Scan barcode
0uterspacebookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kathydavie's review
4.0
With four short stories, In Fire Forged is fifth in the anthology series, Worlds of Honor, and a spinoff from the Honor Harrington military science-fiction series. I wanted to make this a 3.5, but that wouldn't be fair to the other three good stories in this anthology just because I'm unthrilled with Presby's contribution.
Series:
"Ruthless" (follows from Worlds of Honor 4: "Promised Land")
"An Act of War" (Honor Harrington, 9.5)
"Let's Dance" (Honor Harrington, 3.5; Nimitz doesn't have his skinsuit yet)
The Stories
Jane Lindskold's "Ruthless" is a plot to force Manticore out of their alliance with Grayson by kidnapping Judith's daughter, Ruth. Getting her daughter back will require that Judith get Crown Prince Michael to act like an ass in public and denounce the policies of his sister, Queen Elizabeth.
This is a sweet love story between Michael and Judith. Michael fell for her in In the Service of the Sword: "Promised Land" (Worlds of Honor 4) when Judith and a rebellious pack of Masadan wives plotted to escape their husbands. Learning enough to take over a space ship and blast out of Masada space, Michael and his fellow crewmates rescued the ladies and their children when Masadan forces came after them.
Timothy Zahn's "An Act of War" takes place on the Peeps side with a Solarian, Charles Dozewah, scamming a sale of advanced military technology to the Peeps and being forced to "prove" it works. Caught up by StateSec and then the Andermani as Charles' scheme becomes more and more complex, Charles has left a tell that unravels everything.
I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the Andermani in "An Act of War". In the Honor Harrington series chronology, Honor has just escaped from the Peeps' prison in Ashes of Victory, 9.
David Weber's "Let's Dance" finds Commander Honor Harrington partnering up with some strange bedfellows much to the dismay of her crew. The Audubon Ballroom's primary goal of freeing the slaves genetically designed by Manpower, Inc. is lauded by many Manitcorans and Peeps. The manner in which they go about it is not. The Ballroom treats fire with fire, and the atrocities on both sides are horrendous. In "Let's Dance", Honor continually questions her actions, but continues on the moral high ground going against orders.
I enjoyed "Let's Dance" for its moral courage, although I'm disappointed that nothing happened with Commodore Teschendorff. Honor's final encounter with him was a bit too subtle for me as well. Lots of action with a bit of the cloak-and-dagger when she initiates her inquiry through the model sailing ship builder, Betsy.
Andy Presby's "An Introduction to Modern Starship Armor Design" is a laudable attempt to read like a white paper on the evolution of weapons and armoring capability, but it falls short in a number of ways: Presby inserts too many personal thoughts with half-thought-out references. The language is perfect as it was incredibly difficult to read with "any" ease — my eyes kept glazing over. Unfortunately, I think Presby's eyes must have glazed over as he needed a copyeditor to point out the ill-fitting articles and word choices. What he "revealed" was also uneven. In-depth in some areas and skimming in others. If you are going to create an account, be thorough about it or make it shorter. Consider inserting [see Appendix 9.5b.7cxj] or something similar to fill those gaps. A much better version exists in "Worlds of Honor 1: Universe of Honor Harrington". Feels like the publisher threw this in to pad out the book.
The Cover
A typical Baen publications cover with Honor dashing to the rescue, laser pistol blasting away.
Series:
"Ruthless" (follows from Worlds of Honor 4: "Promised Land")
"An Act of War" (Honor Harrington, 9.5)
"Let's Dance" (Honor Harrington, 3.5; Nimitz doesn't have his skinsuit yet)
The Stories
Jane Lindskold's "Ruthless" is a plot to force Manticore out of their alliance with Grayson by kidnapping Judith's daughter, Ruth. Getting her daughter back will require that Judith get Crown Prince Michael to act like an ass in public and denounce the policies of his sister, Queen Elizabeth.
