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Honorverse: Crown of Slaves #1
Crown of Slaves
Beginning a new blockbuster series set in the "Honorverse"-the universe of Honor Harrington. The Star Kingdom's ally Erewhon is growing increasingly restive in the alliance because the new High Ridge regime ignores its needs. Add to that the longstanding problem of a slave labor planet controlled by hostile Mesans in Erewhon's stellar back yard, a problem which High Ridge also ignores. Finally, the recent assassination of the Solarian League's most prominent voice of public conscience indicates the growing danger of political instability in the Solarian League - which is also close to Erewhon. In desperation, Queen Elizabeth tries to defuse the situation by sending a private mission to Erewhon led by Captain Zilwicki, accompanied by one of her nieces. When they arrive on Erewhon, however, Manticore's most capable agent and one of its princesses find themselves in a mess. Not only do they encounter one of the Republic of Haven's most capable agents - Victor Cachat - but they also discover that the Solarian League's military delegation seems up to its neck in skullduggery. And, just to put the icing on the cake, the radical freed slave organization, the Audubon Ballroom, is also on the scene - led by its most notorious killer, Jeremy X.
720 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 26, 2003
212 people are currently reading
1312 people want to read
About the author
David Weber
322 books4,549 followersDavid 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 whose alliterated name is an homage to C.S. Forester's character Horatio Hornblower and her last name from a fleet doctor in Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander . Her story, together with the "Honorverse" she inhabits, has been developed through 16 novels and six shared-universe anthologies, as of spring 2013 (other works are in production). In 2008, he donated his archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University.
Many of his books are available online, either in their entirety as part of the Baen Free Library or, in the case of more recent books, in the form of sample chapters (typically the first 25-33% of the work).
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidw...
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 whose alliterated name is an homage to C.S. Forester's character Horatio Hornblower and her last name from a fleet doctor in Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander . Her story, together with the "Honorverse" she inhabits, has been developed through 16 novels and six shared-universe anthologies, as of spring 2013 (other works are in production). In 2008, he donated his archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University.
Many of his books are available online, either in their entirety as part of the Baen Free Library or, in the case of more recent books, in the form of sample chapters (typically the first 25-33% of the work).
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidw...
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January 30, 2009I was trying to figure out why this is arguably my favorite outing in the entire "Honorverse", when I came across this line:
"He's perfect! Just the kind of stiff-upper-lip Manticoran nobleman who will be _damned_, Sir! if he'll let a bunch of lousy slavers and pirates hold the Star Kingdom to ransom"
and then it occurred to me that when you come down to it, Honor herself kind of is one of those stiff-upper-lip etc. She's not utterly humorless, but let's just say her first name isn't Comedy either.
Basically someone -- I'm guessing Eric Flint although he gets bottom billing -- takes all the cliches of the series and cleverly turns them on their heads. Fanatical Havenite secret agents become horny nerds. Ass-kicking female Marines turn out to have secret softer sides. Grimly revenge-bent Anton Zilwicki now appears as "Capt'n Zilwicki, Scourge of the Spaceways!" Even Jeremy X, the most notorious terrorist/freedom-fighter in many galaxies, turns out to be a man whose weapons include wit and clowning as well as a quick trigger finger. My favorite depiction is of the planet where most of the action occurs, Erewhon -- which turns out to be a Las Vegas-like world settled by Corsican mafiosi.
There is still military action and plentiful plotting, and even some of the trademark Weberian political rants; but the leavening of humor makes this episode (which is allegedly the first in a spinoff series) perhaps the most entertaining of all.
"He's perfect! Just the kind of stiff-upper-lip Manticoran nobleman who will be _damned_, Sir! if he'll let a bunch of lousy slavers and pirates hold the Star Kingdom to ransom"
and then it occurred to me that when you come down to it, Honor herself kind of is one of those stiff-upper-lip etc. She's not utterly humorless, but let's just say her first name isn't Comedy either.
Basically someone -- I'm guessing Eric Flint although he gets bottom billing -- takes all the cliches of the series and cleverly turns them on their heads. Fanatical Havenite secret agents become horny nerds. Ass-kicking female Marines turn out to have secret softer sides. Grimly revenge-bent Anton Zilwicki now appears as "Capt'n Zilwicki, Scourge of the Spaceways!" Even Jeremy X, the most notorious terrorist/freedom-fighter in many galaxies, turns out to be a man whose weapons include wit and clowning as well as a quick trigger finger. My favorite depiction is of the planet where most of the action occurs, Erewhon -- which turns out to be a Las Vegas-like world settled by Corsican mafiosi.
There is still military action and plentiful plotting, and even some of the trademark Weberian political rants; but the leavening of humor makes this episode (which is allegedly the first in a spinoff series) perhaps the most entertaining of all.
March 17, 2015
This book is a spin-off from the Honor Harrington series, using the same universe, but following different story line. The story line is about the conflict between Mesa and Manpower Inc. against the slave rebellion. Call it a Spartacus in space.
