Her mission is vital.
Her failure is unthinkable.
A corner of space swarms with alien technology, a danger to all sentient life. It's guarded by Orlandine, who must keep it contained - as it could destroy entire civilizations. An alien intelligence shares her vigil. But she doesn't share everything with Dragon . . .
Orlandine is hatching a plan to obliterate this technology, removing its threat forever. For some will do anything to exploit this ancient weaponry, created by a long-dead race called the Jain. This includes activating a Jain super-soldier, which may breach even Orlandine's defences.
Meanwhile, humanity and the alien prador empire also watch this sector of space, as neither can allow the other to claim its power. However, things are about to change. The Jain might not be as dead as they seemed - and interstellar war could be triggered at any time.
PRAISE FOR NEAL ASHER
'State-of-the-art SF on so many levels . . . a compelling, smart read'
Locus
'Full-tilt adventure and widescreen action, this is top-notch stuff'
SFX
'Beautifully paced . . . This is space opera at a high peak of craftsmanship'
Publishers Weekly, starred review