Our continued existence was never a given.

We've always wanted to know our destiny. But when the end seems in sight, how will the world react?

An alien artefact plucked from Earth's orbit throws the world into chaos with both warning and a promise. For the prophet who dreams of new world order, survival means putting an end to democracy. For the movie mogul with a talent for spinning facts, the public doesn't know what's best for them. And for the reporter determined to discover the truth, the world needs to know what's at stake.

All are determined to hold off Armageddon.

All will play their part in what's to come.

Both brilliant and terrifying, David Brin's novel of the near future is a tour de force of storytelling. It is the work of a modern master of science fiction.

'Take a world soaked in near-future strangeness and complexity . . . Hotwire with wisdom and wonder . . . Brin is back' Stephen Baxter

'David Brin takes on one of the fundamental themes in science fiction - and what is also one of the fundamental questions humanity faces in this century . . . Existence is not to be missed' Vernor Vinge

David Brin is the author of over 15 novels including the award-winning Uplift series.