by David Weber
Part of Safehold, book 5
First published 2011
Emperor Cayleb and Empress Sharleyan rule an island empire that has survived five years of war against the Church of God Awaiting. Their advisor Merlin Athrawes knows the true stakes. The Church controls vast mainland territories with populations fifteen times larger than Charis. The Inquisition tortures and executes innocents while dispatching religious terrorists against Charisian subjects. Assassins hunt the royal couple and their allies, including a ten-year-old boy whose father was already murdered. Charis dominates the seas but cannot win through naval victories alone. The empire must somehow invade the mainland and destroy the Church on its own ground. The corrupt Church leaders rebuild their fleets and foment rebellions against Charis-friendly mainland kingdoms. Merlin, a cybernetic being carrying the memories of a woman dead for a millennium, discovers what lies hidden beneath the Temple in Zion. The Charisians have built their resistance with blood and sacrifice, fighting for human freedom against religious tyranny.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, action, alternate-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Charis, Zion
Period: 5 Years of War
607 pages · Hardcover · Tor Books
Content warnings: violence