The intriguing futuristic dystopian story begun with The Lost Puzzler continues in this expansive speculative science fiction adventure. There is nothing out of the ordinary in waking up . . . unless you're dead. Sent on a dangerous mission with little hope of succeeding, the man known as "Twinkle Eyes" has beaten the odds and found the key that could save civilization: Rafik, a teenage boy with the power to unlock the invaluable Tarakan technology that can restart their world. But the world might not be ready for what is unleashed, and now Twinkle Eyes must find a needle in a haystack in order to save himself . . . and perhaps the world. This time, though, he will not go it alone. And while his companions--from the fiery Vincha to the laconic Galinak--have their own motivations, each will be vital in solving the last grand puzzle. One that could bring prosperity and progress to the world or destroy humanity's last hope for ascension. Now, a lone assassin from another era, two old friends, a dead man, a ruthless rogue mercenary, and a vicious warlord are all hunting for the ultimate prize. But what will happen when the final secret is unlocked, and technology long since buried once again finds its way into the hands of mankind?

A brilliantly written, page-turning, post-dystopian novel about a society hoping to salvage the technology of a lost generation, a mysterious missing boy who can open doors no one else can, and a scribe who must piece together the past to determine humanity's future. More than a hundred years have passed since the Great Catastrophe brought humanity to the brink of extinction. Those who survived are changed. The Wildeners have reverted to the old ways, praying to new Gods, while others place their faith in the technology that once powered their lost civilization. In the mysterious City of Towers, the center of the destroyed Tarakan empire, a lowly scribe of the Guild of Historians is charged with a dangerous assignment. He must venture into the wilds beyond the glass and steel towers to discover the fate of a child who mysteriously disappeared more than a decade before. Born of a rare breed of marked people, Rafik-known as "The Key"-was one of a special few with the power to restore this lost civilization to glory once again. In a world riven by fear and violence, where tattooed mutants, manic truckers, warring guilds and greedy mercenaries battle for survival, this one boy may have singlehandedly destroyed humanity's only chance for salvation-unless the scribe can figure out what happened to him.

'EVOKES CLASSICS OF THE GENRE . . . THROWING IN ELEMENTS OF MAD MAX AND INDIANA JONES' FINANCIAL TIMES In a world transformed by technological disaster, the last survivor of the Guild of Historians and his wisecracking mercenary companion once again find themselves searching for a missing child with unfathomable abilities. Battling through a brutal future and returning to the dangerous City of Towers, they will need brains, heavy weapons, and a whole lot of luck to survive. But they are also haunted - and hunted - by shadows of the past. The story of a scientist who survived the end of the world holds deadly secrets. And a ruthless assassin from another era is on their trail. Stunningly creative and breakneck-paced, book two of The Tarakan Chronicles is a science fiction adventure like no other.

'A rich and vivid future Earth that's inventive and attention-grabbing in equal measure' SFX 'Evokes classics of the genre...throwing in elements of Mad Max and Indiana Jones' FINANCIAL TIMES A SAVAGE FUTURE. A VANISHED PAST. A MISSING KEY. Among the ruins of a civilization beyond their understanding, humanity clings to survival. Guilds vie for control of ancient cities, bandits ride glowing highways, and cyborg adventurers hunt for lost technology. In the City of Towers, once the heart of the fallen Tarakan empire, a historian searches for clues to explain the disappearance of Rafik, a young boy with extraordinary abilities - a Puzzler. Marked with strange tattoos and gifted with a miraculous connection to Tarakan technology, Rafik could open doors inside the ruins, uncovering treasures and secrets. As Rafik's story is retold, it becomes clear that one lost boy may be the key to reviving a broken world or unleashing a new wave of devastation.