Episode 140 - An Ember in the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir

We covered the first book of Sabaa Tahir’s buzzy Ember Quartet, and we have thoughts! Laia is from the Scholar class, an enslaved group struggling to exist under the heavy heel of the Martials. Elias has been raised to be a soulless Martial warrior, a Mask, but he longs to escape. Their lives become intertwined as they explore the Resistance, attempt to keep their humanity intact, and interfere with the Empire’s transition of power. We explore our problems with the character development and caste system, discuss how the author used real world conflicts as inspiration, and wonder how every character can be so horny at every turn when their lives are on the line. Plus a bizarre amount of Goblet of Fire energy?? Join us!

*Significant content warning for rape. This episode has more discussion of sexual content than is typical for our podcast, and in general is probably not ideal for younger listeners.

EPISODE MEDIA

Alternative cover -

Keenan fan art, artist unknown -

I mention the book Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski - it’s a great resource for anyone wanting to better understand their body’s stress responses! (Adults only)