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War of Honor (Honor Harrington #10)

by David Weber

4.00 · rating details · 2,018 ratings · 55 reviews

No one wanted another war.
Thomas Theisman didn't. He had risked his life to restore the Republic of Haven's ancient Constitution. The Prime Minister of Manticore didn't. He was perfectly happy to spin out negotiations while milking wartime tax measures for his own partisan projects. His Imperial Majesty Gustav didn't. Now that fighting had ended, the Andermani Empero...more

Paperback, 976 pages

Published October 28th 2003 by Baen (first published 2002)

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Jul 31, 2010

Chuck rated it

· review of another edition

46 out of 100 for 2010.

Let me warn you, this is a LONG book (over nine hundred pages). Took me more than a week to read, which is a long time for me.

That being said, it's one of my favorite in the series. In some ways, it's a more 'mature' book than earlier ones, because the book shows how good, reasonable people can do unreasonable things (like start wars) when misunderstandings occur, or people put political ideology over the best interests of their nations.

...more

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Oct 14, 2009

JBradford rated it

· review of another edition

The thing that really hurts is the belated discovery (after I picked up this book at the library because it was the only Weber book on the shelf, when I was looking for the third book in the Armageddon Reef series) that this is in fact the tenth volume in the Honor Harrington series--which means, of course, that I either must buy the preceding nine books [yes, it is that well written:] or else order them one at a time through the interlibrary loan system. I am still unhappy with Weber’s procliv...moreThe thing that really hurts is the belated discovery (after I picked up this book at the library because it was the only Weber book on the shelf, when I was looking for the third book in the Armageddon Reef series) that this is in fact the tenth volume in the Honor Harrington series--which means, of course, that I either must buy the preceding nine books [yes, it is that well written:] or else order them one at a time through the interlibrary loan system. I am still unhappy with Weber’s proclivity to use difficult-to-remember multiple names for people (Example: Commodore Lady Michelle Henke, Countess Gold Peak, which might be used to its full extent, as is often the case, but which also may be used piecemeal at random, such as Commodore Henke, Lady Henke, Michelle Henke, Countess Gold Peak, or even Gold Peak) … but I am absolutely fascinated by the complex interconnected grouping of worlds that Weber has created (one of which is Haven; can that be the same Haven that was the locale for the Armageddon Reef series? [In which case the trials and tribulations of the characters in that series seems to have been largely for naught, except that this cannot be, unless the Gbaba are to be met in still another series to come!:]) I cannot really think of the word for this, as there are at least five different groupings of interstellar civilizations, all interacting with each other, each with its own forms of government (each of which has two or more opposing political groups), and all hell-bent on coming out on top.

Lady Dame Honor Harrington, Duchess and Steadholder Harrington, in this book, is part of the government group that currently is out of power in the Star Kingdom of Manticore, as is her non-lover (so identified because both of them are too honorable to admit their love, because he has a crippled wife at home), Admiral Hamish Alexander, Thirteenth Earl of White Haven, who had succeeded in vanquishing the Anderman Empire fleet in their last skirmish, many years ago. The current political leader is High Ridge (I forget his given name), who is so busy oppressing the Adermanians that he does not notice that the Republic of Haven is beginning to threaten a smaller interstellar grouping that the Manitocoreans took over during that war … and who is completely unprepared for the results of opening a new wormhole egress point that will turn out to be inside the much larger Solarian League. Do you see what I mean about complexity? And keep in mind that each of these governments has at least two separate political factions, and people from each such faction are included in the book, expressing their different points of view, goals, etc. I think I was at least a third of the way through the 861-page book before I began to get all of these different groupings sorted out in my mind, and I had to review the interstellar maps provided at the front, as well as the voluminous glossary at the end, several times before that understanding came about.

