By Schism Rent Asunder

David Weber

Book 2 of Safehold

Language: English

Publisher: Tor Books

Published: Jul 22, 2008

Pages: 761

Description:

The world has changed. The mercantile kingdom of Charis has prevailed over the alliance designed to exterminate it. Armed with better sailing vessels, better guns and better devices of all sorts, Charis faced the combined navies of the rest of the world at Darcos Sound and Armageddon Reef, and broke them. Despite the implacable hostility of the Church of God Awaiting, Charis still stands, still free, still tolerant, still an island of innovation in a world in which the Church has worked for centuries to keep humanity locked at a medieval level of existence. But the powerful men who run the Church aren't going to take their defeat lying down. Charis may control the world's seas, but it barely has an army worthy of the name. And as King Cayleb knows, far too much of the kingdom's recent good fortune is due to the secret manipulations of the being that calls himself Merlin-a being that, the world must not find out too soon, is more than human. A being on whose shoulders rests the last chance for humanity's freedom. Now, as Charis and its archbishop make the rift with Mother Church explicit, the storm gathers. Schism has come to the world of Safehold. Nothing will ever be the same... in David Weber's By Schism Rent Asunder. Safehold Series
1. Off Armageddon Reef
2. By Schism Rent Asunder
3. By Heresies Distressed
4. A Mighty Fortress
5. How Firm A Foundation
6. Midst Toil and Tribulation
7. Like A Mighty Army
8. Hell's Foundations Quiver
9. At the Sign of Triumph At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. **

From Booklist

Starred Review In the second volume, after Off Armageddon Reef (2007), of the saga of the planet Safehold, Weber employs a superb cast of characters and plenty of action to escalate the conflict between the Group of Four and the Church of God Awaiting. Among the outstanding players are King Cayleb of Charis and his adviser, the warrior-monk Merlin, and when readers find out that Merlin is really the avatar of the woman Nimue, who, along with Earth itself, is long dead, they may realize that Weber has combined the Matter of Britain and the Protestant Reformation and outfitted them in sf trappings. By the end of this novel, they may suspect, too, that the Thirty Years’ War has been added to the mixture. They will be certain that the by-then emperor Cayleb’s love for his empress is only the first of new difficulties that will assail him in the next volume. They can rest assured of Weber’s usual mastery of anything having to do with ships, whether sailing or hyperdriven. This fine book gives new luster to Weber’s reputation and new pleasure to his fans. --Roland Green

Review

“Gripping…Shifting effortlessly between battles among warp-speed starships and among oar-powered galleys, Weber brings the political maneuvering, past and future technologies, and vigorous protagonists together for a cohesive, engrossing whole.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Off Armageddon Reef

“Splendid!” —Booklist (starred review) on Off Armageddon Reef

“Vast, complex, intricate, subtle, and unlaydownable. This looks like the start of the biggest thing in science fiction since Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.” Dave Duncan on Off Armageddon Reef

“A new SF epic.” —Library Journal (starred review) on Off Armageddon Reef

“Fantastic in every sense of the word—the kind of book that makes you sit back and think about this reality that we call life. Who can ask for more than that?” R. A. Salvatore on Off Armageddon Reef

The world has changed. The mercantile kingdom of Charis has prevailed over the alliance designed to exterminate it. Armed with better sailing vessels, better guns and better devices of all sorts, Charis faced the combined navies of the rest of the world at Darcos Sound and Armageddon Reef, and broke them. Despite the implacable hostility of the Church of God Awaiting, Charis still stands, still free, still tolerant, still an island of innovation in a world in which the Church has worked for centuries to keep humanity locked at a medieval level of existence.

But the powerful men who run the Church aren't going to take their defeat lying down. Charis may control the world's seas, but it barely has an army worthy of the name. And as King Cayleb knows, far too much of the kingdom's recent good fortune is due to the secret manipulations of the being that calls himself Merlin-a being that, the world must not find out too soon, is more than human. A being on whose shoulders rests the last chance for humanity's freedom.

Now, as Charis and its archbishop make the rift with Mother Church explicit, the storm gathers. Schism has come to the world of Safehold. Nothing will ever be the same... in David Weber's By Schism Rent Asunder.

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