Empire of Sand

"A stunning and enthralling debut, Empire of Sand thoroughly swept me away. With wonderfully lyrical prose, Suri deftly balances fantastic world-building with a nuanced exploration of family ties and the lengths one will go for love. A quiet, powerful and unexpected love story set in a crushing world of magic and tyrants, Empire of Sand is a gripping tale of survival I'll be recommending for a long time!"

"The best fantasy novel I have read this year. I loved it!"

"A brilliant debut that shows us a rich, magical world with clear parallels to this one: it has a sadistic leader with a cult-like following who warps the world for personal gain, a few individuals with the strength to resist him, and a planet seeking balance. But its core is a heroine defined by her choices, and her journey is absorbing, heart wrenching, and triumphant. Highly recommended."

"Empire of Sand is astounding. The desert setting captured my imagination, the magic bound me up, and the epic story set my heart free."

"I was hooked from the moment I began Tasha Suri's gorgeous debut novel, Empire of Sand. Suri has created a rich world full of beautiful and powerful magic, utterly compelling characters, high stakes and immersive prose. I absolutely loved it!"

"A darkly intricate, devastating, and utterly original story about the ways we are bound by those we love."

"Tasha Suri's beautiful prose, with its undercurrent of warm tenderness, hides a web of escalating tension and existential dread. By the time the spider appears, Empire of Sand will have you in its grip and you won't be able to put it down."

"This is the future of fantasy: rich, complex, unflinching. Empire of Sand is a stunning achievement."

"Genuine, painful, and beautiful. A very strong start for a new voice."

"Complex, affecting epic fantasy.... Intricate worldbuilding, heartrending emotional stakes... well-wrought prose."

"The desert setting, complex characters, and epic mythology will captivate readers of Suri's debut fantasy."

"A lush, atmospheric and sweeping epic fantasy, a powerful story of resistance and love in the face of terrifying darkness. You'll want to devour Empire of Sand."

"Riveting and wonderful! A fascinating desert world, a compelling heroine, and a richly satisfying conclusion. Empire of Sand will sweep you away!"

"A lovely dark dream full of wrenching choices and bittersweet triumph. This gorgeous, magic-woven story and its determined heroine spin hope from hopelessness, power from powerlessness, and love from desolation."

"Empire of Sand draws you into an intricately realized world of blood and secrets. An arresting and magical history told through the eyes of an indomitable heroine.I cannot ask for more."

"An oasis of a story that you fall into, head-first. A mesmerizing tale full of magic and mystery."

"A powerful story of empire, magic, and resistance, told with an intimate poignancy and emotional resonance."

"A study of elegance, eloquence and a unique example of how words can be used with restraint and care to create something wonderful.... The start of an incredible journey."

"Impressive, exciting.... Beautiful and evocative."