By Schism Rent Asunder

Safehold Series, Book 2

By: David Weber

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

The sequel to the New York Times best seller 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.

Safeholdseries:

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

Listen to more in the Safehold series.©2008 David Weber (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

excellent!

wonderful follow up to the first book. I can't wait to get busy on book three.

Great series

I am really enjoying the entire series I am totally hooked. I can't wait to listen every day.

Brilliant as always by Weber

Weber is my favorite sci-fi author. His worlds are staggeringly well crafted, consistent and alive. Safehold is no exception!

great book

Weber has created a interesting world with interesting political troubles. not everything is what it seems.

merlin has his work cut out keeping his new king alive

Thought Provoked

It is odd to read reviewers of this Weber opus to find those who decry the slow deliberate political intracacy. This is the entire point of the work. Draw whatever parallels you may with interaction of religion and politics in our current world - they exist as intended by the author. This series isn't some mindless actioner although there is enough action to keep it moving and interesting. The thought processes of the characters are explored in depth as they wrestle with the political and religious realities of their time and place.

This is a fascinating world that is much like our own and the questions involving religion and politics are what makes it great. This is wonderful for the thought it provoked and I expect the continuing saga to be as involved and detailed as the first two installments. I see no need to hurry while I enjoy every minute with these characters and their minds.

Great book but...

Great book carries on from were the last book end but not in the direction you always expect. I understand and like a good cliff hanger ending but this is a little much WERE IS THE NEXT BOOK PLEASE!!! What happens next!!!

Realistic in every detail

the world of safehold just got more realistic and bigger with the details needed to set up the rest of our journey. Can't wait!

I am invested now

I will finish the series at least the narrator is good, There is way to much detail to suffer through a bad narrator

A weak second book

Off Armageddon Reef was an excellent first book, even though there were the usual Weber moments. But in this second book in the series, those Weber moments drag on to Weber hours, and the overall preachy-ness is much more pronounced. Of course, I did continue to listen to it, and I went right ahead and bought #3 in the series. Which I will, undoubtedly read and grumble about until I finish and buy #4, etc. Weber seems to have the knack of getting me to keep coming back for more, even as I complain about his interminable digressions. This book is read, and read competently, by Oliver Wyman. Nothing special, but perfectly acceptable. He seems to handle the annoying phonetic names well enough, which is good. Character development seems to be OK, though the villains are pretty one-dimensional and without redeeming virtue with one or two exceptions. I did like the turning of an apparent villain into one of the good guys - it was well done and believable.

book 2

excellent book. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. enjoy this