The enthralling new epic novel of the Malazan Empire by the bestselling author of RETURN OF THE CRIMSON GUARD. Tens of thousands of years of ice is melting, and the land of Assail, long a byword for menace and inaccessibility, is at last yielding its secrets. Tales of gold discovered in the region"s north circulate in every waterfront dive and sailor"s tavern and now countless adventurers and fortune-seekers have set sail in search of riches.