Strength Of Stones: Greg Bear

In the deserts of God-Does-Battle, the Cities stand alone, a beleaguered as the aspirations of Mankind. Those still alive are silent, like stars in a dying universe, they await dust and decay. Yet within the living plasm of the fragmented structures an ancient programme works still, implanted by the human creators they cast out a thousand years ago. It is clear that before long, some of the Cities will fight extinction, and many of them will do battle in a quite unexpected way. Cover art by John Harris.