The Assassin and the Pirate Lord - Book Review

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord – Book Review

Sarah J Maas

YA Fantasy

(Throne of Glass Novella #0.1)

Synopsis:

On a remote Island in the tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But When Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes – and she will risk everything to right the wrong she’s been sent to bring about…

Review:

The first of four prequel novellas, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is a fast paced, action packed read that throws you into a world of fantasy and mayhem. Introducing you to the deadly assassin, Celaena Sardothien, this book is a great set up for Sarah J Maas’ debut novel, Throne of Glass.

Jumping straight into the story, you are immediately immersed into a world of deadly secrets, treachery and adventure. While admittedly, things are a little confusing at first, you will soon find yourself hooked and will be begging for the next novella in the series!

In this short story we see Celaena paired up with her rival assassin, Sam. Less than pleased with her handsome companion, Celaena seeks a way to end this mission quickly and without Sam’s help. But when they discover that the debt owed to the assassin’s guild is to be paid in slaves and not gold, the two foes find themselves united in their disgust.

Now together, they hatch a plan to free the slaves… and bring down the Pirate Lord once and for all. But their kindness and daring will come at a heavy cost, and as Celaena’s feelings for Sam grow, she realises the consequences of their actions may have a heavier price than she is willing to pay…

I really enjoyed this novella. Not only was it a great intro into Celaena’s world, but it gave us a great first insight into the characters personalities and relationships. From Celaena – with her tough girl attitude but girly need to shop and be pampered, to Sam - with his boyish good looks and heart of gold.

Also the slow blossom of romance between Celaena and Sam was really sweet to read and I’m looking forward to seeing how their feelings will (hopefully) continue to develop in the next few novellas.

So overall a really great read. Fixed with plenty of action from covert missions to drunken, pirate brawls, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is a must read for any fantasy loving fans. 4 stars!