The city states of the Lowlands have lived in peace for decades bastions of civilization prosperity & sophistication. They have been protected by treaties trade & a belief in the reasonable nature of their neighbours. But meanwhile in far-off corners the Wasp Empire has been devouring city after city with its highly trained armies its machines its killing Art.. . And now its hunger for conquest & war has become insatiable. Only the ageing Stenwold Maker spymaster artificer & statesman can see that the long days of peace are over. It falls upon his shoulders to open the eyes of his people -- as soon a black-&-gold tide will sweep down over the Lowlands & burn away everything in its path. But first he must stop himself from becoming the Empires latest victim. I cannot even begin to explain how much I enjoy the Shadows of the Apt books. Their level of originality & the sheer epic-ness makes for some of the best fantasy entertainment out there LECBook Reviews.com