The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (Throne of Glass, #0.1)

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The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (Throne of Glass 0.1)

by Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author)

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 2,078 ratings · 286 reviews

A Throne of Glass novella.

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes—and she will risk everything to righ...more

Kindle Edition, 70 pages

Published January 13th 2012 by Bloomsbury Children’s

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Apr 13, 2012 Erika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: readers of YA genre and adventure books.

Shelves: novella, young-adult, fantasy, favorites

I had waited quite a long time to read a good story about an assassin heroine. Sarah J. Mass certainly didn't disappoint me.

“Why?” Sam stepped close enough that she needed to tilt her head back to see his face. “We’re assassins. We kill people. We destroy lives every day.”

“We have a choice,” she breathed.

The assassin is Celaena Sardothien, a sixteen years old teenage girl. Her age was the only thing that cute about her. Celaena is the best assassin that Assassin’s Guild have. She's beautiful a...more I had waited quite a long time to read a good story about an assassin heroine. Sarah J. Mass certainly didn't disappoint me.

“Why?” Sam stepped close enough that she needed to tilt her head back to see his face. “We’re assassins. We kill people. We destroy lives every day.”

“We have a choice,” she breathed.

The assassin is Celaena Sardothien, a sixteen years old teenage girl. Her age was the only thing that cute about her. Celaena is the best assassin that Assassin’s Guild have. She's beautiful and deadly, such qualities that make oh-so-arrogant aura sticks with her most of the times. I better not giving details about the story since this is a novella. Any kind of information about the story might be too much. So the big picture is about Celaena and her partner Sam doing an assignment which involved the pirates and slavery. I must say I enjoyed it very much. The first half was spent without action while the last half was full of actions. Though, I can't say I was bored reading the first half. The characters, by this I mean Celaena and Sam, were intriguing. As I said earlier, we have a strong but very arrogant and icy heroine. Celaena is the kind of young girl with huge ego because she's aware that she's very good despite her very young age. I had disliked her at the beginning, before she started to reveal her compassion for others. Sam, on the other hand, is everything that Celaena is not. He's friendly, talkative, calm, and reachable. With these two assassins like fire and ice doing a mission together, how could I get bored?

Albeit the fact that The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is a debut, I liked the writing. My only complaint was the story is told from third person pov, but I felt it was being told from first person pov. Everything was described through Celaena, which of course wasn't supposed to be that way. Although it annoyed me, the writing was good enough to get me hook and drew my emotions. There were some touching moments between Celaena and Sam. Though their relationship was more like brother-sister thing rather than a romance fling (despite I got the hints that Sam -probably- had a deeper feeling for Celaena), I liked both of them together.

As the first novella, the very beginning story of Throne of Glass series, this was a good one. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, has successfully rocked my expectation for the series. If I don't read the second novella soon it won't be because I don't want to, but because the third novella: The Assassin and the Desert isn't published yet. I'm very curious with the series right now and I'm not comfortable with waiting. Therefore, dear author, the Throne of Glass novel needs to be published sooner than the schedule on August... please?

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Feb 14, 2012 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars

So I remember vaguely remember reading Queen of Glass (now Throne of Glass) on fictionpress years ago, like when I was in high school, and I remembered being extremely impressed with the idea of Cinderella as an assassin. I only read the first part of the story, so I can only give my opinion of the first part. The story and idea was wonderful and creative, but the writing definitely needed some improvement.

I was rather excited for this novella because I was interested in the story, but I also h...more So I remember vaguely remember reading Queen of Glass (now Throne of Glass) on fictionpress years ago, like when I was in high school, and I remembered being extremely impressed with the idea of Cinderella as an assassin. I only read the first part of the story, so I can only give my opinion of the first part. The story and idea was wonderful and creative, but the writing definitely needed some improvement.

I was rather excited for this novella because I was interested in the story, but I also hoped that Ms. Maas had improved her writing to do justice to the beautiful world she had created. However, after reading this novella, I was slightly disappointed. Her writing style is rather simple and slightly plain. I'm not expecting lyrical and beautiful prose you might expect from, say Patricia A. McKillip, but I do expect an author to be able to set a mood for me to feel. Unfortunately, in the novella, alot of the scenes fail to make me feel anything for the characters. For example, the very first opening scene would have been great if I could feel the suspense and tension between the characters, but I felt nothing. Feelings and mood were stated in words rather than described, which would be the more effective route.

