The Assassin's Blade
Author: Sarah J. MaasSeries: Throne of Glass, #0.1-0.5
Published: 4 March 2014 by Bloomsbury
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis:
Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom's most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful and ruthless Assassin's Guild, Celaena yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam.
When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes—and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies alike, and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn's orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn's clutches—and if they fail, they'll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives...
A prequel to Throne of Glass, this collection of five novellas offers listeners a deeper look into the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling—and deadly—world.
Rating:
Review and Discussion:
Last year, I read Throne of Glass, but I didn't exactly love it. I rated it four stars after my first reading, but ever since I have felt that my rating was too generous. I was caught up in the hype, and wanted to love it, but I came away from the book feeling confused and unsatisfied by the characters, the plot and the world-building. I could feel the series had potential, but I just wasn't able to appreciate it at the time.
I has been about ten months now, and I was finally in the mood to read some fantasy and pick up the series again. This time, however, I thought I would start with The Assassin's Blade so that I could learn more about this fantasy world, how it operated, Celaena's past as an assassin, etc. And on that front, this book did not disappoint.
From the very first short story that this collection offered, I felt that I had a much better grasp on Celaena's character than what I was able to gain from Throne of Glass. In this collection, we are exposed to Celaena's life as an assassin, her traits, her values, her actions, her manner of assassination. I felt that this understanding of her character was lacking in Throne of Glass, because the story starts right at the end of these short stories, and everything from Celaena's past is assumed, or revealed in short, unsatisfying snippets throughout the story. I am glad that I have now read The Assassin's Blade for it has given me more insight into Celaena's character, and it has made me appreciate her and her story a whole lot more.
Similarly, the short stories also give more insight into the world in which the series takes place. In Throne of Glass, we are only exposed to one very small region of this fantasy world, and limited in what we see of this world also. The Assassin's Blade, however, takes us all over the continent of Erilea. Whilst many different places are referenced in Throne of Glass, in The Assassin's Blade, we actually get to go there with Celaena and see more of her world. We get an understanding of the different cultures, the different mannerisms, the different lifestyles in each area of the continent, and I found that it was very helpful in getting a grasp on the world for the rest of the series.
The main reason why I read this book was to prepare myself for the rest of the series, and it definitely delivered on that front. I have a much stronger understanding of Celaena's character and her history, and also of Erilea. This book, therefore, served its purpose for me.
However, I did find the book to be a little flat at times; quite often I found that the plot was unexciting and slow, and riddled with plot holes or plot twists that came with no surprise. This was the most disappointing element of this book. While it was rich in world-building and character development, I felt that it really lacked in terms of its plot. Acts of betrayal from characters believed to be trusted could be seen from miles away, and it was somewhat frustrating that Celaena was so quick to trust without questioning motives or conspiracy theories. If she's the greatest assassin in the land, she should have been more skeptical of information provided to her and taken it upon herself to find truth and motives before believing those who had betrayed her previously. This was the main thing that bothered me in this book, because the plot twists were so easy for me to see, they should have been equally obvious to Celaena. If they had have been executed more myseriously, perhaps, these plot twists could have been epic and undeniably thrilling.
This collection can be read in one of two ways: as a single, episodic novel (as I read it), or as individual stories to pick up here and there whenever the mood struck. I would recommend the first method if you're looking to deepen your understanding of the fantasy world before or during your reading of the series. Otherwise, if you've read the series in its entirety, or have no interest in picking up the series until you get a small taste of it, I would recommend reading the stories as stand-alones. Granted, you would still have to read them in order to avoid being spoiled on earlier stories, etc, but they each have a conclusive ending that will leave you satisfied for the weeks between picking up the next story. They are enjoyable and beautiful in their own ways, each with their own message of bravery, strength, courage and determination.
My favourite of the short stories was definitely The Assassin and the Healer, which I've heard has been many people's least favourite. It is the shortest, and not much happens by way of plot, but I found it was undeniably beautiful. It showed the bond between two women who came together to support and each other up to their full potential. It was sweet and beautiful, and truly inspiring.
I think that the best story, however, was The Assassin and the Empire. This story packed the most punch, and it was most relevant to Celaena's background and how she ended up in her situation that begins Throne of Glass. It was mysterious and gripping, and though the plot twist was still predictable, not everything was made clear in the end, which still has me thinking and second-guessing everything each of the characters have ever said and done. This story definitely held my attention moreso than the others, and it definitely redeemed my opinion on the collection as a whole.
