Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: Everything you need to know about BookTok's favorite fantasy
Bookworms everywhere can't stop talking about Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, but what's the story behind this buzzy new fantasy saga?
Released on April 5, 2023, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is the latest BookTok sensation, with over 600 million views of the book's hashtag on the platform.
Popular with fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, this romance/fantasy hybrid (a growing genre affectionately known as "romantasy") is a new adult novel filled with high-stakes drama, a steamy love story, and plenty of dragons.
With a highly-anticipated sequel on the way, the hype for Fourth Wing has only continued to grow on social media.
But what is this viral fantasy novel about, and will it expand into the next best-selling series?
What is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros about?
Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old who has begun her first year at an elite war college.
As a dragon rider, Violet, who is also the daughter of the stern commanding general, must bond with a dragon to climb the ranks of the Navarre as her kingdom is on the brink of war.
Basgiath War College sets the scene for a life-or-death battle to graduate as the fighting comes closer and closer to home.
And when Violet grows suspicious of the leadership she's always followed, the lethal stakes mount even higher.
Of course, no romantasy would be complete without the classic enemies-to-lovers trope as Violet finds herself with an unexpected connection to one of the most ruthless members of her class.
Will there be a sequel to Fourth Wing?
A sequel to Fourth Wing titled Iron Flame is set to hit bookstores on November 7. Clocking in at a lengthy 640 pages, the second installment is sure to deliver even more action and romance in another thrilling read.
Yarros has named the full saga The Empyrean series and previously announced plans for five novels in total, noting that the series' trajectory may still change over time.
What else has Rebecca Yarros written?
Fourth Wing is Yarros' first venture into fantasy, but it's far from her first book.
Yarros published her debut novel, Full Measures, in 2014. The military romance later expanded into a complete series titled Flight & Glory, consisting of five installments:
- Full Measures (2014)
- Eyes Turned Skyward (2014)
- Beyond What is Given (2015)
- Hallowed Ground (2015)
- The Reality of Everything (2020)
The Renegades series is a new adult romance trilogy focused on the titular group of extreme sports athletes. The books can be read in any order, as each novel is considered a standalone set in the same world:
- Wilder (2016)
- Nova (2017)
- Rebel (2017)
Yarros has also penned Reason to Believe (2022), a small-town romance that is accompanied by novellas Point of Origin (2016) and Ignite (2016).
Yarros also has four standalone novels, all of which are military romances: The Last Letter (2019), Great and Precious Things (2020), The Things We Leave Unfinished (2021), and In the Likely Event (2023).
Will Fourth Wing be adapted as a TV show or movie?
On October 30, news of a Fourth Wing TV adaptation was finally confirmed by Deadline, with Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society scoring the rights.
The outlet reported that it was a "heated auction" to earn the rights to the fan-favorite fantasy.
Yarros is on board as an executive producer, with inside sources revealing that each installment of The Empyrean saga could become a "separate TV project" should the first be a success.
Until then, fans can look forward to the release of Iron Flame and the rest of the planned sequels.
Cover photo: Screenshot/Instagram/ontheborder_ofbooks