Onyx Storm - DRAGONS! (no spoiler & spoiler honest review)
Rebecca Yarros's dragon series kept me up at night.
Dragons, dragons, DRAGONS!
Let’s just agree that dragons are one of the creatures we (as humanity) liked to think of for a while. The idea of winged serpents, powerful creatures that could breathe fire and fly was probably an enticing concept. But for how long have we been talking about the dragons?
This one can come as a surprise:
The first dragon myths appear with the Sumerian legends of the god-mother Tiamat who transforms herself into a legged, horned serpent, and of the snake Zu who steals the law tablets. Dragons appear in Chinese and Indian legends in about 2700 B.C., and in Egypt a creation myth describes the dragon Apep.
Yep, that long.
No wonder Fantasy Stories keep the legends of dragons very much alive. One of the most successful ones in the last years has been the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros.
While I don’t want to write about the entire series here (although if you want me to, leave a comment)
I want to discuss the most recent book in the series - Onyx Storm. Here’s a version with no spoilers (and the one with spoilers below. I marked it, so you won’t ruin the read for yourself).
✨ No spoilers review ✨
Overall, I enjoyed the read… I cannot really spill more things without spoiling too much, but with the SPOILERS - you will see why the rating of this book went a bit down for me. There were some questionable things in the book that I cannot explain without spoiling the story (but hey, spoilers version of this review is a scroll away).
This book has managed what my sister called “the impossible”. I was in bed at 9pm, and I would put the book down around midnight (usually I am asleep by 10pm). So yes, it was entertaining.
The Empyrean series is action-driven and I won’t lie - there’s a lot of stuff going on. Heck, action starts almost right away and finished with a sudden cut of a blank page, which makes you look up (and check the last page again) and think “damn”.
The characters are well written and different, yet it seems at some point that there are a bit… TOO MANY of them. I spent the first 1/4th of the book cross-referring to the last books and googling the characters because I had NO CLUE who a person was and where we know them from. The little table at the beginning of the book was not as helpful as the publisher/author thought it would be. I’d need a 5-page recap of who is whom at this point. Too much going on, and too many things referred to as “obvious” while as a reader I can tell you - NOT THAT OBVIOUS.
Not to even mention that one character - Lewellen - has caused a whole thread of confusion” because Lewellen is a name of a character, and a name of a city. So reading (or listening) on how Xaden was IN Lewellen made me frown.
I like maps. Heck, I love them. They are helpful. Well, the one in Onyx Storm one - not that much. At one point of the book they finally go to the islands they were planning on visiting in the book before. Are they on the map? No. I had no clue where we were for… some time.
DRAGONS! So many dragons! I absolutely love how the dragons are different from one another and have their own hopes, dreams (and things that piss them off). The body language of dragons is easy to follow as well, which makes things easier to comprehend.
Page-turner: So many of the chapters finish on a sentence that makes you think “just one more”. This may be a pro and con. Totally a con when you need to get up at 6am the next day.
Emotional damage - Every good book causes some, doesn’t it?
Overall review (star ratings)
Before we get to spoilers, here’s my stars rating for Onyx Storm:
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (some things seemed rushed)
Keeping me entertained: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Language used and ease of reading: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lore and world-building: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love plots: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I felt uneasy with some stuff, red flags popped up too)
Plot twists: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I saw 2 of them coming)
Easy to follow characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (too many. Some get their surnames used for the first time in like 2 books, confusing AF)
Book ending: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(?) (It felt rushed, sudden cut)
Grumpy dragon: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (can I give more? He’s like the best this series has)
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(?)
In my defense: I feel like this book was a bit chaotic. There were moments where it all felt rushed. Something would happen, but we’d jump to the next topic right away. The ending really felt as if the publisher decided “it’s been enough. Can you finish it in 2 chapters?” to which Rebecca said “hold my tea”. Result? It really LOOKS and FEELS rushed. Forced in a way.
Ok, ready? I’ll give you a field of safety here. Spoilers review incoming.
