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_meltea_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
justafaerietayle's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
westcoastchelle's review
4.0
Not his best book. But also... a great book. It took sooooooo long to get into the action. But once we did, it was a great story, as expected. I liked more insight into the PRH.
I will say, If I'd have known how much rape was in these books... I'd probably have given it a pass. I'm trying to think if any of the books thus far have NOT mentioned it in some fashion, and I think no? It's generally handled well, with the "good" characters reacting appropriately. But also, c'mon. There are other plot devices for women, pls and thank you.
It did feel like, with all the setup... the final battle was kinda short-lived. But I almost view these books as one looooong book, so. We'll see. I'll definitely be reading the next one.
I will say, If I'd have known how much rape was in these books... I'd probably have given it a pass. I'm trying to think if any of the books thus far have NOT mentioned it in some fashion, and I think no? It's generally handled well, with the "good" characters reacting appropriately. But also, c'mon. There are other plot devices for women, pls and thank you.
It did feel like, with all the setup... the final battle was kinda short-lived. But I almost view these books as one looooong book, so. We'll see. I'll definitely be reading the next one.
travelgirlut's review against another edition
3.0
The first half was lots of politicking and blahdy blahdy blah. But once everyone gets out into space things pick up. And the end is downright tense. Though you know Honor has to survive since there are more books in the series, you never know who else is going to die, and die they do! Sadnesses all around.
katmarhan's review
4.0
A more complex book than the previous entries in this series, in my opinion. Not only the ever-evolving relationships between Honor and her crew, but with Nimitz and his mate as well. Throw in pirates, honorable Peeps, POWs, nasty bullies who get what's coming to them, a glimpse into the Andermani Empire, and old personal enemies faced anew and you have a rip-roaring good story with plenty of twists and turns.
9/10 on my personal raring scale.
9/10 on my personal raring scale.
edb14's review
4.0
Once again, Weber mixes up his formula and gives Honor a task that reveals more of her command skills and personality while also not making her the linchpin of the universe. Honor returns from her forced exile to take up command of a lowly converted merchantman and is sent off to fight pirates while the "real" war wages on behind her. I enjoyed the up-close view of her crew and the nuances of command that this setup allows, a view that hasn't been showcased in Weber's work since the first novel in the series. The forays into other people's heads and problems seem less like plot cul-de-sacs in this one because they all relate back to Honor's command problems on her ships, and it was fun getting to see a lowly rating's perspective on the infamous Honor Harrington. Weber also used the opportunity to humanize several of Honor's recurring antagonists, both from the Manticoran side and the Havenite side. All of these are fun additions and help this novel to be an extenuation of Honor's adventures without once again placing her at the center of an all-important conflict.
Some of the set pieces are beginning to grate on me, though. Weber continuously introduces and characterizes characters, complete with first and last names and ranks, and expects us to remember all of them, even though their primary purpose is to admire Honor and then eventually to die horribly when her ship gets shot up. Several old characters are also brought back from previous novels, and I had to strain very hard to place their names with their roles from the plot of the first book. Predictably, most of the newly introduced characters are killed off, along with a smattering of our old friends (though none of the really integral ones) in a pattern that has been fairly predictable since the third novel. I suppose it is still effective, but the blatant whipsawing of emotions that Weber is going for is beginning to irk me.
Weber's prose style is also becoming more long-winded and tedious with each installment. He spends more and more time on the inner thoughts of characters, often for 5 or 6 pages at a time, while skipping over actual command decisions and actions. His chapters seem more like vignettes, blocked off from any actual plot progression. You never see how characters move from one place to another; they simply appear there at the start of their vignette, thinking about plot points that happened over the last several days that we were not permitted to see. Its like a very grand-scale passive voice that infuses the whole novel. Its not a deal-breaker, but each novel is getting longer and slower because of it. Skimming back over the pages of the first book, I was shocked at how much faster-paced it seemed.
None of this has ruined the series for me. I am still ready for the next installment, but I can feel my enthusiasm waning and my pace slowing. I will probably start reading other things and will finish this series at a more leisurely pace when I feel I have time.
Some of the set pieces are beginning to grate on me, though. Weber continuously introduces and characterizes characters, complete with first and last names and ranks, and expects us to remember all of them, even though their primary purpose is to admire Honor and then eventually to die horribly when her ship gets shot up. Several old characters are also brought back from previous novels, and I had to strain very hard to place their names with their roles from the plot of the first book. Predictably, most of the newly introduced characters are killed off, along with a smattering of our old friends (though none of the really integral ones) in a pattern that has been fairly predictable since the third novel. I suppose it is still effective, but the blatant whipsawing of emotions that Weber is going for is beginning to irk me.
Weber's prose style is also becoming more long-winded and tedious with each installment. He spends more and more time on the inner thoughts of characters, often for 5 or 6 pages at a time, while skipping over actual command decisions and actions. His chapters seem more like vignettes, blocked off from any actual plot progression. You never see how characters move from one place to another; they simply appear there at the start of their vignette, thinking about plot points that happened over the last several days that we were not permitted to see. Its like a very grand-scale passive voice that infuses the whole novel. Its not a deal-breaker, but each novel is getting longer and slower because of it. Skimming back over the pages of the first book, I was shocked at how much faster-paced it seemed.
None of this has ruined the series for me. I am still ready for the next installment, but I can feel my enthusiasm waning and my pace slowing. I will probably start reading other things and will finish this series at a more leisurely pace when I feel I have time.
vintonole's review
4.0
Started slow, with many threads and diversions, but the action starting half-way through was certainly worth it. Probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite book in the series.
imitira's review
4.0
Okay, so this one starts to stretch the plot past the point of good sense in pursuit of dramatic scenes. But at least there's some interesting secondary character development, which is just as well, since we also advance with the blithe killing off of relatively important secondary characters for pathos.
tuftymctavish's review
4.0
If the last book had far too much scene setting, this just gets in and on with things much quicker. Loads of action scenes and space battles which I like a lot, overall a fairly fast paced adventure, but a bit too much 'light in their eyes' communication and hoo-rah, honour-based conduct. That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading it in concentrated spurts.