Sarah J. Maas

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Throne of Glass #1

Throne of Glass

Angelica Garcia 

"Celaena," Chaol said gently. And then she heard the scraping noise as his hand came into view, sliding across the flagstones. His fingertips stopped just at the edge of the white line. "Celaena, he breathed, his voice laced with pain and hope. This was all she had left - his outstretched hand, and the promise of hope, of something better waiting on the other side of that line. Moving her arm made sparks dance before her eyes, but she extended it until her fingertips reached the line of chalk, and stayed there, not a quarter of an inch from Chaol, the thick white mark separating them. She lifted her eyes to his face, and found his gaze lined with silver. "Get up,” was all he said. And in that moment, somehow his face was the only thing that mattered. She stirred, and couldn’t stop her sob as her body erupted with pain that made her lie still again. But she kept her focus on his brown eyes, on his tightly pressed lips as they parted and whispered, "Get up.”

Isabelle

"Mt name is Celaena Sardothien," she whispered. "But it makes no difference if my name's Celaena or Lillian or Bitch, because I'd still beat you, no matter what you call me." 

"You bear many names, and so I shall name you as well. I name you Elentiya." She kissed the assassin's brow. "I give you this name to use with honor, to use when other names grow too heavy. I name you Elentiya, 'Spirit That Could Not Be Broken.'" 

For a heartbeat, she saw the king with stark clarity. He was just a man—a man with too much power. And in that one heartbeat, she didn't fear him. I will not be afraid, she vowed, wrapping the familiar words around her heart.

here we see chaol discovering that the world is not as black & white as he's been led to believe

[...] what terrified him even more was that he trusted her. And he didn't know what that meant about himself.

"When I play, I'm not... for once, I'm not destroying. I'm creating."

"Crazed criminal," he returned, grinning too.

"I can survive well enough on my own—if given proper reading material."

"Well, who wants to be hated? Though I'd rather be hated than invisible."

—and sometimes the absence of him hit her so hard that she forgot how to breathe.

It was easy to be mean, but it was also getting far too easy to be nice.

Through a clearing in the swirling mass, a cluster of stars could be seen. He couldn't help thinking that they gazed down at her.

How unfair of him to be royal and beautiful.

emma adkins

Pure, fresh, warm sunlight. Sunlight that she could bask in day after day if she got her freedom, sunlight to drown out the endless dark of the mines. 

She' d felt everything- the reverberations of tne key turnıng in the lock of her irons, then again as they loosened and fell to the floor. She could still feel the ghost chains hovering just above her skin. 

She tried to think of music, tried to think of a celebratory tune, but Could only recall a solitary line from the mournful bellowing of the Eyllwe work songs, deep and slow like honey poured from a jar: And go home at last.. 

Celaena's lovely visions exploded like dust from a slammed book.

"My freedom?" At the sound of the word, she saw a land of pine and snow, of sun-bleached cliffs and white-capped seas, a land where light was swallowed in the velvety green of bumps and hollows- a land that she had forgotten. 

She could destroy the king as he had destroyed her

I'm not an idiot, though I was foolish enough to be captured, and I can see that this is some sort of secret business. Why else would you leave the capital and venture this far? You've been testing me all this time to see if I am physically and mentally sound. Well, I know that I'm still sane, and that m notbIO- ken, despite what the incident at the wall might suggest. So I demand to be told why you're here, and what services you wish of me, if l'm not destined for the gallows.

Her eyes turned cold and hard. "I snapped." 

"That's all you have to offer as an explanation for what you did?" Captain Westfall demanded.

 "She killed her overseer and twenty-three sentries before they caught her. She was a finger's tip from the wall before the guards knocked her unconscious."

And you're Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan's greatest assassin Perhaps the greatest assassin in all of Erilea

Most were from Eyllwe, one of the last countries still fighting Adarlan's rule. But when she pestered them for news, many just stared at her with empty eyes. Already broken. She shuddered to consider what they'd endured at the hands of Adarlan's forces. Some days, she wondered if they would have been better off dying on the butchering blocks instead And if she might have been better off dying that night she' d been betrayed and captured, too.

