Rating: 
Summary: Searching for the WAR in War Of Honor
Review: The entire war in this 861 page novel only took up 1 page and didnt't even start until the last chapter. This book is devoid of any detailed military conflict. The one and only only battle lasted only a few sentences. This is a purely POLITICAL sci-fi novel. I kept reading on and on and on waiting to get to the "good" part but it never came. The Harrington novels are military sci-fi but this was a purely political book and because of that a great dissapointment. The political intrigue was interesting for a chapter or two but not for 860 pages!Mr. Weber, where is the "war" in War of Honor? Will I have to wait another year or two to find it in the next book?
Rating: 
Summary: A Thinkers Book
Review: This book explores the political processes involved in government operation and decisions regarding financial allocation of public funds for public programs vs. military spending. Also explored are the processes in manipulating public opinion in regards to political agenda. That all of this is wrapped up in a facinating story with well developed characterization is a bonus for those who enjoy brain exercise along with reading recreation.
Rating:
Summary: Bored of Honor
Review: Some of the other Honor books have been page-turners, all of the other ones I've read have been entertaining. This one is just boring. The first 80 pages consist of endless explanations of the politics of the various star nations and - I'm not kidding - and interminable explanation of the game of baseball. I don't know what happened after that. I put the book down and have no intention of picking it up again. Mr. Weber, get an editor.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Read
Review: War of Honor is, of course, the latest chapter in David Weber's bestselling Honor Harrington series of novels, a series which I have been reading practically since the beginning. For the most part I've enjoyed them, even if they do get a little repetitive sometimes. But starting with the last book (Ashes of Victory) and continuing with this one, I'm beginning to suspect that Weber is just running out of steam with Honor. In both books very little actually happens, just what feels to be a lot of set up. Unfortunately, War of Honor suffers from this even more than Ashes of Victory, even though at 800+ pages it is by far the longest of the series so far. Reading War of Honor brings to mind the old joke description of American Football, namely random violence punctuated by staff meetings. The problem, however, is that Weber places far too much emphasis on the staff meetings. Lots and lots of staff meetings. So many that, at times, you get the impression you are not so much reading a novel as paging through the collected minutes of various conferences. And that is the crux of the problem with War of Honor: there is far too much talking, far too many people discussing or explaining what is happening than truly showing it, to actually get interested in the story. Despite the title the war itself doesn't even start until less than 100 pages from the end, so those who pick up this book expecting a heavy dose of space combat will be highly disappointed. It's very frustrating, because lurking just underneath there is a fascinating story that Weber simply chose not to tell, opting instead to have his characters talk and talk and talk. The fate of the North Hollow Files, for instance, or an encounter between a Havenite destroyer and a merchant ship, or the opening sequence aboard a warship shadowing a merchant (a sequence which, incidentally, makes for a great teaser, but for which we are never given an adequate explanation of just what the hell was going on!), or any one of a dozen subplots and events that are just begging to be more fully examined. But yet, this is not to be; just when you think that the story has started to pick up legs, just when you think that "at last, a real plot development" is about to occur that we will actually see, the chapter ends and the next chapter begins with some set of characters discussing the results. I'm not kidding. Nearly every major plot point comes to light not from actions, but from everyone discussing what is happening/has happened around a table of some sort. All in all, its very maddening, and not in any way narratively satisfying. It also makes for some very, very boring reading. Then there is Weber's attempts at characterization, and rather ham-fisted ones at that. He provides a love interest for Honor. But just to make sure we get the point, he outright tells us that the character is a love interest. Several times. Each time pretty much repeating what he had already said. Then he goes and has half the characters in the book say pretty much the same thing he had already said omnisciently. He doesn't so much as make a case for a relationship by the actions of his characters as to tell us bluntly over and over again what is going on. Now, having said all of this, I wouldn't say that the book is bad. It's just not very good. Mediocre is the best word to describe it, adequate for those who are already fans of Weber and his Honor Harrington universe (NOTE: This is NOT the book to give to people who are not already familiar with the series!). The book needed to be about 1/3 less in length, or failing that, have about 1/3 less talking heads. Weber's attempt, clearly, was to write a novel about politics, and especially about how rapidly relations between nations can deteriorate. That and jump starting the Manticore-Havenite war he had so abruptly ended in Ashes of Victory. But he takes 800+ pages to do it, and still has less plot than any previous entry in the series. Overall, it's a very disappointing outing in an otherwise outstanding series. SIDE BAR: One thing in War of Honor's favor, however, is that the hardbound edition was initially released with a CD-Rom attached as an extra. This CD-Rom contains e-books not only of the entire Honor Harrington series, but also e-books by a number of other writers (including James H. Schmitz, Keith Laumer, and Eric Flint) in a variety of formats. 25+ books in all, and several very good ones at that. This means you can download them to your Palm Pilot or have them read to you by Microsoft Reader, or just plain print them up and read them on your own. So much is on this CDR that I think it is fair to say that it is worth the price of the book. I'm not certain what Baen Books long term plan for the CDR is, and it certainly won't be available when the paperback edition comes out at the end of 2003, so my recommendation is to pick up the hardbound with the CD-Rom while you still can. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Definately an Interlude Book
Review: This book is written very well, if a bit ponderous at times. As stated in the many previous reviews, it is quite dense reading and one cannot just speed read through it all and catch everything. The characters are much more developed in this and I like the mulitple perspectives and points of view. It is however, almost too heavy in the politicing, I spent the first 700 or so pages feeling and overwhelming tension that was not 'abated or released' until the last portion of the book, and then with the way the very last chapter was ended I wanted to scream! Be warned, you will feel anxious, tense and downright irritated till the end, and just when you think you can relax, that last little bit leaves you hanging just enough that it seems like the next 2 years will be an eternity before you are allowed to witness the resolution... I noticed that the parts dealing with Honor and Earl White Haven seem to have a broad appeal to female readers and many of us felt that it was about damn time Honor finally came accross as a human being that feels love in other than a fraternal sense after so long since Paul's death. The amount of time that had elapsed since that event almost reached absurd levels IMHO and I'm glad that a bit of realism was finally added. Overall this book cannot be read and truly understood without having read the rest of the series first, and it most definately sets the stage for quite an engaging story.
