Onyx Storm: Chapter 4
Jan. 29th, 2025 08:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaWe open to a quote about why rider cadets don't get summer and winter leave when other quadrants do. I don't know why we would need an explanation for this. Your country is at war, they're short on bodies, the military controls everything. Why would they give you leave when they're so short-staffed that third year cadets were being sent to fight on the front lines?
Violet and Xaden are talking in the aftermath of him almost draining her. This is a nice moment: Xaden expresses how he feels and draws a hard line--he doesn't want to have sex and risk Violet's life--and Violet trusts him but also doesn't try to override his boundary, just accepts it.
They get dressed and start talking politics.
We're back at it with the clunky dialogue as exposition. I feel like there's got to be better ways of giving us this info--Violet was literally in the room with Lewellen earlier in front of the council, she could have walked by Duke Lindell in the hallway and thought about this then or something.
Okay, now we're getting something interesting. Violet asks Xaden if he wants to be involved in the negotiations on Aretia's behalf, and he says he doesn't--he owns the house the rebellion is using, but he's part of the military, and also he thinks being a venin disqualifies him. In Iron Flame, we learned that Catriona specifically was engaged to Xaden for political reasons and wanted to get him back because he was in a position of power. So it seems like the implication here is that Xaden has recused himself from the peace treaty talks because he thinks him being a venin makes him a liability.
Interesting. That's characterization, at least, and in line with what we know about Xaden when he's not being possessed by the ghost of shadow daddies past.
The peace talks aren't going well. Poromiel wants the rebels to stay in Basgiath as part of the peace treaty, as well as for Navarre to protect the fliers that are stationed there. And the constant threat of murder at Basgiath is apparently a problem. Violet points out that Poromiel could just ally with Aretia to get riders and weapons, but Xaden points out that Basgiath has the wards.
Side note: Xaden starts referring to the king of Navarre here by his first name, which is very confusing because no one ever has before and this book has way too many characters in it.
I'm glad we're finally getting some concrete information about these peace talks, but again, I don't think dialogue between Violet and Xaden is the most effective way to convey all this. It would be so easy to put us in the room for these talks. Violet and the other rebels have significant leverage here. If Yarros is going to start the book with a time skip and drop us in medias res, she should actually do that.
Okay, there's now a crowd in the hallway outside their room as Brennan, Mira, and a bunch of other people have showed up to talk to Xaden and/or Violet.
Oh, that's an interesting tidbit. I hope we get to continue to see the Sorrengail family dynamics in this book. What little there was in Iron Flame i did like. In general I like that Brennan being alive is a source of conflict for Mira, not an uncomplicated joy, because it makes her feel more like a real person.
Mira shows Violet her spoils from her secret mission:
Okay, I've read this page a couple times, and I still do not understand what the hell it is Mira brought. First, she gives Violet a new conduit, and then she gives her a disk with runes carved into it for levitation, sound-proofing, and warmth. The warmth rune is interrupted by a small green sprout where a plant-wielding rider(?) has altered the disk. The effect seems to be that this nullifies that rune but not the others, which I guess was something that wasn't possible before.
First off, that was not a rule in Iron Flame. We didn't know that--Yarros just added that now. Second, what does that have to do with the fliers? How does this save the negotiations? Third, I love that this problem was introduced, like, a chapter ago, and it's already been solved off-screen. Way to kill the tension.
Mira and Brennan talk about the Poromish talks and we get a snarky aside from Mira about how the Poromish should be more willing to deal with Navarre, considering the threat of the venin. Hey, Mira, the Navarre military have actively been pretending the venin didn't exist, refusing to aid Poromiel, and actively killing the Poromish military and their civilians. They're objectively in the wrong, which is why everyone in this room JOINED THE REBELLION.
Look, it's fine if Mira is an asshole. That's actually consistent characterization for her and could be a source of interesting conflict. But the fact that no one even clocks what she said as inappropriate is baffling. It undermines the entire book--if our heroes don't actually care about Poromiel, why should I care about their rebellion?
Anyways, we move on as Mira loses her shit when Violet tells her she and Andarna are being sent out on a mission to find the secret seventh dragon den. Mira was apparently on a mission to check Aretia's wards, which have six months left max before they fail--leaving Aretia to the venin.
See, this is good! Brennan and Mira's tense relationship is good. Now we can see that Mira's abrasiveness here is really about her grief over her mother, and she probably feels alone in that grief because Brennan faked his death and never reconciled with her. And also, I think it shows that Mira is more like her mother than Violet or Brennan are--willing to sacrifice other people for her family.
Violet gives Brennan the runed disk to take to the negotiations. Chapter end.
Yarros is better at interpersonal relationships than fantasy politics. Fourth Wing would be a lot better if it were like...a contemporary dragon shifter romcom.
Welp. Next time, folks.
Violet and Xaden are talking in the aftermath of him almost draining her. This is a nice moment: Xaden expresses how he feels and draws a hard line--he doesn't want to have sex and risk Violet's life--and Violet trusts him but also doesn't try to override his boundary, just accepts it.
They get dressed and start talking politics.
“You were out late last night,” I say as he works his way to the tie. “Anything to do with Duke Lindell being here?”
“Yeah.” He tugs gently, and my shoulders straighten.
“Makes me glad you’re sleeping here,” I note, and his fingers still. “All three of the highest Houses of Tyrrendor are here, two of whom are known to hold allegiance only to the province, and the third is suspected.” I glance over my shoulder at him. “Was it not Lindell who made sure you and Liam were trained to enter the quadrant?”
