Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Baen (2002), Edition: First Edition, Hardcover, 880 pages
Description
NO ONE WANTED ANOTHER WAR Thomas Theisman didn't. After risking his life and a fresh round of civil war to overthrow the Committee of Public Safety's reign of terror and restore the Republic of Haven's ancient Constitution, an interstellar war was the last thing he wanted. Baron High Ridge didn't. The Prime Minister of Manticore was perfectly happy with the war he had. No one was shooting anyone else at the moment, and as long as he could spin out negotiations on the formal treaty of peace, his government could continue to milk all those "hostilities only" tax measures for their own partisan projects. His Imperial Majesty Gustav didn't. Now that the fighting between the Star Kingdom and the Havenites had ended, the Andermani Emperor had his own plans for Silesia, and he was confident he could achieve them without a war of his own. Protector Benjamin didn't. His people had made too deep a commitment to the Manticoran Alliance, in blood as well as treasure, for him to want to risk seeing it all thrown away. And Honor Harrington certainly didn't. The "Salamander" had seen the inside of too many furnaces already, knew too much about how much war cost. Unfortunately, what they wanted didn't matter....… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member gilroy
I struggled to complete this book, and the Honor series is one of my favorite. My god what happened to the editor for this book?!?!? Why do we have so many chapters that drag the book down, that take away from the heroine's story? It could easily be five hundred pages, possibly shorter, if we
I've enjoyed the series to this point, but the more politics that Weber works into the story, the less this is an enjoyable series. If the next book is anything like this one, I'll stop dead and not complete the proposed 14 additional books.
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concentrated just on Honor and her relevant storyline. Get rid of half the politics and asides of other characters that don't really push the story line.I've enjoyed the series to this point, but the more politics that Weber works into the story, the less this is an enjoyable series. If the next book is anything like this one, I'll stop dead and not complete the proposed 14 additional books.
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LibraryThing member SimonW11
Yes another Honor Harrington Story this one remarkable for its lack of battles.
The War between Manticore and the Republic should be ending all they have to do is negotiate the terms. Unfortunately there are too many self interested fools and traitors jockeying for position. I enjoyed this it has
The War between Manticore and the Republic should be ending all they have to do is negotiate the terms. Unfortunately there are too many self interested fools and traitors jockeying for position. I enjoyed this it has
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Good guys and bad guys on both sides the viewpoints of even the most deplorable are believable. Not however a big hit with most of his fans who prefer to read about lots of TLA's engaging in high-tech battle. Show Less
LibraryThing member macha
i've read a bunch of Honor Harringtons without incident. but this was the end: not reading any more, thanks. 800 pp of exposition before anything happens at all - and i've got a pretty high tolerance for exposition, but this was too much. about as deadly as studying RPG stats and never getting into
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the game. i can only assume the editor fell asleep. Show Less
LibraryThing member asciiphil
It's past five in the morning. I've been up reading for almost the last four hours because I wanted to finish the book. It's good. The pace is much slower than I remember previous Honor Harrington books being, but things do move along.
Reading all of the Honor anthologies before this book is highly
Spoilers below.
As usual, the end of the book is very open for more. Also as usual, I'm left with the feeling of, "Okay, what now?" Giancola needs to be removed from office. Unfortunately, that's probably not going to happen until late into the next book, at best. And what of Honor, Hamish, and Emily? Emily seems more accepting of a three-way relationship now (or, at least, of Hamish having relationships with two women). Can Honor do the same? Can Hamish balance two relationships? (If he can't, I fear Emily will be the poorer, given the newly forged empathic bond between Honor and Hamish.)
Hm. Other thoughts. I knew from the dust jacket that there'd again be escalations of hostility. (I hate those things; they can spoil a lot. Don't even get me started on the ones for Archangel.) I was, however, left guessing for much of the book about whether it would be with the Republic of Haven or the Andermani Empire.
It was very hard to read about the political manuverings of the High Ridge government. Sadly, I'm too willing to believe that their actions were plausible. It just turns my stomach to see people behaving in that manner. (Have I mentioned that I get very involved in the books I read?) Giancola, too. Watching his political machinations, just for personal political gain, drive two governments to war with each other was rough.
A lot of people died. This has happened in other Honor Harrington books, too, but I noticed it more this time around. That gets depressing.
On the whole, the book was enjoyable. Good writing of the sort that Weber does well--consistent science, detailed military encounters, well-written politics, and a larger-than-life Honor.
Reading all of the Honor anthologies before this book is highly
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recommended.Spoilers below.
