Sarah J. Maas’ Epic Finale Will Rattle the Stars

"My name is Celaena Sardothien and I will not be afraid." Since 2012, the brave young heroine of the New York Times-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-winning series Throne of Glass has captivated readers with her unwavering strength and determination.

In the beginning, Celaena was a cutthroat assassin hiding from the shadows of her past. Now she's embraced her destiny as Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, the rightful queen of Terrasen and one of the keys to the world's salvation in the series' upcoming and final installment. Here author Sarah J. Maas shares some parting words for her beloved character as well as a heartfelt message to her fans who have dared to "rattle the stars."



Goodreads: Kingdom of Ash is almost here! We know that you probably felt all the feelings once you typed the words "The End." How has writing the Throne of Glass series changed you?

Sarah J. Maas: Oh, man. What a hard question to answer! I've been working on this series since I was 16 (I'm 32 now), so I've literally grown up while writing it, which makes it pretty hard to pinpoint every little way it's changed me. I knew from a young age that I loved to write, but it wasn't until I began working on Throne of Glass that I realized how much I wanted to be published and that I wanted to one day be able to see Throne of Glass sitting on a bookshelf.

That dream was my guiding star—the goal I was willing to work toward no matter how long it took, no matter how impossible the odds. So I did—through high school and college and the years afterward, I worked on these books. Without that dream and drive to see it come true, I don't know where I'd be. Which made writing Kingdom of Ash all the more emotional and overwhelming. I can't tell you how many times I cried while writing this book!

GR: What has Aelin taught you over the years?

SJM: Too much to convey in one short answer. If I had to pick one thing, though, I'd say that her unbreakable will and courage have impacted me the most. I can't tell you how many times I've wound up saying to myself, "My name is Sarah Maas, and I will not be afraid" and instantly felt braver.

GR: She's also grown so much since the first book. What surprised you the most about her journey?

SJM: It's funny. I've been writing about Aelin for 16 years, and yet she still managed to surprise me until the very end. As a writer, I like to let my characters lead the way and call the shots for where the story should go, which meant that Aelin sometimes took things in totally unexpected directions (despite my years of careful planning). There are tons of examples that I could give you guys, but one of the most recent was a surprise because it wasn't a surprise: Aelin decided to follow the path I'd laid out for her in Kingdom of Ash, right to the very last line.

GR: Fans also praise Aelin for having multiple, nuanced relationships throughout the books (friends, lovers, family). Which relationships stood out to you the most and why?

SJM: Writing about the dynamics between all these characters was one of the biggest highlights for me, and one of my favorite parts of Kingdom of Ash was that so many characters who haven't yet met or seen each other in a while finally get to interact. But to pick one relationship that really stands out to me, I'd have to say Aelin and Manon. They were just so fun to write whenever they were in the same scene/space, and having them go from enemies to allies to sort-of-friends was one of my favorite journeys. Random factoid: Their conversation in Empire of Storms about whose sword has a better name is one of my favorite moments in the entire series.

GR: If you could speak to Aelin, what would you say to her now that your series is drawing to a close?

SJM: Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the good you've brought into my life and for choosing me to tell your story.

GR: Throne of Glass has such a passionate fan following. Let's time travel back to the early days of writing the series: Did you ever imagine that something you wrote would make such an impression?

SJM: Definitely not! This journey has been beyond anything I ever dreamed for myself, and I'm so deeply grateful to all of my amazing readers for making it possible. It's been such an honor and joy to share these books with them!

GR: You've also been a multiple Goodreads Choice Award winner and nominee! How does it feel to have such enthusiastic support?

SJM: Unbelievable. I can't even begin to express my gratitude without tearing up. My readers truly are the best group of people I've ever encountered.

GR: Now that your series is drawing to a close, what new projects are on the horizon for you?

SJM: I've got a couple projects coming up that I'm super excited about! But right now I'm drafting the first book in my upcoming Crescent City series. It's too early to really say much about it, but it's my first series for adults and takes place in a modern fantasy world (think Throne of Glass or A Court of Thorns and Roses set in our century). I've been working on it for several years now, and I can't wait to share it with readers next year! Once that's written, then I'll switch gears to work on the first full-length A Court of Thorns and Roses spin-off novel (if you've read the teaser in the back of A Court of Frost and Starlight, you'll know who it's about). I'm already super pumped to dive into it, too!