Thursday, December 1, 2016

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin’s Blade
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s
Year: 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Age: YA 13+

***This review & book contain spoilers from the original series Throne of Glass...read at your own risk!***

This is a book compilation of five Throne of Glass novellas previously only available on ebook. It contains The Assassin & the Pirate Lord, The Assassin & the Healer, The Assassin & the Desert, The Assassin & the Underworld, & The Assassin & the Empire.

In the first story The Assassin & the Pirate Lord we are introduced to Sam, the fellow assassin that Celaena loved & lost. They have been sent to a remote island called Skulls Bay that is infamous for a giant chain stretched across its bay called Ship Breaker that keeps out unwanted guests. Arobynn Hamel the leader of the ruthless Assassin’s Guild in Rifthold has sent Sam & Celaena to meet with the Lord of Pirates Captain Rolfe. They are to complete a deal between the two men to buy 100 slaves & bring them back to Rifthold. But Celaena has other plans & Sam is willing to help her no matter what…

In the second story The Assassin & the Healer Celaena has been punished after ruining the deal with Captain Rolfe. She is sent to The Red Desert to be trained by the Master of The Silent Assassin’s. But before she makes the journey she stays in the port town of Melisande at a fine establishment called the White Pig Inn. There she meets a barmaid whose ancestry runs deep with healer blood. The two strike up an unlikely friendship & Celaena teaches the young healer girl a thing or two about handing the unruly men in the bar.

In the third tale The Assassin & the Desert Celaena makes it to The Silent Assassin’s where she isn’t immediately welcomed by the master. But she does become friends with a girl named Ansel from the flatlands of Briarcliff. Ansel is there to learn skills from the Mute Master & get revenge from her family’s death. But it isn’t long before Celaena finds out what Ansel is really up to. Ansel has a deal with Lord Berick to attack the Silent Assassin’s in exchange for an army of men for her revenge. But Celanea has other plans.

In the fourth tale The Assassin & the Underworld we travel back to Rifthold & get to see Sam Courtland again. In exchange for her services to the Mute Master Celaena was given three giant trunks of gold. She uses the newly found wealth to buy freedom from Arobynn for Sam & herself. Sam & Celaena move out of the Assassin’s Keep & into an apartment above a warehouse in the slums.

In the final story The Assassin & the Empire we learn how Celaena ended up in the salt mines of Endovier as a slave which is where we first meet her in Throne of Glass. After separating themselves from Arobynn, Sam & Celeana have one more job to do before they leave the Guild & Rifthold behind the forever & move to the Southern continent. But thanks to a trick Arobynn has up his sleeve, driven by his jealously of Sam, neither of them will make it to a new life.

Likes: I think the compilation of books into one makes it easy for fans of the series to enjoy the previously only ebook stories.

The stories really enhance the background of Celaena & Sam’s story. You find out where she starts, how she ends up a slave, & how she & Sam fall in love.

We finally find out why Celaena has a burning hatred for the King of the Assassin’s.


Dislikes: This isn’t a bad aspect of the story beacause it’s good to finally know the truth, but it’s sad…Sam’s death & Arobynn’s involvement. 

Rating: 

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