THE COSMIC GAMES The player

The gods exist—oh yes, they do—and they have chosen Julia Vértebra, a young woman as spontaneous as she is insecure, gifted with artistic talent and a singular character, to embark on the greatest adventure ever told. Overnight, an extraordinary new world will unfold before her. Magical creatures and legendary figures will become her closest allies and her most dangerous enemies. From Apollo to Shiva, from Yahweh to Plato and Merlin, they will do everything they can to force her to accept a daunting responsibility.        Gods have been playing with humanity since the beginning of time. Our species seems doomed to a tragic end, but Julia, player number 666 among the immortals, is determined to change the fate of humanity. Planet Earth is a vast stadium where a great universal competition is held: the Cosmic Games. And we are the pieces different teams use to compete mercilessly for victory. The winner claims the most coveted prize of all: mastery of a star. For the losers, there is only death.      Julia’s life will be turned upside down in an instant. She must choose between obeying eternal rules or fighting—against overwhelming odds—to save fragile, insignificant creatures who possess one extraordinary gift: love.