I also had a slight problem with our main heroine, Celaena Sardothien. I love the idea of a kickass heroine that has a backbone of steel, but Celaena seems a bit naive, don't you think? I don't want to spoil anything, but I do think Celaena's actions in this novella really made her seem unrealistically naive. To be an assassin, one must be able to cast aside ALOT of moral principles that normal people hold to. The assassins' guild Celaena belongs to is described as the best. Being the best, especially in the field of killing people for money, carries with it an understood ruthlessness. I expect coldhearted murder from my assassins, not some moral highground. Also, Celaena mentions that her guild only goes after the "bad" people (greedy aristocrats, etc.). I would like to point out that what she said doesn't make much sense. If the assassins only kill the bad people, who do you think hire them? The good guys? No, if you're a good guy, you don't hire assassins to kill your enemy BECAUSE you're the good guy, the honorable person who would never do such a thing. So back to that question, who do you think is hiring the assassins? Also, if you assassinate people as a profession, chances are, sooner or later some poor innocent bastard will accidently witness the act, what do you think you have to do? Even if the person is innocent, you probably have to kill him/her. So this moral highground that Celaena expresses in this novella confused me. It doesn't seem to fit a person in such a profession.

To wrap up this long rant, I don't exactly think the novella is the worse book ever, but I also don't think it's very good. It's in the "meh" category. I don't regret reading it, but I also don't love it (and I really really wanted to love it).

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Feb 01, 2012 Erin Bowman added it

Shelves: action-adventure, fantasy, young-adult, series-still-reading, novellas

This is one of four novellas to be published in the coming months, each of which precede the events in ToG. In this novella, a younger (but still stubborn and brave) Celaena is sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect a debt owed by the Pirate Lord. What she finds is a payment not of money, but of slaves, throwing her into a moral dilemma. Though it is a quick and easy read, this novella is packed with action and intrigue. It is impossible to not root for Celaena and her partner-in-crime, Sam. Yo...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Mackenzie (Oh, For the Love of Books!) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review originally on Oh, For the Love of Books!

Celaena:
One word: Sassy. And I loved that about her! Not to mention the fact that she's an assassin so she's awesome by default. She was sarcastic and witty. Sure she was a bit high and mighty for my taste but she had that handed to her a couple times and she didn't go overboard. She is good, no doubt about it, and while she could sometimes be a bit cocky, at least she had a right to be. But she didn't always let it go to her head. She knew she was...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

At first, I was a little disappointed because I felt a lot of it just glossed over just how awesome Celaena was, and I remember thinking if I had read this novella first, I don't know if I would read the book or not. But the second part of it was just full of action and really showed just how badass she can be. Of course, I'm already psyched about this series because I liked the first one so much. Can't wait for the next installment.

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Mar 05, 2013 Azzurra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, young-adults, short-stories

Questo racconto dona interessanti spunti sul personaggio di Celaena, giovanissima assassina e futura "regina" della Gilda degli Assassini.
L'avventura di questo primo racconto porta lei e Sam, suo compagno d'infanzia e di lavoro...e antagonista perpetuo... presso il covo dei pirati per un accordo commerciale che vede l'acquisto di una nave di schiavi.
Ma Celaena, ignara in un primo tempo della trattativa, decide altrimenti rispetto l'accordo preso dal suo mentore con il re dei pirati e mette in m...more

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Mar 01, 2012 D.Kana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: top-notch, fantasy

Read full review here: http://everafterperspective.wordpress...

First of all, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas is not even a complete novel. It’s a novella, the first of I believe four (maybe?) before the big release of Maas’s first novel, Throne of Glass. The Assassin and The Pirate Lord was an excellent read –making me super excited for the big debut later this year. S.J Maas is an excellent writer. I’ve always loved her writing ever since I read her story on fictionpress. It’s...more Read full review here: http://everafterperspective.wordpress...

First of all, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas is not even a complete novel. It’s a novella, the first of I believe four (maybe?) before the big release of Maas’s first novel, Throne of Glass. The Assassin and The Pirate Lord was an excellent read –making me super excited for the big debut later this year. S.J Maas is an excellent writer. I’ve always loved her writing ever since I read her story on fictionpress. It’s no doubt that she has gotten better over the years. To me, she writes third person narrative perfectly and is the ideal example of how YA third person narrative should be.

