National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir joins Library Shop SD and Meet Cute Bookshop to celebrate the release of "Empire," the conclusion to the gripping "Heir Duology." She will be in conversation with fellow New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White. The gripping conclusion to the action-packed, ruthless, and romantic fantasy duology that began with "Heir," from the #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award – winning author Sabaa Tahir. A falling empire. An ancient evil. A lost homeland. A lie that could destroy the world. In the crumbling Martial Empire, crown prince Quil Farrar and his aunt, Empress Helene, are losing a war against the vicious Kegari horde. Quil’s armies dwindle, his faith falters, and the woman he loves vanished months ago, leaving him brokenhearted. Torn between his duty to his people and his desire to discover Sirsha’s fate, Quil embarks on a dangerous quest for aid — from the most treacherous of allies. Sirsha Westering finds herself tethered to Div, an ancient evil unleashed by a terrible tragedy. Div delights in tormenting Sirsha, hungering for her magical heart. Even as Sirsha struggles for control of her own fate, she is desperate to shield Quil from Div’s destructive power. But Div won’t release Sirsha without a fight. To earn her freedom, Sirsha must uncover Div’s past — and face horrors in her own. Cero bet-Dafra, former right hand of the Kegari leader, Aiz, now finds himself pitted against her. As Aiz slips further into violence and delusion, Cero must discover if his people have any hope of a future or if they’re condemned to an unending cycle of violence. His journey will force him to confront hidden truths, ancient secrets, and a lie that could destroy the world. In "Empire," Sabaa Tahir returns to the expansive world of fury and vengeance of Heir, weaving a story of legacy and rebellion, loyalty and freedom, and what it means to confront the monsters that lurk within us all. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS: Sabaa Tahir is a former newspaper editor who grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s eighteen-room motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, listening to thunderous indie rock, and playing guitar and piano badly. Her #1 New York Times bestselling "An Ember in the Ashes" series has been translated into more than thirty-five languages, and the first book in the series was named one of TIME’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time. Tahir’s contemporary novel, "All My Rage," won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Boston Globe – Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry. Visit Sabaa online at SabaaTahir.com and follow her on Instagram @SabaaTahir Kiersten White is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of dozens of books for readers of all ages, including "The House of Quiet," the "And I Darken" trilogy, the "Sinister Summer" series, "Star Wars: Padawan," "Hide," "Mister Magic," "Lucy Undying," and "The Fox and the Devil." She lives in San Diego with her family and their surly tortoise, Kimberly. Visit her online at kierstenwhite.com and @authorkierstenwhite on Instagram.
