Latest news with #BasgiathWarCollege
Express Tribune
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'Fourth Wing' TV series: Josh Heuston linked to Xaden role as Moira Walley-Beckett leads adaptation
Development of the Fourth Wing television adaptation continues to gain traction as speculation intensifies around actor Josh Heuston's potential casting as Xaden Riorson. The adaptation of Rebecca Yarros' bestselling Empyrean series is being produced by Amazon MGM Studios in collaboration with Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society, with Moira Walley-Beckett attached as showrunner. First announced in late 2023, the series is based on the romantasy saga that follows Violet Sorrengail's perilous journey at Basgiath War College, where elite students are trained to become dragon riders. Set in a high-stakes fantasy world, the story combines military academy politics, magical warfare, and forbidden romance. No official casting has been confirmed, though Josh Heuston's name has been linked to either the role of Xaden or Bodhi. When questioned, Heuston commented, 'You have to ask the scribes, I suppose,' further fuelling fan discussions. Author Rebecca Yarros has publicly maintained her stance on accurate representation, stating that Xaden will be portrayed by a person of colour. 'They know how staunch I am against whitewashing Xaden,' Yarros said, reaffirming the series' commitment to diversity in casting. Moira Walley-Beckett, best known for her work on Breaking Bad and Anne with an E, has earned high praise from Yarros for her handling of the adaptation. During the launch of Onyx Storm in January 2025, Yarros confirmed reading multiple drafts of the pilot script and described it as 'phenomenal,' adding, 'I kicked my feet the entire time—I love it.' Production timelines remain under wraps, with no confirmed release date. The series is expected to follow the narrative arc of the five-book Empyrean series, which includes Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm. Books four and five are currently in development.
The Guardian
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on romantasy fiction: dragons storm the bookshops
A strange and powerful creature has taken over the publishing industry – romantasy, a magical union of romance and fantasy. Last week in scenes reminiscent of Pottermania 20 years ago, bookshops across the country held midnight launches, with fans dressed as their favourite characters, for the publication of Onyx Storm, the third instalment of Rebecca Yarros's Empyrean series. In its first week it became the fastest-selling adult title since records began, with more than 180,000 copies sold in one day in the UK alone. Yarros is following in the fairy dust of fellow American novelist Sarah J Maas, who is credited with spearheading the genre with her hugely successful A Court of Thorns and Roses series. In just five years, a genre born during the pandemic and rising on a blaze of BookTok recommendations and emojis has gone from being a niche offshoot of young adult fiction to a once-in-a-generation phenomenon. In the past year, the market share of science fiction and fantasy books rose by over 41%. With their action-packed storylines, alternate worlds and friendship groups, romantasy novels satisfy a nostalgia for those who grew up on a diet of the Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Twilight series. Tolkein this is not, nor JK Rowling. But lack of literary finesse never hindered juggernaut bestsellers from the likes of Dan Brown (who has a new Robert Langdon novel out in September). 'They get to ride dragons, they get to ride each other,' Yarros quipped of her new novel to whoops from delighted fans at a recent event in Los Angeles. The Empyrean series is set in Basgiath War College for elite dragon riders, an unholy mix of Hogwarts and Top Gun. Yarros has been dubbed 'Dragons Jilly Cooper', Maas's novels 'fairy porn'. But in our porn-soaked culture, there is something old-fashioned about the sex scenes – this is Mills & Boon for millennials, not to mention Gen Z. Romantasy has reclaimed the geeky fantasy dominion for women, celebrating female friendship, agency and sexuality – a less sexist Game of Thrones. It has created its own communities and fandoms: just as you might be a Swiftie or a member of the BeyHive (Beyonce fan), readers belong to the Maasverse or Empyrean army. Along with the magical power of lightning, Yarros's protagonist, Violet, has a chronic illness (Yarros suffers from the genetic disorder Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), adding to her relatability for many readers. The genre promises transformation – from weakness to strength, from outsider to inner-circle, from enemies to lovers. The novels celebrate individuality and belonging. Taylor Swift and Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the movie Wicked, are both Yarros fans, apparently. The romantasy heroine speaks to the cultural moment. The strong, female-led stories show young women can be nerdy and sexy, vulnerable and powerful, both 'not that girl' and 'that girl'. You can be Glinda and Elphaba, Chappell Roan and Swift. You can be anyone – or anything – you please. This is the fantasy. Along with the rise in cosy crime, romantasy's soaring popularity has been attributed to the appeal of escapism in dark times. For its devotees, the genre offers the joy of getting lost in another world and connecting with others. In the face of powerlessness and uncertainty in the real one, its message for young women seems compelling. As Yarros promises her readers at the beginning of Onyx Storm, 'Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride.' Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
The Independent
04-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
If you've devoured Rebecca Yarros's Onyx Storm, these are the "romantasy" books to read next
