A thief among the trees

Bestselling author Sabaa Tahir teams up with screenwriter Nicole Andelfinger and artist Sonia Liao to craft this original story, which illuminates a disturbing episode from Elias and Helene's life at Blackcliff and a thrilling chapter in the mythology of An Ember in the Ashes.

Within the Empire there are no questions, only orders.

Elias, Helene, and Tavi are five students training at Blackcliff Academy to become elite soldiers for the Martial Empire. When they are sent on a dangerous mission to steal a heavily guarded poison from the South Island, they soon encounter surprising enemies—including other Blackcliff students.

As the true horror of this mission unfolds, it will be up to Elias, Helene, and Tavi to confront the harrowing reality of martial rule, their place within it...and the choices they must make to survive.

"Tahir's worldbuilding is incredibly detailed, and the setting is unusual for fantasy books. All the characters, even the minor ones, are fully developed. For Game of Thrones fans." - School Library Journal

“In a story rife with political intrigue and haunted by supernatural forces, the real tension comes from watching Elias and Laia struggle to decide where to give their loyalties.” - Publishers Weekly

“ An Ember in the Ashes draws readers into a world marked by violence and oppression, but it does so with simple prose that offers moments of beauty in its directness. This complexity makes this a worthwhile book—as courageous as its characters.” - The New York Times Book Review