Through it all, Weber displays a dazzling ability to create characters, make them multidimensional, and then kill them off as the overall story rolls out. If I have any real complaints, it is that the ending comes too quickly (I expected more detailed description of the final battle of the intergalactic fleets that clearly was being built up to throughout the book), with several of the intertwined issues being resolved too pat. On the other hand, this clearly will not be the last in the series, as several big issues are left too open-ended.

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Jun 27, 2011

Donna rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, sci-fi-and-fantasy

This is the 10th book in the Honor Harrington series. It is extremely long (976 pages in paperback) and about 85% of it deals with politics. Those parts of these books have always moved the slowest for me so in some ways this was a bit of a slog, but I have to say Weber does a great job with his world building.

The plot of the book deals with the build-up to another war between Manticore and the Havenites. It is fascinating to watch the story unfold and see how two kingdoms who really...more

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Aug 24, 2011

Ava Scott rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: female-protagonist

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 28, 2011

Reepacheep rated it

I started this book grudgingly, based on the laborious story-mining I felt I endured in the previous two or three books in this series and based on the daunting number of pages--I didn't look forward to trudging through over nine hundred pages to get a few hundred pages worth of story.

I am pleased to say that the ratio of story to the feeling I call "story-mining" was a vast improvement over the last several books. The drudgery that occupied pages or even whole chapters was...more

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Jan 24, 2011

Laurel rated it

· review of another edition

At first I was hesitant that my favorite space opera series was focusing almost an entire book on interplanetary politics. I wanted to see Honor in battle. But, I quickly became hooked by the excellent side character development, as well as the storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed the behind the scenes intrigue, as much as the eventual offensive. As always, an excellent read!

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Aug 09, 2010

Brent rated it

The Honor Harrington series has always been a mixture of the “military sci-fi” and “space opera” sub-generas. This is hardly an uncommon combination and one that many people enjoy. However, as the series has progressed, the space opera aspects of the books have been increasing while the military aspects decrease. War of Honor is the clearest example (perhaps the apex) of this trend as the military events in the plot are dwarfed by politics, personal relationships and character introspecti...moreThe Honor Harrington series has always been a mixture of the “military sci-fi” and “space opera” sub-generas. This is hardly an uncommon combination and one that many people enjoy. However, as the series has progressed, the space opera aspects of the books have been increasing while the military aspects decrease. War of Honor is the clearest example (perhaps the apex) of this trend as the military events in the plot are dwarfed by politics, personal relationships and character introspection.

Needless to say, this is an unwelcome state of affairs for those who prefer the military aspects of the previous novels, and I believe that this change explains a fair percentage of the negative reviews found here.

It seems to me that the author had one major and two minor goals for this book.

Primarily, he wanted to accomplish a significant amount of world building and expand and enhance the mythology of the Honorverse. He set about accomplishing this goal by:

1. Shaking things up by having some changes in government such that the traditionally good side is playing the part of the villain and the traditional bad guys playing the part of the protagonists.

2. He wanted a story that demonstrates how lack of proper communication and the “fog of war” can result in the start of a war even when all of the parties involved do not desire it.

The author accomplished these goals, although he did not do it as well and I would have wished. As a fan of both military sci-fi and space opera, I enjoy reading extensive amounts of world and character building. Part of what I get out of these epic series is a sense of having experienced someplace new. The richer and more detailed the author makes the world, the more complete is that experience. As such I was not put off by either the size or the pacing of the book.

However I was put off by the narrowness of some of the villains. Weber had more than sufficient room in this book to build out character backgrounds and motivations. Too many of the characters were just evil for evil’s sake. Worse, however, was the lack of creativity in how he went about his world building. Some reviewers have commented that this is a book of staff meetings, and they have a point. An author as talented as Weber should have found a way to accomplish his world building in a manner other than narrating lengthy series of meetings.

If this book had to stand on its own, it would be a disaster. However, in its context as part of the larger series, it is going to be invaluable. I predict that War of Honor will serve as a foundation for the remainder of the series and its spin offs. The events of this book will be referenced extensively and provide a vivid backdrop for what is to come.

