Emberverse

Dies the Fire (Emberverse, #1) by S.M. Stirling explores a world transformed after a mysterious electrical storm over Nantucket disables all electronic devices and fuels. This event triggers a widespread collapse of modern technology, leading to a global catastrophe and the onset of a new Dark Age. The novel examines how survivors adapt to a radically altered environment where previous technological advantages no longer exist.

The Protector's War by S.M. Stirling continues the post-apocalyptic saga of a world where modern technology has failed and society has reverted to quasi-medieval structures. In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Michael Havel’s Bearkillers and Juniper Mackenzie’s Wiccan clan struggle to defend their hard-won communities against Norman Arminger, a ruthless medievalist who has forged a feudal Protectorate through conquest and forced labor. As Arminger’s forces push to seize the fertile valley, the conflict escalates into large-scale war shaped by improvised tactics, magic-tinged beliefs, and survivalist pragmatism. The balance of power is further unsettled by the approach of a Tasmanian ship carrying British soldiers, introducing new players into an already volatile landscape.

A Meeting at Corvallis by S.M. Stirling continues the post-apocalyptic saga in a Pacific Northwest reshaped by the sudden end of modern technology. Ten years after the Change, Michael Havel’s Bearkillers and Juniper MacKenzie’s clan have forged a fragile order based on medieval-style warfare, pagan tradition, and hard-won survival skills. Opposing them is Norman Arminger, the Lord Protector of Portland, whose authoritarian, quasi-feudal regime seeks dominance over the region. As negotiations over Arminger’s captive daughter unfold, political maneuvering and military strategy edge both sides toward a large-scale conflict that will decide the future balance of power in this dark, alternate-history landscape.

The Sunrise Lands by S.M. Stirling continues the post-apocalyptic saga in a North America where modern technology has failed and society has reverted to quasi-medieval ways. A fragile peace in western Oregon contrasts with the rising power of a militant religious leader in Paradise Valley, Wyoming, whose Church Universal and Triumphant seeks to eradicate surviving traces of technological culture. Rudi Mackenzie, heir to a mystical clan chieftain, leads a small band across a fractured continent toward the distant Sunrise Lands, hoping to uncover the truth behind the catastrophe known as the Change. Their overland quest blends fantasy, alternate history, and military adventure, as dangers emerge not only from hostile factions and warlike communities but also from tensions and betrayals within their own group.

The Scourge of God by S.M. Stirling continues the post-apocalyptic saga of The Change, following Rudi Mackenzie as he leads a small band across the ruined landscape of former America toward the mysterious island of Nantucket. Seeking answers about the catastrophe that ended modern technology, Rudi navigates a world reshaped into a harsh blend of medieval warfare, improvised magic, and emerging myth. As the Church Universal and Triumphant expands its theocratic rule, its Prophet and his fanatical Cutters wage a holy war to erase all remnants of the old world, and a ruthless officer is tasked specifically with preventing Rudi’s arrival at Nantucket. The novel blends military strategy, survivalist detail, and dark fantasy elements within an alternate history setting.

In The Sword of the Lady, S.M. Stirling continues his post-apocalyptic saga with Rudi Mackenzie traveling to the transformed island of Nantucket. In a landscape where modern technology has failed and society has reverted to medieval-style warfare and survival, Rudi discovers a singular intact house and within it a finely crafted sword that seems bound to his fate. This weapon, steeped in mythic and possibly supernatural significance, marks a turning point in his role within the fractured remnants of civilization. The novel blends alternate history, dark fantasy, and military adventure as Rudi confronts the implications of wielding a blade that may alter the balance of power in a ruined world.

The High King of Montival by S.M. Stirling continues the Change saga in a post-apocalyptic North America where technology has failed and power is measured in steel, strategy, and belief. Rudi Mackenzie, now bearer of the magical Sword of the Lady, leads his companions on a dangerous three-thousand-mile trek back to Montival in the Pacific Northwest, forging uneasy alliances and confronting new enemies along the way. As the Prophet’s legions gather, Rudi must weld former foes into a single military force capable of challenging the Church Universal and Triumphant. The novel blends epic war, dark fantasy elements, and alternate history into a story about leadership, survival, and the cost of accepting a mythic destiny as Artos, High King of Montival.

