Rating: 
Summary: Long read, but worthwhile for the background
Review: I agree that this is long. There's not nearly the action in this novel that was in some of the others in the series. But...The groundwork is now laid for at least two - three more novels in the series. (An upcoming war with the Solarian League should be in the offing.) And there is a depth to the characters that normally isn't explored in a science fiction series. The comments that Honor is acting like a teenage girl - think about it (and her) for a second. Prolong kept her gangly - then she was assaulted and nearly raped. Paul Tankersly was killed because he loved her. She has lost an arm and an eye. And she happens to be one of the wealthiest women in the Star Kingdom - who also has a full time naval career in addition to being a Steadholder. Now answer this question. When has she had TIME to find out about love and her inner feelings? As a seasoned reader of the series, after a while the space combat really becomes secondary to the characters. You get to know these people as friends - Rafe, Scotty, Sir Horace, Shannon Foraker. Action is nice - but after a while, it's all the same.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay but to much sidtracking not enough Honor!!!!!!
Review: I am a tremendous Honor Harrington fan and enjoy reading about her adventures. Unfortunately this book was not about Honor Harington. This book reminds me of the several anthologies which have been much poorer than the series because of their random off track stories (the only reason they are worth reading is the occasional Honor or treecat story). Unfortunately the author spent far too much time on the Havenites side of the story (I found myself looking ahead several times while reading to find out how many pages I was going to have to wade through before I got back to something I cared about). The Havenites are the ENEMY, we don't care about them! Yes, a certain amount of info on their thought processes and actions is important to the story (as was accomplished very well in the earlier books), however, it seems that more Havenite fluff is put in every succeeding book in the series. Hopefully the author will realize that the series is about Honor and return to her as the central character. The previous 9 books I rated a 5, this one gets a 3 from me. The anthologies of course only rate a 3 as only about half (at most) of each of them is worth reading (although that half is very good). If the author continues in this trend I will probably, regrettably, stop reading further books in the series and simply reread the beginning books over again.
Rating:
Summary: The book is worth a deeper reading
Review: This is the tenth book in the series, and weighing in, literally, at 864 pages. A tome indeed. Most of you have probably have read all of the preceding nine books. Here, the Star Kingdom has defeated the People's Republic of Haven and has spent five years negotiating, though not finalising, an uneasy peace. Haven has undergone another revolution and is now a wobbly, democratic Republic of Haven. All the surviving protagonists in the last novel are back, which will please many readers. Qualitatively, this book is really the start of another series. If you think of it this way, several things make sense, like its length, and the criticisms of other reviewers. I suggest you take a time out here from reading my scribblings and peruse the other reviews, if you haven't already done so. Several reviewers have panned this novel, saying that there is little action and way too much verbiage. I don't disagree. If it is space opera, there is essentially only one significant fleet action here. But look a little deeper at what Weber has done. In the early books, the Peeps were the out-and-out bad guys. No ambiguity here! And Manticore had several ratbags amongst its politicians and officers. But as the series went on, we saw several decent Peeps. Not so black and white any more. The nineth novel ends with the good Peeps successfully overthrowing their government. Along the way, the Andermani empire was increasingly mentioned. Weber was positioning it as a possible future plot complication. Do you know what I found strange about the tenth novel? The top leaders amongst the Haveners (they are not Peeps anymore) are all decent chaps. A couple of lower ranking creeps, but not more so than in Manticore. Weber is writing a subtler game. It is also harder to write. He is setting the stage for future novels of greater ambiguity. This in part, I think, accounts for some of the book's length. Don't forget the Andermani. A large portion of the book is set in the Silesian Confederacy, which sits between the Star Kingdom and the Andermani Empire. The Andermani are clearly modelled on Bismarck's Germany, a militaristic expansionist regime. Anyone reading this book might sense future trouble between them and the Star Kingdom. Clearly, Weber is hedging his bets. So he is fleshing out the terrain. He probably does not know how the future novels will turn, but he is keeping his options open. In part because a straightout rematch between the Star Kingdom and Haven might simply look too repetitive to readers. And there's even a hint that the Terran-based worlds may take an active part in future conflicts. This is why I claim that this book is really the start of a new series. Compare it to the previous books for logical consistency. But it opens new arenas. Could be very interesting indeed! So yes, I do agree with those reviewers who say that this book is long, with little action, and is not the best of the ten books. But I say to you: Dig deeper and see WHY this is, and what it implies for the future novels.
Rating:
Summary: The CD-ROM adds a star to the score.
