Off Armageddon Reef http://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Off-Armageddon-Reef-David-Weber/9780765353979?cf=3

By David Weber

$11.50 Price includes NZ wide delivery!

Buy Now

Ships from USA supplier

About the Author

David Weber is a science fiction phenomenon and the author of the Safehold series, including "By Schism Rent Asunder," "By Heresies Distressed" and "A Mighty Fortress." His popular Honor Harrington and Honorverse novels--including "Mission of Honor," "At All Costs," and "Torch of Freedom"--are "New York Times" bestsellers and can't come out fast enough for his devoted readers. His other top-selling science fiction novels include "Out of the Dark," the Dahak books and the Multiverse books, written with Linda Evans. He has also created an epic SF adventure series in collaboration with John Ringo, including "We Few." His novels have regularly been Main Selections of the Science Fiction Book Club. Weber has a bachelor's degree from Warren Wilson College, and attended graduate school in history at Appalachian State University. He lives in South Carolina.

Reviews

Humanity, in the process of exploring the universe, has encountered a race known as the Gbaba. For reasons of their own, the Gbaba begin a campaign to destroy all of humanity. Seeing that total defeat is inevitable, a group of human colonists devise a plan to escape the Gbaba and circumvent their ability to track high-tech energy signatures. During the journey, the colonists are placed in a form of hypersleep, and their memories are altered to suppress all knowledge of humanity and high technology. Unknown to the colonists and many of the command staff, the colony's chief administrator, Langhorne, and the chief psychologist, Bedard, also program them to believe that the staff are angels sent by God to deliver a message that invention, progress, and change are strictly forbidden. Several years after the refuge of Safehold is established, a faction in the command staff who oppose Langhorne stage a revolt. With the fall of the angels, the altered colonists continue to follow the dictates of Langhorne, and their society develops around a strong central church much like Europe in the Middle Ages. Off Armageddon Reef is a complex mix of sf, fantasy, and historical fiction. Weber is a master of description; each innovation and naval battle is complexly choreographed and full of detail. Narrator Oliver Wyman uses a collection of voices and accents to distinguish individual characters. Recommended for any library with a large audio collection.--Tim Daniels, Georgia State Univ. Lib., Atlanta Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Praise for "Off Armageddon Reef" "" ""Off Armageddon Reef" shows David Weber at the top of his game." --David Drake
"Vast, complex, intricate, subtle, and unlaydownable. This looks like the start of the biggest thing in science fiction since Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series." --Dave Duncan
"Strongly recommended." -SFRevu.com
"Marvelously entertaining...Very good news for our reading future!" --Vernor Vinge
"Weber has done it once again." --"Starlog"

"Weber launches an epic series with this gripping far-future saga, which springboards off the near-destruction of humanity in a massive war with the Gbaba. The survivors of the human race retreat to the planet Safehold, where they sacrifice basic human rights--and an accurate memory of the Gbaba--for the preservation of the species. The colony's founders psychologically program the colonists to prevent the re-emergence of scientific inquiry, higher mathematics or advanced technology, which the Gbaba would detect and destroy. Centuries later, cultural stagnation on this feudal but thriving planet is enforced by the all-powerful Church of God Awaiting. But one kingdom--with the aid of the war's last survivor, a cybernetic avatar that awakens to reinvent itself as a man named Merlin Athrawes--risks committing the ultimate heresy. Shifting effortlessly between battles among warp-speed starships and among oar-powered galleys, Weber brings the political maneuvering, past and future technologies, and vigorous protagonists together for a cohesive, engrossing whole."
--"Publishers Weekly, "starred review

"In his first book for Tor, the author of the popular Honor Harrington novels embarks on a new SF epic of cultural evolution and humanity's need to conquer the unknown. Rich backgrounds and vivid characters combine to make this series opener a priority purchase for SF collections." --"Library Journal," starred review

"Earth has been destroyed by an alien invasion, and survivors are cling

Weber (At All Costs) launches an epic series with this gripping far-future saga, which springboards off the near-destruction of humanity in a massive war with the alien Gbaba. The survivors of the human race retreat to the planet Safehold, where they sacrifice basic human rights-and an accurate memory of the Gbaba-for the preservation of the species. The colony's founders psychologically program the colonists to prevent the re-emergence of scientific inquiry, higher mathematics or advanced technology, which the Gbaba would detect and destroy. Centuries later, cultural stagnation on this feudal but thriving planet is enforced by the all-powerful Church of God Awaiting. But one kingdom-with the aid of the war's last survivor, a cybernetic avatar that awakens to reinvent itself as a man named Merlin Athrawes-risks committing the ultimate heresy. Shifting effortlessly between battles among warp-speed starships and among oar-powered galleys, Weber brings the political maneuvering, past and future technologies, and vigorous protagonists together for a cohesive, engrossing whole. 15-city author tour. (Jan.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.