If you're a Fourth Wing fan desperately waiting for book 4, Rebecca Yarros dropped some very interesting details that'll have you even more hyped. She has opened up about just how intricately books 4 and 5 are connected and how much work she's putting in to make sure the series sticks the landing.
After the brutal cliffhanger ending of Onyx Storm, with Violet's missing 12 hours and Xaden's Venin transformation, fans have been desperately waiting for any news about what comes next. The fourth book in the incredibly popular fantasy romance series, however, isn't expected to hit shelves this year—though fans can enjoy a new untitled Empyrean companion dropping this September.
Fourth Wing 4 and 5 are being plotted as one intricately interconnected story
During her appearance at ApollyCon in April, Yarros opened up about Fourth Wing book 4 specifically, addressing how she's approaching the last two books in the series. The series is notably planned as a five-book saga.
She revealed that Book 4 is about to be substantially longer and also just how much thought is going into making sure this massive series sticks the landing.
"It's going to be on the heavier side, because I had to plot points between 4 and 5 to make sure that I can end in a five book series. So I want to make sure everything is working correctly there," Yarros said at ApollyCon. "She's gonna be on the curvier side."
So, it's clear that Yarros is treating them as two halves of the same story arc. Book 4 is getting bigger specifically because she needs to set up the dominoes and lay the groundwork for a satisfying five-book conclusion.
All the Fourth Wing books are at least 500 pages, with Iron Flame being the longest at 640 pages. Book 4 is going to be on the heavier side to accommodate all those plot points between books 4 and 5. But because Yarros plots everything so carefully, those extra pages will be essential story beats that set up the series finale.
POV expansion in Book 4
Fourth Wing book 4 will feature at least five POV characters including Violet, Xaden, Dain, Ridoc and Sloane per the author. This is a massive shift from previous books that were mostly from Violet's perspective with occasional Xaden bonus chapters.
Last month, Yarros even teased which of the POVs she is most excited about and that each of these POV characters was chosen for a specific reason.
“I have to remember that you all don’t know what I know. I think you guys are going to get a Sloane chapter, so I’m most excited for that,” she said.
Dain getting POV chapters means his redemption arc and his memory-reading signet are about to become major plot points. Ridoc getting his own perspective could mean either a deep character arc or... a devastating goodbye (she did say "someone you love won't make it"). Sloane is the one Yarros is "most excited" about, which means her chapter drops some serious bombs about Liam, the rebellion or something we haven't even considered yet.
Speaking of surprises, Yarros also talked about that mysterious book dropping September 29, 2026, the one literally titled "Untitled Empyrean (Not Book Four)." Fans have been in a frenzy, of course, speculating about what it could be.
The prevailing theory is either a full version of Major Afendra's Guide to the Rider's Quadrant (that handbook that gets referenced throughout the series) or possibly a prequel novel. At ApollyCon, Yarros shut down one rumor hard: "I heard this rumor that it was a cookbook. It's not a cookbook. Aside from chocolate cake, food isn't really that big of a part of the Empyrean World."
The book is listed as only 176 pages, which is way shorter than the main series books. Who knows, it might even hint or explain those mysterious 12 hours Violet was missing at the end of Onyx Storm. Whatever it is, it shot to number one on Amazon's bestseller list without even having a cover or title, which is absolutely wild.
We’ll continue to bring you the latest Fourth Wing updates here at Winter Is Coming.
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