Review: First, the good news: the hardback I bought of this book came with a CD-ROM bound in, which contained a number of goodies: * all 10 previous Honor Harrington book, in various file formats
* a cover gallery of the Mattingly covers for the books, which are generally very, very nice to look at
* the various star charts and ship schematics that have appeared in the books
* the two collections of stories set in the "Honorverse," by various authors like David Drake and Weber himself
* a number of books in various file formats by military scifi authors like John Ringo and David Drake Other good stuff: * the book has a glossary of terms found not just in this book, but in many of the other "Honor" books. It would have been nice if it had been more extensive, but it's a good start. Perhaps we'll eventually get a "Guide to the Honorverse" out of Weber? One can only hope. * Weber doesn't balk at shaking things up amongst his characters and within his setting. I don't know how much foreshadowing Weber actually intended, but I have to admit that I became concerned early in the book that some major characters would die, or that the stellar political landscape would change even more drastically than it did at the end of Ashes of Victory. This is a good thing overall, since it keeps the reader guessing. The book itself is the longest of the Honor Harrington books. Unfortunately, it feels like it. One of the things that bothered me was just how black and white the characters were. The Machiavellian High Ridge government has few redeeming qualities amongst its principle movers and shakers. Not a single thing they do, even the few things that are actually worthwhile (like a scientific project to find a new wormhole juntion), are done for any reason other than sheer lust for power. This has been true of the political "bad guys" in all the Harrington books, and it is blazingly evident in this book especially. I mean, in a society as progressive and as capable of producing nobly-motivated people as the Star Kingdom of Manticore, it seems curious that it oculd be run by such despicable characters. Now, I try to remain aware that this is a book about good guys and bad guys, that in Weber's "Honorverse" the characters are all highly exaggerated in their deeds and words. This is, after all, a space opera, in the best sense of the term. These stories are about Heroes with a capital "H," jut-jawed and nigh-infallible. Certainly they need appropriate villains, as diametrically opposed to them as possible. It just gets tiresome to read page after page of craven, double-talking politicians discussing how to spin-doctor everything to their advantage. In addition, it seems that almost no one in Weber's "Honorverse" makes a mistake, especially a truly bad one, unless they're a total, spineless incompetent. That is, any given character who is written by Weber to be sympathetic at all is pretty much infallible. There are, to be fair, a few examples in the books, including this one, of "good guys" who do make mistakes, but Weber bends over backwards to make the reader aware that these characters only made such mistakes due to extenuating circumstances. It would be interesting if a good guy occasionally just simply messed up, or made a dumb decision, without an accompanying explanation as to how it really wasn't that character's fault. Conversely, it'd be nice if there was the occasional routinely competent character. That is, someone who actually knows their job, and is neither spectacularly good or devastatingly bad at it. Certainly these are decisions for the author to make, and as a reader, if I dislike his decisions, I can always simply choose not to read the books. Still, I really do love these books. I just have to admit that it's become very predictable; anyone who shows any sign of disagreement with any major protagonist, or who does anything that a major protagonist would not do, will always be shown to have thoroughly screwed up everything they've done, and will be revealed to be a total incompetent. As a reader, I guess I crave antagonists who are both sympathetic or even likable, and who actually do things with which the protagonists disagree, but don't screw everything up. Especially when it comes to the political stuff. However, even when it comes to the space battles, it'd be nice to see a martinet commander who actually is good at being a starship captain, or a nobly-motivated space commander who really isn't very good at what he does. Yeah, I understand that the space opera genre is all about noble, infallible heroes and craven, petty villains, and I love the genre for that, but mixing it up a bit on occasion would provide enough variety to keep boredom from setting in. Speaking of political stuff...I have to admit that I grew restless with what seemed like endless stretches of the book which dealt with High Ridge and his cabinet bickering and plotting. I understand that much of it was laying groundwork for what later resulted in the book, and what will result in later books entirely, but I can't help feeling much of it could have been edited down (like this review, I guess ;) ). Overall, I liked the book. It feels more like a transitioanl piece, which shifts the focus from one area to another, rather than a major landmark in the series. It does open a number of new narrative possibilities, all of them potentially fodder for plenty of new books. Where it fails, in my opinion, is in the overwritten political aspect. My initial inclination is to give it 3 stars, but I'm adding a 4th star for the spectacularly cool CD-ROM found in the hardback edition. I guess what lies ahead will be a SPOILER, so be aware...I think it's interesting that Weber has set up things so that further combat with the Republic of Haven may be necessary, and a conflict with the Solarian League is in the offing. A few things I'd love to see as a reader of these books: * a more extensive glossary
* a guide to the "Honorverse" that lists and explains people, places, and things
* how about a conflict with spacefaring aliens?