Alas, with mixed views on this book, overall I did enjoy it. It served its purpose of giving me a better insight into Celaena's character and the fantasy world of Erilea, and it was mostly enjoyable. I am excited to now move onto re-reading Throne of Glass with a better appreciation for the characters and the kingdom, before then reading the rest of the series with more enthusiasm.
I has been about ten months now, and I was finally in the mood to read some fantasy and pick up the series again. This time, however, I thought I would start with The Assassin's Blade so that I could learn more about this fantasy world, how it operated, Celaena's past as an assassin, etc. And on that front, this book did not disappoint.
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| U. K. Edition |
From the very first short story that this collection offered, I felt that I had a much better grasp on Celaena's character than what I was able to gain from Throne of Glass. In this collection, we are exposed to Celaena's life as an assassin, her traits, her values, her actions, her manner of assassination. I felt that this understanding of her character was lacking in Throne of Glass, because the story starts right at the end of these short stories, and everything from Celaena's past is assumed, or revealed in short, unsatisfying snippets throughout the story. I am glad that I have now read The Assassin's Blade for it has given me more insight into Celaena's character, and it has made me appreciate her and her story a whole lot more.
Similarly, the short stories also give more insight into the world in which the series takes place. In Throne of Glass, we are only exposed to one very small region of this fantasy world, and limited in what we see of this world also. The Assassin's Blade, however, takes us all over the continent of Erilea. Whilst many different places are referenced in Throne of Glass, in The Assassin's Blade, we actually get to go there with Celaena and see more of her world. We get an understanding of the different cultures, the different mannerisms, the different lifestyles in each area of the continent, and I found that it was very helpful in getting a grasp on the world for the rest of the series.
The main reason why I read this book was to prepare myself for the rest of the series, and it definitely delivered on that front. I have a much stronger understanding of Celaena's character and her history, and also of Erilea. This book, therefore, served its purpose for me.
However, I did find the book to be a little flat at times; quite often I found that the plot was unexciting and slow, and riddled with plot holes or plot twists that came with no surprise. This was the most disappointing element of this book. While it was rich in world-building and character development, I felt that it really lacked in terms of its plot. Acts of betrayal from characters believed to be trusted could be seen from miles away, and it was somewhat frustrating that Celaena was so quick to trust without questioning motives or conspiracy theories. If she's the greatest assassin in the land, she should have been more skeptical of information provided to her and taken it upon herself to find truth and motives before believing those who had betrayed her previously. This was the main thing that bothered me in this book, because the plot twists were so easy for me to see, they should have been equally obvious to Celaena. If they had have been executed more myseriously, perhaps, these plot twists could have been epic and undeniably thrilling.
This collection can be read in one of two ways: as a single, episodic novel (as I read it), or as individual stories to pick up here and there whenever the mood struck. I would recommend the first method if you're looking to deepen your understanding of the fantasy world before or during your reading of the series. Otherwise, if you've read the series in its entirety, or have no interest in picking up the series until you get a small taste of it, I would recommend reading the stories as stand-alones. Granted, you would still have to read them in order to avoid being spoiled on earlier stories, etc, but they each have a conclusive ending that will leave you satisfied for the weeks between picking up the next story. They are enjoyable and beautiful in their own ways, each with their own message of bravery, strength, courage and determination.
My favourite of the short stories was definitely The Assassin and the Healer, which I've heard has been many people's least favourite. It is the shortest, and not much happens by way of plot, but I found it was undeniably beautiful. It showed the bond between two women who came together to support and each other up to their full potential. It was sweet and beautiful, and truly inspiring.
I think that the best story, however, was The Assassin and the Empire. This story packed the most punch, and it was most relevant to Celaena's background and how she ended up in her situation that begins Throne of Glass. It was mysterious and gripping, and though the plot twist was still predictable, not everything was made clear in the end, which still has me thinking and second-guessing everything each of the characters have ever said and done. This story definitely held my attention moreso than the others, and it definitely redeemed my opinion on the collection as a whole.
Alas, with mixed views on this book, overall I did enjoy it. It served its purpose of giving me a better insight into Celaena's character and the fantasy world of Erilea, and it was mostly enjoyable. I am excited to now move onto re-reading Throne of Glass with a better appreciation for the characters and the kingdom, before then reading the rest of the series with more enthusiasm.
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