Even though the author did not accomplish his world building in a very creative way, the world building was still accomplished. The series as a whole will be better for it.
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Jun 28, 2010

Shaun Thomas rated it

· review of another edition

War of Honor isn't David Weber's latest by any means, but it is to me, who just started the series earlier this year. This, the tenth book in the series, isn't quite the perfect storm we got in Ashes of Victory, but is nevertheless chock full of everything short of Haven's total subjugation.

What does that mean? Well, Nimitz and Samantha freely use sign language to communicate with practically everyone, and on at least one occasion concerning Hamish's wife Emily, this is especially im...moreWar of Honor isn't David Weber's latest by any means, but it is to me, who just started the series earlier this year. This, the tenth book in the series, isn't quite the perfect storm we got in Ashes of Victory, but is nevertheless chock full of everything short of Haven's total subjugation.

What does that mean? Well, Nimitz and Samantha freely use sign language to communicate with practically everyone, and on at least one occasion concerning Hamish's wife Emily, this is especially important. Why? Because Samantha has bonded with our good Earl White Haven! This happens early enough in the novel that I don't consider it a spoiler, but it also happens after High Ridge and his disreputable new cabinet launch a smear campaign implying that Honor and Hamish are lovers. Hamish himself has been benched as no longer necessary, since the current government considers the war over, ignoring the animosity between him and the new Lord of Admirality.

Then of course Eloise Pritchart and Thomas Theisman have teamed up spectacularly to turn around Haven's government. Reinstating the old constitution, even removing the 'People' from the Republic of Haven. If only Senator Jason Giancola, a previous member of the government who held together the economy, wasn't actively sabotaging peace talks to further his own career. This is important because Haven has finally developed and mass-produced a fleet of warships that end Manticore's dominance of the stars, especially since Janacek and his ilk have systematically dismantled the navy to free funding for their own self-serving projects.

Secondary to these primary events, the Andermani are actively pursuing Silesian territory, putting them in a direct antagonistic stance with Manticore. Presumably this is merely due to the past war with Haven reducing policing of pirates, so they're simply securing territory, but it almost becomes a full-scale conflict if not for the reassignment of Admiral von Sternhafen with the more sympathetic Admiral Rabenstrange. Even that is almost derailed by political posturing to avoid losing face, a recurring theme witnessed throughout the novel.

It's this last element that's most maddening. I'm glossing over a lot of the intrigue and maneuvering, because there's just so much of it. Unlike the issues I had with Ashes of Victory, there's very little elucidation wasted on various tangents, but that's only because everyone and his treecat has a finger in the pie. It seems as if each individual in High Ridge's government has mutually opposing goals, yet their tacit involvement in his power-grab creates a daytime soap-opera in space. Seriously, I re-read the cover to see if I'd inadvertently obtained an adaptation of All My Children. This has always been a part of the Honorverse, yet never so hilariously evident. I wanted to slap almost everyone in the book pretty much constantly.

Sadly, this could be a relevant observation of politics on Weber's part. Everyone has an agenda; everyone works to his or her own end; even mutually beneficial plans are often derailed by perceived necessity. And that is the true calamity here: these cartoonish self-serving idiots could be any existing government. Yell at the book all you want, they remain catastrophically stupid until finally and inevitably ousted by yet more backstabbing and intrigue. Things look good at the end of the novel, but we all know that can change in the space of a few pages. Now I need to go back and peruse the anthologies, since they apparently contain significant developments relevant to subsequent entries. Hopefully they're slightly less political; I need a rest.

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May 16, 2011

Cris rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: futuristic-sci-fi, honor_harrington, military-sci-fi, science-fiction, space-travel, spies-intrigue

I was torn when rating this book because although it's well-written, with multiple story-lines that come together into a cohesive climax, I didn't *like* it very much. This was my third or fourth attempt to finish War of Honor, and for most of the middle of the book, about 300 pages, I was gritting my teeth and slogging my way through in the hopes that it would improve. Even though the pace picked up towards the end, by the end of the book, I just wanted to finish.