I love epic novels and this novella definitely lives up to being epic. Trust me, I had my epic music blasting while I read this entire novella in pretty much one sitting. I absolutely adore Celaena Sardothien. She’s got a nasty attitude, she’s arrogant, sharp tongued and beautiful. Only someone like Maas can make those traits lovable on a main character. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of that when Throne of Glass comes out. What surprised me most from this short story is how much I came to love the characters in just a short amount of time. Even Sam—who at first I thought was just some background character—became the man of my dreams. By the time I got to the last page of the book, I was crushing hard on him (now I’m completely unprepared for what Throne of Glass has in store for us). I even like Rolfe, who seemed charming in his own way. Most of all, my favorite character is Celaena, and very rarely do I end up liking the female as a favorite character in a novel.

The plot was simply great. The pacing was perfect and my heart was racing the entire time – as if I was standing (or running) next to them during the whole thing. I’m impressed by Maas’ ability to do that in such a short story. For once, I’m in love with a story that has nothing to do with the romance aspect of it. I definitely recommend you read this and of course, Throne of Glass when it debuts. I can hardly wait for the next novella which comes up soon.

Rating: 5/5

Theme Music: Assassin’s Creed Revelations Theme by Lorne Balfe (especially from 3:00 onwards!)(less)

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Mar 18, 2013 Franci Karou Cat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recensione completa qui: http://leggendariamente.blogspot.it/2...

Dire che questo piccolo racconto mi abbia conquistata è dire poco! Si tratta di un fantasy ambientato in una terra immensa , variegata, costituita da diversi popoli, culture e realtà. Quella di Celeana Sardothien è una delle più pericolose, perchè lei appartiene alla gilda degli Assassini. E' la più temibile e anche la più brava, nonostante la giovane età. Infatti, a sedici anni rischia di non essere abbastanza credibile come assas...more Recensione completa qui: http://leggendariamente.blogspot.it/2...

Dire che questo piccolo racconto mi abbia conquistata è dire poco! Si tratta di un fantasy ambientato in una terra immensa , variegata, costituita da diversi popoli, culture e realtà. Quella di Celeana Sardothien è una delle più pericolose, perchè lei appartiene alla gilda degli Assassini. E' la più temibile e anche la più brava, nonostante la giovane età. Infatti, a sedici anni rischia di non essere abbastanza credibile come assassina, ma Celeana è una che sa il fatto suo, sopratutto sa come ingannare il prossimo, sfruttando al massimo le sue potenzialità. Celeana è bella e forte. Non disdegna la sua vita, anche perchè Arobynn, l'uomo che l'ha presa sotto la sua ala quando era ancora una bambina, non le ha mai fatto mancare nulla, facendola vivere nel lusso e nel benessere. Eppure, corre rischi costantemente. In questo racconto vengono presentati degli altri personaggi, assassini appartenenti alla sua stessa gilda. Dopo la morte dell'amico Ben, Celeana si guarda con sospetto intorno, chiunque vorrebbe farla fuori e prenderne il posto, dal momento che è la seconda in comando dopo Arobynn, nonché sua protetta ed erede. Sopratutto Sam Cortland, che non perde occasione per metterla in cattiva luce. Tra i due non corre buon sangue, ma quando Arobynn affiderà proprio a loro una missione molto importante, dovranno cercare di mettere da parte qualunque divergenza e andare d'accordo.
La missione conduce Celeana e Sam nel territorio dei Pirati, la Baia del Teschio, nell'arcipelago delle Isole Morte. Qui dovranno riscuotere da parte di Arobynn un debito col signore dei Pirati, il leggendario Rolfe. Celando la propria identità dietro una maschera e un pesante mantello, Celeana si presenterà al pirata, pretendendo da lui i soldi che deve al suo padrone e ostentando una sicurezza fin troppo azzardata. Ma la rivelazione che non si tratta di un debito di denaro bensì di schiavi, lascerà la ragazza per un attimo spiazzata.
Nonostante sia una spietata assassina, Celeana ha dei valori molto forti e non riesce a sopportare quella trattazione, soprattutto non ne capisce il motivo. Arobynn non l'ha informata di nulla e ciò non fa che aumentare i suoi sospetti. Perché l'ha tenuta all'oscuro di una cosa del genere? Non si fida abbastanza di lei? Oppure Sam lo sapeva e stanno architettando entrambi qualcosa alle sue spalle? Così, dopo averci pensato su un po', Celeana decide di fare di testa sua e sabotare la missione, con la complicità di un poco convinto Sam...

