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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.
sleeping_while_awake's review
3.0
Honor Among Enemies read simpler than previous Honor books. There seemed to be less substance, less antagonist povs and political plotting.
Pirate ships have been attacking merchant ships around Silesia, many of them Manticoran. Because of the war, the military doesn't have many resources spare. Due to the insistence of the wealthy merchants, the Manticores re-fit some merchant ships with heavy firepower, and a few other modifications. These ships, known as Q-ships, should be able to deceive the pirate ships from far away. However, the Q-ships will not be able to withstand any true battle engagement.
It's seen as a long shot, and of course, when the question comes up as to whom should pilot this timebomb, Honor Harrington's name comes up. Honor decides to take the challenge. It's even more challenging when her crew are a mix of newbies and troublemakers - whatever the military could spare.
There is a subplot with a young crewmember and a bully. It was a little middle school like, but it was still entertaining to read. I can't remember the last time a person over 13 used the term "snotnose" to insult anyone.
Maybe I am forgetting how villains were written in scifi books in the 90s? It's offsetting to have a character call his victim snotnose, and then also have enemy ships which rape the crews they capture. Weird range of evil.
No one really has any nuance to their evil, or even goodness for that matter. Granted, Honor is the hero and we want her to save the day. She chooses hot chocolate over coffee, fer chrissakes.
There's another small subplot of treecat romance between Nimitz and another treecat, Samantha. I didn't mind it, and it's really not that much of the book. I love animals, even if treecats aren't supposed to be cuddly, so any Nimitz plots are okay by me.
If there's anything to be learned of this series, it's always rather clear what the outcome will be. Honor lives up to her title of Mary Sue. It was nice to be back to the space battles and away from the religious squabbling on Grayson.
I thought there was a lack of complexity to this book that there had been in the previous ones. Not that any of the characters in this series have been particularly nuanced (pretty much black/white, good/evil), but the overall plot seemed a little flat.
Maybe it was more suited for a short story or novella? Because ultimately if you consider this particularly plot in the whole Honor story-line, what's going to come of this? Seemed like a diversion to me. This book would have been better served if it were shorter.
Pirate ships have been attacking merchant ships around Silesia, many of them Manticoran. Because of the war, the military doesn't have many resources spare. Due to the insistence of the wealthy merchants, the Manticores re-fit some merchant ships with heavy firepower, and a few other modifications. These ships, known as Q-ships, should be able to deceive the pirate ships from far away. However, the Q-ships will not be able to withstand any true battle engagement.
It's seen as a long shot, and of course, when the question comes up as to whom should pilot this timebomb, Honor Harrington's name comes up. Honor decides to take the challenge. It's even more challenging when her crew are a mix of newbies and troublemakers - whatever the military could spare.
There is a subplot with a young crewmember and a bully. It was a little middle school like, but it was still entertaining to read. I can't remember the last time a person over 13 used the term "snotnose" to insult anyone.
Maybe I am forgetting how villains were written in scifi books in the 90s? It's offsetting to have a character call his victim snotnose, and then also have enemy ships which rape the crews they capture. Weird range of evil.
No one really has any nuance to their evil, or even goodness for that matter. Granted, Honor is the hero and we want her to save the day. She chooses hot chocolate over coffee, fer chrissakes.
There's another small subplot of treecat romance between Nimitz and another treecat, Samantha. I didn't mind it, and it's really not that much of the book. I love animals, even if treecats aren't supposed to be cuddly, so any Nimitz plots are okay by me.
If there's anything to be learned of this series, it's always rather clear what the outcome will be. Honor lives up to her title of Mary Sue. It was nice to be back to the space battles and away from the religious squabbling on Grayson.
I thought there was a lack of complexity to this book that there had been in the previous ones. Not that any of the characters in this series have been particularly nuanced (pretty much black/white, good/evil), but the overall plot seemed a little flat.
Maybe it was more suited for a short story or novella? Because ultimately if you consider this particularly plot in the whole Honor story-line, what's going to come of this? Seemed like a diversion to me. This book would have been better served if it were shorter.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
4.0
There are good and bad aspects of this book. I'll start with the bad and end with the good.
