.png)
Publisher - Bloomsbury Publishing
Format - Paperback
Pages - 435
First Published - 2014
The Assassin's Blade is a collection of five interconnected prequel novellas that explain how Celaena Sardothien became the person readers meet at the beginning of Throne of Glass.
Warning: Full spoilers for The Assassin's Blade and its ending.
1. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
At 16, Celaena is the most talented assassin in the Assassin's Guild, run by the manipulative Arobynn Hamel. Along with fellow assassin Sam Cortland, she is sent to Skull's Bay to make a deal with the Pirate Lord, Rolfe. Celaena discovers Arobynn's true plan: he intends to profit from the sale of hundreds of enslaved people. Horrified, she betrays Arobynn by secretly helping the slaves escape with Rolfe's reluctant assistance. When she returns, Arobynn has her brutally beaten by another assassin, showing that he views her as property rather than a daughter figure. As punishment for disobeying him, Arobynn sends Celaena to train with the Silent Assassins in the Red Desert.
2. The Assassin and the Healer
While recovering from the beating and making her way to the Red Desert, Celaena meets Yrene Towers, a poor young woman who dreams of becoming a healer. Instead of ignoring her, when Yrene is attacked by locals from the bar where she works, Celaena defends her. She then gives Yrene money and encouragement to travel to the Southern Continent to study medicine. This seemingly small act becomes hugely important later in the series.
3. The Assassin and the Desert
When Celaena reaches the Red Desert, their leader initially refuses to train her because of her arrogance. Over time she learns humility, discipline, and earns their respect. She befriends Ansel of Briarcliff, another young woman training there. They become close friends until Ansel betrays the Silent Assassins by leading an attack on their fortress in an attempt to reclaim her homeland. Celaena defeats Ansel in combat but allows her to escape instead of killing her.
4. The Assassin and the Underworld
Back in Rifthold, Celaena and Sam finally admit they have fallen in love. Both have become disillusioned with Arobynn's control. They move into their own apartment and decide to leave the Assassin's Guild forever. To earn enough money for a new life, they accept one final contract: eliminating two dangerous criminals. Although they know the mission is risky, they believe it will buy their freedom.
5. The Assassin and the Empire
The final novella is devastating.
Unknown to Celaena and Sam, Arobynn has secretly betrayed them. He tips off their targets, ensuring the mission becomes a trap. Sam is captured, tortured for hours, and then murdered. His body is left in an alley with multiple stab wounds and a broken neck.
Celaena successfully completes her part of the mission but is ambushed afterward. She is beaten unconscious and arrested. Arobynn pretends to rescue her but has actually orchestrated the entire betrayal. Instead of helping her, he allows her to be sentenced to life in the salt mines of Endovier, removing both Sam and Celaena from his life while maintaining his power. The book ends with Celaena being transported in chains to Endovier—the exact situation she is in when Throne of Glass begins.
Main Characters
Celaena Sardothien - The protagonist, an 18-year-old assassin.
Sam Cortland – Celaena’s love interest and fellow assassin.
Arobynn Hamel – King of Assassins who raised and trained Celaena.
Yrene Towers – Young woman who wants to become a healer.
Ansel of Briarcliff – A young warrior training in the Red Desert.
Lysandra – Courtesan who ends up with Arobynn.
Wesley – Arobynn’s loyal bodyguard who later tries to aid Celaena.
1. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
At 16, Celaena is the most talented assassin in the Assassin's Guild, run by the manipulative Arobynn Hamel. Along with fellow assassin Sam Cortland, she is sent to Skull's Bay to make a deal with the Pirate Lord, Rolfe. Celaena discovers Arobynn's true plan: he intends to profit from the sale of hundreds of enslaved people. Horrified, she betrays Arobynn by secretly helping the slaves escape with Rolfe's reluctant assistance. When she returns, Arobynn has her brutally beaten by another assassin, showing that he views her as property rather than a daughter figure. As punishment for disobeying him, Arobynn sends Celaena to train with the Silent Assassins in the Red Desert.
2. The Assassin and the Healer
While recovering from the beating and making her way to the Red Desert, Celaena meets Yrene Towers, a poor young woman who dreams of becoming a healer. Instead of ignoring her, when Yrene is attacked by locals from the bar where she works, Celaena defends her. She then gives Yrene money and encouragement to travel to the Southern Continent to study medicine. This seemingly small act becomes hugely important later in the series.
3. The Assassin and the Desert
When Celaena reaches the Red Desert, their leader initially refuses to train her because of her arrogance. Over time she learns humility, discipline, and earns their respect. She befriends Ansel of Briarcliff, another young woman training there. They become close friends until Ansel betrays the Silent Assassins by leading an attack on their fortress in an attempt to reclaim her homeland. Celaena defeats Ansel in combat but allows her to escape instead of killing her.
4. The Assassin and the Underworld
Back in Rifthold, Celaena and Sam finally admit they have fallen in love. Both have become disillusioned with Arobynn's control. They move into their own apartment and decide to leave the Assassin's Guild forever. To earn enough money for a new life, they accept one final contract: eliminating two dangerous criminals. Although they know the mission is risky, they believe it will buy their freedom.
5. The Assassin and the Empire
The final novella is devastating.
Unknown to Celaena and Sam, Arobynn has secretly betrayed them. He tips off their targets, ensuring the mission becomes a trap. Sam is captured, tortured for hours, and then murdered. His body is left in an alley with multiple stab wounds and a broken neck.
Celaena successfully completes her part of the mission but is ambushed afterward. She is beaten unconscious and arrested. Arobynn pretends to rescue her but has actually orchestrated the entire betrayal. Instead of helping her, he allows her to be sentenced to life in the salt mines of Endovier, removing both Sam and Celaena from his life while maintaining his power. The book ends with Celaena being transported in chains to Endovier—the exact situation she is in when Throne of Glass begins.
Main Characters
Celaena Sardothien - The protagonist, an 18-year-old assassin.
Sam Cortland – Celaena’s love interest and fellow assassin.
Arobynn Hamel – King of Assassins who raised and trained Celaena.
Yrene Towers – Young woman who wants to become a healer.
Ansel of Briarcliff – A young warrior training in the Red Desert.
Lysandra – Courtesan who ends up with Arobynn.
Wesley – Arobynn’s loyal bodyguard who later tries to aid Celaena.
.png)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment