Robert Jackson Bennett – författare

**WINNER OF THE 2025 HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL**A peculiar crime. A brilliant investigator. A mystery of epic proportions.In an opulent mansion at the borders of the Empire, an Imperial officer lies dead - killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even here, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death at once terrifying and impossible.Called in to solve the crime is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricity. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory.Soon, the mystery leads to a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself. For Ana, all this makes for a deliciously thorny puzzle - at last, something to truly hold her attention. And Din? He'll just have to hold on for the ride.An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in this sparkling fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel - from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.'Engrossing and fascinating' MUR LAFFERTY'A masterstroke. I want Bennett to write a dozen of these, and send them to me yesterday' MAX GLADSTONE'Original, imaginative, and suspenseful' MEG GARDINER'Riveting' AMAL EL-MOHTAR'If you love unique, genre-bending, boundary-pushing fantasy as much as I do, look no further than Robert Jackson Bennett' FONDA LEE'Part Sherlock Holmes murder mystery, part Through the Looking-Glass, The Tainted Cup is one of the wildest, most original stories' WESLEY CHUREADERS LOVE ROBERT JACKSON BENNETT!'This is that rare thing - a book so good that you are bereft when you reach the final page. I loved this and would spend much more time in its world' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Utterly riveting read from beginning to end. Another mind blowing innovative world-build' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I couldn't put this one down and read waaay into the night to discover who did what to whom - and came away with a massive book hangover that had me dreaming of Bennett's world for the rest of the week' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I adored this book! Can't recommend it enough. Murder mystery in a fantasy setting with botanical murder weapons, augmented humans and leviathans threatening to breach city walls! It was such a wonderful, exciting book!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book destroyed those expectations. This was fantastic' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A riveting murder mystery wrapped in a twisty conspiracy' FONDA LEE'A twisty detective story, a weird fantasy, a thrilling adventure' MAX GLADSTONE In sequel to the Hugo award-winning The Tainted Cup, an eccentric detective matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant bio-punk fantasy mystery.An impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air - vanishing from a building whose entrances and exits are all sealed. To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, Ana Dolabra, and her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.Ana soon discovers they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder - and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost.Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of their moves with uncanny foresight, he fears she has at last met an enemy she can't defeat . . . READERS LOVE THE SHADOW OF THE LEVIATHAN SERIES'Dinios kol my disastrous bisexual son is back!! and hes sleep deprived!! he's vomiting!!! he's yearning!!! he's slowly losing his marbles!! he's in severe debt!! he's in way over his head!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Robert Jackson Bennett does it again with A Drop of Corruption, the kind of fantasy-mystery that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'You can always count on RJB to write a stunningly original work of fantasy that's precisely and cunningly crafted to leave its reader feeling bereft and abandoned and craving a sequel like an ember craves air. This was so good. 10/10. Would read again in a heartbeat' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'It's like knives out but if knives out was set in a fantasy world and benoit blanc was an old woman who had hired the most disaster bisexual to be her eyes and ears' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A murder investigation. No, a coming-of-age. No, a political fantasy. No, a murder investigation. No... well, I don't want to spoil it. Let me just say that I found it rather delightful how my expectations were simultaneously met and thwarted' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Watson and Holmes but fantasy . . . if Watson is aware that Holmes is a complete crazy person and is a bit terrified of him (actually, her)' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐AUTHORS LOVE THE SERIES'Original, imaginative, and suspenseful, The Tainted Cup superbly blends mystery and fantasy. I couldn't put it down. Give me more of this world and these characters ASAP!' Meg Gardiner 'Part Sherlock Holmes murder mystery, part Through the Looking-Glass, The Tainted Cup is one of the wildest, most original stories I've ever had the privilege to explore. This is a book that has planted roots in my head for the rest of my life' Wesley Chu'The Tainted Cup is a true fantasy mystery, with a leading duo who stand with Holmes and Watson among the greats. And Bennett sets it all in a squishy, fascinating, biopunk world I'm dying to find out more about. Bring on the next one!' Django Wexler 'A classic murder mystery set against dazzling world-building and sly social commentary. Robert Jackson Bennett doesn't miss' James L. Sutter

