The Isle In The Silver Sea by Tasha Suri: 2026 Winner close-up

Publisher: Orbit

Genre: Epic Fantasy / Historical Fantasy

Publication Date: May 2025

Overview

From World Fantasy Award–winning author Tasha Suri comes The Isle in the Silver Sea, a captivating epic fantasy grounded in lush history and Indian myth. Rich with political intrigue, forbidden sorcery, and intricate character dynamics, Suri delivers an unforgettable tale of power, sisterhood, and rebellion set upon an isolated, mist-shrouded island where hidden truths threaten to unravel an empire.

Synopsis

“Some secrets are buried in the earth; others are washed clean by the sea…”

High above the shimmering waters of the Silver Sea lies an island shrouded in sanctuary and legend. For generations, it has served as both a refuge for the forgotten and a prison for those deemed too dangerous to walk the mainland.

When a disgraced royal courtier is exiled to the island, she expects a quiet decline into obscurity. Instead, she uncovers an ancient order of women guarding an forbidden magic—one capable of shifting the tides of empire. As imperial forces close in to claim the island’s secrets for themselves, she must forge unlikely alliances among the island’s inhabitants and decide whether to preserve the sanctuary or burn it down to save the people she has come to love.

Why It Won

• Lush, Evocative Worldbuilding: Suri excels at creating immersive, sensorially rich environments where geography, folklore, and magic interlock seamlessly.
• Complex, Multi-Layered Protagonists: Anchored by fiercely resilient women whose motivations are morally complex, compelling, and deeply human.
• Masterful Pacing & Tension: Sweeping political maneuvers merge with intimate personal stakes, building to a breathtaking, high-stakes climax.

Praise & Reviews

“Tasha Suri is a master of epic fantasy. The Isle in the Silver Sea is a gorgeous, haunting tapestry of magic, betrayal, and quiet strength.”

— Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

“Lyrical, fierce, and utterly gripping. Suri builds a world you can feel on your skin and characters who will steal your heart.”

— Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

“A triumph of historical fantasy. Deeply moving and impossible to put down.”

— SA Chakraborty

About the Author

Tasha Suri is the award-winning author of the critically acclaimed The Burning Kingdoms trilogy (The Jasmine Throne, The Oleander Sword) and the Books of Ambha duology. She won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for The Jasmine Throne. A former academic librarian, she lives in London with her family.