An Elder Scrolls Novel : Lord of Souls Lord of Souls is a novel set in universe , that was published by Del Rey on September 27th , 2011 , and by Titan Books in the UK . It is written by Gregory Keyes and picks up where left off . It bridges the gap between and . Publication . " Lord of Souls " was first published on September 1st , and mass published on September 27th 2011 by Del Rey and Titan Books . Plot summary . Forty years after the Oblivion Crisis , the empire of Tamriel is threatened by a mysterious floating city , Umbriel , whose shadow spawns a terrifying undead army . Reeling from a devastating discovery , Prince Attrebus continues on his seemingly doomed quest to obtain a magic sword that holds the key to destroying the deadly invaders . Meanwhile , in the Imperial City , the spy Colin finds evidence of betrayal at the heart of the empire — if his own heart doesn ’ t betray him first . And Annaïg , trapped in Umbriel itself , has become a slave to its dark lord and his insatiable hunger for souls . Attrebus wakes up in Malacath ' s realm . The Daedric Prince heals Attrebus and Sul . They convince him to teleport them to Solstheim , where Sul expects to find Umbra . Umbriel heads to the Imperial City . Mazgar , an Imperial scout and Brennus , a scholar , are part of the scout party . They are attacked by zombies , so they retreat to Cheydinhal . Colin is kidnaped by Arese . She reveals to him that she is an spy under the emperor ' s service . She was set in Hierem ' s ministry to spy on him . Hierem was the responsible for Attrebus ' supposed murder . Colin agrees to join her to stop Hierem . Arese and him develop a sentimental relationship . Mere - Glim discovers that the trees of Umbriel are very similar to the Hist , probably being their cousins . Toel informs Annaïg that they have been invited to take part in a tasting . He tasks her to recreate the ninth savor , a savor that has only been discovered by their main competitor , Phmer . Colin discovers that Hierem is also involved with Umbriel . He warns the Emperor about Hierem ' s treachery , but Titus Mede asks him to find solid proof . Hierem is the most influential man in the Empire besides him , and he can not risk to loose his support . Colin discovers some schemes concerning Umbriel in Hierem ' s chambers . He informs about them to Letine , who suspects what they can be . Glim and the skraws start sabotaging Umbriel . Annaïg and him murder Toel , and Annaïg is put in charge of the kitchen . She impresses Lord Rhel in the tasting , so she is selected to prepare a meal for Lord Umbriel himself . Lord Umbriel is gladly pleased by Annaïg ' s meal , and he requests to meet her . Annaïg has to explain that he came from Black Marsh when Umbriel destroyed Lilmoth . Lord Umbriel asks whether she knows Glim , and asks her to kill the Argonian . Attrebus and Sul arrive at Sathil . They discover that Umbra is being kept in the depths of the castle . The man who retrieved Umbra from the ruins of Vivec City was a member of House Sathil . When he touched the blade , he went mad and killed his mother and brothers . His father imprisoned him in the cell of the castle . Sul and Attrebus face and defeat Elhul Sathil . Once they are in possession of the blade they are summoned by Clavicus Vile into his realm . Vile allows them to wield Umbra against Vuhon , sending them to his shrine in Cyrodiil . Cheydinhal is sieged by the undead army , but the Imperial legionaries and the city guards open a gap in the enemy line and they evacuate the city . The Empire leads a desperate attack on Umbriel before it can reach the Imperial City . The Imperial army tries to siege the flying city , but they are defeated . They retreat to the Imperial City to prepare the defence of the city . Annaïg develops a poison to kill Glim . Yet , she made Glim ' s body grow a crystal , a matrix containing his soul , his thoughts , his memories . Glim is reborn as an Umbrielian . Annaïg tells him what she did to save him . Glim is annoyed at Annaïg . Glim realizes that the trees of Umbriel recreated him for a purpose , to save Umbriel . Attrebus and Sul arrive at the Imperial City , but they are captured by Hierem . Colin discovers that the prince is being held captive in the minister ' s chambers . Arese and him free Attrebus and Sul and they desing a plan to stop Vuhon and Hierem . Colin and Letine kill Hierem , but Letine stabs Colin and prepares a ritual to withdraw the power of Umbriel using the White - Gold Tower . Letine had discovered what Hierem was up to , so she decided to exploit this knowledge for her own purposes . With his last breath , Colin uses his knife against his lover killing her . Attrebus and Sul are teleported to Umbriel . They try to wield Umbra against Vuhon , but every effort is useless . Annaïg poisons the trees of Umbriel , and Vuhon starts to weaken . Glim asks Annaïg to give him the antidote , he can control the trees to guide Umbriel away from the mortal plane . Annaïg believes him , but when Glim tries to control the trees , Lord Umbriel countermands him . Annaïg tells Attrebus that Lord Umbriel ' s soul is being stored in the Ingenium . Attrebus stabs the Ingenium with Umbra , and Umbra ( the being ) is trapped in the blade . Clavicus Vile possesses Attrebus , but Sul sacrifices to save the prince . A weakened Vuhon offers Attrebus to allow Glim guide Umbriel out of Mundus . Attrebus agrees to spare Vuhon ' s life in order to save the Imperial City . Annaïg and Attrebus use flying potions to return to the Imperial City . Brennus dies defending the walls of the Imperial City , while Mazgar resists until all the undead suddenly drop dead . Glim guides Umbriel into the home of the trees , the Realm of the Hist . Fhena and him like that place , and they decide it will be their home . Titus Mede receives his son as a real hero . Attrebus refuses to claim credit for the victory and gives credit to The Synod and the College of Whispers to gain their political support . The prince shows his feelings to Annaïg , who is also in love with him . Critical reception . Lord of Souls received mixed reviews from critics , with an average rating of 3 . 45 / 5 stars . Prologue . Attrebus never saw the thing that cut open his belly and sent his guts spilling out into his arms . It happened in the dark , and the only things he remembered other than the agony was the stink of his bowels and something like rotting ginger - and Sul dragging him along , cursing in a language Atrrebus didn ' t understand . Now the pain - for so long the only real thing to him - was fading as his body finally understood it was done . It was possible he was dead already - he wasn ' t sure what death was supposed to be like . He hadn ' t paid that much attention to such things when he should have . He started , as from a dream of falling , and for a moment he thought he was falling , because all of his weight had vanished . With an effort he opened his eyes , but there wasn ' t much to see ; the air was full of ash , a gray cloud that extended in every direction . He saw his companion Sul a few yards from him but steadily drifting off . Presently the dust would make him a shadow , and then nothing at all . It was hard to breathe ; the gray powder cloyed in his nostrils and mouth . After a few more breaths he realized that soon enough his lungs would fill up with the stuff and that would be that . It was so hard to care . He was weak , tired , and even if he lived , the things he still had to do seemed impossible . No one could blame him if he quit , could they ? Not now . No one would even know . And so he drifted , the ash caking his blood - soaked gambeson and hands , enclosing him like a shroud , preparing him almost gently for the moment his heart finally stopped . In the darkness behind his eyes little sparks appeared and died , each dimmer than the last , until only one remained , fading . In it he saw the face of a young woman , tiny as with distance , and from somewhere heard a vast chorale of despair and terror that seemed to fill the universe . He saw his father on a burning throne , his face blank , as if he didn ' t realize what was happening to him . The wavering colors expanded , pushing the murk away , and the woman appeared again as his father faded . He knew her features , her curling black hair , but he couldn ' t remember her name . He noticed she was holding something up for him to see ; a little doll that looked like him , but couldn ' t be him , because it was stronger , smarter , better than he was , made in the image of a man incapable of giving in or giving up . She kissed the doll lightly on the head and then looked at him expectantly . And so , beginning to weep , he cracked his dust - caked lips and summoned the air that remained in his lungs . " Sul , " he croaked . The other man was hardly visible , a darker patch in the ash . " Sul ! " This time he managed to shout it , and pain lanced through him again . " Sul ! " Now it seemed to thunder in his ears , and everything spun . Acquisition . The two novels can be purchased here :