Once, Sancia Grado was just a thief with a grudge and a rare talent. Then she learned how to use that talent, and beat the great merchant houses of Tevanne at their own game. With Clef and Berenice, she even saw off an immortal hierophant - but the war they're fighting now is one they know they can't win.'Absolutely riveting . . . A magnificent, mind-blowing start to a series I'm hungry for' - Amal El-Mohtar, co-author of This is How You Lose the Time War, in the New York Times on Foundryside This time, they're not facing robber-baron elites or an immortal hierophant, but an entity whose intelligence is spread over half the globe: a ghost in the machine using the magic of scriving to possess and control not just objects, but human minds.Despite all their efforts their enemy marches on, implacable, unstoppable - and it's closing in on its true prize: an ancient doorway that leads to the centre of creation itself. 'One of the best fantasy writers on the scene today' says Kirkus ReviewsSancia and her friends glimpse a last desperate opportunity to stop this unbeatable foe - but to do so, they'll have to unlock the centuries-old mystery of scriving's origins and pull off the most daring heist they've ever attempted.And as if that weren't enough, their adversary might just have a spy in their ranks - and a last trick up its sleeve . . .

'The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists' Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of OATHBRINGERShe thought it was just another job. But her discovery could bring the city to its knees . . .The city of Tevanne runs on scrivings, industrialised magical inscriptions that make inanimate objects sentient; they power everything, from walls to wheels to weapons. Scrivings have brought enormous progress and enormous wealth - but only to the four merchant Houses who control them. Everyone else is a servant or slave, or they eke a precarious living in the hellhole called the Commons.There's not much in the way of work for an escaped slave like Sancia Grado, but she has an unnatural talent that makes her one of the best thieves in the city. When she's offered a lucrative job to steal an ancient artefact from a heavily guarded warehouse, Sancia agrees, dreaming of leaving the Commons - but instead, she finds herself the target of a murderous conspiracy. Someone powerful in Tevanne wants the artefact, and Sancia dead - and whoever it is already wields power beyond imagining.Sancia will need every ally, and every ounce of wits at her disposal, if she is to survive - because if her enemy gets the artefact and unlocks its secrets, thousands will die, and, even worse, it will allow ancient evils back into the world and turn their city into a devastated battleground.'Robert Jackson Bennett deserves a huge audience' Brent Weeks'An altogether terrific read' Sebastien de Castell'Intricate worldbuilding, fascinating magic, and engaging characters. More please!' Felicia Day'Inventive, immersive, and thrilling . . . Do yourself a favor and pick this up!' Kevin Hearne

A Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett“Great fantasy detective stories are too rare, but Bennett—[a] rising star of fantasy—more than delivers.”—Charlie Jane Anders, The Washington Post“A thoroughly satisfying delight from start to finish.”—Amal El-Mohtar, The New York Times Book ReviewIn Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect. By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.

'Exciting . . . Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists' Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of OathbringerThe upstart firm Foundryside is struggling to make it. Orso Igancio and his star employee, former thief Sancia Grado, are accomplishing brilliant things with scriving, the magical art of encoding sentience into everyday objects, but it's not enough. The massive merchant houses of Tevanne won't tolerate competition, and they're willing to do anything to crush Foundryside.'A refreshing look at magic - featuring a heroine every reader will root for - from one of the smartest writers I know,' says Peter V. Brett, New York Times bestselling author of The Demon CycleBut even the merchant houses of Tevanne might have met their match. An immensely powerful and deadly entity has been resurrected in the shadows of Tevanne, one that's not interested in wealth or trade routes: a hierophant, one of the ancient practitioners of scriving. And he has a great fascination for Foundryside, and its employees - especially Sancia.Now Sancia and the rest of Foundryside must race to combat this new menace, which means understanding the origins of scriving itself - before the hierophant burns Tevanne to the ground.'A compelling treatise on power and its misuse' said The Guardian of Foundryside

“The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists.”—Brandon Sanderson“Complex characters, magic that is tech and vice versa, a world bound by warring trade dynasties: Bennett will leave you in awe once you remember to breathe!”—Tamora PierceIn a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself—the first in a dazzling new series from City of Stairs author Robert Jackson Bennett.   Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle.   But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic—the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience—have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims.   Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.   To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.