The moans of agony amongst the clank of chains made a chorus as familiar as the dreary work songs they sang all day. The occasional solo of the whip added to the symphony of brutality Adarlan had created for its greatest criminals, poorest citizens, and latest conquests.

decent!! the only complaint i have with trials in a series is that obviously the main character wins or it wouldn’t be a series | assassin | magic | love triangle 

callie

Meet Celaena Sardothien.

Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, Celaena, an assassin, is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

eh. the love interests fall in love for no reason. there are a lot of problems that are easily solved by telling any one of the other characters… which the narrator often acknowledges by saying “MC didn’t tell X character about Y thing they should definitely know.” 

also don’t like how the MC thinks about other women, even though the example i have in mind turns out to be a villain later—really put me off lol

julia

eh. the love interests fall in love for no reason. there are a lot of problems that are easily solved by telling any one of the other characters… which the narrator often acknowledges by saying “MC didn’t tell X character about Y thing they should definitely know.” 

also don’t like how the MC thinks about other women, even though the example i have in mind turns out to be a villain later—really put me off lol

I was hesitant to start throne of glass after acotar because I didn’t know if it would be as good, but yeah it’s just as good if not better. Celaena is a badass obvs. But I’m annoyed at the love triangle that seems to be starting between chaol and Dorian like ugh why does there always need to be a love triangle. But imma read it lol 

Jacie Foydl

dragged out but at the same time a lot was skimmed over ? idk

rain adrastea

I could not put this book down! So good the only reason i didnt give it 5 stars is because the names are ridiculous and i couldnt focus on the story after reading a new ridiculous name until i got used to it (kaltain???) and the way the main character just threw away her love interest at the end was disappointing. Will definitely be reading the next book

Ivi Walker

Yeah whatever I get the world building but I HAVE A TYPE AND ITS CHOAL. NEXT

Allysen

I’m not her target audience but the politics of the story kept me engaged and I will read the next.

Michele

Sabrina Spada

no idea what i was coming into but i loved it, i cant remember the last time i was sucked into a fantasy world like this (jk it was percy jackson)

Janet Akisanmi

10/10

1000000/10

no idea what i was coming into but i loved it, i cant remember the last time i was sucked into a fantasy world like this (jk it was percy jackson)

Really enjoyed reading ToG. The book was a very relaxing read for me, even if the story itself wasn't. The characters were very well written, even though we don't know everything about them yet, and the story moved at a perfect pace which made every part of the story enjoyable to read and made sure there weren't any boring moments. 

Very excited to read the rest of the series! 

Really enjoyed reading ToG. The book was a very relaxing read for me, even if the story itself wasn't. The characters were very well written, even though we don't know everything about them yet, and the story moved at a perfect pace which made every part of the story enjoyable to read and made sure there weren't any boring moments. 

Very excited to read the rest of the series! 

Lethal. Loyal. Legendary.Enter the world of Throne of Glass with the first book in the #1 bestselling series by Sarah J. Maas.In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not come to kill him. She has come to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three murderers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she will be released from prison to serve as the King's Champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. And a princess from a faraway country will befriend her. But something rotten dwells in the castle ¬ and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying mysteriously, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival -- and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.Thrilling and fierce, Throne of Glass is the first book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series that has captivated readers worldwide.

millena

i've never felt as speechless for a review as i do with these books, i loved almost everyone and everything

dorian and chaol… i just know they’re sexy 

julie reads

Jennifer Gosnell

Overall, great! Really enjoyed the plot! You can definitely tell SJM was quite a bit younger when she wrote this (having already read ACOTAR), and sometimes the writing reeeaaallyyy reflects that. But like with all of her works that I have read, the characters are fantastic and she really excels with the female protagonists. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

First of all, I was expecting more badassery like Nevernight, but all that was given was romance and “OMG PRETTY GOWNS!!!!!”. I did not like the main character but it became more bearable towards the end of the book when the action happened. The romance was sub par; most of the time it was just due to the main love interest being handsome and nothing else. And the man thinks that he is suddenly in love with her and knows nothing about her. Anyway, the ending was ok. Maybe I will read the next book in the series to see if it gets better.

Maya 

3.75 stars rounded up!!!

What a journey this book was, all I can say is that I’m excited to learn more about Celaena’s story! Super excited to continue the rest of this series!!