As usual, the end of the book is very open for more. Also as usual, I'm left with the feeling of, "Okay, what now?" Giancola needs to be removed from office. Unfortunately, that's probably not going to happen until late into the next book, at best. And what of Honor, Hamish, and Emily? Emily seems more accepting of a three-way relationship now (or, at least, of Hamish having relationships with two women). Can Honor do the same? Can Hamish balance two relationships? (If he can't, I fear Emily will be the poorer, given the newly forged empathic bond between Honor and Hamish.)
Hm. Other thoughts. I knew from the dust jacket that there'd again be escalations of hostility. (I hate those things; they can spoil a lot. Don't even get me started on the ones for Archangel.) I was, however, left guessing for much of the book about whether it would be with the Republic of Haven or the Andermani Empire.
It was very hard to read about the political manuverings of the High Ridge government. Sadly, I'm too willing to believe that their actions were plausible. It just turns my stomach to see people behaving in that manner. (Have I mentioned that I get very involved in the books I read?) Giancola, too. Watching his political machinations, just for personal political gain, drive two governments to war with each other was rough.
A lot of people died. This has happened in other Honor Harrington books, too, but I noticed it more this time around. That gets depressing.
On the whole, the book was enjoyable. Good writing of the sort that Weber does well--consistent science, detailed military encounters, well-written politics, and a larger-than-life Honor.
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LibraryThing member LJT
I didn't finish it. I had read the series up to this point, and enjoyed it. but just got fed up. It became more and more tedious and forced and, with other really good space operas out there with female heroines, I decided I didn't have to put up with reading Weber's political swipes, which I find
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simplistic but mean-spirited. Show Less
LibraryThing member librisissimo
Read as much as I could stand. Skimmed the rest. Too many people, too much politics, too much jargon. Although future-time stories have to have some connection to present-time readers, it's hard to believe that our current fashions, slang, references, military structure, and cultural perceptions
Personally, Honor Harrington does not appeal to me.
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would survive nearly 2000 years of space colonization.Personally, Honor Harrington does not appeal to me.
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LibraryThing member thombr
Probably my least favorite in the series as it was almost entirely political discussion. I think the end result of all the political maneuvering has added some interesting possibilities for the rest of the story. I just didn't enjoy the journey with this one as much as the previous books.
LibraryThing member FKarr
latest Honor Harrington novel, still weighted heavily to stupidity of political machination
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Was reading this as an ebook and going very slowly - got it in paper (I think I loaned it to my father a long time ago and just got it back) and finished off the last third in two days. Honor's dealing with a lot of politics; Prichart and Thiesman are dealing with even more. There are a _lot_ of
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slimy politicos in here - all of the Manticore government (well, most - one or two develop a spine late in the book) and Giancola on the Havenite side. He's just incredible. There's a lot of decent people being totally helpless to affect what's going on - though Honor does manage to make one major lateral move around 'what can I do' - again, towards the end. Although a lot happens in this book, including several spectacular space battles, it's really a setup for the next book(s) - there isn't much in the way of conclusions. And Emily's comment at the end is really totally useless! They have acknowledged, the problem is there isn't anything they can do about it. Hmmmph. Not bad, some good scenes, but very far from my favorite Honor. Show Less
LibraryThing member scottcholstad
Even though this Honor Harrington book has a 4.09 rating on a 5.0 scale on Goodreads, it seemed that all I saw were one and two star reviews. People HATED this book! They thought there was too much politics and not enough action. Well, I completely disagree and I loved this book. Yes, there is a
In this book, the Opposition government, led by Baron High Ridge, has downsized Manticore's navy by an extreme amount, because of sheer arrogance and stupidity. Meanwhile, in the four years of negotiations, during which time Haven has actually tried to get a peace plan in place and High Ridge won't negotiate cause he's a greedy bastard, Haven's been rebuilding its navy. Big time. At the same time, the Andermani Empire is trying to take Manticore on to take over Silesia and Honor is named task force commander of a largely obsolete group of ships sent to Silesia to watch over the Andermanis. Fortunately, Grayson sends a group of its state of the art superdreadnaughts to support her, so that's awesome. Communications between Haven and Manticore disintegrate over time, in part because Haven's Secretary of State is modifying them to tick off the High Ridge government. So finally, Haven attacks Manticore's many systems it had taken from Haven in the previous war, as well as Honor, and they have great success, accept for Honor, of course.
