Introduction

Have you been looking for an exciting new young adult science fiction romance series? Then you need to check out Fourth Wing, the first book in Rebecca Yarros’ thrilling new Empyrean saga. In this action-packed novel, Yarros introduces readers to a futuristic world where genetically engineered humans known as the Empyrean rule the skies in amazing aircraft called wings. When a deadly new biological weapon threatens to tear this world apart, a young Empyrean pilot named Olivia must join forces with an enigmatic young man to try and stop it.

Fourth Wing delivers everything a reader could want from a YA sci-fi romance: high-flying adventure, pulse-pounding action, swoon-worthy romance, and thought-provoking questions about technology and humanity. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this book so irresistible.

You can find Fourth Wing by author Rebecca Yarros on your favorite bookstore, including Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

We have also loved and reviewed Rebecca Yarros’s second book of The Empyrean Saga: Iron Flame.

About author Rebecca Yarros

Rebecca Yarros is a bestselling author of emotionally gripping contemporary romance and new adult fiction. She burst onto the romance scene in 2015 with her Flight & Glory series, which follows a team of smokejumpers as they battle wildfires and find love.

Born and raised in California, Yarros has always had a passion for writing. As a child she could often be found with a book in hand, immersing herself in stories that allowed her to escape reality and travel to exotic lands. This early love of reading fueled her desire to create her own stories and characters that readers could connect with on an emotional level.

After graduating with a business degree from Pepperdine University, Yarros initially embarked on a career in the corporate world, but her dream of being an author never faded. She devoted her free time to writing fiction and joined multiple critique groups to hone her skills and get her work in front of readers. This persistence paid off when she published her first novel in 2015.

Now a full-time writer, Yarros is known for crafting stories that feature gut-wrenching dilemmas, high-stakes action, steamy romance, and characters that stay with you long after the book ends. While her books span multiple genres from contemporary romance to sports romance, they all share an emotional core and a theme of overcoming struggles through inner strength and the support of those we love.

When she isn’t writing, Yarros enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters in Colorado. As a family they love being outdoors, going on bike rides, and reading together. Yarros also has a passion for helping other writers achieve their dreams. She loves interacting with fans online and offering encouragement to those pursuing their passion for writing just as she once did.

With over twenty published novels under her belt and books translated into multiple languages, Yarros has solidified herself as a powerhouse voice in modern romance. She continues to push the envelope in her storytelling and write the types of books she loves to read—stories with heart, humor and plenty of steam. For readers looking for a satisfying blend of complex characters, high stakes and smoking hot chemistry, Rebecca Yarros delivers.

An Imaginative Futuristic World That Draws You In

One of the best parts of Fourth Wing is the vivid, intricately crafted world Rebecca Yarros has imagined. The book is set in a future version of our world where genetic engineering has allowed scientists to create a new race of humans called the Empyrean. With avian DNA woven into their genetic code, the Empyrean are gifted with wings and the ability to fly at extremely high altitudes.

The Empyrean live in floating citadels high above the “grounder” cities of normal humans on the surface. From a young age, they are trained to pilot advanced aircraft called wings and serve as an elite aerial defense force protecting grounder civilizations. Yarros does a phenomenal job of bringing this imaginative world to life and making it feel real and believable for readers.

A Plucky Heroine You’ll Love Rooting For

One of the best parts of any great young adult story is having a protagonist who is easy to identify with and root for. Fourth Wing delivers with its brave, determined heroine Olivia. Despite her youth, Olivia is one of the Empyrean’s most talented wing pilots. She’s dedicated her life to honing her skills and earning a coveted spot in the elite Empyrean squadrons.

However, Olivia’s entire world is thrown into chaos when a deadly new biological weapon known as the Curse begins afflicting Empyrean citadels. With her home and loved ones at risk, Olivia must partner with an alluring young man named Caeden to try and find a cure and protect the Empyrean from total destruction.

Olivia is the kind of aspirational yet relatable heroine any reader can cheer for. Her inner strength, courage, and desire to do what’s right make her impossible not to admire. Seeing Olivia grow throughout her pulse-pounding journey makes this book impossible to put down.

A Pulse-Pounding Plot That Will Keep You Riveted

Beyond its excellent world-building and characters, Fourth Wing also delivers big on creating an addictive, high-stakes plot. From the opening pages, readers are thrown right into the action when Olivia’s citadel is attacked with the devastating Curse pathogen. People start dying gruesome deaths while a fanatical anti-Empyrean group called the Recombinants claims responsibility.

Desperate for a way to resist the Curse and protect her people, Olivia turns to Caeden, a mysterious young man with a shadowy past. Together, they must venture away from the citadels into the perilous skies and forgotten ruins on the surface. It’s in these long-abandoned labs and bases that they hope to find clues to cure the Curse before the Empyrean face total extinction.

Rebecca Yarros has crafted a compelling page-turner here, with steadily mounting stakes and terrifying threats around every corner. Readers looking for an addictive science fiction adventure can’t go wrong with Fourth Wing.

An Endearing and Swoon-Worthy Romance

Amidst all the action and excitement, Yarros also crafts a wonderfully endearing YA romance between Olivia and Caeden. Though they start out wary of each other, the two are soon drawn together by their harrowing quest to stop the Curse. Both have complex pasts and are slow to open up and trust each other. But their palpable chemistry soon blossoms into deeper feelings.

Caeden is the perfect mysterious yet sensitive romantic lead. His protective instincts when it comes to Olivia are swoon-worthy. And seeing Olivia slowly lower her guard around him and open up is extremely satisfying. Their romance provides the story with real heart, giving us even more reason to hope these two can somehow survive their dangerous mission.

Thought-Provoking Themes About Technology and Humanity

Like all great science fiction, Fourth Wing uses its inventive premise to explore resonant themes about technology, ethics, and what it means to be human. Yarros raises compelling questions about how far people should go when manipulating genetics and what unintended consequences we may face.

The violent fanaticism of the Recombinants also highlights important debates about how technology can be abused to divide people and spread fear and hatred. Young readers will find plenty of intriguing moral and philosophical questions to ponder long after finishing this thrilling tale.

Conclusion – A Must-Read for Sci-Fi Romance Fans

With its exhilarating flying sequences, tender romance, and exploration of technology gone wrong, Fourth Wing is a stellar start to Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean trilogy. If you’re a fan of imaginative YA science fiction stories with action, adventure, and a touch of romance, you absolutely must give this book a read.

Yarros has crafted an immersive futuristic world and populated it with characters you’ll genuinely care about. Watching fierce heroine Olivia take flight both literally and emotionally throughout this gripping tale is a one-of-a-kind reading experience. So join the ride and discover the breathtaking world of the Empyrean. This is one series guaranteed to earn a top spot on your bookshelf.

FAQs

What is Rebecca Yarros’ world like in Fourth Wing?

Yarros has created an incredibly fascinating and imaginative world in Fourth Wing. It’s set in the future, where scientists have used genetic engineering to create a new race of humans called the Empyrean who have wings and can fly. The Empyrean live in floating citadels high above the surface, while regular humans live in cities on the ground. It’s a very inventive and vivid setting that mixes high technology like advanced aircraft called wings with the wonder of humans being able to fly under their own power. Yarros does an amazing job crafting all the details of how Empyrean society and its defense force works.

Can you comment on the main character?

The story follows a teenage Empyrean pilot named Olivia as the main protagonist. She’s spent her whole life training to fly the signature aircraft of the Empyreans, called wings. Olivia is described as a fiercely determined and skilled pilot dedicated to protecting her people. But her abilities are put to the ultimate test when a deadly plague called the Curse begins devastating the floating citadels. Olivia is a very relatable and aspirational heroine, and it’s exciting following her dangerous mission to try and stop the plague.

What is the Curse that is threatening the Empyreans?

The Curse is a frightening biological plague weapon that is unleashed on the Empyrean citadels by an anti-Empyrean terrorist group called the Recombinants. It causes a horrible, gruesome death for those infected. The Curse becomes a massive threat to the survival of all Empyreans, and finding a cure becomes Olivia’s most crucial mission. The Curse adds a very high-stakes sci-fi element that ramps up the tension and excitement.

Who does Olivia team up with on her mission?

Olivia reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious young man named Caeden who seems to possess vital knowledge about the history of the plague. Caeden has a shadowy past he doesn’t like to talk about but skills that make him invaluable on the mission. He becomes a key ally for Olivia, and over time their attraction grows into a romantic relationship, even as they face countless dangers trying to cure the Curse.

What Lost technology do Olivia and Caeden search for?

In order to find a cure, Olivia and Caeden have to leave the citadels to explore long abandoned ruins on the surface that once belonged to the humans who created the Empyreans. These ruins contain forgotten labs and databases that the pair hopes will hold clues to fighting the Curse. It’s exciting seeing them explore these crumbling remains of a lost civilization and discover pieces of the past.

How does the Curse impact day-to-day life in the citadels?

The Curse causes massive upheaval in the once peaceful citadels as more and more Empyreans fall sick and die in disturbing ways. Resources become scarce, security is tightened, and people live in constant fear of catching the plague. Seeing how this vibrant society changes and starts to collapse adds to the stakes and tension. Daily life becomes all about survival during a terrifying crisis.

What special abilities do the Empyreans have?

Because they were genetically engineered with avian DNA, Empyreans have large wings that give them the power of flight. They can fly to incredible heights and with great speed and agility in the wings aircraft they use to defend the citadels. Their hollow, lightweight bones and other adaptations allow them to be true birds of the sky. Olivia in particular is said to be an exceptionally gifted flier, which comes in handy on her dangerous mission.

Did you find the world of the citadels imaginative? What did you think of the Empyrean culture?

Yarros put a ton of creative thought into how a society of genetically engineered flying humans would function, from their military structure to their courtship rituals. Seeing how Empyrean culture has evolved, with its own styles of music, rites of passage, and coming of age ceremonies, makes their world feel exceptionally real. Even small details like how their architecture accommodates wings show the depth of the worldbuilding. Overall, it’s a very smart and imaginative culture that complements the sci-fi themes.

What were your thoughts on the Recombinant antagonists? Did they make for compelling villains?

The Recombinants definitely succeed as fearsome antagonists. They are fanatical terrorists who will do anything to destroy the Empyreans out of hatred and jealousy. But they also raise some thought-provoking points about the ethics of genetic engineering. I could understand where their anger came from, even if their methods were reprehensible. They brought up some fascinating debates about science gone too far. The Recombinants were nuanced villains with complex motivations.

Would you recommend this book to other sci-fi romance fans? Why or why not?

I would absolutely recommend Fourth Wing to fans of the YA sci-fi romance genre. It has everything you could want – high stakes, exciting action, thrilling flight sequences, a bit of nuanced sci-fi worldbuilding, and a very swoon-worthy, slow-burn romance. Olivia is so easy to root for, and her chemistry with Caeden really makes your heart melt. And the story builds to an epic conclusion that will leave you eager for the next book! Rebecca Yarros really starts this series off with a bang.