Book: Empire Of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Published September 2016 by Bloomsbury Publishing|693 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: Throne Of Glass #5

Genre: YA Fantasy

KINGDOMS WILL COLLIDE.

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

I really like this series!  But as much as I’ve liked the previous books, this one is the one I’m least sure about.  I don’t know if maybe I burned myself out on the series, given the fact that I’ve read the entire series recently. Well, I re-read the first 3, and read the 4th one for the first time.

I wasn’t surprised by everything that happened with Rowan and Aelin- I had the feeling it was coming in Queen Of Shadows.  I’m sure there are a lot of people who aren’t happy with that ship, and I’m sure that some people are not going to be happy with some of the more…adult content in the book.  I don’t mind it, and it does make sense- as Aelin grows and matures, so will the story and the romance.  I still don’t love Rowan as much as a lot of other fans do, but he’s not going anywhere, so I don’t mind him being around at all.

I really liked everything with Manon, and I’m kind of hoping that she ends up with Dorian.  And I kind of like Lysandra and Aedion together.  At least as far as romance goes, but overall, I really like Manon, who is easily becoming one of my favorite characters.  I always looked forward to Manon’s chapters, and interestingly enough, her chapters, along with Elide’s, were more interesting to read than Aelin’s chapters.

The world in this series is a lot bigger- with new places and characters, and it’s a very different series than when it started.  This series is no longer for you if you can’t handle a book where Chaol doesn’t make an appearance. This series is no longer for you if you’re hoping it will come full circle and be like the earlier books in the series. And Aelin is a far different character in Empire Of Storms than she was in Throne Of Glass, so keep that in mind as well.

Like I said earlier, the series is maturing.  I feel like Maas has really found her footing, especially with this book.

I think why I’m more unsure of this book than the previous 4 is my random confusion when I was reading the book. All of the favors Aelin called in?  I felt like I should know who they were and their connection to her, and yet, I didn’t. I felt like I was missing something, which makes no sense, because I just finished reading the series up to this point, and yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was supposed to know who some of the new characters are.  I don’t think they were even mentioned.  There’s no possible way that I have forgotten everything already.

On second thought, there are prequel novellas, so maybe my confusion is because I haven’t read them?  Do some of the new characters make appearances in those novellas?  Because if they do…it’s just frustrating that I have to read some novellas in order to understand what’s going on in the series.  It wasn’t an issue until this book, because I felt like Maas introduced her past in a way that made sense and wasn’t confusing.

As confused as I was sometimes, I still want to see how things are going to work out.

4 stars.  I really liked Manon and Elide’s chapters, and I can’t wait to see more of them in the next book. I did find some of Aelin’s storyline a little confusing- it’s mostly the favors she called in when she was trying to find allies. Still, I think the series has grown and changed, and I like the direction it’s going in.