Rating: 
Summary: Outrageously witty and politically savvy
Review: Alright! It is easy to become totally addicted to David Weber's Honor Harrington series. And like other reviewers, I have found that the best way to enjoy and fully savor the storyline is to start at the beginning with Basilisk and follow the character development of Honor as we are invited to follow her growth from newly minted captain of a junker starship where she finds herself stuck with a hostile crew way out in the boonies. With steely determination and incomparable skill she emerges from a fledgling starship captain to a banged up Navy Admiral and an ultimate hero to the multiple worlds she has served.She inspires crew and country with her iron willed mettle as she repeatedly faces off against enemies from corrupt, greedy industrialists to power drunk politicians to mega ton starships full of Peeps as she uncovers sabotage, piracy, murder, and nasty machiavellian plots both political and personal. And up the kilt, down the throat or broadside she blasts them all away. Weber's intensely enjoyable, ultra hip futuristic space odessey is peopled with characters that are funny and very, very cool, yet quite human and emotionally engaging. It is easy to care about his folks, and to become involved in Honor's world. Weber invites the reader to look at the politics and religious structures within Manticore (America/England analog?), and Grayson (pick your own country of religious fanatics) and to measure them against the utter horror of Haven (Russia analog?). His fairly transparent, strong personal opinions are very much "dialed in" to the politics and religious dogmas that we now encounter in various present day cultures including our own. For myself, I totally enjoy his ballsy way of putting it out for the reader to think about. Weber invites us to explore the power drunk politics within the varied systems/worlds he creates in this "otherworld" story. The dolists (welfare recipients with entitlement attitudes?) of the Peeps of Haven vs the capitalists/industrialists/class system politicians (Manticore) and the mind controlling religious heirarchial fanatics (Grayson), which reach a shattering pitch that threatens the survival of Honor's homeworld monarchy, and her adopted world's socio-cultural/political stability. In Ashes of Victory we get only a brief hot slice of Honor in action when she finds herself defending her Manticoran Queen and Grayson's Protector against attempted murder in a gutsy maneuver that saves their lives and nearly destroys her new runabout. Yet, despite the war with the Peeps we get to cheer both Tom Theisman as he blasts away Saint-Just with his own pulsar "Goodbye Citizen Chairman", and the Peep tac-witch Shannon Foraker "Oops!" who blasts away the SS ships sent to escort Admirals Tourville and Giscard back to Nouveux Paris to be murdered by the butcher Oscar Saint-Just. Foraker had downloaded an undetected self destruct program to the SS ships that she designed to protect her crew and Giscard's against certain death. In Ashes of Victory, Honor continues to endure the despicable politics of personal destruction by various factions admist more intimate trials of repair of her body and healing both herself and her terribly injured treecat Nimitz. By now, one begins to hope she will be promoted to First Space Lord where she can use her superb tactical skills to call the shots in the ongoing war with Haven and a future war with the Solarians, and not have to sacrifice any more parts of her body. Her unrequited love for Earl White Haven remains a bittersweet conflict between her heart and duty and this reader hopes that somewhere in the story line Honor may once again find some personal happiness. If not Earl White Haven, then perhaps the quiet, stoical, unquestionably loyal and ever present personal guard Andrew La Follett? The reunion with her parents is stunningly beautiful as are the emotional elements between Honor and the others who welcome her home and is very nicely done. Weber's sleek sense of humor is deliciously sly and sooo funny. I personally loved the dry, witty verbal repartee between Honor and her mother who is as outrageously irresistable as Honor herself. There are so many provacative levels to Weber's writing that the reader is stimulated with many invitations toward mind stretching reflection about life and the potentials for future generations as they may encounter it in space and among the stars. Thanks to David Weber's heroic Honor Harrington we are given a hopeful and brave icon through whom we might project a future realized. How I wish we could all live that long to see it unfold for ourselves.
Rating: 
Summary: Interstellar War
Review: One of the things that David Weber has alluded to in his anthologies about Honor Harrington is that the series is about the first truly major interstellar war. There is even an indication that the scope of the war may widen from being "Manticore vs. the People's Republic of Haven" to a larger conflict that even embroils the largest government, the Solarian League. The source of the mixed reactions that people are having to this book stems from the fact that the book focuses more on the war itself than other books in the series. Weber has conceived a war that is far larger in scope than World War II, and this book delves into the details of that conflict. Weber has created an imaginative vision of furturistic warfare technology, with two closely matched stellar nations developing new advances and tactics to gain advantages. But wars are as much about politics as they are about technology. And Weber has created a detailed political situation which continues to drive the war forward, and possibly, as a result of the actions in this book, into an entirely new direction. Weber has illustrated much of the war so far by showing it to us through the eyes of Honor Harrington, particularly through her various ship-to-ship engagements. As the scope of both the series and the war has increased, though, it becomes more necessary, I think, for Weber to use a larger cast of characters to cover the overall conflict. I'd like to point that his series represents the most detailed and ambitious depiction of an interstellar war ever attempted in the science fiction field. To me, the war is as fascinating as Honor Harrington and all of her henchmen.
