'Marvellous . . . a space opera of surpassing gracefulness, depth, complexity, and well, all-round weirdness' Locus Perfect for fans of Iain M. Banks and Peter F. Hamilton. It is the 147th century. The mighty era of Homo Sapiens is at an end. In the Westerly Provinces of the Old World, the hunt is on for the young queen Arabis, and the beast that holds her captive. In the brutal hominid Investiture, revolution has come. The warlord Cunctus, having seized the Vulgar worlds, invites every Prism to pick a side. In the Firmament, once the kingdom of the Immortal Amaranthine, all ships converge on the foundry of Gliese. The grandest battle in the history of mammalian kind has begun. Perception, ancient machine spirit, must take back its mortal remains in a contest for the Firmament itself. Ghaldezuel, now the Grand Marshal of Cunctus' new empire, must travel to the deepest lagoon in the Investiture, a place where monsters dwell. Captain Maril, lost amongst the Hedron Stars, finds himself caught between colossal powers the likes of which he'd never dreamt. And for Aaron the Long-Life, he who has waited so very, very long for his revenge, things are only getting started . . . '(An) unceasing display of wonders ...This third novel honours the accomplishments of and promises of the first two, and serves as a fitting capstone to a unique creation ...' Paul Di Filippo, Locus Magazine 'The final book in Toner's ridiculously ambitious trilogy will force you to redefine what space opera can do ... ' Barnes & Noble 'Among the most significant works of science fiction released in recent years. Granted, you've got to give it your all, but give it that and you'll get all that and more besides back' TOR.COM [The Promise of the Child]