Sarah J. Maas is another of my favorite authors. I could read her novels over and over and not get bored. In fact, this will be the 3 or 4th time I've read this book. And I plan to read the series again because the 5th book of the series is coming out at the end of August, and I like to review and reread them so I remember what's happened. Plus, I really just like her books.The Assassin's Blade is the prequel to the Throne of Glass series. It gives the backstory to Celaena Sardothien, a 16 year old assassin. This book is made up of 5 short novellas, each with a story about her past. The Assassin's Blade takes place in a made -up world called Erilea. Celaena is from one of the countries in Erilea called Adarlen where she is the protege of the King of Assassins, Arobynn Hamel.
In the first novella, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, Celaena and Sam, a fellow assassin, are sent to Skull Bay to exact revenge on the King of Pirates. However, they soon find out that they are not there for that but for a slave trade agreement. The King of Assassin's, Arobynn Hamel, wants to start selling slaves, but Celaena has a big problem with that. With the help of Sam, they destroy the agreement and set all the slaves free. Of course, nothing is without a price.
In the second novella, The Assassin and the Healer, Celaena is waiting in a small town for a ship to take her to the Red Desert. She is healing from her many bruises and wounds, gifts from Arobynn for destroying is slave trade deal, a deal that would have made them a great amount of money. Arobynn was not pleased and beat Celaena terribly. Now he is sending her to the Red Desert to train with the Mute Master of the Silent Assassins. While she is waiting for her ship, she is stuck in the dingy town. She meets Yrene, a barmaid and healer. Celaena teaches her some defense moons and convinces her to continue on her journey to a healers school.
In the third novella, The Assassin and the Desert, Celaena finally makes it to the Silent Assassins. She has one month to train and garner a note from the Mute Master of her training before she can return to Adarlen and Arobynn and Sam. At first, she is denied private training with the Master, but she does make a friend, Ansel, her first real friend ever. Celaena finally gets the Master's attention and gets her private training sessions where she learns to move in ways she never thought she could. One day, one of the silent assassin's betrays them all and the Mute Master's life is on the line. Celaena comes to the rescue, earning her letter of recommendation from the Master as well as lots of gold for saving his life.
In the fourth novella, The Assassin and the Underworld, Celaena finally returns home to Adarlen and the Assassin's Keep and Arobynn's waiting arms. He asks forgiveness for beating her, showering her with gifts. He also gives her a new job, killing a man who wants to start a slave trade in one of the neighboring countries. Celaena also reconnects with Sam, and her growing feelings for him confuse her. In the end, she kills the man but comes to find out that Arobynn lied to her. The man was actually against the slave trade deals and was setting up houses for protection against the slaves. Celaena gives Arobynn all the money she received from the Mute Master, paying off all her and Sam's debt to him and setting them free from Arobynn's clutches.
In the fifth and final novella, The Assassin and the Empire, Celaena and Sam are free from Arobynn and free to love each other. They want to leave Adarlan and start anew, but they need to do it the right way or Arobynn with hunt them down. They need money and find one last job that will pay enough so they can leave. But job is dangerous, killing the Crime Lord and his second. After a few days of scouting, Sam goes to kill the Second in command, Farran, but he never returns. Celaena finds him at the Assassin's Keep, tortured and dead. She breaks, devastated and thirsting for revenge. When she attacks, she kills many men, including the Crime Lord. But she's captured by Farran and handed over to the King of Adarlan as per the "agreement" because someone has betrayed her. Celaena is sentenced to the salt mines in Endovier where she will work and be kept alive. She is carted off, promising herself she is not afraid. They will not break her.
What I like about this book: I love the backstory of Celaena. For those who start with this book and not with Throne of Glass like I did, this will just be a great story. There's action and adventure with a little love thrown in. Celaena is a smart, sassy heroine who doesn't consider herself as a heroine. The writing is powerful, visual and expressive, making you yearn to read more and more to find out. There are hints to Celaena's past which is revealed in a different book in the series but it's just enough to make you more curious. The characters are well rounded, dynamic characters with positives and negatives. Even though Arobynn is an awful, deceitful man, he truly loves Celaena in his own way and is trying to prove that. And even though Celaena is an acomplished assassin, the best there is, she loves things like music and is afraid of things too.
What I don't like about this book: Nothing. There is nothing you can't love about this book.
I would recommend this book for anyone, boys and girls, who love action and adventure and who love a great story.
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