Despite the development of technology and science, our spiritual development ...
Coal in Ash - 1
At some point, you realize that you cannot close this book without finishing it. Saba Tahir is a strong writer, but most importantly, she is a wonderful storyteller.
A mix of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones with a pinch of Romeo and Juliet-inspired romance.
Coal in Ashes is at the top of this year's must read list.
I was so absorbed in this book that I even missed my flight. Explosive, heartbreaking, epic debut. Hope the world is ready for Saba Tahir.
He deftly jumped over the windowsill, stepping soundlessly with his bare feet. A hot desert wind followed, rustling the curtains. His scrapbook fell to the floor, and with a swift motion he kicked it under the bed like a snake.
Where have you been, Darin? In my thoughts I gained courage and asked him about it, and Darin confided in me in return. Where do you keep disappearing? Why? Pope and Nan need you so badly. I need you.
Every night for almost two years, I'm going to ask him about it. And every night I don't have the courage. Darin is the only one left with me. I don't want him to distance himself from me like everyone else.
But today everything is different. I knew what was in his album. What does it mean.
You must sleep. - Darin's whisper distracted me from my anxious thoughts. This almost cat-like instinct came from his mother. He turned on the lamp and I sat up in bed. It's no use pretending to be asleep.
The curfew had begun long ago, and the patrol had already passed three times. I was worried.
I know how not to get caught by the soldiers, Laya. This is a matter of practice.
He rested his chin on my bunk and smiled gently and mockingly, just like my mother. And he looked the way he usually looks when I wake up from nightmares or when we run out of grain supplies. Everything will be okay, his eyes said. He took the book from my bed.
“Those who come at night,” he read the title. - Creepy. What is it about?
I just started, about the genies ... - I hesitated. Clever. Very clever. He loves to listen to stories as much as I love to tell them. - Forget. Where have you been? Pope saw a dozen patients this morning, no less.
And I had to replace you, because he could not have done it alone. And so Nan had to bottle the jam herself. But she didn't have time. And now the merchant will not pay us, and we will starve in the winter. And why, oh heavens, don't you care about it?
But I said all this in my mind. The smile has already disappeared from Darin's face.
I am not suitable for healing, ”he said. “And Pope knows about it.
I wanted to keep quiet, but I remembered how Pope had been this morning, remembered his shoulders hunched over as if under a heavy burden. And I thought about the album again.
Pope and Nan depend on you. At least talk to them. Not one month has passed.
I thought he would say that I don't understand. That should leave him alone. But he just shook his head, lay down on his tier of the bed and closed his eyes, as if he did not want to bother himself with answers.
I saw your drawings, - the words hastily flew from my lips.
Darin jumped up at once, his face became impenetrable.
I didn't spy, - I explained. - Just one sheet came off. I found it when I was changing mats in the morning.
Did you say Nan or Pope? They saw?
No, but…
Laya, listen.
Ten circles of hell, I didn't want to listen to anything! No excuses for him.
What you saw is dangerous, Darin warned. “You shouldn't tell anyone about this.
Appreciated the book
What can I say? This book was worth waiting for six months - that is how much I know about its existence and exactly how long it took for it to finally become available to Russian-speaking readers. There is everything that I like so much in this kind of literature: a new bright and original world (world maps are available), cruel trials, imperfect heroes, a little mysticism and fantastic creatures, political intrigues, villains in power and villains in opposition, the search for the young their place under the sun and, of course, love (well, at least the prerequisites for its occurrence).
It was read easily and with interest. There are two main characters - a guy and a girl, and the plot is presented to the reader from two points of view at once. It develops linearly, without sagging and with the proper degree of intensity. The scene of action is the Empire, which five hundred years ago, not without the help of otherworldly forces, managed to enslave neighboring states and since then has severely punished for the slightest signs of disobedience. The world resembles the medieval East. As a result, we have not quite traditional, but still young adult with a small admixture of fantasy. The heroes are young, full of strength and courage and are ready to fight the system, laying their lives on the altar of justice.
So, meet: Laya is a seventeen-year-old girl from the enslaved people of the scribes, once, before the conquest, famous for scientists and writers. Dark skin, blue-black hair, golden eyes (I have only seen an iris of this color once in my life and, believe me, it is very unusual and beautiful). Of course, a beauty. He lives with his older brother in a slum under the care of his grandfather and grandmother. The daughter of the leaders of the Resistance who died many years ago. She loves her brother dearly, for his sake she is ready to go to any hardships. Not a fighter, but not stupid and rather brave.
