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

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Assassin and the Desert (Throne of Glass 0.2)

by Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author)

4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 · rating details · 1,789 ratings · 193 reviews

The Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren’t much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s not there to chatter, she’s there to hone her craft as the world’s most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she’ll be lucky to leave the...more

Kindle Edition, 103 pages

Published March 30th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

YA Short Stories and Novellas

39th out of 233 books — 397 voters

Princes, Other Worlds and Future Lands

18th out of 107 books — 84 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 06, 2012 Nikita Ompang rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: novella, e-books

OH MY FREAKIN GOOOOOOOOOD!!!! Celaena Sardothien, you just kicked Katniss Everdeen from her throne as my favorite kickass YA protagonist! This novella is just - AWESOME!!! And geez, its just a novella! What more with the book! I don't think I'll love Celaena more than I already do! But helll, I REALLY miss Sam here. I wish to see more of him with the succeeding novellas! I CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER!!! ~~Oh God, let it be May 1 when I wake up tomorrow so that I can read the 3rd novella! (kiddin') hihi.~~...more

8 likes · like · see review

Apr 01, 2012 Jean Pearl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, series-to-die-for

I can't still get over The Assassin and the Desert! I can't stop mentally fawning over it, like OMG!! New world and characters were introduced, and I found myself hooked and in love with every bit that made up this novella. Celaena Sardothien is one that I'm personally wishing to become - strong, beautiful but deadly, sarcastic, witty, apathetic to some degree, smart, prideful (haha!), and a little vain concerning her face (a big LOL!). That was a shocker to me! And she finds it utterly difficul...more

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 09, 2012 Karissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was the second novella in the Throne of Glass series; there are four novellas that take place before the Throne of Glass novel and this is the second of those. I really enjoyed this novella even more than the first one; it gives the reader a good look into how Celaena became who she ends up being in the Throne of Glass novel.

Celaena is in trouble following the events of the The Assasin in the Pirate Lord, where she lost her master a ton of money because of all of the slaves that she freed....more This was the second novella in the Throne of Glass series; there are four novellas that take place before the Throne of Glass novel and this is the second of those. I really enjoyed this novella even more than the first one; it gives the reader a good look into how Celaena became who she ends up being in the Throne of Glass novel.

Celaena is in trouble following the events of the The Assasin in the Pirate Lord, where she lost her master a ton of money because of all of the slaves that she freed. As part of her punishment she is sent to a well known assassin school in the desert. She is supposed to get a certificate of training from the head master there; instead she gets pulled into politics between the assassin school and the local nobility.

This was a very well done novella. Watching as Celaena learns and trains with the assassins is interesting and intriguing. The whole time you are trying to unravel the mystery behind the headmaster. The tension as to whether or not Celaena will get what she needs from him really propels the story forward.

The plot is well done and has some excellent twists and turns. This is the first story where we get to see a good picture of Celanae’s loyalty to those around her and also get a sense of her determination to succeed. I felt like this story gave us a better glimpse as to who Celanae will become in future stories (and in the Throne of Glass novel).

There is a tiny bit of romance, but it is definitely not the focus of the story. There are some truly awesome action scenes and getting to watch Celanae in action is fabulous. I also really enjoyed the scenes where she trained with the Headmaster.

Overall I really enjoyed this novella. It takes us further along Celaena’s path to how she got to where she was in Throne of Glass, both as a person and as a journey. There is some great action, some wonderful characters, and a wonderful world. Highly recommended to fantasy fans, as is the first novel in this series Throne of Glass.(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 03, 2012 Mackenzie (Oh, For the Love of Books!) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review originally posted on my blog Oh, For the Love of Books!

I haven't read many novellas, but if the rest are like the Throne of Glass novellas then I can't believe I've taken this long to read them! I absolutely loved the first novella, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, and this next one doesn't disappoint.

This time Celaena finds herself crossing the unforgiving Red Desert to find the dwelling place of the Silent Assassins. After her little stunt with the release of the slaves in the previ...more Review originally posted on my blog Oh, For the Love of Books!

I haven't read many novellas, but if the rest are like the Throne of Glass novellas then I can't believe I've taken this long to read them! I absolutely loved the first novella, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, and this next one doesn't disappoint.

