I‘ve been on an PoC-authored book reading binge this year, which let me tell you, has been so refreshing it’s made me see the world in a different way lately. From Kacen Callender’s Queen of the Conquered, Evan Winter’s The Rage of Dragons, to Rin Chupeco’s The Bone Witch (with its lyrical prose that is is begging to be savoured) and Paul Krueger’s Steel Crow Saga (on my TBR, though I’ve read the first couple of chapters to great enjoyment)…it’s just been a blast. To add to that list is Tasha Suri’s Realm of Ash, the sequel to her book Empire of Sand, which I read in two sittings late last year.
I don’t know where to start about what I love about this series (both mirror each other in the narrative framing, focusing on sisters as their lead characters). Much of it lies in the nuance–this detailed examination of the characters and where they stand in their society, how they interact with each other (the relationships between the women, particularly the widows, is just so wonderful to read about), the emotionally-led, gorgeous prose. And then there’s also the romance, which is framed within the individual’s standing in life and explored in ways that you don’t often find in fantasy. Love, after all, doesn’t mean that everything else in society falls away. I’m a sucker for this intricate stuff, and Suri handles it all with deft skill that left me breathless at times. I won’t say much more out of respect for spoilers, but suffice to say that the adventures of Arwa and Zahir left me more than excited for the next installment.
We’re at a moment in time right now where the spotlight is shining on many Own Voices books, which is something I’ve never expected would ever happen in the decades I’ve been writing and watching the industry. It’s a wonderful thing. Realm of Ash is available next week on November 12, 2019, and of course if you haven’t picked up Empire of Sand yet what are you waiting for?