Rating: 
Summary: Honor in the thick of it again...
Review: This latest of the Harrington series continues with the saga of the Salamander--a female starship admiral with a penchant for being in the "right" place at the wrong time for the enemy. Political intrigue with the Peeps continues, with twists of plot that are unexpected. The usual military details on weapons can be a bit overwhelming at times, but this book moves the epic of the Manticoran world ahead nicely with a surprise ending on the last two pages.
Rating:
Summary: Too Long and Unfocused
Review: I anticipated reading this book for many months as I have deeply enjoyed the previous nine novels and three story collections in this series. Indeed, Honor Harrington has an honored place on my bookshelf. However, I have never been as disappointed in a novel that continues a series as I was in this one. Almost every aspect of what makes the Honor Harrington universe worth visiting time and time again is missing from this turgid and uninteresting novel. The main problem is that the novel totally loses its focus on the main characters of the series and delves deeply into diplomatic discourse which is written in a style that I can only say makes one wonder if Baen is now paying authors by the word. This novel is seriously in search of an editor. Even if you do not mind having Honor vanish, even from background plots, for many hundreds of pages the book is still lacking in any real focus on any of the too-many characters. I will still pick up novel 11 but I hope that David Weber reads some of the reviews here and on other sites and realizes that his readers simply are unlikely to stick with him through another journey like this last one.
Rating:
Summary: The longer the series, the poorer the stories
Review: Unfortunately, the longer the series goes on, the more the author relies on 'gimmicks' such as the treecats' ESP powers and Honor's. I just don't enjoy the stories now.
Rating:
Summary: Obesity of Honor
Review: What we have here is three books in one: one is a Honor story ' her mission as an admiral in Silesia ' the second is the renewal of the war with Haven and the third is a collection of mini-stories a la Worlds of Honor. It is a nice gesture that David Weber mentions the heroes from the story collections in the main storyline, but was it really necessary to give them their own storyline in this novel? 861 pages plus glossary and all earlier novels on a CD ' if there were an equivalent for obesity among readers this could be the equivalent of junk food. Lets face it ' this book would need more editing, badly! Or even better: divide the book in three, because there is a very interesting story here. How do you (re-)start a war? Let over-ambitious, weak politicians play their game till they fail and then you have it, because for them to admit their mistake is worse to other people dying. It works splendidly ' just look at Europe and the start of WW. This part of the book is very nicely done even if it stretches out quite a bit. Some reviewers complained about too many meetings and other boring stuff ' yes, the storyline could be much clearer, but in essence it is very powerful already. Only ' and that is probably unforgivable for hardcore Honor-fans ' there is no Honor in it. She is not involved in this particular story. Her adventures in Silesia and the tension with the Andies are also a good tale, about average for a Honor story. As for the lot of small stories (f.e. that of Captain Bachfisch) ' was it really necessary. Was there a clause in Mr. Weber`s contract that this novel absolutely had to have over 850 pages? Big, fat novels like this one make a uncomfortable read ' parts of it are so interesting that they go down like honey, others stretch out with nothing happening that they are like forced eating. How about sliming down? Just for comparison: 'Flag in Exile' told a very gripping story ' with 443 pages.
Rating:
Summary: A Waste of Time
Review: There are really only three characters in this novel. The good guy (whether Havenite or Manticoran) who always "shakes his head with a lopsided grin"; the bad guy (again Havenite or Manticoran) who always "pinches the bridge of his nose" or "rubs his chin" thoughtfully; and Honor Harrington, who is always "tasting the emotions" of everybody around her. Yuck. What insipid and shallow characters. Harrington is portrayed an adult of 40 or so T-years who is so emotionally inadequate or undisciplined that she thinks she can't keep herself out of the sack with White Haven. Come on, any person of Harrington's will power could do that and not blink an eye. The relationship between those two made me want to vomit. Where's the woman of indomitable spirit, ruthless discipline, and super competence who can handle anything? The rest of the characters are inane, especially the ones in control of Manticore. Does anyone really think anybody with half a brain would cut back their military spending in the middle of a war, and fire most of their competent officers? These characters are painted as just too stupid to believe. The same can be said of the Havenites. Eloise Pritchart actually decided in the novel to check Giancola's messages to Manticore, then she doesn't even do that. These people are apparently so moronic that they don't bother even to offer to meet personally when communications get nowhere. What a joke. Lack of character depth, idiotic dialogue, and no action. This is a big surprise given Weber's demonstrated ability to write thrilling action novels. Don't waste your money. Do what I did: check it out from your local library and skim it. Or better yet, don't even bother to read it. You won't be missing anything.
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