u/SirXDragon

It’s been officially out for a day now. How would you rank the POV’s fresh off the binge? Here’s mine to kick it off.

1. Aaric
2. Sloane
3. Liam
4. Brennan
5. Imogen
6. Sawyer
7. Dain
8. Bodhi
9. Ridoc
10. Garrick
11. Mira
12. Xaden
13. Rhi

Damn, this was a lot harder than I thought. I was certain that Aaric was the clear favorite and that Sloane was #2 followed by Liam at #3.

After that the order became much trickier.

This is of course still very fresh so beyond my top 3,
the remaining order can and likely will change.

Let me hear yours!

The more I think about it, I get less and less OK with Xaden’s behavior as the series progresses. Particularly Iron Flame. More specifically the reasoning why he couldn’t divulge certain information to Violet.

The major plot point through that whole book was Violet wanting to know what Xaden knew, and Xaden being unable to tell her for safety reasons.

It’s the popular opinion that the reason he couldn’t tell her everything was justified, and she was just being stubborn and insufferable about it. I shared this opinion.

But I’m really starting to move more to her side here. It is a lack of trust on his side here. He is absolutely behaving the same way Dain did in the first book. It’s probably worse.

Dain was at a disadvantage, having grown up with Violet and watching her break her arm every time she sneezed too hard. Of course he was going to be overprotective.

If Xaden actually trusted her, he would have told her, and they would have come up with a plan together. Instead, he just decides that he’s “protecting muh love while brooding in the corner.”

I still love this series, though the main relationship is quietly becoming my least favorite aspect of it.

These two are top tier. I don’t even know if it’s possible to beat them as a couple. But who gets close? I need some recs for books/series that have a similar dynamic.

For reference book 1 of their series
{Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent}

I read some theories that suggest that Ridoc could be the new brother, and there have been some compelling arguments for it.

One counter-argument has been that it can’t be Ridoc because the “new brother” is explicitly described as having watched Xaden stumble for the past 5 months, and Ridoc didn’t know about the situation until a very short time before these events.

I don’t buy that counter-argument. This isn’t strong enough proof against Ridoc being the new brother. He very well could have noticed something wasn’t right long before, and he was close enough to be in orbit.

Another counter-argument is the map, and placing him physically in the area. Again, totally possible still that he could be in that valley during all this.

But, there is a big emphasis on ice during this chapter. Ridoc’s signet is ice wielding.

However, the “ice” Xaden is referring to is simply just a metaphor here, right?

If it isn’t, then what’s going on here? Did I miss the part where it describes this sun-soaked canyon, also close to the coast, being so cold that it is an icy landscape?

I would appreciate some of you heavy hitter lore junkies to enlighten me and expose my foolishness ❤️.

I somehow survived the parapet, my fellow murderous cadets, and instructors who are dangerously incompetent. My luck held out and I actually managed to bond to a dragon without being burned to a crisp. I even managed to survive the manifestation of my new signet.

Turns out I have the amazing ability to see someone’s future.

But….

Only a complete stranger’s future. And only the next 8 seconds of their future.

Sure, it’s useful, in certain scenarios. But I feel a little ripped-off. Why does my dragon have such a twisted sense of humor?

So, what is your incredibly awesome signet, and what is the “but”?

Xaden.

Not in a Captain Obvious way, but his characterization. Xaden started disappearing for me back in Iron Flame.

He was my dude in Fourth Wing. He carried so much responsibility and still managed to prioritize the growing feelings towards Violet. But once they became official, he just seemed to drop everything but her.

I get it, he is in love. But through two books it never felt like they moved past the honeymoon phase. To me, it felt like he became “Only Violet, All Violet, All the Time.”

The most glaring example? Becoming a professor. Sure it was only a few chapters, but he honestly cared more about the cadets as a senior student than he did as a full-fledged teacher. His brief tenure as professor was spent entirely to subtlety (not really) train Violet on how to fight him.

Yea, he believes that Violet is the only one who would be able to kill him when the time comes, but wouldn’t it do the other cadets some good to know a few tricks? Instead he puts all of his eggs into Violet’s basket, then proceeds to half-ass it with everyone else.

He went from being the calculating leader, shouldering the responsibility of the marked ones, the growing war, and managing his burgeoning dukedom, to “This is my Violet! No one else look at her or I’ll kill you!”

Which brings me to my main hope for actual Book 4. Bring back Xaden. Actually Xaden 2.0. The Xaden character that should have grown from the character in Fourth Wing. A continuation of the Xaden we got by the end of Onyx Storm would be disappointing.

It’s not doom and gloom from me. There’s still plenty of story to be told. The hope is that by the end, it’s a story of how their relationship made them both stronger. It can still turn out that way, but it has to start with a return to Fourth Wing form of Xaden.

Looking for the lowest of the low. The tropiest of tropes. The lowest limit of the genre. Not even something so bad it’s good. It’s just bad.

I’ve read some really good stuff so far. I’ve read some not so good stuff. But I haven’t read anything yet that was just bad.

Call it morbid curiosity, but what do you think was the worst book in the genre you’ve read, or attempted to read?

I know it’s subjective, that’s ok. There’s plenty of good books out there.

Only rules are it has to be in the genre, recent (within 10 years), and was (somehow?) actually published.

Every story needs a villain. I get it. I’m probably alone here and about to get totally dunked on.

But seriously, I just don’t hate the venin enough yet.

I’m hoping the next installment gives me some good reasons to actively root against them. At this current point, it’s a struggle. Here’s why:

So a long time ago, some magical dragons flew down and found three brothers. They decided that two of them were cool, but one wasn’t. Then were shocked when jealousy formed?

Duh.

But the one sibling who didn’t get invited to sit with the cool kids actually went ahead and formed their own cool kids club. Even more impressive, they found their own magic, instead of just having it handed to them by a bunch of giant flying geckos on a power trip.

And what did they get for this incredible feat of self reliance and determination? A centuries long smear campaign in which they were bullied and gossiped about by the very same dragons who inspired them.

It all just seems very cliquey, and honestly this whole thing was a mess from the very beginning. I don’t feel bad that now the dragons have to clean it up, this mess is their fault anyways.

Mind the flair, mostly.
❤️

Pretty much title. She’s moved on to her new guy. Maybe they’re married already, to raise the stakes, but not necessary. Jack comes back, somehow, and now they have to fight to win her heart. Maybe Jack has some ghost/zombie magic, but not necessary.

Maybe she picks neither of them, or both of them. Whatever she chooses is good, I’d rather be surprised.

I’m not looking for those characters specifically, but a story in this style.

New love vs. first love (who is also a ghost/zombie)
It would be nice if her choice wasn’t obvious too early.

I could sense the author experiencing her own case of “Burnout” throughout Onyx Storm. Not hating though. It actually makes Onyx Storm really standout for me.

Authors put themselves in their stories all the time. But it’s more rare that it comes out between the lines, intentionally or not, and it’s those cases where I really respect it.

Yea, it sucks that this means the wait for the next book will be longer than you would like. But kudos to her for recognizing it, and not trying to force it. The right way isn’t the only way.

Since it’s been stated that this book won’t be necessary to follow the series, does that kill any chance that we get at least one story to be “out there”?

Is it more likely that it sticks to all the current characters roughly in the current time frame, rather than something like Violet’s mom and her Threshing Day? Or even Tairn or Andarna’s story?

I know Naolin has been a highly requested possibility, how about Tairn’s story of how he came to choose the one who came before?

I’m gonna end up reading it either way. Just curious how often are these .5 type books are actually good vs. “cost of doing business”?

I’m calling it now. Before it’s all said and done, everyone’s favorite dragon curmudgeon is going to break our hearts. And it’s going to be far worse than death.

Before the heroes lock up the venin for another thousand years (they’ll be back, they always come back), they will have to contend with the Venin’s Ultimate Weapon…

A Venin Dragon.

A role that will be played by Tairn. (probably unwillingly, turning willingly would just be too much)

This is why they want Violet so bad. She isn’t the weapon, but the means to the weapon.

*Note - because I already feel this is gonna ignite some feelings. I’m not hoping this is how it goes down out of spite. It’s more the impact would be epic. The opportunity to have something special, a moment that stays with you forever. Isn’t that what you want from a story?

*Note 2 - I’m not backing down from it either. It’s just a theory. But if it does go down, then I’m prepared to accept the punishment of this sub.

“Fourth Wing is romantasy, but it has dragons in it so you might like it.”

It’s a line I’m sure a romantasy fan has likely told their uninitiated significant other. But no good deed goes unpunished. So let this be a warning. If Fourth Wing is your first dive into this pool, you better learn to swim in it real fast.

I’m not saying this series is the best of the best. That’s a matter of opinion and preference. But in terms of accessibility and broad appeal, this is at the top.

I’ve got a lot more reading to do but so far nothing has lived up to the first time. Everything so far just feels like it’s competing for second place. Starting with Fourth Wing somehow skips the foreplay and goes straight to mindblowing. This shouldn’t even be possible.

I’ll keep reading what she suggests, because it’s a lot of fun talking with her about it, but in the meantime, if anybody has other suggestions, I’ll take them.

-SirX