Necessary Evil

‘A major talent’ George R. R. Martin

The history of the Twentieth Century has been shaped by a secret conflict between technology and magic. When a Nazi scientist devised a way to imbue ordinary humans with supernatural abilities – to walk through walls, throw fire and see the future – his work became the prized possession of first the Third Reich, then the Soviet Army. Only Britain’s warlocks, and the dark magics they yield, have successfully countered the threat posed by these superhuman armies.

But for decades, this conflict has been manipulated by Gretel, the mad seer. And now her long plan has come to fruition. And with it, a danger vastly greater than anything the world has known. Now British Intelligence officer Raybould Marsh must make a last-ditch effort to change the course of history – if his nation, and those he loves, are to survive.

Necessary Evil is the final novel in Ian Tregillis’s Milkweed Triptych – a chilling masterpiece featuring a twentieth century much like our own, but also horrifyingly different.

Praise for the series:

‘Confident and thrilling’ SFX

‘A white-knuckle plot, beautiful descriptions, and complex characters – an unstoppable Vickers of a novel’ Cory Doctorow

‘Bitter Seeds may rival Naomi Novik’s Tales of Temeraire as a sustained historical fantasy’ Booklist

‘Tregillis delivers a dynamite first novel’ SFREVU

‘Exciting and intense . . . The clash of magic and science meshes perfectly with the tumultuous setting’ Publishers Weekly

‘Receives my highest recommendations’ SFFWORLD

The Milkweed Triptych
Bitter Seeds
The Coldest War
Necessary Evil

Also by Ian Tregillis:

The Alchemy Wars
The Mechanical
The Rising
The Liberation