We brought back the lions of the Pleistocene for entertainment. We did not realize they evolved to hunt a species that no longer exists-us.
In the vast, golden plains of the Kazakh steppe, the Primordial Reserve was designed to be the greatest achievement of human science. Using ancient DNA, scientists resurrected the Cave Lions-the massive, maneless predators that ruled the world during the Ice Age. For the tourists, it is a chance to see a miracle. For Sanae, a veterinarian who can feel the heartbeat of the wild, it is a place of quiet tension. She sees the way Malik, the leader of the pride, watches the visitors. He does not see spectators; he sees the ancient enemy.
When a catastrophic power failure hits the park, the high-tech fences go cold and the glass walls become fragile. Thirty-two Cave Lions are released into a world they are ready to reclaim. These are "The Man-Eaters of the Ice," creatures that evolved alongside early humans, learning our movements, our weaknesses, and our fears.
Sanae must lead a small group of survivors through a prehistoric nightmare. Among them are Zarek, the head of safety who must now face a world without walls, and Tenzin, a father fighting to keep his young daughter, Amara, safe in the dark. As they journey toward a hidden sanctuary deep within the mountains, they realize that their only hope for survival is to restore an ancient pact between humanity and the wild.