An Ember in the Ashes reading order (An Ember in the Ashes, 2015)
Start here
An Ember in the Ashes
2015
Ember in the Ashes reading order: start with An Ember in the Ashes (2015) through A Sky Beyond the Storm. Graphic prequels are not book one.
Short answer · Start here
An Ember in the Ashes
It is book one (2015). The three sequels assume that first Blackcliff job. Do not start with A Sky Beyond the Storm. Do not start with A Thief Among the Trees.
Four novels. Publication order is the first-read path. There is no contested order inside the prose quartet.
Graphic-novel prequels exist. They are earlier in story time. They are not Ember 0.
The novels
| # | Title | Year | Notes | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  An Ember in the AshesStart here | 2015 | Start here. | |
| 2 |  A Torch Against the Night | 2016 | ||
| 3 |  A Reaper at the Gates | 2018 | ||
| 4 |  A Sky Beyond the Storm | 2020 | Closes the quartet. |
Read them in this order.
Graphic prequels — extras after the four
| Title | Year | Notes | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Thief Among the Trees | 2020 | Graphic prequel. After the novels. Not Ember 0. | |
| A Spark Within the Forge | 2022 | Graphic prequel. After Thief Among the Trees. |
Tahir’s site and the BOOM/Archaia line treat these as standalone early chapters, not a fifth numbered novel. A later graphic volume may exist. It will not be book one of the prose.
House rule: read the four. Add a graphic if you want Elias or Laia earlier. Do not open A Thief Among the Trees because it is “before.”
All My Rage is a different Tahir book.
Common mistakes
- Starting with A Thief Among the Trees because it is earlier at Blackcliff.
- Starting with A Sky Beyond the Storm because it is the last argument people remember.
- Treating the graphics as required homework before A Torch Against the Night.
- Expecting a fifth prose novel. The story closes in book four.
What to read next
- The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) — If you want another YA closed-system run with prequels that should stay prequels.
- Divergent (Veronica Roth) — If you want the other 2010s faction trilogy people still start in the extras.
- Red Queen (Victoria Aveyard) — If you want another color-coded revolt with extras that look like a fifth novel.
- Throne of Glass (Sarah J. Maas) — If you want a longer assassin climb after a finished quartet.
- Stop after A Sky Beyond the Storm. The four are a complete visit.
FAQ
Do I need the graphic novels?
No. Start at An Ember in the Ashes (2015).
Graphics first because they are earlier?
Not for a first read.
Is this connected to All My Rage?
Same author. Different book.
Sources
- Sabaa Tahir, official site — author hub, including the A Thief Among the Trees graphic. Opened 2026-09-13.
- Penguin Random House, An Ember in the Ashes — publisher series line for the four novels. Opened 2026-09-13.
Same shelf
