Smutty Stuff:
Dubcon, Heats, Multiple Orgasms, and Scent
Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders…
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die
Aighty, I got multiple friends who read this. one of which has been longing for me to read it because she thought it was so funny. And it’s a VERY popular series. And since it’s so silly… I’m gonna annotate real hard. I’m borrowing this as an ebook so I gotta do as much reading as I can within two weeks that I got it.
So. Long post, yall.
Chapter 1
I love this kind of shit. In fact, it’s even funnier to imagine that someone wrote all of this down, including every interior thought of our main character. Because bro— if it ain’t in her diary, then how? I mean, I do really love that “It is in Fantasy Language, which is perfectly translated before you here” thing. It’s a great way to chuck in the language of the story, because there is no real equivalent, or you can get scholarly with it. (Fourth Wing does not)
Violet??? Violet???? Her head is now my cat’s head.
Jesus Christ. Prediction: either the most evil person or one of the love interests has mind reading. Or she will.
Mom, listen— “You are your father’s daughter!” Yeah no shit! They go to pains to talk about how this woman, at twenty, is basically the equivalent of a glow stick with all the cracks and pops and apparent pains she suffers. And yet mom is like, yeah man, throw her to the wolves, fucking do it, why not!
Ye Olde Guide to Murder and Mayhem
They use this for sex.
I’m going to kill this man child. I’m going to kill him.
Heyo! Our first instant hottie! He’s got black hair and eyes. He’s probably the evil boyfriend, the one who will in fact have mind-reading powers. Violet, I know your sister said to get hot and heavy when you can, but moments before you try to walk on a tiny little bridge on the death mill is pretty bad.
Oh yeah. She’s gonna fuck him later.
Dylan??? Dylan, the guy who pulled out his good luck charm and said, “I’m going to get married right after I graduate”? Dylan, the guy who had no last name?? Dylan, who said he was a day from retiring and ended up doing a backflip off the itty bitty bridge? That Dylan???
Chapter 2
Way to work in a history dump. She does this for some time. And yeah, I love world building, but this is not the way to show how your world works. I will not remember this. In fact, I will probably end up referencing this stupid screenshot repeatedly.
Dude, what’s your fucking problem? Violet, girl, you shoulda pushed him down the stairs.
I wish she cut his dick off.
Chapter 3 Annotations
Misread end of first paragraph as “beat him off”. Secondly, if Jack doesn’t heel turn and want her carnally I will be surprised.
I wonder what disability she has? EDS? That’s the first one that comes to mind with stuff that just decides to fuck around and pop out and shit.
Girl what, why?
Yeah, gotta say, Mom really fucking sucks and she’s kind of the whole reason we have this book. This book would not exist if Mom weren’t an absolute garbage mother. Mom “No Child of Mine” out there.
Jesus Christ, okay, great. It’s still so very stupid to just throw people into a meat grinder like this. What’s the ulterior motive? It’s very inefficient, to be throwing potential bodies for other work into what basically amounts as a killer game show. And for what? Super soldiers??
Okay though it feels like an eldritch god type situation. Why else sacrifice all these people? The dragons appear to be watching the poor wee humans for entertainment, and then kill whomever doesn’t fit their tastes. Sure, the alliance was forged for mutual benefit, but really now. Is it truly in a nation’s best interest to send people with promise to die? And at the other end— are there really people who would approach this, knowing they could die at any time, who would run screaming knowing the alternative was death?
Chapter 4
It still drives me insane that it’s a corset. Tell me more about your sexy outfit, Violet.
There’s so many Capitalized Words for things. I suppose yes, they’re ceremonies, but man, jesus, stop it.
Rhiannon is a good friend. “You’re gonna get laid? Gonna see your childhood friend who always makes eyes at you? Nice. I got you, babe.”
Yeah okay, perfectly fine to promote homicidal intent in the strict hierarchies of a military. You don’t just force people to drop their personal vendettas and fight as a cohesive unit. You pit them against each other and tell them it’s perfectly acceptable to kill someone as long as no one is looking.
Dain wants to get his dick wet soooo baaaaad
Chapter 5
This is the nicest thing she has ever said.
WOW dude, you don’t know that. I mean I know you were raised to be a scholar your entire life but there’s no reason to think that no one else could have made such an impression on him.
Newsflash: y’all have been going on about DELETING people who are signing up to get these bonds going and people in this profession die like flies. Dragons gain a lot of power from being with people but yeah, just throw em in the meat grinder.
Is this a cartoon?
Jack McAsshole at it again with his no-reason nastiness, placed to make Violet look smarter. And yeah, it turns out she is right.
Word choice that gives away a writer’s age immediately. Millennial writing style. I’m also guilty of it, but she’s twenty in a fantasy setting.
Seriously, please, why is your mom so dead set on you being here?
YEAH SURE, A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR COMMITTING MURDER, AIGHT GUY, GO STAND IN THE CORNER! Are you fucking kidding me?
More legal murder. At least this is an attempt.
Yoink
Chapter 6
Dain, dude. You’re trying not to be too dedicated to her shit, you know. And then you go screaming in like a nursemaid.
What the FUCK, Dain?
Literally everyone said to Mom, “Hey, this is a bad idea, and your girl has her heart set on following in her father’s footsteps.” And what did Mom say? “That guy is dead.”
Dude wants her outtie mcout out. And Violet has sunk cost now, I guess. I ain’t a quitter type attitude.
Nolon is my type. Also, I am amused by the phonetic slurring.
Been there.
FINALLY! Throwing one out for the gays!
Love that the author had to write in “as tradition dictates” because it’s perfectly reasonable to believe that Mom would just do that.
Brennan seems like a fun dude.
Chapter 7
BEGIN THE POISONING!
What are the fucking odds? The one tree you pick, “your” tree, and everyone just stands underneath you?
Uuugh. Love this shit. I say that facetiously.
It’s so fucking stupid. These people are just trying to survive. Barring groupings of certain people is, well. BAD.
It’s fine, you think he’s super hot so that means you’re going to absolutely ride his hog later. Admire away.
Oh, yeah, did I mention that it’s REQUIRED that these “marked ones” are placed into the most rigorous, most ruthless, most beat-you-into-much military quadrant? As punishment for the sins of their parents? They’re children of war, dude. I’m sure most of them die because of this. Perhaps even strengthens grudges. We’re already aware that this is a military state with very rigid ideals, and I hate the government that runs it.
