Empire of Sand (The Books of Ambha, #1)

by Tasha Suri

'Empire of Sand thoroughly swept me away'
S. A. Chakraborty, author of CITY OF BRASS

'A darkly intricate, devastating, and utterly original story about the ways we are bound by those we love'
R. F. Kuang, author of THE POPPY WAR

A NOBLEMAN'S DAUGHTER WITH MAGIC IN HER BLOOD
AN EMPIRE BUILT ON THE DREAMS OF ENSLAVED GODS

Mehr is a girl trapped between two cultures. Her father comes from the ruling classes of the empire, but her mother's people were outcasts, Amrithi nomads who worshipped the spirits of the sands.
Caught one night performing these forbidden rites, Mehr is brought to the attention of the Emperor's most feared mystics, who try to force her into their service by way of an arranged marriage. If she fails in their bidding, the gods themselves may awaken and seek vengeance...

From British debut author Tasha Suri, Empire of Sand is a lush and beautiful tale set in a magical world inspired by medieval India.

'Draws you into an intricately realised world of blood and secrets. An arresting and magical history told through the eyes of an indomitable heroine. I cannot ask for more' Jeannette Ng

'Astounding . . . the epic story set my heart free' Fran Wilde

'The best fantasy novel I have read this year' Miles Cameron

TASHA SURI is a librarian in London. Follow her on twitter at @tashadrinkstea for updates.

• ISBN10: 1549176757
• ISBN13: 9781549176753
• Publish Date: 13 November 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Orbit
• Edition: Library Edition
• Format: Audiobook (CD)
• Duration: 17 hours
• Language: English

Reviews

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

Thanks to my local library, I was able to find and borrow Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. This is the first book that I’ve read by Tasha Suri, and it was a much different Fantasy that I’ve read so far, and I enjoyed it. 

Storyline/My Thoughts: I’m so glad I found something different to read because I was having difficulty finding something to read lately. I didn’t want to end up in a reading slump again as I did over the summer. Tasha Suri’s Empire of Sand helped me not getting into a slump. The minute I started reading, I knew I would have a hard time putting down the book. 

The story is mainly in Mehr’s POV, with a few others getting a small POV, too. She’s a nobleman’s daughter that has magic abilities due to her Amrithi mother. Her father exiled Mehr’s mother a long time ago due to her being Amrithi. The Amrithi have been known to the Empire to be outcasts, and they have been persecuted for a while in the Empire for their magical power in their blood. This means Mehr has to learn her Amrithi abilities from someone else because she has magic in her blood. One night Mehr’s magical abilities are made known by the Emperor’s mystics, and they have come for her. Her father doesn’t want her to go with them, especially since his daughter is being forced to marry someone they have chosen for her. Mehr doesn’t want anything happening to her father, stepmother, and little sister, so she goes with the Mystics to marry the man they have chosen. Her soon-to-be-husband is going to protect Mehr from the person who has controlled him for years by doing something that will put them both in danger if it’s found out. The Mehr meets the person who wants to control her, the Maha, and she realizes he has his own cruel plan, and she doesn’t want anything to with it.

I don’t want to give anything away, so I will stop by detailing anything else. Here are some things I enjoyed about Tasha Suri’s debut novel:

• I loved reading a South Asian Fantasy inspired by the Mughal Empire, as per the author. At the end of this book, readers will find out with the FAQ on how and why Tasha Suri wrote the Books of Ambha. I always love finding out how authors came up with their stories.
• The writing style was unique compared to other authors I’ve read, and I enjoyed it. It’s very detailed, and Tasha Suri did a fabulous job with the world-building.
• I loved Mehr’s character because she’s different from other female protagonists. She knows she’s in danger with the Maha and the mystics, but she’s not going to give up, especially when she has her husband, Amun, who is there with her.
• There’s some romance in the book, but it’s not the main focus in the story, which I enjoyed. I read many romance books, but sometimes I want books that focus more on the story and how the characters grow.
• I didn’t think I would like Amun, who Mehr was married to, but he’s a tortured soul. I love a male protagonist who has been through a lot and will fight back. He protects Mehr from the beginning, and in the end, he’s there for her, too. He becomes the one person that Mehr can trust.
  I loved the ending of this book because Mehr realizes what the Maha is doing. Nope, not spoiling it for anyone.