This time Celaena finds herself crossing the unforgiving Red Desert to find the dwelling place of the Silent Assassins. After her little stunt with the release of the slaves in the previous novella, her leader sends her here to learn a thing or two.

The Silent Assassins is a place where assassins gather to practice with each other and hope for the tutelage of the leader of the Silent Assassins. Celaena is just as sassy and kick-butt as in the previous novella, but now she's not the only person thats good at what she does and she gets put in her place more than once. However, throughout this book Celaena grows tremendously learning about the true assassins art and learning to take her own path. Celaena learns to stand up for what she believes in no matter the cost. She may be an assassin, but she's still a human being.

At a mere 86 pages, Maas made this feel like an entire book. We are introduced to new characters that are quite developed for so few pages, the book evokes emotions from the reader, the plot is addicting and intriguing. What more could you ask for?

I was so completely addicted to this novella. I read it all in one sitting because I wanted to know what was going to happen. And the ending was just so good! Celaena got a lot of flack (that's a huge understatement) from her leader because of what she did but the leader of the Silent Assassins is the complete opposite. He doesn't believe that harm will make a better assassin. No. He works with them and really shows them how to get better. He truly cares about his student and I absolutely loved that about him. He encouraged hard work and determination but cared for them with his heart of gold.

To say I loved this is a huge understatement. When an author can give you so much in so few pages, that's talent! I'm glad I got the book through Netgalley because I'm going to have to start it ASAP!! XD

All the best ♥(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 02, 2012 Cassie rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Assassin and the Desert was, perhaps, even better than the first e-novella by Sarah Maas. It follows the feisty heroine, Celaena Sardothin, as she endures her punishment for freeing slaves in book one (costing her master a lot of money). Let me say that I am glad she was punished. There’s nothing fun about seeing a character get away with everything--and believe me, Celaena suffers a great deal of humiliation in this book. In fact, she learns a thing or two about humility. It makes her even...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Erika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Readers of fantasy, YA, and adventure books.

Shelves: fantasy, novella, ladies-of-quality, favorite-series, favorites, young-adult

4.5 stars

“If you can learn to endure pain, you can survive anything. Some people learn to embrace it—to love it. Some endure it through drowning it in sorrow, or by making themselves forget. Others turn it into anger. But (view spoiler)[Ansel (hide spoiler)] let her pain become hate, and let it consume her until she became something else entirely—a person I don’t think she ever wished to be.”

I liked it more than the first book. Though, my first and only issue with The Assassin and the Pirate Lo ...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-whole-new-level-of-boring, could-have-been-so-much-better, don-t-need-my-clairvoyance-for-this, shit-or-get-off-the-pot, the-shameful-shelf-of-get-rid-of-it

Also appears on The YA Kitten!

After being vaguely impressed with Maas's first Throne of Glass novella, I eagerly started reading my copy of the second, The Assassin and the Desert. It saddens me to say I'm disappointed in this novella. Predictable and poorly paced, I'm hoping the next two novellas and the novel do not resemble this novella in any way.

Celaena is slowly developing into a more realized character with flaws, and the novella itself details how she is having to suffer the consequences...more Also appears on The YA Kitten!

After being vaguely impressed with Maas's first Throne of Glass novella, I eagerly started reading my copy of the second, The Assassin and the Desert. It saddens me to say I'm disappointed in this novella. Predictable and poorly paced, I'm hoping the next two novellas and the novel do not resemble this novella in any way.

Celaena is slowly developing into a more realized character with flaws, and the novella itself details how she is having to suffer the consequences of her actions (since she is sent to the desert as punishment for freeing the slaves in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, the previous novella). Still, the convenient way everything works out for her in the end does not escape me. Once is once. Twice is coincidence. Let's hope there won't be a third instance to make it a pattern.

Most of the novella is spent on training. Running six miles across the desert, imitating an asp, doing all this other stuff... It doesn't make for a very readable story and I kept picking it up and putting it down. There was no driving force to The Assassin and the Desert until the seventy or eighty percent mark, when Celaena finally realizes what is happening and hurries away on her new horse to save the day.

