Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.   By Mineli Kahanda Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. 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. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence 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, 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. 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 and Laia will soon realise that their destinies are intertwined – and that their choices will change the fate of the empire itself. The writing style ‘An Ember in the Ashes’ is told from the perspectives of the two main characters – Elias and Laia. The author shifts between the two at roughly regular intervals allowing the story to be told simultaneously in both perspectives. Tahir’s writing flows smoothly; it’s not too descriptive and yet not too blunt, perfectly blending in with the background of the story. The story is told by Laia, who hails from a once flourishing people – The Scholars – who are now stripped of their power, culture, and rights; they now live in poverty and illiteracy as the slaves of the Martial Empire, which in fact is where the second main character comes from. As one of the enforcers of the Martial Empire, Elias is expected to carry on the legacy of his forefathers, to rise up in Blackcliff, the empire’s greatest military school, and become a mask and either keep down the uprisings throughout the empire or fight at the forefront of the still ongoing war to further expand the borders and influence of the empire. But he does not want to. Laia would’ve been content to live her life with her brother and grandparents, poor but happy. Yet, when her beloved family is shattered and her brother is taken, things change. If things were different, this would be a different story and their paths would’ve never crossed. He would rise to the top and she would keep to the dregs. Both would be happy and content as puppets of a much larger force. However, if things were different, it wouldn’t be the same story. For Elias and Laia are no mere puppets; they are the embers hidden deep in the ashes. He wishes to run away from the empire and she wants her brother back so they both make drastic decisions. Their paths cross in the most unexpected of ways, Elias – an Aspirant, a contender for the position of emperor – and Laia – a rebel spy and slave for the Commandant, one of the most vicious and brutal of masks and the head of the Blackcliff Academy. They both toe a dangerous line. Laia must survive the Commandant’s cruelty and if she is caught, she would be tortured and killed and her brother would be as good as dead. Elias must survive the brutal trials to become the emperor. Trials where failure means certain death. If his plans to desert everything are found out, he would face the same fate as Laia. In this tale of blood and death, there is also romance complete with two love triangles and yet, it has less to do with appearances and more to do with the actual personalities of the participants and how they complement or complete each other; and about what choosing one path over the other would lead to. It’s about making these assessments, of choosing and prioritising what matters: a past of shared experiences or an understanding of loss, strength, idealism, or loyalty. Reviews and ratings “‘An Ember in the Ashes’ is a deceptively simple read. The writing is as smooth as silk and keeps one reading long after the lights should have been out. The short chapters and the youthful viewpoints might put this book firmly in the Young Adult (YA) category. But the questions considered in this book are the very questions that must be considered as one moves into adulthood. How much should an individual be willing to suffer for the greater good? Is it foolish to struggle if one can avoid extreme pain by accepting an oppressive system and clinging to whatever small comforts there can be in daily life? Are idealism and heroism glorious if it means sacrificing the safety of your children and loved ones? A compelling story, simply told, that considers both the cost of struggling for freedom and the price of maintaining supremacy. ‘An Ember in the Ashes’ pits the false security of submission against the terrifying price of gaining choice. Set in an oppressive society, the two viewpoints could not be more different in status, nor more alike in their subjugation. This tale recognises that the ruthlessness required to retain power is as restrictive as the slave’s subjugation” – Review by Robin Hobb