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Summary: Captain Seafort is no Ender Wiggin, but thats not all bad.
Review: I will admit, I was suckered in by the editors sales patter," In the tradition of Ender's Game". In fact, I really saw this as a challenge to both the reader and Mr. Feintuch. Ender Wiggin has become an archetypal figure in the coming of age, sci-fi genre. I thought it a bit unfair, or rather audacious to have a book in that "tradition". Nick Seafort is not Ender Wiggin. His limitations are a bit more pronounced and his abilities are more subconcious. I think that is why I found him more likable than Ender. Sure Ender suffers from selfdoubt, but only in a childish way(he is 5 for gosh sakes!). Seafort suffers from full blown, stomach churning guilt and self recrimination. Bravo! a man like the rest of us, and he still manages to save the day!This series is a rip roaring wonderful read and Seafort has entered into the annals of great, though unaware, heroes of Science Fiction. In a way, I see him as a Hamlet with teeth. Less tragic and just as grand
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Summary: Like it or hate it, you won't be bored.
Review: As you scroll through the reviews of this book, it becomes obvious that this is a book (and a series) you'll either love or hate. The fact is that Feintuch has chosen to deal with themes such as duty, loyalty and fidelity, and he does so without cynicism. As a result, he's created a central character who is not especially accessible to Gen X readers. Those unwilling or unable to make the adjustment will find these books excruciating.This first of the Seafort books takes a familiar scenario (in a new setting) and handles it well. Nick Seafort, a young midshipman on a starship, is catapaulted into a command he does not want but is obligated to accept. He suffers agonies of loneliness and guilt as he is forced into acts he himself finds repugnant because the alternative is even worse. Seafort's simply drips charisma, despite (or perhaps because of?) his vulnerability. His actions as he deals with one crisis after another whilst pulling his officers and crew together to pilot the ship safely to her destination make for a gripping read.
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Summary: Good Science Fiction Should Not Make You Want To Die
Review: Just as a general rule, well-written science fiction shouldn't make you so depressed that you want to die. If you want a rough approximation of what the series is like, imagine a boot stamping on the human face, forever. Rather than letting us get caught up in the romance and the mystery of the idea of an intergalactic navy, Feintuch puts us through endless iterations of the same theme: naval discipline is harsh and strict and strict and did we mention harsh because it's time for another "caning". It's not a world that you want to live it, but it's not written as a dystopia, or as cautionary message; it's written as plain fact, even as necessary. There's no progression towards a better future, no warning of things to come, no indiciation that the world will change, no reason to read the series. It gives me the same kind of queasy feelings that I got from the Gor books. You can take from that what you will. And as for the idea that it's a good antidote for our "hedonistic" society, and that the British Navy was able to rule the waves: Rum, sodomy and the lash were the hallmarks of the British Navy, and our military - where corporal punishment is forbidden - manages to do just fine on its own. -Darren MacLennan
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Summary: Overall - Interesting
Review: Having read the book I will say that I don't find it as bad (homoerotic) as claimed by several readers. Upon reflection on the book I will admit that it is *possible* to construe it that way, but you will really have to think about it to notice. What came to mind early on was 17th century British ships (which the book itself mentions in passing). I will agree that the punishment was severe and unstinting in the book, but left me with the impression of a long, drawn out life-is-a-beach narrative. A comment most heard here is 'Whiny' and 'Self Doubt'. This is true. However there is no more self doubt here than in the 'Hornblower' series, or 'Ender's Game', or the 'Tomas Covenant' series. It's just a ploy of the author to give the character in the book motivation and dimension. Not done well, but at least plausible. Neither is as good as many reviews have stated. This is definately space opera, pulp-fiction, dime-a-dozen story. There are no new ideas in the book, and the characters are pretty much one-dimensional in most cases. The plot is thin and I was able to think up in several of the crisises that came up simpler solutions to the problem at hand. The plot was definately unrealistically contorted with the points mentioned by previous reviewers. The part I felt most strongly about is the kid getting command of the starship in the first place. No modern military system comes to mind in which this could take place. Very unplausible. Overall, I'll give it four stars. It kept me up till 2:30 reading it but I won't read it again. I'll put it into the same catagory as 'Star Trek', 'Star Wars', and 'Stargate'. Very fun. Just don't expect too much depth.
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Summary: Midshipman's Hope is a great book.
Review: Midshipman's Hope is the most unique science fiction book I have ever read, it combines a mixture of highly detailed science fiction and harsh discipline on a Navy Spaceship in the vast depths of space. Nicholas Seafort, a young an inexperienced Midshipman finds he has to grow up a little sooner than expected, and the author has a magical way of putting across his struggle against despair, aliens and a crew who don't trust him. This is the kind of science fiction we need to see more of, going deeper into the relationships of a space bound starship crew, not just being centred round space exploration. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the alien contact in the book was limited to a few pages. I really enjoyed this book, watching the story line unfold, and Nick Seafort's slow descent into despair made this book stand out from many adventures similar to it. If you haven't read Midshipman's Hope, then you don't know what you are missing! Review By Alex Freeman.
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Summary: Great series but don't start it while on vacation!
Review: Okay, so like I'm going on vacation to visit the in-laws and decide to bring something to read just in case. I randomly pick up the book and read a comment or two about in the "grand tradition of Ender's Game" (Orson Scott Card) which I loved so I decide to give it a try even though the author is new to me. Man what a story! I could not put the book down. I finished it in like 3 nights. Next day, the wife wanted to go shopping, I give the obligatory groans but inside I'm hoping to find a bookstore. Yee ha! Found one and its well stocked. The 2nd book is just as good. The day before we are due to fly back, I told my wife I'd buy her that new dress... I think I finished the 3rd book as we were landing at LAX. Three books in just over a week. Sure glad we took pictures to remind me what we did during our vacation
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Summary: Horation Hornblower in Space
Review: If you put Horatio in space then this would be it. This is an honest military science fiction book without any nonsensical dialog or 'fantasy' type bs Just good straight action and adventure with an 18th century british naval flare. It rocks :)
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Summary: Overrated
Review: I think this book should have two sets of reviews, one set for those people who are in its target market (males under age 25) and another for everyone else. As someone in the "everyone else" category, I was not impressed. This is not the worst book ever written but it's pretty bad. The writing is decent but the lead character is unlikeable and uninteresting, the other characters are little more than cariacatures, spankings (yes, spankings) abound and contrivance is heaped upon contrivance in order to get our young "hero" in command of the spaceship.
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Summary: Just Short of a SF Tier One Effort
Review: I have long ago accepted that most tier 2 and tier 3 American SF eliminates minorities and other nationalities in their projection into the future. If they are mentioned they are sterotyped, made into minor charaters or not mentioned at all. To allow the United Nations to be the new government in the future would have to have two of the bigest populations on the planet Earth (Chinese, Indian, Islamists, Latinos, etc.,). Many of the most imaginative SF creations are marred by the lack of projecting homo sapian into the future in his many flavors. The fact that is was not done relegates the novel to second tier.
Still an interesting effort even though the main character needs to be a liitle more observant and less self-consuming. If not, his survival seems improbable, through all the trials and tribulations at such a young age. Honour Harrigan made me react emotionally positivly and hopefully for the future. This book makes me hope it is a little better then this in the world.
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Summary: Military Sci-Fi at its Finest.......
Review: I have read quite a bit of science fiction in 2002 and "Midshipman's Hope" by David Feintuch is the best by far. It is a swashbuckling tale of the high seas that trades the ocean for the cold vacuum of space. The book is populated by a host of fascinating, well-developed characters. The book is written in the first person narrated by the by the main character Nicholas Seafort. We first see him as a lowly, insecure midshipman and watch him rise through the ranks. Along the way he must confront more than his share of demons. His character is at times deeply sympathetic and at other times loathsome. However, he is never boring and always compelling. Another distinguishing aspect of the book is in his depiction of the brutal 18th century style discipline that is employed in Feintuch's universe. It is at oft times quite disturbing. Fans of the movie "Starship Troopers" will certainly recognize the similarities. Perhaps the finest aspect of this novel is that it tells a complete self-contained story even though it is but the first of many in the "Seafort Saga". This is not to say that it does not leave you wanting more which it certainly does. "Midshipman's Hope" is one of the best works in the genre of military sci-fi.
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