The Final Strife
-
- $13.99
Publisher Description
'Epic in scope, its worldbuilding as intricate as filigree. The Final Strife sings of rebellion, love, and the courage it takes to stand up to tyranny, following three women whose journeys will keep you gripped to the last' —Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
The Empire rules by blood
Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.
Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.
Clear is the blood of the servants, of the crushed, of the invisible.
The Aktibar – a set of trials held every ten years to find the next Ember rulers of the Empire – is about to begin.
All can join but not just anyone can win; it requires great skill and ingenuity to become the future wardens of Strength, Knowledge, Truth and Duty.
Sylah was destined to win the trials and be crowned Warden of Strength. Stolen by blue-blooded rebels she was raised with a Duster’s heart; forged as a weapon to bring down from within the red-blooded Embers’ regime of cruelty. But when her adopted family were brutally murdered those dreams of a better future turned to dust.
However, the flame of hope may yet be rekindled because Sylah wasn’t made to sparkle, she was born to burn.
And it’s up to her whether she rules the empire or destroys it.
Reviews
‘Featuring a love triangle, an enemies to lovers arc, and plenty of intrigue, this read will have you running the full gamut of emotions’ Huffington Post UK
‘El-Arifi is a game-changing new voice in epic fantasy, and The Final Strife is a triumph of book, full of rage, charm, and a cast of misfits you can't help but root for. There are no Chosen Ones here. Only bad choices and blood’
Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
‘Epic, gripping and searing, The Final Strife weaves a fascinating tale of destiny, magic and love set in a richly imagined yet brutally divided world. Its unexpected, gritty heroine is one you cannot help but root for, and the story will stay with you long after the last page’
Sue Lynn Tan, author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess
‘El-Arifi tells a tale that is as fierce as its characters, plunging you into a sandy, stratified world until you can feel the grit between your teeth. Heart-wrenching and heart-pounding, The Final Strife is an unmissable debut’
Andrea Stewart, author of Bone Shard Daughter
‘Full of rich, vivid world-building with political intrigue and characters you can’t help but root for. I loved it’
Christina Sweeney-Baird, author of The End of Men
‘Epic fantasy turned on its head in the most compelling way imaginable. A heroine with bite, a supporting cast of flawed but deeply human characters, and world building that is raw, unforgiving and richly textured, The Final Strife is the real deal. El-Arifi is a bold new voice in epic fantasy and I cannot wait to read more of her work’
Kalynn Bayron, bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead and This Poison Heart
‘A rip-roaring read!’
Taran Matharu, NYT bestselling author of the Summoner and Contender series
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
El-Arifi debuts and launches the Ending Fire series with a fast-paced epic fantasy inspired by Ghanian and Arabian folklore. The Wardens' Empire maintains a violent social hierarchy based on the color of one's blood. There are three classes: the Embers, the red-blooded elite; the Dusters, a blue blooded second class; and the Ghostings, clear-blooded slaves with virtually no rights. Scrappy heroine Sylah lives among the Dusters, working in their fighting rings while struggling with addiction to deadly joba seeds. But Sylah has a secret: she was born an Ember. She and 12 other Ember children were stolen as babies by a Duster-led resistance called the Sandstorm, who hoped to raise them "to destroy the empire from within." A brutal massacre of Sandstorm's ranks left Sylah the sole survivor, and she's lost all hope of a revolution—until someone she'd thought long dead walks back into her life. Now Sylah works to pick up the pieces of the rebellion with help from her friend Hassa, a clever and resourceful Ghosting, and Anoor, the Duster with whom she was switched at birth. El-Arifi keeps the pages flying even while building an intricate secondary world, allowing readers to learn its rules through action rather than exposition. This sets a high bar for the series to come.
