Safehold series by David Weber

[Esther]

This is a buddy read for the Safehold series.

Dawn and I have the 5th and 6th of the series in our Mickeys pile.

Feel free to join in to discuss this series with us.

Do not forget to mention the book you are reading and place spoiler tags.

[Dawn]

Which means I'll start somewhere mid-February or early-March. Depending on how my other chunkster reads go. :)

[Esther]

That's probably when I'll get there also.

[Marcus]

Well you all are much further than I having just discovered Off Arrmageddon Reef which I'll use to kick off my mickey's group. I love the premise for the series though

[Esther]

Well. Please use this thread. I think i remember the 1st one fairly well. The others all blend in tough. I am interested to know what you think.

[Dawn]

I hope you like it Marcus. This is one of my favorite series.

I remember the first one tolerably well, thought it was great right from the beginning!

[Marcus]

Just finished Off Armageddon Reef and I loved it. I relished all of the naval action in the second half of the book and I can't wait to read the rest of the books and see how the fallout from the battles impacts the enemies of Charis. Also, I love Merlin and Cayleb and the relationship they are developing

[Dawn]

I loved all the naval stuff too. I think it's one of the reasons I love the series so much.

[Esther]

If you like naval action, you will be served. It sometimes gets too much for me. :)

I am more into the world building side of things, politic, technology and whatnot. And this gets really interesting....

[Esther]

Dawn, i would be about ready to start if you are. How about it?

[Dawn]

Pffft, I keep starting other books and putting these ones off.
Let's see......I have 4 ILL's to finish by the 7th, a non-renewable library book to finish before the 3rd, and 2 currently reading chunksters to finish before I can start the ones for my next section....so, I think that puts me at starting Safehold somewhere between the 10th and 12th.

So we say an April start?? And I will rearrange my challenge sections again and put How Firm a Foundation next to my chair so I can't ignore it!!

[Esther]

Works for me.

[Dawn]

Oh good. :)

[Marcus]

Just finished Book #2 which had less intense action than the first but progressed the story in pretty enjoyable ways...starting "By Schism Rent Asunder" sometime in the near future

[Dawn]

You are reading them far faster than I ever managed to! :)

[Marcus]

yeah this series really appeals to me so I'll probably move through the books pretty quickly. I love a good political/religious action series with lengthy books that I can sink my teeth into and which will keep me busy for a while

[Dawn]

There aren't that many scifi series of this type. Lots of fantasy series with the political/religious setting but not so many in scifi. Though I admittedly don't read near as much SF as fantasy.

I rather like the progression through the ages (so to speak) even though it's happening in one generation and not many.

[Marcus]

Yeah...I was actually at a gun show over the weekend and they had a few flintlocks...and I was like "Oh, Merlin just helped them figure out how to start making flintlocks in Safehold!" :)

For future reference, how to I hide spoilers if I want to discuss particular plot points?

[Dawn]

Without the spaces, type in < spoiler > at the beginning and < /spoiler > at the end. If you forget just click on the (some html is ok) button on top of the comment box, it gives all the short cuts.

[Esther]

It's the political/religion that also appeal to me. I have to admit scanning instead of reading the naval battles.

Merlin makes the progression believable and the speed at which the population must adapt makes things interesting.

[Dawn]

I do like tha naval battles too but I have been guilty of skipping battle scenes in other books.
I like all that naval stuff though, I read the classic age of sail series. I especially love the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin series.

[Marcus]

Yeah the naval battles are my favorite part. I'm also working my way through the Aubrey/Maturin series. Just finished "Desolation Island"

[Dawn]

I've only read the first three of the Aubrey/Maturin series. I get them as audiobooks and they're a bit longer than I usually like so I spread them out. It's a great series for getting better the farther you get into the books.

[Marcus]

Yeah I agree. I also try and spread them out a bit so I don't get burnt out. I really liked "The Mauritius Command". I like a good mix of story and naval action. "Desolation Island" didn't have very much naval action but was a decent story.

[Dawn]

I have finally started How Firm a Foundation. I'm only into the second chapter but I'm pretty happy with being back in this world already!

[Esther]

I have to finish my library book and I will join you.

