Salute the Dark

Shadows of the Apt, Book 4

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by: Ben Allen

All must face the end of days . . .

Salute the Dark is the fourth book in the critically acclaimed epic fantasy series Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky, winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award. As spymaster Stenworld makes a stand in his home city, others must choose where their loyalties lie.

The mighty Wasp armies are on the march. And with war imminent, spymaster Stenwold must finally separate allies from false friends. He knows the Empire won’t stop until its flag hangs over Collegium, Stenwold's home city. Tisamon the Weaponsmaster favours a more direct strategy – facing the Wasp Emperor himself, with a blade in his hand. He’d be abandoning both friends and family to do so. Yet is he driven by honour, or being manipulated by something far more sinister?

With the Shadow Box in his possession at last, Uctebri can begin his dark ritual. The Wasp-kinden’s Emperor believes this will grant him immortality. However, Uctebri has his own plans – for the Emperor and the Empire.

Salute the Dark is followed by the fifth book in the Shadows of the Apt series, The Scarab Path.

The entire series is narrated by Ben Allen (Alien Clay). Listeners love the series in audio:

‘Fantastic narration that really got you to imagine this amazing world’

‘You get consumed into the world and its characters’

‘The characters are distinct with masterful accents’

‘The narration and sound design is jaw-dropping’

‘Ben Allen's narration was frankly phenomenal all the way through’

Critic reviews

Brimming with imagination

The Shadows of the Apt series is simply one of the best epic fantasy series out there

Super worldbuilding, great characters and extreme inventiveness

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

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)

Brilliant as the whole saga

This saga is simply brilliant. The characters are interesting, not black and white, the plot is enticing, the setting is unique... I cannot wait to hear the rest of the saga as soon as it is available!

Best one yet!

Can't wait for the rest of the audiobooks in this series to be produced and available on Audible. This book was the most action filled out of the 4 so far. And let's face it, if you've come this far, you're going to keep listening.

As always the narrator does a great job.

A MUST READ

Adrian delivers a spell binding world as you get pulled into the characters and their struggles to survive the dominance of one race over many. Behind the story, his words whisper of mans own struggle between good and evil in a devilish tale. For me it was always one more chapter past midnight.

the plot continues

this book continues the story. well read. easy to follow. twists and turns keep one enthralled.

Perhaps the best one so far

This entry moves along at a great pace, and in particular the last six hours are just one killer action scene after another. I’m excited for the next one!