The story starts with a mission by Anton Zilwicki, one of the Manticore's super spy, to the Erewhon star system, looking at to fix the shattered relationship caused by the idiot High Ridge government. He is accompanied by her daughter Berry, and the spy-in-training as well as the Queen's niece, Ruth Winton. It turns out that the mission become a espionage incident, played by Manticore, Solarian League, Havenite, Erewhon, the Masadan fanatics, and slave owner Mesan. Each faction has their own goal, and somehow forms an unlikely alliance.
Even though the story line is interesting, it looks like the pacing is not the same with the standard Honor Harrington series. Maybe Eric Flint, the coauthor, does most of the job instead of David Weber. You can taste it like a familiar cooking but cooked by different chef. The action seems to be less intense than the series. Everything is also too neat to the arrangement. The battle plan seems to be to perfect, and the bad guy is just a total idiot. All of these bring down the story at least one star.
The most interesting part is . There are a bit of political philosophy there, even though I prefer even a higher dosage.
Finally, it might be a good start of a new spin-off, but I find it less interesting than the original series. I might still read it in spare time, but I am not going to make it my favorite.
The story starts with a mission by Anton Zilwicki, one of the Manticore's super spy, to the Erewhon star system, looking at to fix the shattered relationship caused by the idiot High Ridge government. He is accompanied by her daughter Berry, and the spy-in-training as well as the Queen's niece, Ruth Winton. It turns out that the mission become a espionage incident, played by Manticore, Solarian League, Havenite, Erewhon, the Masadan fanatics, and slave owner Mesan. Each faction has their own goal, and somehow forms an unlikely alliance.
Even though the story line is interesting, it looks like the pacing is not the same with the standard Honor Harrington series. Maybe Eric Flint, the coauthor, does most of the job instead of David Weber. You can taste it like a familiar cooking but cooked by different chef. The action seems to be less intense than the series. Everything is also too neat to the arrangement. The battle plan seems to be to perfect, and the bad guy is just a total idiot. All of these bring down the story at least one star.
The most interesting part is . There are a bit of political philosophy there, even though I prefer even a higher dosage.
Finally, it might be a good start of a new spin-off, but I find it less interesting than the original series. I might still read it in spare time, but I am not going to make it my favorite.
February 13, 2016
This book takes place in the Honor Harrington universe, and it focuses peripherally on some of the characters from those books but also establishes its own. I really can't say much about the plot because I will totally spoil it. Picture a spy story in the Honorverse and you've got some idea of what to expect. And I will also say, teaming up with Eric Flint infinitely improves David Weber's writing. Unlike every other Honor Harrington book I have ever read, I can't imagine a single place where I would cut things out of this book. All of it is necessary and essential. Also, Flint's touch improves both Weber's romantic relationships and sense of humour. This book does not take itself nearly as seriously as Weber's other books, and I think that's a really good thing. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
October 17, 2019
Runs parallel with the Honor Harrington series and is the first in the Wages of Sin subseries.
Brings some very minor characters into a major role in this new series expanding upon their abilities on behalf of Manticore in repulsing a kidnapping leading to a coronation after the revolution. New, very unexpected allies come together in a good cause while some very happy assassinations take place...well, happy for me anyway!
Sets up a future scenario for the Solarian League and Manpower to, hopefully, take some nasty falls!
Brings some very minor characters into a major role in this new series expanding upon their abilities on behalf of Manticore in repulsing a kidnapping leading to a coronation after the revolution. New, very unexpected allies come together in a good cause while some very happy assassinations take place...well, happy for me anyway!
Sets up a future scenario for the Solarian League and Manpower to, hopefully, take some nasty falls!
October 25, 2014
All the things I love about the Honor Harrington series: noble motivations, epic space battles, twisty political intrigues, and wry mockery of people out of their element, with the addition of humour and bawdiness. Eric Flint out-Webers Weber. My favourite of the series so far! I loved it!
January 24, 2024
Weber and Flint launch this side series set in the Honorverse by drawing on characters and situations established in the main line and, more importantly, the short story collections. The pace is breakneck and the characters well-handled.
July 27, 2013
Multiple articulated segments valiantly strive to give shape to this story. At times they move in joint cooperation and at others, they do not. This coauthored book is the first in what is being labeled the "Honorverse" series. It is said that it will launch an exciting new telling that... I'm sure you get the idea, or at least the idea that the publishers and Weber might wish you to have. The story appears simple at the surface. We encounter issues of slavery, the incessant pursuit of power, ill-conceived notions of political philosophy, religious ranting, and a whole lot of exposition. Yes, this seems simple, right? And to some degree it is. But a recipe merely listing the ingredients does not guarantee a tasty delight on the tongue. Or in this case, the literary palate. David Weber is a talented writer. Unfortunately Weber's skill is not on display in this book.
