The first book in New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas's sweeping fantasy saga - now available in hardcover with a new look to match the series!
When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the king’s champion and be released from prison.
Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing she never thought she’d have again: a friend. But something evil dwells in the castle—and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the source of the evil before it destroys her world.
I picked Throne of Glass up because it was on sale for 99 cents, but then picked up and read The Assassin's Blade (novella compilation) first because Daphne told me to. And I'm glad I did (Thanks, Daphne!) because I can see where people struggled with Celaena and Throne of Glass without the back story. I would've been annoyed without it.
But I found myself intrigued by Celaena. She's an interesting character with an interesting background. (Ah, interesting. You're a versatile word.) Bad ass is apt, I think. But she's also still a young girl, trying to make the best of a bad situation. And I wanted to cheer for her.
I also wanted more information, both about her past and the world, but I'll give Throne of Glass a pass on this one, since it's the first book of the series. Also, I reserved book 2 from the library as soon as I finished Throne of Glass, so I should get that information soon. (If I don't...)
Though there is romance---and a love triangle of sorts---I wasn't bothered by it. Celaena isn't a normal girl, and the way she views men and relationships is... dammit, I'm going to say it again... interesting. Does Celaena understand what love is? She knows lust and wanting, but love---that's the missing ingredient that made watching her budding relationships so fascinating.
Throne of Glass (and The Assassin's Blade before it) promises a rich and intriguing world, and yes---I want more.
