Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die
Introduction
Amidst the nonstop buzz surrounding this novel, I was uncertain about what to expect when I started reading it. Fourth Wing was everywhere online – you couldn’t scroll without bumping into something about it. Then people started stating this was the next Harry Potter, which only added to my intrigue. The allure of its eye-catching cover and the promise of dragons ultimately led me to take the plunge. Yet, as I began my quest, the book proved elusive, like a treasure just out of reach. Copies were scarce, and those lucky enough to have one were trying to sell it for a small fortune. But guess what? Luck was finally on my side during a recent trip, and I snagged a copy. Now, the question remains: Did the effort pay off?
“But I will not run. I wouldn’t be standing here if I’d quit every time something seemed impossible to overcome. I will not die today.”
Overview
Fourth Wing, the inaugural installment of the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, takes flight as a New Adult fantasy novel. The narrative soars into the world of Violet Sorrengail and her fellow cadets, entwining their struggles within the hallowed halls of Basgiath War College in the Kingdom of Navarre. Here, aspirants battle not just for recognition but for survival as they strive to become dragon riders. The college divides its endeavors into Four Quadrants: Riders, Healers, Scribes, and Infantry. Each quadrant comprises three squads—Flame, Claw, and Tail—across three sections within the four wings. The pinnacles of the quadrant hierarchy, wingleader, and section leader positions are typically claimed by the crème de la crème third-year students, yet prodigious second-years can also ascend these ranks.
For Violet, daughter of a legendary war general and sister to two revered war heroes, the journey is laden with formidable challenges. Overcoming her physical fragility and setting aside her scholarly aspirations, she confronts the shadow cast by her lineage and her perceived vulnerability. Amid cutthroat peers, she must not only prove her mettle but navigate through the calls of war, one that casts doubt on her understanding of the Navarre Kingdom and the wider world. Navarre stands as the larger kingdom, a mountainous expanse yielding ore, timber, deer, and elk. Among its provinces, Tyrrendor reigns as the largest and, intriguingly, the sole province to embark on secession 627 years later. In the aftermath of this rebellion, defect officers were executed, and their 107 innocent children were indelibly marked by the dragon who executed the king’s decree. These children were conscripted into the Riders Quadrant, compelled to either validate their loyalty or demonstrate their dedication through their final sacrifice.
“And strength of courage is more important than physical strength.”
Trigger Warnings
Content warnings in the realm of fantasy literature often tread a curious path, yet I find it necessary to illuminate aspects that could serve as potential triggers for fellow readers. Be advised that these warnings should be taken with care as I am not a licensed therapist and in no way could I identify everything. The following quote was provided at the start of the book and goes as follows.
“Fourth Wing is a nonstop-thrilling adventure fantasy set in the brutal and competitive world of a military college for dragon riders, which includes elements regarding war, battle, hand-to-hand combat, perilous situations, blood, intense violence, brutal injuries, death, poisoning, graphic language, and sexual activities that are shown on the page. Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note, and prepare to enter Basgiath War College…”
Ableism
This is a prolific theme throughout the narrative as our MC struggles with a connective tissue disease
Emesis
There is a scene where our MC gets sick.
Death of loved ones/ Friends
Again this is prolific throughout the text as stated in the above quote it is a war college and very violent.
Fire
The dragons breathe fire, and well they like to burn people.
Tropes in the Story:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Fated Mates/Bonds
- Overcoming Adversity/Underdog
- Love Triangle
- Forced Proximity
- Found Family
“It’s hard to love a second home as much as the first.”
I swallow. “It’s easy when the second home is the right one.”
Thoughts
Y’all, the hype is real. Was this the most amazing thing I’ve read in my entire life? No, but let me tell you, I giggled while reading this, and I’m not lying. This book had humor and some of the best pacing I’ve read in a while. Rebecca, honey, you need to apply to be a screenwriter after they get off strike because I couldn’t put your book down. Where were you during the final season of Game of Thrones? Seriously, D&D, step aside; The Queen has risen. All jokes aside, this was a really fun read, and I was able to get lost in the world despite some of the shortcomings.
Oh, I know, you hate to admit it, but yes, ‘Fourth Wing’ had its downfalls. One of them was its biggest selling point, which is its underdog trope. Violet, our MC, has a connective tissue disease that has caused her hair to turn silver, and we know she has chronic pain, but that’s it. We are given no other insights into her daily struggles, and I wanted more context. I understand why Yarros would want to keep Violet’s disease vague so we can all relate, but at some points, I was grasping at straws because I wasn’t sure of her capabilities. I had no clear idea of how severe her disorder was, so when she achieved things, I couldn’t celebrate with her, which I wanted to, immensely.
Violet’s internal monologue about a certain unmentionable character also put me off at times. This might be because it hits too close to home for me. It could’ve just been me getting annoyed with myself here.
Conclusion
While yes, there were cons with the book, as all books have, this narrative took me on a journey I will not soon forget. The book is full of cheeky banter and thrilling new experiences that just kept the adventure running right out of the gate. When I mentioned the pacing earlier, I was not kidding. This book was like a TV show playing in my head, and I could see the episode’s end with me hitting that “Are you still watching?” button. One of my biggest qualms is that I couldn’t read it slower so I could savor it more. While I know others will say the hype isn’t real and that this is just a Maas clone, all I have to say is, “Haters gonna hate.”