First off, I don't like writing reviews wherein I simply dump on an author's book. It is easy to criticize something and all too often we tend to focus on the negative more than the positive. As I indicated, David Weber is a gifted writer in the military science fiction genre. His first volume of the Honor Harrington series On Basilisk Station is a fine read. But this book lacks Weber's eye for craft. The sheer tonnage of exposition in this book is staggering. I'm not a fan of the information-dump, and I am especially not a fan when you are strapped down and force-fed it until your eyes glaze over. Flint and Weber's ability to provide the reader with a strong foundational understanding of the rationale behind all character and political motivation is stunning. In many ways this book has the feel and tonality of a history book. You learn who did what and then why. This knowledge then is the underlying cause for the action of a character that you will now be told about. And perhaps this is my core issue. I felt as if this story was told to me and not shown. If this had been a lecture about lectures, it would have been more interesting than this book. Aside from massive droughts of exposition, flat characters, and shoddy dialogue, come the issue of adverbs. If you are reduced to using adverbs in dialogue attribution in order to tell the reader how someone says their lines, it is up to the editor to politely ask (demand) the author to rewrite. This book is full of adverbs and awkward transitions between metaphors and similes that are rarely rendered well.
Peter Larkin serves as narrator. And while his performance is better than I've heard in the past, he still injects far too much drama into his reading. His interpretation of youthful characters is distracting at best and downright irritating for the most part. Larkin doesn't fall into the pitched cadence reserved only for air traffic controllers but comes dangerously close on several occasions. If Larkin can set aside the idea of performing and just read, he'll do well in the business.
The musical score at the beginning and end of each CD is too long, too dramatic, and distracting to the extent of making it difficult to hear the narration under the music. In this case, a little goes a long ways
January 30, 2023
I was interested in the possibilities of a book in the Honorverse that diverged from the main line's focus on military SF. However, the first exercise into this new spin-off from Honor Harrington's continuing naval escapades was disappointing to me. I will agree with others suggesting that Eric Flint carried most of the work as the creator of the Zilwicki's, but the book is a weak example of what both authors are capable of at their best.
There are some interesting characters. The examination of Erewhon is particularly interesting as a galactic hub that's marginalized to the sidelines in most other Honorverse books, even when Erewhon remained part of the Manticoran Alliance. The individually good components of the book just aren't sufficient to save the whole. Overall, the plot feels contrived and moves from plodding slowness at the beginning to a forced march toward the end. It's jarring, especially with the latter half of the book being closer to the military genre Weber normally performs so well in. Possibly the most contrived element of the book is the chapter-long appearance by Honor herself, which could've been forgone entirely with ease.
The book can be enjoyed by fans, but I would not recommend it as a way to introduce someone new to Weber (unless some serious ulterior motives were at work). I warred with giving the book two or three stars and finally erred upon a positive light hoping that the possibilities of this series will be better delivered on in Torch of Freedom.
There are some interesting characters. The examination of Erewhon is particularly interesting as a galactic hub that's marginalized to the sidelines in most other Honorverse books, even when Erewhon remained part of the Manticoran Alliance. The individually good components of the book just aren't sufficient to save the whole. Overall, the plot feels contrived and moves from plodding slowness at the beginning to a forced march toward the end. It's jarring, especially with the latter half of the book being closer to the military genre Weber normally performs so well in. Possibly the most contrived element of the book is the chapter-long appearance by Honor herself, which could've been forgone entirely with ease.
The book can be enjoyed by fans, but I would not recommend it as a way to introduce someone new to Weber (unless some serious ulterior motives were at work). I warred with giving the book two or three stars and finally erred upon a positive light hoping that the possibilities of this series will be better delivered on in Torch of Freedom.
June 25, 2017
Normally I don't write anything about a book that is this deep into a series. It is the 13th book or so into the Honorverse series. The difference is that to this point all the other books were focused on Honor Harrington, the space aged version Horatio Hornblower. This book is the first book to shift that focus away from Harrington and move it to other characters that to this point have played minor supporting characters in previous books.
It also focuses on the issue of genetic slavery. You would think that with the power to reach the stars and conduct wars across light years of space that humanity would have moved far enough along to put such an ugly demon from our past behind us. Instead, now they use the excuse of genetic manipulation for creating a slave class. Of course those the fact that those who have been engineered don't appreciate the situation comes into play in this book.
This is a book that seems to have almost every outside group in this Honorverse come into play. Masadan fanatics, Superhuman soldiers, Genetic Slaves seem to be the main focus that comes to play in this book. The mix is volatile, especially when you add one real princess and one fake one. A savage Havenite spy, and the best-known superspy of the Kingdom of Manticore. Nothing is safe when these minds get together, well nothing except the Genetic Slaves themselves.
One of the best reads in the series since it turned to a higher level of political involvement for the readers.
It also focuses on the issue of genetic slavery. You would think that with the power to reach the stars and conduct wars across light years of space that humanity would have moved far enough along to put such an ugly demon from our past behind us. Instead, now they use the excuse of genetic manipulation for creating a slave class. Of course those the fact that those who have been engineered don't appreciate the situation comes into play in this book.
This is a book that seems to have almost every outside group in this Honorverse come into play. Masadan fanatics, Superhuman soldiers, Genetic Slaves seem to be the main focus that comes to play in this book. The mix is volatile, especially when you add one real princess and one fake one. A savage Havenite spy, and the best-known superspy of the Kingdom of Manticore. Nothing is safe when these minds get together, well nothing except the Genetic Slaves themselves.
