Empire of Sand takes you deep into the desert, mixing magic and mystical arts with religious zealotry in a world where empire comes before all else. Suri has created a world you yearn to explore, where creatures and beasts lie in wait on the edge of reality. The writing is complex and wonderfully executed, giving you an intricately woven narrative starring a strong woman who fights for what she believes in. It’s a wonderful fantasy novel and an even better tale of magic, mayhem, and love.

Empire of Sand is the kind of book that begs to be read in one sitting. The plot is expertly paced, continuously revealing new and fascinating elements of a world where magic isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a darker kind of magic to be sure, but paired with the desert, it creates a mysterious landscape that’s both haunting and intriguing.

Full review at: https://reviewsandrobots.com/2018/11/13/empire-of-sand-desert-mysticism-amidst-ancient-magic/

It is so nice having fantasy reads out there that don't follow the traditional Anglican angle. There are so many different cultures out there with just as fascinating mythology and history. I will be honest in the beginning I thought Empire of Sand was a teen novel and after reading can see teens who like the fantasy genre will enjoy it. It's a good bridge book between teen and adult. We follow Mehr our MC who is the illegitimate daughter of a prominent man. Mehr is able to use magic where magic is feared and the emperor has his mystics scouring the land finding any who use it who are unfortunately never seen again. Mehr is a very likable character she gets thrown blow after blow doesn't just crumble she adapts and grows. The romance was very sweet and added to the story which can be very dark and heavy at times and I think added a nice especially all the crap that was thrown at Mehr some good things needed to happen. The secondary characters really added to the story all I can say is Mehrs step mum is a piece of work.

Overall this is an enjoyable dark fantasy read that I think older teens as well as adults will enjoy.

THIS. BOOK. Oh my goodness, I absolutely love it so!! I devoured this novel, and loved every single page. The story was incredible, and the characters have permanently etched themselves onto my heart. Seriously, Mehr and Amun will be with me always. The plot is original, fast-paced and wonderfully written. (I have no doubt in my mind what Dreamfire and the Daiva look like. Absolutely brilliant.) I seriously need anything and everything that Tasha Suri writes from this point on. A masterful story!

I absolutely loved this lush Indian inspired fantasy! The influences from Indian culture and the history of the Mughal Empire made this a fascinating read while our main characters easily capture you heart.

Mehr is a prickly heroine that deals with the struggles of duty, identity, and place in a way that will resonate with a variety of readers. Anyone searching for a strong female character that is far from being a damsel in distress will grow to adore her. Her romance in this book is one of the least problematic I have seen in a long time as well. I loved rooting for them and that it wasn't the main point of the story, but rather a delightful addition.

I also enjoyed the motivations for our villains. No one was evil simply to be evil. Instead they were often people with their own motivations and insecurities, adding a depth of reality to them.

I completely agree with the statement that this is for fans of City of Brass and also YA readers who are looking for something similar to Rebel of the Sands. I really enjoyed that while this is an adult fantasy it would be incredibly easy for someone only familiar with YA fantasy to venture into the adult high fantasy world. This is also true for people who may not normally read fantasy. The elements of mystery and romance that wind through the tale can draw in a wide array of readers.

Reviews will be posted to my blog and YouTube channel on November 11, 2018

Empire of Sand is a fantasy début which showcases a young woman who defeats an ancient evil by embracing her heritage. Drawing from the rich, turbulent history and vibrant culture of India's Mughal Empire this is a tale of magic, mayhem and true love.

Mehr is the eldest daughter of the governor of Irinah in the Ambhan Empire. Her mother, an Amrithi woman, was never married to her father; the Amrithi people are bound by their oaths completely and so very rarely give them, even to those they love.  Mehr lives a sheltered and privileged life thanks to her father’s position, but she knows that is not the case for the majority of her people. The Amrithi have been chased from the cities and villages of the Empire and are both despised and envied for their magic blood. Even she, who has so many advantages, is not allowed to openly practice the rites of the Amrithi faith or speak openly of their beliefs. Which is why when the storm comes, bringing the magical, rare and sacred dreamfire with it, she slips from her home to dance The Rite of Dreaming.  It’s a mistake that will cost her dearly.

