War Master's Gate

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by Adrian Tchaikovsky


  Corver’s hand came up to sting, but shaking so badly that he could not aim. Instead he brought it back until it was before his face. His Art was locked within it, that had killed the Empire’s enemies since he had first donned the black and gold. He reached for it, felt the warmth of his sting building, staring into his own hand, willing it to become his executioner.

  But: Oh, warrior, whispered Argastos’s voice once more, and Corver knew that he did not have the will. He was no tragic Mantis hero to die on his own blade. All his human sensibilities could not eclipse that animal part of him that desired life, at whatever cost.

  Go to your Empress, Argastos instructed him – and despite it all Corver found himself echoing, Empress? – but Argastos was continuing, that dry voice etching the words on his mind, Go to her and tell her: I am here, and ready for her. When she seeks me, she shall find me waiting.

  Who knows? Perhaps she will bring you with her, when she comes.

  Praise for Shadows of the Apt

  ‘A novel brimming with imagination and execution’

  SciFiNow

  ‘Epic fantasy at its best. Gripping, original and multi-layered storytelling from a writer bursting with lots of fascinating ideas’

  WalkerofWorlds.com

  ‘Superb world building, great characters and extreme inventiveness’

  FantasyBookCritic blog

  ‘Adrian is continuing to go from strength to strength. Magic’

  FalcataTimes blog

  ‘Reminiscent of much that’s gone before from the likes of Gemmel, Erikson, Sanderson and Cook but with its own unique and clever touch, this is another terrific outing from Mr Tchaikovsky’

  Sci-Fi-London.com

  ‘I still cannot deny the greatness of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s books . . . a glorious success of fantasy literature’

  LECBookReviews.com

  ‘Tchaikovsky’s series is a pretty great one – he has taken some classic fantasy elements and added a unique (as far as I’m aware) twist and element to his characters and the world . . . Tchaikovsky has created a world that blends epic fantasy and technology’

  CivilianReader blog

  ‘Tchaikovsky manages to blend these insect characteristics with human traits convincingly, giving a fresh slant to the inhabitants of his classic tale’

  SFReader.com

  War Master’s Gate

  Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself he subsequently ended up in law and has worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds, where he now lives. Married, he is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor, has trained in stage-fighting, and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind, possibly excepting his son.

  Catch up with Adrian at www.shadowsoftheapt.com for further information plus bonus material including short stories and artwork.

  War Master’s Gate is the ninth novel in the Shadows of the Apt series.

  Acknowledgements

  The same giants whose shoulders I have clambered up for previous volumes remain very much in support for this one: Annie, my wife; Simon Kavanagh, my agent; Peter Lavery, my line editor; and all the many useful people at Tor. I would also like to thank Keris McDonald for getting me and the Second Army out of a bit of a tactical dilemma partway into the plot.

  At this stage, though, drawing towards the conclusion of a series, I sometimes feel that the people I need to thank the most are the characters themselves, who by now are really writing large swathes of the plot without much intervention needed by me. For which their reward, all too often, is a final one.

  BY ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY

  Shadows of the Apt

  Empire in Black and Gold

  Dragonfly Falling

  Blood of the Mantis

  Salute the Dark

  The Scarab Path

  The Sea Watch

  Heirs of the Blade

  The Air War

  War Master’s Gate

  First published in 2013 by Tor

  This electronic edition published 2013 by Tor

  an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited

  Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR

  Basingstoke and Oxford

  Associated companies throughout the world

  www.panmacmillan.com

  ISBN 978-0-230-77140-6

  Copyright © Adrian Czajkowski 2013

  Map artwork © Hemesh Alles

  The right of Adrian Czajkowski to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  The Macmillan Group has no responsibility for the information provided by any author websites whose address you obtain from this book (‘author websites’). The inclusion of author website addresses in this book does not constitute an endorsement by or association with us of such sites or the content, products, advertising or other materials presented on such sites.

  You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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