An ancient threat rises again in this grand, complex, and dark
stand-alone novel set in Neal Asher's Polity universe.
The Theocracy died 20 years ago, and the Polity rules on Masada. But
there is a group of rebels, called the Tidy Squad, who cannot accept the
new order. They hate the surviving theocrats, and the iconic Jeremiah
Tombs is at the top of their hit list.
After breaking out of his sanatorium, Tombs is pushed into painful
confrontations with all that he has avoided since the rebellion. Many
years ago, an almost mythical hooder called the Technician attacked him
and did something to his mind. Tombs's insanity needs to be cured,
because he might have knowledge about the suicide of an entire alien
race. The war drone Amistad, who has the task of bringing this
information to light, recruits Leif Grant, a former rebel Commander, to
protects Tombs. Penny Royal and Chanter are recruited as well.
Meanwhile, far off in deep space, the device that the Atheter used to
reduce them to animals awakens and begins to power its weapons. . . .