Empire of Storms: From the # 1 Sunday Times best-selling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses (Throne of Glass)

Fifth novel in the 'Throne of Glass' series of fantasy novels. This is not a jumping on point for new readers. There is nothing to bring them into the story, or anything to remind regular ones what went before. Regular readers do please note that although the first four books in this series were marketed as novels for young adults, the back cover of this one says CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNGER READERS. There's violence aplenty and a couple of bits of strong language, but the above warning is largely for scenes of an adult nature. So really this is only for the over sixteeens. There is a map of the setting at the start. A short prologue. Then the book runs for six hundred and eighty nine pages. It's divided into two parts, and further into seventy five chapters. Following on from the end of the last book, Aelin still has a lot to do. She wants to save Terrasen. But with Erawan's schemes underway, the continent is headed for war. And what is Maeve up to? As Aelin's relationship with Rowan develops, a quest awaits them and her friends that might save the day. But as ever, some very very painful choices await as well. In the meantime, Manon, Lochan and Elide have journeys ahead of them also. Everyone is going to be very different by the end... There's a lot of world building and a lot of made up words to take in, but the writing is as smooth as ever and a pleasure to read. You couldn't describe any of these six hundred and eighty eight pages as padding. It knows where it's going and what it's doing all the time. There are character moments a plenty, and epic action also comes along as well. There's also a much bigger picture, which is steadily unfolded as we go along. The attention to detail here is very impressive. Character relationships do develop superbly well in believable fashion along the way. With the rough and the smooth for all concerned. Everything does come together so well in the final quarter, with twists and turns galore and excellent action. And scenes that do put some characters through the wringer. These don't seem to have gone down too well with some. But since it's not the end of the story, it remains to be seen what will happen next. It's another cliffhanger. And one that really might make you howl. But if the storyteller makes you desperate to know what develops then they're done their job. Although the going more adult and parts of the ending might not go down well with some, this remains another great bit of writing in a really great series. And I will be back for the next one.

I’m currently on book 5 of this 7-book series, and Empire of Storms has easily been my favourite so far. The character development in this one is so good—especially the personal relationship development of Aelin and Rowan, Dorian, and Lysandra. You really feel their growth, their struggles, and their loyalty, which makes the story all the more gripping. Sarah J. Maas truly is one of the best fantasy writers out there. Her world-building, emotional depth, and ability to balance action with quieter, character-driven moments is unmatched. This book is a thick one, but totally worth it. I was hooked from beginning to end—and so was my 92-year-old Nana! She’s reading the series with me and can’t wait to dive into the next one to see what happens next. If you’re considering this series—do it. It’s emotional, action-packed, and completely absorbing.

’But there was no such thing as a better world – no such thing as a happy end.’ ‘Empire of Storms’ is the first book in the ‘Throne Of Glass’ series that wasn’t a re-read for me so naturally I was highly excited to discover exactly what would happen next. Especially given just how extreme the danger consistently is within this devastatingly brutal yet enchanting world. Needless to say I was hooked on this novel and didn’t want to put it down. Every moment spent lost within its pages was a delight and I can’t wait to discover exactly how this series will end. Like the previous books in the series this book is jam packed with action, adventure, danger, romance and intrigue. There’s so much darkness and devastation yet all of the romances that you also get to watch play out sizzle with heat. There were times, I admit, where I was left wandering is this series truly is YA due to how heated some of the scenes became. The romance and depth of feeling behind all these pairings never ceases to amaze me though. Every connection seems to crackle with chemistry which is a wonder to behold. There are lots of twists, turns and dramatic showdowns. Aelin kept me on my toes, as ever, the way that her scheming mind manages to work leaving me breathless on occasion. There were revelations that left me staggered, a dive into the past that revealed mountains of information, and many shape-shifting dynamics that left me breathless with anticipation. So much happens in this book. It’s awe-inspiring to watch everything continue to slot into place. Although how this series will end I simply do not know. This is certainly one fantasy series that keeps you in constant suspense. Oh and that ending? How on earth did readers wait for the next two books to release after that? Needless to say I’m itching to dive into the final (I’m writing this review after reading ‘Tower Of Dawn’ too as time got away from me) now. Personally I think ‘Queen Of Shadows’ is still my favourite of these books to date – due mainly to the staggering number of twists, turns and some of the showdowns that I’d been waiting for – but I still adored this book regardless. The whole of this series is undeniably a ‘must read’ for all fantasy fans.

Finally getting somewhere with the story line. This series does not need so many books to get to where we are at.

