Book Review - Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

There are books that entertain, books that move you, and then there are books like Onyx Storm — the kind that draw you in quietly at first and soon hold you in a grip you didn’t expect. Rebecca Yarros returns with the third installment in the Empyrean series, and once again, she proves her mastery in balancing intricate world-building with deeply human emotion.

Onyx Storm is very much a novel of consequence. The world of Basgiath is no longer just a training ground for dragon riders — it’s a fractured battlefield where trust is rare, power is shifting, and no one escapes unscathed. Yarros paints this evolution with subtlety. The tone has matured, as have the characters, and the stakes feel heavier, more permanent.

Characters

Violet Sorrengail - At the center remains Violet, a protagonist whose strength never feels forced. She is wounded, yes, but never weak. In Onyx Storm, Violet is not only grappling with the physical cost of her choices but also with the emotional weight of war, betrayal, and identity. Yarros handles her arc with grace, letting Violet's growth unfold through difficult decisions and moments of quiet reflection rather than grand gestures.

Plot

It’s fair to say the relationships - romantic, platonic, political are where this book truly breathes.

The romance deepens but never overshadows the urgency of the narrative. Tensions simmer beneath every interaction, and the quietest scenes often carry the most weight.

Yarros doesn’t rush resolution; she trusts her readers to sit with discomfort, to observe the fractures before they break.

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Final Thoughts

Onyx Storm is not a book of easy victories. It’s thoughtful, well-paced, and deliberate, a necessary evolution in a story that’s always been about more than dragons and battle strategy.

Yarros offers no shortcuts here. What we get is a story that respects its readers and characters alike: mature, layered, and hauntingly real beneath its fantasy skin.

For fans of the series, this is an essential and rewarding chapter.

For new readers — start at the beginning. The storm is worth weathering.