One of the best reads in the series since it turned to a higher level of political involvement for the readers.
August 11, 2016
Worst Honoverse book I've read. (I haven't read the other full-length non-mainline novels, but have read many of the short story collections). I read this novel only because some of this backstory is referred to in the main-line novels as of book 11 or so. Story is ok, but the treatment of slavery is so light for what should be a more serious topic. Plus the too-much-sexual-content for my preferences. Makes me want to avoid Eric Flint in the future, as apparently this is what he brings to the table, although I did previously enjoy his short Honorverse story "From the Highlands" very much.
The one character I really did like was Oversteegen, though....
The first half was slow and lackluster for writers that seem to usually turn out good stuff. The last 100 pages were a little better, but only marginally. Lots of telling and dialog that fills in backstory from previous books that feels out of place. Even in hindsight, if this hadn't been an Honorverse book, I would probably have quit before getting 100 pages in. At least I bought it used for 50 cents. That is about all this one is worth.
The one character I really did like was Oversteegen, though....
The first half was slow and lackluster for writers that seem to usually turn out good stuff. The last 100 pages were a little better, but only marginally. Lots of telling and dialog that fills in backstory from previous books that feels out of place. Even in hindsight, if this hadn't been an Honorverse book, I would probably have quit before getting 100 pages in. At least I bought it used for 50 cents. That is about all this one is worth.
August 22, 2014
I gave up after getting about a quarter of the way in. I went to this as I had read/listened to all the main Honor Harrington timeline books and was looking to fill in the gaps with these other tie-in series.
I just couldn't get into this one. It didn't help that, although the first book in a subseries, I learned you really needed to have read some earlier short stories in a couple of anthology books to have the background. There's a lot of talking going on to try and fill in what happened earlier, but the writing is very ham fisted.
I got as far as I could, but grew tired of faction after faction being introduced all getting reading to converge on Erewhon for their different plots and schemes that were invariably going to become intertwined. None of the characters were very interesting in this book and I elected to cut my losses and not devote anymore time to it.
It didn't help that the narration of the audiobook was also unimpressive. This is the first time I've ever taken advantage of Audible's return policy and gotten my book credit back.
I just couldn't get into this one. It didn't help that, although the first book in a subseries, I learned you really needed to have read some earlier short stories in a couple of anthology books to have the background. There's a lot of talking going on to try and fill in what happened earlier, but the writing is very ham fisted.
I got as far as I could, but grew tired of faction after faction being introduced all getting reading to converge on Erewhon for their different plots and schemes that were invariably going to become intertwined. None of the characters were very interesting in this book and I elected to cut my losses and not devote anymore time to it.
It didn't help that the narration of the audiobook was also unimpressive. This is the first time I've ever taken advantage of Audible's return policy and gotten my book credit back.
December 12, 2011
This is the first of a spinoff series in the the Honor Harrington Universe. My guess is that Flint is doing most of the writing since he is the one who came up with the Zilwicki characters in the Honorverse anthologies.
All the way through reading the book, I kept thinking that Weber and Flint can do much better than this. While the characters are engaging, the plot is lackluster. There’s a lot of interesting material here, but it just doesn’t feel like the high adventure it’s supposed to be. The whole thing is rather construed and feels forced. The first half is very dull, but the novel thankfully picks up during the second half. And then there’s the endless exposition; just as in the later works by Weber, the explanations drone on and on. If I hadn’t been a fan of the Honorverse, I would probably not have finished the book.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1498
All the way through reading the book, I kept thinking that Weber and Flint can do much better than this. While the characters are engaging, the plot is lackluster. There’s a lot of interesting material here, but it just doesn’t feel like the high adventure it’s supposed to be. The whole thing is rather construed and feels forced. The first half is very dull, but the novel thankfully picks up during the second half. And then there’s the endless exposition; just as in the later works by Weber, the explanations drone on and on. If I hadn’t been a fan of the Honorverse, I would probably not have finished the book.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1498
July 1, 2021
I already DNFed this book once, and should have left it that way. It's a 700-page slog, crammed chock full with irrelevant details and personages and swamped with infodumps. The plot is flimsy - amounting to a show trial of the invariably bumbling and thoroughly evil bad guys - and could have been done in 200 pages. Don't expect a real third act or any sort of reversal as our virtuous heroes teleport behind the enemy and utterly destroy them throughout the book. All morally questionable things our magnificent heroes do are completely explained away as necessary for the greater good. And, instead of any exploration of moral issues (beyond "slavery bad"), you have to read about someone's fetishes for quite a bit. Frankly, a waste of the €2 I paid second hand.
November 8, 2011
O the fanservice. Please make it go away.
Also, I feel like maybe Weber has misinterpreted the concept of Jews as a chosen people ... but I'm hardly an expert either, so maybe I'm wrong.
This gave a small window into some background political events in the Honorverse ... but that is a pretty small portion of the book, and much of the rest is fairly forgettable, IMO anyway.
Dates approximate.
