Book excerpt: "Far in the future, human beings have seeded themselves among the stars. Since decoding the Deep Language of the universe eight thousand years ago, they have built a near-utopia across thousands of worlds, united and ruled by a powerful organization known as the Ascendance. But when a mysterious new planet appears out of nowhere, the stability of the cosmos is threatened. Once Elyth created order for the Ascendance using her power to destroy entire planets with a single phrase. But when she tries to put the past behind her, she's offered a deal: explore this strange planet and be granted forgiveness. Almost as soon as Elyth and a team of elite agents touch down on this terrifying new terrain, things go awry. Horrifying creatures stalk the forests, allies become enemies, and even the landscape itself seems to change during the night. But as expedition members start dying, two things become clear: the planet is conscious, and it's trying to kill them"--Back cover.