Y’all almost made it through a whole conversation without talking about her. I mean, everyone is pissed that Mom killed their parents and their families, and they’re very happy to saddle her with the blame. Oh wait. I wonder why that sounds familiar. Violence is a circle.
Handle with that dick.
LMAO of course the dude who is so hot and wants to kill you and has a super rare dragon and black hair and a mean streak a mile long has shadow powers. So does my dog
I have a D&D character who was like this, except he was a big ol’ slut.
- How is she so “bad” at fighting if she can aim her daggers with pinpoint accuracy?
- They may as well have just fucked right here. Violet, he is hitting on you. This is basic flirting 101 for villains.
Quit asking him out.
He’s making a joke, Violet.
Chapter 8
You have two very eligible bachelors to fuck.
Rhiannon and Tara gay fucking confirmed.
My dude is obsessed with this. Cool it. They’re very intimate for best friends.
He won’t stop trying to touch her face. I’m constantly thinking he is going to try to do the memory read power thing. As time goes on I like Dain less and less.
Prof. Kaori seems like a neat teacher. I too wish to teach Dragons & You.
Hm. I wonder why those barriers are dying. Hmmm.
Shut the FUCK up, Jack
You’re already into him, man. And he’s into you. Jesus.
These are the stupidest names for different dragons by far. And since they’re SO smart and SO rare, Violet will get one.
Jack wants the evil-looking super strong dragon. Jokes on you, murder machine, Violet is probably going to end up fucking one.
What, no one else is so important as your brother? I mean, he’s a cool dude and all, but c’mon.
Main character ass energy.
Why is this dude always murder-this, murder-that. Have another personality trait, dipstick. Get a hobby.
I bet they can squeeze other organs as well.
But why? Why is she so good at this? She just has an unnatural talent for it and it’s barely mentioned in the details about her training. She only trained for six months, dude.
POISON
POISON!
POISON!!!
POISON!!!!!
Oops, too much poison.
Things are about to get very horney.
Chapter 9
This professor is kind of a dick. “You are all in for a treat”? Dude, it’s normal for people to absolutely go into a blood-hazed rage during these fights. They’re not dancing.
Dain is back to clucking like a mother hen.
“He’s gonna kill me!” Pause. “He’s hot tho”
I call my cat Violet this because she tried to stab one of my roommates with a toothpick, which was artfully placed point side up in the middle of his favorite seat. She also beats the shit out of her larger brothers.
Why are you being a good teacher? Except that we already know that you’re a good dude, since you and Violet are going to eventually visit the bone zone.
This is sexual. The dagger is his penis.
You may as well just be fucking her right now, dude. This is just missionary with a top. I mean, I’m down, this book is supposed to be filthy, but in front of everyone? Wiggle those hips, bitch.
She’s making it so terribly obvious. But as the professor’s habit, they do not give a shit. It works both ways, I guess.
No shit, sherlock, she knows. We have made it clear that she is very very smart.
Dain be like, pretend you don’t know me, then ride her ass around like a scooter.
So ultimately you’re just gonna do whatever it takes, including crush her pride, to try to get her to safety. Cool cool cool
Chapter 10
Ah, geez, who the fuck are you, Aurelie? I don’t really remember you. You’re so nice and excited. Good luck, girl.
Millennial phrasing pouncing at me again.
Henchman build.
…
You’re fucking with me.
You’re going to say it’s named after the piece of clothing/armor?
It’s a common word for a trial! My guy! This is a trial! It’s named because it is literally a severe trial! It is not because it is slippery! Who the fuck—
The perks: being fucked in the first place.
This better make you realize you’re being an ass and be better.
I’m also depressed, Violet.
Wait a minute.
Wait…
No. You’re joking.
The Gauntlet is Ninja Warrior!?
Another exposition dump here in the form of her concentration mumblings. And now that she has mentioned how rare a feathertail is, one will definitely show up.
Called it.
I don’t know her.
Dude, that’s cold. They didn’t come for her?
It was just straight up bad luck, man, it was on the exact thing she warned you about.
Violet “I don’t need the edginess right now, thanks” Sorrengail.
Smells like masculine and sexy, you mean. Or a cologne. Who knows.
Incredibly serious and yet somehow weird conversation to have. She didn’t even warm up to it.
Y’alls is gonna fuck. It’s already decided, man.
Chapter 11
Sunk cost, man.
Who are you? A diversity play? Wanted to throw one of my people in there for nonbinary points? Heaton shows up for a few paragraphs and is done. Put me back in, coach.
He so does. Listen, he might look hot to yall, but he is losing hotness before my eyes.
I know bro super doesn’t want her dead but he needs to respect her choice here. She knows she might die. Everyone might die. Hemight die. And he’s getting really, I don’t know, pushy? Pissing me off.
Dain’s sex pal from last year is trying to scream Violet off the Ninja Warrior button.
LMAO. So her absolutely insane memory and dancing through a loophole is pretty funny. She even used her shitty knife.
Chapter 12
Sounds pretty. Pretty appropriate since I’m reading this in the fall.
Dragons be like, “That dude is so bad I don’t even want to risk anyone else picking him.” You think they get into fights if a potential gets incinerated? Why such disdain? Are humans like bugs? Little animals? Is this what dragons do in their own society? Just kill the weak? Are we putting humans in a meat grinder to make them match dragon society more?
I absolutely called this shit. Also, dude, shut the fuck up.
“If your bud turns into a cartoon pile of ash, just step over them like nothing happened. Ta!”
How long until Tynan dies? He was forced to apologize earlier and now he’s back to being a fucking dick.
Violet out there acting like everyone has some right to the information in her head as if she should be out there spewing this shit. Why feel guilty? You said it yourself. They’re just people trying to get by. You’re protecting people by not saying anything. I have plenty of secrets and I’m notoriously bad at keeping secrets, but that don’t mean I don’t got any. That’s just normal. But maybe you haven’t realized this yet since you’re only twenty.
She loves this thing already. She’s going to bond with it.
Luca and Tynan bitching about a dragon being not good enough for anyone as if they aren’t standing in front of their eldritch gods, who may or may not take offense for any small infraction and reduce them to a smoldering pile.
Dude, shut the fuck up. Where’s the respect? Y’all are starting to act like these are horses.
Like many people in this quadrant, her family is either dead or didn’t really love her that much.
Predictably, the guy whose only character trait was cartoonishly indecisive was removed from the pickings. How did he even make the decision to join? Was he also forced into it? I don’t know him.
Sniff snorf yall. She’s so special that the dragons are all up in her business.
Violet in an AU runs a dog shelter.
You know, the dragons make a good point. Her only character trait was to be a high-school popular girl who did hair flips and was condescending.
Chapter 13
YOU’LL FEEL IT IN THE FORCE… THE FORCE BOND…
Yeah, Dain has been pissing me off. He keeps trying to make all of the decision for her. And it’s been getting worse and worse and worse.
No Force bond here. Move along. Lotta dragons but this ain’t it.
Violet finds out someone else’s schemes every time she climbs a tree. Also, are you serious? They’re just going to go kill a dragon? Are they so confident that they could get away with that and still get bonded? Do they think the dragons won’t care? Do they think that the feathertail, who is just fucking around until Violet finds it, is just going to let them do that?
Y’all know that there are people watching this, right? For like, entertainment? That dragon is a fucking beacon. Someone is going to find out. Even if you succeeded, there would be a dead dragon in the field and y’all are gonna get soaked in blood.
Also, I stopped to look up the author and found out that she has EDS, so I feel like I absolutely was correct in assuming Violet has EDS. She has so many pops and shit that I was wondering why she didn’t have more things to keep her joints in place.
This is so funny to picture, dude. She’s walking up to a big ol dragon going, “Shoo! Shoo!” Bro. I said it earlier, they’re not horses. At least she talks to the dragons knowing full well they understand.
Someone needs to kill Jack ASAP.
Chapter 14
I’m sorry.
This whole time I’ve been picturing Violet with my cat’s head. Now she is absolutely about to bond with a giant cat.
You’re joking. He can’t use an arm and suddenly he bolts? While Violet is out here with only a leg and an arm and bleeding all over? And he leaves his henchmen to do the dirty work. Typical. I was wrong when I said he would probably want her carnally. The dude has a personality about as deep as a walk-in shower.
Violet… girl… he has been on your side since day zero. You went, “I’m also mad,” and he went, “Fair enough, truce.”
Ummmm. I know I predicted the black dragon being bonded to her first, but there is also the gold one there. Guess the gold one was… uh… a test? Maybe? Also, what’s with the title? Do you think dragons refer to humans by their colorings as well?
Honestly funny.
Can I ship her with the dragon instead? Let me ship her with the dragon.
We’re only on Chapter 14, Violet, you’re fine.
Chapter 15
LMAO
Because curmudgeons are great. I hope I grow up to be a good curmudgeonly bastard that everybody goes, “Their bark is worse than their bite.” And I yell at people while serving amazing food. “You look hungry! You should be eating! Damnit! Here, I made eggs!”
This dragon is a top. Also, she’s being so childish with the dragon. Maybe he will be her dad instead.
I think I found my favorite character. And, how is he and the feathertail related? Are they mates? Is it his kid? Best buds?
Wonder how the dragons feel when the humans think stupid shit. My dragon would kick my ass.
Right on, just fucking slide. This dude a brontosaurus.
Huh???
Great. I bet I was right on both counts. She bonded both, huh?
Dude, fuck your Mom.
Bro— cunt— piss! Long sigh okay, she bonded the dragon couple and now she’s their kid.
Chapter 16
Oh yeah. That’s good.
I can’t believe this dude has the gall to be pissy at her when he ran his dumb ass away. Place and time to be a pissant. This dude is not smart.
Lmao just like cats.
Yeah, her dragon parents ship it.
Aw, that’s nice, the people we like succeeded and they got perfectly respectful dragons.
WHAT did Tairn just say? Violet, fucking no.
And by the way, they’re walking into shadow. Xaden is going to walk his ass up.
Stop it. Stop making these decision for her, dude. I get it, you like her, but man, this ain’t the way.
Dain, shut the fuck up.
BRO HER DRAGON IS FUCKING XADEN’S DRAGON, IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. So, okay, that means that Andarna is like, what. Their kid? Their little friend?
Was I right or was I right?
Also, Dain out there being like, hey, you saved my girl, you motherfucker! Also, not so much his girl. He’s being an ass.
This is so much funnier to me than probably intended.
Xaden, you have been practically grinding your dick on her since she appeared in your world, and damn, she has been intoit. Yeah, dude, you want to be chained to her.
Dain “I would have watched you die because rules are more important to me than your life” Apteos.
Love mating magic and bonding magic. A big fun thing in really horny shit. Yeah, sure, give ’em another reason to fuck.
She has a point. Everyone and her Mom has been trying to kill her.
LMAO
Why is he so happy? He was so pissed a minute ago. He keeps touching her like this. I’m absolutely convinced he’s doing something in there.
Anyway, cool tattoo. How many readers are going to get one just like it?
My guy, I really don’t think you love her that much. I feel like it’s a new way to push more shit onto her. You were literally pissing all over her parade barely pages ago.
Yeah, no one does.
Chapter 17
Hohoho! Rhiannon confirmed bi. Not a bad list so far, Rhiannon.
I would NOT call that a moment, bro. It was awful.
An average day for Violet, really. They try to kill her all the time. Hell, I’m surprised no one is currently speaking death threats in the background.
Is this high school? I keep wondering this off an on throughout the book. For people over twenty, it’s like high school again. Except everyone is of age and fucks. I don’t know how normal college is. I went to a community college twice a week and everyone was normal and very nice, and no one ever did shit to anyone.
Or especially nice. Imogen, you tried to kill her the first time you two sparred and absolutely broke her damn arm.
Slowly realizing that Violet might be the token hetero in this little group here. We love our favorite little (he’s tall) token hetero. He is a lovely man.
Violet, love that you briefly kept it secret what happened but the moment things are casual shit just drops from your mouth like it’s cool. Also, love Heaton’s hair. Thanks Heaton.
Okay Dad…
I wonder what the fuck is up with the head tingling thing. She has a sense for him being in her vicinity and it’s the spidey sense shit she has going on every time.
Listen, going back to my eldritch comparisons, I’m feeling it. Except now that we’ve met them they’re just really big, scaly people.
Seriously, I think dragons refer to humans by coloring. Or is it just unique to Tairn?
Yeah, for good reason.
Because he keeps trying to make decisions for you and forcing you to fit into this image he has for you. You keep fighting almost every time you meet. This man has zero trust in you, my guy, zero. But he doesn’t offer to support you at all or do anything to help except try to push you toward something you’ve already decided you’re not going to do, saying he knows what’s best. Keeps putting you down, man. Very nuclear family of him.
