ARISEN : Operators, Volume IV – Stronghold

by Michael Stephen Fuchs

Post-Apocalyptic Military Fans call ARISEN : Operators :
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ " Breath-Stealing, Hyper-Intense Action , from arguably the absolute finest author of all time"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Unrelenting Action, Gunfights, and a Priceless Glimpse into the Mindset of Tier-1 Operators"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ " Gripping, relentless, blistering action – a compulsive page-turner"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "No sleep possible with this live grenade in my hands"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ " Pure Tier-1 Adrenaline : My Favorite Series of All Time Just Got Better"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Complex characters and adrenaline-pumping action that threatens to knock you off your seat"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The World's Greatest Military ZA Series Gets Even Better."

A brother is taken.
A command defied.
And the operators are done asking permission.

Master Sergeant Yaël Sion has fought her way through fire, blood, and impossible trials to earn her place among the last elite special operators on Earth. On the path, she’s also rebuilt herself into something harder, sharper – and found something she never expected to have

A team. A home. Brothers.

Then one of them is taken away, buried in a fortified stronghold – a former high-security prison and military bastion fort – a place designed not to hold prisoners, but to break them. And the fighters manning its walls aren’t braindead infected or desperate survivors. They’re disciplined, organized, and heavily armed – and they want USOC to know exactly where they are.

Now Yaël and her Alpha brothers must move without sanction.

Five operators. One island stronghold. Five hundred enemy fighters. No backup. What follows is a savage, close-quarters, smash-mouth battle against a prepared enemy who know the terrain, control the prison, and intend to exact payment for any rescue in oceans of blood.

The climax of this apocalyptic battle will leave Yaël with one last impossible

Kill the Demon who murdered her family and stole her youth. Or stand and die with the teammates who gave her a new life and a home.

A soldier without a country. A warrior with a cause. And a survivor with one final choice.

The time has come for Yaël to decide who she really is.

365 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2026

About the author

MICHAEL STEPHEN FUCHS is author of the #1 bestselling epic ARISEN series of special-operations military ZA novels, which have repeatedly been Amazon #1 bestsellers in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction, #1 in Dystopian Science Fiction, #1 in Military Science Fiction, #1 in War Fiction, and #1 in War & Military Action Fiction, as well as Amazon overall Top 100 bestsellers. The series as a whole has sold over 1.5 million copies. The audiobook editions, performed by R.C. Bray, have generated over $5 million in revenue. He is also author of the D-Boys series of high-tech special-operations military adventure novels, which include D-Boys , Counter-Assault , and Close Quarters Battle (coming in 2026); as well as the existential cyberthrillers The Manuscript and Pandora’s Sisters , both published worldwide by Macmillan in hardback, paperback and all e-book formats (and in translation). He lives in London and blogs at www.michaelfuchs.org/razorsedge. You can follow him on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, or by e-mail.

Reviews

[Vickie]

This series has been a great spin-off with some favorite characters from the original series. But this series is a bit different in that it really focuses on the MC's trauma as a child and how her mental health is affected. It's a long journey but a beautiful one.

[Giselle]

Oh My Goodness!

I’d gotten behind on my reading of this series - but had Volume 3 and 4 earmarked for my holiday week …
Trying to fit in a bit of swimming was extremely difficult as these 2 books had me completely immersed in Yael’s world . My tan topped up nicely and my brain was over-run with the images that Michael created .
Absolutely fantastic books , a nice little sideline to the Arisen series - and of course is going to make return YET AGAIN to that series to find any little mention of Yael and Avi in those ..
if you haven’t read any of this authors work - go back to the start - and book time off work - you’re going to need it !

[Tom Hill]

This guy knows how to write awesome stuff!

I have greatly enjoyed every single Arisen book. A little thrown off with the deep dive into Yale’s Origen story, but it all ties together in the end. Love the Kevlar suits. Helps to make the unbelievable somewhat more believable. Best ZA series with lots of ZA references.

[Kenneth Koester]

Another amazing addition

No wasted time, full speed to smash mouth combat. Excellent writing, pacing and overall storytelling. Have been here for every bit of the journey and Michael refuses to let up

[ronnie finkbeiner jr]

Damn Dude!

To borrow a quote from the man mountain himself, "DAMN DUDE"! The climax of this book had me chewing my nails to bits! This is turning into a hellova ride and I'm already tweaking for the next installment! Thanks again Mr. Fuchs for another great story!

[Maggie Deaton]

Fabulous adrenaline rush read!

The fight continues on with enemies both old and new involved. Yet even as new scars form, old ones are healed and trust rebuilt....this is a fabulous character driven adrenaline fueled rush of a series! A must read! 5+ stars!

[James T. Grimes]

great!

As a combat veteran of OEF 1&2, and OIF 2 I love it! Spot on! Thank you again brother! Congrats!

[Andy Smith]

Great read.

Best of the series. Non stop action. Love the development in Yaels character. Looking forward to the upcoming books.
The Arisen universe has been a favorite.