War has come to Torwyn.

Though the Guilds have scored a decisive victory against the Ministry, Sanctan Egelrath still holds Torwyn's capital in his iron grip. Each day the Guild army marches closer, ready to unleash its fury. But the Archlegate has no intention of losing, and even if the Guilds take the Anvil, Sanctan intends to call upon greater powers to secure his final victory.

Beset on all sides, Rosomon Hawkspur is presented with a dark bargain to secure victory - one that carries a heavy price. Faced with the prospect of defeat, she must ask herself: is winning the war worth such sacrifice?

With her children ready to fight alongside her, there is at least some light to dispel the shadow of war. But each of them is much changed, and the path to victory may be more treacherous than any of the Hawkspurs can possibly imagine...

"Ford succeeds in building a complex fantasy world, complete with warring factions, fearsome creatures, and bloody struggles for power . . . Fans of R.A. Salvatore's DemonWars Saga will be especially hooked." -- Publishers Weekly on Engines of Empire

"A heady blend of action, arcana, and intrigue." -- Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer, on Engines of Empire

"The latest from Ford is the first in a new series that will give fantasy readers exactly what they want: conspiracy, magic, a delectable cast of characters, and an ending that will leave them begging to know what happens next." -- Booklist on Engines of Empire