I could go on and on, but I don’t want to end up spoiling anything. The only thing that bothered me when reading this book was that it was a slow start for me. The action didn’t come until the middle and end of the book. It didn’t prevent me from getting through the book, though. I was intrigued the minute I started finding out more about Mehr and her abilities. I needed to know what was going to happen. Overall, this book receives four stars from me. I’m anxious, though, to dive into the next book, which has Mehr’s little sister as the main protagonist, and she’s grown up. I’m thankful to my local library for having this book and the next book.

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Books of Ambha series.

Trope: Marriage of Convenience; Arranged Marriage; Slow Burn

Triggers: Physical Abuse from Antagonist to Protagonist; Murder/Death

Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you are a fan of an Adult Fantasy book/series that involves magic, mythology, and gods, then you’ll enjoy this book/series by Tasha Suri. If you are looking for a South Asian-inspired fantasy story, you need to check out this book.

[Kate (Blogging with Dragons)]

I picked up Empire of Sand based on the recommendation of the author of The Priory of the Orange Tree, and I am so delighted that I did! I loved the novelty of the magic system, unique world-building of Empire of Sand, which has Indian roots, the strong and intelligent female main character, and the romance between the two lead characters.

The world-building in Empire of Sand was, in a word, lush. I could picture the lavish home of main character Mehr’s Governor father perfectly and could practically swim in the Maha’s desert oasis. Likewise, the sands of the desert, considered holy by Mehr’s people, the Amrithi, seemed purely wild, mysterious, dangerous, and otherworldly. Only the Amrithi people know that the desert is home to sleeping gods, whose dreams make the world what it is. Unfortunately, Mehr discovers firsthand that there are those who seek to bend the gods’ dreams to their own will. Interestingly, the only way to reach the dreaming gods is through the dances of the Amrithi people and soon Mehr finds herself forced into dancing in a place of seemingly no return.

“The Maha, the Great One, first Emperor of the Ambhan Empire, had lived far, far longer than any mortal could. His apparent immortality was proof that the imperial bloodline was blessed by the Gods. His temple stood on the sand where the Gods slept, his mystics prayed for the Empire, and the Empire had grown and flourished with fortune on its side.”

Empire of Sand had a truly great heroine in Mehr. Unlike so many of her counterparts in young adult fantasy, Mehr stopped and thought instead of rushing head-on into danger. She had the quiet strength to know when she could not win and to realize when she needed to keep silent, to plan, and to cling to hope. Mehr was constantly analyzing her horrific situation for how to work them to her advantage. She constantly said things to herself and to others to keep her spirits up, such as “‘You don’t allow him to break you,' she thought. ‘You bend instead'” or:

“Mehr,” he said. “I’m not sure … I’m not sure I believe I can be saved.”

 “Then let me believe for you,” she told him softly. “Let me have faith for both of us.”

Her emotional fortitude really astounded and touched me. So often the quiet strength of women goes unnoticed, but Empire of Sand sings its praises from the mountaintops. It recognizes the women that put their loved ones first, often at their own detriment, those that refuse to give up parts of themselves to fit societal norms, and those that have the strength to keep going when things get tough.  I adored reading about Mehr, a female character who wasn’t running around being sarcastic, or kicking ass as a warrior or assassin or thief or whatever--don’t get me wrong, I love those types of characters too, but it was so refreshing to read about a character who was ordinary and found herself in an extraordinary situation. Not only is it more relatable, but also drives home that women can be strong without having the strength of an assassin or dragon-rider, just as long as they have strength of character.

And Mehr was all of those things for me. She might not have been strong physically, but she was strong emotionally, and I truly think that it is the hardest strength for a character to have, especially when facing insurmountable adversity. She always thought of others first, even those that did not treat her well. Her emotional intelligence was truly just as much of a gift as her Amrithi dancing that reached and shaped the dreams of Gods, and it was through this intuition that she was able to rescue herself and those dear to her. 

