“Not book 4” clubs and theories
What we know for sure
📖 Release date: September 29
📄 Length: 224 pages, much shorter than the main novels.
🎧 Audiobook length: Almost 12 hours, while the previous books were roughly twice that length.
The clues Rebecca has been dropping
🔥 1. It may be connected to
Iron Flame
In one of the announcement photos, the background featured Iron Flame.
This could mean the companion book takes place during the events of Iron Flame or reveals another perspective on those events.
😂 2. Ridoc is in it
Rebecca shared a photo of her niece’s reaction while reading the manuscript, and the page was about Ridoc.
Whatever he does… it seems to be something completely unexpected.
⚔️** 3. The missing Xaden & Garrick bonus chapte**r
About a year ago, Rebecca mentioned a bonus chapter that was never released.
The excerpt showed Xaden and Garrick talking about hunting wyvern, which many fans believe happens during Violet’s rescue mission in Iron Flame.
Could that finally appear in this book?
📜 4. Warrick’s journal
Around the time she was likely writing this project, Rebecca posted that she was rereading Iron Flame and shared a page from the journal, one of the First Six riders.
Was this simply a reread… or a hint?
🖤 5. July 1st – Liam’s death anniversary
On July 1st—the date Liam dies in Fourth Wing—Rebecca changed all of her social media profile pictures to black and white.
Her publisher also posted a memorial post for Liam that same day.
That timing feels intentional.
📅 6. The journal with twelve empty boxes
Two days later Rebecca posted a photo from her planner.
Next to Violet’s birthday were 12 empty checklist boxes, and the entire photo was in black and white.
Some current theories:
• Do the 12 boxes represent the missing 12 hours from onyx storm?
• Are they counting down to another reveal?
• Is the companion book formatted like a journal?
• Does the black-and-white theme represent mourning?
• Or is it connected to the Venin draining the world’s color and life?
🐉 7. “I know exactly WHO and what you are…”
That same day Rebecca posted Tairn’s quote:
“I know exactly WHO and what you are, Violet Sorrengail…”
The interesting part?
The word WHO was highlighted in gray while the rest of the quote was gold.
Maybe it’s just a design choice…
🎵 8. Alex Warren’s
Eternity
Rebecca said that Alex Warren’s song “Eternity” represents this book—but “not about who you think.”
One theory is that it represents Sloane grieving Liam.
9. The Taylor Swift connection?
Rebecca is a well-known Swiftie.
Taylor Swift has previously changed her profile pictures to black and white before major announcements.
Could Rebecca be using the same strategy before revealing the title or cover?
Who knows… but it definitely caught fans’ attention.
The biggest fan theories
📚 A collection of journals, letters, and historical documents from the Empyrean world.
⚔️ A companion story running alongside* Iron Flam*e from different POVs.
💌 Letters or writings from Liam, Lilith, Asher, Xaden, or other characters.
📖 More history about Navarre and the First Six.
My personal theory
I think this will be a memorial book dedicated to the characters we’ve lost and the heroes of the rebellion.
I also think it will finally show what happened during Violet’s rescue in Iron Flame, along with stories showing what Liam and the marked ones were doing behind the scenes for the rebellion.
There are simply too many clues pointing back to Iron Flame, hidden documents, journals, and remembrance for that to be a coincidence.
Did I miss any clues?
Have you noticed anything else Rebecca has hinted at?
I’d love to hear everyone else’s theories before we (hopefully) find out more soon. 🐉