To defeat stolen magic, an immortal guardian must unleash his own.

To the people of Sophos IV, Nyrgoth is an immortal wizard who commands the sleeping iron giants of old. In truth, Nyr is the last guardian of a forgotten technological age, using ancient relics to keep the peace.

But this peace shatters when a vengeful outlaw unearths a legion of buried monsters. And at his side is Ilmoth, an enigmatic witch wielding an impossible power. She can command these metal beasts with a simple whisper, and she speaks Nyr's long-forgotten language.

To thwart Ilmoth's drive to gain power and destroy a kingdom, the wizard must step out of the shadows to unite warring factions before the world is consumed.

Beneath the ruins of a forgotten past lies a magic that could burn the world. This is the thrilling sequel to Elder Race, by multiple Hugo Award nominee Adrian Tchaikovsky.

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Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky:

'Adrian Tchaikovsky is fast becoming the voice of his generation'
- Stephen Baxter, author of Proxima

'Tchaikovsky is the break-out star of contemporary British SF'
- The Guardian

'Tchaikovsky's world-building is some of the best in modern sci-fi'
- New Scientist

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, has practised law and now writes full time. He's also studied stage-fighting, perpetrated amateur dramatics and has a keen interest in entomology and table-top games.

Adrian is the author of the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, the Echoes of the Fall series and other novels, novellas and short stories. Children of Time won the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award, and Children of Ruin and Shards of Earth both won the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel. The Tiger and the Wolf won the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel. Adrian's Final Architecture series was shortlisted for a Hugo Award for Best Series, and Alien Clay and Service Model were both shortlisted for the Hugo's Best Novel category.