One thing in this book which is odd and which is a carry over from the previous book is a budding romance between Honor and Earl White Haven, who is married. It doesn't seem realistic, like her relationship with her dead lover, Paul. It seems forced, strained, unbelievable, and the government's opposition releases news that they are lovers, when at the time they are not, and it damages their reputations. Yet they yearn for each other. And White Haven's crippled wife, whom he loves, meets Honor and loves her immediately and approves of their romance like any wife would -- in a stupid, unrealistic sci fi novel written by an arrogant, dumbass man! This carries over to the following book too, which I've already started.
This isn't the best Honor book I've read, but it's quite complex and juggles many scenarios and issues simultaneously and does so rather well. Honor is still perfect, a bit too much, but one unique and cool thing about this book is Weber turns the tables on the systems. In this book, the Havenites are portrayed as the reasonable, peace loving, nice, realistic people while the Manticorian government is portrayed as arrogant, greedy, snide, deceitful liars, and much worse, so that you actually find yourself rooting for Haven for the first time ever. It's brilliant! Good book. If you're reading the series, strongly recommended.
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hell of a lot of politics, but it's all completely critical to understanding the buildup to the beginning of the new war between Haven and Manticore. Without seeing the politics and the behind the scenes dialogues and scenarios, we'd have no idea why hostilities have resumed. It's critical to the book and the series. I suppose Weber probably does go overboard on the amount of politics he shoves into this book. He has a tendency to do that in his books. But it's still critical to the book. In fact, I wish we had seen more of Grayson's politics in action, personally. That was probably pretty critical too, but Weber largely skipped over that.In this book, the Opposition government, led by Baron High Ridge, has downsized Manticore's navy by an extreme amount, because of sheer arrogance and stupidity. Meanwhile, in the four years of negotiations, during which time Haven has actually tried to get a peace plan in place and High Ridge won't negotiate cause he's a greedy bastard, Haven's been rebuilding its navy. Big time. At the same time, the Andermani Empire is trying to take Manticore on to take over Silesia and Honor is named task force commander of a largely obsolete group of ships sent to Silesia to watch over the Andermanis. Fortunately, Grayson sends a group of its state of the art superdreadnaughts to support her, so that's awesome. Communications between Haven and Manticore disintegrate over time, in part because Haven's Secretary of State is modifying them to tick off the High Ridge government. So finally, Haven attacks Manticore's many systems it had taken from Haven in the previous war, as well as Honor, and they have great success, accept for Honor, of course.
One thing in this book which is odd and which is a carry over from the previous book is a budding romance between Honor and Earl White Haven, who is married. It doesn't seem realistic, like her relationship with her dead lover, Paul. It seems forced, strained, unbelievable, and the government's opposition releases news that they are lovers, when at the time they are not, and it damages their reputations. Yet they yearn for each other. And White Haven's crippled wife, whom he loves, meets Honor and loves her immediately and approves of their romance like any wife would -- in a stupid, unrealistic sci fi novel written by an arrogant, dumbass man! This carries over to the following book too, which I've already started.
This isn't the best Honor book I've read, but it's quite complex and juggles many scenarios and issues simultaneously and does so rather well. Honor is still perfect, a bit too much, but one unique and cool thing about this book is Weber turns the tables on the systems. In this book, the Havenites are portrayed as the reasonable, peace loving, nice, realistic people while the Manticorian government is portrayed as arrogant, greedy, snide, deceitful liars, and much worse, so that you actually find yourself rooting for Haven for the first time ever. It's brilliant! Good book. If you're reading the series, strongly recommended.
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LibraryThing member John_T_Stewart
An excellent read of space opera. Fleets of starships and political machinations between various star nations abound. The story is mostly about the leadup to the Republic of Haven being tricked by one of its own ministers to attack the Kingdom of Manticore. I really excelent followup to the
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previous stories in the Honor Harrington series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
I found this book fascinating. While there is a still enough military action for me to consider it "military science fiction," there is a good amount of the behind the scenes politics that I feel sure must exist at the upper levels of any military. And it is appropriate that Honor be involved with
There is also a good deal of political conniving going on in both Haven and Manticore. When politicians become more involved in keeping their positions than they are in the good of the country, it makes me angry, even if it is only in fiction. And since I got all the sides (the "good guys" and the plotters in both Haven and Manticore), it had the sick fascination of seeing an oncoming train wreck.
And then there is the personal situation between Honor and White Haven. Both know no good can come of it, and yet there is that deep attraction. I keep wondering if the social situation/marital custooms on Grayson might not be an answer.
While this is a great book, if you are thinking of reading the Honor Harrington series, you cannot start here. Start with the first book. If you like military SF, this is a series you should not miss.
