* WINNER OF THE LOCUS AWARD *
* FEATURING A NEW INTRODUCTION BY ANN LECKIE *

'Mind-blistering military space opera' - STEPHEN BAXTER
'Full of the kind of off-hand inventiveness that the best SF trades in' - ALASTAIR REYNOLDS
'A tight-woven, breathtakingly original space opera' - NEW YORK TIMES
'A densely rendered, high-tech future universe, with intricate worldbuilding' - GUARDIAN
'Military SF with blood, guts, math, and heart' - REACTOR
'I love Yoon's work!' - ANN LECKIE

A GORGEOUS NEW EDITION OF THE CLASSIC SPACE OPERA

When Captain Kel Cheris is disgraced for her unconventional tactics, Command gives her a chance to redeem herself, by retaking the imposing Fortress of Scattered Needles from the heretics rebelling against the hexarchate. Cheris's career isn't the only thing at stake: if the fortress falls, the whole empire is at risk.

Her best hope is to play host to the imprisoned soul of the gifted tactician Shuos Jedao, who has never lost a battle. But it's a terrible risk: in life, Jedao went mad and massacred two armies, one of them his own.

As the siege wears on and the secrets of the hexarchate come to light, Cheris must decide how far she can trust the ghostly Jedao - is he leading her to the truth, or will she be his next victim?