Assassin’s Blade (Prequel to Throne of Glass) by Sarah J. Maas
I have already talked about Sarah J Maas’s books, but I can not go through this article without mentioning Assassin’s Blade, a prequel to the Throne of Glass series.
Before Chaol Westfall and Dorian Havilliard got Celena out of the salt mines of Endovier Celena Sardothein was Adarlin’s most notorious Assassin.
The mission doesn’t wait and Arobynn Hamel’s orders embark on five daring missions. This book contains five short stories, set before the Throne of Glass events. From the farthest parts of the desert, to pirate bay, we watch as our favorite assassin travels through every distant corner of Erilea unraveling mysteries and meeting new fascinating characters. But the main threat lures Adarlin itself, in a face of her master. We see glimpses of our favorite characters, but the main focus is on Celena and her first love, Sam Cortland.
This book is like a cold breeze on a hot summer day. Every story has an independent plot and every single one of them is just as gripping. And then the ending comes like a hurricane and blows you away. I am warning you, it is painful but so worth it. It develops Celena’s character into who she is now.
I would recommend reading this book before Throne of Glass or after Crown of Midnight. Later in the series, you will find references to it, and almost all of the characters appear in the Empire of Storms and play a major part in the final installment.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Welcome to the world of Katsa, a Graceling – a rare individual with extraordinary ability. She has been blessed (or cursed) with the power to kill a man using nothing but her bare hands since the age of eight. As the king’s niece, she ought to lead a luxurious life, but being Graced with killing, she is made to work as the king’s brute.
Unexpectedly, Katsa falls in love with the charming Prince Po, which changes her perspective on life forever. Moreover, she unravels the truth about her Grace and discovers a dreadful secret hidden far away – a secret that could obliterate all seven kingdoms.
I honestly understand why Katsa fell in love with Po. Because of her Grace, Katsa has always seen the violence, brutality, and ugliness of the world. She has been used to doing horrible things. But Po has a gift, and I’m not talking about his Grace. His true gift is to see and enjoy the beauty which makes the further events of the book more devastating. I loved their dynamics and the way their relationship progressed. It is so good and heartwarming.
The adventure was gripping and very interesting, and the villain was mysterious. He is the one who plays a major part in other books as well.
Originally, there were three books in the Graceling Realm series, but the author added two more recently.
In my opinion, the second book is the best. It is a totally different story from beyond the mountains and instead of Gracelings, there are Monsters. The second book follows the story of the only surviving human Monster, Fire.
In the third book, you will be back in the original realm, reunited with beloved characters, and witness the best and saddest love story in the series.
If you’re looking for a captivating and enthralling fantasy novel that will leave you spellbound, then it is a must-read.
Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin Series) By Robin LaFevers
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
The first reason why you should read this book is that Uncle Rick (Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson) has a four-star review on Goodreads for this book!
If you are not already convinced, there is the plot:
The setting takes place in fifteenth-century France, in a convent of St Mortain, the god of death. But it is no ordinary place. Here we have warrior assassin nuns, daughters of the Death himself. This alternative universe closely follows the historic events of Celtic Brittany, before it became part of France.
Duchess Anna is a young heiress, who is vulnerable and faces many dangers. In order to guarantee the safety of Anne’s life, Ismae has been tasked with a mission to assume the role of Gavriel Duval’s mistress, the illegitimate half-brother of the duchess. This will grant her access to the high court and will give her the best vantage point to investigate and eliminate the threat, but she has also been entrusted with a secondary objective unknown to Gavriel himself: to verify whether or not he is indeed a traitor.
Isame hates Gavriel, but slowly she comes to trust him. Aside from the Duchess’s life, she also has to guard her perceptions and her heart.
The book has three parts and each part tells the story of a different girl. My personal favorite is the last part so I would strongly advise sticking with it to the end.
Queen’s Poisoner (Kingfountain Series) By Jeff Wheeler
This book you guys! It was never what I expected. Early warning, there is no romance in the first book, but honestly, I didn’t care.
The book follows a journey of a little seven-year-old boy, a traitor lord’s son, who is sent to the ruthless and fearsome king’s court as a hostage.
