Shadows Upon Time

The seventh and final novel of the galaxy-spanning series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe at last lights the greatest fire humanity has ever seen.

Ambitious universe-building combines with intimate character portraits for storytelling on a truly epic scale—for fans of Orson Scott Card, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Patrick Rothfuss, and Jack Campbell.

The trumpet sounds.

The end has come at last. After his victory at Vorgossos, Hadrian Marlowe finds himself a fugitive, on the run not only from the Extrasolarians, but from his own people, the Sollan Empire he betrayed—and who betrayed him. Hidden safely beyond the borders of human space, Hadrian awaits the arrival of the one ally he has left: the Jaddian Prince Kaim-Olorin du Otranto.

What's more, the inhuman Cielcin have vanished, unseen for more than one hundred years. The armies of men have grown complacent, but Hadrian knows the truth: the Cielcin are gathering their strength, preparing for their final assault against the heart of all mankind.

Only Hadrian possesses the power to stem the tide: an ancient war machine, forged by the daimon machines at the dawn of time. The mighty Demiurge. With it, Hadrian must face not just the Cielcin horde, but their Prophet-King, and the dark gods it serves—the very gods who shaped the universe itself.

This must be.

— Synopsis from Highmatter Books

Print and Ebooks

Edition	Cover	Publisher	Cover Artist	Interior Artist	Format	Pages	Dimensions (MM)	ISBN-13	Publication Date	Notes
US Edition		DAW Books	Kieran Yanner	Map by Daniel Hasenbos	Hardcover	928		9780756420000	November 18, 2025
UK Edition		Head of Zeus	Patrick Knowles	Map by Daniel Hasenbos	Hardcover	928		9781035920662	November 2025

Audiobooks

Publisher	Cover	Narrator	Runtime	Format	ISBN-13	Publication Date	Notes
Recorded Books	* See Notes column.	Samuel Roukin	44h 26m	Unabridged	9798892731843	November 18, 2025	Much to the fandom's relief dismay, the Recorded Books audiobook was published with the standard DAW US cover art upon release. To rectify this grave injustice, one brave soul—ClasyWaggon—under the sage guidance and artistic direction of our very own admin Vox undertook the noble task of restoring order to the universe. The result was this magnificent cover, which preserves the long-standing tradition of spectacularly questionable audiobook artwork and ensures the continued consistency of physical and digital bookshelves across the realm. Though technically fan-created, this cover has been unanimously adopted by the community as the true audiobook cover, and is preserved here in the interest of historical accuracy and sacred tradition.

• A major event of this book is spoiled in the first chapter of Empire of Silence.

Footnotes