“Onyx Storm” is book three of Rebecca Yarros’s “The Empyrean” series and picks up where the previous book concluded in Violet Sorren Gail’s life, a Basgiath War College dragon rider. After surviving eighteen months of rigorous training, Violet now has even bigger dangers lurking within and outside the walls of the college. Enemies are drawn together, loyalty is tested, and Violet is forced to negotiate a delicate political situation, as well as relationships, in order to safeguard those, she loves and her nation.
Major Themes:
Power and Sacrifice: The book is a tale of the lengths to which people will go to achieve or hold onto power and what they give up for the public cause.
Loyalty and Betrayal: While Violet seeks to make alliances in her battle with powerful opponents, she faces the changing loyalties and betrayals of people she previously trusted, leading her to distrust the loyalty of people around her.
Self-Discovery and Leadership: Violet’s transformation entails both internal transformation and external challenge. She grapples with self-definition, leadership role, and the moral implications of her actions.
In “Onyx Storm,” Yarros masterfully interlaces fantasy and intense characterization in a beautifully constructed adventure novel that explores themes of passion and self-discovery. The book challenges readers to examine the politics of power, the complexity of loyalty, and the journey to self-actualization in a world teetering on the brink of revolution.
