As of writing this, I’ve just wrapped up Heir of Fire, and when thinking about the book compared to my experience reading Crown of Midnight I have some mixed thoughts. The general consensus seems to be that Heir of Fire is the stronger book, and that it’s when the series really begins to take off. But I figured I would put my thoughts into a blog post and really analyze the reading experience of both books to determine which was stronger.

The Case for Crown of Midnight

When reading Crown of Midnight, I remember thinking how much stronger of a character Celaena was compared to the first book Throne of Glass. Celaena was more active in her decision-making and more realized as a so-called assassin. Even if she wasn’t actually killing her marks from the King.

Crown of Midnight may have taken several steps back in world-building, but it leaped forward in character development. Not only did Celaena become a character I actually wanted to read about, but so did Chaol and Dorian.

With that being said, the world-building definitely kicked in within the final few chapters of the book, and it really sold the next book.

The Case for Heir of Fire

What Crown of Midnight lacked in world-building, Heir of Fire 100% made up for. Heir of Fire feels like the foundation for the future of this series, and I believe that’s the reason that many say that this is the book when this series actually gets good.

Heir of Fire also introduced a number of new characters that will have major significance moving forward. And despite the fact that Celaena is apart from her former supporting characters (Chaol and Dorian), they are still able to carry their own chapters as they are given added layers of depth.

And then there’s the fact that Celaena begins to develop her magical talents in this book, with much thanks to Rowan. Magic has been scarce in the previous books, so the moment when Celaena learns to conjure a fire shield is a moment that’s unforgettable.

My verdict

While Heir of Fire was an important book for setting up the future of the series, I personally lean more towards Crown of Midnight being the stronger book. I finished that book feeling as though I got a complete experience; while also feeling like it was a tremendous leap above the first book in this series.

Heir of Fire was a good book, and I understand that the introduction of Manon and other characters are important for the future. But the fact is that Manon’s story-arc didn’t tie into the main plot in a significant way at the end, which left much of those chapters feeling like a complete waste. Manon’s chapters already felt like a drag, so the fact that we didn’t get a payoff docked some points for me. I also don’t like ending a book and feeling like the whole thing was designed to sell me the next few books in the series.

Crown of Midnight gave me the necessary elements for satisfaction. I got character development, action, a protagonist making active choices, a good supporting cast and enough world-building to keep me locked in for the ride.

This is not to knock Heir of Fire, because it’s still a great book full of Sarah J. Mass’s brilliant prose, world-building and character building. I simply have Crown of Midnight winning this comparison.

Which of these books did you prefer, Crown of Midnight or Heir of Fire? Leave a comment and let us know!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas – Short Review

Considering that I didn’t much enjoy Throne of Glass, I was quite surprised by Crown of Midnight. When I’d finished Throne of Glass, I was sure I wouldn’t continue with the series, but there’s just something about Sarah J. Maas’ writing that I tend to crave. And as someone who writes fiction, I find Mrs. Maas to be a big inspiration. I like how she presents her world-building elements with simplified, flowery prose, and A Court of Mist and Fury is still one of the most memorable books I’ve ever read.

Crown of Midnight didn’t disappoint at all. Celaena Sardothien finally started to live up to the background painted for her previously. She was more bold in this book, as opposed to being soft and sentimental in the first book, to the point that it contradicted her past as a cold, deadly assassin. Crown of Midnight follows her trials as the King’s personal assassin. But Celaena has secretly been keeping those she’s supposed to kill…alive, defying the King’s wishes. Calaena has her own agenda, and by the end of the book we’re presented with a huge twist that sets up the remainder of this series in an interesting way.

I’ve heard from many that the story starts to become epic in book 3, Heir of Fire and I will be reading it before 2019 is over.

Home: Binti 2 by Nnedi Okorafor – Short Review

Home: Binti 2 picks up after Binti has spent a year at Oomza University in space. She is now returning home to her people in the Himba tribe so that she can take part in the pilgrimage that women in her culture take across the desert.

When returning home, Binti is conscious of the changes that have taken place within herself. After her Meduse transformation, her body has changed and she has to come to terms with this. On top of this, her family and her tribe are cold towards her because they’re still unhappy about her leaving the tribe to attend the Oomza University.

Home: Binti 2 takes a deeper look inside Binti as a character, and it educates readers about tribal practices. Like the previous book, this one is a quick read that seems to end abruptly. Hopefully the third book expands on Binti’s unique character traits and allows her to accomplish something unthinkable.

I love how Nnedi Okorafor is able to blend scifi elements with tribal practices. It’s an original mix of themes that educates readers on the nature of African tribes.

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made by Jason Schreier – Short Review

As someone who has given over 10 years to the video games media industry, I can do nothing but respect the level of journalism presented by Kotaku’s Jason Schreier. He’s one of the only remaining “journalists” in the video game industry that does true investigative work.

Blood, Sweat and Pixels takes a look at the development behind several high-profile mainstream video games. It highlights the highs and lows of the development cycle behind games like Dragon Age: Inquisition, Destiny, Uncharted 4, Stardew Valley, The Witcher 3 and the cancelled Star Wars 1313.

These are some of the best video games to emerge over the past half-a-decade, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading about what it took to put these games together. And as a result, I now appreciate the games I play that much more. If you have any level of appreciation for the video games industry, this is a book you should definitely read.