Sigrud je Harkvaldsson is back, and this time he's out for vengeance.Shara Komayd, once Prime Minister of Saypur, has been assassinated. News travels fast and far, even to a remote logging town somewhere northwest of Bulikov, where the silent Dreyling worker 'Bjorn' picks up the newspaper and walks out. He is shocked and grieved and furious; he's been waiting thirteen years for Shara, his closest friend, to tell him to come home. Now he has no one else in his life, and nothing to live for - except to find the people who did this.Sigrud wasn't there for the death of his daughter, and he wasn't there when Shara was murdered. Now 'Bjorn' is dead and Sigrud is back. And he will find answers, for Shara, and for himself. He's made a promise . . .The awesome climax to the fantasy thrillers City of Stairs and City of Blades.

'Robert Jackson Bennett deserves a huge audience' - Brent Weeks, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Prism.Do the dead sleep soundly in the land of death - or do they have plans of their own?Nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award 2016.A generation ago the city of Voortyashtan was the stronghold of the god of war and death, the birthplace of fearsome supernatural sentinels who killed and subjugated millions. But that was then. Now the god is dead and the city lies in ruins, a wasteland of sectarian violence and bloody uprisings.So it makes perfect sense for General Turyin Mulaghesh, foul-mouthed hero of the battle of Bulikov, rumoured war criminal, ally of embattled Prime Minister Shara Komayd, to be exiled here - but she's not just eking out her days in this hellhole till retirement. She's on one final mission, to find a Saypuri secret agent who's gone AWOL.The trouble is, that this old soldier isn't sure she's still got what it takes to be the hero . . .A triumphant return to the world of A City of Stairs.'Loud, bold and uncompromisingly ambitious' - Upcoming4.me

Some places are too good to be true.Under a pink moon, there is a perfect little town not found on any map.In that town, there are quiet streets lined with pretty houses, houses that conceal the strangest things.After a couple years of hard traveling, ex-cop Mona Bright inherits her long-dead mother's home in Wink, New Mexico. And the closer Mona gets to her mother's past, the more she understands that the people of Wink are very, very different...From one of our most talented and original new literary voices comes the next great American supernatural novel: a work that explores the dark dimensions of the hometowns and the neighbours we thought we knew.

George Carole ran away from home to join the Vaudeville circuit. Sixteen years old, uncommonly gifted at the piano, he falls in with a strange troupe - even for Vaudeville.Under the watchful eye of the enigmatic figure of Silenus, George comes to realise that the members of the troupe are more than they appear to be. And their travels have a purpose that runs deeper than entertainment.George must uncover the mysteries of Silenus's company before it is too late. He is already entangled in their web of secrets and, if he doesn't learn where they are taking him, he may never find his way out.

A triumphant return to the world of "City of Stairs." A generation ago, the city of Voortyashtan was the stronghold of the god of war and death, the birthplace of fearsome supernatural sentinels who killed and subjugated millions. Now, the city s god is dead. The city itself lies in ruins. And to its new military occupiers, the once-powerful capital is a wasteland of sectarian violence and bloody uprisings. So it makes perfect sense that General Turyin Mulaghesh foul-mouthed hero of the battle of Bulikov, rumored war criminal, ally of an embattled Prime Minister has been exiled there to count down the days until she can draw her pension and be forgotten. At least, it makes the perfect "cover "story. The truth is that the general has been pressed into service one last time, dispatched to investigate a discovery with the potential to change the world--or destroy it. The trouble is that this old soldier isn't sure she's still got what it takes to be the hero."

Brilliant detective Ana Dolabra must prove a man's innocence to stop a civil war in the third book of the series that began with The Tainted Cup, named an Edgar, Hugo, and World Fantasy Award Finalist and one of the best books of the year (New York Times Book Review, NPR, Elle)—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.“Great fantasy detective stories are too rare, but Bennett—[a] rising star of fantasy—more than delivers.” —The Washington Post, on The Tainted Cup In the canton of Sapirdad, two of the Empire’s most powerful families are moments away from going to war with each other, their hundreds of retainers gathered with swords drawn. If blood is spilled, the whole of the empire may be plunged into starvation and chaos.To deescalate matters, someone must do the impossible: prove that one family’s eldest son is innocent of a gruesome and unforgivable murder, despite the incontrovertible evidence against him.It is with this undertaking that the great detective Ana Dolabra is tasked, her assistant Din at her side—and the two find themselves racing with great speed and little dignity to the scene.As ever, the impossible proves little obstacle for the deadly combination of Ana’s intellect and Din’s keen eye, and mere hours after riding into the dusty town, Ana glimpses the greater pattern behind the crime. A deeper, subtler web of death is being woven in plain sight, by a mastermind with an ancient magical technology at his disposal.But even Ana's uncanny insight is of little use when each new suspect she uncovers ends up dead--with each new killing calculated to bring tensions between the two rival clans past the boiling point. And as Din pursues their adversary through the canton's wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses, he finds his loyalties divided in unexpected ways.

