So what exactly is 'The Empyrean Series' and why is everyone talking about a “Xaden”?
If you've got a bunch of BookTok fans, or you're a bit of a reading nerd yourself, you may have noticed people posting obsessively about the arrival of a new book called 'ONYX Storm', which may not ring a bell to you yet, but what if I said the words 'Fourth Wing'?
They're both books in the 'Empyrean Series' - a "nonstop thrilling adventure fantasy" written by a (now probably very rich) lady called Rebecca Yaros.
It's set in the "brutal and competitive world of a military college for dragon riders" and comes with warnings about "intense violence, gore, graphic language and sexual activities".
Yarros warns: Readers who may be sensitive, please take note and prepare to face the storm.”
Got your attention yet? Think of this series as a mixture of 'Game of Thrones', 'Divergent' and 'Hunger Games', all wrapped in the warm eyebrow-raising embrace of '50 Shades of Grey'. With the main characters Xaden and Violent being front and center of it all.
I came across this spectacular line of work a few years back and have been consistently nagging my friends to read 'The Fourth Wing' and 'Iron Flame', so I have more people to discuss the beauty, drama, and spiciness with. What are you lacing these books with, Rebecca?!
Released at midnight yesterday, 'Onyx Storm' is the third instalment of the series, and much like its siblings, is quickly accumulating fans. We've seen this time of cult fandom with series like 'Twilight', 'Hunger Games' and 'Harry Potter', but this time, we're losing the “kid-friendly” element.
Another thing that's different this time around is how AI fan art is bringing the book's characters to life in new and X-rated ways. This is a first for a lot of us readers, and hey... I am NOT complaining - let me explain why.
Rebecca Yarros works overtime in her writing making sure the details are, well... DETAILED. From describing Xaden's 'mountain shoulders' and 'chiseled jawline' to the intricate explanation of how the Parapet looks (that will make sense once you start reading the books). This created a sort of 'book Bat Signal' to all the AI gods, and they did not disappoint. People all over the world have started using AI to create images of these characters and fictional locations that we’re all obsessed with and because of the smut level in these books, some very spicy AI pics have surfaced. And yes, it’s all the sexiness that's written in the books PLUS MORE.
'Artworks by Rokii' is one of the more popular AI creators of spicy images and posts on the app Patreon, which you can subscribe to for $12 a month.
Yes I do have the subscription, and yes it’s worth it. Her attention to detail is actually insane, and it's massively improved my experience of getting lost in the world of the books.
Aaaand I'm not the only one. Commenting on an image of Xaden, one fan wrote: "Those thighs can definitely hang onto a dragon.”
Others admitted they'd be immediately adding images to their "saved folders", while one summed it up kind of perfectly, with a simple: “HOLY SH*********!!”
Not even 32 pages into 'Onyx Storm' and we get our first taste of the lip-biting, HOT experience that is Xaden and Violet getting together.. But oof, is all I can say right now. I promised no spoilers! I’m about eight chapters deep and I don’t know how much better this is going to get. I AM OBSESSED.
Once you start reading this series, you’ll kick yourself for waiting this long. Even if you’re not a big reader, get the audiobook, you’ll be hooked within the first 10 minutes.
And don’t worry there is a TV series currently in the works with Amazon Prime, set to be released in 2026.
Amazon MGM Studios optioned the rights to the first book and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society production company will produce the series with Moira Walley-Beck (who has worked as a writer and producer on 'Breaking Bad') as the show's official show runner.
Okay, anyways I'm off...back to see what my Xaden is up to. I’m staying away from Tik Tok, and giving myself a week to finish this book. I refuse to get any spoilers this time around!
