The exciting eighth volume in the New York Times bestselling Safehold series.
TURNING OF THE TIDECenturies ago, the human race fought its first great war against an alien race — and lost. A tiny population of human beings fled to distant Safehold. Centuries later, their descendants have forgotten their history; for them, life has been an eternal Middle Ages, ruled by the Church of God Awaiting, whose secret purpose is to prevent the re-emergence of industrial civilization.
But not all of Safehold’s founders were on board with this plan. Those dissidents left behind their own secret legacies. One of those is Merlyn Athrawes, cybernetic avatar of one of Earth’s long-dead defenders, now reawakened after a thousand years to restart human progress and reclaim our place in the universe. Merlyn has intervened in the small Safeholdian realm of Charis, seeding it with ideas and innovations and helping it to rise to challenge the hegemony of the Church.
It’s been a long and bloody fight, but aided by a stream of inventions — breech-loading rifles, signal rockets, claymore mines, new approaches to manufacturing and supply — Charis and its few allies seem to have finally gained the upper hand. Now major realms have begun to consider switching sides.
To all these ends, Merlyn Athrawes has been everywhere, under multiple disguises and wielding hidden powers. The secret of who and what he is has been closely held. But a new player has arrived, one who knows many secrets — including Merlyn’s own.
The series
In the Safehold series, David Weber crafts a deeply immersive world where the stakes are high, and the weight of history is felt with every decision. Set on a distant planet that has been deliberately cut off from the rest of the universe, the series explores a world where technology has been frozen in time, and humanity is forced to rebuild from the ground up. This high-concept premise sets the stage for a gripping narrative about survival, faith, power, and the struggle to protect a fragile society from forces both internal and external.
Read full series description
At the heart of Safehold is the conflict between the ruling religious order, the Church of God Awaiting, and the rise of scientific and technological innovation. With society bound by an edict that prohibits any technological advancement beyond a certain point, the tension between progress and control drives the series forward. The story follows a variety of characters, from the military leaders and politicians who fight for control, to the religious figures who seek to maintain their hold on power, to the quiet rebels who see a world that must change to survive.
What sets Safehold apart from other science fiction series is its intricate world-building and the complex moral questions it raises. Weber doesn’t just create a backdrop for his characters; he builds a society where every law, tradition, and belief has been carefully designed to create a system of control. But as new technologies emerge and secrets from the past are uncovered, the world of Safehold becomes a battleground for those who want to change the course of history. The series is as much about the clash of ideas as it is about space battles and military strategy.
Weber’s meticulous attention to detail and his gift for developing multifaceted characters make Safehold a standout in the genre. His portrayal of a world on the brink of revolution is rich with political intrigue, philosophical debates, and high-stakes drama. Whether it's the military brilliance of its leaders or the quiet intelligence of those working behind the scenes, every character in Safehold is fighting for their vision of the future.
In a series that spans multiple books, Safehold invites readers to explore the complexities of a society caught between the past and the future, offering a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to break free from the constraints of tradition while questioning the cost of progress. It’s a compelling saga that mixes action, strategy, and philosophical depth in a way that will resonate long after the last page is turned.
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#4 · 2010A Mighty Fortress 
#5 · 2011How Firm a Foundation 
#6 · 2012Midst Toil and Tribulation 
#7 · 2014Like a Mighty Army 
#8 · 2015Hell's Foundations Quiver 
#9 · 2016At the Sign of Triumph 
#10 · 2019Through Fiery Trials 
#11 · TBASafehold Book 11 Be the first reviewer
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