Rating: 
Summary: A loooooong book for such thin rewards
Review: Why is it that almost every sci-fi writer late in a series starts to pad their stories with such ungodly boring fluff, that their books become almost unreadable. Such a great series, up to maybe book 8. I practically skipped (OK, I skimmed real fast) any chapter or section that dealth with the Havenites or High Ridge and his crew. And still did not miss one important fact about the story ARC. When the whole story revolves (and it does folks) around a stupid president who allows a manipulating Sec of State to cut and paste her dispatches on his home PC, you know you're grasping for plotlines. Oh come on, like she never had a clue to check the integrity of her correspondences to a man she HATES. To make this matter worse, literally 400 pages of this very long (and very very long feeling book) are dedicated to pointless "Gee, I can't believe they refused our demands" and "Wow, I can't believe they're demanding that" "Blah Blah Blah" crap that seems to go on endlessly. This isn't Sci-Fi. It's Danielle Steele minus the sex. In other words, it is absolutely the most boring supposed sci-fi novel I have ever read. Oh and 20 or so pages of action at the very end do not, I repeat DO NOT, begin to resemble the reward a reader should get for putting up with this flat 2-dimensional soap opera. The author obviously tried to have too many people/groups/political affiliations in his novel to make all of them: interesting, relevent and practical. We get it already! Please, after the first time Haven rejects Manticore, and Manticore rejects Haven, we understand there'll be no compromis. We get it! We get it! Move along pleaseeeeee.... But the author takes hundreds of pages to do so, and tortures us along the way. The next installment (if there is one), better move faster than this dog, or he's going to lose a sizeable chunk of his fanbase. If you liked this book, fine. Just realize, it wasn't sci-fi., it was the West Wing meets Rand McNally's Road Atlas 2002. So sad. My advice. Read books 1 through 8 and stop there. 9 and 10 are not worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Turkey
Review: I give this turkey 1-2 stars, it's about 500 pages too long. More or less nothing much happens for 800 pages or so and then the fighting is brief. To paraphrase the texan 'It's all hat and no battle' Alan Bale
Rating: 
Summary: Poorly done political drama
Review: I have enjoyed much of the Honor Harrington series. Clearly, his first four books are the best, but the others have had their gripping moments. Not this book. It is a bore from end to end. Some random thoughts: The Honor worship has gotten utterly out of hand. How many more pages must be lavished on the central character that has had no interesting or original thoughts in 3000 pages? There exists not a single interesting character in the Manticoran Alliance. Not a single person that I would want to talk to or meet. Only the Peeps have anything left to say. Tom Theisman, Eloise Pritchard, and Shannon Foraker at least have some depth, some pathos, and some guts. But these character are given only a fraction of the novel to develop. There is very little actual action, very little plot development, and the characters stagnate. All in all, it reads like some mediocre DM in a Dungeons and Dragons game distributing the booty of the quest. The vast majority of the book is taken up with political maneuvering. Every character that does not fundamentally agree with Weber's politics is an idiot, a coward, and is fundamentally acting in bad faith. On the other hand, everyone who agrees with Weber's politics is obviously correct, noble, brilliant, and incorruptible. (...) Since these buffoons are in power, we essentially read 800 pages of stupid people trying to spin incompetence that would make the GOP look good. Basically, we get to watch simpletons plot in meetings for roughy...750 pages. Very exciting. Mr. Weber, political intrigue is like chess, only really interesting when masters go at it. Otherwise, you just get frustrated and bored. Which is precisely what happened here.
Rating:
Summary: Trite and boring - sadly unlike the previous books
Review: I felt like slitting my wrists while reading this to escape the boredom. Seriously, the series is terriffic, until this book. The lack of overt action and too much exposition where people in meetings talk talk and talk some more about previous events is enough to put the most die hard Honor fan to sleep. I agree with earlier reviews that state the editing was lacking. It was.
Rating:
Summary: Too much repitition
Review: David Weber abd I went to college together and I believe the Sceintist named Haynesworth, He Mispells it, it should be Haynsworth, is named after me. Fair warning. This is his longest book. I think a better editing job would have made it better, he sometime repeats descriptions in different parts of the book. That said, this is also one of my 3 favorites in the series; as well as Flag In Eile and The Honor of The Queen. I have seen knocks about the lack of combat scenes, I think there are plenty. The interplay between the Andy and Manty ships in Silesia are great. However; the war in this book is not naval, but political in nature. And that is why upgrade it to the top 3 despite the 4 star rating. This book is bringing in some new problems for the Manties to face, and explaing how war could resume so quickly. We are, after all, looking at something like the strife in WWI and WWII, there was almost a 20 year seperation between those conflicts. Heck, I think we maybe looking at something like the Thirty Years War in this new conflict. For this book to work, and the series to continue, the political and diplomatic conflicts must be here.
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: I was truly disappointed in War of Honor. It doesn't compare at all with the first 8 books in the Honor Harrington series. However, it does compare quite nicely to its predecessor Ashes of Victory, they both stink. As far as I'm concerned you can completely skip the first three fourths of the book. The last fourth of the book isn't much, but at least we saw a little of the Honor we know from earlier books. I'm so glad I didn't waste even more money by buying the hardcover version. Will I buy the next book, of course I will. But please Mr. Weber, write it like the first 8 books, and not like a boring political novel.
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