New York Times bestseller! Now optioned for TV by Amazon Studios.

Accolades for Fourth Wing
Amazon Best Books of the Year, #4 • Apple Best Books of the Year 2023 • Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023 (Fourth Wing and Iron Flame) • NPR “Books We Love” 2023 • Audible Best Books of 2023 • Hudson Book of the Year • Google Play Best Books of 2023 • Indigo Best Books of 2023 • Waterstones Book of the Year finalist • Goodreads Choice Award, semi-finalist • Newsweek Staffers’ Favorite Books of 2023 • Paste Magazine's Best Books of 2023

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 Fourth Wing
Book #2 Iron Flame

Ratings and reviews

the first half of the book was constant drama, and sexual tension between Xaden, and violet. Everything important that happened during this portion of the book had so much less focus than their relationship the entirety of the plot during the first half fell flat. When the plot finally starts advancing because Violets focus is so one dimensional that we the readers actually get very little of the actual story since she could care less if every living being with a pulse is lying to her if Xaden refuses to tell her every detail about himself including, and not limited to every action he's taken since puberty. More downfalls during this book include throw out everything you think you know about dragons. They lie harder than the humans they refuse to keep bonding to. Violet has had 2 signats this whole time mostly because the plot armor is strong in this book, and lastly don't expect anything to make since everything comes second to the 4 smut scenes.

I could understand why people may be a bit overburdened by the romance portion of this novel, especially the relationship issues between Violet and Xaden. However, and hear me out on this, it's what we all want in a fantasy. Too often is it the case that the writer teases the reader with ideas of what could be romantically between characters. And it sucks. It's annoying. In young adult fantasies, I can see why a writer may refrain from more graphic sexual content, due to widening the potential audience of the book. However, now im a bit older and its hard to find books that lean more graphical and interesting in terms of violence (no not Violet) and romance. For readers age 20-30, this is the pinnacle of a beautiful and entrancing story. I find myself everyday, getting off work, and indulging in this book. Envisioning the whole thing in my head as if I'm there and I love it! Thank you to the writer for not being scared to release an adult fantasy. Don't kill sawyer and ridic. Thanks.

This series sucked me in, big time. Almost like a mix between Anne McCaffrey and Hunger Games, with tons of action, sympathetic characters and a plot that ensures you ignore your daily to-do list until your house begins to smell of unemptied garbage and unwashed clothing. I look forward to the remainder of this series:)

About the author

Rebecca Yarros is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifteen novels including Fourth Wing and In the Likely Event, with multiple starred Publishers Weekly reviews and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year. She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. She’s the mother of six children, and is currently surviving the teenage years with two of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time while guzzling coffee. She and her family live in Colorado with their stubborn English bulldogs, two feisty chinchillas, and a Maine Coon cat named Artemis, who rules them all.

Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October, which she co-founded with her husband in 2019. To learn more about their mission to better the lives of kids in foster care, visit www.oneoctober.org.

To catch up on Rebecca’s latest releases and upcoming novels visit www.RebeccaYarros.com.