Also, I feel like maybe Weber has misinterpreted the concept of Jews as a chosen people ... but I'm hardly an expert either, so maybe I'm wrong.
This gave a small window into some background political events in the Honorverse ... but that is a pretty small portion of the book, and much of the rest is fairly forgettable, IMO anyway.
Dates approximate.
January 21, 2014
I enjoyed this book more than most of the more recent Honor books. The protagonists are a little over-awesome and over-perfect in the Heinlein tradition, but this book at least has a plot! And some real characterization again! And only a few overly long political explanations and virtually no overly long battle scenes!
Much more of a spy/thriller kind of story than a space battle or political kind of story, and that's a good thing.
Much more of a spy/thriller kind of story than a space battle or political kind of story, and that's a good thing.
January 31, 2018
The co-writing on this book was quite evident. This book has more gratuitous violence and a unprecedented amount of sex for a David Webber book. It also changes Weber generally negative point of view of Solarian officers and holds them up in a manner quite opposite to Weber's usual depiction of them. I did not enjoy it near as much a Webber's solo work. Probably will not read the two following books in this sub series.
August 3, 2009
I quit. I kind of wanted to find out what was going on, since the plot of this book is mentioned in three others, but I don't care anymore. There were too many groups to follow and I didn't care about most of them. I tried skimming to just keep track of the main characters, but they refused to do anything interesting, so I quit.
October 30, 2014
A good start to a new series. The book also expands the legend of Victor Cachat. I really enjoyed the way the author resolved the situation he sets up in the book. It's a much more audacious ending than I expected
January 26, 2020
While freeing a captive, the lieutenant asks said captive for help with a guy she likes. That about sums up the strongest female character in the book. The book was entertaining, but probably my last from this author.
November 1, 2020
First of all, I AM a huge fan of both Weber and Flint. I guess that's probably why this book is such a sad disappointment. I've not read anything from the Honorverse before, and I think that's partly to blame for me not getting into the story, AT ALL!
Anyway, I'm heading to greener pastures.
Anyway, I'm heading to greener pastures.
April 4, 2011
Another great read by David Weber!
January 12, 2015
Review to come! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2018
2018 re-read. Very good!
December 27, 2015
Plot progress is sluggish. The characters are too much alike and sometimes caricatures.
September 7, 2024
Yikes. I’ve just wrapped up the Honor Harrington series and figured I’d try the sub-series since it’s clear there’s a lot of crossover, but I’m finding this book deeply unpleasant. It’s a significant tonal shift from HH, and it’s leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
I’m completely repelled by the way women are being written in this book. A third of the way through at least three key female characters are either prostitutes, pretending to be prostitutes, or entirely willing to sleep with someone for… I don’t know, reasons. They’re from different star systems, some of which have already been covered in depth in HH, so I know that they’re not actually culturally promiscuous. But for some reason, in THIS telling, all women are bizarrely sexualized in pretty much every aspect of their lives. It consumes all of their thoughts all the time, in the weirdest ways possible. I’m not sure how to be any more clear about this, but: WOMEN DON’T THINK OR ACT LIKE THIS. Sure, the rare one might, but in this book’s telling they ALL are crass, voyeuristic, sluttish vamps whose entire being revolves either around cock or around sizing other women up (admiringly or jealously).
It’s hard to overemphasize how icky this is making me feel. Even characters I know and like from HH suddenly segue into deeply unprofessional sexual asides, or have internal narratives that fixate on flesh and curves. I’m sorry, I don’t actually buy that an accomplished spy keeps getting distracted by boobs, so much so that he keeps scolding himself internally. Just… fucking what?! I know this will come as a shock but it is completely possible to stop looking at someone’s boobs long enough to do your job. Is everyone in this book a teenage boy?
I can only assume this is Flint’s writing style. Weber provided the scaffolding and the story arc, but Flint’s got hold of the characters and they’re just gross. Crass and unprofessional and hyper-sexed and worse: they’re all the SAME, regardless of age, gender or origin. Everyone is running around objectifying each other and lusting after each other and all in the same gross adolescent ways! It’s really boring to read about the same impulses again and again and I’d really appreciate it if you could pull yourselves together long enough to kidnap or assassinate someone please.
That’s the rotten core of this book (no way in hell I’m attempting the rest of the series), but the rest doesn’t help either. Huge chunks of exposition instead of action, weird dialogue that’s apparently supposed to be funny but god knows how, and a mind-blowingly stupid tendency to pull in references from Earth that would never ever ever be retained two millennia later. I mean come on, multiple people all knowing about John Brown’s rebellion sites? There are entire kings from the Middle Ages whose names we’ve forgotten in a thousand years, you can’t tell me that everyone in this damn book is well-versed on Earth history 1850-2000 enough to drop constant references into casual conversation.
But mostly I hate the way Flint writes women: fully from the male gaze, but an adolescent male gaze who creates a variety of blow-up sex dolls and then weaves them around plot obstacles while providing a running internal narrative about the various sexy things that have happened to them (good and bad) and brooding over the various men in their lives. I’m pretty comfortable saying the book’s failed the Bechdel Test spectacularly.