And really, I figured out the entire plot in half the time it took Celaena. Everything added up as easily as one plus one plus one plus one. This dude's hint here, this characters stupid action there, this chain of events over here--I almost felt insulted and I got impatient waiting for Celaena to catch up. If Maas is this bad at writing mysteries and it's not a one-shot deal, then Throne of Glass (which appears to have a mystery as its primary plot) may not be as enjoyable of a read as I am hoping it will be. Either way, such a poorly assembled mystery did not entertain me like the action of the first novella did.

Next is novella number three: The Assassin and the Underworld. It can't be much worse than this, but one thing I've learned as an often-masochistic reader who is usually determined to finish a book no matter how bad it is? A bad book/series can always get worse. I'm hoping it will be better, though. Fingers crossed, rabbit leg nearby, and so on.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

May 22, 2012 Janus Vielle (The Blair Book Project) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-ebook, series-short-story

I am really awed by Sarah Maas’s ability to write a short story that has almost everything I want in a book. You know, the usual unique adventure, discovery, action and all that; it’s a little short on the love story, but I totally feel the little sparks of romance that makes me want more.

In the Assassin and the Desert, the 2nd novella from the Throne of Glass series, Celaena travels to the Red Desert where she must earn the honor of being trained by Master of the Silent Assassins. This was her...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 01, 2012 Erin Bowman added it

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

This came out just two days ago and I've already devoured it. What a novella! The amount of emotion and character growth packed into this story is amazing. Celaena and Sam's actions at the end of the THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD do not go unpunished; Celaena is sent to spend a month with the Silent Assassins to learn a thing or two about discipline in the unforgiving desert. While she is there to train, she finds herself unexpectedly caught up in a conflict between the Assassins and a Lord f...more

1 like · like · see review

May 06, 2013 Franci Karou Cat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recensione completa qui: http://coffeeandbooksgirl.blogspot.it...

Ero già stata conquistata dal primo racconto dedicato alle avventure della famosa assassina Celeana Sardothien, grazie al prequel "L'Assassina e il Signore dei Pirati", in cui Celeana disobbediva al suo padrone, rifiutandosi di portare a termine una tratta di schiavi con il temibile pirata Rolfe (leggi QUI la recensione). In questo secondo racconto, sono passati due mesi da allora, da quella missione che le ha procurato soltanto gu...more Recensione completa qui: http://coffeeandbooksgirl.blogspot.it...

