Plot summary
Conscription Day approaches, Violet Sorrengail, now 20, makes her way to her mother's office. Despite her initial training in the Scribe Quadrant, her mother, General Sorrengail, mandates her entry into the Rider Quadrant, where she will face perilous battles against her fellow cadets for the next three years, preparing to become a dragon rider. Upon entering her mother's office, Violet encounters her sister Mira, a seasoned dragon rider, who expresses her concerns about Violet's diminutive stature and frail constitution, stemming from an illness in her infancy. Despite Mira's pleas, General Sorrengail remains resolute in her decision, unmoved even by the memory of their late brother Brennan, who heroically perished as a dragon rider on the front lines. Mira aids Violet in her preparations, providing her with a dragon-scale reinforced corset for protection and advising her to seek out their childhood friend, Dain Aetos. She also cautions Violet against interacting with those who bear tattoos denoting them as children of rebels, who are forcibly assigned to the Rider Quadrant as a form of institutionalized retribution.
Upon reaching the Basgaith War College, all cadets face the daunting task of crossing the parapet, a narrow wall separating the rider school from the rest of the institution. Here, Violet encounters Xaden Riorson, a third-year cadet and son of the rebellion's leader. Despite an undeniable attraction, they harbor animosity due to Xaden's father's role in Brennan's death, for which Violet's mother retaliated by executing Xaden's father. As Violet attempts to cross the parapet, a fellow cadet named Jack attempts to assassinate her, reflecting the ruthless competition within the college. She escapes Jack's clutches and finds refuge with Dain, who urges her to join the scribes but ultimately accepts both her and Rhiannon into his squad. However, their squad is transferred to the Fourth Wing, placing them under Xaden's command.
Cadet training intensifies, with Dain warning Violet of Xaden's murderous intentions. He possesses a unique ability to glimpse people's memories by touching their temples. Violet excels in her studies due to her intellectual prowess but faces relentless aggression during sparring sessions, targeting her physical weakness and her mother's reputation. To overcome her disadvantages, Violet collaborates with Rhiannon, offering to teach her history in exchange for assistance in combat training. The professors allow cadets to engage in potentially lethal challenges. Violet utilizes her brother's journal to identify her opponents and poisons them before confrontations. One night, while foraging for ingredients, Violet eavesdrops on a clandestine meeting among the children of rebels. Upon its conclusion, Xaden confronts her, demanding her silence in exchange for a future favor.
Cadets are faced with the Gauntlet, a vertical obstacle course simulating the challenges of dragon riding. Violet's strategic rule-bending during her climb frustrates a wingleader. Her squad is granted an audience with the dragons, and several cadets suffer fatal consequences for their disrespectful behavior. Among the dragons is a rare golden feathertail, a breed known for its resistance to bonding with humans.
During the event called Threshing, cadets are released into a valley in the hopes of forming bonds with dragons. Violet evades Jack and his accomplices but realizes their sinister plan to eliminate the golden dragon due to its perceived weaknesses. She defends the dragon, sustaining severe injuries before Xaden and his dragon, Sgaeyl, arrive. Violet successfully fends off her attackers, and a black dragon named Tairn kills the remaining cadet, carrying Violet back to the college. Astonishingly, both Tairn and the golden dragon, Andarna, bond with Violet, making her the first rider in history to command two dragons. Dain professes his affection for her. Violet discovers that Tairn is Sgaeyl's mate, giving Xaden an unexpected stake in her well-being.
Despite her improved physicality, Violet struggles to maintain her balance on Tairn during flying practice. One evening, Tairn awakens her as six unbonded cadets attempt to kill her. Andarna intervenes, freezing time until Xaden can come to her rescue. Violet reveals that a senior cadet admitted the intruders to her room. Xaden confronts the cadet before the entire student body, resulting in her execution.
Xaden and Violet, young rebels, meet with their dragons. They discover that Andarna, Violet's dragon, is not a rare breed, but a child. Her time-stopping power must be kept secret until she matures, as it is vulnerable and could be stolen. The great revelation, new developments arise. Xaden enlists Liam, the son of a fellow rebel, as Violet's bodyguard. A moment of passion between them, spurred by their dragons, leads to a spontaneous kiss. Violet finds herself in a perilous situation against Jack. To defend herself, she exposes him to an allergen.
The annual Squad Battle sees cadets vying to steal coveted items from their foes. Violet's squad seizes General Sorrengail's map of military outposts, earning them the chance to shadow soldiers on the front lines. While in the field, Violet reunites with her sister, but their visit is cut short by an attack from gryphon fliers from Poromeil. During a later capture-the-flag game, Violet saves Liam from Jack's deadly attack. In the process, she manifests her signet, a unique power granted by her bond with her dragon. Her signet is the ability to control lightning, which she uses to vanquish Jack.
That night, Xaden and Violet engage in intimate relations. Violet insists on Xaden confessing his romantic feelings before their next encounter. Reunification Day arrives, a celebration of the defeat of the separatists and the triumph of the rebellion. As it coincides with the anniversary of Brennan's death, Violet seeks Xaden, who is grieving. They confess their mutual attraction and have intercourse, but are interrupted by the announcement of the War Games' final stage.
Xaden leads a group of rebels and Violet to an outpost outside the empire. They encounter gryphon fliers and Xaden admits to arming them in their fight against the venin, evil beings that corrupt magic. Violet is devastated by his deception but agrees to assist in their mission after discovering a letter revealing the venin's imminent attack. They race against time to warn the fliers, unaware that Xaden's betrayal has been orchestrated.
Despite warnings of danger, the group decides to fight alongside the fliers. Liam sacrifices himself in the battle, while Violet is gravely wounded. She secures victory with her lightning abilities. The survivors seek shelter in an abandoned fortress where Violet lies unconscious for three days. Upon awakening, Xaden vows his loyalty and devotion to regaining her trust, but she remains skeptical. As the novel concludes, Brennan enters the scene, revealing that he is alive and welcoming Violet to the revolution. The story ends on a cliffhanger, setting the stage for the continuation in the sequel, Iron Flame.
Reception
The book had a mostly positive critical reception. Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review, praising its worldbuilding, characters, and "sexy dark academia aesthetic". [6] Alana Joli Abbott, in a review for Paste, praised its use of familiar tropes and compared it favorably to fantasy series like Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. [2]
Fourth Wing became a viral phenomenon on BookTok, where the hashtags "#FourthWing" and "#RebeccaYarros" have more than a billion views combined. Its popularity led it to reach No. 1 on Amazon's bestseller list as well as the No. 1 spot on The New York Times Bestseller list, where it stayed for 18 weeks. [1] [7] It has been credited as helping to popularize the "romantasy" genre, which blends elements of romance and fantasy genres. [8]
Kimberly Terasaki of The Mary Sue wrote about a phenomenon within the fandom of portraying Xaden, a primary love interest of the protagonist, as white in fan art despite the fact that he is described as dark-skinned in the book. Yarros also commented on the phenomenon and asserted that the character is not intended to be white. [9]
The sequel, Iron Flame , was released on November 7, 2023. [7] [10] The third book, Onyx Storm, is set to be released on January 21, 2025. [11]
