60 pages • 2 hours read
A Torch Against the Night
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Background
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence, racism, and death.
Series Context: An Ember in the Ashes
The Ember Quartet begins with An Ember in the Ashes, published in 2015. The novel quickly became a New York Times #1 bestseller and was named one of “The 100 Best YA Books of All Time” by Time magazine. A Torch Against the Night was published in 2016, followed by the final two books in the series, A Reaper at the Gates (2018) and A Sky Beyond the Storm (2020).
An Ember in the Ashes establishes the characters and the long story arc of the series, introducing Laia of Serra, a Scholar, and Elias Veturia, a Mask for the Martial Empire. In the world of the series, a number of distinct cultures exist, including Martials, Scholars, Tribals, and Mariners. While the Tribals and Mariners have forged treaties with the Martial Empire that stop the Martials from invading their lands, the Scholars have been conquered and subsequently enslaved by the Martials.
The Martial Empire is modeled on the real-world Roman Empire, reflected by the naming conventions, military hierarchy, and brutal warmongering of the society. When An Ember in the Ashes begins, Laia lives with her brother,
