NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “[Peter V. Brett] confirms his place among epic fantasy’s pantheon of greats amid the likes of George R. R. Martin, Steven Erikson, and Robert Jordan.”—Fantasy Book Critic In this third volume in the internationally bestselling Demon Cycle series, humanity has found hope in the battle against demonkind, if only they can avoid going to war with themselves. The night of the new moon, an army of demons rises in force, seeking the deaths of two men with the potential to become the Deliverer—the man prophesied to reunite the scattered remnants of humanity. Arlen Bales, the Warded Man, denies he is the Deliverer, but the more he tries to live as one with the common folk, the more fervently they believe. Among the desert tribes, Ahmann Jardir has proclaimed himself the Deliverer, forging his followers into a mighty demon-killing army. But Jardir’s rise was engineered by his First Wife, Inevera, a cunning and powerful priestess whose motives and past are shrouded in mystery. Once Arlen and Jardir were as close as brothers. Now they are the bitterest of rivals. As humanity’s enemies rise, the two must first contend with the most deadly demons of all—those lurking in the human heart. Don’t miss any of the thrilling novels in Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle THE WARDED MAN • THE DESERT SPEAR • THE DAYLIGHT WAR • THE SKULL THRONE • THE CORE