Field of Dishonor

I’ve mostly enjoyed these books. The one thing I’m having issues with is Honor’s insecurity over everything – absolutely everything – I mean, every single last thing. The only thing she isn’t insecure about is in the heat of battle when her sub-conscious takes over – otherwise, she’s insecure and assumes that she’s inferior, not worthy, being insulted, whatever. I was fine with that in the first book when she was young and new to the service – and she had some traumatic things happen when she was younger – but at this point she’s been in for some 20-30 years or something like that – had 3 independent commands – led in battle – led divisions – had promotions that skipped rates (the sort of thing that happens in declared wars because everyone’s dead, not in peace time) been personally decorated by the queen multiple times, actually had personal audiences with the queen where it was made clear that she held great favor…has been awarded some of the highest honors available AND was knighted…..she even has nobility in a neighboring system awarded due to her remarkable insight and service – I just can’t believe that a person with that capability and success could actually succeed as captain (master after god and all that) of her ship – when she’s so insecure – it just doesn’t fit. It would not be outside the realm for her to still suffer from trauma related to the rapist….but the rest? I just don’t believe that part of the character. – other than that character flaw that I hope she grows out of by the time she’s at least 100… they are good stories

This was a page turner! Once things started happening, I kept reading it long past my bedtime and didn’t stop until the end. The battlefields here are not out in the stars. These battles are personal and political. In some ways, I think they were even harder on Honor than the previous battles. These were designed to hurt her deeply and to crush her as a person. I wanted her to win her battles with herself and to stay true to who she was.

The really fascinating part to me was the Grayson culture and how Honor is adapting to it, and its members to her. I love watching her grow into her role as a Steadholder.

Once you are about halfway through the book, you are in for a ride. I strongly suggest you allow time to finish it in one sitting. This is for those who have read the earlier books in the series. While the author does a good job of reminding the reader of pertinent information, the reader really does need the fuller background to really understand all the events.

Things have a way of going bad for Honor Harrington. Having undergone surgeries and therapies during an extended convalescense, she returns to active duty with the plum command of the navy. HMS Nike, the battle cruiser that represents the history and tradition of the navy at it’s best. Unfortunately, events and enemies conspire against her and she once again has to deal with pain and hurt. She has friends though and they obtain information on who’s responsible for her world being shattered. She’s determined to make the one orchestrating the cruelty upon her and those she cares about pay dearly for it. The cost is going to be high, but she doesn’t care. She will see justice served, even if she has to do it herself.

This was an outstanding continuation of what is stacking up to be a brilliant and engrossing series. While this one does not have action that is driven by battles in space, this one nevertheless gives us the action derived from the more personal battles that Honor faces. Her first hurdle is to go through the court-martial of Pavel Young, her long-time enemy and all-round slimy weasel. Unfortunately for Honor, justice only goes so far in a Manticore where the government holds a slim majority and even the governments various factions are willing to go to any lengths to ensure Pavel Young gets off the charges brought against him – including breaking away from the government, leaving the government in disarray. While I won’t give away the out-come of the court-martial, I will say, Honor goes on a lengthy break to Grayson. David Weber’s ability to paint a picture of how internal politics can shape and affect events is brilliantly done as is the effect it has on Honor as she seeks the justice she has been unable to find, even if the cost is high – a fact pointed out near the end of the book by White Haven’s brother that encapsulates how much the people in power have failed her. In a lot of ways this is a grueling novel and Honor is put through the wringer, but she is never alone as she is surrounded by the people who have grown to love her and they demonstrate how far they are willing to go to protect her. I highly recommend this book – absolutely an unput-downable read.

It seems like the books are getting better with each new one in the series, which seems impossible that anything could surpass the previous books. I think that it’s not so much that the books are getting better. I think each book is equally awesome. It just that with each book we get to know and love Honor Harrington more. One of the most inspiring, courageous, heroic, and alive characters to ever grace the pages of a book.

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