Heir of Fire
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
By: Sarah J. Maas
“There was nothing left in her, not really. Only ash and an abyss and the unbreakable vow she’d carved into her flesh, to the friend who had seen her for what she truly was.”
I think this installment of the Throne of Glass series was another transitional book. At least for the first two thirds. Then the pace picked up in the last third and was really good. If it wasn’t for that part, it might have been too slow and aimless.
I finished the second book back in September so it’s been awhile. But after reading this one, I don’t think I want to go that long before getting the next one!
I am reading it according to the author’s recommendation so the next book for me will be Assassin’s Blade, the prequel. And I’m not sure how I feel about going backwards when I finally feel like we’re gaining forward momentum, but I will trust the process!
What I loved most about this book was the character development in Celaena. I’ll address that more later, but I was glad that she finally had a breakthrough and is ready to take on her mission.
I am intrigued by the introduction of Rowan’s character but I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. It will probably depend how it all shakes out when Celaena returns.
The part I liked the least was Manon’s character and chapters. Many reviewers have said similar things. I’m not a big fan of witches and it adds some brutality and gruesomeness that I don’t like.
BUT, at the end, Manon does something compassionate and merciful and hints that she does not want a particular sacrifice to be in vain. That is the sliver of hope for her character. The shocking bit of knowledge she receives is also a hint that she might diverge from her current trajectory. It’s possible her character stays evil, but I just have a feeling that maybe Manon has a greater role to play in all of this and she may have a redemptive arc. If it’s true, then these chapters are worth it. If it turns out that she stays evil, then I’m not sure I really would have cared to read any of her individual storyline.
Plot Points
So. where does this book begin, where does it go, and what is next?
The end of Crown of Midnight sees Celaena shipped off to Wendlyn by the king in order to assassinate the Ashryver prince, Galan. Knowing she had magic, Chaol arranged this to protect her from the king — not realizing at the time that Celaena was actually Aelin, the rightful Queen of Terrasen and enemy to King Adarlan.
Heir of Fire opens with Celaena in Wendlyn (“Wendlyn. A land of myths and monsters— of legends and nightmaries made flesh.”):
“Celaena had decided on one plan to follow when she reached these shores. One plan, however insane and unlikely, to free the enslaved kingdom: find and obliterate the Wyrdkeys the King of Adarlan had used to build his terrible empire. She’d gladly destroy herself to carry it out… it would take a monster to destroy a monster.”
We found out that the dark magic the king is using comes from the Valg, evil from another realm that gained access through a portal. The only way to stop the king’s power and close the portal is to find the three Wyrdkeys. Celaena thinks Maeve has the information she needs to find the Wyrdkeys, return them to the door to close the portal, and other knowledge about stopping the Valg.
But in order to see Maeve, Celaena must show Rowan (Maeve’s Fae servant) her magic.
Rowan’s assessment of Celaena and her magic is accurate: “no discipline, no control, no courage.”
A good chunk of the book is spent on Celaena training with Rowan, struggling to tap into her magic and control it. (Unlike Erilea, magic has not ‘disappeared’ in Wendlyn)
Their relationship was a little predictable: enemies to deep friends possibly more. I didn’t hate it, but I think I still would like to see Chaol and Celaena repair their relationship. (Chaol didn’t take well to Celaena’s use of her magic)
The second POV chapters revolve around Rifthold where Dorian and Chaol are.
Dorian develops a relationship with one of the healers— Sorscha, who is hiding something.
We are introduced to a new character: Aedion. Aedion is the cousin to Aelin, but he is known in Rifthold as one of the king’s ruthless generals who runs rampant in Terrasen, killing his own people. He also wears one of the king’s infamous black rings.
Chaol takes it upon himself to investigate Aedion. He’s up to something and Chaol suspects he is a danger to Dorian and Celaena.
The third POV chapters introduce us to Manon- the Blackbeak, Ironteeth witch and heir of the Blackbeaks. All three branches of the Ironteeth witches (Blackbeaks, Bluebloods, and Yellowlegs) have been summoned by the King to the Faerian gap. They have struck up a deal to help the king in his continuing plan for conquest in exchange for their Deserted Land back.
The king has been breeding wyverns (dragon-like flying creatures but only have two legs) and they need riders.
We follow along as Manon and her Thirteen maneuver witch politics and work to make her Wing Leader. Manon’s relationship with her wyvern is also a thing because he is seen as the weakest wyvern and Manon has to get him ready to fly or her position in her coven is at risk.
Chaol is coming to terms with Celaena’s real identity and what that means for him and Dorian. His character development for this book is about him picking a side. He is told:
“‘You cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love… You do not have the right to wish she were not what she is. The only thing you have a right to do is decide whether you are her enemy or her friend.’”
“‘Until then, the fact remains, Captain, that you have not yet picked a side because you are still a boy, and you are still afraid. Not of losing innocent lives, but of losing whatever dream it is you’re clinging to. Your prince has moved on, my queen has moved on. But you have not. And it will cost you in the end.’”
This book marks a turning point for Chaol and solidifies his resolve in the direction he chooses. I am looking forward to seeing what actions he finally takes.
A note on the title: Heir of Fire. As you can deduce, we find out some of Celaena’s heritage and that her magic is…. fire! But there is more to her heritage and magic than we even find out here. We don’t truly know the depths of who she is and what she can do.
The Light Overcomes the Darkness
The power of this book rests in the character development of Celaena.
Nehemia’s death wrecked her. And as more of her childhood is revealed in this book, we realize why that loss was a trigger for her.
