On Basilisk Station, David Weber

GWC Community GWC Book Club
#21

I’ve just finished reading On Basilisk Station. I enjoyed it enough to continue to the second book. But, and maybe it’s because I read the html version, it seems poorly spaced (text formatting wise). And, there were obvious gaps or mistakes in the formatting at times (cut-offs for example).

That said, I enjoyed the space battle more than the ground battle. Loved the character interactions though. I’m not sure if I’ll continue after the second unless the second book is somehow better than the first.

#22

Eh this is basic HTML; of course it’s going to have spacing and formatting problems. I’ve noticed the cut-off problem in other books I’ve read in html too, not sure what’s up there. It’s not really too bad, imho.

That said, I enjoyed the space battle more than the ground battle. Loved the character interactions though. I’m not sure if I’ll continue after the second unless the second book is somehow better than the first.

I think the second book is better, myself. It introduces the Graysons, who are fairly important to the story, and starts to develop the more seasoned Honor Harrington you see later in the series.

Joe

#23

The cut-offs made the book feel cheaper, less polished through no fault of it’s own imo.

I’m one chapter into the second book. Love the mother. Plus, I’m beginning to wonder whether I’ll see the origins of Gone Berserk. ^^

#24

Gone Berserk? What’s that? Anyway, I wouldn’t say a book is cheaper simply because the (free) ebook has a few issues, heh :slight_smile: Besides, that’s not an indication of lower-quality authors so much as lower-quality editors.

Joe

#25

You make a good point. I should clarify that I wasn’t trying to fault the author.

Sorry, I was making an EVE reference with Gone Berserk. It’s a mission that asks the player to kill wave after wave of crazy zealots.

#26

Haha, well there is plenty of that certainly. :slight_smile:

Joe

#27

I just finished At All Costs (the 11th book in the mainline series). I suppose you could consider

[SPOILER]
the Honor/White Haven romantic entanglement
[/SPOILER]

fairly soap-opera-ish, but it doesn’t play a huge role in the books. At first, it’s more to explain Honor’s motivations for certain actions, but in War of Honor and At All Costs, it plays a bit more of a role.

I’m not a fan of soap operas and I didn’t see much of a problem with it, so take that for what it’s worth.

#28

That’s fairly late in the series (though the setup for it is in In Enemy Hands). I don’t think there’s any need to “warn” people about something that only becomes significant in War of Honor and At All Costs. Besides, then they might be turned off and miss out on In Enemy Hands and Echos of Honor :slight_smile: Not to mention Ashes of Victory.

Joe

#29

I’m typing this as I read Book 2. I enjoyed chapter 8. Perhaps because it makes me hopeful that we have “Moderates” in real life as open-minded and honest, among other attributes, as Yanakov.

With regard to Houseman, are there any intelligent Liberals or Progressives in the Honorverse?

Just finished Book and I definitely enjoyed it better than Book 1. It could be that Book 1 felt slower, more mundane because it had so many characters and conventions to introduce. I even enjoyed the ground battles as much as the space battles in Book 2. I guess I’ll have to make a trip to the library to pick up Books 3 and 4.

Lol! I just reread my previous post about Gone Berserk. Someone on the Eve developer team gotta be a Honorverse fan. (:

[SPOILER]Great day! How many people did Nimitz and Honor take down in that fist fight?

Before I read chapter 26, I wondered whether the capture and rescue of Madrigal’s crew was “filler.” Well, I don’t think it’s filler anymore…[/SPOILER]

#30

There are; they just don’t control the Liberal or Progressive party leadership. There’s more about them in the later books (starting with War of Honor) and also in the spinoff series and some of the anthologies.

[SPOILER]Great day! How many people did Nimitz and Honor take down in that fist fight?

A lot, I’m sure. [spoiler]That fight spelled the final doom of Grayson’s prejudices against women, lol. It’s hard to argue that women are inferior after the news plays footage of a women killing over a dozen assassins and rescuing their planetary leader, then going on to save everyone else on the planet from nuclear bombardment.[/spoiler]

Joe

#31

I found out about the the books from Sean on the “Eve” podcast, and it sounded like I would like it. So, I ordered the ebook the next day so I could read it on my Ipod. I was impressed, I really liked the universe the books are set in, they remind me of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle’s “Mote in God’s Eye” and the “Gripping Hand” books. Both those books have a very well thought out universe attached to them. Plus, Jerry Pournelle has a number of other books set in that same universe which are very good.

I am currently on book 9 “Ashes of Victory.” And I am looking forward to the rest of the Honor Harrington books.

#32

I had never heard of Honor Harrington before the podcast, but I’ve blown through 10 books and I’m now finishing up At All Costs this weekend. What a great series, and I have GWC to thank for it. You guys are the best in the 'verse.

#33

I’m currently on Book 9. When I started the series, I totally expected the war to be over somewhere between Books 3 and 6. I’m not saying I’m getting bored with the series, but the more interesting aspects are becoming more interspersed between pages of characters created and developed for the sole purpose of dying 20-50 pages later. I will say that that has yet to happen within the first 8 chapters of Book 9 fortunately.

However, I find as I read from Book 3 to 8, I’m caring less and less for interactions on random Peep bridges than I do for the core characters. I understand Weber is trying to build the story up and everything. Yet, it’s getting to the point where I’m reading sequential books for the sole purpose of finishing the darn series, as good as the series is. ^^

It definitely gets a angsty, if not completely soap opera-y, in books 7 and 8.

#34

I got into the series after the podcast as well. Recently finished book 4 but I have to order book 5 in from overseas. Apparently there isn’t a copy in Australia I can buy. Don’t really want to wait 6 weeks for it to come in as the series is so dam awesome. But there isn’t much else I can do.

#35

http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/17-StormfromtheShadowsCD/StormfromtheShadowsCD/

This CD has all of the current Honorverse books in electronic formats (except, ironically, Storm from the Shadows). And thanks to Baen’s policies, it’s perfectly okay to share the CD with others.

#36

Picked up “Basilisk” after hearing the EVE-podcast, blew through it, AND the second. Can’t wait to get the 3rd. I’m loving these books.

#37

I’ve just finished Echoes of Honor. I’m jonesing for the next book. I’ve ordered it days ago and I expected it to arrive to day. Hopefully it’ll come tomorrow. I’ve got Worlds of Honor to read if it doesn’t come but I’d rather read the main series.

Just a little question should I read the “spin off” books, Saganami and Wages of Sin, after I finish At All Costs or should read the books in published order.

#38

I finished book 9, Ashes of Victory, about 3 weeks ago and I think I’m done with the series. I might try to read More Than Honor (dealing with treecats) one day. After the 5th book, I just wanted some closure to the series, but the storyline kept dragging on. Most of it is entertaining and interesting, yet much of it felt filler-ish.

I’m glad I read the ones I read. But, wow some of it was a chore to get through.

#39

I’m currently listening to War of Honor and so far it’s my least favorite book. There is WAY too much talk and not enough action. The political aspects of the Highridge government are very boring, IMO. Still, there’s plenty of time for it to pick up.

#40

Heh. David Weber does have issues with filler. He can be a really awesome writer. . .when he tries. The problem is he writes so many books in a year that his books end up being more of a stream of consiousness sort of thing, and the characters simply act out his own thought processes.