The only thing that I did not like about Mehr was that she made a colossal mistake at one point in Empire of Sand. Tons of steadfast judgement, eviscerated in a single, fell stroke. To me it seemed completely out of character for her and like a cheap, sellout to move the plot. I recognized that she was in a bad situation, but it was one Mehr knew she should not have put herself in in the first place--like I said, the girl’s got wisdom. But I realize that not every character is perfect--and nor should she or he be--and as Mehr’s mistake not only drives the plot of Empire of Sand forward, but also hurtles it towards much higher stakes, I could forgive her transgression. Plus, Mehr makes up for it later, as she never stays down for long.

What I loved most about Empire of Sand, other than Mehr’s beautiful characterization, was that the novel took the familiar trope of an arranged marriage, something any avid fanfiction reader like myself will recognize, and turned it into a unique and precious experience for the characters and the readers. I was thrilled that the author took her time in developing the relationship between husband and wife--from reluctance and fear, to respect and trust, and to eventual love--it’s definitely a slow-burn. So if you like the sparks to fly immediately in your books, you will probably be disappointed by the pace. 

However, as a fan of the slow-burn, I was in heaven. The characters each developed on their own, and slowly grew closer as they got to know one another. Though they could barely tolerate one another due to their situation in the beginning, I loved how the vows between Mehr and her husband, Amun were something that gave the two strength, despite the fact that they were supposed to force them into submission to the Maha’s will. I also enjoyed how the two character’s utter goodness was brought out and made stronger and better by the other. 

“It was his hesitation, the deliberate distance he kept between them that made her so utterly aware of his strength and the leash he kept it on. Amun was so sure he was a monster. But it was the way he handled touch—with utter care and respect—that told her he was the opposite of one.”

I feel that in a lot of books that feature fantasy and romance, especially when the novel is only written from the main heroine’s point-of-view, that sometimes her love interest’s personality, goals, and background gets lost in the telling of the heroine’s story. But this is not the case in Empire of Sand, Amun is a fully fleshed out character with fears, a tragic backstory that affects his present, and his own hopes and dreams. As a result of this development, the romance developing between Amun and Mehr is that much more touching. It even brought tears to my eyes. The author truly makes you feel the love between these two characters and the sanctuary that they are for each other in their tragic situation.

I’m so glad I read Empire of Sand. Mehr’s characterization made me feel so seen as an ordinary young woman. And her relationship with her husband is one of the best developed and executed romances I have read in a while--truly the dream for a slow-burn romance fan. Plus, what a truly unique world and magic system! Empire of Sand is the first novel I’ve read that involves slumbering Gods and their dreams and the use of dancing! If you’re looking to escape into a world where magic is glimmering on every page, and full of endless possibilities, then snap up Empire of Sand immediately. I’ve already grabbed the sequel and I cannot wait to read it. 


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[Kat @ Novels & Waffles]

Empire of Sand is without a doubt one of the most excellent fantasy novels I've ever read. Complete with a richly complex India-inspired setting, well-developed characters, and a soul-piercing writing style, all I can say is this: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE PICK THIS BOOK UP.

The writing! I never would have guessed that Empire of Sand was Tasha Suri's debut novel. It's one of the most excellently, most superbly written books I have read in recent memory. Page after page is full of amazingly-crafted sentences that are not only poetically lyrical, but also pack powerful emotional punches. Suri's lush wordsmithing has left my heart bruised and bleeding, and I mean that in the best possible way.

The world! Empire of Sand is set in a complex Mughal India-inspired fantasy world that is an intricately woven tapestry of political intrigue and rich culture. Each fictional thread worked seamlessly together to create something that was colorful, unique, and an utter delight to read.

The characters! Wow, Tasha Suri's characters danced their ways right into my soul. The strong, self-realized heroine, Mehr, has a distinctive narrative voice that swirled off the page. She and her love interest, Amun, were so well developed that they blew through me like a powerful sandstorm and left me in total awe. Not only that, but Mehr and Amun's slow burn relationship was so pure and realistically written; it shattered me and then pieced me back together again.

