Book Review: The Empyrean Series (1, 2, & 3)

1. Fourth Wing / 2. Iron Flame / 3. Onyx Storm

Did somebody say a trending romantasy series so hot that it sizzles in your hands and bonds to your skin so thoroughly that you quite can’t put it down? If so, that would be The Empyrean series of dragons, magic, and swoon-worthy romance. I happened to gobble up this series, or at least the three out out of five books that are out thus far, in approximately five days. That would be around 1,800 pages in just a few sittings. I was hooked and romantasy is my heroin. I will let you know that while I have differing opinions on each book, I consider this series a must-read for my fellow genre friends.

I’ll admit, BookTok is what brought me to Fourth Wing. However, plot drama, a unique world, and brilliantly woven sexual tension kept me around. These books have their fair share of genre tropes: the idea of mates, war camp setting, and the discovery of powers where the main character just happens to be a lynchpin. I’ll just say, I’m here for it all.

Xaden, the male romantic match for our main character, is all sorts of morally-grey book boyfriend vibes. Queue a tragic past and trauma to enhance the sensibilities of a twenty year old man, and you’ve got the outline of this dark haired hunk of muscle. He’s your usual infatuated, written-by-a-woman man, with short-lived elements of friends to lovers. Let’s just say, Yarros knew what she was doing writing those electric fight scenes.

I give full stamps of approval to the first two books, Fourth Wing & Iron Flame. There were twists I didn’t see coming, journeys of emotional growth, and genuine cliff hangers that pushed me onto the next book. When I got to Onyx Storm though, the tropes got repetitive, the romance lessened due to an essential plot point, and we are (stereotypically) left on a cliffhanger—one that will not be resolved until the next books comes out…in a year. I found a few plot points in the third book to be a bit gimmicky—spoiler ahead. If you are going to take away Violet’s dragon and cause her life altering pain, maybe keep the dragon out of the picture for more than a hundred pages. In general, it felt less thoroughly planned and more like a tool to set up the final two books. However, I am extremely excited for the next books to come out and see where Yarros takes us.

Rating: 9/10

What this rating means: Perfect for romantasy lovers, but hit some tropes that I found boring at times. I’m not so into will-they-won’t-they romance because ughhhh we all know they will get together. The third book is full of that distance and I’d had enough by the end. Yarros’ storylines are engaging, she creates unique characters within a complex political world, and delivers on some spicy scenes. I know I’ll be rereading all of the books once the series is fully published. That being said, I don’t recommend this readers who dislike waiting for book releases.

The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros