If you have been a fan of dark romances and fantasy. Then here we are with a review of a book with the perfect blend. The rising sensational book, Onyx Storm Book has the talk of the town for its amazing details, fantastical elements. And other small details that taken care of herein. So stay tuned as we unravel all the hidden magical gems of this book so that you get the perfect gist.
Author of Onyx Storm Book
Rebecca Yarros is a romantic at heart and a coffee enthusiast. She is a bestselling author for the New York Times, having written more than twenty novels, such as Fourth Wing. The Last Letter, and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She is also the winner of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca adores military heroes and has happily married to hers for more than twenty years.
Diving in Onyx Storm Book
Onyx Storm Book is one of the rising popular novels written by Rebecca Yarros and published by Red Tower Books. This book is the third in sequence in the fantasy romance of the Empyrean series, which released on January 21, 2025. Onyx Storm Book released after the Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. The pre-existing series of this book received such huge love from the audience that it came to listed under the bestseller chart by August 2024 due to its huge-pre order.
Onyx Storm which is the third book in Yarro’s Empyrean series plans to include five books. The first book, Fourth Wing tells about the protagonist Violet’s first year at the fictional Basgiath War College. In this college, she becomes a known dragon rider. The second book Iron Flame follows Violet her friends and her allies as they work to fight against the evil magic-wielders. It is very fascinating to note that although Iron Flame came out only about six months after the Fourth Wing Yarros said that she would not write Onyx Storm so quickly. Then it ultimately scheduled that this book was going to released on January 21, 2025, more than a year after Iron Flame’s release. During the announcement session of this book, Yarros said that it would include politics, new adventure, old enemies, and of course dragons.
Plot of Onyx Storm Book
Following the happenings in Iron Flame, Navarre and Poromiel’s kingdoms join forces with Tyrrendor’s revolutionary leaders. They form a shaky alliance to combat an invasion by evil magic-users called venin. Violet listens in on the coalition’s talk and decides to find a cure for Xaden regardless of the price. In the next few weeks, the marked ones and Violet stay on guard duty for Xaden at all times. Xaden stays at Basgiath War College inside the wards, to keep himself from channeling again.
At the same time, the iron squad checks on Sawyer, who’s getting used to life without a limb, while Lynx and Aaric’s inability to show signets causes worry. A new strike on Basgiath shakes them up, and Violet has a scary run-in with a silver-haired venin. Once Basgiath is safe, Violet and Xaden get ready to meet the Senarium, Navarre’s council of all nobles. They know that Andarna, Violet’s second dragon belongs to the seventh dragon breed needed to power the ward stone in Aretia,Violet sent on a quest to find the missing breed but must first fulfill her deal with Viscount Tecarus safely deliver the fliers to Basgiath for unlimited access to his library.
Violet and her mates have to face mounting challenges as they uncover the shocking truths about their magic, lineage, and the looming venin threat. At this point, Mira arrives with a new conduit for Violet and intel on tempering runes. Just as the Senarium dismisses the fliers Vilot nullifies the rune blocking their channeling, salvaging a truce with Poromiel. But General Aetos accuses Violet of treason. A royal missive preemptively pardoned all dragon riders who went to Aretia and reinstated Xaden as Duke of Tyrrendor.
As a consequence Iron Squad sent to Samara, where they rush to defend a village under attack. It is here that they discover that Garric has the second signet the silver-haired Theophanie is a Vening general who wants to mentor Violet when she turns, Andarna’s breed known as Irird. Here Xaden reveals that many marked ones wield two signets because their dragons chose them for a purpose, and Violet begins to suspect Venin can wield magic upon them similarly.
During Xaden’s absence, Violet hones her abilities and probes Jack Barlowe to find answers. A discovery in the archives makes her think her father’s work connects to the venin. She asks Dain to take it from his dad’s office finding her father’s last journal, secured with a puzzle. Basgiath steps up its war readiness adding a class on signet use taught by Xaden. Things get tense when Crown Prince Halden, Violet’s former flame brings a message from Tecarus. He proposes a talk with King Courtlyn of Deverelli if they get a strong relic lost in venin-filled Anca. The job turns deadly when Violet’s team gets the relic but falls into a trap losing two people. Furious, Violet insists on running the mission.
