**“Gemmell not only knows how to tell a story, he knows how to tell a story you want to hear. He does high adventure as it ought to be done.”—Greg Keyes, author of** * **The Briar King** * One awesome night, the sadistic, seemingly invincible Daroth vanished from the face of the earth. Gone were their cities, their armies, their reigns of terror. Not a trace of this conquering race remained. Until a thousand years later. . . . With the rising of a dark moon above the Great Northern Desert, comes a black tidal wave that sweeps across the land. Suddenly, the desert vanishes beneath lush fields and forests and a great city glitters in the morning light. From this city reemerges the blood-hungry Daroth, powerful and immortal, immune to spear and sword. They have only one desire: to rid the world of humankind forever. Now the fate of the human race rests on the talents of three heroes: Karis, warrior-woman and strategist; Tarantio, the deadliest swordsman of the age; and Duvodas the Healer, who will learn a gruesome truth. **“Gemmell’s great reading; the action never lets up; he’s several rungs above the good—right into the fabulous!”—Anne McCaffrey**