"One Away or One to Stay, and Balance Anew." He slinks through the night like a vigilante ghost through a ravaged, post-apocalyptic world. His mission? Save as many people as he can, and the beings promise they'll bring his wife back from the dead. Fail, or renounce his charge, and someone else he loves dies. No pressure. === In a world still reeling from alien invasion, one man walks the razor’s edge between salvation and damnation. Eight years after the loss of his wife, The Talisman—once a war hero, now a haunted vigilante—has become a reluctant hero, bound to a cosmic bargain with the enigmatic Aeterium Axis. His mission is as impossible as it is cruel: save one thousand lives, and the love of his life will return. Fail, and another soul he cherishes will be lost forever. Armed with supernatural abilities and a relentless drive, The Talisman operates in the shadows, leaving only golden talismans as proof of his existence. But as a determined journalist closes in on his secrets and a vengeful former talisman hunts him across worlds, The Talisman's quest for redemption becomes a desperate race against time—and fate. Talisman: Subterfuge is a pulse-pounding blend of sci-fi intrigue and raw human emotion, where every rescue comes at a devastating cost and every choice could tip the balance between hope and oblivion. Will The Talisman's sacrifice be enough to save those he loves, or will the darkness claim him first? For fans of high-stakes thrillers and cosmic mysteries, Talisman: Subterfuge is an unforgettable journey into the heart of loss, loyalty, and the price of second chances. === From the prolific author of the bestselling Dissonance alien invasion saga, the Christian dystopian saga The End, the 9/11 historical fiction thriller Forecast, the dystopian dark fantasy paranormal thriller The Phoenix Experiment, and the disaster fiction novel The Slide comes a bold new look at what happens when we answer the chilling call of desperation. It's Edge of Tomorrow meets Redemption Ark, or The Road meets Watchmen. Perfect for fans of Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, The Faithless by CL Clark, or Jackdaw by Tade Thompson.