All readers will benefit from the fierceness of the female characters and Tahir's ability to thoughtfully insert issues of class, race, and injustice in this unputdownable series.One of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Timeīook two in the New York Times bestselling series A Torch Against the Night is the kind of adventure fantasy that should appeal to all genre readers, but the romantic tension does increase, and shippers should enjoy the dynamic that a certain new Mask serving under Helene brings to the equation of future possibilities. If she's Darth Vader (hey, she's Elias' birth mom so the comparison works), this villain is the emperor, but an even creepier one that can disguise his true nature. There's an even greater villain than the commandant. And Laia - well, she has her own talents. Not only does Helene still possess the power to heal, but Elias discovers he can travel between the world of the living and the purgatory-like place that the dead who aren't ready to move on inhabit. The magical elements that were hinted at in the first book grow in this installment. It's Helene who is left behind to deal with her own existential crisis about duty, personal sacrifice for public good, and whether to follow a leader she vowed to serve but finds morally despicable.
Yes, Laia and Elias are still the main characters, but the story's One True Pairing has a lot to overcome, and the romance (at least between them) takes a backseat to the more practical matters of survival, escape, and the need to break Darin out of the Empire's most notorious prison. Tahir's smartest decision is to give Helene narrating duties, and it her character that most "makes" A Torch Against the Night such a layered and compelling read. The rare sequel that improves on the original, Sabaa Tahir's second Ember installment deepens the character development, introduces new forms of magic, and sets the stage for epic books to come. Language: "Hell" is used multiple times, as well as "bastard". Two characters have sex, but the scene fades out and doesn't describe it in detail. Sex: Budding romance between Elias and Laia, as well as Laia and Keenan, lead to some kisses.
Another is forced to watch the execution of her family, and a supporting character dies. The Commandant kills numerous Scholars, including children.
The Empire is a totalitarian society that brutally murders opponents. Most of the characters were fully fleshed out and they really drove the story. I loved how artfully the author explored Elias' struggle with his inner demons, Laia's self-confidence, and Helene's loyalties. Here we get to delve deeper into Elias and Laia's character development, as well as Helene's (a great addition to the point of view narrators). A Torch Against The Night was high on my must-read list, and it did not disappoint.
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