This should have been a novella.

Seriously. Had this been a 200 page novella instead of a 660 page brick of a book, we would all have loved it that much more. But it wasn’t, so I can’t give it more than 3 stars.

This takes place at the same time as Empire of Storms, but follows Chaol and Nesryn in their journey to the southern continent to rally an army to fight for Terrasen and get Chaol healed in the meantime.

I have to say that I liked this more than I thought I would. I went into it pretty skeptical because I didn’t care for Chaol or Nesryn. Her I didn’t really mind but him… ugh. My prayers for new characters were answered, though. Sartaq and Yrene made this bearable, even enjoyable to some degree, but Borte was definitely my favorite.

What’s the problem then? Well, this is supposed to be a fantasy series following Aelin Galathynius and her quest to save the world. This book was none of that. Except for a couple reveals near the end, this read more like a romance than a fantasy. The whole plot line was Chaol and Nesryn finding true love. But you know what? I don’t really care about the side story of two side characters. Yes, I liked Yrene. Yes, I would’ve fallen in love with Sartaq too. But that’s not what I was here for. I covered this already in my review for Empire of Storms, but romance doesn’t drive the plot in fantasies, great fantasies have romance as a side plot. And I'm tired of every freakin character in this series finding true love. What is this, a Disney movie?

What I’m trying to say is that this book was unnecessary. Especially after how Empire of Storms ended. We didn’t get to see how Ansel won Melisande’s fleet, so why did we need a whole book on how Chaol and Nesryn manage to win over an army from the southern continent and fall in love in the process?

*Chaol rant begins*
And then there’s that other little detail: I hate Chaol. I don’t get how Yrene would prefer him to Kashin, who is a lovely human being and not at all appreciated. I don’t even know where to start with Chaol. Just… the way he treats Nesryn as a crutch and a replacement for other women. I get that they both drift to someone else, but he’s the one making promises to her that knows mean nothing, even in Queen of Shadows. And how he shouts at Yrene whenever he's angry for whatever reason that has nothing to do with her, when all she’s trying to do is help him. I can’t stand him.

And then we get to the part where he thinks that it would've been easier if Aelin would've played the distressed queen and that she may cost them the war. EXCUSE ME???? SHE'S THE ONLY SHOT YOU'VE GOT AT WINNING THE FREAKING THING. But Chaol still doesn’t trust her, even after everything she’s done and the countless times she has thrown herself into danger to save his ass. He can’t see the lines that she will and will not cross. Dorian trusts her with his life, yet Chaol somehow could love her as Adarlan’s Assassin but can’t accept her as Aeiln Galathynius. And he only got to meet Yrene because of Aelin, she’s alive because of her.

This book is an attempt to give him depth and some sort of development but it didn’t do it for me. I think SJM really didn’t know what to do with Chaol. He was useful for the love triangle in Throne of Glass (as stupid as that was to begin with) and he was the only one who could be used to draw Aelin away from Nehemia in Crown of Midnight, but after she left for Wendlyn the story didn’t need him anymore. What’s the point of this character? I’m still waiting for that grand revelation.
*End of rant*

That being said, I can’t wait for all the reunions in Kingdom of Ash. I can’t wait for Aelin to meet Yrene and see how bright a spark of kindness can burn. How that army is there because of someone that’s only alive to begin with because of her. And I can’t wait to see Aedion’s face when he sees

the thousand ships and ruks. And Lysandra’s uncle

.