Hoplite Ridge by Sean Patrick Sayers

One commander chose to disobey. When a catastrophic chain reaction threatens civilization, a battle-hardened commander leads his rogue battalion and their families into exile. Cities go dark. Order collapses. On the first night, it becomes clear the old stories were never myths, but warnings. "A masterful blend of mythology and futuristic warfare, packed with vivid worldbuilding and cosmic danger." — Readers' Favorite "Epic, high-stakes, and unforgettable. A brutal clash of humanity and gods with tension that never lets up." — Independent Book Review In the chaos that follows, Mars and Ares Augustus, brothers forged by discipline and loyalty to a ruthless empire, stand at the center of its collapse. Trained as elite soldiers, they are forced to choose between duty and survival as every decision reshapes the fate of entire worlds. Neptune returns from exile as the most dangerous symbol of rebellion the empire has ever known. Once a voice of hope, now a living threat, his defiance draws the attention of forces far older and more dangerous than any army. From the abyss, Osiris awakens. God of death and renewal, his return unleashes chaos across the universe as ancient mythology collides with advanced technology and the balance between mortals and immortals begins to unravel. At the center of it all stands Hephaestus, a child marked by a rare and powerful ability. His survival could determine the future of humanity. His transformation may mean salvation or total annihilation. As monsters hunt the refugees and gods choose their champions, survival becomes a war of faith as much as firepower. The Hoplite Battalion fractures between loyalty and rebellion, and one truth becomes unavoidable: when myth collides with machine, no one escapes unchanged. What endures at Hoplite Ridge becomes the seed of humanity's myths, religion, and culture.