Haven’t you thought to ask Tairn why his reaction to the man on sight is just scorn?
Bro, let her fucking speak.
I mean, it’s realistic, yeah, but it’s not actually barred. But he can’t keep going “I want you” this and “Listen to me” that without skin in the game.
Oh right. The whole marked one thing. Instant death on gatherings. (sighs)
Chapter 18
I wonder if it’s dry enough down there. Moisture accumulating in the archive— sorry, Archive— could be bad for everyone. That’s a lot of books that need care.
Sweet, we got a new character from Violet’s old life who is Deaf. I wonder if the author has a list of people she needs to include? Anyway, it’s cute that Violet knows sign to talk to her friend.
So wyverns and venin really aren’t that common knowledge. You would figure that if it were a common story or bedtime story, the Deaf community in this world would have come up with some sort of sign.
Yeah, I’m gonna say this is going to happen by the end of the book, and it’ll probably be Jack going apeshit.
Oh yes. Time to show off how smart you are again. I’m really wondering about the “less air” thing. The lack of airflow and fresh oxygen, yeah, it could presumably do something about the risk of fire, but you also end up with stagnation. I feel like it’s moisture that is the highest risk down here, not to mention the unseen dangers for these people. It’s like living in a bunker.
She’s really come hardcore to terms with the whole Rider thing. It’s a bit frustrating to me that her dedication In Spite Of her Mom’s pushing and Dain’s squalling has ended up with her at peace with it. She was at peace with it rather soon, I suppose because plot demanded it, but I don’t know. I guess having new parents helps.
I have a feeling that the book is perhaps more than she thought it was.
Mein Gott! The militaristic children hate people who are being forced to wear a huge, obvious mark on their body to symbolize their Otherness and Second-Class Citizen Status!
My guy: chopsticks.
See? There is is again. Vibrating head. It’s the Spidey Sense.
Jack, shut the fuck up. He’s got another henchman now.
It’s gotta be a bit awkward to do a full-body pat-down for a dragon. They’re intelligent beings. Is this like, uh, those birds that pick out pests? What do unbonded dragons do in the meanwhile?
Thanks, Dad. You want to cock the shotgun, too?
Dain! Shut the fuck up! Why are you grabbing her like that?! Quit yelling!
You’ve been letting Kaori? The teacher? The person with rank on you? You’re a second year squad leader in death college, you aren’t letting him do anything. And she’s right, he hasn’t been keeping track of his own squad. No one needed to say anything because he should have already known.
Is it so fucking bad, dude? That she’s working on it? That other people are now helping her???
Violet, slap him. Slap him! Bro just wants you to fail.
Get ready for it. The breakup. Of the relationship that never was and yet Dain gets uppity about.
Really sad that some of his last words are Dain’s thoughts, though. Also, yeah, someone she knows will have this power and be dealing with it a lot better.
…really? Maybe you asked about it and completely forgot…?
Violet versus seven people. I wonder how this will go! (I don’t wonder. She will win, or she’ll get close and Xaden will run in)
Tairn is a good dad.
I too get really upset when I think about dying. What will happen to my cats? What about all my fic? Does my bestie remember my computer password so she could log in and find everything I left behind?
Um.
Did she just stop time? OP, dude.
Chapter 19
Yeah, sound can’t really travel if it’s stopped.
Yeah, I knew it.
Legal Murder! Back at it again. Six people just died in Violet’s bedroom.
Showing off now, huh? Dragons ship it.
Dude, your affection is showing. Very yandere of you. Good thing I’m into yanderes. We veer into the weird controlly thing that Dain suffers from.
Girl, there’s dead people like five feet away and blood all over the floor.
Girl just tell him you want his dick, dude. A kneeling man is hot and all but man, calm your ass down.
We know.
Fucking everyone must be at this point. Y’all sometimes fuck with your eyes in front of everyone.
I complained to my bestie about his mint smell.
No, it isn’t bad to smell like mint— in my writing, my main character, Charlie (anyone who knows me knows him so I’m not explaining much) smells of mint, soil, and he’s like. Musky. Mint because he uses mint oil for medication. Soil because he spends a lot of time tending to plants and it’s part of his identity. Musky because he’s basically an animal.
But why is Xaden minty?
Does he brush his teeth a lot? Snack on mints? Use mint deodorant? Soap? Not a lot of people like mint soap. I mean, I like mint soap, because I like the unearthly chill on my skin. Is that why? Are they going to tell me he just chews mint for shits and giggles? Why are you doing this to me.
There we go. Real smile flash. Killer for the ladies.
I’ve been wondering about it this whole time, but Xaden is very familiar with a load of shit he perhaps shouldn’t be, and gets away with a lot.And now this secret door?
I’m kind of wondering who has him in their pocket. If it’s her Mom, I legit won’t be surprised.
Cat
Oh great, more special stuff? I imagine it’s a special bond thing?
Aaaaah damn I should have realized the reason feathertails are so rare is because they’re fuckin’ babies.
Hate when I don’t figure something out before the main characters. So, is she their kid or what?
Oh.
Well then. Andarna is gonna be the last feathertail just bursting out and doing that, I guess.
Andarna is pretty darna cute, though.
Oh. Tairn is just nicknaming his kids, then.
He about to commit a murder. Yandere boyfriends only want names so they could punish.
It’s Amber, ain’t it.
Chapter 20
Rhiannon. Rhiannon. You should know better.
WHY DID IT TAKE YOU THIS LONG TO REALIZE THIS WHEN YOU’RE WANTING TO BOUNCE ON THAT DICK EVERY TIME YOU’RE SO MUCH AS IN THE SAME ROOM AS THE GUY??
bRO this is the same problem that she has with Dain. I suppose it’s actually needed, yeah… ugh someone help me
You see? If Dain just untied the knot in his ass (no I don’t know what I mean but I do, we’re flying with that phrase) it would not have been a problem. Anyway, hilarious. “I miss sex.” Shit I bet you do, you don’t even masturbate. Just give the bean the ol’ flick, you’ll be fine. Maybe even better since you won’t be wrigglign and worming after Xaden.
What did I FUCKING say?
Right on, Dain has permanently put himself in the shit zone. Just because she’s a Codex-loving sex pal for ya don’t mean shit, Dain.
