Empire Of Sand (The Books Of Ambha #1) - Tasha Suri

My Review - 4.5 Stars

The world-building, the dance imagery, the magic of Mughal-inspired fantasy…Empire Of Sand captivated me.

Mehr was a complex character. Privileged because her father is the governor but marginalized because her mother was Amrithi and refused to marry her father, making Mehr and her sister illegitimate and eventually abandoning them. The Amrithi are few in the Empire and outcasts at that. Mehr chafes against her stepmother’s restrictions, along with the expectation she marry.

And yet, marry she must for Mehr has come to the attention of the Emperor’s mystics and The Maha has declared she must marry Amun. Neither she nor Amun can decline and thus their relationship begins on rocky ground.

But just because they have to obey doesn’t mean they obey blindly and Amun offers Mehr a small workaround: they won’t consummate their marriage and therefore she will not be as tightly bound to the Maha’s will. I really appreciated how Suri handled this aspect of the story. By the time Mehr and Amun do have to take the next step, there’s trust between them and the promise of more. And really, it’s Mehr growing in agency and her own power and showing Amun what is possible between them. It was an intriguing development, one that showed the good arising from the bad.

While the story started out a tad on the slow side as we learn the necessary information about the Empire, it soon picked up speed and I was anxious to learn what would come of Mehr, Amun, and the people. The Maha was such an abusive jackhole of a god. Pure evil and immortal does not make for a good combination. I wasn’t sure if he could be beat and the resolution to this arc was mostly satisfying.

What I really loved was the rich symbolism and imagery throughout. The Amrithi have powerful rites where they dance, thus communicating with the daiva. It was truly beautiful to imagine this playing out, especially as Mehr learns more of the rites and the stories behind them. She becomes a force to reckon with and I really admired her determination.

Amun and Mehr’s relationship also gets its due. Amun was so attentive to her needs and romantic, while Mehr gave him the gift of unconditional love. The evolution made complete sense and was that much more powerful to watch.

The next book in the series will follow Mehr’s sister and I’m really curious to see how her story will develop. I like that this is a series of standalone, connected stories so you get the resolution but also get to see more of the world from other points of view. Make sure you read the Author's Note to learn about the inspiration for the series. A wonderful debut!

CW: forced marriage, threatened rape or sexual assault, drugging, violence, abuse of power

Synopsis

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 is a lush, dazzling fantasy novel perfect for readers of City of Brass and The Wrath & the Dawn.

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Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Orbit in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links included in this post.