Elias is a nineteen-year-old graduate of an elite military academy, a representative of one of the most famous families of the Empire, an ideal soldier, fostered in the harshest Spartan conditions of the most severe military school. A tall, dark-skinned brunette with gray eyes and prominent muscles. He perfectly owns a weapon, but he never made a real killer, despite many years of drills - he was conscientious and kind-hearted. Doesn't want to be a pawn in other people's games. Hates his mother, the sophisticated sadist who is at the head of the very school where Elias studied.
Between these two there is and cannot be anything in common, except that both of them have no right to dispose of their own destiny. But the mysterious immortal Prophets, who can read minds and see the future, see something special in them. Both of them are Destiny, and both of them will burn because there is light and life in them. Both are coals in ashes, they will burn, ravage and destroy. And they cannot change something ...
The story turned out to be cruel, bloody and unkind. Still very addicting. By tradition, the narrative ends at the most interesting place, leaving more questions than answers. The reader will be able to find out what will happen next not earlier than by the end of next year - the second part of the cycle, "Torch in the Night", will be published in English only in August 2016, and it will reach us even later. But they promise to film the book - the rights to film adaptation were acquired by Paramount Picturs, Oscar-winning Mark Johnson is called the producer, and Liam Hemsworth is rumored to be the main role. It would be interesting to see, the sight promises to be no less tempting than reading.
Appreciated the book
I like it. No not like this. I really liked it, I could not tear myself away from this book for two days, or even less.She was definitely worth the wait. It has everything from an exciting storyline to heroes. The world that Saba Tahir created is unrealistically cruel, bright and exciting, goosebumps start to run from one description, but I don't want to stop. Finally, an author appeared in a young adult who was able to create a completely new, unique world.Yes, perhaps he is not as perfect as we would like, but this is really something new, at least, I have not seen this before.
The book is easy to read, because everything is written very simply and interesting. The plot develops in Empire - a state that has enslaved many neighboring lands, with the help of its, we will assume, "secret weapon". Empire hates Knizhnikovand is trying in every possible way to eliminate them, and now the scribes are just slaves who have lost their wisdom. Also in the Empire exists Military Academythat trains the most brutal killers - masks.
Laya.Despite her now no longer noble origin (scribe), this girl is still struggling, but at first she was a whiner, but then, having passed her long and difficult path, she blossomed like a flower bud and showed everyone her real character. Now this is not a girl who is afraid of everything, this woman who is ready to stand up for herself and her family. She finally finds her place in the sun.
Elias... He has to kill the weak, he protects them instead. His mask should merge with his face, become a part of him, but it has remained a useless piece of iron. This is a guy who always breaks the rules, he goes ahead against everyone, he is the person who goes against the Empire and for disobedience he deserves his punishment.
As for the love line, then, as such, it is not here. The author pays more attention to trials, a description of the area, bloody events, but not love. It was immediately clear that the romantic line was not Tahir's strong point. We saw, smiled, fell in love. All. So much for love. Boring.
The book turned out to be cruel, bloody, and very exciting. All this struggle for a place in the sun, tests in the desert, masks that spare no one, I really liked all this. I would like to know what will happen next, but, apparently, it will not be soon. The second part has not yet been released in the original, but I was so hoping that this was not a series.
Grade: 9.5 out of 10
Laye and Elias managed to escape from the Serra cordoned off by the swordsmen. They will have to go a long and dangerous way to get to Kauf - the most terrible prison of the Empire - and free from there Darin, Laya's brother. They are ready to confront the whole world: the Commandant, Overseer Kauf, the Prince of Darkness, as well as the new Bloody Shrike. After all, Helen Aquilla, bound by an oath, must fulfill the will of Emperor Marcus: to catch Elias and execute him.
REVIEW:
Torch in the Night is the most long-awaited book for me in 2016. And now the cherished text is in my hands, and I, starting to read.
What to say? I liked the book, but the impressions remained ambiguous. Saba's problem is that she did not correct the mistakes of the first book, but only made them worse.
Against the background of interesting political and family wars, exciting mythology and new locations, all the same good old schools.
Minus the first. Laya and cotton candy
I didn't like Laya in the first book. Hammered, modest at first, she becomes a terminator in a skirt and a truly fearless maiden. Where did the shyness and "eyes on the floor" go? And her manner of deciding everything herself, substituting other people and willingness to spread her legs in front of men are completely unforgivable for me.
Throughout the book, Laya tells everyone what to do, threatening “If you don’t do that, I’ll leave!” all her whims.
The second point - Laya is weak on the front, officially. One moment she has an incredible attraction to Elias, the next "Oh, Kiran, he is beautiful, we are one." Here, Elias again breaks into the frame and again our lioness is in love with him. Just awful.
Saba Tahir also needs to breed less cotton candy in books, she obviously has a love for excessive vanilla and “sweet descriptions”.
Minus the second. Elias
Despite the fact that Saba Tahir shows the reader the motivation and logic of this hero, I do not understand him. Betray your country, people, loved ones for the sake of equality? World peace? Ah, he just wants to help Laya. But who is Laya and her brother to him, that he betrayed his faithful childhood friend because of them? There is no logic, not at all. And you cannot convince me.
Minus the third. Cool not cool
The masks and elite fighters of the Empire get their butt kicked by all and sundry. Former slaves and nomads like the Avengers are blowing everyone away.
Minus the fourth. Predictability
The funniest thing is that the readers guessed about many "unexpected" in the first book. And about new plot twists it becomes clear at the beginning of the book. Not a single WTF in the entire book.
Now let's move on to the pros.
Tahir expanded the boundaries of the world and took the heroes out of the Empire. We will learn a little about other nationalities that exist in this world, get to know more closely the control device of Empires. I liked the immersion in the universe of "Coal", it felt deeper and stronger than in the first book, I suppose that Tahir will expand the world more and more with each book.
I also liked the atmosphere of the book. Gloomy, sad and ... lost. A world without hope, where there is an endless war. War for the Empire, war for power, war for the family, war for life. Each has its own story and its own reasons to fight. In addition to external conflicts, the book shows us the tense atmosphere inside the country, the games of minds and the attempts of the nobility to take power into their own hands.
My beautiful Helene Aquilla... In this book, she shone even more (which is not so difficult against the background of Elias and Laya's slut in love). Fearless, determined. And although there is conflict and doubt within her, she does not waste time on unnecessary thoughts and suffering, she acts, moves towards the goal. Yes, she is still full of doubts and full of feelings, but she is truly the Bloody Shrike.
Avitas Harper... He is now my favorite male character in the series. I hope that neither Helen will become a couple. All the same, these two are perfect for each other and, most importantly, both relationships and feelings will be LOGICAL.
I liked the idea with the Soul Catcher. I love this theme and the heroine was interesting, plus she played an important role.
Also a plus for the villains of the book. The Commandant, Overseer, Marcus - were impressive. And if in the first book Marcus seemed like a complete psycho whose actions were beyond my understanding, then in "Torch in the Night" he already seems to be a more integral and thoughtful hero. You understand that he has a certain incentive, character.
The commandant became more ... nutty. Inadequate. And it's really scary, such characters are capable of anything and therefore you are afraid of them.
Well, and the ending, yes, I liked it. Absolutely.
As far as my impressions are concerned, the second book impressed me more than the first. When all enthusiastically sang odes to "Coal" I was more than calm towards him. The second one penetrated into my very heart, and this despite the significant disadvantages! The atmosphere, the heat of passion, Helen outweighed everything. So yes, I'm more than happy.
My rating: 4/10
“My brother,” I said to Meisen. “He’s not in Beccar, is he?” Is he alive?
Meizen sighed.
“It’s impossible to get to where the sword-bearers are holding your brother. Give it up, girl. You cannot save him.
Tears came, but I managed to hold them back.
“Just tell me where he is,” I tried to keep my voice restrained. - Is he in town? In Central? You know. Tell me!
“Keenan, get rid of her,” Meisen ordered, and added, on reflection, “Just take the body somewhere else, or they might notice it in this area.
I felt what Elias probably experienced recently. Betrayal. Despair. She began to choke with fear and horror, but managed to suppress it.
Keenan tried to take my hand, but I dodged, pulling out Elias's dagger. Maisen's men rushed forward, but not so quickly, and I was closer to Maisen than they were. In the next moment, I put the blade to the Militia leader's throat.
- Back! - I shouted to the fighters. They reluctantly lowered their weapons. The blood pounded in my ears, but I did not feel fear, only rage at what Meisen had forced me to go through.
- Will you tell me where Darin, you lying son of a bitch?
Meizen said nothing, and I pressed the blade deeper, leaving a thin bloody line.
“Speak,” I demanded. “Or I'll cut your throat right now.
“I'll tell you,” he croaked. - It will even be interesting for me to look at you. He's in Kauf, girl. They transferred him to Kauf the day after the Lunar Festival.
When I woke up, the first thing I did was relief from the fact that I was still alive. But the next moment I saw Keenan's face, a sharp rage flooded me. Traitor! Deceiver! Liar!
