As the centuries go by, even Hadrian Marlowe is beginning to get old. His expertly crafted palatine genome, and the cryo sleep he has endured while traveling through space, can only extend his life so far, and Marlowe is now over 600 years old. It has been two centuries since he struck the emperor and fled imperial space to Jadd, leaving behind a war and political intrigue for the life of a fugitive. He has certainly enjoyed his time on Jadd, especially the last 40 years raising his daughter Cassandra. She is a skilled warrior who has learned swordplay from the famed Maeskoloi of Jadd, but she knows little of the dangers that exist beyond this planet. So when an Imperial messenger arrives with a pardon and calls Marlowe back into service in a war that humanity is losing, he has no desire to accept. But he must, because if he does not, there will be no future for any human, and that includes his Cassandra.

Hadrian is called back into service and given the task of killing one of the Cielcin "gods" before they are able to free it and bring it back to their leader. This certainly seems like a task that only Hadrian can accomplish, but as usual things are much more complicated than they seem. Most of the characters from prior books are no longer alive, but an old friend, and some old enemies, manage to find their ways back into the story. This is another solid entry in the series and it finally provides some insight into how Hadrian's reality spanning powers work, and what exactly the relationship is between the Quiet and the Watchers. I still want to know more, of course, but it was nice to have some things explained.  If you have enjoyed this series so far then I see no reason why this book would disappoint you.

If you are listening to the series then you will be happy to know that Samuel Roukin delivers another excellent performance