Ero già stata conquistata dal primo racconto dedicato alle avventure della famosa assassina Celeana Sardothien, grazie al prequel "L'Assassina e il Signore dei Pirati", in cui Celeana disobbediva al suo padrone, rifiutandosi di portare a termine una tratta di schiavi con il temibile pirata Rolfe (leggi QUI la recensione). In questo secondo racconto, sono passati due mesi da allora, da quella missione che le ha procurato soltanto guai. Arobynn Hamel ha punito Celeana - e Sam - come credeva meritassero e le ha affidato una nuova missione: "imparare obbedienza e disciplina", presso i Sessiz Suikast, i Sicari Silenziosi, una gilda di Assassini che vive nel Deserto Rosso. Qui dovrà riuscire a farsi addestrare dal Maestro Muto e tornare a casa con una sua lettera di approvazione.
L'impresa che, inizialmente, viene sottovalutata da Celeana, si rivelerà impervia e molto più pericolosa di quanto immagini. In soli 12 capitoli, l'autrice concentra una storia fatta di innumerevoli avvenimenti, non dimenticandosi di tracciare con passione la personalità di un'eroina unica come Celeana, ma anche dei suoi compagni d'avventura. Ogni personaggio è talmente ben strutturato che il racconto scorre senza intoppi sotto gli occhi del lettore, affascinato da essi e da uno stile coinvolgente e apprezzabile. La fantasia dell'autrice mi sembra essere senza limiti, basta una citazione qua e là per farci viaggiare con la mente e immaginare quanta bellezza ci sia nel mondo da lei creato. Il Deserto Rosso è un luogo affascinante, ma molto difficile in cui vivere. Le giornate sono assolatissime e ventose, Celeana non è abituata a quel clima, e dovrà sopportarlo per un mese intero! Dopo che Arobynn l'ha picchiata violentemente, lasciandole lividi evidenti in tutto il corpo, pensa quella sia una punizione ulteriore e troppo ingiusta. Eppure non si pente neanche un secondo di aver liberato quegli schiavi. Il suo più grande desiderio, però, è sapere cosa ne è stato di Sam, quel ragazzo che non sopportava e che, invece, si ritrova a pensare troppo spesso. Quel ragazzo che l'ha aiutata senza esitazione e che si è preso una punizione forse più dura della sua... Mettendo da parte i ricordi, la ragazza cercherà di concentrarsi sulla sua nuova missione. Lei è la leggendaria Celeana Sardothien, dovrà pur contare qualcosa? :) Ma per il Maestro Muto non è importante chi lei sia, lui l'addestrerà solo se e quando lo vorrà. Se lo meriterà. E Celeana dovrà fare di tutto per conquistarsi la sua benevolenza.
Questo racconto mi è piaciuto anche più del primo, ad essere sincera. Sebbene, all'inizio sia un po' più lento, si entra nel vivo della storia senza rendersene conto. Una volta che Celeana si sarà ambientata, diventerà tutto più interessante e intrigante, soprattutto il suo rapporto con alcuni dei Sicari Silenziosi che vivono nella fortezza. Stringerà amicizia con Ansel, la ragazza con la quale condividerà la stanza. Un'assassina con una storia molto delicata alle spalle e che metterà Celeana al corrente delle abitudini del Maestro e della sua dimora di Assassini, ma
anche del pericolo rappresentato dai loro nemici, un pericolo che renderà la seconda parte del racconto molto avventurosa e, soprattutto, sorprendente. Infatti, si nasconde una spia tra i Sicari Silenziosi e sarà compito di Celeana stanarla e "risolvere il problema"... Non ha idea di cosa le comporterà la rivelazione!
Non vi dico altro perché non vorrei rovinarvi troppo la sorpresa, ma sappiate che il racconto si divora in pochissimo tempo. E' tutto perfettamente trascinante: ogni parola, azione, evento. C'è la giusta dose di suspense, c'è l'intrigo da risolvere, ci sono combattimenti e avventure, ci sono personaggi affascinanti, che conosceremo poco alla volta e si riveleranno incredibili. Ci sono luoghi magici e ricchi di mistero. Ci sono emozioni innegabili che emergono ad ogni pagina. E c'è sempre Celeana Sardothien, la strepitosa assassina dal cuore d'oro *_* Lei e il suo speciale obiettivo che porterà a fondo con caparbietà! Imparerà l'arte della meditazione e quant'altro possa arricchire il suo già ben fornito bagaglio di esperienza nell'arte del combattimento. Mi sono innamorata del suo personaggio e, per quanto possa sembrare a volte arrogante, egoista e viziata - chi ha mai detto che il suo sia un mestiere facile:P - ha talmente tante sfumature da non poter fare a meno di apprezzarla. Ogni racconto ce ne regala qualcuna diversa, sono curiosa di conoscerle tutte, se possibile!

Continua a leggere la recensione qui: http://coffeeandbooksgirl.blogspot.it...(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 03, 2013 ABookVacation rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this novella much more than The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, and I think it really has to do with the humility that Celaena begins to show throughout the pages as she is bested time and time again. Here, in the middle of the desert, thrust far from all she knows as punishment for her disobedience to the Assassin King, Celaena begins to realize that she still has much to learn. I felt much more connection with Celaena in this novella as she begins to really feel. She misses Sam, who we m...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Annette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sarah J. Maas has created the most entertaining character in Celaena Sardothien. I just can't get enough of the Throne of Glass series.

I'm really picky about my short stories (read: I don't like them.) But even though these are short, they have a plot, a beginning and an end, and character growth. They are like reading a really interesting novel -- only short!

This time, in The Assassin and the Desert, Celaena has been banished (after her disobedience in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord) by Aroby...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 03, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-kristie

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Celaena trains with another group of assassin’s and learns a valuable lesson on friendship and patience.

Opening Sentence: There was nothing left in the world except sand and wind.

The Review:

Celaena Sardothien has been sent to train in the Red Desert with the Mute Master of the Silent Assassins as punishment for the events that happened in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord. She must train with the Master and come back with a letter of recommen...more

like · see review

Aug 13, 2012 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

OK, now it’s getting serious! I didn’t believe that it was possible to be so excited about a novella but it’s true! The second prequel novella by Sarah J. Maas was absolutely amazing! And it was nothing like other stories I’ve read!

