The Scarab Path

The Scarab Path is the fifth book in the critically acclaimed epic fantasy series Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky.Ancient powers are waking . . .The war with the Wasp Empire has ended in a bitter stalemate, and Collegium has nothing to show for it but wounded veterans. Cheerwell Maker finds herself broken in ways no doctor can mend, haunted by ghosts of the past. Meanwhile, the powerful Wasp Empress is regaining control over those imperial cities that refused to bow to her. But she draws her power from something more sinister than armies and war machines.Only her consort, the former spymaster Thalric, knows the truth. As assassins seek to end him, he finds his life and his loyalties under threat once again. And in an ancient city beyond the desert, a terrible secret stirs beneath its stones.The Scarab Path is followed by the sixth book in the Shadows of the Apt series, The Sea Watch.

“"Tchaikovsky's fifth delving into his complex, vibrant Shadows of the Apt series takes the reader on an exhilarating journey rich with the engaging dialogue and scenery fans have come to expect. This offering invigorates the series, and if you have not yet read the other four books, The Scarab Path is why you should. It's the perfect series to enjoy as the spring season, rich with humming, buzzing insects, begins." - RT Book Reviews , 4 ”

Brimming with imagination SciFiNow
The Shadows of the Apt series is The Shadows of the Apt series is simply one of the best epic fantasy series out there LEC Book Reviews
Super worldbuilding, great characters and extreme inventiveness Fantasy Book Critic
Epic fantasy at its best. Gripping, original and multi-layered storytelling from a writer bursting with lots of fascinating ideas Walker of Worlds
Full of sparking, speculative innovation -- Stephen Baxter, author of the Xeelee Sequence, on The Doors of Eden
Breathtaking scope and vision. Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of our finest writers -- Gareth Powell, author of Embers of War, on Children of Ruin
A joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human -- Patrick Ness, author of The Knife of Never Letting Go, on Children of Time

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, and headed off to university in Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself, he subsequently ended up in law. Adrian has since worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds and now writes full time. He also lives in Leeds, with his wife and son. Adrian is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor. He has also trained in stage-fighting and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind - possibly excepting his son.Adrian is the author of the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, the Echoes of the Fall series and other novels, novellas and short stories. The Tiger and the Wolf won the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel - and Children of Time won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. This was in the award's thirtieth anniversary year.

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