I really enjoyed this one, most likely because there wasn't 50-100 pages of how great Honor is before the plot actually takes off.The plot switches between Honor's friends, family, and Navy in the aftermath of her supposed death to Honor herself as she and her compatriots struggle to get off of Hell. (They do pretty well considering they don't have Steve McQueen or James Garner). In some ways, the non-Honor sections seem more interesting, though the Honor sections aren't lacking either.I still have some issues - why do the men around Honor (McKeon, LaFollet) seem to have no life until its defined by her, the if you don't like Honor you're scum, and Honor's cadre as it were, is prodominately, if not exclusively male. Look, I can understand the whole "wink, wink" thing, but why? Honor's even more worried about her father than about her mother, and while that's understandable in terms of the characters, it re-enforces in some ways Honor as unique woman, not unique person. I also have to say that I am conflicted about the whole Honor being able to read other people's emotions via her link with Nimitz. Its like that scene in Star Wars The Phantom Menace where Qui-Jon tries to use Jedi mind tricks on Anakin's owner. Yeah, the owner is a pig, but he has to make a living and if Jedi's are about justice, should they really be cheating someone? Additionally, givein Honor an extra power on top of her treecat and strength, makes her success, at least to a new reader, look like a result of her "powers".Still, an entertaining read. And I should point out something important. Weber is hardly the only author to use the "always right and everyone worships the main character" trope, but unlike many of those authors, Weber still manages to make Honor likable, mostly due to lack of ego.
Chris' Fish Place
Thoughts on things, mostly books.
I really enjoyed this one, most likely because there wasn't 50-100 pages of how great Honor is before the plot actually takes off.The plot switches between Honor's friends, family, and Navy in the aftermath of her supposed death to Honor herself as she and her compatriots struggle to get off of Hell. (They do pretty well considering they don't have Steve McQueen or James Garner). In some ways, the non-Honor sections seem more interesting, though the Honor sections aren't lacking either.I still have some issues - why do the men around Honor (McKeon, LaFollet) seem to have no life until its defined by her, the if you don't like Honor you're scum, and Honor's cadre as it were, is prodominately, if not exclusively male. Look, I can understand the whole "wink, wink" thing, but why? Honor's even more worried about her father than about her mother, and while that's understandable in terms of the characters, it re-enforces in some ways Honor as unique woman, not unique person. I also have to say that I am conflicted about the whole Honor being able to read other people's emotions via her link with Nimitz. Its like that scene in Star Wars The Phantom Menace where Qui-Jon tries to use Jedi mind tricks on Anakin's owner. Yeah, the owner is a pig, but he has to make a living and if Jedi's are about justice, should they really be cheating someone? Additionally, givein Honor an extra power on top of her treecat and strength, makes her success, at least to a new reader, look like a result of her "powers".Still, an entertaining read. And I should point out something important. Weber is hardly the only author to use the "always right and everyone worships the main character" trope, but unlike many of those authors, Weber still manages to make Honor likable, mostly due to lack of ego.
