For those that don’t know, Crown of Midnight is the second book in Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series; with Throne of Glass itself being the first book. Crown of Midnight was the sequel and Heir of Fire is the third book. Currently, there are seven books total.
As of writing this, I’ve just wrapped up Heir of Fire, and when thinking about the book compared to my experience reading Crown of Midnight I have some mixed thoughts. The general consensus seems to be that Heir of Fire is the stronger book, and that it’s when the series really begins to take off. But I figured I would put my thoughts into a blog post and really analyze the reading experience of both books to determine which was stronger.
The Case for Crown of Midnight
When reading Crown of Midnight, I remember thinking how much stronger of a character Celaena was compared to the first book Throne of Glass. Celaena was more active in her decision-making and more realized as a so-called assassin. Even if she wasn’t actually killing her marks from the King.
Crown of Midnight may have taken several steps back in world-building, but it leaped forward in character development. Not only did Celaena become a character I actually wanted to read about, but so did Chaol and Dorian.
With that being said, the world-building definitely kicked in within the final few chapters of the book, and it really sold the next book.
The Case for Heir of Fire
What Crown of Midnight lacked in world-building, Heir of Fire 100% made up for. Heir of Fire feels like the foundation for the future of this series, and I believe that’s the reason that many say that this is the book when this series actually gets good.
Heir of Fire also introduced a number of new characters that will have major significance moving forward. And despite the fact that Celaena is apart from her former supporting characters (Chaol and Dorian), they are still able to carry their own chapters as they are given added layers of depth.
And then there’s the fact that Celaena begins to develop her magical talents in this book, with much thanks to Rowan. Magic has been scarce in the previous books, so the moment when Celaena learns to conjure a fire shield is a moment that’s unforgettable.
My verdict
While Heir of Fire was an important book for setting up the future of the series, I personally lean more towards Crown of Midnight being the stronger book. I finished that book feeling as though I got a complete experience; while also feeling like it was a tremendous leap above the first book in this series.
Heir of Fire was a good book, and I understand that the introduction of Manon and other characters are important for the future. But the fact is that Manon’s story-arc didn’t tie into the main plot in a significant way at the end, which left much of those chapters feeling like a complete waste. Manon’s chapters already felt like a drag, so the fact that we didn’t get a payoff docked some points for me. I also don’t like ending a book and feeling like the whole thing was designed to sell me the next few books in the series.
Crown of Midnight gave me the necessary elements for satisfaction. I got character development, action, a protagonist making active choices, a good supporting cast and enough world-building to keep me locked in for the ride.
This is not to knock Heir of Fire, because it’s still a great book full of Sarah J. Mass’s brilliant prose, world-building and character building. I simply have Crown of Midnight winning this comparison.
Which of these books did you prefer, Crown of Midnight or Heir of Fire? Leave a comment and let us know!
