--- product_id: 23700161 title: "An Ember in the Ashes" price: "AED 66" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/23700161-an-ember-in-the-ashes store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # An Ember in the Ashes **Price:** AED 66 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** An Ember in the Ashes - **How much does it cost?** AED 66 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/23700161-an-ember-in-the-ashes) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description BOOK ONE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES • One of Time Magazine’ s 100 Best Fantasy and 100 Best YA Books of All Time • People's Choice Award winner • Bustle's Best Young Adult Book “This novel is a harrowing, haunting reminder of what it means to be human — and how hope might be kindled in the midst of oppression and fear.” — The Washington Post A gorgeous, collectable look for this beloved and bestselling fantasy series that “glows, burns, and smolders.” ( Huffington Post ). The deluxe paperback editions each feature tip-ins with exclusive character art! 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. ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR FROM The Wall Street Journal • Buzzfeed • LA Weekly • Bustle • Paste Magazine • Indigo • Suspense Magazine • The New York Public Library • Popsugar • Hypable Review: A intense read that you can't put down! - Have you ever had a book you couldn't stop thinking about? You run over the plot and characters in your mind while at work? You stalk the author for any information regarding book 2? Well...this was me for An Ember in the Ashes. This book blew me away. An epic story full of courage and wonderful diverse characters. A unique fantasy world that was cruel and wonderful at the same time. I just couldn't put this book down. Today's book is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. I honestly can say only one other book had me glued to the pages and kept by my side until finished. That was Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen. Now I found another book to hold me captive. An Ember in the Ashes was masterfully written. The pace flowed steadily to the point I just read and read. The world the book centers around is brutal, ruled by the Martial Empire who enslave scholars, taking from them libraries, books and their freedom. Scholars live in poverty serving the Martials as slaves. They aren't allowed to read or write for the punishment is death. To maintain such order, the Empire has special warriors with deadly weapons to keep the Scholars in their place. If a Martials' child is accepted into the Blackcliff academy, they train to become these deadly warriors known as The Masks. They must wear silver masks 24/7, so they can form over their faces like second skin, given the name. However, there is a resistance that has been rising for years against the Empire. Striking out when they least expect it. The book moves from two different point of views. Laia is a young Scholar who knows how to read. One night a Mask comes to take her brother Darin away, for illegally drawing images of weapons, burns their house down and kills her grandparents. She can only do one thing, join the resistance and go undercover in Blackcliff to spy so her brother can be freed. It's in the resistance she meets the handsome fighter Keenan who helps her during her time at Blackcliff. She endures much cruelty, especially by the Commandment, the leader of Blackcliff. A woman with much power and cruel determination to search out traitors from the resistance. Elias is a highborn student at Blackcliff, training to be a Mask. But he wants no part of it and plans to desert only to be pulled back in by the Trials. Whoever wins these tests become Emperor. Those that lose die. He must compete against his best friend Helene under the watchful eye of his mother, the Commandment. Elias starts to have conflicting feelings for his friend Helene and the slave girl Laia. His story was my favorite part of the book. I loved his turmoiled emotions and how he sets out to do the right thing. Love triangle haters beware, this book has a double whammy of a love triangle. I really don't like love triangles. Elias has feeling for both Helene and Laia. Laia has feeling for Keenan and Elias. But Elias and Laia's emotions are more connected with the moment rather than true feelings. He likes Laia's looks and it seems to be based on that throughout the book rather than her wit. So who knows where it will lead. I love the connection between Elias and Helene and look forward to see what happens in the next book. They seemed the most perfect for each other. So the love triangle wasn't really that bad because the story is what the book is all about. Sabaa did a wonderful job weaving a realistic story in this fantasy world. It's violent with bloody scenes that make the story much more intense. I gasped. I cringed. I yelled. I was a ball of nerves. The description of the world brought