The fresh team includes Ridoc, Xaden, Dain, Mira, Maren, Tragen, Cat, Drake, and, , Halden and his guard. Xaden feels at ease in magic-free Deverelli, but their dragons have trouble without their mind link. Authorities lock up Halden pushing Xaden to talk as Duke of Tyrrendor, with Violet by his side. When Halden loses his cool and gets rough, Xaden taps into magic through the ground once more. Violet and her dragons cook up a scheme to nail down a partnership. While all this was taking place, back in Basgiath the squid resumed their journey. Where Xaden’s eyes permanently change to amber from his channeling. Aaric, defying orders, replaces Halden as the royal representative.
Their first stop is Soneram, where Violet meets a priestess who reveals she almost pledged as a baby to a Goddess. Then there is Hedotis, where she meets Xaden’s estranged mother Taila. The council then betrays them by poisoning Garrick, but Violet anticipates this, securing an alliance by curing him. While on Zellyhna, the island of Zihnal, God of Luck the squad forced to accept fate’s price which was Tragen’s life. In the mourning Violet and Ridoc witness six iridescent dragons appear. Their Irids reject Andarna, branding her weapon and leaving abruptly. While Ridoc uncovers Xaden’s venin secret, demanding Violet tell their friends about their mission deemed a failure, and they will return to Basgiath with a devastated Andarna.
Gradually, The situation takes a turn for the worse—Queen Maraya dies, which makes Tecarus the King of Poromiel and puts Cat in third place to inherit the throne. A first-year Lynx creates shadows showing that Xaden’s magic has disappeared. He goes back to Aretia where Violet discovers him still trying to find a cure. Later, Xaden tells Violet he hasn’t used his powers for 73 days, with a goal of reaching 76. That night, they get intimate to experience the same dream, which reveals Violet’s second signet as intrinsic, a dream walker. Before they can think about what this means, enemies attack Aretia. Violet, following Aaric’s advice, protects the temple of Dunne where Tairn gets hurt. Theophanie shows up, but an irid named Leothan turns on Aretia’s ward causing the venin to vanish.
Andarna must make a tough choice: remain with Violet and give up her heritage or depart to rejoin her people. Violet, with a heavy heart, tells her to leave. Overwhelmed by sadness, Violet gets pushed back into action by Mira. A new fact comes to light—her parents offered her to the Goddess Dunne to stop her from becoming venin, and a prophecy exists about her. Yet, the prophecy refers to Xaden. When Xaden reveals his truth, Mira attempts to kill him.
Violet and Brennan step in, but Mira leaves in anger, feeling deceived. Soon after this series of events, Garrick returns badly beaten with a message from Theophanie, along with her she has Mira and demands Jack Barlowe in exchange. Violet rushed into the trap, but Theophanie kills Jack and slits Mira’s throat. Brennan burns out trying to heal her until Slone Mairi siphons Dains Power, Saving Mira. Daina and Sloane bring a message from Aaric, revealing he has the signet of recognition.
Finally, Violet and Bodhi face Theophanie, who wields the storms like Violet’s late mother, General Sorrengail. This battle devastates the city, with rides dying, including Quinn and Trian, and Sgayel gets rapped, but Andarna returns helping Violet kill Theophanie with a piece of Dunne’s temple. Just then an onyx storm reveals Xaden has channeled again.
Seeing it from the Xaden perspective he sacrifices his soul to save Violet and Sageyl. But here Violet whispers something about their bond before passing out which is the last thing that Xaden hears. In fact, he also discovers that Panchek has been feeding Venin tactical information. The battle then ends and Violet wakes up twelve hours late in Aretia. And she is now legally married to Xaden, making her the Duchess of Tyyrendor. However, she has no memory of what has taken place after asking Imogen to wipe her mind. Then finally the novel ends with an interesting cliffhanger.
Audience Take on Onyx Storm Book
Kelsey Hall from BookTrib described Onyx Storm as “an exciting and emotionally engaging fantasy,” highlighting its worldbuilding, character relationships, and narrative style. Good Housekeeping noted the book’s quick pace and mentioned that the cliffhanger conclusion would “make fans crave additional content.” Laura Hackett from The Times expressed her disappointment with the book, stating that she found Iron Flame and Onyx Storm less enjoyable compared to Fourth Wing.
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