Some of my distaste...more

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Oct 03, 2010

Kathy Davie rated it

Shelves: action, homey, military, sci-fi

There is something about Weber's Honor Harrington that I just can't read it fast enough. I need to find out what's going to happen next. Who's going to be affected. Will a character I adore be killed???

I guess...okay, so I'm a masochist...I also "enjoy"?? the stupid politicians and seeing them get their comeuppance however long it may take! I've always enjoyed the strategy of war and when combined with my love of gadgets...Honor Harrington is a perfect fit!

In Wa...more

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Feb 09, 2011

Genevieve's Human is currently reading it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, novel

I'm a bit over half-way through this book, and it's driven me to all sorts of procrastination. I'm reading it 1% at a time in palatable but unenthralled bites. It's not that it's bad; it's just dragging. Honor is still Honor, but the rest of the characters are beginning to feel a bit . . . recycled. The plot is entirely predictable, and the villains of today resemble yesterdays villains a bit too closely. Maybe I've just read too much Weber in the past two months. I started the first Harrington ...more

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Dec 31, 2009

Steven Stanford rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: digitally-own

Just finished Honor Harrington book 10 a little while ago for the second time. This is the first HH book that left me feeling a little lacking. One, it's VERY long, and there is more political stuff than space stuff in it, and I like the space stuff and action more. Two, it feels very much like a transitional book. My feeling is that Weber kinda wrote himself into a corner where he was forced to write a book to deal with all the loose threads in the intermission between the interstellar conf...more

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Dec 28, 2010

Simeonberesford rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: military, space, opera, honorverse, science, fiction, ebook

Yes another Honor Harrington Story this one remarkable for its lack of battles.[return]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 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...more

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Nov 18, 2009

Jamie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Another entertaining entry in the saga of Honor Harrington. I can't deny that some sections of this were slow to the point of tediousness, but the last 200 pages provided the usual riveting payoff. This series is pretty cheesy space opera but sometimes it hits the spot. I've already ordered the next one.

While this book evidently wasn't edited for length, someone has taken the trouble to reduce the word and phrase repetition that was so distracting in the previous book. There is also ...more

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Sep 17, 2011

Jim rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

The basic story was again 4 stars, but this book is even thicker than the previous ones due to a lot of extra information that knocked it back a star. It wasn't always bad. There were a lot of interesting back stories & the universe is filled in to a large extent. Unfortunately, either through LONG conversations or pages of explanation, every major point is thoroughly dissected & discussed in such gory detail that I was forced to conclude that Weber thinks his readers are idiots. I wound up s...more

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Dec 21, 2007

Christian rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: junk, science-fiction

David Weber's writing is space opera pulp claptrap in the best sense. Larger-than-life characters with extraordinary luck thump their chests and bray about honor while cursing the nitwit politicians who keep sticking them in awkward situations. Of course, enough characters die in the meantime to make it seem compelling.

The hook: Weber blatantly strip-mines the golden classics of the Age of Sail. It's Hornblower in space. It's Aubrey without Maturin, crossed with Sir Walter Drake, car...more

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Sep 04, 2007

Thomas rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lovers of political dialogue

Shelves: sciencefiction

1. I'm on page 114 and no one is on a frikkin' space ship!

2. A month later, I have finally finished this behemoth and I have some observations, not just on 'War of Honor', but on this Honorverse Mr. Weber has created.

The starships and technology are convincing and interesting. The space battles are fascinating and fast-paced, having a consistent interior logic that he follows unerringly.

The milieu is marvelous as well, there's a map (I love maps) and diffe...more

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Mar 08, 2011

Jordan Steinhoff rated it

· review of another edition

The political transition continues and is not gripping.