Dude. You don’t trust her. You never trusted her. And then right after this he goes for her to pull a memory without permission like, bro! Dude! You’re trying to defend the person that the one you “want” says helped try to kill her.
Tairn just loves breaking the rules for his kids.
Love it or hate it, Violet, people are dead set on killing your enemies. What’s it feel like to be queen?
Chapter 21
Yeah, Liam seems nice. Probably actually is nice. Shame he’ll get close to death probably.
Bro, everyone wants to fuck him.
Does Liam not realize it’s only his section that’s the meat grinder? How does he think scribes— people who embody the long term— die?
Big same, buddy.
They just started using “Tyr” and I was really confused for a minute. Before it was “marked”, “rebellion marked”, etc. Also, using the term “apostasy” implies a lot about the governance of Navarre. Is it a militaristic theocracy???
Icky
Violet, child of war crimes, ignorant of war crimes? What do you mean, they lied to everyone?
I thought she knew this. I knew it. I think I made commentary on it earlier.
This is coming back.
This is just flirtation for grumpy people.
Rhiannon has at least twice said, “I can’t believe they tried to kill you!” so, no, Violet, it wasn’t once.
Can someone just invent ballpoints? Jesus. They talk and act like modern US Americans but can’t have ballpoints. Or even fountain pens. Fountain pens were coming into common circulation in at latest 1827, when one was patented. Like, take a look at the Wikipedia page. These pens have been around.
New mission for everyone is apparently to get Violet laid safely.
Jesus Christ, Violet. You know, there are other ways to fix the damn door.
This is the equivalent of a marriage proposal in my eyes.
It’s because people are dropping out of the sky and dying en masse that they need the meat to be there.
Newsflash, Violet: your government keeps secrets, your teachers keep secrets, everyone around you has secrets.
Chapter 22
…
It is not called a “Bow” staff. One google search will correct this mistake. It is called a Bo staff. It is, in fact, one of the favorite weapons I have ever learned to use and I regularly mourn the loss of the two I had when I was a kid. Like… Bow staff? Bow staff. No. Dude. This is as bad as the Gaelic thing that I heard about the author. One google search. One google search!!!
Can we just pretend he doesn’t exist? This guy is probably going to be the thing that loses his soul blah blah blah…
“He’s sooooooo hot” okay man.
Honestly, it’s books like these that remind me that I’m under the grey ace umbrella. This woman is so horny. She can barely even think of anything else. I’m just very annoyed. Fuck already and get it off your brain.
Yeah. We know. And Jack is back to his nonsense again. Big man on campus making fun of the girl who got the cooler dragon. If she bought a fancy car with her own money he would be like, “oh look at you, with a car you WORKED HARD FOR and PAID FOR all by YOURSELF. Disgusting”
This is so fucking funny. Murder man is allergic to citrus. Yeah, she’s gonna poison him.
oH bOy
As per usual.
Who DOESN’T want to fuck with Jack, dude? Jack is a fucking cartoon. If you hit him with a hammer he’ll flatten like a pancake and then have to blow himself back up.
The audience knows it, too, man. Anyway, I can answer her question. His appearance makes her brain turn to mush.
This is sexual.
This is sexual.
Ruhroh Scoob, she’s gone Mega Horney
Huh! I Wonder What Her Power Might Be!
And the dragons are fucking. (looks at Dragonriders of Pern) Yep. Dragons are fucking.
I GET IT SHE IS ELECTRIC JESUS
And, well. At least she can fuck around. I like Liam better, anyway I know he’s probably going to die and he is just so nice that it’s impossible not to just kill him for shits and giggles.
He wants to fuck her. He’s been wanting to fuck her so bad. There is not ONE other person he basically fucks during sparring.
Horny bitches
Sighs about the Archives thing. It’s a fire door. But have they got a system to remove the air from the room? The fire control door is just going to trap the fire in the room. Do they have it sectioned, like in a submarine?
She’s good at nearly everything and the only times she loses is when we look at her directly.
Called it, bro. Horny. Wait, where’s my flame text? One second.
He literally did tell you. The dragon fuckin make you into a horndog. It’s like getting drunk.
Chapter 23
With these kinds of logistics, it’s likely that either she’ll have to leave early to do some main character stuff with him, or he’s going to follow her.
Thank Rhiannon.
I want this power. We never really examine how the magic works here, so it’s really just Magic Does Stuff. Powered by dragon. I wonder how many people have made Fourth Wing OCs and decided their dragons and powers?
What, me? I would have died on the parapet.
This is going to be super important later.
Liam! My dude! I wish I could ship her with Liam. He’s so nice.
Dain, can you fuck off? How many times can she say to fuck off before you fuck off? Is it that hard to just leave her be???
Oh, yeah? You wanted to see it personally and then go, “You were totally mistaken”? Have a bit of control over that, too? My guy, you were just going for it.
Dude, you never ask.
It does help that the dude sticks up for her much more than you do, Dain.
“Man, can’t believe we lost that sword.”
“My brother was holding that sword when he died???”
“That sword though…”
I still wonder where the fuck this is. Like, why do the teachers even post it up? Is it for the benefits of sneaky students? I just imagine it’s a corkboard with students’ pictures on them that get moved around. And then left to hang in some back room, I guess. It’s so easy for her to sneak over and see something that apparently no one else ever does.
Didn’t yall set it up? You’re the main dude who is in charge of this nonsense. How many other professors are doing hand-to-hand matchmaking?
Are we done being a high school 80s jock stereotype?
“Keep it clean”? Are you joking? Have you never watched these students?
Dude, what the fuck? She should have coated her daggers in orange juice. Ugh.
I hope that tooth is lost forever. I hope he dies.
Yeah, buddy, oranges.
Chapter 24
“You turned roots into a weapon?”
“You turned leaves into a weapon?”
“You turned your tits into a weapon?”
Etc
Well, boundaries, I guess. Why is she so into him, aside from him being attractive to her? Yes, he has helped, but she’s like, in love. Is it that easy???
Um, like everyone else in this world that she meets?
Chronic pain life.
“He gave me a present? I LOVE this guy” Same logic as a Stardew Valley person.
We’re going right back to fucking on the mat. Cool
Sigh. I remember being horny at twenty. It definitely didn’t manifest like this, though.
Special training time. Sure, let’s do a montage and skip bonding or anything.
Oof, dude, that sucks.
It’s weird that they don’t have any idea what it is. I thought it already kinda did, but. I guess not??? What was that lightning bullshit?