The Ambhan Empire has a living god, the Maha. Once the general who conquered the Amrithi and countless other cultures, he is now an immortal who works dark magic for the Ambhan. Within days of Mehr's dance, the mystics who work for the Maha, are at Mehr's home, ‘offering’ Mehr the opportunity to marry Amun, a powerful Amrithi mystic whom they have enslaved to their purposes. Mehr knows that declining the offer will put her family in an extremely perilous position and doubts her father has the political power to survive it. Determined that no one else pay for her mistake, she agrees to the marriage.

From the beginning, Amun shows himself to be a man of honor and integrity. He has not been bowed by his forced servitude to the Maha but has learned how to survive and thrive within the small freedoms allowed him. It is his hope that Mehr has the courage, intelligence and power to set them both free. She quickly becomes determined that she won’t let him down.

I fell in love with Amun almost the moment I met him. He is a patient, kind, loving, thoughtful person hidden behind a necessary façade of a cold, dangerous man. That façade has kept him alive and kept those who are prejudiced against him for being Amrithi at a distance. It has enabled him to survive in the Maha’s temple where complete loyalty to the Maha and betrayal of your fellow mystics are everyday practices. With Mehr, he is able to open up and show who he truly is, and the author’s skill turns those moments into something poignant, tender and achingly sincere.

Mehr is a near perfect heroine. A young woman torn from familiar circumstances, she uses the skills of deceit and cunning learned in her father’s court to persevere in the face of incredible odds. The magical power of the Maha makes it impossible to lie to him but she quickly learns the art of prevarication from Amun. The need to deceive is absolute; the Maha is a creature of intense evil who destroys all he touches.  The author’s skill really shines in the moment where Mehr makes a misstep. It would have been easy to be angry at Mehr or frustrated at her stupidity but instead I was awed by how long she had been able to navigate the dangerous labyrinth she was in and admired the integrity and courage she showed in owning her mistake.

At the heart of this tale is the incredible bond formed between Mehr and Amun. Forced into a farce of a marriage, they turn that event from tragedy to triumph and create something bright and beautiful in the midst of a truly dark and terrible situation.

It is always wonderful to read a story spun from a culture other than the typical Western European one. Empire of Sand, with its colonial narrative showing an abused, subjugated minority exploited and despised by those in power, is especially meaningful because it is a tale that speaks to the conversations of our own time and place.   Beautifully written, this thought-provoking heartfelt love story is the perfect book for fantasy/fantasy romance fans.

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4.5 Stars
I received an ARC of this book, courtesy of NetGalley, in return for my honest opinion. I very much enjoy fantasy books, so this was right up my alley. The story is set in a very interesting world in which the main character, Mehr, is a young woman whose father is a politically appointed governor and her mother, who left Mehr and her sister some years ago, is a member of a group of magical people called the Amrithi. I don't want to give away too much of the story and take away from your enjoyment! I liked the world the story takes place in and also felt connected to the main characters, Mehr and Amun. Looking forward to the next book in the series and highly recommend the book!

This Mughal India inspired fantasy was written with unforgettable voice, and presents a unique magic system. Mehr is a protagonist that’s easy to root for. She’s trapped within a system that she has no control over and caught between two very different worlds. As she struggles to preserve what little teachings her mother has passed on to her from her people, she must also navigate a world in which her heritage and skin colour is persecuted. I thought Suri captured some of the troubles of being biracial perfectly, and I especially identified with Mehr and her sister, and how appearance can affect how one is treated.

I admittedly wasn’t super there for the romance (I rarely am, so that doesn’t say much) but it didn’t annoy me that much. Overall, I bought the romance, though it wasn’t your usual ‘two people meet and fall in love’ it was more a ‘two people are thrown into a horrible situation and learn to get along’ thing. At any rate, I found myself cheering for both Mehr and Amun, especially given how they were clearly trying to make the best of a bad situation.

What really entranced me about this book was the world-building. It’s rare to see such a fully formed world expressed through such flawless prose, and it was a real treat, not just because of how vivid the world was, but because of how intertwined the plot and the world were. The best built worlds are definitely found in the small details, and this book does that masterfully, and it doesn’t slow the book down to explain things too much, which is always a nice break from books that talk down a little to the reader.

