An Ember in the Ashes (Ember in the Ashes #1)

Description: Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
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 realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Review: I often heard the word brutal when describing the Ember in the Ashes series. I use to think this was a hyperbole until I actually picked it up as part of my Ramadan Reading Challenge this summer. Brutal is the perfect adjective for this series. Tahir's strong debut fantasy series opener is set in the Martial Empire, an ancient Rome-like setting. Elias Veturius is the scion of a proud Martial military family and an outstanding soldier, but he dreams of escaping Blackcliff Academy, the elite military academy where he has nearly completed his training as a Mask, and his inevitable future as a ruthless killer. Elias and three fellow students will be facing the Trials, dangerous and rigorous challenges that will determine the next emperor. Laia is a Scholar, one of many oppressed groups living under the rule of the Martials. When nearly all of Laia's family is killed and her brother is arrested for having a sketchbook depicting Martial weapons, she goes to the Resistance in desperation. The rebel leaders plant her as a spy at Blackcliff Academy, where she must pose as the personal slave of the Commandant, promising that in return they will rescue her brother. Though their story lines are told separately in alternate in dual point of views, Elias and Laia interact with one another and converge as they each face treachery and political schemes.
  Tahir's world-building is wonderfully detailed and is set apart from the derivative of lost heirs reclaiming the throne trope in the recent fantasy trends. Though inspired by ancient Rome, Tahir also manages to weave in Middle Eastern/Southeast Asian mythology and culture with the inclusion of jinns and other ghouls as well as the physical descriptions of the characters and the names of places within the Empire. I loved finding these little nods throughout the story. The ebb and flow of the jinns and ghouls are truly creepy and have peeked my interest. We are only just learning about them and I can't wait to see how this aspect of the story develops as the series continues. 
  All of the characters, even minor ones, are fully realized with flaws and strengths. I immediately liked Elias for his strong moral compass and felt horribly when I learned of his harsh childhood. I also appreciated the inclusion of Laia's quiet strength and resilience as she grew from a whimpering, insecure girl into an established woman and Helene's physical strength as being the sole female at Blackcliff. The Commandant is a genuinely evil and frightening villain. She reminded me so much of Darth Vader. There are hints of various romantic relationships, but I am waiting to read more of this series before I start allying myself with teams.
 The author doesn't pull any punches; her descriptions of torture, punishment, and battle are graphic and brutal, and her realistic depictions of the treatment of slaves include rape and physical abuse. I could only read a few chapters at a time because of its dark tones, but each chapter felt like it ended on a cliffhanger so I had to read more to find out what happens next. Luckily, I can catch up with this series and will not have to wait too long for the series finale. I am so glad that I waited for the hype of this series to die down before judging it on its own merits.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence, often graphic, in the book. There are also alluded scenes of rape and physical abuse. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir (Ember in the Ashes #2), The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta, Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas,