§Synopsis
01Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid ruthless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one’s ultimate fate―and where a single choice can forge a rider…or destroy them.
Xaden Riorson, the powerful leader. Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend. Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower. Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector. Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester. Sawyer Henrick, the underdog. Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide. Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter. Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command. Mira Sorrengail, the fearless rider. Brennan Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician. Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal. Sloane Mairi, the determined sister.
§Our take
Is it a novella? Yarros says no: thirteen stories, a collection, and she's firm about it. Goodreads calls it a novella anyway and files it as book 3.5 of The Empyrean, which is how Open Library lists it too. The publisher sells it as the next book in the series, and Yarros herself calls it a Secret Project, a companion to the first two novels. Take your pick. What's clearer is who it's for: people who already know the riders of Basgiath, not newcomers.
The edition matters more than the label. There's a "Wing and Claw" hardcover, a deluxe edition advertised with sixteen original color illustrations, and a full-cast audiobook, each tied to specific retail versions, so check what you're buying. Early Goodreads reactions are split: some readers are glad to spend more time with characters they love, others think a short book like this is unnecessary.
§Themes
- One brutal day
- All thirteen stories orbit the Threshing, where cadets bond with a dragon or die.
- Dragons first
- The copy leans hard on riders and their dragons, so the bonds are the point.
- A book with an identity problem
- Collection, novella or book 3.5, depending on who you ask.
§How it was received
Too new for the critics. Early Goodreads reactions are mixed: some readers are happy to be back with familiar characters, others call it short and unnecessary.
§Read it if
- You've read the Empyrean books and want more time with the riders and their dragons
- You'd rather have a short companion than another doorstopper
- You want the right edition before you buy: hardcover, illustrated deluxe or full-cast audio
§Skip it if
- You haven't read Fourth Wing yet. This isn't the way in.
- Companion books that revisit a known day through familiar faces sound like filler to you
§Before you start
- Reading experience
- Short and episodic next to the main novels. Best if you already know the series.
- Reading order
- Goodreads and Open Library call it The Empyrean 3.5. Yarros presents it as a Secret Project companion to Books 1 and 2, and there's no official reading order, so read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame first.
- Content notes
- Yarros's site puts a series-wide warning on the books: war, battle, hand-to-hand combat, blood, intense violence, brutal injuries, death, poisoning, graphic language and sexual activity. Whether every story here has all of it isn't spelled out; The Threshing itself is deadly. Cadets compete to bond with dragons, and some don't survive.
§Common questions
- Is Threshing Day a novella?
- Not according to Yarros. Her site calls it a collection of thirteen stories and rejects the novella label, though Goodreads still uses the word.
- Can I start the Empyrean series here?
- Not if you can help it. The publisher pitches it to readers who already know the characters and their dragons, and there's no official reading order. Start with Fourth Wing.
- Which edition should I get?
- Barnes & Noble lists a special hardcover, ebook, audiobook, audio CD and MP3 CD. There's also a "Wing and Claw" hardcover and a deluxe edition with sixteen full-color illustrations, if you want the keepsake.
§If you liked this
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros — Where it all starts. This collection assumes you already know these characters.
- Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros — The second novel. Yarros's site sets Threshing Day beside Books 1 and 2 as a companion set.
- Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros — The third novel. Catalogs call Threshing Day 3.5, but how it ties into the main arc isn't clear yet.
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