You've got to be careful when you're chasing a murderer through Bulikov, for the world is not as it should be in that city. When the gods were destroyed and all worship of them banned by the Polis, reality folded; now stairs lead to nowhere, alleyways have become portals to the past, and criminals disappear into thin air. The murder of Dr Efrem Pangyui, the Polis diplomat researching the Continent's past, has begun something and now whispers of an uprising flutter out from invisible corners. Only one woman may be willing to pursue the truth - but it is likely to cost her everything.

'A riveting murder mystery wrapped in a twisty conspiracy, set in a vivid fantasy world terrorized by eldritch monsters' FONDA LEE'A twisty detective story, a weird fantasy, a thrilling adventure' MAX GLADSTONEIn the second adventure in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, the eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant bio-punk fantasy-mystery.An impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air - abducted from his quarters in a building whose entrances and exits are all sealed.The brilliant and mercurial investigator, Ana Dolabra, and her assistant Dinios Kol have been called in to crack the case.Before long, Ana discovers that they're actually investigating a murder. Worse, the adversary seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and can predict every one of Ana's moves as though they can see the future.Ana's solved impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and the investigators seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, has Ana finally met an enemy she can't defeat?READERS LOVE THE SHADOW OF THE LEVIATHAN SERIES'Dinios kol my disastrous bisexual son is back!! and hes sleep deprived!! he's vomiting!!! he's yearning!!! he's slowly losing his marbles!! he's in severe debt!! he's in way over his head!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Robert Jackson Bennett does it again with A Drop of Corruption, the kind of fantasy-mystery that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'You can always count on RJB to write a stunningly original work of fantasy that's precisely and cunningly crafted to leave its reader feeling bereft and abandoned and craving a sequel like an ember craves air. This was so good. 10/10. Would read again in a heartbeat' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'It's like knives out but if knives out was set in a fantasy world and benoit blanc was an old woman who had hired the most disaster bisexual to be her eyes and ears' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A murder investigation. No, a coming-of-age. No, a political fantasy. No, a murder investigation. No... well, I don't want to spoil it. Let me just say that I found it rather delightful how my expectations were simultaneously met and thwarted' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Watson and Holmes but fantasy . . . if Watson is aware that Holmes is a complete crazy person and is a bit terrified of him (actually, her)' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ AUTHORS LOVE THE SERIES'Original, imaginative, and suspenseful, The Tainted Cup superbly blends mystery and fantasy. I couldn't put it down. Give me more of this world and these characters ASAP!' Meg Gardiner'Part Sherlock Holmes murder mystery, part Through the Looking-Glass, The Tainted Cup is one of the wildest, most original stories I've ever had the privilege to explore. This is a book that has planted roots in my head for the rest of my life.' Wesley Chu'A riveting murder mystery wrapped in a twisty conspiracy, set in a vivid fantasy world terrorized by eldritch monsters . . .' Fonda Lee'I loved this. A twisty detective story, a weird fantasy, a thrilling adventure-The Tainted Cup is a masterstroke. I want Bennett to write a dozen of these, and send them to me yesterday' Max Gladstone'The Tainted Cup is a true fantasy mystery, with a leading duo who stand with Holmes and Watson among the greats. And Bennett sets it all in a squishy, fascinating, biopunk world I'm dying to find out more about. Bring on the next one!' Django Wexler'A classic murder mystery set against dazzling world-building and sly social commentary. Robert Jackson Bennett doesn't miss' James L. Sutter

An impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air - abducted from his quarters in a building whose entrances and exits are all sealed.The brilliant and mercurial investigator, Ana Dolabra, and her assistant Dinios Kol have been called in to crack the case.Before long, Ana discovers that they're actually investigating a murder. Worse, the adversary seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and can predict every one of Ana's moves as though they can see the future.Ana's solved impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and the investigators seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, has Ana finally met an enemy she can't defeat?

