The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros has taken the world by storm, blending deadly magic, high-stakes rebellion, fierce dragons, and unforgettable romance into one of the most talked-about fantasy series in years. With more than 12 million copies sold worldwide, the story of Violet Sorrengail has captured the hearts of fans across the globe. Three of the five planned books (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm) are out now, with even more to come—including a graphic novel adaptation, which Yarros has been teasing online.
This full series explainer covers everything you need to know so far, including major spoilers for all three books.
If you’re ready to dive into Violet’s world of loyalty, love, survival, and rebellion, grab your flight leathers—this is a good one.
When Violet Sorrengail is forced into the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College, she knows survival isn’t guaranteed. Born with a chronic illness that leaves her physically weaker than most cadets, Violet had planned to live quietly among the Scribes—until her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail, orders otherwise.
Navarre, the militarized kingdom where Violet lives, has been protected for centuries by magical wards—ancient barriers created to shield its people from outside enemies. For generations, Navarre’s leadership has maintained that their greatest threat comes from beyond its borders, especially from the nearby kingdom of Poromiel. Every rider, soldier, and scribe is trained to believe that the fight beyond the wards is constant, necessary, and justified.
As Violet faces the deadly world of Basgiath, she is advised by her older sister, Mira, to trust Dain Aetos, Violet’s childhood friend, and avoid Xaden Riorson, the dangerous and charismatic son of a dead rebel leader. Training as a rider is brutal. Cadets must survive treacherous physical trials, bond with a dragon willing to choose them, and eventually develop a signet—an individualized magical ability tied to their dragon bond. On top of that, they undergo intense hand-to-hand combat training and tactical war education, all designed to weed out the weak.
Violet is targeted by brutal cadets like Jack Barlowe, but she relies on her intelligence and quick reflexes to stay alive. As she navigates training, she discovers Xaden is leading secret meetings of the Marked Ones—the children of executed rebels. Caught between loyalty to her upbringing and the truth she’s starting to see, Violet promises not to betray them.
During Threshing, when dragons choose their riders, Violet, surprisingly, bonds with two: Andarna, a rare golden feathertail, and Tairn, a powerful black dragon. Because Tairn is mated to Xaden’s dragon, Sgaeyl, Violet and Xaden are telepathically linked and their lives now depend on each other. Violet’s initial connection with Dain falters when she realizes he doesn’t believe in her strength and keeps trying to control her choices. Their emotional distance widens, while Violet begins to see Xaden not as an enemy but as an ally—and something more. Xaden’s signet, the ability to wield and manipulate shadows, makes him even more dangerous and powerful than Violet first realized.
“I will not die today,” Violet often promises herself—and she doesn’t.
She survives brutal challenges, discovers her lightning-wielding signet, and grows closer to Xaden, both emotionally and physically. Violet also begins to form close friendships with her squad-mates: Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer, as well as Liam, who is asked by Xaden to watch over Violet. She initially hates the idea, but eventually confides in Liam.
At the end of their first year, Dain’s secret ability—retrocognition—comes to light. Every time he touched Violet’s face, he was reading her memories without consent. After he sees evidence of Xaden’s ties to the rebellion, he reports her squad. During War Games, Violet and Xaden are sent beyond Navarre’s magical wards to Athebyne—a trap designed to kill them. There, Violet discovers that Navarre’s supposed enemy, Poromiel, is under attack from the venin: magical creatures, once thought to be myth, who drain the land’s power for strength.
Fighting alongside Poromiel’s gryphon fliers, Violet’s squad survives, but not without loss. Liam, one of Xaden and Violet’s closest confidants, dies protecting her, breaking Violet’s heart and leaving her with a new promise: to protect Liam’s younger sister, Sloane. Poisoned and near death herself, Violet is flown to Xaden’s home, Riorson House, in Aretia—headquarters of the rebellion—and awakens to an impossible truth: Her brother Brennan, long believed dead, is alive and working with the rebels. “Welcome to the revolution, Violet,” Brennan says, in the very last line of the book.
Everything Violet thought she knew crumbles. The leaders of Navarre have been lying to their people for generations; the true threat isn’t Poromiel but the venin who have been attacking Poromiel unchecked, while Navarre refuses to intervene. Violet chooses to fight for the truth, even if it means questioning everything—especially her heart.
Fourth Wing quotes:
“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.”
“I will not die today” —Violet Sorrengail
“This place ... cuts away the bullshit and the niceties, revealing whoever you are at your core” —Dain Aetos
“You look all frail and breakable, but you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?” —Xaden Riorson
“Killing you wouldn’t be any trouble, Violence. It’s leaving you alive that seems to cause the majority of my trouble.” —Xaden
“Was everyone’s dragon a curmudgeon? Or just mine?” —Violet
“Strength of courage is more important than physical strength.” —Tairn
“There’s nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn’t find you, Violence.” —Xaden
“We will feast on their bones, Silver One.” —Tairn
“Welcome to the revolution, Violet.” —Brennan Sorrengail
Iron Flame picks up immediately after Fourth Wing, with Violet recovering in Aretia from physical and emotional devastation. She carries the guilt of Liam’s death, the betrayal by Dain, the secrets Xaden has yet to fully reveal—and the knowledge that Navarre’s lies run deeper than anyone imagined.
