The Empire of Dreams
Written by Rae Carson
Narrated by Kyla Garcia
4/5
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About this audiobook
New York Times–bestselling author Rae Carson makes a triumphant return to the world of her award-winning Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy in this extraordinary stand-alone novel. Fans of Leigh Bardugo, Kendare Blake, and Tomi Adeyemi won’t want to put this book down.
Red Sparkle Stone is a foundling orphan with an odd name, a veiled past, and a mark of magic in her hair. But finally—after years and years of running, of fighting—she is about to be adopted into the royal family by Empress Elisa herself. She’ll have a home, a family. Sixteen-year-old Red can hardly believe her luck. Then, in a stunning political masterstroke, the empress’s greatest rival blocks the adoption, and everything Red has worked for crumbles before her eyes.
But Red is not about to let herself or the empress become a target again. Determined to prove her worth and protect her chosen family, she joins the Royal Guard, the world’s most elite fighting force. It’s no coincidence that someone wanted her to fail as a princess, though. Someone whose shadowy agenda puts everything—and everyone—she loves at risk. As danger closes in, it will be up to Red to save the empire. If she can survive recruitment year—something no woman has ever done before.
New York Times–bestselling author Rae Carson returns to the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns in this action-packed fantasy-adventure starring an iconic heroine who fights for her family and her friends, and for a place where she will belong.
Rae Carson
Rae Carson is the author of two bestselling and award-winning trilogies, as well as the acclaimed stand-alone novels Any Sign of Life and The Empire of Dreams. Her debut, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, was named a William C. Morris Award finalist and an Andre Norton Award finalist. Walk on Earth a Stranger was longlisted for the 2015 National Book Award and won the Western Writers of America Spur Award. Her books tend to contain adventure, magic, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. Originally from California, Rae Carson now lives in Ohio with her husband. www.raecarson.com
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Reviews for The Empire of Dreams
36 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great performance. I loved Red's story. I wish there would have been more of Hector and Elisa and not just because I missed them, but because their absence felt like a plot convenience. Had they been there, none of the plot would have happened because they would have dealt with the problems easily.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Series Info/Source: This is the fourth book in the Fire and Thorns series, but takes place many years after the third book in that series. I bought this book for Kindle.Story (5/5): This book tells Red’s story (who I struggled to remember because the third book in this series was released in 2013). Red was a side character in the original series. I really ended up enjoying this book a ton. We go back and forth between Red’s past and present, ultimately spending more time in the present. Both timeframes were really intriguing. The story is fast-paced and full of action and politics and I really loved it!Characters (5/5): All the characters in here are incredibly well done. I loved Red and all the other characters we met in the Royal Guard. It was also very fun to see some characters from the original trilogy the way Red sees them and to see how those characters have changed over the years. Excellent characterization throughout the whole book!Setting (5/5): It was incredibly fun to return to this intricately built fantasy world. This really is an awesome fantasy world and I loved reading another book set in it. Writing Style (5/5): This book just reminded me of how much I love Carson’s writing style and of what an amazing writer she is. I wish she was writing more. This book was effortless to read, completely engaging, flowed well, and was just an absolutely perfect read. I do have an ARC of her upcoming book “Any Sign of Life” to review, so I should be reading that soon.My Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this book and am so happy I finally sat down and read it. I love this world and these characters and Carson’s writing style is so amazing! I look forward to future books by her and strongly recommend this book to fans of the original trilogy. This book does stand well on it’s own too if you want to start with this one (of course there are spoilers for previous books in the series).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the kind of book I love to find in my mailbox, one with a rich plot, interesting characters and that's quick to get lost in. I liked the then and now counterpoint as it really helped to understand Red and what motivated her. The author notes at the end of the book how Red's PTSD is partially derived from her own. That aspect of the book was extremely well done and is the kind of character trait that makes readers root all that much more for a protagonist. I closed the cover feeling very satisfied.