In The Tears of the Sun, S.M. Stirling continues his post-apocalyptic alternate history with Rudi McKenzie, now ruling as Artos, High King of Montival. Armed with a legendary sword forged for him before his birth, Artos leads a fragile coalition of former enemies and allies across a transformed, quasi-medieval North America. As the militant Church Universal and Triumphant advances, he prepares for a decisive war that could cost him his life and shatter the realm he is trying to build. The novel blends epic fantasy elements, military strategy, and survivalist detail within a dark, myth-tinged speculative setting.

Lord of Mountains by S.M. Stirling continues the Novels of the Change in a post-apocalyptic North America where technology has vanished and society has reverted to a neo-medieval order. Rudi Mackenzie, now Artos the First, High King of Montival, and his queen Mathilda struggle to turn fragile military victories over the Church Universal and Triumphant into lasting peace by uniting scattered realms under one crown. To secure legitimacy in this dark fantasy setting shaped by war, survival, and old-new mythologies, Artos must undertake a ritual quest to the Lake at the Heart of the Mountains for a binding coronation. Only then can he lead a final campaign deep into enemy territory in this blend of fantasy, alternate history, and military adventure.

The Given Sacrifice by S.M. Stirling continues the post-apocalyptic saga of Rudi Mackenzie, now High King of Montival, as he moves from hard-won victory to a new campaign against the occupying forces of the Church Universal and Triumphant in the former state of Idaho. Blending epic fantasy with alternate history and military adventure, the novel follows Rudi’s pursuit of the Church’s masters, the supernatural Powers of the Void, whose influence stretches beyond a single battlefield or generation. As Princess Órlaith comes of age under the weight of her inheritance, she becomes a focal point in a long, dark struggle that threatens both her survival and the fragile future her parents are trying to secure.

The Desert and the Blade by S.M. Stirling continues the Change series in a post-apocalyptic world where modern technology has vanished and power is won with steel, strategy, and magic. Princess Órlaith of Montival and Reiko, Empress of Japan, undertake a hazardous expedition into the Valley of Death to recover the Grass-Cutting Sword, a mythic weapon said to grant victory in war, even as Órlaith wrestles with the legacy of her own enchanted blade. While they face supernatural threats and hostile forces abroad, Queen Mathilda fears that her daughter’s alliance has destabilized Montival, where rival factions, looming conflict, and a sinister, unseen Malevolence threaten the fragile realm. Blending dark fantasy, military adventure, and alternate history, the novel explores survival, loyalty, and the costs of rule in a newly medieval world.

Prince of Outcasts by S.M. Stirling continues the post-apocalyptic saga of Montival with a focus on Prince John Arminger Mackenzie, a reluctant royal overshadowed by his heir-apparent sister, Princess Órlaith. When a magically driven storm flings his ship across the Pacific into the Ceram Sea, John and his crew are stranded amid hostile island chains, hunted by pirates and confronted by uncanny sea creatures. Cut off from the High Kingdom of Montival and its alliance with the Empire of Japan, John must adapt quickly to unfamiliar cultures, uncertain allies, and threats that blur the line between this world and another. The novel blends fantasy, alternate history, and military adventure as John is forced into command and pushed toward a harsher understanding of duty, survival, and power.

The Sea Peoples by S.M. Stirling continues the Novels of the Change in a world where technology has vanished and societies have rebuilt along medieval lines. When Prince John’s spirit is trapped by the sinister Yellow Raja and the enigmatic Pallid Mask, his companions, led by Captain Pip of Townsville and Deor Godulfson, undertake a dangerous rescue through realms shaped by shadow and dream. At the same time, Crown Princess Órlaith of Montival and Japanese Empress Reiko forge a wartime alliance with the Kingdom of Hawaii, confronting both conventional enemies and unsettling sorcery from Pyongyang. Moving from Pacific island waters to the Ceram Sea’s jungles and ruins, this fantasy adventure blends warfare, dark magic, and survival with hints of mythology and alternate history.

The Sky-Blue Wolves by S.M. Stirling continues the post-apocalyptic, alternate history saga in a world where modern technology has collapsed and feudal-style realms now dominate the former western United States. Crown Princess Órlaith of Montival, determined to maintain the fragile peace created by her father, confronts new magical and supernatural forces unleashed by the Change. When her brother Prince John is captured by the mysterious Yellow Raja, Órlaith joins with her ally, Empress Reiko of Japan, in a campaign that blends swordplay, strategy, and dark sorcery. As the legendary Sky-Blue Wolves of Mongolia ride again under the banner of Genghis Khan, war, survival, and shifting empires shape a grim, myth-infused future.