The magic system!Sleeping gods who dream fire. Mystical dances, rites, and sigils that can bend the fabric of reality. Blood that protects and wards against ancient demons called daiva. Raging sandstorms that are manifestations of divine dreams. Empire of Sand has all this and more. As somebody who reads almost exclusively fantasy novels, I've seen my fill of magic systems. But never have I seen one quite like this, and I love it to infinity and beyond.

The themes! In the end, this is ultimately an empowering story about sacrifice and choice. It expertly shows how our choices can liberate us and our sacrifices can build us, even when we feel caged or trapped. Especially then.

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[Jo]

Trigger Warning: This book features violence against women, extreme pain, and an attempt to force someone to rape another.

An Indian inspired high fantasy, I'd been looking forward to reading Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri from the moment I first heard about it. The world Suri has created is beautiful and dark, and the story was even better than I was expecting!

Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of the Governor of Irinah, and an Amrithi woman. Because of her father, she is a noblewoman living in comfort; because her mother is Amrithi, she is loathed and abhorred by the Governor's staff and his wife. Thought to be heathens and barbaric, and because they refused to support the Emperor centuries ago, the Amrithi are outcasts, nomadic people living in the desert, who are shut out from society.

Because of this, Mehr must practise the beliefs and rites of the Amrithi people - taught to her by her mother and, after her mother's exile, by her mother's friend, Lalita - in secret. The Emperor is coming down more strongly on Amrithi people, and wants them sought and thrown out or killed, and she is urged to be more careful when it comes to practicing the rites. But when a storm comes, showering Irinah in Dreamfire, and Lalita doesn't show up to perform the rite, she goes searching for her, performing the rite among the Dreamfire as she does. Doing so alerts the mystics - the servants of the Maha, the first Emperor who is now immortal, and leader of their faith - of the magic in her blood, and through strategic politics, forces Mehr into a marriage with one of their people. When she gets to Maha's temple, she discovers there's more to prayer and more to the Empire's success than she believed, and that there is darkness and cruelty hiding behind the Maha's benevolent mask. She is wanted for the magic in her blood, to be used as a tool, but it might just be the magic in her blood that saves the world from the revenge of the awakening Gods.

I am unable to tell you how amazing this book is! The world building is just incredible! The empire is based on the Mughal Empire, and the Amrithi magic and the daivas are inspired by Hindu beliefs and epics. Long ago, the Gods had children - the daiva, spirit beings who once walked the earth along with people, but they have grown weak over time. The Amrithi people are descendants of the daiva, so their magic comes from the Gods themselves. Now, the gods sleep, their dreams shaping the world and all that happens in it.

This is the world Mehr lives in, absent her mother for the past nine years. Amrithi people do not make vows or contracts, so Mehr's mother refused to marry the Governor. She lived and loved as his mistress, but after the birth of her second child, Arwa, she became home sick for her people and the desert, so the Governor exiled her, forbidding her to return. It's his guilt at sending her mother away that allows Mehr to privately practise the rites of her mother's people, with the guidance of Lalita, an Amrithi woman who masquerades as a woman from Chand for her own safety. Mehr has the privilege that comes with being a nobleman's daughter - the wealth, the luxury, the right to wear the veil when around men outside her family - but suffers from the prejudice that comes with being her mother's daughter, especially from her stepmother, Maryam, who despises her. Along with this prejudice is colourism; the Ambhan people - her father's people - have light brown skin, while the Amrithi people have dark brown, so you have Ambhan people spotting Amrithi just by looking at them.

'To be Ambhan in an Ambhan world, to have light brown skin and lighter eyes, and straight hair and fine bones, was to be beautiful and to belong.' (p186)*

But with Lalita's disappearance during the storm, and Mehr performing the rite amongst the Dreamfire, trying to find her, the mystics become aware of her, she's forced into a marriage no-one but the Emperor and the Maha want, and taken to the Maha's temple. It's then that the story really gets going. There is a reason Amrithi people do not make vows and do not marry, and the Maha knows this. Now Mehr is married to a mystic - a fellow Amrithi - she is under the Maha's control.

