After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member … member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her… but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.Then one of the other contestants turns up dead… quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
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The Assassin and the Desert is another novella in Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series. This would be the third novella in the series. It follows Celaena Sardothien to her punishment in the Red Desert to train with the Silent Assassins for a month. Arobynn was not happy with her after freeing the slaves that he bought. She has to get trained by the Mute Master and receive a letter of recommendation from him after a month; if she doesn’t then, she might as well not come back to the Guild.
This novella touches on abuse that Celaena deals with at the Guild with her Master, a real jerk. I’m not too fond of Arobynn, and I feel for Celaena. She gets a break from the Guild to train with some of the best Assassins, but she has to get trained by the Mute Master. She’s determined to gain his attention. Celaena becomes friends with the other female at the Silent Assassins, named Ansel of Briarcliff. Ansel is someone Celaena can talk to and be friends with, especially since she doesn’t have any girlfriends.
I enjoyed this novella but found it slow at first. It took a while to build up to what was going to happen at the end. I was surprised by what happened in this novella but figured out why it happened. The novella introduces us to Ironteenth withes and spider silk, which is in the novel-length books for the series. You may get nightmares after finding out about the witches. I know Celaena was bothered by the story she was told about them. I can’t wait to read the next novella in the series. I can’t wait to read Arobynn’s reaction to Celaena getting trained by the Mute Master.
Would I recommend this novella? Yes. This is one novella I would recommend reading for the series. Readers will get to read another side of Celaena because she has to learn to be patient. She also finds out you can’t trust everyone. It also touches on what Celaena has been going through with the Guild. I think she would’ve been better off staying with the Mute Master and the Silent Assassins instead of going home to the Guild.
I would also add to ” what did I like about this book” Engaging.
Above all, Sarah J Maas has a way with words; there’s economy yet the language is natural, flowing and the images graphic. She also writes with a subtle wry humour to ease the tension. Her main character is super-sized but you become fully involved with her and care what happens to her.
This series is one of the best I have ever read! I feel like every fantasy series I read I am always hoping that it is as good as this one. The characters are fantastic and there is just enough twists and turns. It’s epic!!
The Assassin and The Desert is the third novella in The Assassins Blade book collection, which is a prequel to The Throne of Glass series.
After ruining a deal between her Master and The Pirate Lord, Celaena Sardothien had been punished to travel to the Red Desert to train with The Silent Assassins to learn obedience and discipline. It had been two months since Celaena and another Assassin Sam Cortland had been sent to Skull’s Bay to claim an unknown payment of slaves. Not sitting well with it both Celaena and Sam helped release the slaves. But not without consequences to herself. After return back to the Guild her Master Arobynn Hamel had given her a beating, then sent her on this mission. Now a month later the bruises and cuts were healing on her face. After making it to the Hidden Fortress of The Silent Assassin’s, Celaena is introduced to Ansel, who would be her roommate whilst staying there. They soon become friends along with the Masters son Ilias and Mikhail.
This book would have to be the best so far of the novellas that I have read. I loved the Mute Master, he is kinder than Arrobyn Hamel and treats his assassins better than Arrobyn ever will. The Silent Assassins are more of a brotherhood and worked together, they all seem to get along. No one ever seems to try out do the other unlike the Adarlan’s Assassins. Being sent to the Red Desert to be trained obedience and discipline might have been the best thing to happen to Celaena as the change of setting, atmosphere and Master allowed her to think about her life and treatment she was receiving from her Master whilst also improving her skills.
I really like Sarah J Maas, and was so happy to see some of Aelin’s earlier life and training as Celaena. I loved the plot, and liked how she elaborated on the details we already knew from the main series. I think it could be read as a stand alone novel, but really is best combined with at least the first book, preferably the whole series. I know it’s long, but it’s WORTH IT.
This book was sooo much fun to read!! And quite honestly, was my favorite of all of the novella prequels. I love it so much more because it takes place somewhere remote and in an unfamiliar space, which also allows for vulnerability and growth. It’s the first time we see Celeana shed some of her arrogance and immaturity, and instead see her gain wisdom and growing compassion, along with hope for a new and less violent life! I secretly wish we could have seen Celeana in this environment for longer than a month, because I’m betting it still would have yielded great stories!
I liked it a lot, because it had an unexpected twist.
My favourite of the Assassins Blade novellas…I love the new characters. This book explains to you one of the newcomers in Empire of Storms, so you kind of understand what’s going on with that, and when Celaena does something in Queen of Shadows… It’s greattttt!