Michael Smith > Recent Status Updates

I was a bit taken aback by how little I enjoyed the opening chapters. Chaol is being a little bitch. But as always, as it progresses I love it more and more and it's breathtaking in places.

All I can say is many readers have told me that this book is where they ended. That Heir Of Fire is weak, that Aelin is less interesting than Calaena, that her struggle to be as great as her reputation is a flaw. I am also gobsmacked that people also lay fault at Sarah J. Maas for portraying Caleana as "too perfect". Calaena has obvious PTSD traits, is often very impulsive and has strong battles against her fears.

Now past the halfway mark, I notice fans seem to either embrace this book and continue of leave off after what they deem to be two stronger early volumes. As for me, I still believe Throne Of Glass was a flawed, if fun debut. I also think that, for all the strengths of Assassin's Blade and Crown Of Midnight, it could be argued they too were slightly ordinary. But Heir Of Fire blows them all away! Loving it.