Audio Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Published by Bloomsbury on 2014-09-02
Length: 562 pages
Length: 17 hours and 56 minutes
Listening Speed: 2.5x
Reviewing Audiobook, Hardcover from My Book Shelf
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2025 Audiobook Challenge, 2025 Beat the Backlist

The heir of ash and fire bows to no one.

A new threat rises in the third book in the #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak, but now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth. That truth could change her life-and her future-forever.

Meanwhile, monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena will need the strength not only to fight the evil that is about to be unleashed but also to harness her inner demons. If she is to win this battle, she must find the courage to face her destiny-and burn brighter than ever before.

The third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series continues Celaena's epic journey from woman to warrior.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas is the third book in the Throne of Glass series which follows our favorite assassin as she travels across the sea to Wendlyn while our prince deals with his new powers at home in Adarlan. This book is a turning point for the series and introduces some of my favorite characters. This is my 5th or 6th time through this book, and I’m enjoying this series reread. You can see my original, fangirl gushing review here.

If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, there will be minor spoilers ahead for those books. Read at your own risk. Picking up where Crown of Midnight left off, Celaena is in Wendlyn on a mission for the king to kill their royal family. Wendlyn’s rulers are distant cousins of Celaena’s who didn’t come to the aid of her country when the king invaded which resulted in the death of her family. Celaena doesn’t intend to follow through with her mission, but she also holds no love for them. This mission, orchestrated by Chaol, is a chance to escape the king who is close to figuring out her true identity. It also gives her a chance to find herself again. Celaena is not the cunning, smart-mouthed assassin we met in book one. She is broken, grieving her friend, allowing herself to grieve all she’s lost, and coming to the realization that her newfound friends cannot be her allies. She’s genuinely in a bad place for about 75% of the book making it hard, at times, to read and go into that dark place with her.

“She has no hope left, Prince. She has no hope left in her heart. Help her. If not for her sake, then at least for what she represents–what she could offer all of us, you included.”

Then enters Rowan Whitethorn, a prince of the Fae, sent to find Celaena in Wendlyn by Queen Maeve of the fae. He begins training her in the art of her magic, preparing her for the war that is coming. Rowan is one of my favorite characters. He’s a lot like Celaena: cunning, a smart mouth, and grieving a life he lost. It’s his pushing that brings Celaena out of her grief.

Across the sea in Adarlan, Prince Dorian is struggling to come into his powers all while keeping them hidden. He feels alone with Celaena gone and his relationship with Chaol strained. He takes it upon himself to figure out what his father is up to not realizing it may cost him everything. As for Chaol, he is one giant mess as he sent the woman he loves away after finding out her secret. Now his loyalty, the only thing he’s ever had a true claim to, is in question. Everything Chaol believed to be true in his life has been turned on its head. He even begins questioning the relationship he had with Celaena if it was real or if he was a pawn in her game. Which lets be honest irritated me to no end (even on a reread 😂)

Then there is Aedion Ashryver Galathynius, the Wolf of the North, the leader of the king’s armies and Celaena’s cousin, who she thought long dead. I adore Aedion. He is leading the resistance against the king, saving those the king sentences to die, just as Celaena did in the previous book. When Chaol encounters him, it doesn’t take long for them to form an uneasy alliance, especially when Chaol reveals that his cousin is alive. When I read the book the first time, I knew Aedion would play a larger role in the books, and I was right 😉

Finally, we are introduced to the Ironteeth witches who play a large role in the king’s plans. The first time I read this series, I wasn’t that engaged with the witches’ story. I felt like it dragged me away from the main story with Celaena. On each reread, I learn something new about them. I honestly think their story is one of my favorite arcs in the series. Manon and her Thirteen are *chef’s kiss*

Overall Heir of Fire focuses on many different things: Celaena’s learning to use her magic and coming to terms with her grief; Chaol’s loyalties and who they lie with, Celaena or his king; and Dorian’s powers and espionage. Honestly, I couldn’t sit it down, as is the case with the whole series and each time I reread it. It is a fantastic fantasy, well written, and the world-building keeps getting richer and deeper. I’m ready to dive into Queen of Shadows now!

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