Throne of Glass: Throne of Glass #1
Release Date: 08/07/12
Hardcover/e-book
416 pages
Book Summary from Goodreads:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
***ARC received by Bloomsbury for review***
Twenty-three men stood between her and her freedom.
What could I possibly say about Throne of Glass that hundreds of other people haven’t already said? I’ve had an ARC copy of this book since June but something kept me from reading it earlier. Maybe it was all the hype that surrounded it or learning that this book had a massive following for at least 10 years. When I was approached to participate in the blog tour, it gave me the perfect excuse to finally read Throne of Glass. From the very first paragraph, I was instantly hooked! Now, I regret not reading it as soon as I got my hands on it.
Celaena lost her parents at a very early age and was taken in by the world's greatest assassin. He raised her and taught her everything there is to become one of the best assassins. She ends up being captured at age 17 and is sentenced to serve in the prison camp, Endovier, where life expectancy is less than nine months. After surviving in Endovier for a year, she is summoned before Prince Dorian who has a proposition for her. Compete in a series of challenges against 23 other assassins, if she wins she becomes the King’s personal assassin as will earn her freedom after serving him for 4 years. Seeing this as her only option, Celaena agrees. She is taken to the castle of glass where she is set to train and compete in the challenges. But something deadly is going after the competitors and several of them turn up dead. Now, Celaena must stay alive long enough to survive in the final duels.
Celaena was perfection! Everything that I look for in a female character. She is tough, she can take care of herself, she isn't afraid to speak her mind but at the same time, there is a certain vulnerability about her. She is confident that she will become champion and isn't afraid to say so. But, Celaena also has many secrets which we don't get to learn all of them. Some of them may be answered in future books but I also think some may have already been answered in the 4 pre-quel novellas. Celaena has an excellent back story and I HAVE to find time to read all those prequels and get to know more about her and her life.
And now on to the guys! I admit that at first I was a little torn over who what team I was on. Prince Dorian was funny and flirty and charming and the interactions between him and Celaena came easy for them. They also had good chemistry between them. Meanwhile, Chaol, the Captain of the Guards was at first almost disgusted by her because she is an assassin. He is rude to her and refuses to engage in any real conversation. But, the more time they spend together, he slowly lets down his guard and they end up becoming really good friends. He realizes that he cares about her and might have feelings for her although he tries his hardest to deny it. Especially when he knows that Dorian is after her. As much as I loved the interactions between Dorian and Celaena, I would just kill for the moments that Chaol and Celaena shred. No matter how small they might be. Although the love triangle in this story is written very well, I know exactly who I want Celaena to end up with: Team Chaol all the way!
Throne of Glass was a fantastic story that deserves all the hype it is getting. High fantasy at its best! I loved the ending and can't wait to read the next book in this brilliant new series to see what Celaena, Chaol and Dorian are up to next!
Celaena was perfection! Everything that I look for in a female character. She is tough, she can take care of herself, she isn't afraid to speak her mind but at the same time, there is a certain vulnerability about her. She is confident that she will become champion and isn't afraid to say so. But, Celaena also has many secrets which we don't get to learn all of them. Some of them may be answered in future books but I also think some may have already been answered in the 4 pre-quel novellas. Celaena has an excellent back story and I HAVE to find time to read all those prequels and get to know more about her and her life.
And now on to the guys! I admit that at first I was a little torn over who what team I was on. Prince Dorian was funny and flirty and charming and the interactions between him and Celaena came easy for them. They also had good chemistry between them. Meanwhile, Chaol, the Captain of the Guards was at first almost disgusted by her because she is an assassin. He is rude to her and refuses to engage in any real conversation. But, the more time they spend together, he slowly lets down his guard and they end up becoming really good friends. He realizes that he cares about her and might have feelings for her although he tries his hardest to deny it. Especially when he knows that Dorian is after her. As much as I loved the interactions between Dorian and Celaena, I would just kill for the moments that Chaol and Celaena shred. No matter how small they might be. Although the love triangle in this story is written very well, I know exactly who I want Celaena to end up with: Team Chaol all the way!
Throne of Glass was a fantastic story that deserves all the hype it is getting. High fantasy at its best! I loved the ending and can't wait to read the next book in this brilliant new series to see what Celaena, Chaol and Dorian are up to next!
5 out of 5 sparkly stars!
Some of my favorite non spoiler quotes from Throne of Glass:
-Celaena hid her smirk this time. They passed a series of wooden doors that she’d seen a few minutes ago. If she wanted to escape, she simply had to turn left at the next hallway and take the stairs down three flights. The only thing all the intended disorientation had accomplished was to familiarize her with the building.
Idiots.
-“I know,” she continued. “It is impressive that I accomplished so much at such an early age.”
“Crime isn’t an accomplishment, Sardothien.”
“Yes, but becoming the world’s most famous assassin is!”
-Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.
-“Enjoyed that, did you?" Chaol growled.
"Immensely." Celaena patted Chaol's arm as she took it in her own. "Now you must pretend that you like me, or else everything will be ruined.”
"Immensely." Celaena patted Chaol's arm as she took it in her own. "Now you must pretend that you like me, or else everything will be ruined.”
-“As my friend, you should either bring me along, or keep me company.”
“Friend?” he asked.
She blushed. “Well, ‘scowling escort’ is a better description. Or ‘reluctant acquaintance’ if you prefer.” To her surprised, he smiled.
-I am Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan’s Assassin. If these men knew who I was, they’d stop laughing. I am Celaena Sardothien. I am going to win. I will not be afraid.
-His breath was warm on her neck as he bent his head, resting his cheek against her hair. Her heart beat so quickly, and yet she felt utterly calm—as if she could have stayed there forever and not minded, stayed there forever and let the world fall apart around them.
-With each day he felt the barriers melting. He let them melt. Because of her genuine laugh, because he caught her one afternoon sleeping with her face in the middle of a book, because he knew that she would win.
-“You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”
About the Author
Sarah J. Maas lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she's not busy writing YA fantasy novels, she can be found exploring the California coastline.
Her debut YA epic fantasy novel, THRONE OF GLASS, will be published by Bloomsbury on August 7th, 2012.
Her debut YA epic fantasy novel, THRONE OF GLASS, will be published by Bloomsbury on August 7th, 2012.
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Loved this one too! I am still torn between Dorian Chaol though
ReplyDeleteI am still reading this book and love it, BUT, I found a book that is similar and actually better. I'm not sure if it is as well known. It's The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima. I picked it up while still in the middle of T of G and couldn't put it down. Then I picked up the sequel. I'll get back to T of G--it's lovely--but the books have a lot of similarities--not in plot, per se, but in tone and certain details. Thing is DK came out in 2009.
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