Fans rush for hotly anticipated fantasy book sequel

Fans have queued up for Onyx Storm, the hotly anticipated new book by best-selling US fantasy author Rebecca Yarros, in one of the publishing events of the year.

Onyx Storm is the third novel in Yarros's Empyrean series, set in a world of dragons, magic, warfare and steamy romance.

Its publisher Little, Brown said it would be the company's biggest pre-ordered title since it released the Harry Potter play script in 2016.

Shops around the world held special events - either opening late on Monday or early on Tuesday - and UK chain Waterstones said the book was likely to "completely eclipse our first day sales" of the previous instalment.

Almost 60 branches of Waterstones had special openings for the release.

In the US, some avid readers waited until 3am for the online release of an exclusive special edition from Target - but many who had stayed up complained on social media that the store's website couldn't cope with the demand.

Rebekah West, editorial director of the Little, Brown's Piaktus imprint, told the Telegraph: "This level of fan devotion hasn't been seen since the days of Harry Potter."

Cliffhanger

Fan Mollie Short went to a book release party at Waterstones in Trafalgar Square, London.

"We got given goody bags and there were people dressed up as characters, and then there was a quiz that everyone played," said Ms Short, a 23-year-old nail technician from Essex.

"The night went pretty quickly, and then we all queued up ready for the midnight release. It was nice being in a room surrounded with people that actually understand what I'm talking about."

She added: "What I like about the books is that it's an escape. It's about magic powers, fantasy, not your everyday kind of thing, and she just writes really well for young readers.

"I'm really excited to read this book. I really don't know what is going to happen, because she did leave the last book on a cliffhanger."

In a message to fans on Instagram, Yarros wrote: "1. It's in your hands now. 2. Thank you for sharing this incredible experience with me. 3. Enjoy the ride."

One reader replied: "On chapter one and dying already", another wrote: "Thank you for sharing this incredible world with us!!!" and someone else asked: "Is it bad that I'm very close to calling off work to read?"

Magical and brutal world

Yarros is one of the biggest names in the booming "romantasy" genre.

In anticipation of Onyx Storm's release, the first two Empyrean books, Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, went back to the top two slots in the New York Times fiction bestsellers list.

They are also currently both in the top five of the Sunday Times paperback fiction chart in the UK, and they were the two most-read books of the past year around the world among users of Goodreads.

Fourth Wing introduced heroine Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old woman who is thrust into brutal training to become an elite dragon rider.

Like the author, Violet has a genetic condition that means the character dislocates joints and breaks bones easily - so must use her wits and inner strength to help her survive.

She is also entwined in a relationship with a fellow candidate called Xaden Riorson, who comes from a rival family.

Iron Flame was then set during Violet's second year at Basgiath War College, while in Onyx Storm, according to the publisher, she "knows there's no more time for lessons" because "the battle has truly begun".