And lastly, I get that the topic is very different from the Honor books - that’s actually why I started reading these, because the genetic slave concept was interesting. But it’s just been so poorly handled here, with sex and crudeness applied with a broad brush and no real resonance. It feels cheap and like Flint’s tried to create some sort of shorthand and gotten it very wrong. I actually wanted to read a series about slavery, and instead got this weird book where women deliberately present themselves as whores, men refer to them as whores, their physical appearance is both drooled over and deliberately used to inspire drooling… And these women aren’t even actually whores!
I can’t actually recommend any part of this book. Worse, I don’t think I can keep reading it because it’s warping the Honorverse characters I already know and like with bizarre fetishy nonsense. I don’t often feel slimy after reading a book but here we are.
I’m completely repelled by the way women are being written in this book. A third of the way through at least three key female characters are either prostitutes, pretending to be prostitutes, or entirely willing to sleep with someone for… I don’t know, reasons. They’re from different star systems, some of which have already been covered in depth in HH, so I know that they’re not actually culturally promiscuous. But for some reason, in THIS telling, all women are bizarrely sexualized in pretty much every aspect of their lives. It consumes all of their thoughts all the time, in the weirdest ways possible. I’m not sure how to be any more clear about this, but: WOMEN DON’T THINK OR ACT LIKE THIS. Sure, the rare one might, but in this book’s telling they ALL are crass, voyeuristic, sluttish vamps whose entire being revolves either around cock or around sizing other women up (admiringly or jealously).
It’s hard to overemphasize how icky this is making me feel. Even characters I know and like from HH suddenly segue into deeply unprofessional sexual asides, or have internal narratives that fixate on flesh and curves. I’m sorry, I don’t actually buy that an accomplished spy keeps getting distracted by boobs, so much so that he keeps scolding himself internally. Just… fucking what?! I know this will come as a shock but it is completely possible to stop looking at someone’s boobs long enough to do your job. Is everyone in this book a teenage boy?
I can only assume this is Flint’s writing style. Weber provided the scaffolding and the story arc, but Flint’s got hold of the characters and they’re just gross. Crass and unprofessional and hyper-sexed and worse: they’re all the SAME, regardless of age, gender or origin. Everyone is running around objectifying each other and lusting after each other and all in the same gross adolescent ways! It’s really boring to read about the same impulses again and again and I’d really appreciate it if you could pull yourselves together long enough to kidnap or assassinate someone please.
That’s the rotten core of this book (no way in hell I’m attempting the rest of the series), but the rest doesn’t help either. Huge chunks of exposition instead of action, weird dialogue that’s apparently supposed to be funny but god knows how, and a mind-blowingly stupid tendency to pull in references from Earth that would never ever ever be retained two millennia later. I mean come on, multiple people all knowing about John Brown’s rebellion sites? There are entire kings from the Middle Ages whose names we’ve forgotten in a thousand years, you can’t tell me that everyone in this damn book is well-versed on Earth history 1850-2000 enough to drop constant references into casual conversation.
But mostly I hate the way Flint writes women: fully from the male gaze, but an adolescent male gaze who creates a variety of blow-up sex dolls and then weaves them around plot obstacles while providing a running internal narrative about the various sexy things that have happened to them (good and bad) and brooding over the various men in their lives. I’m pretty comfortable saying the book’s failed the Bechdel Test spectacularly.
And lastly, I get that the topic is very different from the Honor books - that’s actually why I started reading these, because the genetic slave concept was interesting. But it’s just been so poorly handled here, with sex and crudeness applied with a broad brush and no real resonance. It feels cheap and like Flint’s tried to create some sort of shorthand and gotten it very wrong. I actually wanted to read a series about slavery, and instead got this weird book where women deliberately present themselves as whores, men refer to them as whores, their physical appearance is both drooled over and deliberately used to inspire drooling… And these women aren’t even actually whores!
I can’t actually recommend any part of this book. Worse, I don’t think I can keep reading it because it’s warping the Honorverse characters I already know and like with bizarre fetishy nonsense. I don’t often feel slimy after reading a book but here we are.
July 26, 2020
This companion series to the mainline Honor Harrington series takes place on Erewhon which has become a gathering point for all sorts of political opinions. While the new High Ridge government seems to be trying to destroy their alliance with Erewhon, the Queen decides to send delegates of her own to the funeral of a noted politician. She chooses her niece Ruth and also sends Anton Zilwicki and his adopted daughter Berry.
To provide more security for Princess Ruth, she and Berry change places. It takes some nanotech intervention which just makes Berry and Ruth closer. The girls are quite different. Ruth has been raised in the isolation of the Mantacoran Royal Family but as the adopted daughter of the Queen's brother, she is not in the line of succession. In fact, Ruth really wants to be a spy. Traveling with the Zilwickis gives her a great opportunity since Anton is likely one of the best spies Manticore has. Berry doesn't have the same goals. She is good at all sorts of things but doesn't have a focus for her future yet since she's only seventeen. She does think her talents would make her a good queen but there aren't any openings for queens right now.
