Aftershock

Lisbon, 1755.

In the early hours of November 1st, the city is brought to its knees by a catastrophic earthquake that reduces it to rubble in less than ten minutes. An hour later, a devastating tsunami crashes over the city, followed by a firestorm that rages for five days. Thousands of lives are lost in the wake of these unprecedented disasters.

But from the ashes of the destroyed city rises one man who will reshape the fate of Portugal: Dom Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, later known as the Marquis of Pombal. Resolute and undeterred by the decadent aristocracy and the powerful Jesuit order, Dom Sebastião, with the support of the
king, launches an ambitious mission to rebuild the capital, restore the economy, and reform every arm of government.

Yet his path to power is fraught with opposition, scandal, and brutal conflict. A clandestine love affair and a conspiracy to assassinate the king set in motion a deadly crusade of retribution.

A sweeping portrait of a nation in crisis, Aftershock explores the fragile balance between restoring order and eroding freedom. As Portugal rises from disaster, one man's uncompromising vision reshapes its future, at a cost that will shake the country to its core.