to life every detail of the characters and setting. The action was non-stop and with each turn of the page some sweat gathered on my forehead with concern for Elias...oh and Laia! Sabaa did a wonderful job at this debut novel. I can't wait to see what she has next because I eagerly wait for the sequel..which we will get! Wahoo! Should you read it? YES! What are you waiting for? This masterpiece of a story is something you can't miss. You won't put it down. Trust me. It's a wonderful add to your library collection. Review: Captivated from beginning to end - THE PLOT Laia is a Scholar. Elias is a Martial. Under the Martial Empire's iron fist, the Scholars are fighting to survive. If you are a Scholar, you are either working class or a slave, and few rebels (or suspected rebels) are left unharmed or undetected. When Laia's brother is taken from her, she is willing do anything to save him—even if it means going into Blackcliff and never coming back. Blackcliff is a military academy where Martials like Elias Veturius are trained to become Masks, the assassin-soldiers of the Empire. Supervised and lead by the cold-hearted Commandant, even Blackcliff's students must face the violence and cruelty of the Empire. This cruelty and violence is part of the reason that Elias Veturius plans to desert. An Ember in the Ashes is a breathtaking dystopian novel based on the Roman Empire with fantastical and mythical elements woven in. As long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by not only Roman mythology, but Ancient Rome in general. The politics, military strategy, and social structure of that era is a fascinating topic in history, and I'm happy to say that Tahir's twist on the era did not disappoint. THE CHARACTERS Before focusing in on Elias and Laia, I'd like to take a second and point out that Tahir did a phenomenal job crafting the slew of characters seen in An Ember in the Ashes. Even the characters with the smallest role in the novel were three-dimensional—not a single one seemed flat or a copy of any other character. I often find that secondary and minor characters are not as finely crafted and can seem very similar to one another, but I was pleasantly surprised by Tahir's cast of characters. She truly honed in on each and every one of her characters, big and small, and thought through how each of their minds worked and how they'd play a role in the plot. These seemingly minor details about the lesser characters really helped me appreciate An Ember in the Ashes even more, and proceeded to further my understanding of the main characters and their emotions as well. Elias “Always victorious." The words of Elias Veturius' grandfather and the motto of Gens Veturia always ring in Elias' mind. As the heir to Gens Veturia and the star student at Blackcliff, it is only understandable the immeasurable amount of pride his grandfather feels towards him, and also the immeasurable pressure put on Elias as a result. Yet fame and strength are not on Elias' mind—all Elias truly wants is freedom. I absolutely adore Elias as a character. He is a strong character who knows right from wrong even when others do not. Although he makes mistakes (he is human after all), he is willing to make amends and fix his errors. In a society where it is easy to accept social standards and leave people to suffer and die, Elias is willing to fight for justice. He is an extremely caring person who looks out for his friends and even for people he doesn't know. Laia “But I’m not strong. I’m weak, and I’m sick of pretending I’m not.” Laia lost it all, and she's struggling to reclaim the one person she might be able to save—her elder brother, Darin. Although she may be able to save him, she knows it won't be easy, yet she's still willing to take the risk. Laia has a lot of expectations to live up to, and tries her best to do everything she can to make her dead family, and her brother, proud. I admire Laia's determination and strong will. Although she falters once in a while, she always finds the strength to get back up and fight again. I believe that despite her flaws, and despite her belief that she is weak, she is in her own way unbelievably strong for trying over and over and over again. FINAL THOUGHTS Tahir's writing is exquisite, and I was captivated from beginning to end. She was able to perfectly mix the world-building, character development, dialogue, and action. The book was a delectable treat that went beyond satisfying my recently book-deprived heart and soul. Tahir told Laia and Elias' story beautifully, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of their lives unfold. "You will burn, for you are an ember in the ashes." ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #20,569 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #13 in Teen & Young Adult Survival Stories #14 in Teen & Young Adult Dystopian #68 in Teen & Young Adult Epic Fantasy | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 21,191 Reviews | ## Images ![An Ember in the Ashes - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/8180W7UObeL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A intense read that you can't put down! *by T***Y on May 22, 2015* Have you ever had a book you couldn't stop thinking about? You run over the plot and characters in your mind while at work? You stalk the author for any information regarding book 2? Well...this was me for An Ember in the Ashes. This book blew me away. An epic story full of courage and wonderful diverse characters. A unique fantasy world that was cruel and wonderful at the same time. I just couldn't put this book down. Today's book is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. I honestly can say only one other book had me glued to the pages and kept by my side until finished. That was Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen. Now I found another book to hold me captive. An Ember in the Ashes was masterfully written. The pace flowed steadily to the point I just read and read. The world the book centers around is brutal, ruled by the Martial Empire who enslave scholars, taking from them libraries, books and their freedom. Scholars live in poverty serving the Martials as slaves. They aren't allowed to read or write for the punishment is death. To maintain such order, the Empire has special warriors with deadly weapons to keep the Scholars in their place. If a Martials' child is accepted into the Blackcliff academy, they train to become these deadly warriors known as The Masks. They must wear silver masks 24/7, so they can form over their faces like second skin, given the name. However, there is a resistance that has been rising for years against the Empire. Striking out when they least expect it. The book moves from two different point of views. Laia is a young Scholar who knows how to read. One night a Mask comes to take her brother Darin away, for illegally drawing images of weapons, burns their house down and kills her grandparents. She can only do one thing, join the resistance and go undercover in Blackcliff to spy so her brother can be freed. It's in the resistance she meets the handsome fighter Keenan who helps her during her time at Blackcliff. She endures much cruelty, especially by the Commandment, the leader of Blackcliff. A woman with much power and cruel determination to search out traitors from the resistance. Elias is a highborn student at Blackcliff, training to be a Mask. But he wants no part of it and plans to desert only to be pulled back in by the Trials. Whoever wins these tests become Emperor. Those that lose die. He must compete against his best friend Helene under the watchful eye of his mother, the Commandment. Elias starts to have conflicting feelings for his friend Helene and the slave girl Laia. His story was my favorite part of the book. I loved his turmoiled emotions and how he sets out to do the right thing. Love triangle haters beware, this book has a double whammy of a love triangle. I really don't like love triangles. Elias has feeling for both Helene and Laia. Laia has feeling for Keenan and Elias. But Elias and Laia's emotions are more connected with the moment rather than true feelings. He likes Laia's looks and it seems to be based on that throughout the book rather than her wit. So who knows where it will lead. I love the connection between Elias and Helene and look forward to see what happens in the next book. They seemed the most perfect for each other. So the love triangle wasn't really that bad because the story is what the book is all about. Sabaa did a wonderful job weaving a realistic story in this fantasy world. It's violent with bloody scenes that make the story much more intense. I gasped. I cringed. I yelled. I was a ball of nerves. The description of the world brought to life every detail of the characters and setting. The action was non-stop and with each turn of the page some sweat gathered on my forehead with concern for Elias...oh and Laia! Sabaa did a wonderful job at this debut novel. I can't wait to see what she has next because I eagerly wait for the sequel..which we will get! Wahoo! Should you read it? YES! What are you waiting for? This masterpiece of a story is something you can't miss. You won't put it down. Trust me. It's a wonderful add to your library collection. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Captivated from beginning to end *by L***E on May 30, 2016* THE PLOT Laia is a Scholar. Elias is a Martial. Under the Martial Empire's iron fist, the Scholars are fighting to survive. If you are a Scholar, you are either working class or a slave, and few rebels (or suspected rebels) are left unharmed or undetected. When Laia's brother is taken from her, she is willing do anything to save him—even if it means going into Blackcliff and never coming back. Blackcliff is a military academy where Martials like Elias Veturius are trained to become Masks, the assassin-soldiers of the Empire. Supervised and lead by the cold-hearted Commandant, even Blackcliff's students must face the violence and cruelty of the Empire. This cruelty and violence is part of the reason that Elias Veturius plans to desert. An Ember in the Ashes is a breathtaking dystopian novel based on the Roman Empire with fantastical and mythical elements woven in. As long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by not only Roman mythology, but Ancient Rome in general. The politics, military strategy, and social structure of that era is a fascinating topic in history, and I'm happy to say that Tahir's twist on the era did not disappoint. THE CHARACTERS Before focusing in on Elias and Laia, I'd like to take a second and point out that Tahir did a phenomenal job crafting the slew of characters seen in An Ember in the Ashes. Even the characters with the smallest role in the novel were three-dimensional—not a single one seemed flat or a copy of any other character. I often find that secondary and minor characters are not as finely crafted and can seem very similar to one another, but I was pleasantly surprised by Tahir's cast of characters. She truly honed in on each and every one of her characters, big and small, and thought through how each of their minds worked and how they'd play a role in the plot. These seemingly minor details about the lesser characters really helped me appreciate An Ember in the Ashes even more, and proceeded to further my understanding of the main characters and their emotions as well. Elias “Always victorious." The words of Elias Veturius' grandfather and the motto of Gens Veturia always ring in Elias' mind. As the heir to Gens Veturia and the star student at Blackcliff, it is only understandable the immeasurable amount of pride his grandfather feels towards him, and also the immeasurable pressure put on Elias as a result. Yet fame and strength are not on Elias' mind—all Elias truly wants is freedom. I absolutely adore Elias as a character. He is a strong character who knows right from wrong even when others do not. Although he makes mistakes (he is human after all), he is willing to make amends and fix his errors. In a society where it is easy to accept social standards and leave people to suffer and die, Elias is willing to fight for justice. He is an extremely caring person who looks out for his friends and even for people he doesn't know. Laia “But I’m not strong. I’m weak, and I’m sick of pretending I’m not.” Laia lost it all, and she's struggling to reclaim the one person she might be able to save—her elder brother, Darin. Although she may be able to save him, she knows it won't be easy, yet she's still willing to take the risk. Laia has a lot of expectations to live up to, and tries her best to do everything she can to make her dead family, and her brother, proud. I admire Laia's determination and strong will. Although she falters once in a while, she always finds the strength to get back up and fight again. I believe that despite her flaws, and despite her belief that she is weak, she is in her own way unbelievably strong for trying over and over and over again. FINAL THOUGHTS Tahir's writing is exquisite, and I was captivated from beginning to end. She was able to perfectly mix the world-building, character development, dialogue, and action. The book was a delectable treat that went beyond satisfying my recently book-deprived heart and soul. Tahir told Laia and Elias' story beautifully, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of their lives unfold. "You will burn, for you are an ember in the ashes." ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ PUT THIS IN YOUR SHOPPING CART RIGHT NOW. *by L***S on August 12, 2017* Guys. GUYS. THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. I really can’t say enough about this series and I’m definitely kind of obsessing about it these days. This audiobook happened a few weeks ago before I decided to start writing reviews, but I had to include it because I’m still reeling. Everything about this was amazing and listening to the audiobook only heightened the experience because the narrators were top notch. Buckle up kids, this is gonna be a long one. THE REHASH It starts in the perspective of Laia, a lowly scholar girl who lives with her brother and two grandparents. She’s noticed lately that her brother Darin has been keeping odd hours and carrying around a sketchbook everywhere he goes. When she catches a glimpse into said sketchbook, it’s filled with doodles of weapons—concerning behavior to say the least. A group of masks (or a fancy word for soldiers) comes to their home one night, killing their grandparents and accusing Darin of treason. The two siblings try to escape, but quickly get caught and Darin tells Laia to run. She listens without thinking, barely making it to safety and spends the rest of the book berating herself for leaving Darin all alone. There’s no friends or family she can turn to for help, so she goes to the only connection she has left—the resistance. Through her interaction with members of the resistance, we