All in all, a book I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend, especially to people who loved the Poppy War (R. F. Kuang), The City of Brass ( S. A. Chakraborty) or An Ember in the Ashes (Sabaa Tahir). And though this book is adult fantasy, I would in fact recommend it to readers more inclined to young adult books.

It is hard to really go into too many details without pulling out some of the more subtle details that make this story great. It is a very rich fantasy world based on Mughal India. It is beautifully described and well thought out. The plot is very nicely woven, and despite having to learn a new fantasy world, it is all very easy to follow. It is a very original story, one with all the right notes: gods, love, politics, loneliness, and magic. At its heart, it is a love story, and the way the love grows is very beautiful. It felt real and authentic.

Mehr is a woman stuck in a world that reviles her blood but uses it to their own ends. This makes her a little bitter and rebellious. Of course, she was also shunned, so that adds a wonderful element to her character. She has powerful independence, but she has those moments of loneliness and longing. It is a beautiful mix for the main character. Amun was a great opposite to that, and his quiet, reserved personality was a great contrast to Mehr in how they showed their different styles of dealing with loneliness. The Maha was a wonderful villain, godlike with the fallacies of man. I wish there was more of him. Along those same lines, we don’t get the Emperor at all, which was a bit of a disappointment. In fact, there were a lot of secondary characters that I wish we had more of or got more depth. There was really only two, and I wanted more of that. This is clearly Mehr and Amun’s story, but you still need those background characters to add depth.

I would also love to add that having a woman of color, particularly of Indian descent, was a wonderful change from the typical protagonists we get. In fact, this entire cast has shades of brown skin, with Amun being described as very dark. We really do need more of these types of books, those with people as varied as our own world.

While overall the writing is very well done, there were many parts that felt overly repetitive. Most of these repetitive scenes revolved around Mehr’s internal monologue. She would think over her position, think about her life before, think about Amun, and most of the time I felt like I was reading the same basic lines over and over again. This book was almost 500 pages (ARC Kindle version) and could have been around 400. However, for a debut novel, it is wonderfully and elegantly written.

While there were a few missteps with the repetitive prose and lack of detailed secondary characters, this story is truly wonderful. The world is imaginative and detailed. The main characters are deep and intricate. I enjoyed a story that mirrors a different part of the world than typical fantasy novels. While it might be early to say whether this is a series, I’d believe there will be at least companion books, as there was much of the world she left unexplored. As a debut, Tasha Suri has blown me away. I can only see these small problems getting smaller as she writes more, and I am excited for the opportunity to read what she puts out in the future.

On its own, the book isn't that great. It's a slow and long journey with lots of dark bits. It's the writing that turns this book into an entrancing read. The prose flows wonderfully, exotically, making it hard to put down, even though I wasn't that into the story itself.

There's also a fascinating magic system that's based more on unearthly creatures and rites than on the traditional western magic we're used to. Together with the writing style, the Asian influenced culture, and bits of fantasy and lushly written romance, the book is hard to dislike entirely. I didn't love it, but I couldn't put it down either. I'm not sure if I'd read the sequel or not. I'm still trying to figure out if I enjoyed this book, or if I just had a hard time putting it down. Time will tell.

Still, reading this was an enjoyable journey, and is sure to appeal to the YA audience it was written for. I recommend it for fans of Graceling.

Disclaimer: I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story is the magical tale of Mehr , a young noblewoman who gives up her freedom to save her family. A mixed race girl with half Amrithi blood which is alternately persecuted and coveted. There is magic in her blood that can soothe the gods and mystics who need it to control the empire. Her journey, how she grows and comes into her power is lovely to read. I believe this is only the beginning of her story with more books to follow. Inspired by the Mughal-India empire the writing is lush, has no sharp angles and flows beautifully. Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Tasha Suri for an arc of this story.

** I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. **

3.5 Stars

I had a lot of conflicting feelings about this book. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t my favorite either. The cover and the summary drew me in, but it ended up just not being a book for me.

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My favorite part of this book was definitely the magic. The use of dancing and sigils and rites was unique and fascinating. It was fun to watch Mehr learn her dances and nice to watch her do them. I could feel the calm they gave her and feel their power when it was needed.

I loved that Mehr started out as defiant, rebellious and confident. It was fun to see her navigate her father and step-mother’s world with her small rebellions.

The world in this book seems like a very interesting place. I was particularly fascinated by the dreamfire and the daiva and how the Amrithi interact with them. The power of vows and choice was also particularly poignant.

It was a good book, kept me entertained enough as I read it. I did very much grow to like Amun.

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Why deduct 1.5 stars?

Like I said above I have conflicting feelings about this story.

I enjoyed Mehr’s rebelliousness and such at first, but then it seemed like in order for Mehr to grow, she had to be knocked down so she could get back up. I was kind of hoping she’d retain more of her original rebelliousness, rather than simply give up to the whims of her father and the mystics. It felt like she just became weak to give her a reason to agree to go with the mystics.

I loved what we got to see of the world and the magic but there were many times I got confused about historical details and about the different places. Instead of following the story, I was often left wondering about the world, wishing for details that would clarify. More than once I got confused on who the Maha was supposed to be.

Also the storyline was very contained to a few small places and we don’t really get to see how the world is pre and post book. The characters talk about some changes but it doesn’t make them that concrete. I believe there is going to be a companion to this book. Perhaps it would answer some more of my questions?

I also didn’t think the Maha played as powerful of a role as I’d hoped, and I don’t mean that in regard to actual magical power or anything. Just his character was supposed to be manipulative and supposed to choose his words specifically to manipulate people but it didn’t feel strong enough. I never truly felt scared or worried about Mehr. I like being able to doubt alongside the character.

Also, one particular bit of pacing confused me. The chapters told from other points of view. There are so few and they were in such random places in the book that I had nearly forgotten about the first ones by the time I got the ones later in the book. I understand what the author was trying to do with these sections, but they just weren’t connected enough I think.

This was a delightful fantasy. It followed lots of familiar tropes - which is not a negative. Suri writes a compelling world into existence. I am revisiting my review because this a book that I remember. I read a lot of fantasy and sci fi and this is one of the books that I look forward to the sequel. With that in mind I am increasing my star rating.

Empire of Sand is much more than a fantasy book. It's a love letter to hope, to finding strength in impossibly daunting situations, and to being kind solely for the sake of being kind. Tasha Suri weaves a spell-binding tale that truly brought me to tears. The main characters, Mehr and Amun, crept their way into my heart with each turning page.

Plot
Prepare yourself for an adventure into a whole new world. Welcome to an Empire full of daiva, spirits of the Gods' children, and magical storms. Mehr, our main character, is a young woman who is half Amrithi and half Ambhdan. One half condemns her to a life of ridicule while the other half of her blood redeems her in the eyes of society. The Amrithi are seen as outcasts due to their heritage. You see, the Amrithi are the descendants of humans and daiva. This connection protects the Amrithi from being harmed by a daiva as the daiva vowed to always protect their descendants, and they never break their vows.

Mehr's mother, an Amrithi woman, was exiled from her home when she was quite young. Yet no matter how hard her father, an imperial governor, and his new wife try to morph Mehr into the perfect Ambhdan daughter, Mehr clings to her Amrithi roots. However, Mehr soon realizes that all her father had wished to do was protect her rather than change her.... but Mehr learns this too late. The mystics of the Empire, a group feared by all in the Empire, have come to procure Mehr--and they will not be turned away.

World-Building
Suri creates a multifaceted mythology and history for her world. Honestly, Suri hooked me as soon as she mentioned the daiva. I'm a sucker for anything supernatural or paranormal related, so if you are also a fan of that then I think you will enjoy this story. I don't want to say too much because I think it's best if you go into this story blind. However, I will say that the magic in this story is unlike any other I have ever encountered.

