Fourth Wing is a new adult fantasy romance novel written by the American
author
Rebecca Yarros
. It is the first book in the
Empyreanseries
,
[1]
following the journey of
Violet Sorrengail, who is forced by her mother, General Sorrengail, to join the Basgiath War
College and become a dragon rider in the kingdom of Navarre. Even though she has been
trained her entire life to enter the Scribe Quadrant, Violet must endure deadly quests and
competitions that push her to her limits while trying to avoid being killed by one of the most
powerful riders in the quadrant, Xaden Riorson.
The book was published in the United States on May 2, 2023, byRed Tower Book, an imprint
of Entangled Publishing. Its viral success within TikTok's reader community, BookTok,
significantly contributed to its No. 1 ranking onThe New York Times bestseller list. It won
The International Book of the Year 2024 at the annualTikTok Book Awards. The book sold
over two million copies in its first six months and has been translated into approximately 30
languages.
[2]
Yarros has mentioned in interviews that the idea for Fourth Wing emerged when her
publisher announced that they were going to start a romantic fantasy line, prompting her to
submit five proposals. After several reviews, her publisher selected the third idea, which
explored the Empyrean world.
[3]
The inspiration for the story stems from her fascination
with dragons, her husband's military experience, and her personal struggles.
[3]
Violet's
physical fragility, as described in the book, was influenced by Yarros's own experience living
withEhlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting both her and her children. Yarros
has expressed a desire to represent people with chronic illnesses, showcasing that they can
also be heroic.
[4]
20-year old Violet Sorrengail is the youngest daughter of General Lilith Sorrengail, who leads
the Basgiath War College in Navarre. Here, students choose to join one of four military
branches: Infantry, Healer, Scribe, or Rider. Riders bond with a dragon, which allows them
to develop a magical power known as a 'signet'. Despite having trained to be a scribe like her
late father, and suffering from chronic pain and weak joints, Violet's mother orders her to
join the Riders Quadrant - infamous for being deadly to new recruits. Many of the other
Rider recruits' parents were involved in a rebellion years earlier, which was put down by
General Sorrengail. As a sign of their parents' guilt, they are forever marked with a special
sign. In Basgiath, Violet reunites with her childhood friend and longtime crush Dain Aetos, a
second-year cadet. She also meets Xaden Riorson, a marked third-year whose father was
executed by Violet's mother for his leading role in the rebellion. Violet joins Fourth Wing