Anyway, don’t worry, you’ll get some really super rare shit.
Woops! We learned something about him. About half of something.
Do you think he does that shadow thing for drama purposes?
Sup, Dain’s dad. I don’t trust him.
Right back to bitchy Mom.
Way to make it obvious that you hate your kid.
Thanks, Mr. Nazi sir, but no.
And yeah, in case I haven’t made it clear at all, I’m very clearly drawing comparisons and have been during the entire book that this is basically the Third Reich. With Gaelic.
Dude, she’ll be your girlfriend.
Chapter 25
It’s the tournament arc. We don’t really get to see most of it, though. Just the highlights reel.
They do in fact have a habit of fast-forwarding things on y’all at weird times. This man just be out here like “Final Exam! :DDD”
They’ll win. Obviously. Main character can’t lose here, she has to be Very Useful and prove how good she is. Also, no boundaries, they’ll just go out and rob the fucking college and center of intelligence for a test.
This seems extremely unwise. They’re testing their own security, risking people’s lives, removing intelligence from their homes, and encouraging people to cause trouble.
Pepper in a “reason why she is racist”, sure.
JUST SAY IT. It’s to rob your mom. It’s always the thing that kids of officers do. The second you get a chance to rob your parents, you do it.
Foreshadowing.
I get it, dude.
It’s interesting that a budding signet power can undo years of experience and work.
I don’t know why this annoys me.
You know this bitch don’t care, though, she really doesn’t.
Amazing how no one else immediately thought of this.
Imagine being the guy who finds this.
Dain is once again disappointed. Nothing new.
Yay, they won.
Chapter 26
This is such a stupid prize. They really made people fight to be dispatched early for field experience.
They can and will get caught, and also, it will be at or near a critical moment.
Adequate meaning until reinforcements arrive. Though knowing Miss Mom, it will be never, and everyone will die.
Poor Quade, playing babysitter. Meanwhile Dain just out here being a little brat.
How is it weird? In what world is it weird?
Major ambush? Yeah, it’s gonna happen.
Mira is more responsible than Mom. Also, Rhiannon is probably going to die at some point, and Violet will imagine her nephew being sad.
Your Mom is a bitch.
Yeah, guess what, they’re keeping hella secrets from the low ranking know-nothing cadets.
His sex pal.
Looking forward to Tairn molting.
Depressing.
Yeah, figures. He had to wait. He does do the shadow thing for drama.
Chapter 27
Pulling the Judge Judy gif back out.
Dain, you stupid sack of shit. Isn’t it common knowledge that there are times when they get called out?
Just punch each other, jesus christ.
Aaah. Fantastic. They can be in one another’s heads now. Which means they are going to viciously flirt constantly.
Dain, just. Ugh.
He’s just saying what we’re all thinking! Pull those dicks out!
and I stick up my middle finger
Mira new fave.
Call him the FUCK out.
THANK you, Mira.
Dude.
Is she twenty or fifteen?
Thanks, Xaden.
Save the MC.
Somehow I don’t think she is going to die. Something will happen later on, though.
No shit, Sherlock. You’re as selfish as everyone else in this book.
I don’t care about Dain.
Dude, did we not just have this conversation? “This isn’t about me.” You said that. And you then turn around and go, hold up, what if it IS about me?
Chapter 28
Boyfriend has apology coffee.
No one else really acts like this with their dragon. Tairn is just a dad ratting her out to her boyfriend every five minutes. Like, the dragons are really just narrative excuses to push the pair together and get ’em hornier.
It’s very creepy.
But why? I still don’t get it. Misattribution of arousal?
Dain on his way to touch her face awkwardly again
I still feel weird about modern language use against a backdrop where they still use quills.
Thankfully professor is a pushover.
My dude, isn’t your sister a war hero? It seems weird that she would die in a little skirmish. Why do you have to protect the world?
Chocolate cake? It’s like when a couple starts texting for the first time.
We get it.
How does she know they’re getting more redacted? Has she been snooping more? Can we get into that? Let’s just fast forward through character interaction.
I was happy to forget about him for a while.
For the silhouette.
Hrm. Mcguffin egg. Something big will happen.
Honestly stupid that saddles aren’t more common. Tairn just be out there beign a dad.
Yeah, dude, unfortunately you need accommodation so fucking take it. Level the playing field. It’s fine.
Violet, dude, you spend every flight lesson falling off your dragon who thankfully is your new dad and therefore cares if you live or die, unlike at least half the dragons here.
Tairn still amuses me, at least.
“She’s not like other girls. She’s a STRONG and INDEPENDENT woman.”
Of course he made it.
I bet you they would have added one if it made sense.
At last. No more chapters that are just like, “Today, I fell only thirty seven times— less than last time.”
She is going to use it today, and also, probably use it on Jack.
I feel like this is going to be a trend. She just looks around to assist. And also, yeah, called it. Jack.
What did I say? Liam is gonna die.
Yeah, girl, not happening. Liam IS dying. If not now? Later.
Considering Tairn’s name— Tàirneanach— means thunder, not surprised. I am grateful I went digging for someone doing pronunciation.
Chapter 29
This is bullshit. Human rights, anyone? Anyone?
My guy, Jack will only be dead for a little while. Maybe for the rest of this book. Maybe not. But seriously. Sorry, dude, but killing and death is literally the whole reason this shit exists.
“And it missed every single vital organ!”
At least her dragons are nice.
Dain, what the fuck? The second she is vulnerable you’re like flies on shit. Xaden walks in with the swatter, at least.
HRm
Liam survived as a red herring. I’m holding onto that.
Xaden out here stating the obvious while Dain goes, uuuh, not my pretty childhood friend who isn’t allowed to sin
Well, alright, sure. It would have been great for them having to work together to figure it out, but alright.
Slow? There is no slow in this narrative. They’re fucking each other with their eyeballs. And on the mat. They’re not enemies to lovers in any sense of the word.
Girl, that dude is a straight up murder machine. The logical thing to do was to remove him or else he would continue to reduce the numbers of everyone around you.
It’s so funny that she has a dressing gown. With skinny straps?
Wait, isn’t a a dressing down like… a housecoat?
Does she mean a nightgown?
That is a good question. Also, it infuriates me that she is so good at throwing daggers that she can do it blind but they don’t really… talk about the effort that went into getting this good? And also, Xaden is, uh. Not very cool anymore. Just your average horny teen. I mean twenty somethin.
