The vampiric sorcerer Uctebri has at last got his hands on the Shadow Box and can finally begin his dark ritual - a ritual that the Wasp-kinden Emperor believes will grant him immortality - but Uctebri has his own plans both for the Emperor and the Empire. The massed Wasp armies are on the march, and the spymaster Stenwold must see which of his allies will stand now that the war has finally arrived. This time the Empire will not stop until a black and gold flag waves over Stenwold's own home city of Collegium. Tisamon the Weaponsmaster is faced with a terrible choice: a path that could lead him to abandon his friends and his daughter, to face degradation and loss, but that might possibly bring him before the Wasp Emperor with a blade in his hand - but is he being driven by Mantis-kinden honour, or manipulated by something more sinister?
From Publishers Weekly
Tchaikovsky's fourth Shadows of the Apt installment is that rarest of gems in series fantasy: an intermediate book in which genuinely decisive events occur. Despite the best efforts of resistance leader Stenwald and his allies, the Wasp Empire seems fated to conquer the entire known world, forcibly assimilating the other insect-themed kinden into their brutal society. The empire faces its own doom in the form of vampiric sorcerer Uctebri, whose possession of the Shadow Box allows him to covertly dominate the empire's ruler. Vast armies clash, but in the end the conflicts are determined by individual choices. Tchaikovsky tests all his characters in the full knowledge that many will fail, some heroically and others in despair. Readers who like their military fantasy to come with real consequences will be completely enthralled.
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From Booklist
This, the fourth book in the series, continues to unravel the mysteries of the insect-kinden, and the magic that was unleashed years ago. Stenwold Maker is still doing his best to stop the advance of the Wasp-kindens empire. Now, however, his former operatives are mostly pursuing their own destinies, which may or may not aid Stenwold in his aims. Each characters individual story line is masterfully woven into the ongoing war, and questions arise as to their motivations. Fantasy readers will continue to enjoy the emotional turmoil and growth as each of the characters pursues their dreams. Even secondary characters are granted some depth, rather than just providing background, and this allows for some interesting plot twists. The ending is not completely unexpected, and a window is left open for a continuation in future stories of this world. The history of the kinden is explored a bit further, but still is shrouded in many unexplained mysteries. --Rebecca Gerber
Library : Fantasy
Universes : Shadows of the Apt [04]
Formats : EPUB
Read : Want to Read
ISBN : 1616142391