This book contains five novellas that tells the story of our favorite assassin Calaena Sardothien before start of the first book in the Throne of Glass series. Basically five novellas telling about the journey of Calaena that led to her imprisonment in the Salt mines of Endovier. 
 This novella really surprised me, I didn't expect it to be so interesting. The most important thing about this book is that we can finally understand some of the hints which were thrown in between the sequels about some stories or characters. The best yet the saddest thing I had to read about was- Sam Cortland-yes Sarah J. Mass you can be cruel when you want to be. You made us fall in love with Sam but then let him die. I ask you Why? WHY?! 
 This is obviously before the events of Throne of Glass. Sixteen year old, with a reputation of Adarlan's Best Assassin, Calaena always sarcastic, sadistic, heir to the King of Assassins, Master Arobynn Hamel. 
 After reading the first few chapter my impression of Calaena was like this: 
 And I think I am right. 
 My First Thoughts after completing the book- I hate you Arobynn Hamel-Hate you. Then I put the book down and cry very hardly in my pillows. Then i straighten- then I cry some more because Sam even though you were a assassin second best to Calaena- you didn't deserve to die. You were so passionately loyal to Calaena even when Arobynn tried to make you grow suspicious about Calaena's past. I was in awe. And lets not forgot you were damn handsome and thoughtful. 
 I just wish I could have read more about Sam Cortland. 
 I really liked that the main character-Calaena- here is shown as someone who knows that she is the best and isn't afraid of anything and yet is loyal even when the person doesn't deserve her loyalty. She is shown as a layered person who knows that she is a brat but is also willing to leave everything behind for Sam. 
 And maybe we can finally in the Queen of Shadows- the fourth book in the series- we will come to know about what happened to Ansel after she left the silent assassins. 
 In the first novella-The Assassin and the Pirate Lord- tells the story of how she is sent on an mission with Sam to Skulls bay to meet the Pirate Lord for some business she isn't aware of but is shocked to find out her master is buying slaves and is going to earn profit from selling them. It disgusted her knowing that the slaves were just in wrong place at the wrong time. So she decides to go against Arobynn Hamel's Orders and decides to free the two hundred slaves. Sam is against the idea at first but soon joins her in her endeavor. A Plan is formed and they are also successful in it by facing down the Pirate Lord himself. But when she returns to Adarlan to Assassins Keep where Arobynn is very angry with her and beats her first by holding Sam back with the help of his bodyguards. But beating her isn't enough, he sends more like forces her to go to the The Red Desert to the Silent Assassins to train with the Mute Master and brings his letter of approval. 
 In the second novella- The Assassin and the Healer- This incident takes place in-between the journey to The Red Dessert from Adarlan. She meets Yrene at the Inn where she is staying before departing for the desert. Calaena is angry and is looking for trouble as she invites trouble by flashing her wealth for everybody to see. One night Yrene is closing up the Inn when some mercenaries get hold of her. But Calaena saves her without so much as breaking a sweat. Calaena even teaches Yrene self-defense so that she can take care of herself. Calaena learns that Yrene actually wants to become a healer and doesn't have enough money to make the journey to healers school. Calaena knowing that they're opposite sides of a coin, her being a assassin and Yrene being a healer. But seeing that Yrene wants to help her country folk Calaena lives behind a lot of gold and her emerald brooch for Yrene. She knows its a challenge from the girl in the hood to go out and conquer her destiny. So that is what Yrene does... She sets out in her search of her destiny. 
 In the third novella- The Assassin and the Desert- She finally reaches the Red Desert to the Silent Assassins keep in the middle of the desert. Where she is tested by the mute master and here she meets her first friend Ansel. She keeps thinking about Sam. She trains here with the other assassins. When one day Ansel and Calaena go into town they steal two Asterion horses kingdoms worth. The mute master is very angry with them but is impressed when Calaena takes the blames even though Ansel was the one behind it. Ansel betrays her and everybody at silent assassins keep. She saves the mute master who in return gives her trunks full of gold to pay off her debts. 
 In the fourth novella- The Assassin and the Underworld- She returns home with a letter of approval and lots of gold but doesn't show it Arobynn first. She meets Sam again and is happy to see him. Arobynn says he is sorry and to make up her for it he is giving her a new job where she will again help stop slave trafficking. So Calaena asks Sam to join her. She remembers that Sam threatened to kill Arobynn when Arobynn was beating her to unconsciousness. Sam confesses his love for Calaena, telling her that he knows she would never choose him, she will always choose Arobynn and he can't take that. But Calaena surprises him by saying that she will always choose him. Arobynn betrays her by making her kill the good people who were actually working for the freeing of the slaves. Disgusted, hurt and betrayed she pays off her debt vowing never to return. She also pays off Sam's debt by selling her Asterion horse. They leave the Assassin's keep and move into Calaena new home. 
 In the fifth novella- The Assassin and the Empire- Calaena and Sam are living together with no means of earning, only the occasional earning earned by Sam by fighting in the vaults, a underground betting area for fights. Sam suggests that they leave the empire behind and start their new life elsewhere, somewhere far away. Calaena doesn't want to leave to Adarlan but knows that Sam is right. Even though they have paid off their debts they are still not free and need to pay off the guild fees so that they won't have trouble from the assassin guild when they leave Adarlan behind. Sam says they do one last job which will bring enough money to leave behind everything. But everything doesn't out as planned. Sam is dead. Calaena is betrayed. She ends up in jail and sent off to Endovier. 
 After surviving a year in Endovier, the story picks up in the Throne of Glass. 
 Normally I don't bother reading novellas but this was totally worth it. 
 Pick it up. 
 You're missing some exciting things.