The Assassin and the Throne of Glass Novellas #2

The Assassin and the Underworld (Throne of Glass Novella #0.3)

-      Sarah J Maas

Kindle Book

When the King of the Assassins gives Celaena Sardothien a special assignment that will help fight slavery in the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to strike a blow against an evil practice. The misson is a dark and deadly affair which takes Celaena from the rooftops of the city to the bottom of the sewer—and she doesn’t like what she finds there.

After her summer in the Desert with the silent assassin, Celaena returns to Rifthold determined to free herself from the King of Assassin – and discover what happened to her friends Sam after their adventures with the Pirate King...

This is the first time in these novella we see Celaena at work, taking an assignment to kill one of the leading slave traders. It was great watching her at work – scouting out the locations, using her brains and seeing her clash with her mentor. She is still very impetuous and reacts more than she thinks, but that lack of cunning, of long term thinking is one of the things I like most about her. It was also great to see her reunite with Sam as they struggle to figure out what their relationship to each other is.

This had a very sweet ending, that made me happy, but also slightly scared as I can’t help thinking this isn’t the happy ending it seems for Celaena.

Recommeded for fans of Tamora Pierce and Rae Carson. 8 out of 10

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The Assassin and the Empire (Throne of Glass Novella #0.4)

-       Sarah J Maas

Kindle Book

Celaena Sardothien is the assassin with everything: a place to call her own, the love of handsome Sam, and, best of all, freedom. Yet, she won’t be truly free until she is far away from her old master, Arobynn Hamel; Celaena must take one last daring assignment that will liberate her forever. But having it all, means you have a lot to lose . . .

This is where things all go wrong for Celaena. In order to finally escape from the King of Assassin – and for him to not come after them, she and Sam agree to pay him off. But in order to raise the money, they need to assassinate the king of the underworld – the one in charge of all crime in Rifthold and his sadistic lieutenant.

Celaena still has secrets – and I liked that after three novella’s there still seems to be more to discover about her and why she is hard and difficult most of the time. However, both Sam and Celaena’s youth seems to be at fault here with neither of them questioning what is happening – and as a result suffering for it. I was heartbroken reading some parts of this – even if they weren’t entirely unexpected.

This leads us perfectly into the start of the full length novel – one of my most anticipated reads for this summer!

Recommeded for fans of Isobelle Carmody and Kristin Cashore. 8 out of 10