This was actually a reread for me, but when I was going through my notes, I realized I never wrote a review for this book. Since this is one of my favorite series, I thought it made sense to finally share what I think.
More about A Torch Against the Night
Now, in A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT, Elias and Laia are running for their lives.
After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.
Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.
But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.
Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.
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My thoughts
There’s only a few sequels that I’ve read that I really enjoyed. Most of them struggle with “sequel syndrome” where it’s either filler or it doesn’t live up to the expectations of the first book. But somehow Sabaa Tahir is able to exceed expectations and bring to us a sequel to An Ember in the Ashes that blows the first book out of the water.
The story picks up right where the last book left off. This time, we’re going for the prison break and Laia and Elias are determined to break Darin out of prison. Laia needs Elias’s help to get to Kauf prison and after saving him from a pretty bad fate, Elias is more than obliging. However, things go south quite quickly and the journey to Kauf prison is met with pretty much anything and everything going wrong for our intrepid characters.
This story is definitely the one that changes everyone. Each character (specifically Elias, Laia, and Helene) are faced with circumstances beyond their control, conflicts that make them question themselves, and an enemy that redefines “ruthless.” I felt for each of these characters in one way or another. From losing friends and family to gaining new friends and family, this book is a rollercoaster of emotions and Sabaa Tahir does not care about your feelings.
What I found the most interesting in this story is the introduction of magic. While there were small hints to it in the first book, this is the book where it comes out fully. Laia’s power to disappear, Helene’s power to heal, and the weird stuff that happens to Elias (no spoilers) all show up to create a world filled with the enchantment of any Middle Eastern tale. Djinns and efrits and worlds within our own create the lavish backdrop to the harsh existence of Roman-style military rule. I truly loved seeing the magic play out here and become a bigger part of the story.
Of course, Sabaa Tahir can’t leave well enough alone and while you’re getting this prison break story, you’re also pushing forward in a story that can only lead to heartbreak. I thought I could bang out the last 50 pages of this book while I was cooking dinner and I ended up finishing the book while dinner held off for another hour. The rhythm of this story kept me interested until the very last page where Sabaa leaves you with the tiniest cliffhangers. You’ll definitely struggle not to pick up the next book after this one!
Overall, I applaud Sabaa Tahir for creating such a ruthless world of magic and military might. This feels like just the tip of the iceberg of what’s to come next and I can’t wait.
Simone and Her Books 