By Schism Rent Asunder

Safehold Series, Book 2

By: David Weber

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Length: 25 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

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

Can't wait!

I wish I had the third book right now! SO GOOD! This series has stolen my heart.

Long but worthwhile

This is the second book in the safe hold series and it's by far the better of the two so far. The story is a long build up but the pay offs are worth it. The author does go a bit overboard (pun intended) when describing ship battles. He goes into extreme detail about everything about them. If you're a fan of Scifi then I'm sure you will enjoy this. However! be aware that Oliver Wyman doesnt do the narration for book 3 so it may be a drastic change.

the slow but steady march to war.

The long steady march to war. It can't keep coming up roses for the Empire sadly. looking forward to the next one.

Loving these

It took me a few timed to get into 1st book, but Im so glad I stuck with it! I really love the whole idea behind this world & our special puppet master.

pick a narrator

Great storyline. Great series. Pick a narrator; one narrator; and stick with them. The flip flopping narrator stinks.

great sequel

if you liked the first one, this is more of the same. so far so good

Loved every bit

This is so captivating. I love how the story evolved and the performance was topnotch.

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

A fantastic continuation

I love the mix of religious turmoil, technological innovation and political intrigue. I also love a epic and this certainly fits that mold.

I've not checked if this series pre or post dates the honor series but in either case I love the fact that there are so many nods to character and places in this universe.