**Blood of the Mantis is the third novel in Adrian Tchaikovsky's
richly imagined Shadows of the Apt series, followingDragonfly
Falling.Stenwold must rally his allies for battle against the
Empire, even as it seeks a dangerous artifact of enormous
power.
A dread ritual casts a deadly shadow . . .
Achaeos the seer has tracked the stolen Shadow Box to the marsh-town of
Jerez, driven by the ghosts of the legendary Darakyon. But he has only
days before this magical artifact will be lost to him forever . . .
Meanwhile, the Empire's dread forces are mustering for their next great
offensive. Stenwold and followers have only a short time to gather
allies, before the enemy's soldiers march again - conquering everything
in their path. If Stenwold cannot hold them back, the hated black and
gold flag will fly over every city in the Lowlands before the year's
end.
And should the Shadow Box fall into the hands of the power-mad Emperor,
nothing will save the world from his relentless ambition.
Blood of the Mantis is followed by Salute the Dark, the
fourth book in the Shadows of the Apt series.