The Final Strife
The Ending Fire Book 1
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The Final Strife
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Narrated by:
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Nicole Lewis
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Dominic Hoffman
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By:
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Saara El-Arifi
About this listen
'Epic in scope, its worldbuilding as intricate as filigree. The Final Strife sings of rebellion, love, and the courage it takes to stand up to tyranny, following three women whose journeys will keep you gripped to the last' —Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
The Empire rules by blood
Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.
Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.
Clear is the blood of the servants, of the crushed, of the invisible.
The Aktibar – a set of trials held every ten years to find the next Ember rulers of the Empire – is about to begin.
All can join but not just anyone can win; it requires great skill and ingenuity to become the future wardens of Strength, Knowledge, Truth and Duty.
Sylah was destined to win the trials and be crowned Warden of Strength. Stolen by blue-blooded rebels she was raised with a Duster’s heart; forged as a weapon to bring down from within the red-blooded Embers’ regime of cruelty. But when her adopted family were brutally murdered those dreams of a better future turned to dust.
However, the flame of hope may yet be rekindled because Sylah wasn’t made to sparkle, she was born to burn.
And it’s up to her whether she rules the empire or destroys it.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2022 Saara El-Arifi (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"El-Arifi is a game-changing new voice in epic fantasy, and The Final Strife is a triumph of book, full of rage, charm, and a cast of misfits you can't help but root for. There are no Chosen Ones here. Only bad choices and blood." (Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne)
"Epic, gripping and searing, The Final Strife weaves a fascinating tale of destiny, magic and love set in a richly imagined yet brutally divided world. Its unexpected, gritty heroine is one you cannot help but root for, and the story will stay with you long after the last page." (Sue Lynn Tan, author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess)
"Full of rich, vivid world-building with political intrigue and characters you can’t help but root for. I loved it." (Christina Sweeney-Baird, author of The End of Men)
What listeners say about The Final Strife
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A.Yu
- 08-07-23
Epic and immersive
Blown away by the world and the characters. Can’t wait for book 2! Narrator was amazing. Each voice distinct. Her laugh was the best.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- OldOneEye
- 25-05-23
Awful, jarring voice!
Ok - only part way through but while the story seems good and the characters engaging, the reader's accent is just horrible! I'll stick with this book but it's going to have to be amazing to make me want to listen to any more of that voice. It's so jarring and it just takes me out of the moment. Awful! Awful! Awful!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kathy
- 08-02-23
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4.5/5
"If your blood runs red, go straight ahead. If your blood runs blue, you’re not coming through. Translucent hue, who are you, who are you, who are you?"
A world divided into castes by blood colour. Red are the rulers, blue are subservient and clear are even lower. Powers are manoeuvring to challenge this status quo.
- The detail of the world building is amazing. The author has erected a world from the ground and filled it with history, culture, humanity and desires. Despite the complexity, it was so easy to sink into. The excerpts at the beginning of each chapter were especially helpful in adding dimensions to the setting and plot.
- The characters were multifaceted and complex. There is no good and bad just the shade of grey in between. Is it right to kill someone to advance a cause? To lie or withhold truth to further one's own agenda? The characters grow and change and interact beautifully and it is both wonderful and heartbreaking to see their journeys.
- The story was winding and precise and only a few times predictable. Along with the main plot there are sides of light romance, lore deep dives, world enhancing side details and other delightful additions that make The Final Strife so compelling.
If complex world building, uprising against oppression and well developed characters appeal to you, you should definitely check out this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. Moore
- 08-03-24
very entertaining tale
most enjoyable yarn, rattles along with a large cast of intriguing characters, and an interesting premise. the world building is fine, the writing solid, and the reading very good. satisfying, and I look forward to volume 2.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marvellous
- 23-07-22
A truly remarkable story
Absolutely loved this! The world building was just incredible. The details on the magic and fighting techniques are so impressive and creative. The individuality of each character and the collective bond of each sect is so beautifully done. I'm very impressed with this book and can't wait for book 2! This is going to be an amazing ride!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- S. Clarke
- 28-10-23
Loved this story
It started a little slow for me, but once I got into it, I found myself immersed in this world and these characters.
The narrator was excellent and while I struggle sometimes with American accents, which is a personal thing, this was not one of those and I find “awful awful awful” as per a previous review completely misleading and rather uncalled for. She brings the characters to life, and doesn’t have a habit of misreading words which even the best of narrators often do.
This is a perfect book for listening to at the times I need, because I want to hear more, but there’s quite a lot going on, so that it’s not an obsessive page turner type, so I can park it and wait to savour the next part properly.
I’m straight onto book 2 now, no hesitation.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Dodgy pads
- 17-07-24
Boring and dull
Took a very long for the story to progress past the main protagonist talking about drugs. Story continuously refers back to drugs so much so it actually becomes boring. Probably didn’t help that the narrator talks in that monotonous reading voice, that most American narrators seem to adopt. Persisted to end. Really wish I hadn’t wasted my time.
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