Please note: These four novellas lead up to the book THRONE OF GLASS.  They're all set in the 18 months before ToG and give a more complete picture of the main character Celaena.  You don't need to read these in order to read ToG, but it certainly helps to understand who she is.  Also each summary is basically a spoiler for the next novella so...keep that in mind.

Novella 1:

Summary: Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. Sent by the Assassin’s Guild to a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena is supposed to be to collecting on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when she learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes–and she will risk everything to right the wrong she’s been sent to bring about.

Review:  Wow. I mean, Celaena is an arrogant diva, but she gets the job done.  I was rather worried about Sam, he didn't deserve to get wrapped up in her foils, but well he seemed content to go along so who am I to judge?

This is an interesting introduction to Celaena, who's a renown assassin and takes quite a bit of pride in her job.  Several times she makes the distinction that she kills bad people, murderers, criminals and adulterers mainly.  She holds her mentor, Arobynn in very high esteem and grapples with the fact he sent her and Sam on an errand to collect slaves.  And listening to her as she describes him and everything he's done for her, the reader can't help but wonder why he would as well.

Sam's theory makes a certain amount of sense, though Celaena dismisses it almost out of hand.  Her arrogance is a problem--its immediately evident in everything she does.  Its not that she believes she's the best--she knows it.  She's been told it, has proven it constantly over and over since she was very young.  Sam's assertion that there's more at play directly clashes with her own belief that Arobynn trusts her.  How can there be a deeper game if she's not part of it?

This was a great stepping stone into the world and made me glad I had Novella 2 waiting!

Novella 2:

Summary: The Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren’t much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s not there to chatter, she’s there to hone her craft as the world’s most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she’ll be lucky to leave the desert alive.


Review: Someone please assure me that the Silent Assassins show up again?  'Cause that would kick butt.  Celaena, still bruised and  humiliated from her disobedience in the last novella, as well as confused over what's going on with Sam (her memories of the beating are, at best, jumbled as to what happened) sets off on a trek across the desert to gain the approval of the Master of the Silent Assassins.

The Silent Assassins, who's leader is on the same level as Celaena's Master, were interesting when juxtaposed against Celaena's life.  They live a very sparse life, with little ornamentation and fanfare with virtually no competition amongst each other.  Oh there is some, especially for the Master's personal tutoring, but by in large they all live together in a much less acrimonious environment then Celaena was led to believe is the norm.

Whereas Celaena was more or less in charge and happy to prove how great she was in the last novella, here she is little better then a novice and chafes at that.  She has to learn a new way to improve and achieve results, all while accidentally becoming embroiled in a plot against the Silent Assassins.  The betrayal here, as well as some epiphanies that Celaena comes to, will have long reaching effects I think.  And again I say it, I want the Silent Assassins to re-appear.

Novella 3:

Summary: When the King of the Assassins gives Celaena Sardothien a special assignment that will help fight slavery in the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to strike a blow against an evil practice. The mission is a dark and deadly affair which takes Celaena from the rooftops of the city to the bottom of the sewer–and she doesn’t like what she finds there.

Review: Sam officially owns my heart.   Seriously, 100% owns it.  I was a little leery at first because he acts the ass originally, but really some of that is Celaena's fault for being so prideful.  She wouldn't know someone was helping her if they slapped her across the face with it (which almost is what it takes).  To be fair she's confused and lost, isn't sure how to take this new facet of Sam's personality and her own.  She's also still quite raw from what happened in the Desert with who she thought was her first real friend.

The plot itself smells fishy and plays out fishy from the get-go, so I almost didn't pay attention to that in my need to know what was going to happen between Sam and Celaena, as well as if Celaena would choose to walk away.  She's got pots of money now, she could.  But she's more the little girl then she appears, still quite unsure if she feels safe enough to leave behind her Master even if she can't ever forgive him for what happened.

The end though?  Oh the end.  Its painful and sweet and painful all at once depending on what you focus on more.  I'm not sure how innocent you could call Celaena, but that's all pretty much GONE by the end of this novella and I'm worried to see how it plays out in the last one.

Novella 4:

Summary: Celaena Sardothien is the assassin with everything: a place to call her own, the love of handsome Sam, and, best of all, freedom. Yet, she won’t be truly free until she is far away from her old master, Arobynn Hamel; Celaena must take one last daring assignment that will liberate her forever. But having it all, means you have a lot to lose . . .  

Review:  All right guys, having read Throne of Glass already I know that this doesn't end particularly...happily.  For a variety of reasons.  So I put off reading this almost half a year...

I WISH I HAD PUT IT OFF LONGER.

My emotions went like this: 'Aww Celaena!  Aww Sam!  Don't fight! Aww sweet moments!  No stop being so arrogant the two of you! No don't trust that!  NONONO OMG STOP NO'

So Sam and Celaena did it--they walked away from Master Arobynn, began to forge ahead with their new life together.  Except Arobynn is making sure that they can't make money at what they do best and Celaena isn't keen on Sam's methods of making money.  So one more job.  Then they're free right? Yeah, you all know how ToG goes.

This story cemented Celaena's interactions with her Prince and Bodyguard in ToG I think.  It was a slap in the face basically saying "You can't have nice things Celaena".  She can have all the baubles and rich fabrics and books she wants, but she can't have what she was ready to give all that up for.  Love.  Arobynn is a bastard and I hope he burns.  Seriously.  It was surprising to see her try her best to keep her arrogance in check.  To try so hard to change so that she and Sam would work out. 

And as little as I want to think or say this, I'm not sure they would have in the long run.  They love each other sure enough, but communication wasn't their strong suit.  How much of it was because the shadow of Arobynn and the Assassin's Guild loomed and how much of it was their own inability to trust that what they had would last (Celaena questions it quite often) is debatable. 

I do wonder why Celaena didn't offer the suggestion that they go join up with the Silent Assassins.  I'd bet they'd be welcomed quickly enough (or I just want the Silent Assassins to show up again...).

[overall review]On her website Maas says these shorts aren't necessary to reading Throne of Glass, but I would beg to differ.  She exhibits a certain amount of foreshadowing in each novella that pays out in Throne of Glass (and presumably the rest of the novels).  The road she walked to get there so to speak.  Also I think its fascinating to see Celaena at the beginning (in Pirate), Celaena at the end (in Empire) and then Celaena coming basically full circle at the beginning of ToG.

I hope Bloomsbury decides to release these as a paperback collection--I'll put out money for them again.  I urge everyone to read these (all four together is only $3.96 right now on Kindle) and then pick up Throne.  Celaena is my new hero for life and I can't WAIT to read more of her adventures.