Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful introduction to a wonderful character...
Review: "On Basilisk Station" was the book that first introduced Commander Honor Harrington, and her treecat Nimitz, to what would become legions of enthusiatic fans. Weber combines excellent plotting, believable (and well developed) characters, technology and fast paced action, laying the ground work for what has become one of the best series in any genre. Harrington finds herself "banished" to the far reaches of Basilisk Station, a kind of "Siberia" for those commanding officers of the Manticorian Navy who have displeased the "Powers That Be"...(why she has displeased them forms an intrical part of the book, which I won't give away here...), but Honor is determined that the assignment will NOT BE a banishment, and starts making the station an important one and finds herself in the middle of a plot by the "Peoples Republic of Haven" to annex the area...Despite the high regard I have for the book and the series in general, it is not perfect, and two of its flaws are in strong evidence here..1) Weber does wonderful work defining and writing his characters with the curious exception of Honor Harrington herself. Her determination and abilities just are, no attempt to show how Honor "came to be" is shown...the second flaw is Weber constanly throws all sort of techinal digressions at you...perhaps to show that he has done research and his "theoretical facts" (to coin a phrase) have some scienctific background...whatever the reason, I personally find them a bitoverwhelming and (sadly) a bit on the boring side...they definetly distract from the story. Despite this, the Honor Harrington series, and this book, the first in the series, make up one of the best series out there, in any genre....
Rating:
Summary: Great book, great character
Review: This book had everything you could ask for in a science fiction novel. Space battles, good characters, an interesting plot, and science that sounds like it might actually work! Definately one of the best books I've read and one I've read more than once. I admit I tend to skip the technical descriptions when I reread it though, they were interesting the first time but they do get a little tedious after that.
Rating: 
Summary: If you liked Horatio Hornblower and SciFI you'll love it
Review: I didnt get around to reading the Horatio Hornblower books until I was in my early twenties and I loved them. What made them special was not only excellent characterizations, but Forrester was able to make you smell the salt water and hear the creaking of the wood on the ships. David Weber has successfully translated that world into the Honor Harrington universe. A full fledge character (nothing 2-D about her) Honor has the ethics and honor of our greatest heroines, intermeshed with the hardware and politics of a science fiction universe that's as diverse and extensive as any ever created.As a female reader, what I think I enjoyed most was the insight into the personalities we meet, including the treecat Nimitz. This is a real page turner. I've bought several copies to give to friends.
Rating:
Summary: Grand Military Sf Epic! I love Honor Harrington!
Review: Honor Harrington is my favorite sf character. Think Capt Kirk cross with Xena! This novel is a introduction to one of the best sf series ever written.We find our heroine consigned to Basilisk Station after she "steps of a few political toes" and must stop a attack from People Republic of Haven.This novel has one of the most vividly described space battles ever put on page and execellent world-building and characterizations. All in all the most intelligent space opera series on record!
Rating:
Summary: Great Military SciFi
Review: I loved this book and most of the others in the series. Good action, characters with depth and actions with consequences. From a writing perspective, I think the first 3 or 4 are the best. The last two have a derivitive feel and lost the edginess of the first few books. I really like the universe that David Weber has put together here with the interplay of the technology. Space combat has the feel of the Age of Sail only in 3D (well, as in most such books, really 2 1/2 D).
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining military sf ... but not more
Review: The story: Young Captain Harrington gets her first assignment on HMS Fearless, only to find out that She's going to be refit and wasted for some pointless military strategy. In a series of tactical exercises though, HH is able to make some impression with her downgraded ship, wich infuriates the other side's commander, so that she's ordered to basilisk station, an important but neglected outpost. Arriving there she finds out that the CO on station is a former acadamy collegue who had sexually harrassed her and whom she'd beaten up for this. As revenge, he takes his ship back to the repair-docks and leaves her all the work - again something that she possibly can't cope with but does. Finally she's facing an invasion plot from an enemy republic. The execution: The story is fun, fast-paced and not too sophisticated, so ít's easy to read. But some crucial parts in the story simply don't work. 1. Before Fearless arrival, the Majestic was alone, so I cannot see that it is "impossible" for the Fearless to "discharge her duties", as she's now alone on Basilisk station. 2. HH is never fully characterised, the people themselves don't act human - more like machines. Relationships are never examined, and if, only on a professional basis. Human relationships do not occur at all in this book. 3. None of HH`s maneuvres and tactics are more than any capable officer would have done. In the end, she relies on luck ... too much luck in my book. The list could go on. That said, if you put logic aside and simply want to be entertained, it's ok. Pure holiday-stuff.
Rating:
Summary: round #1 of the Honor Harrington saga comes up huge
Review: This, the first book in the series, is where you should begin--Harrington's first command. And if you like good SF, or if you ever wanted to see Horatio Hornblower's Royal Navy as a spacefaring force, you just found it. Weber has created an interesting technological premise; a credibly intriguing political situation, both domestic and interimperial; a fantastic protagonist who develops quickly and fully; military/naval personnel situations of the types known to just about everyone who's ever been in an armed service; and a good deal of straightforward excitement and action. The only thing I can even remotely criticize is the rather brazen nicking of planet names from Dungeons & Dragons monsters, but that's too minor for a markdown. The only way you could err by buying this book is by not going ahead and getting the first two or three at the same time, because once you start, nothing will satisfy you but to finish the whole series, and if you only have the first book there will be a delay you may find intolerable.
Rating:
Summary: Eerie Parallels Between USA and Honor Harrington universe
Review: I've read the entire "Honor Harrington" series and highly recommend them. They're not great literature, but they are well-written, enjoyable, and just plain fun! Good stories from a man who obviously has read his history. Some things are a little too obvious. Are we (the USA) meant to parallel the Peeps (People's Republic of Haven) ? There are numerous references in the series to poor education, benighted economic policies, people going on the Dole, rampant illiteracy, etc. Does the author intend this as a thinly veiled criticism of American education? If so, it is well justified. Another question is, Do the attitudes of the military in the HH universe reflect the attitudes of the military here in America? In the HH series, the military types are (mostly) courageous, have honor and a sense of duty. It's the evil politicians who are the baddies. Regular ordinary people don't count; they are merely a mass of Proles On The Dole. I have read that the American military is becoming progressively more out of step with mainstream attitudes (or maybe you could say that mainstream attitudes are antithetical to the military ethos). This book tends to support that interpretation. In the HH universe, the military must constantly chafe against civilian control, the civilians making poor and/or wasteful decisions that cost the military the lives of its members. How does this differ from America today? (Or, I suppose, any country fighting a war). All in all, I would recommend these books highly just for their insight into the political process and how that affects military decisions. It's not just in the HH universe, people, it's here and now.
Rating:
Summary: WARNING! This is an addictive series!
Review: As a female sci-fi fan this is a delight! I bought On Balsilisk Station because it was only $1.99 on special. What a great bargain! This book is tightly written and action packed. It has great character development, but doesb't get bogged down. The battle scenes are well choreogragphed and the narrative effectively switches from place to place and character to character. I highly recommend this book, with the warning that you may as well order the other 10 books which have been published. Honor is a worthy heroine and here cadre of companions and enemies are great company!
Rating:
Summary: Swashbuckling stuff of the highest order.
Review: This is great stuff. A lonely hero dedicated to lifting the performance from all her staff. The evil scion of a royal family who sets her up for a fall. The political plots, the high level manoevering of top brass, the dark shadow of the Havenite empire looming on the horizon, and Honor Harrington fixing it all with all guns blazing and a little kick boxing thrown in. It is a good old fashioned Treasure Island type book set in space. OK so Weber writes as a man and doesn't give us a very feminine feel to Honor. She is merely a man dressed up as a woman to give the swashbuckling a bit of flavour. Also the technospeak, while it sounds good is really a lot of garbage. This is not hard sci-fi, but is often sounds as though it could be. Impeller drives and Warshawski sails sound as though they could be based on some physical theory. This is my second Harrington novel, and I am not disappointed. I look forward to a longer association with this heroine of the heavens. Roll out the grazers, deploy the LAC's, launch the missiles and close for the broadside, Manticore expects every hardened space tar and every grizzled space marine to do their duty!
|
