“I am expecting to be in some sort of emotional distress at the end of this book.”
“Onyx Storm” leaves reading fans in an emotional hurricane, feeling as if they are trying to hold onto their own dragons. The romantic fantasy is the third installment of Rebbecca Yarros’ “The Empyrean” series, and it hit shelves on Jan. 21.
Yarros, who graduated from Troy University’s online campus in 2008 with degrees in history and English, is a New York Times bestselling author. “Onyx Storm,” is a sequel to “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame,” and the series will soon hit the big screens in the form of a TV show produced by Amazon MGM.
The Tropolitan gathered student reactions to what they’ve read so far – and learned what fans hope happens in their favorite war-ridden dragon series.
“This book is sad, funny and overall, a rollercoaster of emotions, especially the ending, and I cannot wait for the next book to come out,” said sophomore Alondra Jaimes-Peña. “I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes the fantasy or the dystopian genre.”
Jaimes-Peña, a political science major from Birmingham, finished the 525-page book in just 48 hours, taking advantage of the snowstorm that shut down campus last month. She said the last books left her with so many questions that she couldn’t help but read the third one immediately.
“I am expecting to be in some sort of emotional distress at the end of this book,” said Michelle Perez, a senior English major from Dunedin, Florida. “I love the fantasy elements, I love the romance, I love the dragons, I love the action and I love the characters.
“I will say that I cried twice toward the end of the first two — and one of those cries was a straight up purge cry that gave me catharsis.”
Perez hasn’t finished “Onyx Storm,” yet, but she purchased a copy as soon as it was available for preorder.
“I hope that Xaden and Violet’s fate improves based on where Yarros left us in the last book,” Perez said. “I hope that nothing happens to Tairn and Andarna because they truly are the stars of it all.
“I also hope that the communication issues that Violet and Xaden were having in the last book significantly improve since that was a major irritation for me last time.”
Alivia Radovich, a junior English major from Elk Grove, California, said Yarros has inspired her to write her own fantasy stories. She also preordered her copy.
“I loved the adventure; the fact that there is a whole college dedicated to the learning of dragon riding and the emotional way Yarros was able to write the relationships and friendships formed between the characters,” Radovich said. “Someone who’s never read a book by Yarros should be prepared that she does not mind killing off special and semi-main characters — so get your tissues ready.”
Tiffany Griffies, a senior English major from Enterprise, Alabama, bought a copy of “Onyx Storm” as soon as it was available on shelves. She hasn’t finished the novel yet, but she said she is prepared to be taken by surprise.
“The ending of both the first two books left me wanting to know what was going to happen next – but also sorrow; I cried over losses with Violet,” Griffis said. “I hope that in ‘Onyx Storm,’ Violet is able to continue to kick ass and take down the bad guys on both sides of the conflict while finding the cure she needs for someone she loves.”
“Onyx Storm” has already amassed over 30 million sales. In addition to raving about how much they enjoy the book, Troy students have emphasized over and over how Yarros’ success is inspirational to them – as she was once in their shoes.
Students who want to learn more, or want to read online bonus content, can visit Yarros’ official website rebeccayarros.com.
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