Format: E-Galley, 496 pages
Release Date: November 13, 2018
Publisher: Orbit
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Epic
A nobleman's daughter with magic in her blood. An empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods. Empire of Sand is Tasha Suri's captivating, Mughal India-inspired debut fantasy.
The
Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are
coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their
blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an
exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic
she has inherited.
When Mehr's power comes to
the attention of the Emperor's most feared mystics, she must use every
ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist their cruel
agenda.
Should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance...
Empire of Sand, by author Tasha Suri, is the first installment in the authors Books of Ambha series. Empire of Sand draws on India's history going back to the Mughad Empire. All of the books in this series are standalone. This book focuses on a young woman named Mehr who has both noble blood (Ambhan) and Amrithi blood. Amrithi are said to be children of daiva and humans. In Irinah, the daiva haven't faded into myth and history just yet.
They are lurking in the sand and are thought to be holy beings by the Amrithi who are being systematically hunted by the Empire's nobles. Mehr is the illegitimate but highborn daughter of a governor of the Ambham Empire. Her younger sister, Arwa, is being guided to a different future by their step-mother who doesn't much care for Mehr. Mehr carries a secret. She has been trained to perform the Rite of Dreaming when the storms of Dreamfire converge on Irinah.
After her friend disappears, & her guard is found murdered, Mehr makes a mistake that has severe implications for her and her family. Unfortunately for Mehr, who can perform magical dances and rites during the tempest, the Maha, the head of religious faith in the Empire and leader of the feared mystics, has been searching for anyone who can wield magic for reasons unbeknown to most but these shamans are normally taken away never to be seen again.
When the mystics show up requesting an audience with Mehr, she finds herself at a crossroads. She can choose to do what her father asks of her and run away, or she can stay and be linked to a stranger named Amun, a young man who works for the Maha. Under Iriniah customs, noblewomen are a treasure and they can't be forced into marrying anyone against their will. The right to make one contact is up to the woman to choose who to marry by giving away her marriage seal. If she chooses to bind herself to Amun, and thus the Maha who wants to use her magic, there's a good chance she will have no future once whatever plans the Maha has for her are at an end.
While this is a standalone, the sequel, Realm of Ash, will be told from the point of view of Mehr's sister Arwa as an adult. The author states that the next installment will allow readers to discover what, if any, consequences of Mehr's actions will be felt in the Empire and elsewhere. As stated above, this story is based in part on the Mughad Empire. The dancing that Mehr participates in is based on Hindu rites. The main theme of this book is sacrifice. Mehr must choose between family and romance. Mehr is a different sort of protagonist. Her strengths manifest in less over ways than wielding guns, or being a kick-ass fighter with remarkable abilities. There are two other characters who are featured in this book; Amun and Lalita. Lalita helped train Mehr in the Rite of Dreaming, while Amun is bound to both Mehr and the Maha and must also make sacrifices that may cost him everything.
Publication Schedule:
1. Empire of Sand (11/2018)
2. Realm of Ash (11/2019)
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