Oh my god, the Maha has got to be one of the worst villains I've ever come across. The mystics were pretty much illegitimate or orphaned children who had no place in society, and would not have survived. But the Maha took them in, gave them a home, food, and a purpose in prayer. The Maha was kind and good, and the mystics are pretty much fanatical in their worship of him. Because that is what the Maha expects, worship. He has found a way to keep himself alive for centuries, he has power, and he thinks himself a god. But he rules with an iron fist. The mystics are so grateful for his kindness, they fall at his feet, and he needs not treat them any differently. But he is power hungry, and he needs Mehr, and Amun, her husband, to use the magic in their blood for his ill-gotten gains. He is also a man who delights in his power over other people. He likes to see others suffer, especially women, and if you fail him, the consequences are extreme. Mate, he made me feel sick. He is beyond cruel, he is evil. But there was also something familiar about him. Yes, he has magical power, but it could be seen as a metaphor for male privilege, with the Maha a man who uses that power to subjugate, hurt and control women, and do whatever he wants with them. He is absolutely terrifying.

'He was not as a God to her. In his smile--even in his eyes--she saw his humanity like a blazing light, a harsh desert sun that illuminated all and left all secrets bared. [Redacted]--so his mystics fell at his feet, worshipped him. He was still nothing but flesh. He hungered for power as a human hungered. He enjoyed hurting her as a mortal man enjoyed crushing another mortal underfoot. He was a man who took pleasure in hurting a woman. His evil was born from his humanity.' (p258-259)*

But it's now all awful. There is a beautiful slow burn romance between Mehr and Amun. Neither of them chose this marriage, and both are bound to the Maha, doing his bidding without choice. But Amun is kind, and he tries to shield Mehr from the worst of it. Partly because he's just a good and decent guy; being the Maha's tool is practically all he's ever known, and he doesn't want the suffering and the pain and the lack of control for Mehr. And partly because he's not a monster, trying to resist a vow he's made for as long as possible, a vow that will lead to pain for Mehr. And Mehr sees that. She sees that he's decent, and she sees that he's fighting for her sake. The other mystics aren't Amrithi, so they share the prejudice against Amrithi people, and treat Amun awfully, though being half Ambhan saves Mehr from it. They are each other's light in a world that is dark and with very little, if any, hope. And slowly, they begin to fall for each other, and it's just so gorgeous and so pure, and I loved it!

Mehr herself was just incredible. She's not badass. She's lived in comfort and luxury her whole life, has never worked, and so is not physically strong. But her strength lies in her hope, in how it keeps her going, her search for escape for her and Amun, her plans and her strategies, and the actions she takes. And her strength is in her resilience, when things are beyond hard, when despair is all there is, when she doesn't feel she can take any more, she keeps on keeping on, and tries to shield Amun from the worst she is feeling. She is just incredible, and I was in awe of her, of her and Amun. Just incredible.

'She allowed herself to tremble, feigned being a thing bent and broken by his cruelty. She did not have her jewels or her fine clothes, but she had this power, at least: She could give him a simulacrum of what he desired from her, and hold her crumbling strength tight.
Let him think he had broken her. As long as he believed he already had, as long as she fooled him, he would not succeed in truly doing so.' (p259-260)*

Empire of Sand is an absolutely fantastic novel, and not only that, written by one of our UK authors of colour. It's lush and dark, beautiful and ugly, full of hope and full of fear, and it is just a triumph. I am so, so looking forward to reading the follow up, Reign of Ash

Thank you to Orbit via NetGalley for the eProof.

*All quotes have been checked against a final copy.

[Beth C.]

This was unexpectedly good. I mean, I figured I would like it (though I have, of course, been *very* wrong about books in the past), but I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. The story is involved without being overly complicated. The world-building is excellent, and the characters are as well. I sat down to start reading this...and finished it the same day. It's just that good.