Brock Nelson was browsing through a bookstore in Toronto with former New York Islanders teammate Matt Martin when he first learned of Violet Sorrengail.
Scott Wedgewood was driving from Michigan to Denver when he got hooked on the world-building, dragon-riding romantasy phenomenon known as “Fourth Wing.”
More than 2.500 fans purchased special tickets for “Fourth Wing” night Wednesday at Ball Arena, and all will be eager to take part in a celebration of Rebecca Yarros’ first novel in the “Empyrean” series. They won’t be the only ones in the building excited to potentially meet Yarros, a Colorado Springs resident and hockey mom.
“I’m pumped for that night, the jersey, having Rebecca there,” Nelson said. “I’m hoping I get to meet her. My wife wants to meet her. It’s cool to have that connection now.
“Last year, I remember somebody was like, ‘Hey, did you see the author of ‘Fourth Wing’ was at one of your games?’ I had no idea. Then I saw that she’s a huge fan. Fast forward to now with ‘Fourth Wing’ night, and it’s pretty cool.”
The Yarros family is an Avs household, though Rebecca’s husband is an East Coast native and grew up a Rangers fan. They were at a game in Denver last season when the subject of her throwing out the first pitch at Fenway Park came up.
If Boston was going to have a “Fourth Wing” night, then Colorado’s hockey team should have one as well. There are specialized Riorson No. 4 jerseys, complete with a Fourth Wing-inspired Avalanche logo and a Basgiath War College patch. There is going to be a special burgundy-heavy edition of the book.
Megan Boyle, director of marketing for the Avalanche, also said there will be other surprises in store as well.
“We have a few in-game elements that we’re excited to bring the book to life a little bit in the arena,” Boyle said. “We’re going to have specialty cocktails available, and some photo booth opportunities on the concourse. I think overall it’s going to be a fun night for fans of hers to come experience an Avs hockey game.”
At least two fans of hers reside in the Avalanche locker room. Nelson wasn’t alone on that Islanders team, either.
He has read all three of the “Empyrean” books, including “Iron Flame” and “Onyx Storm.” When he found out a certain Avs beat writer was going to interview Yarros, his first thought was to ask her when the fourth book (of five planned) is coming out.
“There were probably six or seven of us (on the Islanders) that all got into it around the same month or two months,” Nelson said. “Got into it and liked the book. Read all three, and we were all kind of reading them together. My wife got into it. She ripped through them.
“It felt like one of those books that got you right away. Easy to get fully into it quickly. It felt like a Harry Potter-Game of Thrones combo.”
Nelson said it wasn’t that he and his wife didn’t read books before “Fourth Wing,” but he wouldn’t have classified themselves as avid readers. They caught the bug, though. He’s dug into other sci-fi/fantasy series since finishing “Onyx Storm.” He said his wife is going to end up reading about 30 books this year.
Wedgewood is definitely an avid reader, and more than happy to offer up sci-fi/fantasy recommendations to anyone who wants them in the Avs locker room. His favorites include “Ready Player One” and the “Red Rising” series.
His foray into the conflict between the kingdoms of Navarre and Poromiel began shortly after “Fourth Wing” night was announced.
“I saw that the team had posted about it, and I commented on Instagram as kind of a subtle joke,” Wedgwood said. “A bunch of people said I needed to read it, so I decided I had some homework to do. And I enjoy all that stuff anyway.”
Wedgewood listened to “Fourth Wing” on audiobook during the 17-hour drive from Michigan to Denver just before the start of training camp. He completed it in two days and is currently working his way through the audiobook version of “Iron Flame.”
He likes to switch back and forth between reading and audiobooks during the season. This one … was different. The genre is called “romantasy” for a reason.
“Just me and a 26-foot U-Haul being read to,” Wedgewood said. “She’s a really descriptive writer, and did a really good job with it. It was just funny when I called my wife and was like, ‘I don’t think I knew what I was getting into.’ I’ve talked to a couple people around the team about it, and they were like, ‘Oh, you are audiobooking it? That’s got to be different.’ I was not warned in that regard.”
Nelson and Wedgewood are not the only players in the Avs’ locker room who are fans. Brent Burns, who participated in an unofficial book club while playing for the San Jose Sharks, is one of Yarros’ 1.7 million followers on Instagram. He and his wife are both in the process of completing the series.
Burns seems like someone who would fit in at Basgiath, or at one of the outposts on Navarre’s front lines.
“I would love to be a dragon rider,” Burns said. “I love those kinds of books. A bunch of guys had read it and recommended it to me. I’m going to try and make sure she comes down and says hello to the boys.
“I’m also probably going to steal my warm-up jersey and get her to sign it. I’m under direct instructions from my wife to do that.”
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