Rating:
Summary: Honor's universe takes on a life of its own
Review: Online rumours say that Mr. Weber was told to cut this book down from the impressive text he submitted for publication. As varied and stupendous as the stories told in this novel are, I can only wonder how much better it would have been if he had been permitted to show us the full scope of his vision. That is the power of this series in general and this book in particular. David Weber has created a comprehensive, cohesive universe with a myriad of truly interesting characters. Not all good guys are truly good, not all bad guys are truly evil. I bet if you met Rob Pierre under any other circumstances, he would be one of the nicest men you ever met! This book takes the series to a new level. Honor doesn't take a side role per se, but the characters that have been focussed around her in previous books take to broader ranges as every situation in her universe takes a turn. Yes, it does feel like a set-up for future books, but the individual stories brought to completion in the novel might have made good novellas or novels in their own right. Combined into one, the story earns five stars on its own. The writing gets the story to the reader well, even though David Weber has significant trouble writing dialogue. (Every time a character says "Um" I want to bash my head against a wall, and it is said a lot.) However, his flashes of brilliance make up for that, and they are becoming more frequent and more powerful as the series goes on. Some scenes will bring a tear to your eye and others will have you whooping in triumph. As a stand-alone book, this novel would be a fun and enjoyable read. To those already addicted to the series, there aren't enough pages to satisfy the voracious Sphinxian appetite we have for Honor's world.
Rating:
Summary: Now things are really starting to get interesting...
Review: As I eagerly awaited the latest Honor, I re-read the previous 10 books. I wish I had taken notes to keep everyone straight! Weber has no "meaningless" characters, it seems. For devotees of Honor, the book will be a little short of progress on her plot line, but far from a disappointment. Other characters come into their own. Weber spends lots of time fleshing out what were brief sketches in previous novels. I especially enjoyed the development of the the royals and Thomas Theisman. While this book is a fun ride, it is more, as other reviewers have written, a set up for the future. But isn't that what all life is? And pro-long can let Mr. Weber take as long as he needs!
Rating:
Summary: Honor is no longer the Subject
Review: A good read which looks at Honor Harrington's times and recounts them with her as one of many major personalities rather than a book about just Honor's exploits. A nice change that explains matters and moves them along, setting up, I hope, another book focused on Honor herself. As many have observed, Honor has risen so high that she seems out of the adventure/command business, but.... remember back in an early book we learned that Manticore was thought to possibly have another wormhole...and it has not been found. I wonder what will come out of it and if it will be human.
Rating: 
Summary: Ashes of a plot
Review: As a fan of Hornblower I awaited the next Harrington Book. The similarities are striking. The peeps are the French. Honor/Horatio. However, I do not count this as one of the better books of the series. It would seem the universe is entirely in the hands of women. I kept wondering if there were any male strategists, intel officers, or ship handlers going to show up. Studies show that women CAN make a decision faster than a man (40% faster), but its the wrong decision more often (60%). Additionally, you do not jump an officer three grades without exceptional reason (Gen Stillwell was promoted to 2 stars over 40 senior officers). Honor is now a staff weenie. No more ship to ships for her. Now she's a JAFP. Just Another Female Passenger. Not the best of an excellent series. Looking forward to the next one, however.
Rating:
Summary: Honor Grows Up!
Review: If you have been following Honor Harrington's career, and appreciate her growth and maturation as an officer and statesman you're going to love this book. I would love to comment on the excellent plot, but don't want to spoil the surprise; suffice it to say, Honor has her hands full. As a series, these books, like it's spiritual predecessor, Hornblower, displays the progression of a conflict between large-scale powers. Over the course of 8 books, now, Honor has grown from an awkward Midshipman to a superb statesman. Her character is a product of her family, her genes and, once an adult, the world she lives in and the events in which she has participated; it has progressed amazingly over time. This work is a pinnacle (hopefully not a culmination) of this evolution. I have to comment that I'm impressed with his grasp of the way Navy's work at all levels. One area that most people would miss is the development of one's subordinates and colleagues; Mr. Weber has done an excellent job of portraying this obligation of a leader and in setting an example in how to execute it. If you haven't discussed this delightful series of books, don't start at the end; read them in order, starting with "On Basilisk Station."
Rating:
Summary: Returning...Honor
Review: Weber does an absolutely superb job of detailing the significant periphery issues that surround Honor; however, that left little time for Honor in the book. Regardless, the book is an absolute must read because so many of the background issues surrounding Honor have simply been handled in passing, making Honor seem one-dimensional in many of the texts. So many issues in preceding texts concerning her have been handled in at best a businesslike fashion, quickly presented to provide the requisite background and settings, then pushed aside to get back to Honor and the action. This text answers a great many of those questions and also leaves open a great number more, awaiting Weber's attention in future novels. Weber has still managed to pack in some solid action with Alexander and the 8th Fleet and many of Honor's "proteges". This is not a book for those who have not read any of the previous novels, particulary Basilisk Station and Flag in Exile. Read those first! Then come back and get the details. The many sub plots and supporting characters needed time to catch up with Honor; this novel has certainly accomplished that task. The multiple threads Weber left us with at the end certainly have me for one waiting with baited breath for the next episode.
Rating:
Summary: A worthy continuation of the saga, but...
Review: The book itself is excellent. It begins with Honor's 'return from the dead', and continues onward to a startling ending (or not) to the war with the Peeps. It is definatly a worth the read, but it seems different. It does not focus so much on Honor as it does Earl White Haven and other characters, and has many more political overtones then other books in the series. Instead of its own independant novel, Ashes of Victory reads as if it is a setup for an even longer and more impressive novel... ...We can only hope!
Rating:
Summary: Transition of 2 empires
Review: David, What happened here? I have loved all of the books so far, but this one needs some help. I think you have done a good job covering the politics of the three main combatant space empires very well; and the leaders, both political and military, seem very real; but the story does drag. However, since this does seem to be a transition story, it may be hard to keep the pace as riveting as the other Honor books. If you like politics, or military history, you will love this book. If all you want is action it won't be nearly as satisfying as the rest of the series. If you want your worlds fully developed, then read the whole series, especially THIS book. If you love your science fiction hard this is a good book, especially the technical blueprints at the front of the book. David, you really need to pick up the pace next time.
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