David Weber

[Hatgirl]

Originally Posted by Strether

What do you suppose Weber had in mind when he wrote the Oath of Swords fantasy trilogy, where the protagonist sounds like he was in a Maeve Binchy novel?

Jim

I attempted to read Weber's "In Fury Born/Path of The Fury" this week. He has both a monarchy and terrible faux-Irish culture in that *shudder*

I thought he only used the concept of a benevolent peerage so that he could recreate the circumstances of The Napoleonic War in the Honor Harrington series. But after reading "In Fury Born"... good grief, I think he actually believes the whole noble lord/evil politician thing

[bfisher]

Monarchy and oligarchy are very common in science fiction future histories. Given how common these forms of government are in history, relative to democracy, it shouldn't be surprising.

[Hatgirl]

Originally Posted by bfisher

Monarchy and oligarchy are very common in science fiction future histories. Given how common these forms of government are in history, relative to democracy, it shouldn't be surprising.

My complaint isn't that there are monarchies in his books. It's the nobility=pure goodness, bureaucrats=pure evil attitude I object to. It's lazy.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by morriss003

And if you like that, this is free;

http://www.archive.org/details/cambr...dieva009698mbp

I just took a look at that book and it is just ver very poorly formatted. It's in no way good enough to put up with it.

[Dimwit]

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

My complaint isn't that there are monarchies in his books. It's the nobility=pure goodness, bureaucrats=pure evil attitude I object to. It's lazy.

Considering all the trials and tribulations Honor has with the so called nobles of that self same monarchy, I can't see him expousing "goodness". A) it's just a story, and B) read further before writing the whole thing off. You've only skimmed the surface of the political spectrum in the Honorverse.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

It's the nobility=pure goodness, bureaucrats=pure evil attitude I object to.

Nobility, pure goodness? Bureaucrats, pure evil? I'm not sure what series you are referring to but this is not the case in the Honor Harrington series he wrote. You have good and bad in both of these groups you characterized.

[morriss003]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just took a look at that book and it is just ver very poorly formatted. It's in no way good enough to put up with it.

I'm really sorry to hear that. I read the entire series in college (there are about 12 volumes) and it was the finest education I received in college. I recently read the two part condensed version which I purchased on ebay. Still excellent. I just cannot imagine anyone being really educated in western history without having read them.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by morriss003

I'm really sorry to hear that. I read the entire series in college (there are about 12 volumes) and it was the finest education I received in college. I recently read the two part condensed version which I purchased on ebay. Still excellent. I just cannot imagine anyone being really educated in western history without having read them.

It certainly is possible to be well educated in Western History without having read Bury, just as it's possible to be well educated in the history of Roman Empire without having read Gibbon. The same information is available from more modern authors.

Bury's advantage is that he is in P.D. and thus has the e-books available for free. The down side is that free doesn't mean well scanned or formatted. The other downside is that our understanding of history has changed quite a bit since 1911. Personally, I find that Bauer's books give a nice over all frame work of the same period, which can be filled in by narrower focused books, such as Freeman's "The Closing of the Western Mind" and Brownworth's "Lost to the West".

But of course, this all is way off topic.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Personally, I find that Bauer's books give a nice over all frame work of the same period, which can be filled in by narrower focused books. . . .

If you mean Susan Wise Bauer, then I agree. Her two survey books are excellent and give a wonderful frame for ancient history through the Middle Ages.

For anyone who is interested, there finally is an excellent and comprehensive biography of Saladin available: Saladin by Anne-Marie Edde. It doesn't seem to be available yet as an ebook (I'm reading it in hardcover), but it is so well done that it is worth either buying in hardcover or making special note to watch for an ebook version.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by rhadin

If you mean Susan Wise Bauer, then I agree. Her two survey books are excellent and give a wonderful frame for ancient history through the Middle Ages.

For anyone who is interested, there finally is an excellent and comprehensive biography of Saladin available: Saladin by Anne-Marie Edde. It doesn't seem to be available yet as an ebook (I'm reading it in hardcover), but it is so well done that it is worth either buying in hardcover or making special note to watch for an ebook version.

Yep, that's who I mean. I'll make a note and try to get the Saladin book when it comes out in ebook. It sounds interesting. Somehow, I suspect that reality won't quite match the legend, just like Richard the Lion hearted.

[Nyssa]

Tomorrow (or later today) I will be reentering the Honorverse after a very long absence and have decided to include all of the anthologies, sub-series, etc. I will be reading the entire series in chronological order story-line wise.

I already have the anthology : More Than Honor, which includes the first story "A Beautiful Friendship", however, I see that Weber released a novel with the same name, last year.

Have any of you read the novel, does it make a difference and would you recommend it over the short story??

Feed back much appreciated.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I already have the anthology : More Than Honor, which includes the first story "A Beautiful Friendship", however, I see that Weber released a novel with the same name, last year.

Have any of you read the novel, does it make a difference and would you recommend it over the short story??

Feed back much appreciated.

I've read it. If I recall the original short correctly the novel contains all of it and then expands on it to make the first entry in the new Honorverse young adult series. Do you plan on reading the YA series (they'll be written by Jane Linskold IIRC)? If so then I'd read the novel. If not, I don't know that you'll care about the stuff not in the short since it goes towards setting up the new series.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I've read it. If I recall the original short correctly the novel contains all of it and then expands on it to make the first entry in the new Honorverse young adult series. Do you plan on reading the YA series (they'll be written by Jane Linskold IIRC)? If so then I'd read the novel. If not, I don't know that you'll care about the stuff not in the short since it goes towards setting up the new series.

Ah..okay. No, I probably won't read the new series. I'll stick with the short story. Thanks.

[mewmartigan]

A Rising Thunder is my next book....I really enjoyed the offshoots Shadow of Saganami and Storm from the Shadows. They take place much later chronologically (near book 10 or so) but they were easily as good or better than some of the main line books.

[Nyssa]

I'm actually starting with "The Universe of Honor Harrington". It is a background essay included in the More Than Honor anthology. I have admittedly skipped over the extremely technical sections and am concentrating on the historical, civic, and political sections.

Weber sure packed in a lot of info. It's almost more of a companion guide than an essay.