Books Like An Ember in the Ashes

Suzanne Collins

Like Tahir's Empire, it shows a cruel regime that punishes defiance, and a young protagonist forced into a dangerous role that becomes a spark for rebellion.

Victoria Aveyard

A rigid society divided by blood and privilege, a teenager who discovers she has a dangerous place in the system, and a rebel movement that wants to tear it down.

Marie Lu

Two teenagers on opposite sides of a militarised state uncover its lies, echoing the way An Ember in the Ashes pits personal loyalty against an oppressive regime.

R. F. Kuang

Its brutal military training, grim wartime setting and morally complicated protagonist will appeal to readers who valued the harsh academy world and its costs.

Leigh Bardugo

A band of outcasts, a dangerous mission and sharp banter offer the same blend of intrigue and found loyalty that drives Laia and Elias's story.

Sarah J. Maas

A skilled young fighter is pulled into a brutal competition under a ruthless ruler, with the high-stakes court politics and training scenes that many Ember readers enjoy.

Tomi Adeyemi

A young woman fights an oppressive regime that has outlawed magic, with the same mix of personal quest, cruel authority and rising rebellion found in An Ember in the Ashes.

Naomi Novik

A stubborn heroine is drawn into a dark and dangerous world of magic and power, offering the atmospheric fantasy and slow-burning tension that make Tahir's novel so absorbing.

Samantha Shannon, Samnatha Shannon

A gifted outsider is captured by a powerful authoritarian force and forced to hide her abilities, a setting of hidden identities and oppression that suits readers of Tahir's book.

Octavia E. Butler

A bleak, unflinching look at a society collapsing under cruelty and fear, with a young narrator whose hope and resolve echo the emotional core of An Ember in the Ashes.

Margaret Atwood

A chilling portrait of a totalitarian state that controls its people through fear and ritual, for readers who want the darker political undercurrents of Tahir's Empire.

Angie Thomas

A teenage protagonist caught between two worlds and forced to take a stand against injustice, delivering the courage and moral weight that drew readers to Laia's story.