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that aspect at her rank.There is also a good deal of political conniving going on in both Haven and Manticore. When politicians become more involved in keeping their positions than they are in the good of the country, it makes me angry, even if it is only in fiction. And since I got all the sides (the "good guys" and the plotters in both Haven and Manticore), it had the sick fascination of seeing an oncoming train wreck.
And then there is the personal situation between Honor and White Haven. Both know no good can come of it, and yet there is that deep attraction. I keep wondering if the social situation/marital custooms on Grayson might not be an answer.
While this is a great book, if you are thinking of reading the Honor Harrington series, you cannot start here. Start with the first book. If you like military SF, this is a series you should not miss.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kmartin802
This massive episode in the Honor Harrington series was filled with all sorts of political maneuvering.
In Manticore, High Ridge's government is too busy with their pork barrel projects and fear of needing to call a general election to put any effort into actually forging a peace treaty with Haven.
In Haven, President Pritchart is trying to form a democracy but she is being undermined by her Secretary of State who has his own agenda. He wants her job and he wants power and he is willing to do anything including "adjusting" the messages that go back and forth in the peace process to slant them in ways that make him look good and Pritchart look bad.
While Manticore's navy is contracting and deteriorating Haven is busy building new ships and developing new techniques under the supervision of Admiral Foraker. They have managed to keep their new developments secret which is helping to build the High Ridge government's sense of false security.
This is also the book where Honor and Hamish Alexander become the victims of a smear campaign which says that they are lovers and are cheating on Hamish's wife. Now, Hamish and Honor are in love but both are too honorable to do anything to hurt Emily Alexander. And it takes a while before either is willing to admit what they feel to each other. However, the smear campaign does its bit to turn public opinion against them and distract them from things High Ridge and his cronies are doing. It is also one more straw that is wrecking Manticore's alliance with Grayson since the Graysons strongly dislike the way Honor is being treated.
As diplomacy fails, Haven gears up for war against the alliance. Honor is in Silesia where she is having problems with the Andermani who are getting more aggressive. Turns out that the scheming Secretary of State from Haven has been whispering in their ears about what they should be doing in Silesia. Luckily, Protector Benjamin has sent the Protector's Own to Silesia as backup for Honor's forces because a large Havenite force has plans there. Of course they also have plans at a number of the other frontier areas that Manticore had taken away from them during the war and they are much more successful there as the Manticorans are dealing with the admiralty's cost-saving measures and are under strength and under armed.
This wasn't really my favorite of the series because there was just so much political stuff. I think a couple of hundred pages of it could have been deleted. I am looking forward to what is going to happen next in the series though.
In Manticore, High Ridge's government is too busy with their pork barrel projects and fear of needing to call a general election to put any effort into actually forging a peace treaty with Haven.
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High Ridge's government is a loose group of politicians who have very little in common except their desire to have power and push their own projects. The admiralty is in the hands of a politician masquerading as an admiral who is more interested in pushing his own agenda and covering his butt to actually do anything. He is proud of the way he is gutting the navy and putting all the good officers on the beach.In Haven, President Pritchart is trying to form a democracy but she is being undermined by her Secretary of State who has his own agenda. He wants her job and he wants power and he is willing to do anything including "adjusting" the messages that go back and forth in the peace process to slant them in ways that make him look good and Pritchart look bad.
While Manticore's navy is contracting and deteriorating Haven is busy building new ships and developing new techniques under the supervision of Admiral Foraker. They have managed to keep their new developments secret which is helping to build the High Ridge government's sense of false security.
This is also the book where Honor and Hamish Alexander become the victims of a smear campaign which says that they are lovers and are cheating on Hamish's wife. Now, Hamish and Honor are in love but both are too honorable to do anything to hurt Emily Alexander. And it takes a while before either is willing to admit what they feel to each other. However, the smear campaign does its bit to turn public opinion against them and distract them from things High Ridge and his cronies are doing. It is also one more straw that is wrecking Manticore's alliance with Grayson since the Graysons strongly dislike the way Honor is being treated.
As diplomacy fails, Haven gears up for war against the alliance. Honor is in Silesia where she is having problems with the Andermani who are getting more aggressive. Turns out that the scheming Secretary of State from Haven has been whispering in their ears about what they should be doing in Silesia. Luckily, Protector Benjamin has sent the Protector's Own to Silesia as backup for Honor's forces because a large Havenite force has plans there. Of course they also have plans at a number of the other frontier areas that Manticore had taken away from them during the war and they are much more successful there as the Manticorans are dealing with the admiralty's cost-saving measures and are under strength and under armed.
