Realm of Ash

The Books of Ambha, Book 2

By: Tasha Suri

Narrated by: Soneela Nankani

Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

The fate of an empire rests in the hands of a young woman with magical blood and nothing left to lose, and an outcast prince determined to save his family at any cost, in this "dark, melodious, and memorable" new fantasy (Library Journal, starred review) from the author of Empire of Sand.

The Ambhan Empire is crumbling. A terrible war of succession hovers on the horizon. The only hope for peace lies in the mysterious realm of ash, where mortals can find what they seek in the echoes of their ancestors' dreams. But to walk there requires a steep price.

Arwa is determined to make the journey. Widowed by a brutal massacre, she's pledged service to the royal family and will see that pledge through to the end. She never expected to be joined by Zahir, the disgraced, illegitimate prince who has turned to forbidden magic in a desperate bid to save those he loves.

Together, they'll walk the bloody path of their shared past. And it will call into question everything they've ever believed...including whether the Empire is worth saving at all.

"Those with a penchant for lyrical prose, intricate world building, beautifully imagined characters, [and] compelling immersive folklore...need look no further." (Booklist, starred review)

The Books of Ambha:

1. Empire of Sand
2. Realm of Ash

©2019 Soneela Nankani (P)2019 Orbit

Embracing Identity

The story of Arwa, like her sister’s story in Empire Of Sand, tugged at a longing inside me to embrace an identity that had been forgotten. The story of the Amrithi reminded me of my own people’s story, turning away from what we are to survive in a world that scorned our culture and replaced it with their own.

Tasha Suri’s tale of grief, overcoming fear, and rediscovering who you are - the power that runs in your blood - inspired me. Her tone is gentle, haunting and really beautiful.

I think I like this better than the first book

I enjoyed the imagery in this book a lot. I feel like I preferred it over the first book, Empire of Sand. But no, that's not true. Because I would not have even understood Realm of Ash without reading Empire of Sand first. lol.

It was a great book. However, I wish there was more exploration into both sisters in this book. It truly just focuses on Arwa. I kept wanting to have Mehr appear all book long.

OMG! Tasha Suri has done it again!

What a ride!
Never in my life did I think I'd be so emotionally wrecked over a book! Especially one in which I spent a good chunk not being overly fond of the main character.

Honestly, if you invest in just one fantasy series this year it should be this one.

If you love fantasy romance, this is absolutely the book for you.

If you love complex, character driven fantasy that delves deep into magic, history, and culture but aren't fond of "romance books" (like me) then this is also the book for you!

With everything else going on, you're likely to forget your even reading a romance book.

Now, let's talk about the narrator for a moment.
Soneela Nankani does a BRILLIANT job narrating this audiobook! Her voices are well crafted, distinct, and true to the text. Even her male voices are impressive. On top of that, she is an absolute master of vocal inflection. I could literally hear the emotion in every line of dialogue. And her tempo changes throughout are nothing short of incredible. Her reading speed on any given scene is a perfect indicator of the tension in that scene.

As it my wont, I will forego a discussion of the plot. I'm sure there are dozens of reviews that will delve into that.

As I said above, throughout much of the text I wasn't particularly fond of Arwa as a character. In the beginning (at least to me), she comes across as rather spoiled and self-entitled while simultaneously naive. I'm also not fond of the way she continually moulds herself into whatever other people (her family, host, etc) want/need her to be.

That said, I do really like Zahir. He's intelligent, inquisitive, and more honorable than any other man in the book (maybe in the series so far). Although he's capable of great violence, he's also a gentle soul.

Now, there are (perhaps) one or two conflicts that feel somewhat contrived and arise from characters refusing to see what's in front of them. But the occurrences of such are far less common than in many other character driven stories (especially those with as strong an element of romance).

I love the deep dive into the history, mythology, magic, and planar landscape of the world Tasha Suri has created. The way much of it works is absolutely fascinating.

The culture is equally fascinating and so different from anything in my personal experience that I can't help being captivated by it.

We get to meet an entirely new type of supernatural creature in this book (which comes with delving into the world's history as well as in the present as a direct consequence to the events of Empire of Sand) that I find incredibly interesting. This is not the simple "Monster" that is seen in so many fantasy books, but something very complex and fascinating in its own right.

And, of course, later in the book we get to link directly with someone from the first book and I won't lie, I absolutely loved that!

Now, if I had to name something that could be a criticism for this book, it would have to be in the prose itself (I can find no fault whatsoever with the characters, the world, or the story). Don't misunderstand, the author's prose is beautiful, no question. But the use of passive voice seems just a bit excessive, especially since much of it does not feel necessary.

But that's it.
In all other ways, I really couldn't have asked for more.

And at last we come to the finale.
Truthfully, they're were several points where I legitimately worried about just how Arwa and Zahir were going to even survive their travails. But rest assured, there is no Deus Ex Machina here.

The ending comes together in what can only be described as absolute brilliance. I was completely blown away by the way the climax comes together. This is one of the very few books I've read this year that I couldn't help bursting out in applause with exactly what happens.

And in the final wrapup at the end, I legitimately cried.

I don't think I could give any book higher praise than that.

I'm so glad I allowed myself to be convinced to give these books a chance, and I can't wait to see the next book in the series!

Alright

I loved the characters. Especially Arwa. But the pacing was a little brutal. I found myself daydreaming alot as the book played or my thoughts wandering away from the story. The action was pretty good and gripping. It was narrated perfectly. The biggest let down was the end. "The big meetup" was a little lackluster and very rushed. Weve been waiting the whole book for this and it felt like it was written as an after thought.