In the nine centuries since the creation of the world, the Church of God Awaiting has grown all-powerful as the keeper of men's souls. It rules the planet of Safehold with the imprimatur of God Himself ... and with an iron fist. The power of the Office of the Inquisition has turned to the suppression of all criticism and denounced that criticism as mortal sin.Now the "Group of Four" - men who have made themselves masters of the Church - have been challenged. The island kingdom of Charis has rejected their authority. The Church of Charis will no longer tolerate the casual abuse of power, the willingness to condemn entire realms to fire and the sword. The Kingdom of Charis has beaten off the Church's first attack and prepares to strike back. But not all of those who support the Church are corrupt, and the Group of Four stands ready to use the faith and belief of those blameless souls for its own cynical ends.The gauntlet has been cast down, and full-scale religious war - the ugliest war of all - looms over Safehold.Yet to survive, Charis will require allies. Who will dare to stand with those who challenge the might and majesty of God's own Church? What ruler will dare to ally himself with those who stand condemned of defying the Archangels' successors?King Cayleb of Charis needs the answers to those questions. He needs them badly. But he already has one ally with resources not even he can imagine; the mysterious warrior monk called Merlin, who holds the secret knowledge Charis may need to survive. Merlin is Cayleb's adviser, protector, and friend ... and also the cybernetic avatar of a young woman named Nimue Alban, who died before the day of creation itself. Born on a murdered world called "Earth," and the only person who knows why the existence of the human race hinges upon the outcome of the war between Charis and the Church of God Awaiting.Religious war may be an ugly thing, but the only alternative is uglier yet. Read Less