Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

Romantasy Winner



Fourth Wing

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die

Discussion Questions posted by a GR member - Liane Griego
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

(view spoiler)[
1. There were a lot of reveals toward the end of the book (Xaden and the separatists aiding the “enemy”, venins not being a fable, and Brennan being alive). There was a lot of foreshadowing, which of these did you see coming?

2. Do you think Xaden was justified in keeping his secret? If not, when was the appropriate time for him to tell Violet? If yes, was it fair of Xaden to ask Tairn to keep the secret too?

3. Why do you think the author chose to write the last chapter from Xaden’s perspective? How did you feel about it?

4. Andarna said that signets reflect who the rider is at their core. How do you think lightning wielding reflects Violet? What signet did you find most beneficial? Which one would you want?

5. In chapter 37, the fable is quoted…“But It was the third brother who commanded the sky to surrender its greatest power who finally vanquished his jealous siblings at a great and terrible price.” The venin then tells her “You could command the sky to surrender all its power”… what do you think the significance is that Violets signet is commanding the sky? She herself says” I am the sky and the power of every storm that has ever been. I am infinite.”

6. It appeared that Mira and Dain both knew a lot more than Violet about the retribution Xaden swore against General Sorrengail. How much more do you think they know about the reasons for the rebellion and the current war Poromiel is fighting against the Venin?

7. “while riders may be the weapons of our kingdom, it's the scribes who have all the real power in the world.” The redacted and censored parts of Navarian history bear a large responsibility on the scribes. Do you think Violet could have made a larger impact on correcting history as a scribe or as a rider? Violets father warned her “It only takes one desperate generation to change history. Even erase it.” and Tairn says “One generation to change the text. One generation chooses to teach that text. The next grows, and the lie becomes history.” What real world examples can you think of in current or past events of governments censoring or rewriting history?

8. Every year less dragons are bonding. Do you think the Navarians politics are at play? Do you think they just follow the allegiances of their riders or chose riders they feel will support their cause?

9. There were a few intimacy scenes throughout the story. Do you feel this was necessary to show the intense physical and emotional connection between Violet and Xaden or did it distract from the story?

10. Liam 😭 no questions… just sadness. May his sole be commended to Malek.

11. Xaden is given the choice by Colonel Aetos “You have the choice of abandoning the village of our enemy or abandoning command of your wing” to test his loyalty. Since they chose to save the village, do you think any of them will be able to return to Basgiath and if so, how?

12. It seems like a common theme through out the books is characters not being as they first appear. (Dain the good guy, Xaden the ruthless, Violet the weak). General Lilith Sorrengail appears to be heartless. However, she is one of the few people that felt Violet was capable of becoming a rider. She also objected to having the children of the betrayers be forced to watch their parents be put to death. Do you think the future books will reveal more depth of her character? What do you think her motive was for having Violet enter the riders quadrant?

13. “Dragons don’t make mistakes”. Why do you think General Melgren’s Dragon gifted the separatists children a relic that would block his own rider from seeing them? (hide spoiler)]

I just read this one recently and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I love Yarros's writing and it was a really good story.

I’m starting now! Looking forward to it, the book keeps popping up everywhere for me! About time I tackle it

I read this one and the one after and was completely obsessed with this series. So entertaining.

Have you seen that Yarros wrote two bonus chapters from Xaden's perspective? You can find them here: https://www.rebeccayarros.com/fourth-...

No I didn't but I'm a bit mad at how book #2 ended...

Ohh... I bought that one because I loved Fourth Wing, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Is it a cliffhanger or just a bad ending? Or both?

I am shocked at how much I liked these books

Both lol

I’m also shocked how much I’m enjoying this! The first couple of chapters I was super grumpy thinking how very alike it was to other books, but then somehow I got hooked and raced through 75%. Now looking for a good opportunity to finish this one. No doubt will go for the sequel soon

I was really enjoying it until about 2/3rds into the book and after that i think the spell over me was broken. I started to view the book from another perspective. The writing came off cheesy at times and the dialogue sounded like it was written by a 13 year old. I’m not the target audience but I enjoy fantasy. Overall I felt this book to be overrated.

Before I kept adding and then removing this to my TBR, based on whose review I was watching. Lol. But now since two GR groups I'm in have this book as the group read for the month of Feb, I'm finally reading it. I'm still 3 chapters in and it's kiiind of fun, but I'm keeping my expectations low so I won't be disappointed.

Bana - I did the same thing. People kept recommending it to me and I was seeing it everywhere. I love Yarros's writing, but I'm not always a huge fan of fantasy. I kept putting it off thinking I just wouldn't like it, then finally caved in and read it. I'm glad I did. Hope you enjoy it!

I loved it soooo much!!

I don’t think it deserves all the big hype but if you lower your expectations and just want a fun ride this is a good choice!

I just finished chapter 30 and (view spoiler)[I just find it so funny that Violet's power comes when she also... comes. Lol. Enemies, watch out! (hide spoiler)]

Narration was great for an action book for me! And that’s why I gave this book four stars. The narrator drew me along for the ride. She made the book exciting. Storyline typical, Dragons, bonding, lies, the weak one now gets a really powerful power to wield. The overall content 3 stars.