The Assassin and the Desert: A Throne of Glass Novella [Kindle Edition]

Sarah J. Maas (Author)

Book Description

The Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren't much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn't have it any other way. She's not there to chatter, she's there to hone her craft as the world's most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she'll be lucky to leave the desert alive.

Product Details

• File Size: 288 KB
• Print Length: 416 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 1 edition (March 30, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007O61DVI
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,574 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ever After Perspective Review -- April 10, 2012

By Kana

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

What is it about Sarah J. Maas's writing that has me acting like an obsessed fanatic? Literally, the woman continues to throw curve balls left and right. Her storytelling is simply fantastic. I can't even fathom the sort of attention she'll receive once Throne of Glass is released. The Assassin and the Desert was excellent in every single way. What I learned about friendship, love and life from that tiny novella alone can't even compare to the past twenty books I've read in the last few months! That's simply the gist of it - good quality writing, wonderful characters, epic battles and subtle life lessons all packaged into one.

Celaena Sardothien certainly won me over. How Maas was able to develop a character so perfectly and in such a short about of time--two novellas--baffles me. Here we've got a kick ass girl with a bad bad attitude. Beautiful, vain and so very arrogant. Yet, this girl feels more than your average character could ever feel -- and oh-so-deeply does she feel. For someone who's a tad bit shallow, Celaena's pretty damn deep. Nevertheless, Celaena Sardothien leaves a lasting impression on every single person she encounters because for some reason, she just does. And it's done so very smoothly and subtly by Maas.

All I could think about after finishing this book were the cookie crumbs dropped by Celaena during the first two novellas. No doubt, they will inevitably continue to drop as the series progresses. My questions are: Who will meet her? Whose life will change because of her? And most importantly: Who will leave a lasting impression on her. The character growth in Celaena alone from The Assassin and the Pirate Lord to this novella is astounding, and I'm eager to see how and where she stands two novellas and three books from now.

What I simply love about the way Celaena's story is told is how easy it was to grasp the world she lived in. I honestly don't remember any information dumping...yet, from the stygian spiders that lurked the Ruhnn Mountains to the beautiful ancient breed of Asterion horses from Erilea, I could literally see and live in the world that Maas created -- and I loved it. And though I did sort of wish there was more SAM in this novella (I'm beginning to think it's going to be very hard to accept a new man in Celaena's life any time soon), I was quite content with Ansel. If anything, I was actually happy to see the relationship between Celaena and Ansel grow and change into something quite beautiful. I was practically in tears reading the bittersweet moments between the two friends. Girls rock. Enough said. But no matter what, I am a hopeless romantic, and my favorite parts of the book still consisted of my favorite boy Sam. I think I reread one of the lines -- when Celaena recalled Arobynn needing three men to hold Sam back -- at least five times before moving on to the next page. I cannot wait until the next novella -- May 1st. Mark your calendar now!

There's so much more I want to say, but I think you'd all just get sick of me obsessing and throwing around as many adjectives as I can describing how much I love Sarah J. Maas's writing. If you haven't read The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, pick it up and read it now, followed by the Assassin and the Desert. I don't think I need to tell those who have already read the first novella to pick up this one--I think the first novella can speak for itself. Definitely a five out of five.

For full review please visit [...]

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner for the THRONE OF GLASS series April 2, 2012

By Susan Dennard

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

In THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD, we got to see the young, headstrong Celaena take on a entire port of pirates to defend what she believed in. It was swashbuckling adventure followed by edge-of-the-seat thrills, all wrapped up in clever dialogue and typical Celaena finesse.

And now, in THE ASSASSIN AND THE DESERT, we get to enter into a new type of story. This novella has more mystery, more friendships (and enmities), and more character growth. But don't worry--there's still a whole lot of epic fighting. And super epic world-building. We get to see the dunes of the desert, the ranks of the Silent Assassins, the bustling city of Xandria, and so much more. There are scenes from this novella that gave me chills--and also gave me serious cases of writer's envy.

Even if you don't care about lovely prose or topnotch plotting, you'll probably be interested to know this: the stories contained within these novellas add so much depth to the THRONE OF GLASS series. Everyone who's ever read THRONE OF GLASS adores it. Truly, there's a reason Sarah still has a bajillion loyal fans ten years after first staring the Fictionpress version of that novel, and that reason is that the story is sweeping and amazing...And I honestly believe that these novellas manage to make the novel even more sweeping and more amazing.

So, if you like epic fantasy, sweeping desert worlds, or thrilling action, then you'll definitely want to pick up THE ASSASSIN AND THE DESERT.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Action and Introspection -- A Perfect Combination April 9, 2012

By Amie Kaufman

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ever wondered what happened before the start of your favourite book? Wanted to know just what made the characters the way they are, or how they learned the things they know?

Enter Sarah Mass's fantastic quartet of prequel novellas. We already know that at the start of THRONE OF GLASS we'll find Celaena in the salt mines of Endovier...so how did she get there? And what happened first?

In THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD we met Celaena and cheered as she swashed and buckled her way through the Pirate Lord's territory. Now, in THE ASSASSIN AND THE DESERT she faces the consequences. With all the action and pure heart we love about her stories, Sarah Maas also manages to make this novella a little more introspective, as Celaena has time to think, and we have time to get to know her. Oh, don't worry--her awesome, arrogant kick-assery is still there in bucketloads, but there's a depth here too.

These novellas are a steal. You'll race through them and love every minute, and THRONE OF GLASS will be all the richer for having read them. Treat yourself!

More About the Author

Sarah J. Maas was born and raised in New York City, but after graduating from Hamilton College in 2008, she moved to Southern California. She's always been just a tad obsessed with fairy-tales and folklore, though she'd MUCH rather be the one slaying the dragon (instead of the damsel in distress). When she's not busy writing, she can be found geeking out over things like Han Solo, gaudy nail polish, and ballet.