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Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. With their superior weaponry,

the Martials enslaved the Scholars, subjecting them to lifelong pain and misery. Books

are burned, and the secrets to the Empire’s weaponry guarded. Those who do not vow

their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the

destruction of all they hold dear.

In this brutal world, Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family

scrapes by in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire.

They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason for sketching designs of the Empire’s top

secret weapons, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who

promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the

Empire’s greatest military academy, a school known for its ruthlessness.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling.

Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He wishes to

desert and be free from his chains once and for all. He and Laia will soon realize that

their destinies are intertwined. Together, they could change the fate of the Empire... or

become another ember in the ashes.

My favorite character is Izzi, a fellow slave working in the academy who aids Laia in her

mission. Though one of her eyes was carved out by the Empire when she was five, she is

not only brave but more observant. She’s quick to spot danger and never afraid to die

helping her friend if it makes her life more meaningful. The Empire broke her face, but

they can’t break her spirit.

One downside in this story was the lack of worldbuilding. Since Tahir wrote the story in

present tense, he doesn’t allow a lot of space for reflection. There’s a lot of vagueness

when it comes to what defines a Scholar and a Martiel, the two main classes of people,

and what distinct features they have. The story is fast-paced and character driven, but it

comes at a cost in worldbuilding.

Nevertheless, I would rate An Ember in the Ashes a 9/10! The plot was so captivating I

was able to finish this novel in less than two days. There was never a point when I felt

like the plot dragged on or lacked suspense. Though there were less worldbuilding

elements in this book in comparison to other fantasy novels, I much prefer the way this

story pulls you forward, never letting you dwell long on the present. Though it is labeled

as fantasy fiction, mythological creatures aren’t super heavily expanded upon, and we’re

just as in the dark as the characters are.

I would recommend this book to those who love a fast-paced story that emphasizes a lot

on the relationships between characters. It’s a book with an original concept without too

much of the typical cliches.

Checkout An Ember in the Ashes from the Newport Beach Public Library.