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Empire of Storms
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Empire of Storms
Unavailable
Empire of Storms
Ebook802 pages13 hours

Empire of Storms

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this ebook

Only the greatest sacrifice can turn the tide of war.

War is brewing in the fifth book of the #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves increasingly at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, dark forces stand poised to claim her world. The only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may take more from Aelin than she has to give, a quest that forces her to choose what-and who-she's willing to sacrifice for the sake of peace.

Kingdoms collide in this fifth book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 6, 2016
ISBN9781619636088
Unavailable
Empire of Storms
Author

Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Crescent City, Court of Thorns and Roses, and Throne of Glass series. Her books have sold millions of copies and are published in thirty-eight languages. Sarah lives with her family in New York City. sarahjmaas.com facebook.com/theworldofsarahjmaas instagram.com/sarahjmaas

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Reviews for Empire of Storms

Rating: 4.524187347543462 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

1,323 ratings48 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was so much different than all the others. It still had all the adventure, angst, and Maas goodness but it also ramped up a notch in the (how do I put it? Smut?). The love scenes were definitely more intense and there were a lot more of them and I loved every bit. It added a new dimension to my Maas love. I still would say Heir of Fire is my favorite though. I can't wait to see how the next and final book plays out.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I thought this was going to be the final installment, but no! Aelin's plans are as labrynthine as ever as her court grows. A heart-rending finale sets the scene for the next book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Just WOW!!! I can't believe how amazing this book is! These books just keep getting better, definitely my favourite so far if that's even possible!5/5 Stars! Definitely wish I could rate it higher! One of the best books I've ever read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A solid continuation of a complex series. I've really enjoyed watching the characters develop and evolve over the course of these books and this one includes an ending which leaves me ready for the next in the series. My primary compliant is the time between the book releases, but I am also enjoying another series by the same author. I would highly recommend this to fans of YA fantasy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another great story in the series. I really enjoyed this book. The only thing that slightly irked me was all the romance going on. I can see one love thread going but when every female and male in the book suddenly finds themselves making eyes at each other, it begins to seem a little overmuch. However, I am a sucker for seeing these macho males go doe eyed for their females. Anyways the story here is great, with twists in the right places. The ending of the book destroyed my emotions in a good way and makes me anxious to get my hands on the next book. Hopefully it will only be a year before that one comes out. Again, great series. If you're into fantasy, check this one out.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Aelin Galathynius and her friends are ready to take back Terrasen, but first they meet with former lords to get backing. When one of the lords drops a bombshell, Aelin has to race against the clock to amass allies before Maeve's forces or Erawan's strike first.Sarah J. Maas is right up there among my favorite fantasy writers. She creates such a complete world, fantastic characters, and complex storylines that I am riveted from start to finish. This fifth book in the series that began with Throne of Glass does not disappoint and even though there was a danged cliffhanger of an ending, I will be one of the first in line for the next (and planned final) book in the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved the book! I cannot wait to read the 6th book to see what happens next!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    wow... I'm lost for words... I'm writing a proper review after I sort out my thoughts and feelings.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This series has been the best series I have ever read!!! The writing style, THE TWIST OF EVENTS, the character development, ahhhh! Magical and fantastic writing Sarah Maas!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fantastic! Best one yet and I can't wait for the conclusion. Onto the next, Tower of Dawn.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great story but the book itself needs to be fixed; some overlapping texts and duplicate pages make it a bit difficult to fully enjoy
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The best of the series yet! Everything from the previous books ties together in one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    don't recommend the series for younger ages MATURE content 13 and up inappropriate language gore and romantic stuff that I wouldn't let my kid read I like the series tho 5th book in throne of glass series
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Warning, if you are trying to protect your young adult kids from pornography, this book is full of it in word form.

    You can feel Maas develop as a writer with each book. This one was an incredible journey and I couldn't stop reading... But I wanted to. Mainly because there were so many explicit sex "scenes" for what is supposed to be a young adult book - I consider young adults to be teenagers. I definitely won't be letting my young adult children read this anytime soon. It wouldn't have been hard to make the love story lines steamy without making them erotic (I'm sure it could have been worse, but still... This is just not appropriate for "young adults". My 11 yr old could find this in the teen section of the library).
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Once again another masterful piece of artwork. This story is getting better and better and more suspenseful as well. Still has a lot of romance, action and drama. I am in love with the character development in this series and in this book alone. I would recommend reading the books in order because they all tie together. Sarah J Maas is one if not the best at tying all of her books together. The twist in this books has me shook almost every time.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really loved this book, loved reading it. I really loved how everything came together in the end and how utterly jaw-dropping it was. What I didn’t like is how Aelin thinks she has to do everything herself and doesn’t ASK FOR HELP. That end gutted me. Also, another thing is how sex is suddenly a common theme in this series now, but I admit that it did blend very well with the characters. This series will never cease to amaze me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    SPOILERS


    It's interesting to see how the elements from the other books tie into this one and to know more of the lore. I enjoyed the book, but I admit that I am somewhat irritated by how capable Aelin is. You can be brilliant and have many victories and plans, but sometimes they have to go wrong. Aelin preemptively planned so many awesome things that just worked out, and we as readers didn't hear about it until they played out. I understand that this is an artistic choice by the author, but it was frustrating to have it happen over and over again, especially when we follow Aelin everywhere in this book.

    Good book overall, just a little frustrating.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book and the ending brought me to tears with Aelin. I can't wait to start the next book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Can this story get any better, yes it can.Kill the pornographic sex and I could really love this story, or throw in some guy on guy action. Other than that, twist at the end had me in tears. I really need to stop getting into these books, I'm either yelling at stupid mistakes, cheering on the antihero, or crying when the the touching strength that this woman has comes through in the form of decoration and friendship. Man I need a life!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved, loved loved, these and now I have to wait until next September, sigh...
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Empire of Storms is the fifth book in Sarah J. Maas‘ super popular Throne of Glass series, and it is brilliant. Now, yes I may be a bit biased when it comes to Sarah J. Maas’ writing, because the stories are just so incredibly imaginative and well-written (for the most part), but I’ll try to not be blinded by love in my review.

    First off, we get to see new characters—although they’re not really new. (Definitely read Assassin’s Blade before you read Empire of Storms so that you can get some background information about some of the new characters and how they relate to Aelin and the gang). We also get to see some of the fan favourites returning: Dorian, Manon, Lorcas (not exactly a fan favourite, but he’s such a tormented soul I can’t help but pity the guy), Elide, and more! Now, unfortunately Chaol doesn’t make a return yet, but he is mentioned a few times and I have a sneaky suspicion, if there is a writing God, that he’ll play a big role in the last book.

    Secondly, I’ve heard a lot of people complaining that they didn’t feel as in touch with Aelin this time around. I think the main reason for this is because she does a lot of backhanded dealings and nobody is privy to the whole picture. However, keep on reading, because at the end of the book everything starts to make sense. Those chapters with the other POVs are crucial to the main plot, the character growth, and the relationships of these characters. And man, once you go back and re-read all of the books again (binge it, you won’t be disappointed), you will finally see what a masterpiece the Throne of Glass series truly is. All those fine details we overlook as we devour the books make perfect sense the second time around.

    Now, my favourite character in Empire of Storms was none other than Manon. She’s such a bad-ass witch, but her complexity is something to marvel at. I absolutely love her character growth! But what I love even more is how she’s both a polar opposite of Aelin and yet they are two sides of the same coin. It is beautiful, and I honestly wouldn’t mind a spin-off with her if Ms. Maas ever wanted to write one.

    Something you should keep in mind, however, is that there are sex scenes in this series. Yeah, I know, it’s supposed to be a YA novel, but I really don’t mind all the steamy scenes. Some people have complained it’s too graphic, but come on. Seriously? It’s well-written sex scenes you can skim over if that’s really an issue. And if you’re worried about your young’un, rest assured. Your twelve-year old has probably already Googled worse. On the other hand, I blushed a bit, so don’t read it in public unless you want to answer some awkward questions.

    I adore this series! I love the imagination that’s gone into creating this world. I love the characters. I love the between-the-line messages. The Throne of Glass series is just wonderful fantasy. And spelling mistakes aside (I read closer than most due to my job, so there’s a possibility you won’t even notice), this is definitely one of my favourite series’ of all time. It is so worth your time. It is so worth being re-read. Seriously, you won’t regret getting your hands on it, and if you love it, just remember Sarah J. Maas also has another series out (it’s New Adult, so expect raunchier scenes).