This is a sweet love story between Michael and Judith. Michael fell for her in In the Service of the Sword: "Promised Land" (Worlds of Honor 4) when Judith and a rebellious pack of Masadan wives plotted to escape their husbands. Learning enough to take over a space ship and blast out of Masada space, Michael and his fellow crewmates rescued the ladies and their children when Masadan forces came after them.
Timothy Zahn's "An Act of War" takes place on the Peeps side with a Solarian, Charles Dozewah, scamming a sale of advanced military technology to the Peeps and being forced to "prove" it works. Caught up by StateSec and then the Andermani as Charles' scheme becomes more and more complex, Charles has left a tell that unravels everything.
I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the Andermani in "An Act of War". In the Honor Harrington series chronology, Honor has just escaped from the Peeps' prison in Ashes of Victory, 9.
David Weber's "Let's Dance" finds Commander Honor Harrington partnering up with some strange bedfellows much to the dismay of her crew. The Audubon Ballroom's primary goal of freeing the slaves genetically designed by Manpower, Inc. is lauded by many Manitcorans and Peeps. The manner in which they go about it is not. The Ballroom treats fire with fire, and the atrocities on both sides are horrendous. In "Let's Dance", Honor continually questions her actions, but continues on the moral high ground going against orders.
I enjoyed "Let's Dance" for its moral courage, although I'm disappointed that nothing happened with Commodore Teschendorff. Honor's final encounter with him was a bit too subtle for me as well. Lots of action with a bit of the cloak-and-dagger when she initiates her inquiry through the model sailing ship builder, Betsy.
Andy Presby's "An Introduction to Modern Starship Armor Design" is a laudable attempt to read like a white paper on the evolution of weapons and armoring capability, but it falls short in a number of ways: Presby inserts too many personal thoughts with half-thought-out references. The language is perfect as it was incredibly difficult to read with "any" ease — my eyes kept glazing over. Unfortunately, I think Presby's eyes must have glazed over as he needed a copyeditor to point out the ill-fitting articles and word choices. What he "revealed" was also uneven. In-depth in some areas and skimming in others. If you are going to create an account, be thorough about it or make it shorter. Consider inserting [see Appendix 9.5b.7cxj] or something similar to fill those gaps. A much better version exists in "Worlds of Honor 1: Universe of Honor Harrington". Feels like the publisher threw this in to pad out the book.
The Cover
A typical Baen publications cover with Honor dashing to the rescue, laser pistol blasting away.
mjfmjfmjf's review
3.0
Only three stories in this collection, plus a treatise on armor and missiles. But I had hoped for something better. Perhaps this series has ran out of steam. Or perhaps I've changed as a reader. The stories seemed rough and clipped and not quite true to the verse. 3.5 of 5.
lizabethstucker's review
4.0
Set in the Honor Harrington universe as created by David Weber.
Charles Dozewah, aka Charles Navarre, is on the People’s Republic of Haven to arrange a sale of something that could help with the war against Manticore. Before he can complete the deal, Charles is arrested by State Security. He convinces St. Juste to allow him to help pull the Armandanis into the mix.
But everything isn’t as it seems. It was nice to see some of the back story that was happening when Honor Harrington first was revealed to be still alive. Charles is truly an extraordinary person. As most conmen and spies go, he’s definitely one of the best. 4 out of 5.
Charles Dozewah, aka Charles Navarre, is on the People’s Republic of Haven to arrange a sale of something that could help with the war against Manticore. Before he can complete the deal, Charles is arrested by State Security. He convinces St. Juste to allow him to help pull the Armandanis into the mix.
But everything isn’t as it seems. It was nice to see some of the back story that was happening when Honor Harrington first was revealed to be still alive. Charles is truly an extraordinary person. As most conmen and spies go, he’s definitely one of the best. 4 out of 5.
rrjchristopher's review
3.0
Not the place to begin with what is now called the Honorverse, since the stories mostly provide backstory for threads in the main sequence novels, and sequels for stories in previous novels (simultaneously for two of them, which isn't a bad trick). For those familiar with the series, though, a good read.I particularly liked Harrington's first encounter with the Audubon Ballroom. My cousin (an engineering student) liked the section on starship armor, but I dropped out halfway through.
sjlee's review against another edition
2.0
The fifth book in the Worlds of Honor series consists of four short stories.