In my previous review I’m sure I mentioned that Celaena was arrogant. She is. But here we can see a change in her attitude and in her thoughts. I was shocked to learn what happened to her by her master but also I was relieved to learn her feelings about Sam also, alt...more

like · see review

May 28, 2012 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

THE ASSASSIN AND THE DESERT (YA novella #2) by Sarah J Maas

The second novella in the Throne of Glass series finds 17year old Celaena Sardothien-Adarlan’s greatest assassin severely punished and sent to train with the Silent Assassins in the Red Desert. For defying the King of the Assassins, Celaena is ordered to earn the trust and respect of the Mute Master before returning to Adarlan. But her hopes of an audience with the Mute Master soon vanish when she is forced to undergo the training regime...more

like · see review

Apr 09, 2012 Amie Kaufman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, fantasy

Ever wondered what happened before the start of your favourite book? Wanted to know just what made the characters the way they are, or how they learned the things they know?

Enter Sarah Mass's fantastic quartet of prequel novellas. We already know that at the start of THRONE OF GLASS we'll find Celaena in the salt mines of Endovier...so how did she get there? And what happened first?

In THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD we met Celaena and cheered as she swashed and buckled her way through the Pirat...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

In The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, we got to see the young, headstrong Celaena take on a entire port of pirates to defend what she believed in. It was swashbuckling adventure followed by edge-of-the-seat thrills, all wrapped up in clever dialogue and typical Celaena finesse.

And now, in The Assassin and the Desert, we get to enter into a new type of story. This novella has more mystery, more friendships (and enmities), and more character growth. But don't worry--there's still a whole lot of epi...more

5 likes · like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Monique rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: heroines-with-fight

I give this story 3.5 stars.

I should probably begin by saying that I read this story out of order. All 4 of the novellas before Throne of Glass are quite good.

This story explains Celaena's time with the silent assassins, and the lessons she learned there. It also shows some of the evolution of her feelings for Sam, and explains the first betrayal of someone she considered a friend.

I really liked the characters in this story (the mute master, Ilias, Mikael). I'm curious about whether any charact...more

like · see review

Nov 09, 2012 Minna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 3-and-a-half-stars, good-world-building, novella, original, young-adult

An improvement over novella #1, definitely. I liked the absence of a love interest - why oh why do so many young adult books featuring a strong female main character have to have a love interest??? - and I liked that Celaena had to eat some humble pie in a place where either no one knew her name or no one cared. I disliked Ansel from the start; it seemed to me she was portrayed as an alterna-Celaena; that is, a Celaena that made all the wrong choices instead of the right ones.

I loved the settin...more

like · see review

Aug 28, 2012 Christine (Rainy Day Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, rainy-day-reads

This is the second of four novellas that serve as prequels to Throne of Glass. I will quickly add that I maintain my suggestion to read the full novel first and then these prequels. Not that anything is given away but the allure of Celaena's mysterious past is one of my favorite elements of the full novel. Reading these after is helping me see why she acts the way she does later on but I am glad to not have known these details at the time.

Another reason why I would strongly suggest the reading o...more

like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

Spoilers

As punishment for setting free his slaves, Arobynn, the King of Assassins sends his protegee, Celaena, to the Red Desert to learn obedience and discipline and earn the approval of the Mute Master of the Silent Assassins. If Celaena doesn't recieve a letter of good behaviour from the Mute Master, she will be kicked out of the Guild of Assassins. Celaena must prove to the Mute Master that she is worthy of being an assassin.

-The storyline was a tad more exciting than the first nove...more 2.5 stars

Spoilers

As punishment for setting free his slaves, Arobynn, the King of Assassins sends his protegee, Celaena, to the Red Desert to learn obedience and discipline and earn the approval of the Mute Master of the Silent Assassins. If Celaena doesn't recieve a letter of good behaviour from the Mute Master, she will be kicked out of the Guild of Assassins. Celaena must prove to the Mute Master that she is worthy of being an assassin.

-The storyline was a tad more exciting than the first novella. There was a little more action and the Silent Assassins were far more interesting than most of the characters in the previous novella.