    DEFINITELY put this one on your Christmas list this year.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of the only series that I’ve ever fully committed to. Usually I read book one, book two, and then stop and move on to something new. For me, series tend to drag on. The content becomes bland and it’s like the Author throws a bunch of random plots together to keep it alive.

    Sarah J Maas is a mastermind though. A pure blood writing mastermind. Every single book brings a new unexpected twist. Just when I think I see a happy ending coming, she slaps us with a new “What the heck now?” moment. Not to mention that every single character she develops is one I fall head over heels in love with. I used to love Aelin, then it was Manon, and now I’m crushing hard on Elide. She really outdoes herself every time and the books are HUGE!

    In my eyes, Empire of Storms is the most important book of the series thus far. It’s the book that meshes all the others together. We finally get to the point where all of their paths lead them to the same location. Enemies turn friends, lovers rejoice, and the battlefield is rich with action. We get glimpses of a traveling circus, shapeshifting magic, and a blast from history. There is so much going on, but it all works so well. I found myself quite intrigued watching the characters change, grow, and mold to their to surroundings. There was a lot of group strength, but the way each individual stepped up, was unexpected and a great twist.

    I don’t like to say much about the content because I’m not a fan of spoilers, but I will say this... the level of sexual tension/passion went from a 6 to a 10, the mystery behind the wrydkeys was exposed, and the ending will tear you apart. Get ready to be fully entertained. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Why?! I knew how it ended, and I still didn't see things turning out like this! I need to know what happens! lol Oh well, I loved this one! For me this one is tied with ACOMAF as my favorite Maas book! So glad I read Assassin's Blade early in the seres, it really sets the whole stage for this war ;) Loved seeing more of the Cadre! This book was a thrilling, emotional ride from cover to cover! Just wow!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Still satisfying entry in this series. as always, plenty of gore, action and now sex.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This one was a bit of a slog in some parts. Maas just keeps piling on the quests, slowly building the world and getting all the main characters together (with divine intervention). I like that we're seeing some more of the world and that the characters' quest isn't too easy, but there is only one book left in the series and I'm not sure how she's going to bring everything together.I also keep seeing influences from Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series. In this book it was a lot of terms: phantom touches, boyo, and witchling. Plus, the Fae spiraling down to reach their power. It isn't much, but compounded with Rowan and Aedion's character development from Queen of Shadows in addition to everything from ACOTAR, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.I'm going to take a break from this series for a bit.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Cranky old lady warning: I’m still basically enjoying this series, especially when it leaves purple-eyed assassin/queen Aelin for long periods to spend time with the vicious witch-queen Manon (and the magic-wielding king who’s into her) and the strong but scarred escapee-from-evil Elide (and the Fae protecting her). But it’s been long enough that I’ve forgotten some of the complex worldbuilding re: the influence of the gods on the coming conflict with Evil. And this volume featured some explicit sex scenes that gave me a bad Laurell Hamilton flashback, in part because it’s a big deal in the book to call Fae men “males” instead of men because they’re not human and “male” as an independent noun makes me itch, and in part because magic leads them to have better sex than anyone ever. Still, as I said, my complaints are mostly cranky; there’s still a tense tale of fantasy geopolitics and quests going on.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Honestly, the Throne of Glass series is so developed at this point; I feel that in order to enjoy this series you need to start from book one. Need to, no sorry, more like have to! I have read every single book from this series and I had to go to a fandom site and plug in character names in order to remember who some of the characters were. By the end of the book there were even characters involved that came from the novellas prior to the Throne of Glass book itself. SJM has the most amazing memory and her ability to pull all the little strings that she has woven throughout this series makes her truly a master storyteller.There is really nothing I can say about the plot, sub-plots, or character developments. It all just amazing and perfectly done. Aelin has been through metamorphosis after metamorphosis. Gone is the girl we met in Throne of Glass, she has truly become the Queen all intended her to be. We have always known that Aelin was going to somehow be responsible for correcting past mistakes from previous rulers but in this book, we learn the full in and out of those mistakes and what she has to do in order to rectify them and it is heartbreaking! By the end of the story I was in disbelief that she had to carry that responsibility but also blown away by the planning that Aelin did even before she knew 100% what she needed to do. She had all the pieces of her plan come together at just the right time and her reveal was poetic. Amazing!Rowan Whitethorn is Aelin’s consort. He is a strong character and in this book we get to see him lay it all aside and give Aelin his everything. Swoon! In the previous books, he was always holding back or being so stoic. This time around he is more like a Fae in love and the relationship between them is really endearing. His absolute faith in Aelin really makes me love his character so much!Dorian, oh my gosh it is about freaking time this character got a break. He still starts off a broken man who punishes himself daily for his wrongs but he is soon put into a position where he needs to man up and he does so, splendidly. We start to see some healing in his fractured psyche and he is learning to control his magic. Nicely done.Manon Blackbeak!! Yes, oh my gosh I love this character now. One of my all-time favorites. When she was first introduced I was waiting for her to be killed off, not a huge fan. I loved her Wyvern, Abraxos, and thought maybe she was a redeemable character because he was just wonderful but I was not on her team. She was first introduced in Heir of Fire but it was not until this book that I was completely in love with her character and her character’s development. There is a mind-blowing twist dealt to Manon and her Thirteen and even by the end of the book she has not completely processed it but she does embrace it and I can’t wait to see where that story goes.Another character that I loathed for the first three books was Lysandra. She seemed like such a self-serving viscous little trouble starter! All that changed by the end of Queen of Shadows where her true story came out and it was truly horrible. In this book, I simply adore her character. She is the most loyal and faithful friend that Aelin has and the levels that Lysandra goes to in order to further Aelin’s plans are commendable. There was a twist at the end that puts Lysandra at odds with a few characters that she was close with and that makes it hard to bear for me as a reader but I am hoping in the next book those issues can be smoothed out.I could keep going about this amazing addition to the Throne of Glass series but I think I am going to discuss the Elephant in the Room. If I loved it so much why only 4 stars?! I do truly love this series but it does not impact me in the way SJM’s other series ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) does. I read this book and loved it but pretty much forgot about it after I was done reading it. While writing this review, I am having an emotional connection to this book but it will pass quickly. 5 stars are for books that impact me on an emotional level that I keep thinking about the characters for days afterwards or that I loved so much that I just have to tell the world. Anyhow, great book, amazing series and I hope if you haven’t already you will give it a try. You will absolutely enjoy every minute!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another great book in the series. I couldn't believe that Lorcan called in Maeve, that they have Aelin and through it all Aelin knew that she had to die to lock the keys. My favorite part of this book has to be Skulls Bay the battle and Aelin and Rolfe contesting each other. Now with Rowan off to find Aelin it's possible that Dorian could sacrifice himself if they get the 3 rd key because he is also of the bloodline.

