Earth is dead. Humanity is hiding.
Invention, progress, change. . . all are forbidden.
Now it's time to change all that.
The science fiction epic of the decade begins here.
Humanity pushed its way to the stars—and encountered the Gbaba, a ruthless alien race that nearly wiped us out.
Earth and her colonies are now smoldering ruins, and the few survivors have fled to distant, Earth-like Safehold, to try to rebuild. But the Gbaba can detect the emissions of an industrial civilization, so the human rulers of Safehold have taken extraordinary measures: with mind control and hidden high technology, they've built a religion in which every Safeholdian believes, a religion designed to keep Safehold society medieval forever.
Eight hundred years pass. In a hidden chamber on Safehold, an android from the far human past awakens. This "rebirth" was set in motion centuries before, by a faction that opposed shackling humanity with a concocted religion. Via automated recordings, "Nimue"—or, rather, the android with the memories of Lieutenant Commander Nimue Alban—is told her fate: she will emerge into Safeholdian society, suitably disguised, and begin the process of provoking the technological progress which the Church of God Awaiting has worked for centuries to prevent.
Nothing about this will be easy. To better deal with a medieval society, "Nimue" takes a new gender and a new name, "Merlin." His formidable powers and access to caches of hidden high technology will need to be carefully concealed. And he'll need to find a base of operations, a Safeholdian country that's just a little more freewheeling, a little less orthodox, a little more open to the new.
And thus Merlin comes to Charis, a mid-sized kingdom with a talent for naval warfare. He plans to make the acquaintance of King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb, and maybe, just maybe, kick off a new era of invention. Which is bound to draw the attention of the Church�and, inevitably, lead to war.
It's going to be a long, long process. And it's going to be the can't-miss SF epic of the decade.
About the Author
David Weber is a science fiction phenomenon. His popular Honor Harrington novels are New York Times bestsellers and can't come out fast enough for his devoted readers, and his novels have regularly been Main Selections of the Science Fiction Book Club.
In addition to the Honor Harrington series, he has written many top-selling science fiction novels, including Mutineers' Moon, The Armageddon Inheritance, Heirs of Empire, and Path of the Fury. Weber has also begun a top-selling epic SF adventure series in collaboration with John Ringo, with four novels so far: March Upcountry, March to the Sea, March to the Stars, and We Few. His novels of the adventures of the Bahzell—Oath of Swords, The War God's Own, and Wind Rider's Oath, another New York Times bestseller—have proven that Weber is equally a master of epic fantasy adventure. He lives in South Carolina.
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Product Review
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Product ReviewI went and bought the hardback cheaper than the electronic version. The book is great Weber - LOVE the new Merlin character! But Tor is WAY too greedy. Won't by the e-book until it comes down in price. So book is good, price is terrible.
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Product Review
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Product ReviewGreat sample chapters, can't wait to finish the story... especially since I have seen it before and know Weber can pull it off so well.
$18? I nearly bought it when I first saw it out as an ebook. I nearly bought it again today. But, I still can't justify that price. Mr. Weber, if this is here b/c you forced it down Tor's throat, fire the lawyer for not having the price listed in the contract as well. I won't be buying a hard copy until AFTER I decide I like it enough to read on the bus, park bench, throne, etc... and now I will be waiting for the local library to get in a shipment, and for all the previous requests to be filled.
As someone who owns a hardcopy of most of the books for which I have ebooks, I will continue to watch for the ebook price to go down. After all, it is easier to read words on the screen without being obvious at the office.Posted on
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Product ReviewA really good book by David Weber. Exciting, hard to put down and with characters you come to care about. SF adventure of the best sort. However I did read this book in HardBack. I would not think it necessary to pay this much for the electronic edition. This is the first time I've noticed TOR as a publisher here. I am glad to see that. I am happy to pay much higher prices for paper.
E-publishing for much reduced prices does work I have many, many books available in both forms (that is paper and electronic of the same book). I read them in different places and derive different pleasures from each.
I have found that everything Eric Flint said in October 2000 at: http://www.baen.com/library/
to be completly true and accurate.
John Sheppard, MDPosted on
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Product ReviewI spend between 1500 and 2000 dollars a year on SF or fantasy including many ebooks. I love David Weber's books and after reading the sample chapters I am very excited about this one. I think however, that I will be purchasing this one used, from Amazon for 14$ thus ensuring the publisher makes no money. If Mr Weber would like to send me the ammount of his expected commision per book I will be happy to send him a check. The artist should be paid for his work. 18$ for an ebook is insane!
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Product ReviewOn the price, I can only assume that TOR is pricing the EBook release with the Hardcover release, and hope that they might come down to a reasonable price in conjunction with the paperback release in the usual 6 months to 1 year (*sigh*).
The story is a Weber. if you've read 2 or 3, you know what you're getting. If you haven't read 2 or 3, why not? There's enough out there! (And, I must admit, I own just bout all of them, and I'm sure will eventually own this in one form or another)Posted on
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Product ReviewNot bad per se but a lot of material (evil anti-tech priesthood which controls ancient orbital platform etc) seems reused from "Heirs of Empire". Also the price is insane. However, I want to encourage Tor to sell more ebook titles, and I was gonna read it in paperback anyway if just to see what the new series is like, so... I don't regret buying it. It is Weber after all ;)
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Product ReviewKept me up until 6:00am to finish. Very powerful. David Weber does tend to too much detail from time to time, but overall the prose was solid.
Highly recommended.
The similarities to old themes (think Dahak) done in a new and interesting way.
Characterizations were excellent. The plot line could have progressed alot in the last few chapters, but did not. That was my only complaint.Posted on
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Product ReviewThe sample chapters make for a good read. Not a hope of a good review from me at that price though.
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