-Like the first novella, Celaena wasn't an easy character to like. She has this air of entitlement about her that was very off putting. She wanted admiration and respect without working for it, just because she thought she was the best. After a day of being with the Silent Assassins she expected the Mute Master to train her even though he only ever chose to train those that impressed him or those that earned his respect. Celaena did nothing but still thought he should drop everything for her - she was so lazy and spoilt.
She was far too arrogant and kept thinking she was better than everyone else. She got jealous when people didn't notice her beauty and instead paid attention to another girl - she was ridiculous. I'm glad there's finally a heroine who knows she's beautiful but Celaena's appreciation of herself was just too much.

-I was disappointed that the only female character (beside from Celaena, of course) ended up being the bad guy. I was initially excited that there seemed to be a decent female character in it, but nope - she turned out to be evil. Apparently Celaena's the only female character allowed be good/worthy/heroic.

I did prefer this novella over the first one but I'm still not impressed. Celaena is just an awful heroine, I think that it's possible that she's just starting out as a crap heroine so that it leaves plenty of room for character growth in the next installments - I hope that's the case because otherwise I'll have just wasted my time and money on something I don't even like.
Sam, the only likeable character in the first novella wasn't even in this one, but thankfully it does look like he's in the next one.(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 28, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own-kindle, read-in-2012

The Assassin and the Desert is the second of four prequel novellas that are being released in the run up to the publication of Sarah J Maas' debut novel Throne of Glass in August. I've been dying to get my hands on the book for months now so I couldn't resist picking up the novellas while I was waiting.

This novella picks up the story about 2 months after the ending of The Assassin and the Pirate Lord. Celaena has been sent to the red desert to train with the sessiz suikast (the silent assassins)...more

like · see review

May 03, 2012 Sarabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow who knew I could be blown away in 90 pages! So much better than The Assassin and the Pirate Lord. After her adventures with Rolf the Pirate Lord, Celaena is betrayed by one of her own and left with some hefty emotional scars. She is then thrust into the Red Desert by her mentor who commands her to train with the enclave of nearly Silent Assassins. Knowing she needs time away from Rifthold she uses the journey to her advantage. The silence of the compound almost does us a favor because we see...more

like · see review

Mar 31, 2012 Ania rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Oh wow I really got into this one. You really get to see the slow change in Celaena. Its cool to see her changing into the character I knew and loved in queen of glass. Ansel though is quite damaged. I wonder if we will meet her again, because I don't remember a character like that. Oh man though I would love to see the king of assassins' face when she tell him they line the master told her to say. Anyway, cannot wait for the next installment. I've already per-ordered it :)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 19, 2013 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars. When Celaena Sardothien disobeyed master assassin Arobynn Hamel's directive to negotiate the purchase of slaves, she paid a dearer price than she ever expected. As Arobynn's heir and Adarlan's Assassin, she once thought herself untouchable. But when Arobynn beats her to within an inch of her life following her "betrayal," followed by exile to the Red Desert to train with the Master of the Silent Assassins, Celaena begins to question not only her future but her very loyalty to the orde...more 4.5 Stars. When Celaena Sardothien disobeyed master assassin Arobynn Hamel's directive to negotiate the purchase of slaves, she paid a dearer price than she ever expected. As Arobynn's heir and Adarlan's Assassin, she once thought herself untouchable. But when Arobynn beats her to within an inch of her life following her "betrayal," followed by exile to the Red Desert to train with the Master of the Silent Assassins, Celaena begins to question not only her future but her very loyalty to the order -- and the man -- that has played such a crucial role in shaping her into the feared killer she is today. At the home of the Silent Assassins Celaena discovers a culture and way of life totally beyond her realm of experience -- one that celebrates shared knowledge, fosters friendships, and -- perhaps most importantly -- forces Celaena to prove herself afresh. In the Red Desert, the reputation of Adarlan's Assassin counts for little. When a spy is discovered and a plot unfolds, bent on destroying the Silent Assassins, Celaena is faced with a choice and an unexpected lesson. Can a woman who prizes needing no one risk herself to save others? And will the cost of mercy prove too high a price for this cold-blooded assassin to risk?

