Reason, no matter what it is embodied in, strives to expand the boundaries of the unknown. The unknown, as a rule, resists. But the farther from the center of the Galaxy, the weaker this resistance is: in the Outlands almost everything becomes possible, and in Transcendence - just everything. Minds that have achieved Transcendence become Forces - omnipotent, although not immortal. Human curiosity leads to the awakening of an ancient and extremely aggressive entity. An attempt by people to evacuate at least children from the contaminated zone ends with an emergency landing of the ship on a planet inhabited by unusual creatures. Brother and sister are left alone with a mysterious civilization. A small motley squad from Outland rushes to their aid, but it will not arrive soon. But very soon an ancient Evil will be on his tail, having learned that the runaway starship stole from under his nose not only children, but also something capable of stopping Destruction itself... “Flame over the Abyss”, part of the “Zones of Thought” cycle, - one of the best space operas of the twentieth century, which has won many prestigious awards and prizes and has been translated into all European languages. This novel combines an original concept of the Universe, an abundance of interesting ideas, a twisting plot and intense intrigue.