This book was good, but I really liked the assassins blade more. I know this was just the introduction book to introduce key characters and set up the plot so it wasn’t that bad. 

Kaylin Paige

This book was good, but I really liked the assassins blade more. I know this was just the introduction book to introduce key characters and set up the plot so it wasn’t that bad. 

btw I’m obsessed with Chaol..

Breonna Canova

I enjoyed this book! It was an interesting read. I think I enjoyed the fantasy elements near the end of the book, however, I wish they began sooner. I hope the next book gets into that more!! I LOVED Nehemia as a character. I really hope we get to see more of her in the next installment. I think when I started TOG, I didn’t necessarily enjoy Celeana as a character, but she’s really grown on me. I want to know more about her life in Terrasen, and what happened with her parents. I enjoy the relationships she has with Dorian and Chaol, I’m interested to see how her “situationship” with Dorian develops.

Overall, I’m excited to see what happens next. I hope the story line deepens even more. 

Mackenzie Richardson

I enjoyed this book! It was an interesting read. I think I enjoyed the fantasy elements near the end of the book, however, I wish they began sooner. I hope the next book gets into that more!! I LOVED Nehemia as a character. I really hope we get to see more of her in the next installment. I think when I started TOG, I didn’t necessarily enjoy Celeana as a character, but she’s really grown on me. I want to know more about her life in Terrasen, and what happened with her parents. I enjoy the relationships she has with Dorian and Chaol, I’m interested to see how her “situationship” with Dorian develops.

Overall, I’m excited to see what happens next. I hope the story line deepens even more. 

I didn't know anything about this book other than I've read ACOTAR and this was the author's first book, and that it was about a young woman assassin. It definitely reads more YA than I was expecting, so the heroine's interactions with young males (and everyone in general) were almost gratingly immature; it was very hard to believe she was 18 and the world's most notorious assassin.

I really enjoyed the premise of the story and how badass she was, but more pages were devoted to the cringey dialogue than I had hoped--and this story dragged on far too long. The "wyrdmarks" that came in really late (what seemed like halfway) were hard to be interested in and truly follow, and the supernatural aspect of the universe just seemed to be half-assed and didn't make any sense. The climax at the end was just a jumbled, confusing mess, and the heroine's breakup with the prince was...random? and not believable.

That being said, I am interested enough to continue the series, and I hope it gets better from here because it has promise!

Bethany

I didn't know anything about this book other than I've read ACOTAR and this was the author's first book, and that it was about a young woman assassin. It definitely reads more YA than I was expecting, so the heroine's interactions with young males (and everyone in general) were almost gratingly immature; it was very hard to believe she was 18 and the world's most notorious assassin.

I really enjoyed the premise of the story and how badass she was, but more pages were devoted to the cringey dialogue than I had hoped--and this story dragged on far too long. The "wyrdmarks" that came in really late (what seemed like halfway) were hard to be interested in and truly follow, and the supernatural aspect of the universe just seemed to be half-assed and didn't make any sense. The climax at the end was just a jumbled, confusing mess, and the heroine's breakup with the prince was...random? and not believable.

That being said, I am interested enough to continue the series, and I hope it gets better from here because it has promise!

Rana

IN LOVE WITH CELAENA, ADORE Chaol and SO EXCITED for Dorian's story. 

I truly didn't think I would love the first book of the series this much although I knew I'd be obsessed with the series as I dive deeper into it. It was not the most original way to start a series, yes. It had many cliches, surprising elements were not THAT surprising and all. But somehow both the world and the characters captured me in a way that I couldn't help but starting the second book immediately. I can't wait to eat all the books up and see how more obsessed I'll get with each new character and book.

A great start to the series (not counting TAB). I’m so excited to see where this goes and how the story develops!!

Jillian Roberts

The book that started the phenomenon. Sarah J. Maas's global #1 bestselling THRONE OF GLASS series has taken the world by storm. Meet Celaena Sardothien. Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness. In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake. She got caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament - fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin's heart be melted?

Onto the next we got 7 more to get through 🫡

Emma Miller

chaol is so Conrad and Dorian is so Jeremiah 

Throne of Glass Throne of Glass #1

Reviews

Highlights