After devouring Celaena's first adventure in just a day, I eagerly dived into the second of four prequel novellas to Maas's Throne of Glass, and I was most assuredly not disappointed. The Assassin in the Desert is a welcome thirty pages longer than its predecessor, allowing for more action and character development. Celaena's forced sojourn in the Red Desert stretches and challenges the fiercely independent, smart, driven assassin in ways that not only develop her unique skill set, but forces the youthful warrior to grow up -- i.e., begin to realize that she cannot rest on her laurels, cannot assume pre-eminence in a field that thrives on double-crosses and operating in the shadows merely by virtue of her name and history. I LOVED the character growth Celaena undergoes in this novella, and the choices she faces at the story's conclusion broke my heart. This is a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining novella with moments of unexpected depth. Maas has succeeded in creating a character and a colorful, richly-textured world that I cannot wait to spend more time in, uncovering its secrets. Very well done -- and bring on the next chapter of Celaena's story, asap! :)(less)

like · see review

Sep 05, 2012 Sarah (Head Stuck In A Book) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, e-book, owned-and-read

I am so impressed with these novellas, not only are they fantastic stories but they are packed full of excitement and adventure.
This novella takes place a few months after the first one, Celaena has been admonished and beaten for her disobedience over letting the slaves go by her master, as further punishment she is sent to the Red Desert, specifically to the group of the Silent Assassins to train, she is told by her master that she is to return bearing a letter written by the leader of the Sile...more

like · see review

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

This episode takes place a couple of months after Celaena's adventures with the Pirate Lord. She needs to be trained by the Master and get a letter of recommendation from him before returning home. When she arrives, she is befriended by a young woman named Ansel who has been with the Silent Assassins since she was thirteen. Ansel becomes the first friend she has ever made. The local lord - Berick - wants to curry favor with the king of Adarlan by destroying the Silent Assassins and sending him t...more

like · see review

Apr 14, 2013 Paola (A Novel Idea) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read my review of all four novellas at A Novel Idea!

These four stories fill in the missing details of Celaena’s life before the events of the first book. We meet her at the age of sixteen, Adarlan’s most notorious assassin, and her youth definitely shows. This is Celaena in her glory days — even more vain, headstrong, and reckless than she is when we meet her in Throne of Glass, if you can believe that. But one thing I admire about this author and her heroine is that no one ever makes excuses fo...more

like · see review

Nov 17, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Throne of Glass readers

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge

This was another great novella :). Continuing from the last novella, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, you get to see what happens after Celaena and Sam get back home. And Celaena is sent on another adventure.

I liked seeing Celaena make female friend :) Ansel and Celaena are a couple of rough and tough female assassins that make one heck of a dynamic duo. I liked the two of them together, but kind of missed the romantic tension between her and Sam. Although, the time she had away from Sam gave h...more

like · see review

Aug 30, 2012 Elizabeth "Liza" rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kindle, series, ya

This novella starts about a month after Sam and Celaena return to the Assassin’s Keep and face Arobynn and the fact that they spoilt his business deal with the Pirate Lord. To say the least, Arobynn didn’t take it well and both Sam and Celaena were severely punished for their interference. Celaena is send to the middle of the desert to train with the Silent Assassins and here she makes one special friend. She faces some tribulations and a lot of pain in the process, but as expected she triumphs...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (6)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

178 users

Young Adult

94 users

Short Stories

28 users

Adventure

15 users

Fantasy > High Fantasy

11 users

Romance

11 users

Fantasy > Magic

10 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Fantasy

8 users

Action

6 users

Young Adult > Teen

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

The Audition
by Rachel Hartman
The Shadow Cats
by Rae Carson
The Witch of Duva
by Leigh Bardugo
Among the Nameless Stars
by Diana Peterfreund
The Ash-Born Boy
by Victoria Schwab

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

More about Sarah J. Maas...

Books by Sarah J. Maas

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

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

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

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Assassin and ...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Assassin and the D...

“Words could be just as deadly as steel.” — 10 people liked it

“As the memory of that day echoed through her, she remembered the words Sam kept screaming at Arobynn, as the King of the Assassins beat her, the words that she'd somehow forgotten in the fog of pain: I'll kill you! Sam had said it like he meant it. He'd bellowed it, again and again and again...” — 8 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Assassin and the Desert
avg rating	preview: The Assassin and the Desert Goodreads rating: 4.26 (1789 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13419891-the-assassin-and-the-desert?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335783827l/13419891.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13419891-the-assassin-and-the-desert?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas[/url]

The Assassin and the Desert (Throne of Glass 0.2)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website