Every person in the galaxy has a currentgift, which is a certain talent unique to them their currentgift typically develops during puberty or times of dire need/extreme emotion.

Originally, the current was seen as holy and sacred to the people of the planets though still revered by many, fewer and fewer carry on their worship of the current. In their galaxy, there is a force called the current, which flows through every living being, and can be seen visibly as the 'currentstream,' manifesting as lights wrapped around the planets. At the time the story takes place, the Shotet are governed by the Noavek family, who are known for having a history of killing siblings and other family members, and the Shotet slowly go to ruin under their governing. The people of Shotet are very skilled in combat, in contrast to the Thuvhesit, who only possess a meager army of trained soldiers. The people of Shotet live mostly in poverty, while their leader and higher class hoard all imports and dole them out selectively. The Shotet call their planet Urek whereas the Thuvhesit call it Thuvhe, but the planet is universally recognized only as Thuvhe and the Thuvhesit are the only recognized people/nation of the planet, even though the Shotet have been vying for that privilege for many generations. The two peoples are separated by a large expanse of feathergrass, a tall grass that causes hallucinations. The Shotet and Thuvhesit live on the same planet, Urek/Thuvhe, and have a long history of violence, blaming certain historical events on each other. The names of the planets are: Othyr, Kollande, Ogra, Essander, Zold, Pitha, Trella, Tepes and Thuvhe/Urek. This general order is kept by the Assembly, composed of a leader and all Assembly associates who live on a large, travelling spaceship recently, the Assembly's authority has come into question with some suspecting the Assembly of corruption and opposing some beliefs the nations have continued to honor for thousands of years.

Each planet has different rules, governments, people, and language, although each planet lives in accordance with general, interplanetary rules each has agreed to. The characters of Carve the Mark live among nine planets. Its sequel The Fates Divide was released on 10 April 2018. The story follows Akos and Cyra, young people from opposing cultures whose fates are intertwined. It is the fifth novel by Veronica Roth, published on Januby HarperCollins. Carve the Mark is a science fiction young adult novel.

The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth