Author Sabaa Tahir won the 2022 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature for her novel, “All My Rage,” which drew on her experiences growing up in Ridgecrest, where her parents, who were originally from Pakistan, ran a Mojave Desert motel. Her bestselling An Ember in the Ashes quartet established her as one of the most popular names in fantasy, and she returns with a new book, “Empire,” which is the conclusion of the two-part Heir series. Tahir will be appearing with Nicola Yoon on Oct. 2 in Huntington Beach and she took time to answer our questions about her work via email ahead of the event.
Q. This new novel is part of a series. Can you describe it for readers just learning about “Heir” and “Empire”?
“Empire” is the second book in the Heir duology. It follows the adventures of Aiz, an orphan, Sirsha, an outcast, and Quil, a prince, all of whom are cast into uncertainty by war, poverty and politics. At first, their stories are separate, but eventually they converge and we learn how deeply interconnected this world is, for good and for ill.
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Q. For those who aren’t familiar, can you describe the Martial Empire and the world you created first in “The Ember in the Ashes”?
The Martial Empire is a fairly brutal place that is inspired by ancient Rome. Many of the mythologies, however, are inspired by the tales I grew up with, of Jinn and efrit and other eerie creatures. Like the Roman Empire, the Martial Empire is heavily socially stratified, and supernatural forces encourage that, seeking to create havoc in the human world.
Q. What do you think the characters and the dystopian world of the books reflect about our own world?
Despite the brutality of this world, it is not dystopian. It is a fantasy world inspired by our own history. And in that way, it reflects the gamut of human emotion and human experience. Our desire for home, our desire to belong, our desire to be accepted and loved by the people who matter to us. At a more macro level, I explore themes like power, colonialism, the cost of war, found family, destiny and love.
Q. In preparation for this book, you reread your previous ones. Did anything stick out to you as something you wanted to include as the series concluded?
Too many things to count! But the main theme I wanted to thread to this book was hope. I think we need it, now, more than ever. I might write books where the characters go through a lot of tribulations, but ultimately, I’m committed to hopeful (though not always purely happy) endings.
Q. What message do you hope readers walk away with after finishing the series?
I wouldn’t dare tell my readers what to take away from a book! I let them decide this for themselves.
Q. Fans are definitely craving more. Do you have plans to return to the Martial Empire or any of your characters that you can talk about?
My next book is an adult fantasy that takes place in a different world. But I would like to come back to the Empire eventually.
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Q. What about fantasy draws you in as an author?
Two things. First, the narrative possibilities are endless in fantasy. As long as your world has some rules, you really can do anything. Second, fantasy offers a vehicle by which I, and by extension my reader, can examine complex and often distressing topics like conflict, genocide, colonization and war — but in a thoughtful, in-depth way.
Q. Can you talk a little about what fans can expect at your upcoming event in Huntington Beach with author Nicola Yoon?
Nicki and I have been friends for about twelve years now. So you can expect a lot of laughter and joking, as well as some excellent questions and a thorough discussion of Heir and Empire.
Q. You grew up in Ridgecrest; what about living there has fueled your writing the most?
I observed a lot about human nature in Ridgecrest, and it was the source of the question that is at the heart of a lot of my work, which is: Why do we treat each other this way? Ridgecrest is also in the high desert, a stark and beautiful place, and the desert often shows up as a landscape in my work.
Q> Do you have any other projects you’re working on that you’d like to talk about?
I have an adult fantasy book I’m working on. I can’t say much, other than that the question at the heart of it is about power, specifically: Can we have power over people and not be corrupted by it? One of my characters says “Absolutely!” The other one says “Absolutely not.” The conflict between them drives much of the book.
Q. What is something about a piece of your work that you wish people knew?
That all of my books take so much time. My first published book took six years. My contemporary novel “All My Rage” took 15. To me, it is worth it. No decision is made lightly, no sentence not looked over again and again. That is the craft of writing and I take great joy in it.
Q. And finally, if you could ask your readers one question, what would it be?
Between Elias, Laia, Helene, Quil and Sirsha, you can only keep two alive. Who makes the cut?
Map: 100 Southern California independent bookstores to visit in 2026
Sabaa Tahir and Nicola Yoon
When: 7 p.m. Oct. 2
Where: Barnes & Noble Huntington Beach, 7881 Edinger Ave. #110, Huntington Beach
Tickets and information: https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062212543-0