I understand that Honor is now an admiral and so every book cannot be about improbable space battles but these last 2 books have taken up far too many pages on character introspection. Talking to themselves about how clever they are rather than showing it to be so or not so.

An interesting opening to the next chapters of the Honorverse.

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Jul 06, 2009

Brian rated it

· review of another edition

Before this, I wouldn't have believed it was possible for David Weber to write a boring book. I was SO wrong.

I'll also note that if an editor cut out all the paragraphs where characters ponder to themselves about how gosh-darn great Honor Harrington is, they'd shorten the book by 100 pages. That would still leave an 800 page book where nothing happens, but it would be a start.

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Jun 07, 2009

John Hart rated it

· review of another edition

As this series goes on, the lack of an editor or any kind gets more and more obvious. Most of the later books could easily be cut by 1/3 in verbiage with no cost to the storyline.
Worse, the plotting gets more and more improbable. The leaders of two star nations commit to killing off 2 million of their citizens in a fit of pique is not exactly reasonable plotting.

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Aug 01, 2011

M rated it

· review of another edition

A look at the politics of war in the Honorverse, this massive book feels more like a set-up for the one following it. Despite some unique intrigue over Honor's relationships and a quick outer space victory, the novel tends to drag out the uprisings and spend too much time exploring the inner workings of fictional government policies.

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Jun 20, 2009

Kristen rated it

· review of another edition

What happens to even the best of nations when your duly elected government are a bunch of incompetent, self-serving twats? Well it's happened before and it'll happen again. That's the great and terrible thing of democracy. Sometimes the jerks are on top.

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Jun 16, 2007

Greg rated it

· review of another edition

Decent book for a space opera, but what I really liked was the fact that Baen is starting to ship CDs full of e-books with many of their series hardbacks. For example, this edition came with a CD that contains all the previous Honor Harrington books as well as a couple dozen other Baen titles. Amazingly, they are explicitly marked as freely-copyable as long as one does not sell the copies or post them on the Internet for downloading. Amazing! A big publishing house that really gets the idea ...more

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Jan 19, 2009

Sarah rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: sci-fi fans, military fiction fans

I do enjoy these books! There's only one more left in this series, and I'm sad about that. A little post-series depression coming a little early. This book became more political than naval (although the spectacular battles did happen). I like political wrangling in novels. Rich does not.

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Jul 07, 2011

Frode rated it

· review of another edition

This one is a bit long, but it still shows Honor doing her thing along with a number of other characters. Some wars are fought for ridiculous reasons.

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Jul 31, 2011

Justin marked it as to-read

I couldn't finish this long drawn out painful book. The worst one of the series by far. Each book is getting progressively more boring.

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Jan 19, 2012

Mark rated it

Shelves: sci-fi

I like David Weber, I do.

But I sturggled with this book. The was so much talking, and talking in circles... I'm going to keep reading the series because I do want to see where it goes but...

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Mar 26, 2011

Andreas rated it

· review of another edition

Pretty ho-hum compared to the others. Definitely an interim book.

http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=299

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May 17, 2010

Bryan457 rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: military, science-fiction

Lots of politics! I hate politics! The government of Manticore becomes the evil system.

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Mar 23, 2011

Lee rated it

· review of another edition

v9 of HH series. Overlong and too political, with far too much of the politics repeated unneccessarily. White hats all just a bit too pure while black hats are overly simplistically represented as regards actions and motives.

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About David Weber

David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1952.

Many of his stories have military, particularly naval, themes, and fit into the military science fiction genre. He frequently places female leading characters in what have been traditionally male roles.

One of his most popular and enduring characters is Honor Harrington...more

More about David Weber...

Books by David Weber

On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington, #1)

The Honor of the Queen (Honor Harrington, #2)

The Short Victorious War (Honor Harrington, #3)

Honor Among Enemies (Honor Harrington, #6)

Field of Dishonor (Honor Harrington, #4)

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War of Honor (Honor Harrington #10)

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