Ariston was once a Guardian of the Kalliopolis, a perfect city designed according to the instructions of the Philosophers--Philosophers who, in their wisdom, found the human Guardians of Ariston's generation imperfect and replaced them with warrior machines with engines for minds. Phaleas Peneste, a poor farmer's orphan the new Guardians rescued from the devastating winter that killed his family, now serves as a mechanic and servant to them. Unhappy...