Returning to Basgiath War College for her second year, Violet faces brutal new challenges. Though Xaden is now graduated and stationed far away at Samara, he and Violet are allowed one visit a week because their dragons are bonded. Their relationship strains under the weight of mistrust and half-truths—she feels he isn’t yet telling her everything about the rebellion and his role in it. Xaden agrees to help Violet build mental shields to protect herself against abilities like Dain’s retrocognition, but even as they try to heal, more secrets threaten to tear them apart.
Meanwhile, Violet begins researching the ancient wards in hopes of learning how to strengthen them and expand them to protect Poromiel. She teams up with Jesinia from the Scribe Quadrant to study the First Six—the legendary dragon riders who originally created Navarre’s magical barriers. She also meets new allies and enemies: Aaric Graycastle, secretly the king’s son, and Major Varrish, a sadistic new authority at Basgiath who singles out Violet for brutal treatment. Jack Barlowe, presumed dead after Violet’s lightning attack, returns—rebuilt with extensive mending magic. Though Jack later saves Violet’s life during an ambush, his motives remain unclear.
When Violet and Xaden break into the Archives to retrieve the journals of the First Six, the consequences are immediate. Violet is betrayed by one of Basgiath’s healers, Nolan, and then drugged and delivered into Varrish’s hands. Tortured for rebel secrets, Violet refuses to break. It’s Dain who finally sees the truth of her memories—and helps her escape, just as Xaden and his best friend and fellow rider Garrick arrive to rescue her.
Xaden exposes Navarre’s greatest deception to the Riders Quadrant: Leadership has lied for generations, denying the existence of the venin and blaming Poromiel for attacks that were never theirs. Cadets have been trained to fight and die for a false war, while the real threats—venin and wyvern—have only grown stronger beyond the wards.
Offered the truth, half the quadrant chooses to leave Basgiath and join the rebellion. They regroup at Aretia, training harder than ever as Violet’s theories about the wards lead her to blood magic and the need for a luminary to amplify dragon fire. In Poromiel, Violet confronts Xaden’s past: his former fiancée, Cat, and his secret royal lineage as heir to Tyrrendor, the province that once led the rebellion. In addition to his already powerful shadow-wielding ability, Xaden also reveals a secret second signet, the ability to read minds.
When Basgiath falls under attack, Violet and Xaden race to defend it. They discover Jack has become venin—he’s killed his dragon and destroyed the school’s wardstone, thus collapsing the protective wards around Basgiath. A brutal battle unfolds. Brennan and others try desperately to rebuild the wardstone. At the last moment, Violet's mother, Lilith Sorrengail, sacrifices herself, using Sloane’s siphoning power to channel the magic needed to restore the wards. As Lilith falls, Xaden draws power from the earth to save Violet—thus becoming venin and embracing the darkness he fought so long to resist.
Jack’s parting words to Xaden sting: “All this time, you’ve been convincing everyone you’re the hero, and now you’ll be the villain … especially in her story.”
Basgiath is shattered. Lilith is dead. And Xaden is no longer fully human.
Iron Flame quotes:
“Revolution tastes oddly … sweet.”
“You do not have the right to burn what is mine.” —Tairn
“I just killed the vice commandant of the quadrant. What am I supposed to do? Go back to class?” —Violet
“Violence, remember it’s only the body that’s fragile. You are unbreakable.” —Xaden
“Because love, at its root, is hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope for what could be. Hope that the someone you’ve entrusted your everything to will cradle and protect it. And hope? That shit is harder to kill than a dragon.”
“My house, my chair, my woman.” —Xaden
“We do not eat our allies!” —Tairn
Onyx Storm opens with the rebellion fractured, the wards weakened, and Violet facing an impossible future. Xaden, now venin, isolates himself, struggling to control his hunger for power. Violet steps into leadership, determined to protect their cause even as everything around her unravels.
Violet, Xaden, and a group of their fellow riders travel to the Isle Kingdoms outside of Navarre. Officially, they are there to gather support for Navarre’s fight against the venin; secretly, Violet and her closest allies are also searching for a way to cure Xaden before his transformation becomes permanent. Along the way, Violet uncovers hidden letters left by her late father, leading her to ancient texts and forbidden histories that reveal more about venin, the power of blood magic for the creation of the Vale (where the dragon eggs hatch), and the true nature of Andarna's dragon breed, the irids.
Her father’s trail hints that Andarna’s rare kind could hold answers not just to Violet’s own abilities, but to the survival of their world. The missions to the Isles reveal how truly isolated Navarre has become in its lies and manipulation. Violet’s leadership solidifies as she secures uneasy alliances, though not without cost. Andarna, after finally meeting fellow irid dragons, chooses to leave Violet, breaking their bond.
As the magic intensifies across the Continent, marked riders (i.e. children of the rebellion leaders) like Garrick and Imogen begin to manifest second signets. Violet also discovers that she has a second signet. She's a dreamwalker, giving her the ability to shape minds and slip between memory and reality, though she has barely begun to understand how to wield it.
