A world of endless sky, with no land, no gravity: this is Virga. Beginning in the seminal science fiction novel Sun of Suns, the saga of this striking world has introduced us to the people of stubborn pride and resilience who have made Virga their home; but also, always lurking beyond the walls of the world, to the mysterious threat known only as Artificial Nature. In The Sunless Countries, history tutor Leal Hieronyma Maspeth became the first human in centuries to learn the true nature of this threat. Her reward was exile, but now, in Ashes of Candesce, Artificial Nature makes its final bid to destroy Virga, and it is up to Leal to unite the quarrelling clans of her world to fight the threat.

Ashes of Candesce brings together all the heroes of the Virga series, and draws the diverse threads of the previous storylines together into one climactic conflict. Blending steampunk styling with a far-future setting and meditations on the posthuman condition, Ashes of Candesce mixes high adventure and cutting-edge ideas in a fitting climax to one of science fiction's most innovative series.

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Praise for this book

“Comparable to classic SF epics like John Varley's Gaean trilogy and Jack L. Chalker's Well of Souls series, Schroeder's saga is an awe-inspiring example of masterful world-building. A myriad of themes, from rogue artificial intelligences to the evolution of human bodies and culture, make this futuristic epic one to reckon with.” —Publishers Weekly on Queen of Candesce



“Schroeder's world-building continues to be fascinating, and the intrigue among inbred nations thrown into confusion by an outsider keeps the pace at a satisfying clip.” —Booklist on Queen of Candesce

“Schroeder's world-building, storytelling, and character-drawing chops seem strong enough to given even Known Space run for its money.” —Locus on Queen of Candesce

“A fantastically alchemical tale set in a strange yet utterly real world. Hayden is a complex and well-developed protagonist and Schroeder is an amazingly detailed writer whose world-building is superb.” —RT Book Reviews on Sun of Suns

“Schroeder has accomplished the enviable task of creating a fascinating new universe for readers to explore: a spaceborne steampunk environment that conjures up images of neo-Victorian-era flying vehicles traveling among piecemeal floating communities. A rousing, old-fashioned, pulp-like adventure yarn.” —Starlog on Sun of Suns

“A classic space opera.” —The Globe and Mail (Toronto) on Sun of Suns

“I loved it. It never slowed down. The background is fascinating and the characters held my attention. It reminded me a little of The Integral Trees, with technology a little more advanced.” —Larry Niven, author of Ringworld, on Sun of Suns




About the Author

Karl Schroeder lives in Toronto, Ontario.


Title: Ashes of Candesce : Book Five of Virga
Author(s): Karl Schroeder
Volume: 5
ISBN: 9781429987509
Copyright 2012
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Countries: United States, Canada | Learn more about available countries
Language: English
Format: ePub,mobi | Learn More about our supported formats
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