learn that Laia’s parents used to be a part of it before they were killed and apparently were pretty bad ass. With some aggressive negotiating, the resistance decides to help Darin escape prison if Laia will pose as a servant and gather information for them in return. Feeling guilty with her recent abandonment, she readily agrees. We also get to hear the perspective of Elias—a.k.a. my new fictional husband—who has spent most of his life training to be a mask at the very strict and very prestigious Blackcliff Academy. He’s been there for years and has finally made it to graduation, but he hates it. The life of a soldier is not one he wanted and he’s planning to escape. Elias has spent months hiding rations and supplies and he’s finally ready to blow the joint after the graduating ceremony. As luck would have it, he’s stopped right before he can get away by an Augur, which is basically a big scary-looking fortune cookie that can see the future. For anyone who has read The Mortal Instrument series, they’re pretty much exactly like the Silent Brothers. Anyway, the Augur tells Elias to reconsider his escape plan, saying freedom won’t be all it’s cracked up to be and he’ll have a chance to create his own freedom if he has the will to stay. Since he hasn’t mentioned his plans to anyone, even his best friend Helene, he takes the Augur’s warning seriously. After graduation, it is announced that the Augurs want to look for a new Emperor and have created a competition for four specially selected students to fight for the title. And guess who gets chosen?! There are four trials to this competition and the first person to win two will become the new Emperor. Elias only hesitates a moment before he accepts, remembering the Augur’s words from earlier. All four competitors are forced to meet with the Commandant, one of their superiors (who happens to be Elias’s mother) and a god damn she-devil with no soul. During this meeting Elias happens to notice that his mother has a new servant who is none other than Laia in disguise! DUN DUN DUN!! While Laia tries to dodge blows from the Commandant and gather insider information, Elias has to compete in the nightmare-inducing Emperor trials. All of the character’s lives get intertwined in unexpected ways and there’s an amazing ending that will literally blow your freaking socks off. THE GOOD Oh man, where to even begin. Laia is such an amazing female main character and I love how independent and strong she is throughout the entire novel. The same goes for Helene because even though she had a tendency to get on my nerves, that didn’t take away from her intelligence or killer fighting skills. Reading a young-adult book with strong, independent female leads is always a good day in my opinion. Woo feminism! On the flip side, Elias was also a great character to read about and I loved the alternating perspectives between the two. He’s a strong soldier with heart of gold who just wants the chance to live his own life, and who doesn’t love that?! After watching Elias show kindness to everyone around him while still being smart on the “battlefield,” you can’t help but fall into the old rooting-for-the-underdog trap. And the villains!! Oh my god, I have never hated a character more than I hate the Commandant. All too often I encounter fictional bad guys that are more annoying than evil. You’re not scared of them, you just want them to get out of the way and stop ruining the story. This was different though. Marcus and the Commandant seriously scared the crap out of me. Both of them are so emotionless and determined in their scheming, it makes you wonder if they can even be defeated! Some hardcore Cersei Lannister vibes up in here. The setting is really brilliant too and Tahir has done a great job building up this universe, down to the last detail. Just looking at all the maps makes it evident how much time and thought was put into this. I even listed this book on my website under historical fiction (technically it’s not but…) because The Empire really feels like ancient Rome. That’s not a time or place we hear very often about these days, especially in young-adult books, so it was a refreshing perspective. In terms of narrators, the two voice actors did a great job and really brought life to Laia and Elias. Right now I’m actually reading a hard copy of the sequel A Torch Against the Night and I can hear their voices in my mind as I read. That might be weird of me, but it’s hard to care when I have smooth sounds of Steve West’s accent in my noggin. THE UGLY NOTHING. THIS BOOK IS PERFECTION. FINAL WORD If you haven’t noticed from this incessantly long and rambling review, I loved this novel. Whether you read a hard copy or listen to the audio book, just freaking read it. You can thank me later. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/23700161-an-ember-in-the-ashes](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/23700161-an-ember-in-the-ashes) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-09-12*