A generation has passed since the Change that rendered technology inoperable around the world, and western Oregon has finally achieved a degree of peace. But a new threat has risen in Paradise Valley, Wyoming. A man known as the Prophet presides over the Church Universal and Triumphant, teaching his followers to continue God's work by destroying the remnants of technological civilization they encounter—and those who dare use them.
Rudi Mackenzie, son and heir of the mystic Juniper, must journey with seven friends across a continent in chaos to the Sunrise Lands to solve the riddle of what destroyed a civilization. And as the friends journey farther into the interior, enemies may be within their own band as well as outside it.
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"I am really enjoying these books. I hate finishing one without having the next on ready to go. But there is a lot going on in the books, multiple points of view, and not everyone enjoys the switch. I however, am loving it. "
— Stacy (4 out of 5 stars)
Thought-provoking and engaging
— Publishers Weekly“The thought-provoking and engaging storytelling should please Stirling’s many fans.”
— Publishers Weekly“Stirling is a perfect master of keep-them-up-all-night pacing, possibly the best in American sf, quite capable of sweeping readers all the way to the end.”
— Booklist, praise for the author" Meh, I personally thought it was a tad corny. The series is weird too, as each story skips a generation or two. "
— Chip, 2/13/2014" I am really enjoying these books. I hate finishing one without having the next on ready to go. But there is a lot going on in the books, multiple points of view, and not everyone enjoys the switch. I however, am loving it. "
— Stacy, 2/7/2014" Got a little tired of all the battle scenes and sometimes skimmed them. But it has a total cliffhanger ending... I must read the next one immediately! Just went and got it. "
— Gwen, 2/6/2014" One of the problems I had with this book was that I had just finished a spectacular book and this one was fair to middling. I was concerned that it had been sometime since I had read the last book in the series. That turned out not to be such an issue. You can get a summary of the plot elsewhere. One thing that did detract from the book was some of the terminology. A lexicon would have been nice as well as a list of characters and how the relate to each other. I will most likely give the next book a shot, but am not sure about the rest of the series. "
— Shawn, 2/4/2014" This book continues the story of the "Change". It was an enjoyable read but it felt like it was setting up for something big. Obviously it is a series and each book needs to set up for the next. It just felt like there should have been a bit more. "
— Jay, 2/3/2014" Fair bit of action. Many parts are told as a flashback. Works well for Ingolf's earlier adventures but not so well with Edain's. I just want to know what happens to the characters. "
— Pam, 1/27/2014" Continues the saga from Dies The Fire into the next generation. Also converts the survival story of the first trilogy into a quest saga with overtones of the Arthurian stories. "
— Mary, 1/25/2014" the jump in years was confusing at first. good start to the next part of this series. "
— Jackie, 1/20/2014" A welcome return to the Emberverse series. A few small nitpicks, but otherwise felt like visiting old friends. "
— Shane, 1/20/2014" the series has taken a definite turn into fantasy. "
— Jutta, 1/13/2014" I liked this much better than any of the previous books. Stirling seems to have gotten a hang of characters since "Dies the Fire" and his dialogue is monumentally better. I'm glad I didn't give up on the series after "The Protector's War." "
— Meg, 12/13/2013" Mr. Sterling...write more...write faster! "
— Stephanie, 11/14/2013" Loved it. Can't wait for the next one. Expands the world of the "change" considerably. "
— Kim, 11/10/2013" Exciting, charming, thought provoking. Love this world "
— Hj, 10/25/2013" I good follow up to the first three books, continuing hte story a generation later. Looking forward reading the next one. "
— Gene, 11/18/2012" I tried, but this one did not, could not keep me interested enough to stick with it. I could not care enough about the next generation characters to stick with this book through the sloggingly slow start to their journey to Nantucket. I read about half of this book before I gave up... "
— Rustinhead, 11/14/2012" Even more annoyingly smug and self-satisfied characters who are a billion percent unsympathetic than ever before. "
— Taters, 9/24/2012" S.M. Stirling has done it again! I'm really enjoying this series! "
— Art, 4/19/2012" Is interesting and a good read. Just wish Stirling were more knowledgeable about archery. The bow string of a good archer doesn't slap the bracer every time he shoots. Just the opposite in fact. "
— Joe, 3/17/2012" Yep, definitely got myself reconnected with Stirling's work and loving it "
— Winter, 11/17/2011" I'm glad to have discovered this series. Very well written and an engaging story line. I look forward to reading some others in hte series. "
— George, 9/17/2011" More "mystical" than the previous three books, but I liked it. "
— Redsteve, 5/18/2011" Excellent - I wish he'd do something like this with the Nantucket series! "
— Mieczyslaw, 5/17/2011" Huge disappointment. Does not carry the weight of the earlier books in this series. I probably won't make and effort to read the next one unless someone passes it on to me. "
— Nes, 5/13/2011" More "mystical" than the previous three books, but I liked it. "
— Redsteve, 4/15/2011" Stopped reading the Emberverse series after this book. Needed a break and not enough was happening. "
— Ronald, 3/29/2011" See my review of the first book 'Dies the Fire'. "
— Rafe, 1/30/2011" Excellent - I wish he'd do something like this with the Nantucket series! "
— Mieczyslaw, 1/11/2011" Great book. Didn't notice that it was #4... hmmmm "
— Kevin, 12/15/2010" Loved it. Can't wait for the next one. Expands the world of the "change" considerably. "
— Kim, 12/11/2010" The first three books are great, but once you get to this one it seems like it's all been done. I'll probably read the others, but the first three are where it's at. "
— Madhatter555, 6/9/2010" My favorite in the series so far. The plot really moved along, and I was done before I knew it. Can't wait to read the "Scourge of God"!! Good stuff. "
— Mark, 6/2/2010" I love this whole series. I've read half of the last book; Stirling posted it on his website. Since the new one is now out, I'm re-reading the series so I'll be all nice and fresh for it. "
— Amanda, 2/26/2010S. M. Stirling is the author of science fiction and fantasy fiction, including three stand-alone novels and many novels in eight series, as well as novels in five more series in which he collaborated with Anne McCaffrey, Jerry Pournell, and David Drake, among others.
Todd McLaren, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, was involved in radio for more than twenty years in cities on both coasts, including Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He left broadcasting for a full-time career in voice acting, where he has been heard on more than five thousand television and radio commercials, as well as television promos; narrations for documentaries on such networks as A&E, Discovery, and the History Channel; and films, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit?