A thief among the trees An ember in the ashes graphic novel

This prequel to Tahir's best-selling Ember series (An Ember in the Ashes, 2015) takes readers back in time to Elias Veturius' youth at Blackcliff Academy. As a fiver, he, along with a young Helene Aquilla, is sent on a mission to steal poison from a heavily guarded island outpost commanded by a ruthless Mask. When Elias realizes that Scholar children are being enslaved and used for dangerous labor, he begins to question the more and more obviously ruthless empire he serves. Tahir and Andelfinger have collaborated on a tight stand-alone adventure that gives fans of the series a glimpse into some of the formative development of their favorite characters. Despite featuring tweens, this addition maintains much of the darkness and brutality of the parent series--without getting too graphic--thanks in large part to artist Liao's convincing portraits of warrior children, rendered as both fierce and vulnerable. A treat for fans of the expanding Ember universe, with more graphic installments sure to follow.