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By the time I finished Crown of Midnight I had a theory about the Throne of Glass series. My theory was: this gets very good very soon. Heir of Fire confirmed it within about forty pages.
This is the book where the series becomes what it was always trying to be — a genuine epic fantasy with scope, mythology, and a protagonist whose abilities and history are finally given the space they deserve.
What’s It About?
Following the events of Crown of Midnight — which, if you haven’t read yet, go and read first — Celaena is sent to Wendlyn, ostensibly on an assassination mission for the king. What she actually does is rather different. She seeks out the Fae and begins training with them, grappling with her own identity, her magic, and a history she’s spent years trying to suppress.
Meanwhile, back in Adarlan, Dorian and Chaol deal with the aftermath of what happened in book two, and a new threat — the Valg, demonic entities from another world — begins to make itself known.
And then there’s Manon Blackbeak. A Blackbeak witch, iron-nailed and iron-hearted, who commands a wyvern and is introduced as a secondary POV character who absolutely steals every scene she’s in.
What Works
The expansion in scope is the obvious answer, and it’s the right one. Heir of Fire feels like the first book in the series that’s properly, unapologetically an adult epic fantasy. The mythology deepens. The world grows. The stakes become existential rather than merely personal.
Celaena’s training sections in Wendlyn are among the best material in the series. Her relationship with Rowan Whitethorn — initially adversarial, eventually something more complicated — is developed with patience. Maas doesn’t rush it, and it’s better for the restraint.
Manon is an unexpected triumph. Her storyline runs in parallel to the main plot and could have felt disconnected. Instead it enriches the world and gives readers a character with a completely different moral compass to navigate. She becomes increasingly central to the series and Heir of Fire is where she announces herself.
The action sequences are excellent. Maas has clearly figured out how to write a fight scene by this point — visceral and clearly choreographed without turning into catalogues of moves.
What Doesn’t Quite Work
The Chaol and Dorian sections in Adarlan feel thinner than the Wendlyn material. They’re necessary groundwork for future books but they don’t quite hold their own against Celaena’s storyline in this volume.
The middle section, as with Crown of Midnight, has a slight momentum dip. Maas is juggling three POV strands and the transitions between them occasionally deflate tension at inopportune moments.
Should You Read It?
If you’ve got this far in the series, this is probably your favourite so far. And if you somehow haven’t started yet — this is the destination. Books one and two are the road.
Rating: 4.5/5
Rated 4.5 Stars on Amazon. Buy Heir of Fire here.
You Might Also Like
- Crown of Midnight Review
- Throne of Glass Series in Order
- Sarah J. Maas Books in Order
- 20 Best Dragon Books for Adults
Check out Sunset In the East — a mind-bending short story collection from Ben Luxon.