Ben 10 capitoli in questo racconto (non così tanto breve), ricchissimo di avventura! La vita di Celeana è affascinante, il lettore è spinto a volerne sapere di più, soprattutto sul suo passato, di cui viene accennato brevemente qualcosa, con la conseguenza di farne desiderare ardentemente dell'altro! Il suo è un personaggio irresistibile, con un carattere talmente duro e aggressivo da risultare anche divertente. Il sarcasmo non le manca, ma è tagliente quanto la sua lama. Davvero spassosa, a mio parere!:P Credetemi, non appena l'ho inquadrata, non ho potuto fare a meno di adorarla. All'inizio si presenta un po' troppo sprezzante per i miei gusti, ma quando prende la situazione in mano con Rolfe, facendosi valere, vien voglia di applaudirla fino a consumarsi le mani! E' tosta, determinata, audace, ma è chiaro che dietro la "maschera" nasconde anche un lato più sensibile, che lotta con quello più orgoglioso. E' un personaggio tutto da scoprire! Così come è da scoprire il rapporto che la lega agli altri assassini, a Sam, ad Arobynn, a Gregori... Quello che mi ha incuriosita di più è il suo legame con Ben, in realtà. Viene spesso tirato in ballo, lui fa parte dei ricordi più belli di Celeana. Chissà se nei prossimi prequel si scoprirà di più o se dovremo aspettare Il Trono di Ghiaccio per avere un quadro più completo. Sta di fatto che io mi sono davvero appassionata a questo mondo e ai suoi personaggi... Adesso non mi resta che tuffarmi nel secondo prequel e scoprire quali altre avventure e sorprese riserverà!
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Jul 04, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-great-shelf-of-awesome, better-than-expected

Also appears on The YA Kitten!

The first of four novellas leading up to Throne of Glass, Maas gives readers who weren't around to read her novel on Fictionpress their first taste of Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan's Assassin. I haven't stopped hearing about the author for months now because of how her novel started out, and I was eager to see what all the fuss is about. I can't say I don't see how she got so many fans, but I can say she still needs improvement.

The writing craft could use a little wor...more Also appears on The YA Kitten!

The first of four novellas leading up to Throne of Glass, Maas gives readers who weren't around to read her novel on Fictionpress their first taste of Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan's Assassin. I haven't stopped hearing about the author for months now because of how her novel started out, and I was eager to see what all the fuss is about. I can't say I don't see how she got so many fans, but I can say she still needs improvement.

The writing craft could use a little work, but most scenes read easily and there were only one or two tripping points. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord was a quick read not because it was short but because it was well-paced and smooth. I couldn't find out what would happen quickly enough! The tension between Sam and Celaena at the start of the novella was fantastic, but the sexual tension it devolved into kind of lost me. I felt they worked better as allies who didn't like each other.

Celaena has me worrying the next novellas and the novel will establish her as a Mary Sue sort of character because she comes close to being one here. Being the heir to the current Assassin Guild's leader Arobynn seems like it requires brains and skill because the assassin life isn't just about being good at killing people. Celaena certainly has the skill, as proven by what she pulled off, but her impulsive behavior that led to the scheme in the first place doesn't indicate she has the brains just yet. Based on who she is presented as in this novella, there is no way she should be his heir.

In addition, a question brought up about why Arobynn sent them out of Rifthold when he could have sent other people is dropped as soon as it comes up and that loose thread is begging me to take some scissors to it. Will it come back in a future novella or the novel? I hope so.

