Fire
The first engagement with metaphorical language occurs just two paragraphs into the book. “And now that the sun had long since vanished, the enemy campfires flickered across the mountains and valley below like a blanket of stars.” The use of this simile compares the flickering fires lit by enemy troops on the verge of assault with the massive number of stars twinkling in the sky. The symbolic presentation of volume of lights conveys the sense of just what a powerful assault lies in wait for the protagonist.
Darkness
Appropriately, an oppositional simile is used specifically to convey the almost cosmic extinguishing of all those campfires. “One by one, as if a great hand of darkness wiped them away, the fires of the dread - lord’s camp went out.” The utilization of the imagery of this almost God-like hand immediately snuffing out those firelight flickers numbering as great as the stars in the sky further assists in situating the danger being faced and the necessity for something fantastical to enjoy victory.
Character Description
Character description is typically more dependent upon the comparative qualities of simile rather than the direct implication of outright metaphor. When used, metaphor can often be used to sum up not just how a character looks, but their basic essence. “She was a force of nature. She was a calamity and a commander of immortal warriors of legend.” These are the symbolic words used to communicate the fundamental personality of a character named Aelin. The phrase “force of nature” can be ambiguous, but the addition of being describe as a “calamity” more concretely illustrates extent of her chaotic nature.
Eternal Love
Expressions of eternal love are usually heavily dependent upon metaphorical language. “Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.” The reference to the end of the world which characterizes the eternity of this expression of love is especially poetic. The power of the language relies upon the knowledge that outside of religious texts, the heavenly bodies populating the universe are ancient and last an inconceivable period of time. This epochal period is perhaps the closest thing to eternal life that exists and thus successfully communicates the idea of everlasting love.
Fear and Victory
A proverbial observation makes a metaphorical statement about preparation for battle. “Fear could break a line faster than any enemy charge.” The meaning of this metaphor is that those about to head to battle need to believe they can win before one step is taken. Without confidence of victory, the fear of defeat could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
