An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir
Published: August 29th 2017 by Razorbill
Review:
Myth: 4.5/5
Told through varying first person accounts of Laia and Elias, this story jumps right into the top and bottom perspective of the Martial Empire. Laia, a scholar, her people are enslaved by the empire, but she never worries too much about that until her brother is arrested for treason. With her only family gone she’ll do almost anything to get him back, including prove to herself and the Resistance leaders that she is strong.
Elias is a Martial elite soldier, a Mask. Though the training is brutal, he has made it through and is the strongest in his class. Being a Mask is a revered post as only the strongest survive and it is the group from which prophecy foretells the new emperor will rise. One small problem, Elias doesn’t want any of it. He can’t push off the brutal things that they are asked to do to each other, to Scholars, he wants out, and is willing to do almost anything to get away.
Magic: 3.5/5
In this world we see right away that things are not ‘normal’. Religious leaders have the ability to read minds, Masks magically meld with your skin, but the system itself is not yet apparent. There is also the concept of ancient tribal stories talking about powerful beings like jinn and ifrit. Most characters seem to believe these are just legends, but I think we’ll find they are very much real and a part of the coming war.
Overall: 4/5
I was hooked on this book pretty quickly. The more I read the more I wanted to read, now I’m sitting staring at my phone waiting for notice that the next book is in from the library.
Other books in the series:
