Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom's most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful and ruthless Assassin's Guild, Celaena yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam.
When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes—and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies alike, and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn's orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn's clutches—and if they fail, they'll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives...
A prequel to Throne of Glass, this collection of five novellas offers listeners a deeper look into the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling—and deadly—world.
(Summary from GoodReads)
I was told by , who may the biggest Throne of Glass fan that I know, that reading The Assassin’s Blade before reading Throne of Glass was a good idea. Binding up novellas that fall between books has been a trend in the YA industry. The Assassin’s Blade struck me as a bit different because while each story can stand on its own, together they all form one story arc that introduces Celaena, tells us about her past, and sets up the premise for Throne of Glass. I absolutely loved that about this set of novellas. I also loved the world that Maas has built, and the thread of adventure that rain throughout these stories. With that said, I wanted to briefly address each of the individual novellas.
“The Assassin and the Pirate Lord”
If you don’t know this about me already, I love pirates. They are fantastic. This story had some great intrigue and had a fast pace. It also served as a great introduction to Celaena’s moral conscience.
“The Assassin and the Healer”
The second novel reminded me a little bit of The Name of the Wind, which is one of my all time favorite books. In this particular story Maas’s gorgeous writing especially popped out to me. This one was predictable at times, but still excellent overall.
“The Assassin and the Red Desert”
Horses! Subterfuge! Twists! What more could I want? Oh right, a beautiful, perfect ending.
“The Assassin and the Underworld”
This story is full of passion, and it’s so well written. This story is full of twists and swoons.
“The Assassin and the Empire”
This is where things get really twisty and also kind of gut-wrenching. I was definitely extremely full of emotions as I read this one.
So there you have my thoughts on The Assassin’s Blade. This was a fantastic collection of prequel novellas that is a must read for any Throne of Glass fan.
Just read the Temple Wars Novel on Ganesha! The story is well told through a parallel protagonist Tarun who helps Ganesha retrieve his objects from the spirit world. It's a page-turner that will have you wanting more. You guys should check it out!
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