Some believe the Ambhan Empire is cursed. But Arwa doesn’t simply believe it – she knows it’s true.
Widowed by the infamous, unnatural massacre at Darez Fort, Arwa was saved only by the strangeness of her blood – a strangeness she had been taught all her life to suppress. She offers up her blood and service to the imperial family and makes common cause with a disgraced, illegitimate prince who has turned to forbidden occult arts to find a cure to the darkness hanging over the Empire.
Using the power in Arwa’s blood, they seek answers in the realm of ash: a land where mortals can seek the ghostly echoes of their ancestors’ dreams. But the Emperor’s health is failing, and a terrible war of succession hovers on the horizon, not just for the imperial throne, but for the magic underpinning Empire itself.
To save the Empire, Arwa and the prince must walk the bloody path of their shared past, through the realm of ash and into the desert, where the cause of the Empire’s suffering-and its only chance of salvation – lie in wait. But what they find there calls into question everything they’ve ever valued . . . and whether they want to save the Empire at all.
I absolutely adored Empire Of Sand the first in this series, I was so so pleased to return to the story – Realm of Ash is beautifully imagined, just like it’s predecessor, and I adored every minute of it.
Inspired by Mughal India, Tasha Suri built a richly layered world in her debut, one filled with magically engaging characters and telling an emotive, immersive tale, one of politically motivated prejudice, seeped in history and genuinely compelling. With Realm of Ash we find things on the brink of disaster- enter Arwa, dedicated to the cause whilst hiding her true nature, she may be the only one who can save the Ambhan Empire but possibly it would be best left to die…
I’m not even sure how to describe these novels in a way that gets across how utterly breathtaking they are – intelligent and totally absorbing, the character drama set against a sprawling, lush and panoramic backdrop , you fall into them and live there for the duration of the read. Tasha Suri has a way of writing that induces emotional reactions on every level, weaving a tense and atmospheric tale with hugely thought provoking elements and a giant sense of adventure.
These are fantastic. Hands down one of the best Fantasy series to emerge in the last few years – I absolutely highly HIGHLY recommend them.
Reading perfection.
You can purchase Realm of Ash (Orbit) Here.
Happy Reading!
