The Assassin's Blade: The Throne of Glass Prequel Novellas

The twist of a knife. The birth of a legend.

With this collection of prequel novellas, step into the world of the complete, #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, author of the Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series.

Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom's most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful Assassin's Guild and its scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, she yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. But when Arobynn dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, Celaena finds herself acting independently of his wishes and questioning her own allegiance.

If she hopes to escape Arobynn's clutches, Celaena will have to put her faith in her wits and her blade . . . knowing that if she fails, she'll lose not just a chance at freedom but her life.

A prequel to the #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series, this collection of five novellas explores the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling-and deadly-world.

Included in this volume:
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
The Assassin and the Healer
The Assassin and the Desert
The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire

Other books in this series include:
Throne of Glass
Crown of Midnight
Heir of Fire
Queen of Shadows
Empire of Storms
Tower of Dawn

Sarah Janet Maas (born March 5, 1986) is a #1 New York Times bestselling American author who has fundamentally shaped the modern "romantasy" genre. Born and raised in Manhattan, Maas spent her childhood exploring museums and reading global fairy tales, though she often felt frustrated by the lack of fierce, compelling heroines in fantasy literature. Drawing inspiration from strong pop-culture figures like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sailor Moon, she began writing the stories she wanted to read.

At sixteen, Maas started drafting a dark twist on the Cinderella fairy tale—imagining her not as a servant, but as a deadly assassin. She serialized the story, originally titled Queen of Glass, on the writing platform FictionPress, where it quickly became one of the site's most popular works. She continued developing her craft at Hamilton College, graduating magna cum laude in 2008 with a degree in creative writing and religious studies.

Her debut novel, retitled Throne of Glass, was published by Bloomsbury in 2012 and became a massive international hit, ultimately spanning an eight-book epic series. In 2015, Maas launched her second major series, A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR). Initially a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, the series transitioned her work into the "new adult" and adult fantasy spaces. The ACOTAR series became a viral sensation, largely driven by massive popularity on TikTok. In 2020, she introduced her third ongoing adult urban fantasy series, Crescent City.

With over 75 million copies sold worldwide and translations in nearly 40 languages, Maas stands as one of the most successful contemporary authors. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, whom she met in college, and their two children.

“Action-packed . . . What a ride!” ―Booklist on The Assassin's Blade

“A thrilling read.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Throne of Glass

“An epic fantasy readers will immerse themselves in and never want to leave.” ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on Crown of Midnight

“Celaena is as much an epic hero as Frodo or Jon Snow!” ―New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce on Heir of Fire

“Packed . . . with brooding glances, simmering sexual tension, twisty plot turns, lush world building, and snarky banter.” ―Booklist on Queen of Shadows

“Tightly plotted, delightful escapism.” ―Kirkus Reviews on Empire of Storms

“Turns a corner from sprawling epic to thrilling psychological fantasy.” ―HuffPost on Tower of Dawn

“A worthy finale to one of the best fantasy book series of the past decade.” ―Time on Kingdom of Ash

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas is a prequel collection of five interconnected novellas that trace Celaena Sardothien’s life in the months before the start of the Throne of Glass series, showing how she becomes the person we meet in the main novels. The stories follow her while she is still the most feared young assassin in Adarlan, bound to the brutal Assassin’s Guild led by Arobynn Hamel. At the beginning, Celaena is proud, talented, and vain, but also secretly yearning for freedom, respect, and something more than a life of killing. These novellas gradually peel back her arrogant mask and reveal her vulnerability, her capacity for love, and the betrayals that will shape her future. The book’s tone shifts from adventure and swagger to heartbreak and loss, and by the end, the reader understands why Celaena is both deadly and deeply wounded.

The first story, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, sets the stage by showing Celaena and her fellow assassin Sam Cortland sent on a mission to the remote fortress of the feared pirate lord, Rolfe. Arobynn claims they are there to negotiate terms and secure a profitable deal, but Celaena and Sam discover the truth: Arobynn plans to sell slaves to Rolfe, profiting from human misery. Celaena is horrified, because while she kills for a living, she still holds a personal line against this kind of cruelty. Her reaction reveals that she is not simply a heartless assassin; she has strong moral instincts and a desire to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The mission forces her to choose between obedience to Arobynn and doing what she believes is right. Working with Sam, she sabotages the slave trade scheme and frees the captives, angering both Rolfe and Arobynn and setting the pattern of her defiance. This first tale shows her wit, flair, and arrogance, but also her growing discomfort with the Guild’s values and Arobynn’s control over her life.