A titan of the ' romantasy ' (romance-fantasy) genre, Rebecca Yarros burst onto the literary scene in 2023 with her instant New York Times bestseller, Fourth Wing. Now, the hotly-anticipated third book, Onyx Storm, has become the fastest selling adult book in 20 years. The Empyrean series has garnered a legion of loyal fans on BookTok (a community within TikTok where people share book recommendations), rivalling Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorn and Roses and Carissa Broadbent's The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Set in a fantasy world complete with dragons, the series centres on cadets in military training. A blend of the best romantasy themes, fans love the tomes for their enemies-to-lovers storylines, depictions of otherworlds, brutal war and found-family themes. In the weeks since its release, Onyx Storm has garnered a 4.39 rating on Goodreads, surprising acclaim from literary critics and completely dominated social media feeds with commentary about that ending. If you're ready to return or enter Yarros's world for the very first time, you can shop the whole series below. Or, if you're one of the millions who devoured her third novel in days, these are the 'romantasy' books to read next. The first installment of The Empyrean series, Fourth Wing follows protagonist Violet, who was supposed to embark on a quiet life as a scribe among books. Instead, her mother (a commander general in the army) has insisted she join the hundreds of candidates striking to become an elite dragon rider. Suffering from a condition that makes her more fragile than other students, she must use her wits to succeed. Fans liken it to Harry Potter, Divergent and The Hunger Games, with slow burn romance, magic and dragons keeping you hooked. The second title in Yarros's series sees Violet Sorrengail returning to Basgiath War College for her second year. Now, the real training begins and the stakes are higher, with a powerful new enemy threatening everything she cares about, including her new lover. As the risk of war grows, Violet must negotiate her loyalty to the college with her growing involvement with the burgeoning rebellion. Offering pure escapism, the third instalment in the Empyrean series returns to Basgiath War College. It follows protagonist Violet Sorrengail as she ventures beyond the walls of Basgiath to seek allies to join the revolution. But the enemies are closing in fast while infiltration into their ranks makes it impossible to know who to trust. Pushing her to her limits, the trip will test how far Violet will go to defend everything she loves, from her dragons and family to her home and her lover. Immersing the reader in steamy romance, brutal battle and the mythical world of dragons, the book already has a 4.47 rating on Goodreads. We'd suggest savouring every moment of Onyx Storm because Yarros has confirmed she hasn't even started writing the next book yet. Thanks to Amazon, you can get your hands on the new title for half price. Earning more than 3.3 million ratings on Goodreads (averaging 4.8 stars), A Court of Thorns and Roses is a phenomenon of the romantasy genre. In the first novel of the six-part series, we meet Feyre, a human huntress who kills a wolf that is not all it appears to be. Feyre is soon taken prisoner in the faerie realm, as revenge for the murder of a fellow faerie. As she discovers more about her captor, the high lord of the spring court Tamlin, Feyre develops feelings for her enemy (in true 'romantasy' style). Meanwhile, a war is brewing, thanks to Amarantha, the evil and vindictive high queen of Prythian. The first book busies itself with world building, with the romance, drama and fantasy elements getting better and better as the series goes on. Loved by fans of Fourth Wing, Carissa Broadbent's Crowns of Nyaxia series swaps dragons for vampires. The first book in the six part series, The Serpent and the Wings of Night follows the adopted human daughter of a vampire king, Oraya. Her only chance to become more than prey is entering the Kejari, a legendary tournament held to prove a warrior's strength. To survive, she must form alliances and she finds herself drawn to mysterious rival Raihn, a dangerous and ruthless vampire. Expect an enemies-to-lovers storyline, dark magic and bloodthirsty battle. Lauded by those on TikTok as being addictive and immersive, Callie Hart's Quicksilver is set in a realm of ice and snow, where a century-long conflict is ongoing. Saeris is a pick-pocket from a desert realm, who inadvertently reopens a gateway between the realms and is transported to the land of ice. Fae have always been the stuff of nightmares, but then she comes face to face with a a handsome Fae warrior who may be her only ticket home. The second book in the Fae and Alchemy series is set to be published in late 2025. Sarah J Maas is a titan of the genre, with her latest series Crescent City proving just as popular as A Court of Thorns and Roses. The first installment in the three-book series introduces us to Bryce Quinlan. The life of the party, she takes advantage of all that Crescent City has to offer, until a brutal murder shakes her to her core. Two years later, another murder is committed and Bryce sets about trying to unravel the mystery, her own dark past and the secret underbelly of the city. With more than 10 million views on Tiktok and a 4.6 star rating on Goodreads, fans praise the urban, high fantasy setting of the book. Described as Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games, Lauren Roberts' Powerless is set in the fantasy kingdom of Ilya. In the divided society, Elites possess powers gifted to them decades before by the plague, while the Ordinary have been banished from the kingdom and shunned. Bridging the divided, Paedyn Gray is an ordinary posing as an elite, who unbeknownst to herself, saves one of the kingdom's princes and is thrown into the purging trials, where she's meant to showcase her elite powers. The first book in a trilogy, it became an instant New York Times bestseller.
