Warning: This article contains spoilers aboutOnyx Storm.
I’m a big fan of romance, fantasy, adventure, and battles.
I love deep worldbuilding and unique mythmaking.
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
And then cameOnyx Storm,which undid all the goodwill the first two books had built with me.
It’s so bad she lies - again - to her friends and puts them all in danger.
As someone who wants a strong, healthy relationship to root for,Onyx Stormwas infuriating.
Art by @Rosiethorns88
Sex scenes aren’t character development, something that Rebecca Yarros seemed to have forgotten inOnyx Storm.
9The Prince Halden Romance Reveal Was Pointless
Does He Serve A Purpose?
I’m Still Waiting.
One of the biggest issues I had withOnyx Stormwas that it was a filler book.
One of those was the reveal that Violet and Prince Halden had dated.
I read this and thought, “Okay.
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Maybe his coming back into the picture would be a real threat to Xaden.
Maybe he’d use his power to become a true ally to Violet and her squad.
There’s literally no other reason for it, as the storyline was barely touched upon and went nowhere.
‘That is not true,’ I protest as Sawyer nods.
‘Agreed,’ Ridoc says.
‘And it’s always the same fight.’
Fanart by @XenaFay
He lifts his hand to his chest.
‘I’ll trust you if you stop keeping secrets!’
He drops the hand and scowls.
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Rhi laughs so hard she nearly chokes.”
7Too Much Of It Was Unnecessary, Period
200 Pages Could Have Been Cut.
It wasn’t just the Halden romance or the professor-student issue that were pointless parts of the book.
Way too much ofOnyx Stormwas just filler and should have been cut.
Apparently, venin can walk freely among humans and never be caught.
They can control themselves and pass as human enough to rise high in the ranks of the war college.
Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore
Conveniently for Xaden’s arc, venin’s red eyes seemingly come and go at will in early stages.
5Aura Beinhaven’s Entire Existence
Why Was She Even In This Book?
A question I would love to ask other readers: Why was Aura Beinhaven inOnyx Storm?
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What purpose did she actually serve?
The series' lack of three-dimensional, believable villains is really becoming a problem.
There was simply no narrative reason to justify the storyline or these characters.
Art byMiraMirage Art
There was simply no narrative reason to justify the storyline or these characters.
I didn’t remember any of them.
Be honest: did you have strong feelings about Trager?
Did you even remember he was inIron Flame?
It’s a real shame, too.
Be honest: did you have strong feelings about Trager?
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
Did you even remember he was inIron Flame?
Unless you just reread the book beforeOnyx Storm, the answer to the second question is no.
And even if you did remember who he was,the answer to the first question is still no.
But the character-as-vehicle-to-exposition-dump was really noticeable inOnyx Storm.
That’s not an ending!"
then congratulations, you had the same reaction I did.
It ends on a cliffhanger, just likeIron Flame.
Someone else turned venin, just likeIron Flame.
In the end, though, the main plot ofOnyx Stormjust repeated what came before.