So Celaena is looking like a brat at the moment who doesn't seem to be the best candidate for Arobynn's heir, but there is a good chance there will be some improvement upon that. After all, she's only sixteen in this novella; Throne of Glass begins when she's eighteen and has served a year in the Salt Mines of Endovier. For me, it's on to novella number two: The Assassin and the Desert.(less)

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May 16, 2012 Janus Vielle (The Blair Book Project) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-ebook, series-short-story

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is one of four (not sure if there will be more) short stories Sarah J. Maas offers her readers of a glimpse into Celaena Sardothien’s life as the kingdom’s greatest assassin .

I’m going to keep this short and simple.

AWESOME BOOK. READ IT!

The end.

... just kidding!

Let me elaborate.

This is one of the few short stories that actually make most of those 500plus-paged books promising action, adventure and romance look like crap! I’m not going to mention which... *coug...more

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Apr 08, 2012 F.J. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, books-i-didn-t-like

I have waited a long time to get my fingers on this ebook - a kick-butt assassin fighting against a bunch of pirates and freeing hundreds of slaves? Sounded brill to me. To my disappointment “The Assassin and the Pirate Lord” wasn’t brill at all, in fact it was rather boring and cliché.

“On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Dida rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-wish-i-wrote-this

Non stop fun from beginning to end, I went into the story thinking I'd read a chapter and go to bed and that would be that. Four hours later I was HIGHLY dissappointed to discover the story had ended on me. Having fussed around the past year or so trying to find something to read absorbs me into the story without letting go as so few books have done in the past I'm pleased to say Assassin and the Pirate Lord filled an empty niche in my readers mind that I wasn't aware existed.

We dive right into...more Non stop fun from beginning to end, I went into the story thinking I'd read a chapter and go to bed and that would be that. Four hours later I was HIGHLY dissappointed to discover the story had ended on me. Having fussed around the past year or so trying to find something to read absorbs me into the story without letting go as so few books have done in the past I'm pleased to say Assassin and the Pirate Lord filled an empty niche in my readers mind that I wasn't aware existed.

We dive right into the tale of Celaena Sardothien, Ardalan's best assassin and potential heir to the throne of the Guild of Assassins at the ripe old age of sixteen. Raised from eary childhood to be an almost living weapon on all counts, Celaena's beautiful, deadly and not afraid to let you know it. When Celaena hears tale of a fellow assassin and former friend meeting a tragic end her efforts to inquire further into his death lead her to be sent on a percieved diplomatic mission at a far away port to meet with the leader of the worlds Pirates, when the true purpose of her mission comes out it leads to some unfortunately implications among those Celaena thought she trusted and she's forced to use her wits and put her faith in those she was previously wary of to keep, not only her dignity, and conscience, but her life.

Maas has an absorbing writing tone that pulls one in, and makes the reader reluctant to let go. Her characters are well defined and three demensional. Celaena's arrogance stems from true competance that we're show, instead of told (which even some veteran authors haven't yet or never learned how to do (I'm looking at you Anne Rice) and besides the fact the character is just LIKEABLE, something which I had a problem with in 'GRACELING' and that novels' main character, who too has a skill with the deadly arts. Maas does good job of giving us a good idea of the world the characters live in AND it's history without dumping a history text book onto our brains (figuratively). There's just enough to give a fuller picture to fill out our mental map without weighing us down.

I loved TANTPL and plan on picking up it's sequel, this book is reccommended for a light, fun read!(less)

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Mar 27, 2012 Jean Pearl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, series-to-die-for

OMG!!!!! You didn't disappoint me, Ms. Sarah!!! I've expected so much and I'm so happy that I actually enjoy and love The Assassin and the Pirate Lord!!! Mwah!! I.Love.You! I can't waaaaaiiiittttt for the next novella and of course for your epic and legendary, Queen of Glass, now the Throne of Glass to come out this August!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!

ps: ive finally met the formidable, infamous and kick-ass Celaena Sardothien that i kept on hearing about in fictionpress, since a couple of years prior, and...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Rosiekg123 rated it 5 of 5 stars

A great re-introduction to the wonderful world of Celaena Sardothien, full of action and excitement. I can't wait to read the other novellas and sink my 'teeth' into the novel and be fully immersed in Adarlan once more!

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Jan 22, 2012 Landon K. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sheer fun. If my 13-year-old self had gotten his hands on this, I think he'd have been blinded by pleasure.

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Mar 18, 2013 Cyp rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, 4-star, another-world, fantasy, ya

Rolfe gave her that crooked smile. “Do you act like this because it’s actually in your nature, or is it just because you’re afraid of dealing with people?”