Does it really, though? Does it have to?
Yeah dude, it’s like pointing a knife at someone.
It’s going to be fucking.
Chapter 30
This is the fucking chapter and if I commentate on every bit of fucking, it will get boring. I don’t think I was really into it at all. I’ve read better smut when someone was masturbating with a piece of fucking fruit.
You should probably learn to get this under control before you start fucking out willy nilly. Like, it’s concerning, dude. It’s one thing if your power is localized but entirely another when you could kill people with an orgasm.
Turns out there is also birth control for men in this. Fan of that. They proceed to fuck the room into little tiny pieces. I am not joking. Full-on, desk sweep fuck, break the wardrobe, smash stuff. It’s the best sex ever in their opinions, he has a big ol hog, and they just keep on going.
Are the scars like, tally marks, then? I assume Bitch Mom did it, or made someone do it. If I were the writer I’d probably have done some shit like make him do it himself. Now that’s drama. But it’s on his back, so…
dOnT fAlL fOr Me bitch it’s too late, don’t fall for me, get your head out of your ass.
He’s a step short of cooking her breakfast in his underwear.
“in your sleep” Everyone knows.
Carr is a cunt anyway.
Can’t you just, uuuuh, do something about it? Besides fuckin killin em?
Basically saying they could absolutely fuck everything up, just the two of em. Foreshadowing.
I wonder what this is like to read for people who can’t picture things in their head.
Her powers partly come from horny.
Chapter 31
Sometimes they just talk like they’re in a drama. They move back and forth between saying absolutely cringe-worthy things to flirt/sex shit up, modern millennial, and soaps.
Foreshadowing. There’s the whole reason that this book is taken out of circulation in the Archives.
Foreshadowing. That guy can total be one already or will become something like one.
She had to say it in like, the grossest way possible, and then tried to make it sexy.
Which he has been saying forever until she has to say it herself.
It sounds like it should be more fun than this.
She’s looking at you.
Really, dirty talk in the middle of breakfast. This dude got horny once and he can’t even pretend to be a fucking top. They’re just kids, sir. This boy can’t keep it together as much as they pretended he was so cool and collected blah blah blah
It’s already unbearable! I hate the guy! I’m so sick of him!
And immediately she’s on the jealousy kick. And he could have just said, “I’m not fucking anyone else” and put the subject to rest. She just bolts out with “are you fucking her” and he throws his hands up and shrugs.
Amazing that it’s been almost a year already and we haven’t seen any character growth.
Oh, wait, I guess… she’s confident now? Barely. It’s mostly been Dain, Dain?,Xaden, Xaden, dragon, Xaden, Xaden.
Look at the hottest person in the entire book.
We barely get to talk about what other people look like, it feels like, and then Rhiannon gets an entire paragraph. I finally have more of an idea of what she looks like.
Jesus, that’s a lot of people. Wonder if it’s weird. There’s barely like… thirty people alive right now in the Rider quadrant.
The back of my mind wonders if you could compare it to, uh, houses. You know the ones…
We couldn’t not have a ball sequence.
Once again, Liam is the best, and will probably die because he is basically the cinnamon roll of the book.
Mira had to teach you how to curtsy? You didn’t learn that early on? Seems odd, but okay. Melgren back to being a creep.
Obnoxious.
Sorry, I’m just very over reading this book.
Sorry, Liam, your days are numbered. You’d be ship number one but I know that you’re going to die. You’re too likeable.
Is this what the kids call a situationship?
Chapter 32
He has Liam, who is basically his brother? Sure, they’re not allowed to be sad where other people could see but… he definitely had people. Anyway, it’s time for her to shoulder the emotional weight of him.
Back on the Parapet for some narrative bookends.
Is this a proposal?
“Your brain… is so hot.” I can’t believe he said this. It’s a line in a comedy.
Yeah, same. But because the guy is a dick.
Well, that’s foreboding.
This here is the sexiest thing about Xaden: his room is clean. No bachelor nonsense here. It’s furnished and nice.
Yeah, don’t be a pervert. (She’s totally gonna fuck him.)
Wait, they allowed weapons at the party with the king? And she had a thigh slit dress. How high up were these daggers?
I’m sorry. I’m extremely picky about words in sex scenes, and the image this summons? Hilarious. Terrible. My imagination:
This is on the list of forbidden tongue actions. You can do a lot with your tongue, but stab is not a good descriptor. He is poking her.
She broke the fucking window. I’m serious, dudes, can we get this shit under control before the next fuck? It’s literally the most dangerous power and she is breaking things. The fucking king is there. There’s lots of people outside.
Oh yeah, and everyone knows you’re boning down. I’m feeling like we’re going to be closing in on the finale, FINALLY.
Chapter 33
Everyone out here doin the walk of shame. Not an ace person in sight. Not one person was like, man, I’m goin to bed.
Violet, you’re a terrible liar.
Well, that’s dumb as shit. But I called it. That’s the very last event of the year, innit?
Everyone is LARPing the death of the country.
Dude, every time something like this happens, a handful of people die. Heaton, sit down. Please. Y’alls is prolly gonna fucking die.
Dain, your dipshit is showing. Of course he’s going to pick his girlfriend.
Yeah, this is going to come up again. The ol’ “did you lie to me this whole time” is creeping in. Undermine trust and plant some bad seeds there. Happens in cartoons all the time.
Dain always be touchin up on her damn face and then getting weird about it. The trust thing is going to bite itself in the ass.
Chapter 34
This is why Andarna has a baby leash, Violet.
By… not? You don’t have to, you know.
He did literally hand pick everyone here. He’s just letting everyone know y’alls is dating. Anyway, this is pretty saccharine. When is everything going to go wrong?
Boutta fuck outside I guess. Sure, you got ten minutes.
Short ass chapter.
Chapter 35
This has been foreshadowed since chapter one, girl, get some fourth wall glasses and read the meta. But yeah, guess what, humans outside the border aren’t bloodthirsty animals! What’s more, they’re being really considerate!
And, to be fair, they would not pay a ransom for her. They’d just give her up for dead. “That’s a shame,” they would say. “That was a very promising rider.”
Dude, can you stop and listen for five minutes, and then stop and think? You’re literally getting sucked into the narrative that Dain and everyone else built for you. What happened to thinking thoughts?