    No long review, if you read the 1st 4 you'll like this one.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    NOT for middle-school readers, with graphic sexual scenes (oral sex, penetration, climaxes). There's also an unfortunate habit of connecting every leading female character with a romantic/sexual partner -- as if none of them could survive without a male to support and defend them. This reinforcement of stereotypes undermines the boorishly repetitive dialogue from the lead character, who keeps insisting that she's an independent woman. Right.

    Disclosure: I'm reading this series because my teenager is a big Maas fan and it's important to me that we can discuss books together. Otherwise, I would've quit at No. 4 in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Empire of Storms
    4.5

    Note: Although marketed for young adults, the series in general, and this book in particular contain mature themes including violence and sex. Be forewarned...

    Fast paced and action packed as always, Empire of Storms never lets up and keeps the reader guessing even after the story is over. Amidst secrets and betrayals, Aelin begins forging new alliances as the dual threats of Erawen and Maeve advance.

    To a certain extent, the main focus of the book (other than the ongoing conflicts with the series' villains), is the development of the secondary relationships. Aelin is still keeping secrets from those closest to her, which leads to some interesting twists and turns.

    Couples only hinted at in the previous books begin pairing off (Manon & Dorian, Aedion & Lysandra) with the real highlight being the interactions between Lorcan and Elide. The dark and brooding fae warrior meets his match in the reticent girl with a backbone of solid steel.

    Characters from the prequel novellas return and play important roles. Consequently, it is crucial that this series be read in order so as not to miss out on the backstories. Members of Rowan's fae cadre also put in an appearance and provide insight into the conflict with Maeve.

    Finally, it should be noted that this book ends on a cliffhanger. Thank goodness the next one is already out and the final installment will be out in October. Otherwise....