“I’m the world’s greatest assassin.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not afraid of anyone.”

“Really?” Rolfe asked. “Because I’m the world’s greatest pirate, and I’m afraid of a great number of people. That’s how I’ve managed to stay alive for so long.”

She didn’t deign to reply.

The first out of four prequels to the amazing Throne of Glass series by...more

Rolfe gave her that crooked smile. “Do you act like this because it’s actually in your nature, or is it just because you’re afraid of dealing with people?”

“I’m the world’s greatest assassin.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not afraid of anyone.”

“Really?” Rolfe asked. “Because I’m the world’s greatest pirate, and I’m afraid of a great number of people. That’s how I’ve managed to stay alive for so long.”

She didn’t deign to reply.

The first out of four prequels to the amazing Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. I loved THRONE OF GLASS, all that pre-release hype and anticipation and ACTUALLY reading the book... Wow, I couldn't let go of the characters even now, a few months after I've put TOG down, not yet. So I picked out the first prequel.

A Summary
In THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD, Celaena Sardothien has received a mission from the leader of the Assassin's Guild and also her mentor, Arobynn Hamel, to demand payment from Captain Rolfe, the infamous Pirate Lord, for having slayed three of the Guild's assassins. Pirate lord? Certainly no biggie for Adarlan's greatest assassin. But, she's to travel to pirate land, which is an island on treacherous seas, with Sam, that annoying assassin that always picked fights with her and just annoyed her to no end.

Once there, what she thought to be a demand for payment turned out to be a business agreement. An agreement to sell slaves to the Guild. Celaena can't trust Sam, so she'll just have to figure out a way to save them on her own. Without ally, surrounded by pirates and stranded on an island.

My Thoughts
We got a glimpse into the life Celaena had before she was captured and sentenced to the harsh life of being a slave at the salt mines in Endovier. She was waaaaay more cocky and arrogant! Haha, I think she practically pissed everyone off in this one, and as Rolfe wondered, how in the world had Arobynn tolerated her insolence and let it go unchecked all these years?

But, after all that bratty, haughty and bitchiness, we got to see the more compassionate side of her when she found out about the slaves. Sam was quite the same as well, sans the "bratty, haughty and bitchiness". He was quite a jerk, and I thought he's a power player too, but in the end, he's just a sweet, funny guy who can really kick ass.

THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD is a nice short story with the action and romance I was craving (and just reading about Celaena's life) that'll keep you company if you ever feel yourself on the verge of going off the deep end with all the tortourous waiting for CROWN OF MIDNIGHT. ;)(less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Celaena Sardothien, just sixteen, is one of the most feared and capable assassins in the empire. As the heir presumptive of Arobynn Hamel, lord of the legendary Assassin's Guild, Celaena is sent to collect tribute from the Pirate Lord of Erilea, ostensibly for the murder of three assassins in his territory. Accompanied by Sam Cortland, a fellow assassin maddening and devilishly handsome by turns, Celaena anticipates a speedy end to negotiations with the Pirate Lord -- all the better to quickly r...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: heroines-with-fight

This novella was a great read. Not my favourite of the stories preceding Throne of Glass but helps explain Celaena's character development. I did not like her very much in the beginning. I knew when I read Throne of Glass that she was vain and arrogant, but it's especially bad in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord. She's spoiled and entitled. She likes pretty and expensive things (I know, who doesn't... I guess she just comes across as a bit materialistic). Granted, you can see how she was raised...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Lia rated it 4 of 5 stars

A convincing introduction to the Throne Of Glass prequels.

At first I was kind of dubious of getting this book and the rest of the series, but I decided to get them because they were 99 cents and I had nothing to lose.

This definitely wasn't the most exciting of all the novellas, however, it was intriguing enough to keep me going all throughout.

Above all, this novella served as an introduction piece, in my opinion. An introduction, a tour around Celaena Sardothien's world: her customs, how she...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Annette rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is the first novella prequel to Throne of Glass.