What’s more, “the enemy”? Bro. Have you really thought at all about all the redacted information and everything you’ve seen and heard after becoming a Cadet? The indoctrination is immense, man.
Dude, Violet, what the fuck. Her big claim to fame was being smart. Just listen! Do a communication! The dude was probably even about to tell you! And think about the dragons, man. What do they know? They were also in on it, man, so really think here. Uuuugh, I hate this shit.
Good lord, magic is real? In MY magical world? Where I haven’t been permitted to learn about literally anything outside of the borders? Where I have been spoonfed information heavily modified and filtered? Hmmm!
And what did I fucking say?
My guy, Dain was a security risk with the memory shit. Bro is literally telling you everything right now.
JUST FUCKING LISTEN DUDE. COMMUNICATION WAS YOUR THING AND NOW WHAT????????????
tHE BOOK WITH AAAALL THE SECRETS……. At least Violet has thought for two additional seconds now!
Winners write history. Swhy information is valuable. And why in the United States it’s such a big fucking fight to talk about history textbook contents.
Yeah, guess what? This is the finale. They probably figured it out. Bet it was Dain.
YUPPPP
This explains everything, really. Wonder if Dain enjoyed seeing them get nasty with one another. Cunt.
Chapter 36
Loyalty test zzz
Are you a good dude or loyal to the Empire, bitch?
Because she read the BOOK
Bro, people even die in exercises in the quadrant. Anyway, I think I predicted that Violet would have to leave early for some main character shit. It’s starting to feel like she will.
Don’t act like it’s a hard choice.
Get those cogs moving a little faster, Violet. Your people are the evil ones. Whodda thunk that the ones who engineered the Meat Grinder school could be evil! Wow!
Tairn is still best boy (aside from Liam, but I’ve made my peace)
Cool, is no one else going to get praised for risking life and limb out there?
Andarna ain’t allowed to do anything! :c
At least she’s coming around to it now. The whole “our kingdom is fucking evil” thing finally finished rocking her shit.
Aaah. I shoulda made note of that one. I predicted it and then forgot about the little things.
Wizard Core
Chase your character up a tree and throw rocks at them.
Rule of thumb is that all animals can communicate except humans, who are deaf.
Shoot the red barrels
It’s a good thing that a character that was only just introduced died, otherwise I might care. Liam’s clock is ticking, too.
Hmm. She shot the red barrel.
Eugh, adding that to the trigger warnings.
At last! Some aim!
I think Sgaeyl is more powerful than Tairn right now.
Relax -> immediately regret relaxing. Very few will survive, bro.
It’s time.
Yup.
Liam gets the longest death scene out of everyone in the book.
He’s still dying. And now I’m wondering if Violet is going to go back? Will she be taking Xaden’s place as keeper of the marked ones? Hm.
Yeah, man, your aiming will finally kick in properly.
Chapter 37
Poison, but she’ll survive, it’s fine. Love that it took her no time to immediately drop a dagger. Her biggest weakness… butterfingers…
Good thing you’re the main character, bro, it’s fine.
I’m bored of them.
Chapter 38
Some stuff your kingdom probably has giant vats of.
Calling it now. I had a sneaking suspicion, but I’m probably right. Brennan is alive and he’s gonna fix her shit.
Lmao my questions about the scars still stand.
It’s fine, she won’t die.
Chapter 39
LMAO
Oop! It happens in a lot of books, the perspective switch. I wonder if his voice is any different from Violet’s.
The answer is no, he doesn’t really sound different from her. The only difference is cursing more.
Bro was in it from day one. We all knew it.
Oop. Amnesia.
Double oop. Not amnesia.
“Why haven’t I read about this”? Violet, you are so dumb sometimes. Very naive kid.
Ah, cunts. When did he finish that?
I stick my middle finger up at them
I don’t really get it, myself. I write a lot of porn and I just don’t get it. Their attraction is bizarre to me.
Lying by omission is a thing.
Malek is his god of choice, huh? God of death, bro? Edgy much?
The cursing in this book needs work, dude. Fuck, dude.
Told you.
This explains so much.
I have come to the conclusion that although it was a fast and fun read, I’m not actually very into this book!
There were points where it was more annoying or confusing to read than I had hoped— I don’t really understand the attraction between the pair. At some point he tells her her BRAIN is hot. But there’s not enough of a connection between them for me to ship. It’s a very surface level romp through a dystopian fantasy story.
While I personally have celebrated more smut being available in mainstream books, I prefer smut with an actual connection. If it’s lacking that, then it’s just fan service, really.
I realize that oftentimes a young person’s motivation for fucking and being in love is just attractiveness and a forced proximity, but their closeness feels like it sprang out of nowhere. I really don’t care.
I wanted to see more cool dragon stuff, and not in the form of info dumps or thick wads of exposition. It felt like… not enough. And it had the feeling that some things were not properly formed, not really. I found it silly that our character was supposedly very smart but hadn’t had one inch of doubt in her about the position of her country, not an ounce of real curiosity.
I did want to learn more about things other than the sex lives of people and the brief glimpses of class. How did Violet become so good at throwing daggers, with pinpoint accuracy, in only six months of training? How did she get good enough to surpass others so rapidly? What is this fever she spoke of? Her mom is a cunt, but is there more cunty shit beyond her just being pissy and distant? What about the relationship with Brennan? The “Book of Brennan”, supposedly so important, was barely featured and then it went to only excerpts at chapter pages, like those little lore snippets during a loading screen. What more was he like? What about Dad?
How come Xaden’s internal dialogue reads like a 90s era dark teen? Why is the sex kind of boring? The tension is constantly poked and prodded and is just… urgh.
Couldn’t we have had more bonding with Violet and her dragons? Tairn’s like a set piece made to force her to be closer to Xaden. It doesn’t feel like he has his own motivations. Andarna barely shows up.
Characters pop in and out of existence, many dying within ten or fifteen pages of their names being given. They’re only named as long as they’re relevant, and they may as well be wearing red shirts. Every death is kind of a shrug because there’s no time to bond with anyone except Liam, but Liam was basically wearing a shirt that said “I’m dying”. There’s no impact. It’s just death.
There was never a moment where I worried that failure would occur, there was never a moment where I mourned someone, there was never a moment that I doubted the mutual attraction between Xaden and Violet. Even the end where she screams at him for being a “villain” is out of character and just… wow. And when I say “out of character”, I mean the established character traits that Violet is supposed to have.
Anyway. I don’t like it.