An unthinkable crime. A fatal conspiracy. A suspect without a trace.The heir to one of the Empire's most powerful families sits in jail, accused of murder. His hands are covered in his victim's blood, and he can neither deny his guilt nor explain his actions.If the great detective Ana Dolabra - along with her assistant Dinios Kol - cannot save him, the farming canton of Sapirdad will explode into war, plunging the Empire into famine and chaos.But this murder is only the latest in a subtle web of death, woven by a mastermind with an ancient weapon at his disposal.Ana and Din have faced terrible crimes before. But as they pursue their adversary through wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses, even they are not prepared for the horrifying secret behind their opponent's powers . . .Eccentric yet brilliant detective Ana Dolabra must prove a man's innocence to stop a civil war in the third book of the series that began with the award-winning The Tainted Cup.

An unthinkable crime. A fatal conspiracy. A suspect without a trace.The heir to one of the Empire's most powerful families sits in jail, accused of murder. His hands are covered in his victim's blood, and he can neither deny his guilt nor explain his actions.If the great detective Ana Dolabra - along with her assistant Dinios Kol - cannot save him, the farming canton of Sapirdad will explode into war, plunging the Empire into famine and chaos.But this murder is only the latest in a subtle web of death, woven by a mastermind with an ancient weapon at his disposal.Ana and Din have faced terrible crimes before. But as they pursue their adversary through wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses, even they are not prepared for the horrifying secret behind their opponent's powers . . .Eccentric yet brilliant detective Ana Dolabra must prove a man's innocence to stop a civil war in the third book of the series that began with the award-winning The Tainted Cup.

It is the time of the Great Depression. The dustbowl has turned the western skies red and thousands leave their homes seeking a better life. Marcus Connelly seeks not a life, but a death - a death for the mysterious scarred man who murdered his daughter. And soon he learns that he is not alone. Countless others have lost someone to the scarred man. They band together to track him, but as they get closer, Connelly begins to suspect that the man they are hunting is more than human. It is said that he who hunts monsters should take care lest he thereby become a monster, and as the chase becomes increasingly desperate, the scarred man's pursuers are forced to choose between what is right and what is necessary. Having come so far and lost so much, Connelly must decide just how much more he is willing to sacrifice to have his revenge.

'Robert Jackson Bennett deserves a huge audience' - Brent Weeks, New York Times bestselling author of The Black PrismIn the city of stairs, nothing is as it seems.You've got to be careful when you're chasing a murderer through Bulikov, for the world is not as it should be in that city. When the gods were destroyed and all worship of them banned by the Polis, reality folded; now stairs lead to nowhere, alleyways have become portals to the past, and criminals disappear into thin air.The murder of Dr Efrem Pangyui, the Polis diplomat researching the Continent's past, has begun something and now whispers of an uprising flutter out from invisible corners.Only one woman may be willing to pursue the truth - but it is likely to cost her everything.'Truly refreshing' - New York Times Book Review

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The jaw-dropping conclusion to the acclaimed Founders Trilogy, from the Hugo–nominated author of Foundryside and Shorefall “It’s so rare to love every single book in a trilogy, to admire the aim, precision, and storytelling stamina this much.”—The New York Times Book Review ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, The Quill to LiveSancia, Clef, and Berenice have gone up against long odds in the past. But the war they’re fighting now is one even they can’t win.This time, they’re not facing robber-baron elites or even an immortal hierophant, but an entity whose intelligence is spread over half the globe—one that uses the magic of scriving to control not just objects but human minds.   To fight it, they’ve used scriving technology to transform themselves and their allies into an army—a society—unlike anything humanity has seen before. With its strength at their backs, they’ve freed a handful of their enemy’s hosts from servitude, and even defeated some of its fearsome, reality-altering dreadnoughts.   Yet despite their efforts, their enemy marches on. Implacable. Unstoppable.   Now, as their opponent closes in on its true prize—an ancient doorway, long buried, that leads to the chambers at the center of creation itself—Sancia and her friends glimpse a last opportunity to stop this unbeatable foe. To do so, they’ll have to unlock the centuries-old mystery of scriving’s origins, embark on a desperate mission into the heart of their enemy’s power, and pull off the most daring heist they’ve ever attempted.   But their adversary might have a spy in their ranks—and a last trick up its sleeve.   And to have a chance at victory, Sancia, Clef, and Berenice will have to make a sacrifice beyond anything that’s come before.