Let’s be real for a second. If you’re here, you probably finished Fourth Wing and immediately felt like your heart had been ripped out, stomped on by a dragon, and then tossed into the fires of Basgiath War College. You aren't alone. Rebecca Yarros basically set the internet on fire with that ending, leaving us all screaming about Xaden Riorson and the fact that—spoilers ahead—Brennan is actually alive. So, naturally, everyone scrambled for Iron Flame, the massive second installment in the Empyrean Series.
It’s a beast of a book. Literally. It’s over 600 pages of dense lore, political maneuvering, and Violet Sorrengail trying not to die every five minutes. But here’s the thing: a lot of people went into the sequel expecting a repeat of the first book's pacing, and they got something way more complex instead. It’s gritty. It’s frustrating. It’s deeply emotional.
What Actually Happens in the Fourth Wing Sequel?
First off, let’s clear up the naming. While everyone searches for "Fourth Wing Book 2," the official title is Iron Flame. If you walk into a bookstore asking for "Book 2," they’ll point you to the black-and-gold sprayed edges of Yarros’s sophomore effort in this universe.
The story picks up almost exactly where the first one left off. Violet is reeling. Everything she thought she knew about Navarre, her mother, and the war is a lie. She’s now part of a secret revolution, and she has to head back to Basgiath for her second year—the "Scribe year" that turned into a "Rider year"—while keeping the world's biggest secrets.
The stakes shifted. In Fourth Wing, the goal was survival. In Iron Flame, the goal is revolution. Violet is no longer just trying to stay on Tairn’s back; she’s trying to figure out how to power the wards of Aretuia to protect people from Venin. Venin, by the way, are terrifying. They are the "dark users" of this world who drain magic from the earth itself rather than bonding a dragon. Think of them like magical vampires, but way less sparkly and way more prone to destroying entire ecosystems.
The pacing in this second book is a wild ride. Some readers found the middle section a bit of a slog because there is so much technical detail about wardstones and ancient journals. Honestly, it’s necessary for the world-building, but it’s a sharp pivot from the high-octane "don't fall off the dragon" energy of the first book. Yarros spends a lot of time on the logistics of war. How do you feed a rebel army? How do you hide dragons? These are the questions that dominate the narrative.
The Xaden and Violet Drama is... Intense
If you were hoping for a smooth romantic arc, I have bad news.
Violet and Xaden spend a significant portion of this book arguing. Like, a lot. It’s the classic "total honesty" versus "need-to-know military secrets" trope. Violet demands full transparency because she spent her whole life being lied to by her government. Xaden, burdened by the responsibility of keeping hundreds of revolution-linked kids alive, thinks some secrets are worth keeping.
It’s messy. It feels human.
A lot of critics felt the "communication gap" was dragged out too long, but if you look at their trauma, it makes sense. Xaden is a guy who has been looking over his shoulder since he was a child. Violet is a girl whose world-view just shattered. They aren't going to have a healthy, functional relationship over tea and crumpets while being hunted by soul-sucking monsters.
New Characters and Dragon Dynamics
We can't talk about Iron Flame without mentioning Andarna. Our tiny golden dragon went through a "teenager" phase that was honestly the highlight of the book for me. Seeing her grow into a snarky, massive, iridescent-scaled powerhouse was incredible. Tairn remains the grumpy grandfather of the group, providing the dry wit that keeps the darker moments from feeling too heavy.
Then there’s the new cast. We meet:
- Sloane Mairi: Liam’s sister. Her introduction is heartbreaking because we’re all still mourning Liam (don't even get me started on the Malek scene).
- Varrish: The new Vice Commandant who makes Vreeland look like a saint. He’s the physical embodiment of the cruelty within the Basgiath system.
- The Assembly: The ruling body of the revolution, which proves that even the "good guys" are bogged down by bureaucracy and infighting.
The Ending That Broke the Fandom (Again)
If you haven't finished the book, stop reading this section. Seriously.
The final battle at Basgiath is cinematic. It’s huge. It involves a desperate attempt to relight the wards using a dragon’s fire and a whole lot of sacrifice. But the real kicker—the thing that had people throwing their books across the room—is Xaden’s choice.
To save Violet, Xaden draws power from the earth.
He becomes Venin.
This changes everything for the third book, Onyx Storm. The hero is now technically the monster he’s been fighting. It flips the entire "fated mates" trope on its head. Now, the stakes aren't just about winning a war; they’re about saving Xaden’s soul. It’s a dark, gritty turn that many didn't see coming, despite the foreshadowing scattered throughout the text.
Why People Are Still Obsessed
The "Romantasy" genre is booming for a reason. Yarros tapped into a specific craving for high-stakes fantasy mixed with high-heat romance. But Iron Flame also deals with chronic illness in a way few fantasy books do. Violet has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (though it’s not named that in the book, Yarros has confirmed it). Seeing a protagonist who is physically "fragile" but mentally and magically superior is incredibly empowering for a huge segment of the readership.
✨ Don't miss: The Flash Season 2 Cast: Who Stayed, Who Left, and That Massive Zoom Twist
The world-building, while sometimes dense, feels lived-in. The history of Navarre and its neighboring country Poromiel is steeped in propaganda. It’s a commentary on how history is written by the victors and how easily the truth can be buried under a few layers of "official" scrolls.
What You Should Do Before Reading Book 3
If you’re gearing up for Onyx Storm, don't just jump in. You’ll be lost.
- Re-read the Epigraphs: Those little snippets at the start of every chapter in Iron Flame? They are huge. They are often written from a future perspective, implying that the story we are reading is a historical account being compiled later. Pay attention to who is writing them—it’s often Jesinia, the scribe.
- Track the Dragon Colors: The types of dragons and their breath weapons matter more than you think. There is a lot of lore about the "Seven" and why some dragons are more rare than others.
- Analyze Xaden's POV: The final chapter of the book is from Xaden’s perspective. It’s short, but it gives a massive insight into his mental state and his second signet (yes, he has two, and it's a game-changer).
- Brush up on the Map: Look at the geography of the Continent. Understanding where the Barrens are versus the ward-protected cities helps you visualize why the Venin are attacking specific points.
The journey through Iron Flame is exhausting in the best way possible. It’s a bridge between the discovery of Fourth Wing and the inevitable total war of the later books. It’s not a perfect sequel—some sections could have been trimmed, and the relationship drama is high-octane—but it solidifies the Empyrean Series as a cornerstone of modern fantasy.
Keep an eye on the release dates for the next installments. Rebecca Yarros has a multi-book plan, and if the cliffhangers keep getting this intense, we’re all going to need a lot more coffee and a lot more therapy.
Next Steps for Readers
To get the most out of your experience with the Fourth Wing sequel, you should look into the "Special Edition" releases which sometimes contain bonus chapters from Xaden's point of view. These chapters provide crucial context for his actions in the first book and his internal struggle during the second. Additionally, joining community discussions on platforms like Reddit or Discord can help you catch the subtle clues Yarros left about the true nature of the Venin and the identity of the "Sage," which will be central to the plot moving forward. Finally, ensure you have a physical or digital copy of the map handy while reading; the tactical movements of the flyers and riders in the latter half of the book are much easier to follow when you can visualize the mountain passes and city locations.