new Fourth Wing sequel delivers on that front, and it seems like Onyx Storm is resonating with readers. Its 4.56 average Goodreads confirms as much, placing just under Fourth Wing's 4.58 in of response.
The Empyrean Series books all have impressive ratings on most popular books on BookTok. But even if Iron Flame's 4.37 score is generally positive, it does indicate a dip from its predecessor. This makes sense, as Iron Flame received a few key criticisms upon its October 2023 release. Fortunately, things appear to be turning around with Onyx Storm.
The Empyrean Series Books In Order |
Goodreads Rating |
|---|---|
Fourth Wing (2023) |
4.58 |
Iron Flame (2023) |
4.37 |
Onyx Storm |
4.56 |
Onyx Storm's Goodreads Score Is A Good Sign For The Empyrean Series After Iron Flame's Dip
Iron Flame Was Slightly Less Well-Received Than Fourth Wing
Onyx Storm's Goodreads rating returns to the heights of Fourth Wing's reception, offering hope that The Empyrean Series will continue on an upward trajectory from here on out. While Iron Flame's reviews were far from negative, they indicated a dip from the first book — and it would have been disheartening to see the series continue down that road. Fortunately, readers seem to find Onyx Storm a step up from the previous book, which received criticism for several aspects of its story. The pacing was chief among them, with some reviewers finding it slow and others simply feeling it was uneven.
Fortunately, Onyx Storm resolves a lot of the storylines from Iron Flame, and it addresses several other complaints about the prior book.
The communication issues between Violet and Xaden were among Iron Flame's biggest complaints, and the portrayal of Violet in general grated on some readers. There were also a lot of questions left unanswered, and while that's standard for the second book in a series, it left reviewers feeling dissatisfied. Fortunately, Onyx Storm resolves a lot of the storylines from Iron Flame, and it addresses several other complaints about the prior book. This may be why readers rated it more favorably, and that bodes well for the fourth Empyrean Series book.
Onyx Storm Fixes Some Of The Biggest Iron Flame Complaints
The Book Is Fast-Paced &
Onyx Storm fixes a lot of issues readers had with Iron Flame, namely the pacing and the portrayal of Violet and Xaden's relationship. The pacing picks up in the newest addition to The Empyrean Series, which hardly gives readers a break from all the action and twists packed into its 500+ pages. It also answers many of the questions raised in Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, leading to more satisfying reveals. And finally, Violet and Xaden's communication is far better in this installment. All of this likely contributes to Onyx Storm's higher Goodreads rating, setting its sequel up for success.
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Publisher
- Entangled: Red Tower Books
- Publication Date
- 2025/01/01
- Franchise
- The Empyrean Series
- ISBN#
- 1649374186
- Author(s)
- Rebecca Yarros
Violet Sorrengail faces new political intrigue and battles old enemies while uncovering the secrets of her second signet. As she strives to save Xaden from venin corruption, her relationships with allies and dragons are tested, leading to intense confrontations and unexpected revelations in a world of dragons and magic.
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