Orbis
Two thousand years ago, as the Roman Empire beat back the rise of Christianity, the saviors of mankind arrived. And they weren’t Jesus of Nazareth or his Disciples.
They were the Benefactors.
They appeared as heavenly beings on a mission of hope, convincing the people of Earth to accept their kindly dominion by hi-jacking the insurgent Christian Movement and turning it into an instrument of control. When the mighty Roman Empire refused to bow down, it was destroyed.
Ever since, the Benefactors have guided and led, and humankind has followed and prospered, but at a price.
In an alternate 1947, the truth behind the Benefactors’ origins and motives are about to be discovered. And unless three ordinary people can find the courage to fight against everything they’ve been taught to believe and obey, the end of humanity may already be inevitable…
Reviews
“Original in design, yet absorbing and populated with a cast of characters that unite for a common goal.”Midwest Book Review
“Intriguing alternate history […] a good liberation-quest adventure.”Booklist
“Riveting drama.”Locus
“A stunningly strange novel, an alternate history at once familiar and beyond comprehension, generous with the type of speculative fix craved by fans of the subgenre […] Mackay creates a unique alternate history, a science fiction story that works to his strengths, a compelling experience for jaded fans of the genre.”Crystalline Sphere
“Following along the lines of his great novel, OUTPOST, author Mackay, again, spins an original yarn steeped in history combined with imaginative verisimilitude. His construct of a technologically repressed Catholic society though not unique is nonetheless beautifully realized and his players impressively brought to life. Highly Recommended.”Yet Another Book Review