[Dawn]

My library book ended up being a dud so I started before I could get sidetracked again!

[Esther]

How Firm, chapter 1.
Well, chapter one done. As usual, i am asking myself the same question that i have with every other book (view spoiler)[ Is this the book where we will get to go in the Temple's basement? (hide spoiler)]

[Dawn]

I've barely got any of this read. I shall dive in this weekend though, I won't have to think about work then and should make more progress! :)

(view spoiler)[I'm not really curious bout what's under the temple. Don't know why. I like that this story is moving into steam power though. (hide spoiler)] It should be interesting.

[Esther]

Indeed it should be interesting.... My reading time at home is almost nil also. As it is a borrowed book, no reading it out, in the bath or while eating.... Ah well...

[Dawn]

Frustrating when you can't make time or just aren't in the right mood to get immersed in a book, isn't it?

About all I'm in the mood for lately is crappy TV and chocolate. :)

[Esther]

How Firm, April 895, section 2

Well, it does feel like a long introduction so far. I wish something would happen that we do not know about.

[Dawn]

I have heard that about this book.

[Marcus]

Starting: By Heresies Distressed and hoping they get into the next looming battle. The second book seemed kinda like a bridge between the events of the first book and what is to come.

[Dawn]

I'm pretty sure I remember some good battles from that one. Not massive ones though, I think there is a whole lot of political machinations.

[Dawn]

I'm taking so long to finish this book!

Still, got some good reading time yesterday and I've made it to page 350.
This book does look like it's gonna be all about the intrigue and not about any battles. Still love it and am very interested in finding out what will happen.

[Dawn]

Finished How Firm a Foundation. Fantastic book, even ended up with a little action by the end.
I'm going to start Midst Toil and Tribulation right away!

[Esther]

I am so trailing behind. I barely read these days. Unusual.
I am just about to start June 895of How firm.. But
I am enjoying it.

Now We have (view spoiler)[an idea of what is below the temple.. Or not. And I am glad that they told Wylsynn and that it went well (hide spoiler)]

[Dawn]

That was such a teaser. We almost know....something.

I know about the reading pace. I took 5 weeks to read this book and fiction books never take me this long. But life is getting in the way, long hours at work, family, friends and all this other stuff just all seemed to come up at the same time!

[Marcus]

Just finished: A Mighty Fortress so I'm catching up slowly but surely. I really loved the "machinations" in this one and was really sad that Charis for once was on the recieving end of some naval battles :( But that's what keeps it interesting. They can't win all the time I guess but I wish they would.

[Dawn]

The rate I'm going, you'll catch up and finish the series before I finish the next book!!
I shall go to the library tomorrow to pick up Midst Toil and Tribulation again. This time I'm gonna finish it.

[Dawn]

Finished MTAT. Very good, the last 150 pages or so, was pure action.
The story only progresses a few months through the book but it's really absorbing.

[Dawn]

I've added the next one, Like a Mighty Army to the chunkster challenge, I'm sure I'll get to it this year!

[Esther]

How Firm a Foundation
August 895, iv

oMG!!!!! I was expecting some kind of retaliation but (view spoiler)[ this is beyond what I expected. The inquisition is bad enough, now they are doing assassinations that can be call terrorism really. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Esther]

I started MTAT. Judging by the end of HFF, I may see action.

[Dawn]

You definitely will see some action!

I quite enjoyed the switch to land battles but I hope the sea battles don't disappear.
Some very interesting intrigue in MTAT.

[Marcus]

About to start HFaF...looking forward to more machinations. Glad the shells are in use for nautical battles...another big game changer :-)

[Marcus]

Wow...just finished HFaF...very tough losses in this one. Seems like things overall are favoring Charis though...I'm getting nervous to read further cause I don't want to lose anyone else I like but forge ahead I must...starting MTaT

[Esther]

He! You caught up with me. That what I am reading now

[Marcus]

About halfway through MTaT and while I admit the first half progressed rather slowly, some fairly interesting developments are now under way. (view spoiler)[ I particularly enjoyed the interesting way in which Nahrman returns as I really missed his devious insights from the previous books (hide spoiler)]