In spite of this situation, little Owen is in, he is fortunate to have caught the eye of the mysterious Queen’s Poisoner, Ankarette Tryneowy who has the power to transform his fate.
You might think that this woman was a special gift or something. In reality, her truest gift is her intelligence. The way this woman manipulates everyone around her and gathers precious information is truly magical and with this sheer cleverness is how she is able to persuade everyone, that Owen has magical abilities. And the most amazing part is, that the king who used to hold the boy in total disregard, thinks that he discovered the boy’s power.
You have to see for yourself how Ankarette does it all. Aside from that, we are introduced to a variety of amazing characters, one of whom is my favorite Lady Elysabeth Victoria Mortimer. Her friendship with Owen is one of the main focuses in the first book as she becomes his partner in crime. I love these childhood friends duo and their dynamics throughout the series.
The book has many historical references that you might catch and is filled with political intrigues. Although the first part is told from the child’s perspective, as we dive deeper into the story, the characters age and the content becomes more mature. There is a very good and gripping romance.
I recently found out that Ankarette Tryneowy has her own prequel trilogy, with the first book named The Poisoner’s Enemy. I have not read the book myself, but to be honest, The Queen’s Poisoner is my favorite book in the series and the sole reason for that is this character and I can recommend a book about her without even reading it.
The Way of Shadows (Night Angel Series) by Brent Weeks
The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks is a captivating epic fantasy series of books. It follows the story of Kylar Stern (Introduced as Azoth), an orphaned street urchin who is taken in by a mysterious figure and trained as an assassin.
To go on with his training, Kylar has to be separated from his friends, but he finds parental guidance in Durzo Blint, one of the best swordsmen and assassins in the world, and Guinevere, the Madam of the brothel and Durzo’s close friend.
Throughout his training Kylar learns fighting, using magical abilities he possesses as well as good manners and throughout time, acquires every trait of a lord.
Filled with intricate politics, magic, and action this YA book is one hell of an adventure. The characters are complex and compelling, with each book in the series focusing on different aspects of the story arc. With its intricate plot and vivid descriptions of the magical underworld, we also see themes of revenge, friendship, loyalty, and unlikely acquaintances and a love story so strong and heart-wrenching. This book explores themes of loyalty, justice, and morals, carefully intertwined in a very complicated and action-packed plotline.
Brent Weeks created something epic, I just couldn’t stop reading. Even after finishing the Night Angel, l can’t stop thinking about Midcyru or its inhabitants, events at the Black Barrow, and their consequences, this story haunted me for years. I strongly recommend everyone who has the pleasure of reading it for the first time to do so.
Six of Crows Series by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows is one of those books with a Steampunk vibe. It is set in a bustling hub of international trade, Ketterdam. In a way, it has the same vibe as the first book of the Night Angel Series, with a city divided by poor and rich parts and street guilds controlling the slums.
The story revolves around six characters, who find themselves working together in a heat that might make them richer than ever.
- A convict with a thirst for revenge
- A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
- A runaway with a privileged past
- A spy was known as the Wraith
- A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
- A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Led by infamous criminal mastermind Kaz Brekker these characters defy all odds to accomplish the mission.
For me personally, finding out more about the characters and their backstories was way more interesting than the actual plot. Don’t get me wrong, the plot was amazing, but the characters were like no other, so complicated and intriguing. Especially Kaz and his weird quirks.
Kaz has a limp and carries a staff. This is a common archetype in literature, the Limp Devil. Kaz’s main strength is his mind and ruthlessness but he still has a soft spot for Inej. Inej is the perfect assassin, quiet as a shadow, earning her the nickname of the Wraith. I think she is water to Kaz’s fire, they balance each other so well.
I want to talk about all the characters but I will leave the discovery of others to you.
In conclusion…
The theme of assassins is quite popular in modern culture, be it in video games, movies, or literature. Here I tried to share some of my favorite YA Fantasy books filled with assassins, political intrigues, and mysteries to be solved. Hope you enjoy and come to love these characters as much as I have throughout the years.
Please share your thoughts and join us on many other journeys in the Library of Eleanor Rigby.