Theophanie, a venin leader, emerges as the rebellion’s most dangerous threat. Violet’s sister, Mira, is taken hostage, and in a brutal ambush, Violet faces off against Theophanie herself. Armed with a blade blessed by the goddess Dunne, and aided by Andarna’s surprise return, Violet defeats her enemy—but at a terrible cost.
Xaden, meanwhile, unleashes an overwhelming onyx storm, helping to save Violet and his dragon Sgaeyl, but losing more of his humanity in the process by channeling from the earth as a venin. His final act is one of desperate love: He marries Violet in a secret ceremony she later forgets, her memories wiped by Imogen to protect her.
At the end of the book, Violet wakes at Riorson House, the rebellion’s headquarters, with no memory of their wedding—and no Xaden by her side. He leaves behind only a note: “Don’t look for me. It’s yours now.”
Now the Duchess of Tyrrendor, Violet holds the rebellion’s future in her hands. Dragons are missing. Six dragon eggs have vanished. Riders are unaccounted for. And Xaden’s soul may already be lost to the darkness.
Onyx Storm quotes:
"To the ones who don't run with the popular crowd, the ones who get caught reading under their desks, the ones who feel like they never get invited, included, or represented. Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride."—Onyx Storm dedication
“Every possible path.” —Violet
“ I will save him.” —Violet
“I’m jealous of the armor that holds you when I can’t, the sheets on your bed that caress your skin every night, and the blades that feel your hands.” —Xaden
"The pain. The mess. Give it to me. I'll hold it." —Violet
“You are fierce, and smart, and brave, and loyal. None of this is your fault. You’re perfect.” —Violet
“It really pisses me off when you guys act like my sense of humor somehow lessens my ability to show up for our squad.” —Ridoc
“ You preach peace while only knowing its privilege.” —Andarna
"We made it a good one." —Quinn 😭
“I’m going to hurt you.” “Gods, don’t I know it.” —Sloane and Dain
What’s next in the Empyrean series?
The fight against the venin is more uncertain than ever. With Xaden, one of their strongest riders, lost to darkness, the rebellion faces its greatest crisis yet. They have been betrayed by Commandant Panchek, one of Basgiath’s leaders, revealing that venin have infiltrated even the heart of their own ranks. And the venin sage Berwyn’s cryptic warning to Xaden about a new “brother” leaves chilling possibilities. Theories swirl around who this new venin initiate could be: Xaden’s closest comrades Bodhi and Garrick are the names most whispered, but we’ll have to wait until the next book to find out.
Meanwhile, the dragons themselves are not untouched. It remains unclear whether Xaden’s bond with Sgaeyl has survived his transformation, or whether even Tairn and Sgaeyl’s ancient connection has been broken. When Violet wakes at Riorson House, Andarna quietly tells her that Tairn “needs a cycle of rest to recover,” suggesting deeper consequences still to come.
If there is no traditional cure for those turned venin, there may still be hope. Violet’s father believed the irid dragons, Andarna’s rare kind, could hold the key to restoring corrupted souls. But for the irids to intervene, they must confront their longstanding vow of neutrality in war.
Onyx Storm also introduces more about the Continent's gods—such as Dunne, Goddess of War—and its seems likely they will play a significant role in the series as it continues to play out. The full extent of Violet’s dreamwalking powers, the possibility of a venin counterforce, and the very survival of their world are questions left burning in the wake of Onyx Storm. The next chapter may be far off, but after everything Violet has survived, listeners know it will be worth the wait.
Single narrator or dramatization: Which version should you listen to?
If you’re pressing play on the Empyrean series on audio, you’ve got options—and it’s worth knowing the difference.
Fourth Wing and Iron Flame are performed by Rebecca Soler and Teddy Hamilton, who bring Violet and Xaden’s tension-filled journey to life with a narration that’s intimate, emotional, and grounded in character. In Onyx Storm, the cast expands. Soler and Hamilton are joined by Jasmin Walker and Justis Bolding, whose additional voices reflect the growing stakes, shifting POVs, and new layers of the story.
There are also full-cast dramatized editions of Fourth Wing (parts one and two) and Iron Flame (parts one and two), with part one of the Onyx Storm dramatized version releasing in May, and part two releasing this July. The dramatizations take us on a journey through a cinematic style of storytelling, complete with music, immersive sound design, and a sprawling cast of performers: Scott McCormick, Troy Allan, Jessica Lauren Ball, Khaya Fraites, Gabriel Michael, Torian Brackett, Taylor Coan, LaMont Ridgell, Robb Moreira, Laura C. Harris, and David Cui Cui.
Screen adaptations of the Empyrean series
The world of the Empyrean series is expanding beyond the page and audio. In 2023, it was announced that Fourth Wing is being adapted for television, with Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society, developing the series. Rebecca Yarros has confirmed that she is closely involved with the project, giving fans hope that the adaptation will remain faithful to Violet’s journey. No official casting announcements have yet been made. However, Yarros has teased that the creative team is passionate about getting the world, characters, and dragons right.
With the massive success of the books and the ever-growing fandom, anticipation for the television series is already sky-high.