Characters
Mehr: I will be honest, there were times where Mehr drove me up a wall. I wanted to shake her and ask her how she could have done that, but alas, I'm not a character in the story. Instead, I had to watch Mehr make her own mistakes and see how she reacted once the consequences unfolded. Other than that, I enjoyed Mehr's character. I admired her quiet strength. In most books, especially YA, the heroine is made out to be fierce and cutthroat--which I applaud. But, not everyone is like that and I don't believe that's the only definition of strength. Mehr is not a fighter in the physical sense, but she is a fighter in her heart and soul. Watching her navigate her way through a political, manipulative spider web was awe-inspiring. I could relate to her. I could see myself acting the same exact way. And it was refreshing. It felt nice to come across a heroine whose biggest weapon and strength was her ability to hope.

Amun: I adore Amun. He has been constantly tortured for years on end yet he still has the capacity to be kind. I don't have the words to properly explain just how incredible and marvelous his character is. You'll just have to read the book and see for yourself. Amun deserves all of the happiness in the world. That is all.

My One Complaint
This book was a tad slow which is part of the reason why I ended up giving it 4 stars. It started off really strong, then tapered off for a bit until it hit the 60% mark. After that, the story picked up. I was completely riveted and captivated from that point on.

Overall
Empire of Sand exceeded my expectations. I went into this expecting an epic fantasy tale set in a Mughal inspired world. What I didn't expect was a beautiful, heart-wrenching story about how sacred and powerful choice is. Our ability to choose is something we all take for granted, and I'm beyond grateful that this story reminded me just how lucky I am. I'm in control of my present and future; not everyone is or has been that lucky. Our choices, no matter how big or small, matter.

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. A well written and intriguing book. Mehr has a gift, a gift in her blood and when the time arises it blossoms for her. Unfortunately it brings her to the attention of the worst people in the empire who plan to sue that gift for their own ends. Mehr is determined to do what she can to oppose them, who knows where that will take her.

The year isn't over yet, but this book will certainly have a place on my top books of the year. While this may sound a bit odd, one of my favorite things about Empire of Sand was the pacing. Not once did I find myself antsy to move on to the next part. Or wondering why things were moving so fast. This was helped tremendously by the beautiful prose. Often I found myself getting lost in the words, forgetting where I actually was. I was with Mehr as she danced. I was with her as she defied the Maha in any small way that she could. The book makes you feel the shifting sand, taste the candied dates....gives you a sense of movement. If there's one word I would use to describe this book, it would be that: Movement.

The magic is dance. Mehr begins by moving away from her family in order to protect her little sister. As she enters the Maha's temple, she sees the sand move beneath her feet. The storm that she has been commanded to use to the advantage of the Maha moves ever closer. And, cheesy as it may sound, Mehr is moved emotionally by Amun...by her father, her mother, her people.....

This is a book of hope in darkness -- even when it seems like all of the light has faded.

In a genre where the trilogy is the default and series often sprawl into six, ten, or more volumes in length it is both rare and refreshing to find a first-time author brave enough to write a story that begins and ends in a single book, as Tasha Suri had done in her debut fantasy novel, Empire of Sand. And while it could be argued that Suri has left plenty of room open for a sequel or even a series of books set in this world, Empire of Sand stands perfectly well on its own.

It is the story of Mehr, a young noblewoman who has many privileges in her father's house, but faces just as many problems due to her parentage, as her Amrithi mother never married her father, but passed on her people's dark skin and culture. Mehr also inherited her mother's magic-- a magic that allows her to interact with the daiva, spirits of the desert that are drawn to Mehr's people, as well as to communicate with the gods themselves during the strange storms that sweep across the desert creating Dreamfire. Only the Amrithi can interact with the Dreamfire and use it to communicate with the gods, but the Emperor has been persecuting the Amrithi for years, driving them to the fringes of the empire or killing them outright. The persecution caused Mehr's mother to leave when Mehr was a child and her little sister just a baby. Mehr remembers her mother's stories and has learned the basics of Amrithi rituals thanks to an Amrithi courtesan, Lalita, but even that is soon taken from her when Lalita is forced to flee.

Soon, a storm washes over the city and Mehr uses the rites to try to find Lalita. This draws the attention of the fabled mystics, a grim people who serve the empire's spiritual leader, the Maha. Soon, Mehr is taken away from her home and forced into a dire situation that will mean the death of her free will unless she can find a way out.

