OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retorical)

El_Phil · #1 April 11th, 2005, 06:37 AM

OK Here's a question? David Webber, paticularly the Honor Harrington books. Are the first two representative of the entire series?

Because I like the writing style, but the actual plot grates slightly. I think it just comes down to a main character who is never ever wrong and is doing an audition of universe's most perfect person. I did enjoy the two on the Baen free library but.. I don't know I just got the feeling that the rest of the series would be a bit formulaic. Any comments?

Makinus · #2 April 11th, 2005, 09:15 AM

Quote:

El_Phil said:
OK Here's a question? David Webber, paticularly the Honor Harrington books. Are the first two representative of the entire series?

Because I like the writing style, but the actual plot grates slightly. I think it just comes down to a main character who is never ever wrong and is doing an audition of universe's most perfect person. I did enjoy the two on the Baen free library but.. I don't know I just got the feeling that the rest of the series would be a bit formulaic. Any comments?

Take my opinion with a grain of salt as i�m a big fan of Honor Harrington, but i alway tought the best books in the sereis were the first one (On Basilisk Station) and the one entitled "The Flag in Exile" (I can�t remember if it is the fourth or fifth of the series), another very good one is the "Echoes of Honor", and while the first 3 novels are a little "formulaic" in nature, from the fourth onwards you have very different plots from a novel to the next.... but don�t expect for Honor Harrington attitude to change, as in all the books she is like the perfect hero...

I myself love the Honor Harrington books, i read all the 10 books of the series, and started to read the subseries based in the same universe, i heartly recommend the series to anyone ...

Iron Giant · #3 April 11th, 2005, 10:05 AM

Quote:

El_Phil said:
OK Here's a question? David Webber, paticularly the Honor Harrington books. Are the first two representative of the entire series?

Because I like the writing style, but the actual plot grates slightly. I think it just comes down to a main character who is never ever wrong and is doing an audition of universe's most perfect person. I did enjoy the two on the Baen free library but.. I don't know I just got the feeling that the rest of the series would be a bit formulaic. Any comments?

I got to around book 6 or so. It is a bit formulaic and after a while I want to slap her in the head. She is NEVER wrong. If she has a disagreement about anything (military strategy, politics, etc.) with anyone, not matter how long they have been in the military or political field, she is always, always right. Her nobility and self sacrifice help to like her, but her constant.... "rightness", even if she IS right, is grating. No one is that right. But I did enjoy the first 6 books, but I didn't finish the last one I got and won't read another.

Iron Giant · #4 April 11th, 2005, 10:17 AM

To participate in the original thread:

I just finished "Speaker for the Dead" - Orson Scott Card's sequel to my favorite SciFi book ever, "Ender's Game". I was told that "Speaker for the Dead" was better than "Ender's Game". Um, not imho. "Jane" was cool. The porquinhos were interesting, but it really didn't have the same draw to me.

I'm still trying to finish "Histories" by Herodotus. The story is really dragging through the Greek / Babylonian war. I'm 2/3 of the way through, I'll probably finish by the summer. The introduction even warns you that the first half of his book is the better part, but the 2nd siege of Babylon was worth reading...

Emperor's Child · #5 April 11th, 2005, 10:26 AM

I have to say that Card's "Speaker for the Dead" is a must read for anybody who is interested in SE... Good background, good fodder for military strategy.

I'm currently re-reading Niven's "Mote in God's Eye," and am very surprised on how it works for a SE setting (ie: ships use warp points at the edges of the system). That and the author spins a really-good yarn about a first contact scenario. I'd highly recommend this book to anybody who has found SE(series) to be an enjoyable game, this will be an enjoyable read.

Iron Giant · #6 April 11th, 2005, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Emperor's Child said:
I have to say that Card's "Speaker for the Dead" is a must read for anybody who is interested in SE... Good background, good fodder for military strategy.

I'm currently re-reading Niven's "Mote in God's Eye," and am very surprised on how it works for a SE setting (ie: ships use warp points at the edges of the system). That and the author spins a really-good yarn about a first contact scenario. I'd highly recommend this book to anybody who has found SE(series) to be an enjoyable game, this will be an enjoyable read.

Mote was good. Its sequel was good too. "Well look at that, the horse DID learn to sing..."

But "Speaker" as military strategy? There wasn't any military period. Did we read the same book?

Ron_Lugge · #7 April 11th, 2005, 01:21 PM

Honor is hardly "always right".

Right most of the time, sure.

But she is not "always right". SPOILERS:

Point in case: second book she tries to kill prisoners. Fourth book: She looses her temper (in a long-time bad mood rather than murderous rampage way) to kill someone else.

On another topic, I wish this forum had spoiler tags...

And I strongly recomend anything by David Weber, and most of Orson Scott Card (I haven't read his "religious" works like Sarah, but his Ender's Game and Shadow quadriligies are good, as is his homecoming / seventh son series).

Emperor's Child · #8 April 11th, 2005, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Iron Giant said:
But "Speaker" as military strategy? There wasn't any military period. Did we read the same book?

I'm not kidding. Speaker for the dead (or was it Enders game? can't recall exactly) is on a list of books recommended for professional military reading within the USMC due to its strategic warfare conceptual discussion. (at least it was about 3 years ago last time I saw the list)

Edit: Out of curiosity I looked it up: Enders Game and Starship troopers are both still on the list. The former for training concepts, the latter for its tactical concepts. They are considered easy / light reading on the subjects.

Iron Giant · #9 April 12th, 2005, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Edit: Out of curiosity I looked it up: Enders Game and Starship troopers are both still on the list. The former for training concepts, the latter for its tactical concepts. They are considered easy / light reading on the subjects.

Ok, Ender's Game makes sense at tactical strategy.

PS: you might do others a favor and edit out the ending to Enders Game in your last post......