Shadows of the Apt

The peaceful Lowlands’ city states, long considered bastions of civilization, face an existential threat. A distant, formidable empire, renowned for its highly trained soldiers and sophisticated combat techniques, has been conquering its neighbors and now casts its covetous gaze upon these prosperous lands. Only the aging Stenwold Maker – a master spymaster, brilliant artificer, and shrewd statesman – truly comprehends the impending danger. As the empire's armies draw inexorably closer, it falls to Stenwold to rouse the complacent city leaders from their ignorance. He foresees a devastating war that will sweep through their lands, obliterating everything in its path. But to alert his people and galvanize them for the inevitable conflict, Stenwold must first survive the immediate threats against him.

In Adrian Tchaikovsky's Dragonfly Falling, the second book in the epic fantasy series Shadows of the Apt, the relentless Wasp Empire launches its war. The city of Tark faces the initial, overwhelming might of their armies, where heroes Salma and Totho prepare for a desperate defense alongside their Ant-kinden brethren. Meanwhile, Stenwold Maker, whose foresight exposed the Empire's plans, is marked for assassination by their secret service. The Empire also intends to destroy Collegium, a vital center of learning, to cripple Lowland resistance. As the Wasp troops advance, their young Emperor pursues a sinister, even darker objective, one that promises to unleash a thousand-year reign of blood upon the world if he succeeds.

Blood of the Mantis is the third thrilling novel in Adrian Tchaikovsky's richly imagined Shadows of the Apt series. The mighty Empire is mustering its forces for a devastating offensive, threatening to conquer the entire Lowlands. Stenwold and his dwindling allies have precious little time to rally support and prepare for the impending war before the hated black and gold flag flies over every city.

However, a more insidious danger looms. Achaeos the seer races against the clock to recover the stolen Shadow Box, a magical artifact of immense power. If this dangerous item falls into the hands of the power-mad Emperor, his relentless ambition will unleash an unstoppable threat upon the world. With a dread ritual casting a deadly shadow, Stenwold's fight for survival takes on a desperate new urgency.

Salute the Dark plunges the world into a dire war as the mighty Wasp armies march, threatening to conquer Collegium. Spymaster Stenwold must make a stand, discerning allies from false friends amidst the looming invasion of his home city. Weaponsmaster Tisamon, meanwhile, contemplates a risky, direct confrontation with the Wasp Emperor, potentially abandoning friends and family. Yet, is his drive for honour, or is he being manipulated by something far more sinister? Concurrently, Uctebri possesses the powerful Shadow Box and begins a dark ritual. While the Wasp Emperor believes this will grant him immortality, Uctebri harbors his own sinister plans for both the Emperor and the entire Empire. As loyalties are tested, all must face the impending end of days.

The Scarab Path, the fifth installment in Adrian Tchaikovsky's critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, plunges readers into the aftermath of a bitter war with the Wasp Empire. Collegium is left with a broken populace, including the haunted Cheerwell Maker, grappling with profound personal wounds. Meanwhile, the powerful Wasp Empress ruthlessly reasserts control over her cities, drawing power from a sinister, ancient source. Only her consort, the former spymaster Thalric, knows the terrifying truth behind her might. As assassins close in, Thalric's life and wavering loyalties are threatened. Beyond the desert, an ancient city holds a terrible secret that stirs beneath its stones, hinting at the awakening of forgotten powers that could reshape the world.

In Adrian Tchaikovsky's The Sea Watch, the sixth installment of the Shadows of the Apt series, Stenwold Maker struggles to defend Collegium. Despite a fragile peace, Stenwold knows the Empire's black and gold army will inevitably return. However, a more immediate and insidious threat emerges from the dark waters: Collegium's ships are being attacked and sunk by pirates, or simply vanishing without a trace, creating a hidden danger for his people.

Compounding the external threats, Stenwold finds his allies abandoning him, swayed by lies and false promises, leading to betrayal on every side. This leaves Collegium vulnerable as the Empire watches, poised to strike at the first sign of weakness. Yet, the Empire is not the only power with designs on the city, and even their formidable military might may not be enough to counter the ominous forces gathering in the darkness, threatening to engulf Collegium.

In Adrian Tchaikovsky's Heirs of the Blade, the seventh book of the Shadows of the Apt series, the true enemy lies within. Tynisa is on the run, haunted by the specter of her father and her own inner demons. As the Dragonfly Commonweal fragments, her past relentlessly catches up, forcing a confrontation with her personal torment. Meanwhile, the formidable Wasp Empire, led by the ambitious Empress Seda, targets Khanaphes, the fallen jewel of the ancient world. While her soldiers seek conquest, Seda herself envisions a far grander prize. She sees herself as the heir to all old powers of history, plotting not just the capture of a city, but the re-establishment of a vast, ancient dominion. Tynisa's internal struggle parallels a world on the brink, as the Wasp Empire's expansion threatens to engulf all.

In Adrian Tchaikovsky's The Air War, the eighth book in the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, the world plunges into an epic global conflict. An ambitious Empress, heir to two worlds, is determined to claim her birthright, mobilizing the full might of her Empire. Secretive new pilots complete their training, seasoned generals are recalled, and immense armies are readied to march, as nothing will stand in her way. Across the continent, turmoil reigns: spies ready their knives in Solarno, troops mass at Myna’s borders, reawakening ancient fears, and in Collegium, students argue politics too late to stem the tide. The stage is set for a devastating war, driven by the Empress's unwavering resolve.

In War Master's Gate, the Empire’s formidable armies renew their march on Collegium, determined to succeed where they previously failed. They bring a terrifying new aerial weapon, threatening to level the battlefield and overcome Stenwold Maker's renowned aviators, whose dominance of the skies is now jeopardized.

Yet, victory may ultimately be decided far from the besieged city. In a mystical ancient forest, amidst a brutal Mantis civil war, Empress Seda hunts for a lost, world-altering power from the old world. Cheerwell Maker knows she must prevent Seda's success at all costs, but their escalating conflict could awaken something far deadlier—an ancient force that threatens to overshadow even the grand clash of nations.

In Seal of the Worm, the tenth and final book of Adrian Tchaikovsky's epic Shadows of the Apt series, Empress Seda's triumph over her chief rival proves a devastating Pyrrhic victory. Her ruthless hunger for power led to a terrible price: the ancient Seal has shattered, unleashing the primordial Worm after a thousand years. This insatiable entity now strikes at the surface, consuming everything in its voracious path and threatening to ravage the entire world. Faced with the devastating truth of what she's unleashed, Seda knows only the most extreme and horrific measures can imprison the Worm once more. But as she prepares to go to any length to save humanity from this ancient foe, a chilling question arises: who will save the world from the Empress herself?