Celaena is fueled by hate that was forged out of all the fear, guilt, and despair that made up the last ten years of her life. All the blood that’s on her hands. Her failure to save the people she loved.
“She was a waste of space and breath, a stain on the world. Unworthy of her birthright. This was hell… This was what she deserved.”
So much of her time in Wendlyn is spent in self-pity and self-loathing.
Rowan points it out to her:
“‘You collect scars because you want proof that you are paying for whatever sins you’ve committed… You’re hoping for hell— because how could you face them in the Afterworld? Better to suffer, to be damned for eternity…’”
Wendlyn’s reputation for ‘monsters made flesh’ holds true as Celaena battles against formidable enemies. One in particular, which is the climax of the book, is a creature that feeds on her fear, guilt, and despair. It forces her to relive all the worst memories of her life.
It whispers lies to her about her worthlessness, her failure, her guilt.
I couldn’t help but think of the devil, the father of lies, pulling people into darkness. Celaena’s monster was fiction, but the devil is very much real. And he wreaks havoc on image-bearers of God. Trapping them in shame and guilt. Telling them the world is better off without them. His darkness is evil.
Maas is not a Christian, but because of her minor in religious studies, her work is influenced by a variety of myths and faith traditions. It is quite evident that this part of Celaena’s story mirrors biblical truth.
In the abyss of lies and destruction, Rowan comes to her aid, empowering her in her weakness and enabling her to see the light in the darkness.
“This was not the end— this was not her end. She has survived loss and pain and torture; she has survived slavery and hatred and despair; she would survive this, too. Because hers was not a story of darkness. So she was not afraid of that crushing black, not with the warrior holding her, or with the courage that having one true friend offered— a friend who made living not so awful after all, not if she were with him.”
“She would light up the darkness, so brightly that all who were lost or wounded or broken would find their way to it, a beacon for those who still dwelled in that abyss. It would not take a monster to destroy a monster— but light, light to drive out the darkness.”
Even if Maas didn’t write this evangelize, I can’t help but see this beautiful picture of what Christ has done for us on the cross. He sacrificed himself to rescue us from our darkness. We don’t have to fear the crushing black because he stands with us against it, enabling us to resist the lies of the devil. He gives our lives purpose and meaning. Because we are his, we have worth and no one can take it away from us. There is no debt left for us to pay, no punishment we must endure, because He, in his love, took it for us.
“Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12)
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)
“The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:16)
“Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
I would bet there are a lot of people who read this book and identify with Celaena’s struggle, who think they have done the unforgivable, that they offer the world nothing, that they deserve and welcome whatever pain comes because they can’t live with their own choices; who feel tortured by despair and can’t find their way out.
I was so glad that Celaena found the light and that she didn’t succumb to the lies but saw that she was not alone and there was something more and better for her life.
I hope other readers can read between these fictional lines and be pointed to the real Light of the world who is ready to rescue you from your own darkness. He will never turn away anyone who comes to Him; there is forgiveness for all who repent. There is freedom from the weight of your sin and the curse of your despair. There is hope to fill your emptiness. Don’t give in to the darkness. There is more for you today.
What’s Next?
This section contains spoilers but I need to have this at least for myself so I can reorient myself by the time I get to the next book.
Scroll at your own risk, or skip down to the recommendation section.
-
Celaena is on her way back to Rifthold. She knows Arobynn has a wyrdkey and plans to retrieve it. As far as she knows the king doesn’t know that she is Aelin so she’s coming back as Celaena.
What she doesn’t know is that Aedion, her loyal cousin, was outted as a traitor and is now in the dungeons as bait for Aelin. And Sorscha was outted as a rebel spy and beheaded which caused Dorian to release his magic. Chaol managed to escape but Dorian was forced by his father to put on the wyrd collar. We can no longer trust Dorian.
So hopefully in the next book Celaena finds a way to rescue Aedion, but something tells me as soon as he is freed he is going to have to give his life to save Celaena and their reunion will be short-lived. I hope I’m wrong about that though!
I am also hoping that Celaena finds a way to break through the wyrd collar before Dorian is forced to do anything too terrible.
The battle looms large and Celaena will be gathering her army just as the king is. Will Manon switch sides and become an unexpected ally?
With the king murdering all the slaves in Endovier and Callaculla, it should not be hard to find rebel forces ready to rise up.
As for the romance aspect— Celaena told Rowan to stay behind until she called for him. They are bond by blood now but I don’t know if that is an ally/friendship thing or a mate thing. It seems like Chaol is in a place to let her go, but it’s possible she has chosen Rowan to be by her side now. Dorian’s love interest is gone now so I guess Maas could always resurrect sparks there as well. Celaena’s got options. We’ll see which direction she takes.
Recommendation
If you’re reading this book then you’ve already started the series and I can confirm that you should keep reading it. If for some reason you haven’t started it yet, I would say it’s worth starting.
It’s a very compelling story and I’m excited to keep seeing how this all plays out. I have a feeling this one isn’t going to be my favorite book, but I do think Celaena’s breakthrough is my favorite part of the series thus far.
“It was a message to the world. Aelin was a warrior, able to fight with blade or magic. And she was done with hiding.”
[Content Advisory: 17 s-words, a few handfuls of other swearing; some gruesome scenes (especially chapter 4); the witch chapters tended to be the gruesome ones but there’s fighting and decapitations in other chapters; there is a little romance but no sexual content; some of the demi-Fae have same-gender mates]
You can order a copy of this book using my affiliate link below.
Share this book review to your social media!