This review includes spoilers for “Onyx Storm,” “Iron Flame” and “Fourth Wing.”
“Onyx Storm” is the highly anticipated next book in the “Empyrean” series by Rebecca Yarros. The release had people including myself lining up outside of Target on Jan. 21 in hopes of getting a Target edition, which has sprayed edges, a built-in bookmark and art inside the book.
Once I had my hands on the book, I immediately dived back into the world of the “Empyrean” series. “Onyx Storm” is so incredible that it kept me turning pages until the very end, and I loved every second of it.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the character development in comparison to the books that came before it. Staring off, Violet is one of the characters that has the most notable personal growth.
This growth is shown in multiple scenes. The first of those scenes happens early in the book when tensions are high between the riders that stayed at Basgiath and the fliers and riders who were in Aretia last book. Right before a physical altercation happens, Violet steps in.
In that moment, she finally acknowledges what several characters have been telling her, which is that she is the strongest rider of their generation. In “Fourth Wing,” she was convinced that she was weaker than other riders. But in this scene, she displays both her magic power and overall strength as a leader.
After the display, several other characters make remarks about how she makes a great leader, politician or general. Xaden even comments that she would make a great duchess, which is such a good line. It is also great foreshadowing for Xaden revealing he received his title of duke back only a few pages later.
This scene is just the beginning of Violet truly showing how far she has come from the frail cadet that she was in “Fourth Wing.”
However, Violet isn’t the only one with noticeable character growth. Ridoc also has significant growth which makes me love him even more. One of my favorite scenes with Ridoc is when his dragon and him are messing around in the water.
In this scene, Ridoc reveals that he is in a prank war with his dragon that has been ongoing since Threshing. It shows how funny and playful Ridoc can be. However, when the scene switches to when he figures out Xaden is Venin, it reveals that he can be serious too.
I don’t think there are many scenes with Ridoc that are serious, so when he was talking with Violet about Xaden being Venin it was different, but not in a bad way. I loved how it shows Ridoc’s versatility as a character.
Another factor of “Onyx Storm” I adore is all the foreshadowing and plot twists that are cleverly integrated into the story. One of my favorite plot twists is when Garrick is revealed to have two signets. In this series, signets allow riders to wield their individual abilities that they receive from their bond with their dragons.
Yarros uses many tactics to foreshadow this. For example, in “Fourth Wing” Liam wielded ice, but his signet was supposed to be far sight. This was believed to be an editing error, but it is revealed that the rebellion relic is the cause for dual signets.
Another way it is foreshadowed is when Yarros references that there hasn’t been a distance wielder in a long time, which feels intentional to me. This made me believe that this was Violet’s second signet. When Garrick was revealed as the distance wielder, it was shocking.
Another important moment that is foreshadowed is Violet’s second signet. In the fandom, there were so many theories as to what it could be, but I never thought she would have been a dream walker despite all the hints.
Those hints include the dreams Violet is experiencing in “Iron Flame” and “Onyx Storm” because of all the subtle hints that those dreams aren’t Violet’s. For example, in Maren’s dream when Cat is actually nice to her.
Another big hint is when the irids said Andarna gave Violet the most dangerous and worst possible power. Throughout the series, it has been constantly said that inntinnsic signets are the most dangerous, so with the irids saying that it hinted at Violet would be some sort of inntinnsic.
Yarros foreshadows so many things in the perfect way, but my favorite thing about “Onyx Storm” is Xaden.
There are so many scenes with Xaden that were just perfect. One of the scenes is when Xaden becomes a professor at Basgiath, meaning that Violet and Xaden can no longer be together because the Codex forbids professors and cadets from being in a relationship. Violet realizes immediately and seems defeated by this information, but Xaden has a different reaction.
“I am yours and you are mine, and there’s no law or rule in this world or the next that will change that,” Xaden said.
This quote is one of my favorites from the book because it shows that the whole world could be against them, and he would still choose her.
Another scene that I loved is when Xaden is jealous of Violet’s ex, Prince Halden. Despite Halden being a prince, Xaden still makes it crystal clear that Violet is with him and will never go back to Halden.
Those scenes are great, but my favorite is when Xaden is becoming full venin at the end, and Violet tells him I love you through their bond. When Xaden holds onto to those words and saves a part of his soul because of it, it shows that even when he is shrouded in darkness he will always love and reach for Violet.
Overall, this book quickly became one of my favorite reads, and I can’t wait to reread it while waiting for the next book to be published.