At its heart, Empire of Sand is about choice. How do the choices we make affect others? How do our choices affect ourselves? What right do we have to make choices for others? If it's made under duress, is a choice truly a choice at all? Mehr faces all of these questions, and though she initially makes mistakes, she learns from them. Her missteps, choices, and newfound knowledge help guide her through to the end until she's a stronger and wiser person than the naive noble girl she was.

This isn't to say that Mehr does all these things on her own. Though small, there is a cast of characters around her, some who support her, some who act against her, and some who seek to use her power for their own will. They are all, in the end, realistic characters.

My favorite among them is Amun, an Amrithi man Mehr's fate is wound around. Though I was not surprised by his appearance-- and in fact, I was dreading reading about him when he appeared-- I was pleasantly surprised by the way Suri built his character. In the beginning, he seemed on track to fall into the dreaded "sexy bad boy" trope that plagues many fantasy (particularly YA fantasy) novels, but Suri beautifully subverted the trope, turning Amun into a character I genuinely cared about by the end.

If I have a complaint about Empire of Sand, it is that some of the character moments were a bit rushed and could have used even a few more sentences to flesh them out and given the characters' actions a little more grounding. But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Empire of Sand. It contains a world in a single volume, complete with beautiful magics and richly drawn characters. And while it tells a full story in this one book, there is room enough for more stories if Suri decides return to it. I for one would be glad if she did.

Empire of Sand follows Mehr, the illegitimate daughter of a noble of the Empire and a member of the desert-dwelling Amrithi. The Amrithi are being systematically destroyed by the Empire and only Mehr’s position as the daughter of a governor protects her. When Mehr is forced into the religious center of the Empire in order to save her family, she learns the truth behind the disappearance of the Amrithi and of the unique power their blood gives her over the spirits of the desert. Surrounded by enemies and isolated from any friend, Mehr must decide whether to save her own life, or to save the lives of everyone in an empire.

A great novel with a unique premise. I loved the daiva (the djinn-like desert spirits) and the idea that the dreams of sleeping gods are manifest in the desert storms. The mythology and belief systems were well-crafted and convincing. I cried a few times while reading this book. No spoilers, but I found the descriptions of Mehr’s struggles against the main protagonist very realistic and touching. The love story enfolded in all of the political and religious upheaval was sincere and believable. Tasha Suri has a gift for writing between the lines- the author is very good at conveying meaning or thoughts without actually writing them. I also did not expect events near the climax to unfold as they did and appreciate the element of surprise. I was in the car while reading and went “oh no!” out loud. A great debut standalone, I would recommend this book to fans of C.E. Murphy, Jay Kristoff and Sharron Shinn.

What fantastic world building! Based on Hindu mythology, the story was electrifying, sad, and inspiring. It was so satisfying to see Mehr gain strength of character and confidence as she grew into her powers and realized what was really important in life, I cannot wait to go back into the world of Empire of Sand!

*ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

This book ended up not being what I expected and yet I still enjoyed every minute of it.

There are some warnings I want to give people: there is a forced marriage. That moment was made clear to me in the synopsis. While it ended up being handled well it was still jarring to me to see this happen so close to the start of the book. Thankfully, by then I was hooked by the world that was being built and the main character which kept me reading. The ending left me with a pleased feeling ad a desire to read more by this author. I would recommend this book to others who enjoy a wonderful world and characters that make you either love them or hate them.

Thank You so much for the opportunity to read Empire of Sand ahead of publication. I was so excited to read this book and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. Reminiscent of The Wrath and the Dawn, Empire of Sand takes the reader on a journey to a beautiful world. This story was filled with a beautiful setting, a wonderful plot, and fantastic characters. I loved Mehr and her constant feeling of not wanted to conform to anything but just wanted to exist in her own way. I'm biracial and so it was so beautiful to see Mehr loved both parts of her heritage equally. Overall I loved Empire of Sand with all my heart. Tasha Suri did a fantastic job and I can't wait to support and promote this book come November 13,2018