David Weber's Honor Harrington series

[Duodora]

Thanks to this forum, I've gotten tons of book suggestions (mostly sci-fi and fantasy, which is just fine for the moment)--and one I was intrigued by was the Honor Harrington series.

I've read the first two books in the series, and am slightly mixed. I absolutely love the character Honor. I think Weber's done an excellent job creating an absolutely likable character--one who the reader always has to root for. But I can't help but feel like he's created this amazing character, then made the books so action oriented that he shunts her aside.

I guess right now I'm craving a bit more personal attention--maybe more about Honor's friendships or relationships, and a bit more about what she's thinking and feeling.

Does this change/get added to as the series progresses?

For the most part, I like the series so far, I just keep coming away disappointed, and wishing there was a little bit more about the character, and less about the action.

Any comments or suggestions? Thanks!

Connie

[LeserattePD]

Yes, it will change as you go further into the series. You'll get to know Honor very well indeed.

I absolutely love Honor Harrington!

LeserattePD

[HarryT]

I think it started out very well, but has rather lost its way. Perhaps Mr. Weber feels likewise, given that it's so long since there was last a new book in the series.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think it started out very well, but has rather lost its way. Perhaps Mr. Weber feels likewise, given that it's so long since there was last a new book in the series.

Weber has several other irons in the fire, and would rather not write only Honor Harrington novels. The "March To" series he's been doing with John Ringo is still live, and there's the "Gbaba" series from Tor Books, among others.

Also, he's running out of stories to tell about Honor herself. Honor is based on both Horatio Hornblower and Admiral Lord Nelson, with a career paralleling both.

The original plan for the series had Honor dying heroically at the end, like Nelson at Trafalgar. That's been changed (though Weber's wife maintains a list of characters he may not kill off, and Honor's name isn't on it...) But meanwhile, given Honor's position, it's a little harder to come up with plausible reasons to put her in the kind of danger the books require.

Instead, he's been branching out, telling other stories set in that universe, focusing on other people besides Honor.
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Dennis

[Duodora]

Thanks for the replies! Don't get me wrong--I'm enjoying the series, I just feel like something's missing. Anyway, I think I'll stick with it, at least for a couple more books, and see what happens

Connie

[Elsi]

I'm only one book ahead of you. By the end of the third book, you'll have more insight into Honor herself. I just can't wait until I get to a book that tells me a lot more about treecats!

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Elsi

I'm only one book ahead of you. By the end of the third book, you'll have more insight into Honor herself. I just can't wait until I get to a book that tells me a lot more about treecats!

That information is scattered in a number of places. The story of the first treecat adoption of Honor's ancestor, how Queen Elizabeth was adopted by her treecat, and various other bits are in stories in various of the collections set in the Honorverse.
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Dennis

[wayrad]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Weber's wife maintains a list of characters he may not kill off, and Honor's name isn't on it...

Is Bahzell of the B****y Brogue on there?

[daffy4u]

Now, I want to read this series as well. Thanks a lot. I already have too many books backed up.

Uh, where can I get it?

Edit: Nevermind. Found it. I was looking for David Harrington as the author. Duh.

[slayda]

If you like the Honor series, you might want to check out Elisabeth Moon's "Heris Serrano series" at www.baen.com. I find some of her books similar to the Honor series but many are not yet in ebook format. (Note "Sheepfarmer's Daughter" & "The Deed of Paksenarrion" are totally different.)

As far as Weber is concerned, I'm waiting for the third in the Hell's Gate series.

[wayrad]

For what it's worth, Lois McMasters Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books tend to appeal to Honorverse fans too (and are, in my opinion, better - especially of late).

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by wayrad

Is Bahzell of the B****y Brogue on there?

Not that I'm aware of. The list is specific to the Honor Harrington series.
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Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Now, I want to read this series as well. Thanks a lot. I already have too many books backed up.

Uh, where can I get it?

Edit: Nevermind. Found it. I was looking for David Harrington as the author. Duh.

I believe the entire series is available through the Baen website in the Baen Free Library link.

Note that there are a number of books issued as part of the Library that aren't on the Baen website. They were included on various promotional CDs bound into selected Baen hardcovers. You can get the CDs as massive Zip files or as ISO images you can use to burn your own CD copy at The Fifth Imperium, a web site devoted to Weber's works. The site also offers the ability to see the contents of the CDs, and extract individual books.

And you are explicitly encouraged by Baen to copy and share the CDs, to further spread the word and promote the authors represented.
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Dennis

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

I believe the entire series is available through the Baen website in the Baen Free Library link.

Note that there are a number of books issued as part of the Library that aren't on the Baen website. They were included on various promotional CDs bound into selected Baen hardcovers. You can get the CDs as massive Zip files or as ISO images you can use to burn your own CD copy at The Fifth Imperium, a web site devoted to Weber's works. The site also offers the ability to see the contents of the CDs, and extract individual books.

And you are explicitly encouraged by Baen to copy and share the CDs, to further spread the word and promote the authors represented.
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Dennis

Cool. All that knowledge and cute little space bunny ears. Thanks!

[Liviu_5]

Next year there will be 3 Honorverse books. The first one Storm From the Shadows featuring Michelle Henke, and several others is already snippeted by Eric Flint on his site and on the Baen Bar newsgroups. In parallel there are two more, one written by Mr. Flint and featuring the Haven people's commissar - he has a fancy name now - Victor Cachat and the last with Honor herself.
So lots of goodies to come...