Onyx Storm (Part 2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.

But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

Adapted from the novel and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music!

Onyx Storm

Hope, Venin, and the Cost of Loving Xaden Riorson

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛💚❤️🖤
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂😁😘😎
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Graphic Audio Dramatized Edition – Full Cast Narration

Character Backgrounds and Plot Summary

Listening to Onyx Storm Part 2 felt like being dropped straight back into the emotional wreckage left after the first part which I finished about a month ago. Violet is still reeling from the loss of her mother, but the bigger shock is seeing Xaden with those red rings in his eyes, the unmistakable sign that he has begun turning venin. I felt the same jolt Violet does when she first realized it because the story makes it clear this is not a symbolic danger. Early on, Xaden proves how far the corruption has progressed when he tells her he can now sense venin the way they sense him, a moment that made my stomach drop.

The plot pushes Violet and her squad into a mission that is both political and deeply personal. They cross the Arctile Ocean to the Isle Kingdoms, and each stop tests them in a different way. The duel in Unnbriel stood out to me because Violet’s burst of unexpected speed hints at her developing a second signet. It is one of the first times she realizes her bond with Andarna is changing her in ways she cannot fully control. Another moment that stuck with me is in Hedotis when Garrick is poisoned during a wisdom test. Violet uses her father’s hidden research to identify the toxin and save him, which felt like a quiet but powerful reminder of how much she has grown since Fourth Wing.

The emotional core of the story, though, is Violet’s determination to save Xaden. Their reunion scenes are tense because he is fighting the addictive pull of dark magic, and every time he uses it, he risks losing himself. The stakes become even sharper when the irids reject Andarna and declare that no cure exists. That revelation hit me hard because it is the moment Violet’s hope cracks, and you can feel her desperation shift into something heavier.

Highlights and Limitations

One of my favorite parts of this dramatized adaptation is how the action scenes feel almost cinematic. The infiltration at Basgiath, where venin disguised as scribes try to free Jack Barlowe, is chaotic in the best way. Violet fighting in the tunnels while Xaden arrives in a swirl of shadows is exactly the kind of scene that works beautifully in audio.

I also loved the quieter character beats. When Xaden confronts his estranged mother Talia in Hedotis, the tension is sharp enough to feel through the headphones. It is one of the few moments where his emotional guard slips, and I appreciated that the adaptation didn’t rush past it.

If I had one personal limitation, it’s the way Xaden keeps blocking Violet from their bond. It’s understandable — he’s terrified of hurting her, terrified of what she’ll see, terrified of the darkness pulling at him — but it also means the story repeatedly leans on the same emotional barrier. Every time Violet reaches for him through their bond and finds only a wall, it undercuts the intimacy that has always been the heart of their connection. Instead of deepening their relationship, it sometimes stalls it, creating a cycle where Violet is desperate for honesty and Xaden is desperate to protect her by shutting her out. I wanted more moments where the bond revealed something raw or unexpected, not just another instance of him closing the door. It’s powerful, but it’s also a beat the adaptation returns to so often that it risks feeling repetitive.

Narration

This dramatized cast brings a level of immersion that surprised me. Megan Poppy’s delivery during Violet’s duel in Unnbriel captures both fear and determination, and I found myself leaning in during that entire sequence. Torian Brackett’s performance as Xaden is especially strong in the scenes where he struggles with the venin pull. There is a moment when he admits he can sense the venin, and Brackett’s voice tightens just enough to convey how terrified he is of becoming something Violet cannot love.

The full cast format shines in the Isle Kingdoms arc. The cultural ceremony in Zehyllna feels alive because every character has a distinct voice, and the layered sound design makes the environment feel real. I also appreciated Laura C. Harris’s portrayal of Andarna. Her tone shifts subtly when Andarna’s power flares, especially during the wardstone alteration sequence, and it adds emotional weight to Violet’s fear that her bond is changing.

Final Opinion

Overall, Onyx Storm Part 2 delivers a gripping continuation of Violet and Xaden’s story. The dramatized adaptation amplifies the tension, especially in scenes where Violet is forced to choose between duty and the man she loves. The ending left me stunned. Xaden’s final surrender to dark power and disappearance is devastating, and waking up to Violet realizing she is married but abandoned is one of the most haunting beats in the entire series.

I walked away from this audiobook feeling wrung out in the best way. It is intense, emotional, and full of moments that made me care even more about these characters. If you’re already invested in the Empyrean series, this adaptation is absolutely worth the listen. I can’t imagine getting tired of this world yet. I wish the series was complete.

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