Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is the first book about assassin Celaena Sardothien. It is Maas's first book. Rights have sold in 15 countries.

Plot Teaser
"After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined."

--from Goodreads

Characters

 * Celaena Sardothien, an assassin
 * Chaol Westfall, the captain of the guard
 * Dorian Havilliard, the crown prince
 * Nehemia Ytger, a princess from Eyllwe
 * Kaltain Rompier, a courtier
 * Cain, another Champion and assassin
 * Grave, another Champion and assassin

Summary
Celaena Sardothien was once Adarlan's Assassin, but she was captured. After a year serving her sentence as a slave in the Endovier salt mines, she is visited by the Crown Prince Dorian Havilliard, who offers her a way out. The King is hosting a tournament to choose his new assassin. If Celaena wins, she will serve the king for four years and then be granted her freedom. She returns to the castle with the Crown Prince and his Captain of the Guard, Chaol Westfall. They want to keep her famous identity secret, though, so they call her Lady Lillian Gordaina.

Out of shape from her year in the mines, Celaena begins training with Captain Westfall, who distrusts her. She asks Dorian permission to borrow books from the palace library, and she also meets the other competitors. One, Nox, befriends her; she takes an immediate dislike to others, Cain and Grave. Celaena shows herself to be badly out of shape at the first group training session, and Dorian has her continue training with Chaol. Around the palace, Celaena also meets Lady Kaltain Rompier, who is engaged to Lord Perrington but hangs around the palace in hopes of marrying the Crown Prince. She finds another friend in the visiting Princess of Eyllwe, Nehemia Ytger; Celaena has learned Eyllwe in Endovier and offers to teach Nehemia the Common Tongue, and the two girls become fast friends.

Warning: The rest of this section contains a detailed description of the plot, including spoilers about the content and ending of the novel. 

Things begin to go south when one of the Champions is found gruesomely murdered. Before she can investigate, Celaena must face the first challenge for the potential assassins. It is a test of archery, and she passes easily, disgruntled that she must disguise her true skill. During the next training session, another Champion tries to flee and is executed.

Meanwhile, Dorian's mother the Queen wants to marry him off. Dorian does not like this arrangement. He visits Celaena, whom he has befriended, in her rooms, and finds her playing piano. She admits that she used to play with her former lover Sam, who is now deceased. She sends Dorian away.

The next task involves climbing a high wall. Her Champion friend Nox nearly falls; Celaena saves him in the nick of time and still passes the challenge. At Samhuinn, a celebration and remembrance of the dead, Celaena finds a secret passageway in her room and investigates. One passage leads outside the castle, but she chooses not to run away lest she be hunted down; another passage lets her spy on a dinner to which all the Champions except her have apparently been invited. She returns to her rooms when she sees Chaol leaving the dinner.

Before Chaol can reach her rooms, Dorian arrives; he is obviously in love with her. Chaol then arrives and sends Dorian away before giving Celaena a ring. In a dream that night, Celaena dreams of a third passage behind her secret door, in which she meets Queen Elena, the first Queen of Adarlan. Elena tells her the castle is in danger and she must investigate; she then gives Celaena a protective amulet, which Celaena is still wearing when she wakes up. In the morning, another Champion is found dead and mangled.

On a walk, Celaena and Nehemia discover Wyrdmarks - outlawed symbols of magic - outside the clock tower. Nehemia obviously knows more than she is willing to tell, so Celaena goes to the library to investigate. When yet another body is found, Chaol asks Celaena to help investigate; they discover that the Champions are being killed by a monster, but the monster is controlled by a human.

For Christmas, Dorian gives Celaena a puppy, whom she names Fleetfoot. They share a sweet moment, obviously developing feelings for each other. Celaena then finds Nehemia in the library, reading a book in the Common Tongue - which she had professed not to understand. She begins to suspect Nehemia is controlling the monster out of vengeance for the Eyllwe people who have been taken over by Adarlan. Celaena is not invited to the Christmas ball, but she dresses up and attends anyway to keep an eye on Nehemia. Nehemia does nothing, but despite disapproving looks from Chaol, Celaena dances all night with Dorian. They kiss.

Perrington reveals Celaena's identity to Kaltain and they plan to drug her during the final challenge so Cain can kill her. Celaena seeks out Elena behind her secret door for help and discovers Cain with the monster, called a riddarak - it has been summoned from another world. She uses a sword from Elena's tomb to slay the riddarak, but is poisoned. Nehemia, who is actually well-versed in magic, shows up to heal Celaena; Celaena reveals her true identity, and Nehemia christens her Elentiya.

The final test for the Champions beings. Cain and Celaena each win their preliminary battles; before they face each other in the final, they are forced to take a victory drink. Celaena's has been drugged, and she is badly beaten by Cain. She also hallucinates creatures from other worlds. Nehemia intervenes, curing Celaena with Wyrdmarks and summoning Elena to heal her. Recovered, Celaena defeats Cain in the battle; however, once she is proclaimed the victor, Cain tries to kill her. Chaol intervenes, stabbing Cain before he can kill Celaena.

Celaena breaks off her relationship with Dorian, citing her new role as King's Champion; she signs a contract with the King of Adarlan, who threatens to kill everyone she cares about, including Chaol and Nehemia, if she does not obey his wishes.

Adaptations
Throne of Glass has been optioned for a television series; no details of production are currently available.

Awards and Honors
Throne of Glass was nominated for the Abraham Lincoln Award of 2015.

Sequels
Throne of Glass is the first in a projected six-book series; it is followed by Crown of Midnight. It is also accompanied by a bound collection of prequel novellas, titled The Assassin's Blade.