Also converging on Erewhon to attend the funeral are Victor Cachat who is a very talented intelligence agent for the new Republic of Haven and Ginny Usher who is the wife of Kevin Usher who is Haven's best spy. They are sent to try to convince Erewhon that Haven would be interested in an alliance with them since the government of Manticore doesn't seem to value them at all.
Throw in a Solarian Captain with a plot to gain power in the Solarian League, some Masadan terrorists who want to capture Princess Ruth, and a wide variety of anti-slavery terrorists and you have a complex and engaging adventure.
I liked the focus on these new characters. I liked the political wrangling and dealing and liked the different look at Haven we get. This was a great beginning to a new series.
To provide more security for Princess Ruth, she and Berry change places. It takes some nanotech intervention which just makes Berry and Ruth closer. The girls are quite different. Ruth has been raised in the isolation of the Mantacoran Royal Family but as the adopted daughter of the Queen's brother, she is not in the line of succession. In fact, Ruth really wants to be a spy. Traveling with the Zilwickis gives her a great opportunity since Anton is likely one of the best spies Manticore has. Berry doesn't have the same goals. She is good at all sorts of things but doesn't have a focus for her future yet since she's only seventeen. She does think her talents would make her a good queen but there aren't any openings for queens right now.
Also converging on Erewhon to attend the funeral are Victor Cachat who is a very talented intelligence agent for the new Republic of Haven and Ginny Usher who is the wife of Kevin Usher who is Haven's best spy. They are sent to try to convince Erewhon that Haven would be interested in an alliance with them since the government of Manticore doesn't seem to value them at all.
Throw in a Solarian Captain with a plot to gain power in the Solarian League, some Masadan terrorists who want to capture Princess Ruth, and a wide variety of anti-slavery terrorists and you have a complex and engaging adventure.
I liked the focus on these new characters. I liked the political wrangling and dealing and liked the different look at Haven we get. This was a great beginning to a new series.
January 18, 2021
This was one of those books I really wanted to read but held back on because I wanted to get to the right point in the earlier books first. This is a spinoff of the Honor Harrington series and takes place during the events of War of Honor, so since I hate spoilers I decided to read that I read the nine books before it. Ugh. 800-pagers some of them. But I finally made it. I can now read the secret agent novel with rival spies trying to put an end to intergalactic slavers. And the book's co-written by Eric Flint, a personal favorite. Of course I'm going to love it.
Well I didn't. Not really. It has a lot of elements that worked for me, so I probably will read future books in the series. But I just never found myself comfortable with what they were doing. The secret agent stuff was pretty dark. And pretty lighthearted. It switched back and forth somehow. I'm also not super clear on the plot. Mesa is the word used for supporters of a slaving corporation (Manpower Inc.), the inhabitants of the planet Mesa (I think), and an entire sector. Mesa sector is apparently against the corporation Mesa. I think. Unless that's the inhabitants of the planet. It's confusing and didn't need to be.
One of the most appalling elements of the book was the treatment of sexual abuse. It's a constant refrain throughout and very cavalier about it. Mostly this is regarded as very very bad, but some of it bleeds into the "good guys" too. And since the book can be uncomfortably graphic at times this makes it extra uncomfortable. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to someone who gets squeamish about this sort of thing.
I did like the planet Erewhon. The guys are descended from mafia dons and while they've come to Jesus on law enforcement as soon as they controlled a whole planet they still have a sort of honor-bound family approach to everything. I'm not sure I completely get the joke with the name. Erewhon is Nowhere backwards (if you ignore the H). Is that because crime bosses claimed to come from nowhere? They certainly provide a world of difference from Manticore and Haven.
I guess if I had to sum up what I was expecting but did not find it would be fun. Flint's usually a pretty fun guy to read. His books always have cool scenes in them where things work out a little too well but you enjoy them too much to notice. There wasn't that much of that on display here. We do get a siege of sorts, but it doesn't feel as epic as I suspect it was supposed to. I didn't hate the book by any means. It was entirely adequate at telling a story that felt like the setup for something better.
Well I didn't. Not really. It has a lot of elements that worked for me, so I probably will read future books in the series. But I just never found myself comfortable with what they were doing. The secret agent stuff was pretty dark. And pretty lighthearted. It switched back and forth somehow. I'm also not super clear on the plot. Mesa is the word used for supporters of a slaving corporation (Manpower Inc.), the inhabitants of the planet Mesa (I think), and an entire sector. Mesa sector is apparently against the corporation Mesa. I think. Unless that's the inhabitants of the planet. It's confusing and didn't need to be.
One of the most appalling elements of the book was the treatment of sexual abuse. It's a constant refrain throughout and very cavalier about it. Mostly this is regarded as very very bad, but some of it bleeds into the "good guys" too. And since the book can be uncomfortably graphic at times this makes it extra uncomfortable. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to someone who gets squeamish about this sort of thing.
I did like the planet Erewhon. The guys are descended from mafia dons and while they've come to Jesus on law enforcement as soon as they controlled a whole planet they still have a sort of honor-bound family approach to everything. I'm not sure I completely get the joke with the name. Erewhon is Nowhere backwards (if you ignore the H). Is that because crime bosses claimed to come from nowhere? They certainly provide a world of difference from Manticore and Haven.
