The fifth novel in the bestselling Holding series, starting with The Reef of Armageddon, Shattered Asunder, Heresies, and The Mighty Fortress. The series will continue with the novels “Among Toil and Sorrow”, “Like a Mighty Army”, “The Foundations of Hell Are Trembling” and “In Triumph”. So, what is this novel about? The Charizan Empire, born of war, has always known that it must fight for its survival. However, most of his subjects don't even now know how much more he fights. Emperor Caleb, Empress Sharlian, Merlin Atraves and their inner circle of most trusted advisors know. And because they do, they know that the punishment if they fail will be far worse than their own death and the destruction of everything they know and love. Use the arrow to expand or collapse this section For five years, Charis survived the entire Church of God, and the corrupt people who control it, have been abandoned to an island empire. The price was high and paid in blood. Despite a string of hard-fought naval victories, Charis is still on the defensive. He can hold his own at sea, but if he is to survive, he must defeat the Church on his own soil. But how does he invade the mainland and wage war against an enemy whose population outnumbers his own by fifteen to one? How does this stop this massive enemy from rebuilding its fleets and attacking again? Charis doesn't have the answer to these questions, but she needs to find it...quickly. The cruel tortures and disgusting executions of the Inquisition are claiming more and more innocent lives. His agents are fomenting a rebellion against the only mainland kingdoms sympathetic to Charis. Religious terrorists were sent to wreak havoc against the subjects of the Empire. The assassins are targeting the Emperor and Empress, their allies and advisors, as well as an innocent boy, not yet eleven years old, whose father has already been killed. And Merlin Atraves, the cybernetic avatar of a young woman who died a thousand years ago, finally learned that he was sleeping under a distant temple in the Church of God awaiting the city of Zion. The men and women fighting for human freedom and tolerance built the foundation for their struggle in the Charis Empire of their own blood, but will this foundation be strong enough to survive?

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