“Onyx Storm” Has Arrived: Read Rebecca Yarros' Smash Hit “The Empyrean” Series in Order

The third book in Rebecca Yarros’ The Empyrean series is officially out today — and if you’re not caught up yet, it’s time to get Onyx and read up a Storm!

Much to the delight of the bestselling author’s many fans, Onyx Storm, the third entry in the beloved romantasy series, hit bookshelves on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The highly anticipated novel comes after Iron Flame, which itself follows Fourth Wing, the book that first introduced readers to Violet Sorrengail — and Violet to the danger-filled world of dragon riders — one she learns to navigate throughout Yarros’ thrilling books. The author promises the series will have five books, in total.

The Empyrean did not just explore new territory for its protagonist — it also marked a new literary adventure for Yarros, 43, who had tons of experience with writing about love prior to Fourth Wing, but fantasy? Not so much. The smash hit novel marked her first foray into the genre.

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"Really, branching into fantasy was kind of an outlier for me, and my first loves are always a combination of fantasy and romance,” she previously revealed to PEOPLE. “I couldn't write the fantasy without writing the romance. The romance is really what causes you to focus inward on internal conflict and character struggles.”

“And it makes an even richer fantasy when you go back to it,” she added.

If you are new to the Empyrean series, which also has a TV series adaptation in the works, here is a step-by-step (and mostly spoiler-free) guide to its three books, in order.

Fourth Wing

Released on April 5, 2023, Fourth Wing is the first novel in the saga, which introduces readers to Navarre, a war-torn kingdom — one of several in “the Continent” — that is brimming with magic and secrets. It is also the home of series protagonist Violet, who kicks off her first year at Basgiath War College in the inaugural installment.

“Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history," an official synopsis teases. "Now, the commanding general — also known as her tough-as-talons mother — has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.”

But danger awaits the small, brittle-bodied Violet at school, from both the dragons themselves and her fellow students. “With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter — like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.”

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Along with Violet, Fourth Wing introduces readers to a host of colorful (and scaly!) characters, from mysterious dragons like Andarna, to the protagonist’s ever-complicated family, which includes mom Lilith and siblings Brennan and Mira. And don't forget the handsome, powerful and sometimes secretive Xaden Riorson.

Iron Flame 

Iron Flame thrusts readers back into Violet’s world, this time following her second year at Basgiath, which she somehow managed to survive, surpassing everyone’s expectations — herself included.

An official synopsis for the sequel explains that even though Violet made it through “Threshing,” the dangerous Basgiath event in which dragons bond with riders, the real journey was just beginning.

“Now the real training begins,” an official synopsis teases, “and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is — unless she betrays the man she loves.”

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The cruel new vice commandant, Burton Varrish, is just one of the hurdles Violet faces in the thrilling sequel — but we already know the iron-willed Violet doesn't give up easily. “And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.”

“But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year,” the synopsis concludes. “Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College — and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.”

Onyx Storm

The third and latest installment, Onyx Storm, follows Violet beyond the walls of Basgiath — and the stakes have never been higher.

"After nearly 18 months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty,” an official synopsis reads. “Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.”

As Violet travels beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies willing to stand with Navarre, she'll need every ounce of strength, wit and a lot of luck to carry her through. “She will do anything to save what she loves ― her dragons, her family, her home and him," the synopsis reminds us. "Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.”

Yarros offered a glimpse into the events of Onyx Storm ahead of its release, telling Elle earlier this month that “fans can expect to see Violet with one singular motivation, which is to save Xaden.”

“You’re going to follow the implications of what’s been revealed in Iron Flame, and you’re going to see [Violet’s dragon] Andarna very curious about where she comes from,” the author added before joking. “I think that’s the biggest thing I can tease before a publisher jumps out and tackles me to the floor.”

The Empyrean series is now available, wherever books are sold.

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