Romantasy is still the hottest ticket in publishing, and 2026 is shaping up to be a banner year for the genre's biggest names. Sarah J. Maas is set to drop the sixth installment of her blockbuster A Court of Thorns and Roses series, A Court of Splintered Harmony, on October 27, with a seventh book hot on its heels in January. Rebecca Yarros is also keeping fans fed with Threshing Day, a new collection of stories set in her Empyrean universe, arriving September 29. But before either of those hits shelves, readers can already dive into the finale of a beloved duology from National Book Award winner Sabaa Tahir.
Tahir's latest novel, Empire, hit stores on September 22, picking up right where its predecessor, Heir, left off earlier this year. Set in the same world as her wildly popular An Ember in the Ashes series, the story jumps 20 years after those events, introducing a new generation of heroes and villains. The core trio from Heir returns, each wrestling with their own demons in a world teetering on the brink of collapse—where magic is breathtaking, empires are falling, and loyalty is a luxury. Collider is thrilled to share an exclusive excerpt from the audiobook's first chapter, which takes us to the afterlife and sets the stage for an epic showdown.
The excerpt focuses on ten-year-old Ruh, who has just had his heart devoured by the ancient evil known as Div, after being betrayed by Aiz, the woman he knew as Ilar. He wakes up in the Waiting Place, a limbo where spirits are soothed by soul catchers before moving on to the afterlife. But Ruh is seething with anger, not ready to let go of his life or his thirst for vengeance. Fortunately, he gets a lifeline from an unexpected source: his grandmother, a member of the Bani al-Mauth, who refuses to let such a betrayal go unpunished. With the help of Mauth itself—the very power that protects their bloodline—she hatches a plan to restore Ruh to life, but not before revealing how his mother's recorded story of Div was twisted and used against him, leading to his untimely demise.
This afterlife detour isn't just a ghost story; it's a crucial turning point. Ruh's death is the catalyst that spurs the world's greater forces into action. Mauth agrees to nourish his body and prepare him for a return, giving him a second chance to set things right and exact his revenge. It's a bold narrative choice that promises to shake up the duology's conclusion, and fans of the series will be on the edge of their seats to see how it plays out.
While Ruh's journey is a key piece of the puzzle, Empire is a sprawling tale with multiple threads converging. In the crumbling Martial Empire, crown prince Quil Farrar and his aunt, Empress Helene, are facing their darkest hour. They're losing a war against the Kegari horde, and Quil's armies are falling apart. With his heart broken after the disappearance of his love, he sets out to find aid from an uneasy ally. Meanwhile, Sirsha is struggling with Div, now tethered to her and hungry for her magical heart. She must keep her distance from Quil while searching for a way to sever her connection to the ancient evil. On the other side, Cero bet-Dafra finds himself at odds with his former leader, Aiz, as he digs into ancient secrets to see if his people can break free from a cycle of violence. Aiz, meanwhile, is spiraling into madness, unsure of her next move after losing Mother Div.
With so many threads to weave together, Empire promises to be a satisfying and intense finale to the Heir duology. Tahir has crafted a world that feels both epic and intimate, and this excerpt shows she's not afraid to take risks with her characters. For those who love a good fantasy saga with high stakes and complex emotions, this is a must-read. And if you're looking for more great reads, check out our list of top fantasy novels since 2020 or dive into some hidden gem mysteries to keep the pages turning.
