Throwback Thursday Reviews: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

 

Series: Throne of Glass #1 

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

In Throne of Glass, the first installment of Sarah J. Maas's captivating fantasy series, readers are introduced to the fierce and skilled assassin, Celaena Sardothien, in a world brimming with magic, political intrigue, and deadly competition.

Celaena has not exactly had what you could describe as an easy life. After languishing in the salt mines of Endovier, a place reserved for the kingdom's most dangerous criminals. Her once-legendary prowess as an assassin is now a mere shadow of what it used to be, but her spirit remains unyielding. However, an unexpected opportunity for freedom presents itself when the Crown Prince of Adarlan, Dorian Havillard, offers her a chance at redemption. In exchange for her release, she must participate in a deadly competition to become the King's Champion, a position with the promise of eventual freedom but also involving perilous tasks on the king's behalf.

As a deadly assassin, she possesses a lethal skill set, yet underneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable, complex young woman haunted by her past and a fierce love of fashion.  Her fierce determination and intelligence make her a standout protagonist, and readers will root for her as she navigates the treacherous waters of the competition and the court.

Maas's world-building in Throne of Glass is commendable, presenting readers with a richly imagined realm teeming with magical elements and intricate political machinations. The story unfolds against the backdrop of a kingdom once ruled by magic and now under the oppressive reign of a power-hungry king. As dark secrets begin to surface, and alliances are forged and broken, the suspense keeps the reader engaged throughout. The only slight drawback lies in the pacing, as the middle portion of the book might feel slow at times. However, the climactic conclusion makes up for it with intense action and unexpected twists that will leave readers hungry for more. Yet for a book written by a teenaged Sarah J Maas, I can’t commend her enough for her this fabulous debut novel.