'Realm Of Ash' by Tasha Suri' is the sequel / companion to 'Empire Of Sand'. I really loved her style of prose and the themes within after finishing that book, and I was looking forward to reading another story set in her South Asian inspired world.
Where 'Empire Of Sand' was focused on Mehr, 'Realm Of Ash' switches the attention to her younger sister, Arwa, who we only met briefly previously. But instead of being a direct follow on of events of the first book, we flash forward several years, and Arwa is now a young woman. Having been brought up by her devout step mother in exile, surpressing her outlawed Amrithi heritage, Arwa is now in a period of grievance after surviving a brutal and infamous massacre, where she also lost her husband, and is on her way to a commune for widows. Whilst she is there, her Amrithi roots are discovered and she offers herself up to the Ambhan Royal Palace. It's there, in the service of the Emperor's daughter, that Arwa meets Zahir, the bastard outcast son of the Emperor. The two are soon put together and are collaborating in an effort to 'save' the Empire by visiting the realm of ash - the realm of the dead - in an efffort to find the soul of the Maha, the religious leader from the first book. The beginnings of an awkward romance start to bloom, but being drawn into court politics as well as a coup for the throne by one of Zahir's more fanatical brothers, throws everything off kilter, and Arwa and Zahir have to flee for their lives in an effort to escape the coup and to continue their 'heretical' work.
The world building of this series has been one of the delights, making the fictional landscape seem very real, and one of the best I've had the pleasure to be acquainted with. Tasha takes the lore that she built in the first book, and expands upon it, as we see how the Ambhan Empire has adjusted to life after the ramifications of the events from the 'Empire Of Sand' in the intervening years in between the books. The addition of the mysterious realm of ash adds another layer to an already intricate and spiritual world. The cultures of the Ambhan and Amrithi peoples are given further depth, with a deeper look at their beliefs and rituals, making them more alive and enriched, helped by part of the story being a journey, and the meeting new people and their customs along the way, instead of being limited to just one or two locations and only a few characters.
Where 'Empire Of Sand' was focused on Mehr, 'Realm Of Ash' switches the attention to her younger sister, Arwa, who we only met briefly previously. But instead of being a direct follow on of events of the first book, we flash forward several years, and Arwa is now a young woman. Having been brought up by her devout step mother in exile, surpressing her outlawed Amrithi heritage, Arwa is now in a period of grievance after surviving a brutal and infamous massacre, where she also lost her husband, and is on her way to a commune for widows. Whilst she is there, her Amrithi roots are discovered and she offers herself up to the Ambhan Royal Palace. It's there, in the service of the Emperor's daughter, that Arwa meets Zahir, the bastard outcast son of the Emperor. The two are soon put together and are collaborating in an effort to 'save' the Empire by visiting the realm of ash - the realm of the dead - in an efffort to find the soul of the Maha, the religious leader from the first book. The beginnings of an awkward romance start to bloom, but being drawn into court politics as well as a coup for the throne by one of Zahir's more fanatical brothers, throws everything off kilter, and Arwa and Zahir have to flee for their lives in an effort to escape the coup and to continue their 'heretical' work.
The world building of this series has been one of the delights, making the fictional landscape seem very real, and one of the best I've had the pleasure to be acquainted with. Tasha takes the lore that she built in the first book, and expands upon it, as we see how the Ambhan Empire has adjusted to life after the ramifications of the events from the 'Empire Of Sand' in the intervening years in between the books. The addition of the mysterious realm of ash adds another layer to an already intricate and spiritual world. The cultures of the Ambhan and Amrithi peoples are given further depth, with a deeper look at their beliefs and rituals, making them more alive and enriched, helped by part of the story being a journey, and the meeting new people and their customs along the way, instead of being limited to just one or two locations and only a few characters.
Themes about loss and grief are prevalent throughout the story, as we focus on Arwa, a young woman whose position of a widowed noblewoman, when we first meet her, means that she doesn't fulfil a 'use' in society anymore. She still finds it hard to come to terms with the loss of her husband, and the devasting incident that made her a widow, as well as her loss in her faith and her struggle to accept herself and her place in society. But Arwa's journey is ultimately also one of self discovery, especially after she meets Zahir, allowing her to re-discover herself and bloom once again.
'Realm Of Ash' is another beautifully written book, a slow burn that builds as the story progresses and one that pulls you deep into its lore, adding even more layers of depth to an already well developed world, plus compelling and engaging lead characters that you'll want to follow along their journey with, as well as a good cast of supporting characters too. Having fallen in love with 'The Books of Ambha' series, Tasha Suri will be an author whose works will always now go straight into my TBR list. I also had the chance to meet her at a book signing at a UK comic con last year, getting both books in the series signed in the process, which was a pleasure! I look forward to her next books with very enthusiastic anticipation!
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