War of Honor

I had high hopes for this series when I started, but the more books I got through, the more inner dialog the characters engage in. Character 1 can make a statement, and then Character 2 can literally go off on a 10+ kindle screen of thoughts and inner ramblings before responding, and by that time, I had to go back and read what the person was responding to.

I’ll set it aside and maybe in a few months I will be able to start it over and get through it, as it is a good series (at least the first 6-7 books), but for now, I’ve moved on into books that move a bit faster with less character navel gazing.

I have ripped through this series, thoroughly enjoying it. That came to a crashing halt with this book. Unlike other reviewers, I don’t think the problem is just too much politics. The problem is not enough editing. Many of the multi-page conversations are pointless to the plot, and some are just downright weird. For example, even if it might be a plot device in a later book, do we really need 20 or so pages to discuss teaching treecats sign language? And the plot device of having honor just happen to be in her yacht when the attack on the queen takes place is the only action involving her in the entire book. It’s like Weber is just bored of the whole thing now. And to cap it off, the ending has to be the least dramatically interesting I’ve ever read. Of all the space-operatic possibilities available, He chose this? I was really looking forward to a couple books describing what happens to a centrally controlled society when they get decisively defeated, as that appeared to be what he was setting up. Instead, the caricature of a political opposition ends it in a way that just doesn’t seem believable. It’s been a great series, but this was it for me

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 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 customs 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.

SF Military Space Fantasy
Book 10. Don’t start here, you’ll get lost; read the other books first.
Weber periodically makes his political views known, and his disdain comes through. Several political rivals are destroyed, but a new alliance at the end saves the day — one I’m not sure I believe. The Republic is obviously France while Manticore is Great Britain, and the Andermani is Germany. This continues to be the Napoleonic period in space. Much of the book is on how inability, greed, and meddlers lead two nations careening toward war. One reader said he didn’t agree with how Emily accepted the feelings of Honor and Hamish; Emily has been talked about but never seen. Some women may allow for affairs as long as the man is discreet and they themselves aren’t neglected. We are told Hamish and Emily are a type of Catholic so no divorce, but he loves Emily and wouldn’t leave her anyway; Emily’s willingness to share, especially considering her injuries and presumably inability to have sex were believable. Weber aptly showed Emily’s hurt more from the fact Hamish wasn’t just lust but as being the real hurt. Emily stepped up as a political partner and dealt with it, and the months following came to terms with the fact Hamish could love them both. For me, the tree-cat binding seemed introduced more to explain the why of Emily’s acceptance, but whatever. Willing to buy book 11.

Political opera, not space or military opera, worst Weber yet, maybe one of the worst by a professional ever. Full of dead end subplots, like he was getting paid by the word. Political drama 900+ pages long that is as bad as our current reality, if I wanted reality I would watch the news. I’m an Honor fan, so I had to read it to follow the rest of the story. I tried looking for a cliff notes on this book cause it was painful to read, threw it across the room so many times it’s held together with duck tape. Weber owes me for the cost of the book and my personal frustration. In 100 years when the copywrite runs out someone needs to rewrite the whole series cause Weber can’t seem to finish a battle, they get to the point of winning and the scene cuts to some time later, like he hasn’t got the guts to wade through the blood and destruction and give the coup de gras, at least Drake can finish a scene. I wish I could give it zero stars.

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