"He was hers and she was his and they had found each other across centuries of bloodshed and loss, across oceans and kingdoms and war" As war looms, Aelin must outwit ruthless enemies and forge powerful alliances to protect those she loves. But with dark forces rising and sacrifices mounting, her journey to reclaim her throne could cost everything 👀 This book is an absolutely brilliant example of how a fantasy series can fill you with joy and excitement, swiftly followed by gut wrenching pain and anguish! 😭 The way that the author hides the true intentions of main protagonists so that we are just as surprised as the characters when things are revealed is truly masterful. This is a fantastic example of why third person books are the way to go 😁 At this point in the series, you will have built up a strong connection with a large cast of characters and feel like you have a pretty good idea of people's plans and motivations. You would be wrong! This book is absolutely packed with twists and turns and is a complete (pardon the cliché) emotional rollercoaster 😱 🪬Book vibe🪬 - Secret plots - Emotional rollercoaster - Strained loyalties - Overwhelming odds - Fire breathing bitch queen I literally cannot fault this book and if you are not hooked on this series by now, there really is no hope for you 🤣

Empire of Storms is the fifth book in the magnificent Throne of Glass series and continues following Aelin Galathynius as she begins to rally together and call in old debts to start to build an army to take on Erawens forces. I decided to tandem read this book with the next book in the series, Tower of Dawn, as I had heard it gave the best experience for continuing the story and I will say at this point I totally agree. I’m not quite through Tower of Dawn at this point but I think I would have struggled more had I not tandem read it with this book. As for this book, it was absolutely spectacular. The pacing of the story is extraordinary and just as you think you know what is coming next another twist is thrown at you. I found this book to be very addictive and hard to put down and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It has me already on the edge of my seat wanting to read the next book. The characters were brilliant and I loved that the story was told from multiple perspectives. I feel that having the story told this way gave it more depth and also allowed you to get to know the other characters better and it pulled you further into the story that has been woven. Overall, I would 100% recommend reading this book. The world is vast, the story is intense and the entire series is probably one of the best I’ve ever read.

Initial Thoughts: Gods-damned brilliant. Superb storytelling. So clever. Loved every page. Sarah J. Maas, you are a genius. Full Review: Another EPIC read from an author and a series that continues to go from strength to strength. Put simply - this was perfection on a page. I loved every second of it, and I adore how Sarah writes long, intricate books because it represents such great value for money. It took me a full week to read this because a) it's long and b) I had minimal reading time, but I enjoyed savoring it slowly. Reading Empire of Storms makes me want to read the entire series again because the characters have all evolved and matured so much. I loved all the different POVs we got in this book, and all the couples we had to root for! I was in book heaven! If you follow my reviews, you will know that I love a blend of action with romance and this book ticked all the right boxes. Aelin and Rowan are perfect, and I also really loved the slow-building romance between Aedion and Lysandra. I'm not sold on Lorcan and he has a lot to do to prove things to me and Elide. Aelin was very secretive in this book but it was for a good reason. She is the ultimate smart, fiesty badass female heroine and I loved her in Empire of Storms. She is still the same person underneath but you can see how much she has developed over the course of the series. The romance between her and Rowan is so heartfelt and reminiscent of the soulmates that they are. They don't always work as a united team (she still keeps so much from him) but there will be no one else for either of them. Dorian grated on my nerves a little in this book, even though I still love him, but he needs to start stepping up to the plate. Too much responsibility is left up to Aelin. I had a feeling where the plot was going, and I was hoping I was wrong, but I wasn't. My heart bleeds for Aelin and I'm not sure how Sarah is going to rectify it in the next book, but I have complete faith in her. Plot development was sublime in this book. She pulls a lot of threads together in an expertly skilled fashion. To write in so many differing points of view in order to tell the story, and to involve so much incredible worldbuilding and imaginative storytelling, is the skill of a truly talented author. Sarah is the bomb. I cannot get enough of her work, and I hope she has plenty more series in her head as I will never tire of reading her books. Both her current series are superb. The end few chapters were explosive and I swear I stopped breathing at one point. I want to kill Maeve. I don't know how the hell I'm expected to survive another year to find out what happens next. It's been over a week since I finished this book, and I've read about five others in between (I was on vacation) but I still feel gutted over how this book ended and heartbroken for Aelin and Rowan and so worried about all my favorite characters. Please hurry up and write the next one - I for one will be reading it the minute it releases. Gush fest over. Do yourself a favor and pick up this series, if you haven't already. I promise you won't be sorry.

Such an enjoyable read.