We get to learn about Celaena's past. Sam is a character in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, but surprisingly, he and Celaena don't get along. (Even though he isn't in Throne of Glass, it appears that Sam and Celaena had at one time at least a friendly relationship, if not a romance.) They are sent on a mission together, to the kingdom of the Pirate Lord. Surprisingly, she and Sam decide to change the mission when...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-kristie

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Good introductory story into the Throne of Glass series, showing Celaena’s morals and quirks.

Opening Sentence: Seated in the council room of the Assassin’s Keep, Celaena Sardothien leaned back in her chair.

The Review:

Celaena Sardothien proves that she is a stealthy assassin after recovering a fallen comrade at the beginning of this novella before she is sent off with Sam, a fellow assassin, on a mission to recover a great debt from a Pirate...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Mel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Book reviews make me nervous; I’m always worried I’ll give too much away. To avoid that, I have come up with some basic questions that I will answer as briefly as possible to give you a general idea of why I did or did not like the book.

Q: Is the plot exciting and suspenseful?
A: Yes

Q: Does it have a fast start?
A: Yes

Q: Action, danger, humour, romance, mystery?
A: Action – yes; danger – yes; romance - a little tension; humour – yes; mystery - sort of

Q: Do the characters (make you care)?
A: Mostly

Q:...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

The King of Assassins sends Celaena and Sam, two of his best protegees, to meet the Pirate Lord and get retribution for the death of three of his assassins after they were killed by pirates.
This is the first of four novellas, it introduces readers to protagonist, Celaena and gives some insight into Cealena's life before the events that occur in Throne of Glass.
I didn't really like Celaene, she was far too arrogant and instead of being clever and holding her tongue she just goaded people for no...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Celaena Sardothien has been sent by the Assassin's Guild to collect a debt owed by the Pirate Lord. She is accompanied by her friendly rival Sam Cortland. Both have been with the Assassin's Guild since they were young children. Celaena is cocky, arrogant, a girly-girl who likes fancy clothes and manicures. She is also the best assassin in Erilea and only sixteen years old. When she and Sam arrive to collect their debt they find that they have been mislead. Instead of coin, they find that the lea...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Scarlett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Originally posted on my blog here.

I had first heard about the actual novel on NetGalley. The cover was alright, but when I actually read the synopsis (assassins? Game of thrones? Yes please!) I knew I wanted to read it. When I found out that there were several novellas leading up to the actual novel, I was a bit hesitant. Come to find out that these are like novels themselves!

Let me explain, sometimes the extras for a book are just that, extras that got cut, for good reason, but they want to hav...more

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May 28, 2012 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD (YA novella #1) by Sarah J Maas

ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD is the first novella of four, introducing Celaena Sardothien, a 16year old trained assassin and member of the elite Assassin’s Guild. Sarah J Maas, by way of some earlier novellas guides the reader through the early adventures of Celaena leading to her new YA fantasy novel Throne of Glass in August 2012.

Celaena found it difficult to learn that fellow Guild Assassin and second to Arobynn Hamel -Ben was missin...more

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May 22, 2012 Katt M rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of S. Maas, YA fantasy readers

Shelves: because-i-liked-the-other-one, epic-fantasy, ya-favorites

It was awful. I probably shouldn't have tortured myself. August is too far away for my ToG fix.

So I open the novella on my iPad, get a little giddy and do a happy-dance-wiggle, turn to chapter one and BAM! Suddenly it's 2007 again and I'm back in Adarlan head first into Celaena's adventures. It was nice to see a few familiar faces and get truly caught up.

In this novella, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, I found Sarah Maas to have polished her writing style since I last read QoG. The storyline...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Kereesa rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Pierce, Cashore, and other fun assassiny things

Shelves: 2012, assassins, cuddle-plus, ebooks, extra-books, favorites, friendship, grrl-power, high-fantasy, romance, fangirling

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is a short novella for the up-coming Throne of Glass, and concerns its main character, Celaena (Love the name, but by God do I hate trying to spell that), and her adventures with a certain Pirate Lord as well as introducing us to Celaena's world and her badass role in it two years previous to the events in Throne of Glass (or at least the events I assumed from the synopsis).

As a novella, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is short, sweet, and wraps itself up nicel...more The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is a short novella for the up-coming Throne of Glass, and concerns its main character, Celaena (Love the name, but by God do I hate trying to spell that), and her adventures with a certain Pirate Lord as well as introducing us to Celaena's world and her badass role in it two years previous to the events in Throne of Glass (or at least the events I assumed from the synopsis).

