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Cover of The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin and the Desert

  • 103 pages · about 2 hours
  • First published 2012
  • 3 editions

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1 About this book

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.

Good for readers who want: a love story, epic fantasy, and a short read.

  • Fantasy
  • Romance
  • High Fantasy
  • Young Adult Fantasy
  • Young Adult
  • Novella
  • Short stories
  • Romantasy

2 About Sarah J. Maas

Born 1986

Sarah Janet Maas (born March 5, 1986) is an American fantasy author known for her series Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. As of 2024, she has sold more than 75 million copies of her books and her work has been translated into 40 languages.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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