As a Nazi invasion looms, eight men in Czechoslovakia prepare to resist, in this powerful novella by the New York Times–bestselling author. Hitler’s forces are about to close in, but a small group of men is determined to take a stand against the German aggressors. Each of them knows that it will almost certainly be a futile act—but to them, the alternative is unacceptable. This suspenseful story follows the men’s thoughts, memories, and emotions as they await the inevitable—and steel themselves for a battle that may be the last they ever fight. Originally published decades after Taylor Caldwell’s death, this is a deeply moving portrait of those who resist tyrants, and of the distinction between a military victory and a moral one. “A wonderful storyteller.” —A. Scott Berg, National Book Award–winning author of Maxwell Perkins: Editor of Genius