Iron Flame

Yarros (Eyes Turned Skyward) returns readers to Basgiath War College for the much-anticipated second installment in her “Empyrean” series. Violet Sorrengail defied expectations by bonding with two dragons, somehow surviving her first year in the Riders Quadrant. Now, she must turn away from all she holds dear to join a revolution that could take the entire institution down. Primary narrator Rebecca Soler gives an expressive performance that, paired with Yarros’s intricate, immersive worldbuilding, yields an engrossing listening experience. Soler expertly captures every emotion, from tender to torrid—one moment playfully portraying adolescent dragon attitude and the next bringing to life a battle so intense that listeners will be holding their breath. As with Iron Flame, narrator Teddy Hamilton is featured only in the final chapter, giving a brief but suspenseful glimpse of wingleader Xaden’s perspective.