- Glory to heaven! He gasped. “I was afraid I hit you too hard. No, wait…
I fumbled for a knife. With each passing second, consciousness became clearer and clearer, and more and more I wanted to kill the traitor.
“I'm not going to hurt you, Laya. Please listen.
The dagger was gone. I looked around dazedly. He was going to kill me. We were in some kind of big barn. Sunlight fell through the cracks between the crooked boards, and gardening tools stood against the wall.
If I can escape him, I can hide in the city. The commandant thought I was dead, so if I can take off the slave bracelets, I might be able to leave Serra too. And then what? Will I go back to Blackleaf for Izzy before she is grabbed and tortured to death by the Commandant? Will I try to help Elias? Will I try to get to Kauf and free Darin? The prison was over a thousand miles away. And I had no idea how to get there. Nor did she know how to survive in a country overcrowded with sword-bearer patrols. But even if by some miracle I find myself near Kauf, how can I get inside? And then how to get out? Darin may be dead by then. He may be dead now.
He's not dead! If he was dead I would know it.
All this flashed through my head in an instant. I jumped to my feet and rushed to the rake: right now it is necessary to escape from Keenan.
- Laya, no! He grabbed my hands and pressed me to my sides.
“I'm not going to kill you,” he said. - I swear. Just listen.
I stared into his dark eyes, angry with myself for my stupidity and weakness.
“You knew, Keenan. You knew Meisen never wanted to help me. You told me that my brother is on death row. You used me ...
- I did not know…
“If you didn't know, then why did you knock me out in the basement? Why were you just standing there when Meisen ordered to kill me?
“If I hadn’t done that, he would have killed you himself. The longing in Keenan's eyes made me listen. This time, he did not hide his emotions.
“Meizen imprisoned everyone he saw as an enemy. For their own good, he said. Sana is under guard. I couldn't let him do the same to me if I was going to help you.
- Did you know that Darin was sent to Kauf?
- None of us knew. Meizen was playing a very secretive game. He never let us listen to the reports of his spies in prisons. He never gave us the details of Darin's release plan. He ordered to tell you that your brother is on death row. Maybe he hoped to push you to take a rash risk, so that you get caught. “Keenan let me go. “I trusted him, Laya. He led the Militia for ten years. His discernment, his dedication - that alone held us together.
- The fact that he is a good leader does not mean that he is a good person. He lied to you.
“And I'm a fool for not understanding this. Sana suspected him of dishonesty. When she realized that you and I ... became friends, she shared her suspicions. I was sure she was wrong. But then, at the last meeting, Meisen told you that your brother is in Beccara. And that didn't make any sense at all, because Bekkar is a tiny prison. If your brother were really kept there, we would have bribed someone and set him free long ago. I don't know why he said that. Maybe I thought I wouldn't notice. Maybe you panicked that you didn't take his word for it. Keenan wiped a tear from my face. “I told Sana about Meisen’s words about Beccar, but that night we tried to assassinate the Emperor. She was able to talk to him only after, and she made me stay away. And for the best, by the way. She believed that her faction would follow her, but they abandoned her when Meisen convinced them that Sana was hindering the revolution.
- There will be no revolution. The commandant knew from the start that I was a spy. She knew that the Militia was preparing an attack on the Emperor. Someone in the Militia is alerting her.
Keenan turned pale.
“I suspected that the attack on the Emperor could not be so easy. And he tried to tell Meisen about it, but he didn't listen. It turns out that all this time the Commandant wanted us to arrange an assassination attempt. She wanted to get Taius out of the way.
“She's ready for the Maisen revolution, Keenan. She will simply crush the Militia.
Keenan rummaged in his pockets, looking for something.
- I have to free Sana. I must tell her about the spy. If she can get to Tarik and the other leaders of her faction, she may be able to stop them before they fall into the trap. But first… ”He pulled a small paper bag and a piece of leather from his pocket and handed it to me. “It's acid to dissolve slave bracelets. Keenan explained how to use it, making me repeat his instructions twice.
- Make no mistake - there is hardly enough here. It is very difficult to get it. Be quiet tonight. Tomorrow morning, at the fourth ring of the bell, go to the river docks. Find a galley called "Badcat". Tell them you have a load of gems for Silas' jewelers. Not your name, not my name, don't say anything else. They will hide you in the hold. You will travel upstream to Silas for a three-week sail. I will meet you there. And we will figure out what to do about Darin.
“He will die in Kauf, Keenan. He may not survive even those three weeks while I sail.
- He will survive. Swordsmen know how to keep people alive if they need to. In Kauf they don't die, they suffer. Most of the captives are held there for several months, and some for several years.
