Different Perspectives on the Empyrean World

It is always a joy to return to the land of Navarre, its dragon riders, and the Basgiath War College. Even if Rebecca Yarros‘ thirteen short stories didn’t particularly impress me, Threshing Day gave me the chance to experiecen thoughts and emotions from the perspectives of characters other than Violet Sorrengail, something I’ve been missing throughout the Empyrean series. You have a book that is definitely worth adding to your collection when you include Joe Requeza‘s breathtaking artwork of dragons.

"An uneducated cadet is a dead one" - Colonel Thadeus Palme

Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid rughtless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one's ulltimate fate - and where a single choice can forge a rider ... or destroy them.

Xaden Rioson, the powerful leader.
Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend.
Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower.
Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector.
Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester.
Sawyer Henrick, the underdog.
Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide.
Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter.
Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command.
Mira Sorrengail, the fearleass rider.
Brennen Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician.
Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal.
Sloane Mairi, the determined sister,

On Threshing Day, there's only one rule: don't die

Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

Opinion

I originally experienced Threshing Day as an audiobook, simply because my hardcover edition took its sweet time arriving in the mail. Even if the audiobook was fun, I must acknowledge that there is always a drawback for me when I listen to books. I’m usually multitasking, whether I’m doing household chores, shopping, or taking care of other everyday responsibilities. As a result, I’m constantly troubled by the worry that I may have overlooked a few details.

But I was utterly enthralled when I finally held the hardback in my hands. Additionally, Joe Requeza‘s amazing depictions of the dragons, rather than the stories themselves.
Really, I would give those illustrations alone at least 2.5 stars! The hardcover is a small treasure for everyone who like the dragons of the Empyrean universe because of the level of detail and the exquisite colors.

Which brings me to a rather disappointing discovery: On my Kindle Colorsoft, the illustrations appear in black and white rather than in their beautiful original colors. Considering that the device is specifically designed to display color, that’s quite a shame. Especially with a book where the artwork contributes so much to the overall experience.

The collection takes us back to Threshing Day, one of the most dangerous and defining moments in the lives of Basgiath’s aspiring dragon riders. We get to accompany familiar characters such as Xaden, Rhiannon, Ridoc, Liam, Imogen, and Sloane, among others, as they face the possibility of bonding with a dragon or dying in the attempt.

Naturally, the individual stories share a somewhat similar atmosphere. After all, they’re centered around the same brutal tradition, where survival is anything but guaranteed. However, what makes these stories interesting isn’t necessarily the action or the outcome of Threshing Day itself. It’s the opportunity to look beyond the familiar faces and discover what these characters are actually thinking and feeling.

We get glimpses of their fears, insecurities, self-doubts, and sometimes even their desire to die. Beneath the brave, sarcastic, confident, or seemingly unshakable exteriors are individuals carrying emotional burdens that aren’t always obvious when we encounter them through Violet‘s eyes. And that is precisely what I enjoyed most about this collection.

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m generally not the biggest fan of epic fantasy novels told exclusively through a single character‘s first-person perspective. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Violet‘s story, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm. However, I strongly believe that epic fantasy benefits enormously from multiple POVs.

Why? Because different perspectives create opportunities for unexpected revelations, emotional complexity, and plot twists that simply aren’t possible when we’re confined to one person’s knowledge and understanding.

And Threshing Day demonstrates exactly why I feel that way. Characters we thought we understood suddenly reveal entirely different sides of themselves. Their motivations become clearer, their actions gain additional meaning, and some of their emotional struggles hit much harder when we’re finally allowed inside their heads.
It’s not necessarily groundbreaking storytelling, but it adds another layer to characters I’ve already grown attached to throughout the series.

I suspect Liam‘s story will be the one that brings many readers to tears. And understandably so, considering everything we already know about his journey. However, somewhat surprisingly, Liam wasn’t the character who affected me the most.

Instead, Imogen and Sloane completely stole the show for me. Their inner worlds, their thoughts, and the emotions they struggle with genuinely surprised me. There were moments when I found myself reconsidering how I’d previously perceived them, and I absolutely loved that. Both characters have so much more going on beneath the surface than their outward behavior might suggest. Getting to experience their vulnerabilities and understand the thoughts driving their decisions made their stories particularly memorable.

I’m deliberately keeping things vague here because I don’t want to spoil any of the individual stories. Part of the appeal of this collection is discovering these little revelations for yourself, especially when you’ve already spent three books getting to know these characters from an entirely different perspective.

One thing I particularly appreciated was the way the collection handles spoilers for the main series. Since I’ve already read the first three installments, I didn’t have to worry about accidentally discovering anything I wasn’t supposed to know yet. Nevertheless, I think it’s fantastic that the book clearly indicates when the short stories begin revealing information from Iron Flame and Onyx Storm.

This allows readers who haven’t caught up with the entire series to decide how far they want to venture without ruining important developments for themselves.
It’s a relatively small detail, but a very considerate one.

Ultimately, Threshing Day was an enjoyable return to Navarre and the dangerous world of dragon riders. I loved revisiting familiar characters, learning more about their emotional struggles, and seeing events through perspectives that the main novels haven’t explored in quite the same way.

Imogen and Sloane were my personal highlights, and their stories alone made the collection worth reading. However, I also have to acknowledge that, beyond these fascinating glimpses into the characters’ minds, the stories themselves aren’t particularly extraordinary. They’re entertaining, they add emotional depth, and they offer a few surprises, but nothing truly left me speechless.

And then there are Joe Requeza‘s magnificent dragon illustrations, which elevate the hardcover edition considerably. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have rated the collection quite as highly.

Conclusion

4 stars for an enjoyable companion to The Empyrean series, with a significant portion of those stars going straight to the dragons and their gorgeous illustrations. If you’re already invested in the world of Navarre and want to understand its supporting characters a little better, Threshing Day is certainly worth your time. Just don’t expect another full-scale emotional twist-and-turns-adventure.

About Rebecca Yarros

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.

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