As the south is in turmoil, an old terror emerges in the north. The Bear and the Serpent is the second book in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s epic fantasy trilogy, Echoes of the Fall, following The Tiger and the Wolf.

‘A classically brilliant fantasy writer’ – Paul Cornell, author of Witches of Lychford

Maniye, child of both Wolf and Tiger clans, has been named Champion of her people. But they're unsure if she is an asset – or a threat. To buy time, she joins a warband of outcasts and heads south. She wants to discover her true place in the world, but finds herself heading into the jaws of a fierce new conflict.

The group are led by Prince Tecuman, battling his twin sister for the throne. Only one can rule, and the threat of civil war hangs overhead. Yet, whoever triumphs will carry a heavy burden. A great doom has been foreseen, set to fall across their whole world. Soon, Maniye finds herself at the heart of a political storm.

Danger is casting a shadow over her old home too, where Loud Thunder and his Bear clan are attempting to unite the northern tribes. An ancient adversary is preparing to strike, putting not only their lands but their very souls at risk. It may be the only thing to end tribal rivalries; neither north nor south will be spared in the terror to come . . .

The series is narrated by Kyla Garcia.

Complete this sweeping coming-of-age fantasy trilogy with The Hyena and the Hawk.