Xaden nods. “It was, though Lewellen had a hand in it, too.”
We're back at it with the clunky dialogue as exposition. I feel like there's got to be better ways of giving us this info--Violet was literally in the room with Lewellen earlier in front of the council, she could have walked by Duke Lindell in the hallway and thought about this then or something.
Okay, now we're getting something interesting. Violet asks Xaden if he wants to be involved in the negotiations on Aretia's behalf, and he says he doesn't--he owns the house the rebellion is using, but he's part of the military, and also he thinks being a venin disqualifies him. In Iron Flame, we learned that Catriona specifically was engaged to Xaden for political reasons and wanted to get him back because he was in a position of power. So it seems like the implication here is that Xaden has recused himself from the peace treaty talks because he thinks him being a venin makes him a liability.
Interesting. That's characterization, at least, and in line with what we know about Xaden when he's not being possessed by the ghost of shadow daddies past.
The peace talks aren't going well. Poromiel wants the rebels to stay in Basgiath as part of the peace treaty, as well as for Navarre to protect the fliers that are stationed there. And the constant threat of murder at Basgiath is apparently a problem. Violet points out that Poromiel could just ally with Aretia to get riders and weapons, but Xaden points out that Basgiath has the wards.
Side note: Xaden starts referring to the king of Navarre here by his first name, which is very confusing because no one ever has before and this book has way too many characters in it.
I'm glad we're finally getting some concrete information about these peace talks, but again, I don't think dialogue between Violet and Xaden is the most effective way to convey all this. It would be so easy to put us in the room for these talks. Violet and the other rebels have significant leverage here. If Yarros is going to start the book with a time skip and drop us in medias res, she should actually do that.
Okay, there's now a crowd in the hallway outside their room as Brennan, Mira, and a bunch of other people have showed up to talk to Xaden and/or Violet.
“I thought you were due back tonight at the earliest.” Brennan raises his reddish eyebrows.
“Teine was feeling spry.” Mira’s smile could cut glass, but at least she’s trying. It took her months to let him back in after she found him alive. Who knows how long she’ll need to get over losing our mother on what she considers to be Brennan’s watch. “I bring news and a few missives.”
Oh, that's an interesting tidbit. I hope we get to continue to see the Sorrengail family dynamics in this book. What little there was in Iron Flame i did like. In general I like that Brennan being alive is a source of conflict for Mira, not an uncomplicated joy, because it makes her feel more like a real person.
Mira shows Violet her spoils from her secret mission:
“You don’t have to whisper, Vi.” Mira grins. “The sound shield is still active even though we nullified the warmth rune. It should cover us to almost the edge of the hall.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“I’m sure. It’s cool to the touch, and…” Mira places a gold coin over the center of the levitation rune, and it floats. Nullifying a rune is mind-blowing. Figuring out how to do it without affecting the others? Incredible. “We’ve got it. It’s not without risk, but we can do it.”
My heart starts to pound. “We can save the negotiations.” The fliers will stay, and I can keep my deal with Tecarus.
Okay, I've read this page a couple times, and I still do not understand what the hell it is Mira brought. First, she gives Violet a new conduit, and then she gives her a disk with runes carved into it for levitation, sound-proofing, and warmth. The warmth rune is interrupted by a small green sprout where a plant-wielding rider(?) has altered the disk. The effect seems to be that this nullifies that rune but not the others, which I guess was something that wasn't possible before.
First off, that was not a rule in Iron Flame. We didn't know that--Yarros just added that now. Second, what does that have to do with the fliers? How does this save the negotiations? Third, I love that this problem was introduced, like, a chapter ago, and it's already been solved off-screen. Way to kill the tension.
Mira and Brennan talk about the Poromish talks and we get a snarky aside from Mira about how the Poromish should be more willing to deal with Navarre, considering the threat of the venin. Hey, Mira, the Navarre military have actively been pretending the venin didn't exist, refusing to aid Poromiel, and actively killing the Poromish military and their civilians. They're objectively in the wrong, which is why everyone in this room JOINED THE REBELLION.
Look, it's fine if Mira is an asshole. That's actually consistent characterization for her and could be a source of interesting conflict. But the fact that no one even clocks what she said as inappropriate is baffling. It undermines the entire book--if our heroes don't actually care about Poromiel, why should I care about their rebellion?
Anyways, we move on as Mira loses her shit when Violet tells her she and Andarna are being sent out on a mission to find the secret seventh dragon den. Mira was apparently on a mission to check Aretia's wards, which have six months left max before they fail--leaving Aretia to the venin.
“This is bigger than the three of us. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are under attack in Poromiel.” He shoves the missives into his chest pocket and sighs. “Of course I don’t want her in danger, and they won’t let me go with her. I already asked.”
“Find another way.” Mira shakes her head. “You can’t trade Violet’s life for strangers’.”
“Now you sound like Mom.” The words fly from his mouth, and to his credit, he immediately winces when both Mira and I gasp. “Shit.” He hangs his head.
See, this is good! Brennan and Mira's tense relationship is good. Now we can see that Mira's abrasiveness here is really about her grief over her mother, and she probably feels alone in that grief because Brennan faked his death and never reconciled with her. And also, I think it shows that Mira is more like her mother than Violet or Brennan are--willing to sacrifice other people for her family.
Violet gives Brennan the runed disk to take to the negotiations. Chapter end.
Yarros is better at interpersonal relationships than fantasy politics. Fourth Wing would be a lot better if it were like...a contemporary dragon shifter romcom.
Welp. Next time, folks.