I guess if I had to sum up what I was expecting but did not find it would be fun. Flint's usually a pretty fun guy to read. His books always have cool scenes in them where things work out a little too well but you enjoy them too much to notice. There wasn't that much of that on display here. We do get a siege of sorts, but it doesn't feel as epic as I suspect it was supposed to. I didn't hate the book by any means. It was entirely adequate at telling a story that felt like the setup for something better.
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September 14, 2022This book was a disappointment for me. I have really liked a lot of the books in David Weber’s Honorverse. Especially the first books with Honor Harrington as the main protagonist. Unfortunately in a lot of the later books Weber has spun out control in terms of verbosity. The books have been filled with dialogue, dialogue and more dialogue to the detriment of the action and adventure that made me enjoy his books in the first place.
Lately I have read some of Weber’s book that I quite enjoyed again. For example Governor and a Call to Insurrection.
This book however was 700+ pages of slow moving overcomplicated plot with so many different characters, each described and talking, talking, talking for hundreds and hundreds of pages, that it was almost unreadable. When there finally was some decent action towards the very end it in no way made up for having slugged through all those pages of bla bla.
When Weber decides to write action, especially fleet action in the Honorverse, he is one of the best authors today. Since I know how much I like his books when he sticks to this, the near total absence of this just added to the disappointment of this book.
I do not know what Eric Flint actually brings to the table for this book but it was obviously nothing good as far as I am concerned. I do not know if the comical nonsense around “Queen Berry” towards the end came from Flint or Weber but it just made my disappointment of this book worse.
Technically it is a very well written book. Weber know how to write and how to build a story and a scenario. That is really the only reason I gave this book two stars instead of one.
Lately I have read some of Weber’s book that I quite enjoyed again. For example Governor and a Call to Insurrection.
This book however was 700+ pages of slow moving overcomplicated plot with so many different characters, each described and talking, talking, talking for hundreds and hundreds of pages, that it was almost unreadable. When there finally was some decent action towards the very end it in no way made up for having slugged through all those pages of bla bla.
When Weber decides to write action, especially fleet action in the Honorverse, he is one of the best authors today. Since I know how much I like his books when he sticks to this, the near total absence of this just added to the disappointment of this book.
I do not know what Eric Flint actually brings to the table for this book but it was obviously nothing good as far as I am concerned. I do not know if the comical nonsense around “Queen Berry” towards the end came from Flint or Weber but it just made my disappointment of this book worse.
Technically it is a very well written book. Weber know how to write and how to build a story and a scenario. That is really the only reason I gave this book two stars instead of one.
August 25, 2019
It is easy to detect Eric Flint's hand in this book as it seems a bit lighter in some ways. There is still a good amount of darkness about it as the reader is no doubt aware of what is going on in Manticore and Haven, not to mention the whole topic of genetic slavery.
So Anton Zilwicki, Berry Zilwicki (Anton's adopted daughter), and Ruth Winton (Queen Elizabeth's niece) are sent off to Erewhon as an informal delegation from Manticore. Then there is Victor Cachat and Ginny Usher from Haven. Add in Solarians, Erewhonese, Masadans, and slavers and there is bound to be enough action to satisfy the heart of any James Bond fan.
While in many ways a stand-alone novel, this benefits from having read From the Highlands (short novel in Changer of Worlds) and Fanatic (novella in The Service of the Sword) first. That said, I would recommend it to fans of the Honor Harrington series and to people who enjoy action and politics in their science fiction. It certainly had me turning the pages.
So Anton Zilwicki, Berry Zilwicki (Anton's adopted daughter), and Ruth Winton (Queen Elizabeth's niece) are sent off to Erewhon as an informal delegation from Manticore. Then there is Victor Cachat and Ginny Usher from Haven. Add in Solarians, Erewhonese, Masadans, and slavers and there is bound to be enough action to satisfy the heart of any James Bond fan.
While in many ways a stand-alone novel, this benefits from having read From the Highlands (short novel in Changer of Worlds) and Fanatic (novella in The Service of the Sword) first. That said, I would recommend it to fans of the Honor Harrington series and to people who enjoy action and politics in their science fiction. It certainly had me turning the pages.
May 21, 2018
This author really does love his monarchies; and Marxist style government is always pretty evil, whilst democracy is entirely weak and corrupt. Curious polarisation. Naturally slaves who gain their freedom will choose to be governed by an aristocratic monarchical system when freed. It's a sour note for me in an otherwise interesting book.
Since my country is a monarchy, let me tell you buster, that some of the kings & queens we've had were every bit as monstrous as Stalin or Lenin. You get a good one about a quarter of the time. Democracy has its faults, but it's a fundamentally better system than Mr Weber's default choice of governing system.
Since my country is a monarchy, let me tell you buster, that some of the kings & queens we've had were every bit as monstrous as Stalin or Lenin. You get a good one about a quarter of the time. Democracy has its faults, but it's a fundamentally better system than Mr Weber's default choice of governing system.
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