A Sky Beyond the Storm

An Ember in the Ashes, Book 4

By: Sabaa Tahir

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Katharine Lee McEwan, Steve West, Maxwell Caulfield, Nikki Massoud

Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times best-selling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off....

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

By his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory — or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life — and love — he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save — or destroy — all that he knows.

©2020 Sabaa Tahir (P)2020 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"A Sky Beyond the Storm is a masterclass example of how to wrap up a series." - The Nerd Daily

“Tahir’s exquisite storytelling doesn’t miss a beat… This series is an epic hero’s journey, with love, adventure, and magic woven throughout. Recommended for every young adult collection.” —School Library Journal

A Good Ending, Albeit Somewhat Unsatisfying

Considering how wonderfully paced and plotted the first two novels were, I felt like Reaper at the Gates and Sky Beyond the Storm were both rather rushed and fantastical comparatively. Whereas the first two novels were steeped in reality, despite the touches of magic, the final two books were so heavily mired in the fantastical elements that the rest of the story suffered. For example, the darkness in Laia is so quickly introduced and rarely revisited or explained that it seemed to be a bit of a deus ex machina. However, it is clear that the deeper root of it was present from the very first chapters of the very first book. Altogether I applaud Tahir for weaving the disparate threads and prophecies together, and while I am happy with the end, I'm not thoroughly satisfied by it.

A brilliant finish to a “beloved” series

It’s always a bit sad when a series you love comes to an end. But the story concluded beautifully and satisfyingly. The performances across the board were fantastic. There are some books that I enjoy audibles more than my own narration, and this is definitely one of them.

Suspenseful, beautiful written and narrated

Nearly every chapter ends on a cliff hanger and keeps you wanting to listen to more.

AWESOME!

Awesome book, fantastic series! I love the complexity of the characters; each of them having good and bad traits. The emotions and violence experienced by these people born into war was raw, but not gratuitous. I think all of it was necessary to tell this story. I'm only sad that I don't get to hang out with these characters as they continue their lives. I'm going to miss them.

Standing Ovation

This story brings all things full circle. Beautiful!!A wonderful conclusion to an excellent series!

A happy ending to a good series.

The narration is great. The story is a sweet ending to the series. Loose ends get tied up in ways I didn't see coming.

Great narration, captivating story

I was hooked on this once I started. Really enjoyed the narration throughout this entire series. Great ending to the series.

A Beautiful Ending to a Brilliant Story

I began this series in high school and have just had the opportunity to finish. Tidbits here and there have stuck with me but, above all else, "Where there is life, there is hope," will stick with me far beyond the end of this series.

Best series out there

This has by far been the best series I have listened too! I wish I could hear it again for the first time. The story is gripping, the characters have such depth, and the pacing is impeccable. I loved, lost, hated, and felt joy along with the characters. The narration was fantastic as well, the voices matching the characters and the inflections conveying more emotion that just reading could do. If you haven't read or listened to this story, you definitely need too.

I could not put it down!

This series has it all. You will not be disappointed. Wonder, sacrifice, love, pain, forgiveness. It’s an epic for the ages.