In The Assassin and the Healer, Celaena is traveling alone, bruised in spirit and body after punishment from Arobynn, and stops at a run-down inn. There she meets Yrene Towers, a young, untrained healer stuck in a dead-end job, dreaming of escape and proper training in a distant city. Celaena initially appears cold and sharp-tongued, dismissing Yrene’s timidness, but when danger arrives in the form of threatening men, Celaena steps in and protects the inn and Yrene. She not only fights for them but also quietly gives Yrene money and a push to pursue her dream, showing a side of herself that is generous and quietly supportive. This brief encounter is important because it reveals Celaena’s softer side away from the Guild and Sam, and hints at the wider world and future threads that will later matter in the series. It underscores that even when wounded and angry, she is capable of inspiring others and of giving them the chance she herself still longs for.

The Assassin and the Desert shifts the setting dramatically, sending Celaena to the Red Desert as a kind of punishment and test. Arobynn orders her to train for a month with the Silent Assassins, a legendary group known for discipline and honor, under the guidance of their wise leader, the Mute Master. In the desert, Celaena is away from Arobynn’s manipulations and sees a different way of living as an assassin: one based on codes, respect, and control rather than cruelty and ego. She befriends Ansel, a fiery, talkative young woman who dreams of taking revenge on those who destroyed her home. Their friendship grows quickly, and Celaena relaxes, trains, and improves her skills, beginning to understand that there can be dignity in what she does. However, as she gains the trust of the Mute Master, she slowly discovers that Ansel is hiding secrets and is involved in a betrayal that will put the desert and its people at risk. The story reveals how easily trust can be broken and how pain can twist a person’s choices. Celaena is forced to confront Ansel’s treachery and make a difficult, compassionate decision that hurts but ultimately saves many lives. The desert experience teaches her about loyalty, restraint, and the price of revenge, leaving her more mature but also more wary when she returns to Arobynn.

The Assassin and the Underworld brings Celaena back to Rifthold and to Arobynn’s cool, elegant world. Arobynn, suddenly repentant and charming after having once beaten her nearly to death, showers her with gifts and attention, trying to reassert his power. Celaena, smarter and harder now, does not fully trust him, but she still feels tangled up in the complicated bond between them—a mixture of mentor, father figure, and abuser. Meanwhile, her relationship with Sam deepens and shifts from tense partnership to genuine affection and slow-burning romance. They begin to dream about leaving the Guild together, building a life free of Arobynn’s commands. At the same time, Arobynn gives Celaena a dangerous mission involving corrupt political figures and supposed enemies of the Guild. As she investigates, she realizes that Arobynn is manipulating her yet again, twisting the truth and using her skills to serve his own ambitions. The underworld story shows how difficult it is for her to break out of his hold, both emotionally and practically, and it highlights Sam as the one person who truly stands on her side, urging her to choose freedom and trust herself.

The final novella, The Assassin and the Empire, is the emotional core of the collection and the bridge directly into Throne of Glass. In this story, Celaena and Sam are fully determined to leave the Guild and Rifthold; they plan and pay for their escape, taking on risky jobs to raise the money needed to buy their way out of Arobynn’s reach. Their love is now clear and strong, and for a brief time the book allows them happiness and hope. They imagine a future in a distant city, where she could still work as an assassin but on her own terms, and where they would no longer live under constant fear and manipulation. However, Arobynn is never truly letting them go. Through subtle plots and lies, he sets Sam up, convincing them to accept an almost impossible contract against powerful crime lords. Sam, driven by a desire to protect Celaena and prove that they can stand on their own, takes dangerous risks that lead directly into a trap. Celaena, busy with her own part of the plan, does not realize the extent of Arobynn’s betrayal until it is too late.

The tragedy that follows is devastating. Sam is captured, tortured, and killed, and Celaena is arrested and framed for crimes that ensure she will be taken not to a normal prison, but to the infamous salt mines of Endovier. Her dream of freedom collapses, and the boy she finally allowed herself to fully love is gone. Arobynn’s role in this disaster becomes clear, marking him in Celaena’s heart as the ultimate betrayer. The final pages of the collection show Celaena broken, grieving, and shackled as she is led away, but also hint at the stubborn fire that still burns inside her. She blames herself for failing to protect Sam, hates Arobynn with a cold intensity, and understands that her choices have consequences she will carry for years. “The Assassin’s Blade” ends with Celaena at her lowest point, but because readers of the series know where she will eventually go, the sadness is mixed with a sense of origin: this is how she became the prisoner whose story begins in Throne of Glass.

Taken together, the novellas in The Assassin’s Blade deepen our understanding of Celaena as more than just a deadly, glamorous assassin. They show a young woman growing through pain and betrayal, learning about friendship, love, and moral boundaries, and discovering that the life she has been forced into is not the life she truly wants. Through pirates, deserts, healers, mentors, and cruel masters, the book traces the path that leads her into chains—and prepares her, ironically, for the larger battles, loves, and choices that will define the rest of the series.