1. Honestly, was anyone surprised with Tschu died? I sure wasn't.
2. Honor is special in way too many ways. She is too bloody perfect. Now it looks like that she might have two tree cats. Not only is she an outstanding officer, but gosh, even the treecats treat her special. :bangs head:
3. Actually No 2. all over again, with the addition of the fact that when Tschu dies is death has no emotional revelance, not even in terms of getting the reader to feel for Samantha. Instead, it seems to be used to show us how great Honor is, yet again.
Now for the good:
1. Many of the main supporting points and characters. I found myself more concerned with them than with Honor. In fact, I couldn't have cared less about Honor, but the supporting characters were interesting.
2. Presenting two different sides of a conflict.
3. Dealing with issues that occur in war that few other writers truly touch upon in depth.
4. Honor's loophole.
5. A male asking for maternity leave.
1. Honestly, was anyone surprised with Tschu died? I sure wasn't.
2. Honor is special in way too many ways. She is too bloody perfect. Now it looks like that she might have two tree cats. Not only is she an outstanding officer, but gosh, even the treecats treat her special. :bangs head:
3. Actually No 2. all over again, with the addition of the fact that when Tschu dies is death has no emotional revelance, not even in terms of getting the reader to feel for Samantha. Instead, it seems to be used to show us how great Honor is, yet again.
Now for the good:
1. Many of the main supporting points and characters. I found myself more concerned with them than with Honor. In fact, I couldn't have cared less about Honor, but the supporting characters were interesting.
2. Presenting two different sides of a conflict.
3. Dealing with issues that occur in war that few other writers truly touch upon in depth.
4. Honor's loophole.
5. A male asking for maternity leave.
remocpi's review
4.0
Tras ser readmitida en la Armada Manticoriana, Honor recibe como encargo limpiar una zona de piratas, que en realidad no son piratas ni tienen los medios tecnológicos de los piratas.
peregrineace's review against another edition
4.0
Honor takes on pirates with an under-strength squadron as a means of rehabilitating her political standing in the Star Kingdom. This is the last of the main Honorverse books to not be centered around the main fighting with Haven.
Honor herself is, as always, a little too perfect to be believable but if you're this far in the series, you know what to expect. Weber further populates this installment with new and old interesting side characters (Foraker, Caslet, Harkness, MacBride, etc.) and gives readers a glimpse into the enlisted and non-com side of the Manticoran Navy. Even more interestingly, this book has a further look into treecats with the introduction of Samantha, a segue into further Honorverse stories.
One of the longer books in the series to this point, it does have the feel of a book that is transitioning from one place to another in a series, which, frankly, it is. Overall, fun and enjoyable.
Honor herself is, as always, a little too perfect to be believable but if you're this far in the series, you know what to expect. Weber further populates this installment with new and old interesting side characters (Foraker, Caslet, Harkness, MacBride, etc.) and gives readers a glimpse into the enlisted and non-com side of the Manticoran Navy. Even more interestingly, this book has a further look into treecats with the introduction of Samantha, a segue into further Honorverse stories.
One of the longer books in the series to this point, it does have the feel of a book that is transitioning from one place to another in a series, which, frankly, it is. Overall, fun and enjoyable.
jasonb35's review
3.0
I wanted to like this more than I actually did. I like the characters and the dialogue. The plot lines involving politics and personal intrigue were great but the space battles and technobabble left me wishing I was reading a paper copy so I could skim better. Not a bad listen but not totally in my reading wheelhouse.
madags's review
5.0
When I was a little girl I watched The Great Escape with my dad and I thought it was brilliant. But THIS is the real deal. P.O. Harkness comes into his own and Haven has no idea what it's facing. Another round of air punching and - Take that you... you... crummy person, you! (well alright my language isn't THAT clean, but you get the meaning).
leons1701's review
3.0
I've always regarded this one as a bit of a down spot after Flag in Exile, but it's certainly not shabby.