"Owen Deathstalker sacrificed his life to save all of
Humanity. In the two hundred years since his passing, the
Empire has prospered in a Golden Age of peace among
aliens, humans, and AIs, with hope and liberty for all.
Now, on the human homeworld of Logres, a new king is about
to be crowned." "Douglas Campbell has no enthusiasm for
ascending the throne. As a Paragon, he enforced the King's
Justice, and he prefers the path of warrior to ruler. But
as the sole remaining heir, he puts aside the desires of
his heart and picks up the reins of duty. His first act
upon being crowned is to select Lewis Deathstalker -
Owen's descendant - as his Champion and Protector of the
Empire." "The new regime already has an insurmountable
task before it: The AIs of Shub insist on entering the
Madness Maze to uncover the secrets of transcendence,
which Humanity has failed to do for hundreds of years -
and they will not take no for an answer." But even more
threatening is one man's desire for revenge against the
new order. A revenge that will unite all of the enemies of
the Empire in an attempt to bring the Golden Age to ruin.