This wasn't really my favorite of the series because there was just so much political stuff. I think a couple of hundred pages of it could have been deleted. I am looking forward to what is going to happen next in the series though.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kmartin802
This massive episode in the Honor Harrington series was filled with all sorts of political maneuvering.
In Manticore, High Ridge's government is too busy with their pork barrel projects and fear of needing to call a general election to put any effort into actually forging a peace treaty with Haven.
In Haven, President Pritchart is trying to form a democracy but she is being undermined by her Secretary of State who has his own agenda. He wants her job and he wants power and he is willing to do anything including "adjusting" the messages that go back and forth in the peace process to slant them in ways that make him look good and Pritchart look bad.
While Manticore's navy is contracting and deteriorating Haven is busy building new ships and developing new techniques under the supervision of Admiral Foraker. They have managed to keep their new developments secret which is helping to build the High Ridge government's sense of false security.
This is also the book where Honor and Hamish Alexander become the victims of a smear campaign which says that they are lovers and are cheating on Hamish's wife. Now, Hamish and Honor are in love but both are too honorable to do anything to hurt Emily Alexander. And it takes a while before either is willing to admit what they feel to each other. However, the smear campaign does its bit to turn public opinion against them and distract them from things High Ridge and his cronies are doing. It is also one more straw that is wrecking Manticore's alliance with Grayson since the Graysons strongly dislike the way Honor is being treated.
As diplomacy fails, Haven gears up for war against the alliance. Honor is in Silesia where she is having problems with the Andermani who are getting more aggressive. Turns out that the scheming Secretary of State from Haven has been whispering in their ears about what they should be doing in Silesia. Luckily, Protector Benjamin has sent the Protector's Own to Silesia as backup for Honor's forces because a large Havenite force has plans there. Of course they also have plans at a number of the other frontier areas that Manticore had taken away from them during the war and they are much more successful there as the Manticorans are dealing with the admiralty's cost-saving measures and are under strength and under armed.
This wasn't really my favorite of the series because there was just so much political stuff. I think a couple of hundred pages of it could have been deleted. I am looking forward to what is going to happen next in the series though.
In Manticore, High Ridge's government is too busy with their pork barrel projects and fear of needing to call a general election to put any effort into actually forging a peace treaty with Haven.
Show More
High Ridge's government is a loose group of politicians who have very little in common except their desire to have power and push their own projects. The admiralty is in the hands of a politician masquerading as an admiral who is more interested in pushing his own agenda and covering his butt to actually do anything. He is proud of the way he is gutting the navy and putting all the good officers on the beach.In Haven, President Pritchart is trying to form a democracy but she is being undermined by her Secretary of State who has his own agenda. He wants her job and he wants power and he is willing to do anything including "adjusting" the messages that go back and forth in the peace process to slant them in ways that make him look good and Pritchart look bad.
While Manticore's navy is contracting and deteriorating Haven is busy building new ships and developing new techniques under the supervision of Admiral Foraker. They have managed to keep their new developments secret which is helping to build the High Ridge government's sense of false security.
This is also the book where Honor and Hamish Alexander become the victims of a smear campaign which says that they are lovers and are cheating on Hamish's wife. Now, Hamish and Honor are in love but both are too honorable to do anything to hurt Emily Alexander. And it takes a while before either is willing to admit what they feel to each other. However, the smear campaign does its bit to turn public opinion against them and distract them from things High Ridge and his cronies are doing. It is also one more straw that is wrecking Manticore's alliance with Grayson since the Graysons strongly dislike the way Honor is being treated.
As diplomacy fails, Haven gears up for war against the alliance. Honor is in Silesia where she is having problems with the Andermani who are getting more aggressive. Turns out that the scheming Secretary of State from Haven has been whispering in their ears about what they should be doing in Silesia. Luckily, Protector Benjamin has sent the Protector's Own to Silesia as backup for Honor's forces because a large Havenite force has plans there. Of course they also have plans at a number of the other frontier areas that Manticore had taken away from them during the war and they are much more successful there as the Manticorans are dealing with the admiralty's cost-saving measures and are under strength and under armed.
This wasn't really my favorite of the series because there was just so much political stuff. I think a couple of hundred pages of it could have been deleted. I am looking forward to what is going to happen next in the series though.
Show Less
Subjects
Original publication date
2002-10
Physical description
880 p.; 9.57 inches
ISBN
0743435451 / 9780743435451