An Ember in the Ashes

‘Tahir spins a captivating, heart-pounding fantasy’ – Us Weekly

Read the explosive New York Times bestselling debut that’s captivated readers worldwide. Set to be a major motion picture, An Ember in the Ashes is the book everyone is talking about.

What if you were the spark that could ignite a revolution?

For years Laia has lived in fear. Fear of the Empire, fear of the Martials, fear of truly living at all. Born as a Scholar, she’s never had much of a choice.

For Elias it’s the opposite. He has seen too much on his path to becoming a Mask, one of the Empire’s elite soldiers. With the Masks’ help the Empire has conquered a continent and enslaved thousands of Scholars, all in the name of power.

When Laia’s brother is taken she must force herself to help the Resistance, the only people who have a chance of saving him. She must spy on the Commandant, ruthless overseer of Blackcliff Academy. Blackcliff is the training ground for Masks and the very place that Elias is planning to escape. If he succeeds, he will be named deserter. If found, the punishment will be death.

But once Laia and Elias meet, they find that their destinies are intertwined and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire.

In the ashes of a broken world one person can make a difference. One voice in the dark can be heard. The price of freedom is always high and this time that price might demand everything, even life itself.

Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE EMBER QUARTET:

‘The writing is as smooth as silk and keeps one reading long after the lights should have been out’
Robin Hobb, bestselling author of Assassin’s Apprentice

‘Sabaa Tahir shows us light in darkness, hope in a world of despair, and the human spirit reaching for greatness in difficult times’
Brandon Sanderson, bestselling author of the Mistborn and Stormlight Archive series

‘A harrowing, haunting reminder of what it means to be human’
Washington Post

‘Takes you into a world as bloody and ruthless as Game of Thrones, but there’s a tender and humane heart to these books, too’
New York Times

‘An explosive, heartbreaking, epic debut that will keep you glued to the pages’
Marie Lu, bestselling author of Legend

‘This book is dark, complex, vivid, and romantic—expect to be completely transported’
MTV.com

About the author

Sabaa Tahir grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s eighteen-room motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, raiding her brother’s comic book stash, and playing guitar badly. She began writing An Ember in the Ashes while working nights as a newspaper editor. She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks, and all things nerd. Sabaa currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

For more information, please visit Sabaa at SabaaTahir.com or on Twitter @SabaaTahir.