🚨🚨🚨 SPOILERS review 🚨🚨🚨
I have a couple of things that REQUIRE discussion, but cannot be discussed without spoiling the story, so hello there my dear reader that has gone through the book! How did you like it?
I did not like the rushed plot moments. The islands were kind of… bizarre in a way. I understand everyone has their religion, culture, etc. Yet I’d argue that they were a bit… predictable? We didn’t even have enough time to dig into their lore or anything about them. It’s like saying “This island likes Bastet, so they have cats. DEAL WITH IT”. The whole islands mission was rushed, and the fact they were so stressed about Court Marshall was… questionable. Speaking of which:
Aetos senior - snowflake much? How long they have been out? 3 weeks? And you already lost your marbles? They needed what? A week to get there and back again (pun intended, ah, the hobbit). Add some discussions and rest for gryphons, and those 3 weeks could easily be considered as one mission that just took a while. Like… Loose your slippers.
Aarick - I officially believe that he is a douchebag by now. Why? Because he COULD HAVE TOLD THEM that he speaks some of the languages fluently. Instead of being like *eyeroll* “Fine I’ll speak for ya, know it better than Dain”. You could have been useful before when they were *checking notes* translating stuff to save THE KINGDOM YOU APPARENTLY CARE FOR THAT MUCH! Oh, and you could also told them about your signet instead of being all *secrety*. Why? “Just do as I say” sounds worse than “Hey, I saw the future, you should do that to save everyone”.
Like… if the characters communicated - this book would probably end at page 300.
I’m officially liking Dain more than Aarick at this point. (I SAID IT)
IRID - DEAR GODS. If they knew Andarna has been left at the continent to “check at any suitable time if stuff got any better” then sure, cool. But let’s just put the clothes back on and discuss one, really important matter:
You left *checks notes* ONE dragon to hatch at a suitable time. This ONE dragon would be raised by *checks notes* dragons that are “more aggressive” and made for war. Heck, her daddy is a general. She has been raised IN WAR.
What did you think she would grow up as in such an environment? Dalai-lama?
IRID were supposed to be… *checks notes* smart?
A series of FORTUNATE events:
Of course one of the Irids comes to the rescue at the most convenient time being all like “Oh, I thought you needed some help” 💜 (add squeak and quick blinking with a cheerful smile).
Of course, Andarna comes to the rescue (in like what, a week?). She did not even make it to the isles with her new daddy by then. Absolutely not with that wing of hers. Are you trying to tell me that all of a sudden she was flying and happy, and then she was like *teenage mean girl voice* “You know what? I changed my mind”. This was not explained, but that’s how I see it in my head right now.
Brennan had to be there (and of course Sloane as well) to save Mira. DUH.
A series of UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
I was shocked at:
The cake scene… damn… I never liked chocolate cake, I sure as hell won’t try any NOW
The arrow… Geez… Cat was happy for *checks notes* a couple weeks?
Andarna leaving… OUCH
The Venin lady (Teo-something) was actually a weather Venin (In which case… why they want Violet so much? Teo-something is more… versatile).
Questions:
When Xaden poured magic from the conduit… it’s not as if he has drawn from the earth…? Does that REALLY mean he is a Venin? I thought they were used as batteries…? Am I wrong here?
Anyone else thought that some of the behaviors were kind of… Red Flags 🚩in relationships? Some things made alarm just ring in my ears. Romanticizing such behaviors is NO BUENO. 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
More positives:
I was happy for Sawyer
Dain got his redemption in a way
Halden was… actually as expected. Derailing the plot. Fun addon. Appreciated. Made me laugh really hard at stuff he made and thought of “just” (Oh, my summerchild).
Emotional damage and actually reacting out-loud even in public - YEP, ALL THERE!
Tairn remains the best character in the whole story.
Again, Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(?) This is the lowest rating for the Empyrean series for me. Why? As I said - it felt “rushed” especially the last 2 chapters.
What did you think of the story?