Steal from the Devil

War is coming. It is unlike anything humanity has ever experienced before, and even veterans of the previous generation's largest conflict are completely out of their depth. Tasked with investigating a spiral of dangerous events, special operative Elm Caden has the impression that nobody else is looking in the right place. Outposts are falling silent, starships are disappearing, and a supposedly secret research facility has come under attack. Yet the various agencies of the Imperial Combine have all been slow to react. Trained to meet the demands of his Empress no matter where the evidence might lead, a large part of him has to wonder just how accidental this error actually is. Something is not right out there, on the human-populated arm of the galaxy, and the strangeness of it all is unsettling. While the Imperial Combine embarks on a massive military campaign against the old enemies they believe to be orchestrating events, Caden instead looks outwards to the Deep Shadows, vast areas of unexplored space between the bright spiral arms of the galaxy. And he has the strangest feeling that something malevolent is looking right back at him... Acclaimed by readers for its detailed world-building, engaging characters, and fresh, modern feel, this unique debut novel is an immersive and multi-layered story. It slams open the door to a rich, new universe — a universe as vast as it is disturbingly real. Steal from the Devil is the first volume in a six-book story arc, and lays the groundwork for everything that follows. It is best read back-to-back with List of the Dead.