In the dusty wastes of a far-flung planet, strange artisans toil. Like their fathers before them, they tie intricate knots out of the hair of their wives and daughters, slowly forming carpets. Delicate and unique, each carpet requires an entire lifetime of work - and all will be sold to pave the Emperor's palace.
Then, one day, the empire falls. Soon, strange men begin to arrive from the stars, in search of the carpets' true destination. What they discover will astonish them all...

Combining brilliant world-building with an irresistible sense of mystery, Andreas Eschbach's acclaimed space opera is also a compelling meditation on faith, fundamentalism and the meaning of life itself.