Like a Mighty Army
 |
|
| Author | David Weber |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Stephen Youll |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
|
Publication date
|
February 18, 2014 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 704 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 844728064 |
| Preceded by | Midst Toil and Tribulation |
| Followed by | Hell's Foundations Quiver |
Like a Mighty Army is the seventh book in the Safehold science fiction novel series by David Weber and published by Tor Books on February 18, 2014. The title comes from the third stanza of the hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers".
Picking up immediately after the events of Midst Toil and Tribulation, the church's forces in northern Siddarmark are immobilized due to Charis' "Great Canal Raid", which hamstrung its logistical support. Hoping to still push through from the South, Bishop Militant Cahnyr Kaitswyrth is ordered by Zhaspahr Clyntahn, the Grand Inquisitor, to advance with his 150,000 soldiers against Duke Eastshare's firmly entrenched position along the Daivyn River. Despite their numerical advantage, the church's forces are thrown back, thanks to new Charisian innovations, such as the breech-loading rifles and cannons, ghillie suits, claymore mines, signal rockets, and illumination flares. Afterwards, Eastshare goes on the offensive and pushes the church's forces even further to the west. Further to the south, the Dohlaran and Desnarian troops march towards Earl Hanth and his forces in Thesmar hoping to eliminate it as a threat to their supply lines as they march north. Despite the reservations of Rainos Ahlverez, the commander of the Dohlaran forces, the attack proceeds and fails completely thanks to the gross incompetence and arrogance of the Desnarian Army's commander, Duke Harless, all of which increases the tension between the commanders of the two armies (who weren't comfortable allies to begin with). Spurred by Eastshare's success and the knowledge that Siddarmarkian and Charisian reinforcements are on their way, Baron Green Valley takes most of his troops north to the disputed Midhold Province and manages to eliminate the Temple Loyalist troops there and seize the canals intact. Green Valley's new position poses a threat to Bishop Militant Bahrnabai Wyrshym who is stuck defending the Sylmahn Gap, though he (mistakenly) believes that Charis won't continue military operations in the winter.
In Corisande, Princess Irys and Prince Daivyn finally return home after their years of exile, with Irys' new fiance, Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk. Thanks to the unexpected and vehement support of Klairmant Gairlyng, the Archbishop of Corisande, ratification of the new peace treaty with Charis passes with overwhelming support of the House of Commons and a large majority of the House of Lords. The coronation of Prince Daivyn is then set for 22 October with Irys' wedding scheduled for two days after that. Archbishop Maikel then arrives in Manchyr to participate in the wedding while Empress Sharleyan arrives soon after to accept Prince Daivyn's oath of fealty to the Empire. However, shortly after the wedding ceremony, one of Clyntahn's "Rakurai" terrorists detonates a bomb in Cathedral Square, killing well over 200 people and critically injuring Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, who shielded his new wife from the explosion. Merlin races to Manchyr on a recon skimmer and uses advanced Terran Federation medicine to save Hektor's life to Irys' astonishment, thus forcing their initiation into the Inner Circle. In discussing the attack and the possibility that Clyntahn would attempt another assassination to engineer a break between Charis and Corisande, Prince Nahrmahn (living in his virtual environment) reveals that they now have the capability to create one other PICA like Merlin thanks to some virtual R&D he and OWL conducted. However, the only personality available to them is a back up of the original Nimue Alban stored away centuries ago. Merlin authorizes OWL to build a PICA with that personality and as a result Nimue Chwaeriau is "born" and, after explaining to her the nature of their mission on Safehold, is sent off to Manchyr to protect Irys, Daivyn and Hektor.
...
Wikipedia