As a novella, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is short, sweet, and wraps itself up nicely without really needing any additional information or feeling like some random off shoot of the book that isn't really needed in comparison to some enovellas I have read. (Winter's Passage, for instance, I always felt was kind of annoyingly tacked on to the series since most of the information in it was already summarized, (and in one case repeated word for word), in The Iron Daughter). Instead The Assassin and the Pirate Lord felt like an individual story that could stand on its own two feet, while still hinting at what was to come in Maas's up-coming novel.

For the most part I really enjoyed The Assassin and the Pirate Lord. It had action, hinted at a bit of romance, and showed a very badass heroine I easily warmed up to. While the action was the fairly standard assassin/courtly intrigue affair, it kept a good steady pace, and, tbh, I enjoy that kind of thing anyway so I doubt I would've complained :P. The romance I was mixed about at first, but I like the more subtle aspects of it, and the interplay between the characters. It definitely is something I would like to see fleshed out more, but I'm intrigued at the very least. Celaena as a heroine was perhaps one of my favorite parts of the novella, because while she was kind of a typical assassin, she was also kind of vain and a little arrogant, which I liked. It seems odd for me to cite arrogance and vanity as qualities I like in a heroine/hero, but I do have to admit some of my favorite leading ladies, like Scarlet O'Hara and Tris from Divergent, have more than their fair share of those qualities, so it really shouldn't come to any surprise.

What can I say? I prefer the flawed ones. It makes the story that much more interesting.

On a more negative note, I thought the whole morality issue of the novella was a bit too black and white for me, though still understandable from what is hinted at from the Celaena's background. As it is a short novella, however, I'm willing to forgive it because it is well written, and stands so solid on its own. I expect more gray to be shown in the actual novel, but for now I'm satisfied. The resolution at the end of the novella, in addition, was a bit too easy in my opinion, but still remained within the realms of reality.

All in all I really, really enjoyed The Assassin and the Pirate Lord. It showed great promise, had me flipping through its electronic pages in suspense, and got me excited for when the actual novel will be released. Until then, I hear there are three other novellas to whet my appetite until August. 4-4.5/5(less)

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Apr 25, 2012 Alyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-ya

After seeing the great reviews, I picked up the novella despite an initial hesitance (assassins and pirates? trying a bit hard to hit all the cool characters, are we?). But I have to say: This was an unexpected gem in the mass of cheap Kindle finds. As someone who finds heroines often too much one way or the other, I thought Celaena was the perfect mix of controlled, icy, compassionate and volatile. Sam was an excellent secondary character, just enough opposite Celaena that their interactions we...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Celaena is tough, stubborn, and impulsive--we all know that from THRONE OF GLASS...but she wasn't always AS tough (though she was certainly MORE stubborn and MORE impulsive).

In this novella preceding the events of Sarah J. Maas's famed THRONE OF GLASS, we get to see that young, untried Celaena. Don't get me wrong--when I say "untried", I don't mean "weak". She can still kick your butt (with her hands tied behind her back and her eyes blindfolded), but her edges haven't yet reached the sharp, ven...more

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Throne of Glass F...: The Prequels	6	15	Feb 11, 2013 09:25pm
Throne of Glass F...: Sam Cortland	3	20	Jan 13, 2013 03:07pm
Young Adult Book ...: Short stories	14	123	Nov 20, 2012 09:43am

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About Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J. Maas lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she's not busy writing YA fantasy novels, she can be found exploring the California coastline.

Her debut YA epic fantasy novel, THRONE OF GLASS, will b...more

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Books by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin and the Desert (Throne of Glass, #0.2)

The Assassin and the Underworld (Throne of Glass, #0.3)

The Assassin and the Empire (Throne of Glass, #0.4)

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“Sam smiled, his brown eyes turning golden in the dawn. It was such a Sam look, the twinkle of mischief, the hint of exasperation, the kindness that would always, always make him a better person than she was.” — 9 people liked it

“He couldn't be dead. Not from the dagger, or those dozen pirates, or from the catapult. No, Sam couldn't be so stupid that he'd get himself killed. She'd... she'd... Well she'd kill him if he was dead.” — 8 people liked it

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