- Published: 1999
- Hugo Award for Best Novel, 2000 —
- Nebula Award for Best Novel, 2000 —
- Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, 2000 —
The prequel to A Fire Upon The Deep, this is the story of Pham Nuwen, a small cog in the interstellar trading fleet of the Queng Ho. The Queng Ho and the Emergents are orbiting the dormant planet Arachna, which is about to wake up to technology, but the Emergents' plans are sinister.