This is a time where there are no cities, when a sharpened stone is the greatest tool you could hope to have – except for the Gifts, abilities which can multiply your strength tenfold, let you speak with the voiceless, or wear your own shadow like a cloak. In this world is a young woman looking to find herself and understand the Gifts she possesses. Raised by the master Gifted called Sound-of-Thunder, her name is Fire-in-the-Night.
They live between the stars, at the bottom of oceans, within worlds of their own creation, yet they also walk amongst people like you and me. The question is, are they people like you and me? Presenting a collection of short stories about the lives of artificial intelligences, written from their perspective.
What would you do if you had the power to change the world? Izzy Hartley is a young genius who's single-handedly bringing about the future, one invention at a time, from microwave ovens to flying machines. But what happens when you need to change the world back? When her latest and greatest invention foretells a dismal fate for the planet, it's all up to Izzy and her no-nonsense assistant Joanna to do their best to save the world – and each other.