the international sensation iain m banks offers readers a deeply imaginative wittily satirical tale proving once again that he is a talent to be reckoned with locus in excession the cultures espionage and dirty tricks section orders diplomat byr genhofoen to steal the soul of a longdead starship captain by accepting the mission byr irrevocably plunges himself into a conspiracy one that could either lead the universe into an age of peace or to the brink of annihilation the inhabitants of redwall relax in the haze of summerbut as they do the neighboring stronghold of salamandastron lies besieged by the evil weasel army of ferhago the assassin worse still mara beloved daughter of urthstripe badger lord of the fire mountain is in terrible danger then a lightning bolt uncovers the sword of martin the warrior and young samkin embarks on an adventure that leads him to mara can the good creatures triumph over the villainous assassin illustrated by gary chalk