"Ruthless" Then Crown Prince Michael Winton in his service in the Royal Manitocoran Navy and Judith Newland, shortly after her escaping Masadan captivity. Agents kidnap Ruth; Michael and his best friend and fellow serviceman go on a wild goose chase. I did not enjoy this story. It is emotionally overwrought, the plot/conspiracy at the heart of it is not particularly interesting. It does not expand the universe in a meaningful way.
"An Act of War" An unusual arms tech dealer arrives on Haven and offers a revolutionary technology to the Havenite government. Oscar Saint-Just plans to use the technology to build tensions between the Andermanni and Manticorans. I found this story alright. A problem with the story is that is set in the past compared to where the books are. There is no tension. We know they won't go to war and there won't be an incident, so... where is this going?
"'Let's Dance!'" A Honor Harrington story set early in her career as she engages in a diplomatic mission in the Silesian Confederacy. The premise of the story is interesting: trying to deal with the complicated, corrupt power structure of Silesia. I did not find this story terribly satisfying. Honor Harrington is often (and perhaps rightfully) accused of being a Mary Sue. It makes the plot predictable. I think failure would have been more intriguing and a better motivator.
"An Introduction to Modern Starship Armor Design" This is a narrative technobabble dump, but I found it oddly compelling. It was my favourite of the four entries in the collection, which should say it all. Written as a research summary of the development of military armor shows the complexity and thoroughness of the series/universe.
Overall I'd say this is a book worth skipping for fans of the Honorverse.
"Ruthless" Then Crown Prince Michael Winton in his service in the Royal Manitocoran Navy and Judith Newland, shortly after her escaping Masadan captivity. Agents kidnap Ruth; Michael and his best friend and fellow serviceman go on a wild goose chase. I did not enjoy this story. It is emotionally overwrought, the plot/conspiracy at the heart of it is not particularly interesting. It does not expand the universe in a meaningful way.
"An Act of War" An unusual arms tech dealer arrives on Haven and offers a revolutionary technology to the Havenite government. Oscar Saint-Just plans to use the technology to build tensions between the Andermanni and Manticorans. I found this story alright. A problem with the story is that is set in the past compared to where the books are. There is no tension. We know they won't go to war and there won't be an incident, so... where is this going?
"'Let's Dance!'" A Honor Harrington story set early in her career as she engages in a diplomatic mission in the Silesian Confederacy. The premise of the story is interesting: trying to deal with the complicated, corrupt power structure of Silesia. I did not find this story terribly satisfying. Honor Harrington is often (and perhaps rightfully) accused of being a Mary Sue. It makes the plot predictable. I think failure would have been more intriguing and a better motivator.
"An Introduction to Modern Starship Armor Design" This is a narrative technobabble dump, but I found it oddly compelling. It was my favourite of the four entries in the collection, which should say it all. Written as a research summary of the development of military armor shows the complexity and thoroughness of the series/universe.
Overall I'd say this is a book worth skipping for fans of the Honorverse.
peregrineace's review against another edition
4.0
It was fun to go back to an "earlier" version of Honor Harrington and fill in one of the few missing chapters of her military career. It was also nice to see Weber tackle something based more on a personal judgement call than the one-true-path being clear as day, although there's very little doubt about how she'll choose and that the powers-that-be will engineer a backhanded "punishment". 4 stars.
Zahn's story seemed overly simple at first and got better and more complex as it went. It's been awhile since I've read the other HH short story collections, so it took a quick Google to recall that his lead character is one we've seen before, with a lot of questions unanswered. 4 stars.
I was only slightly less absorbed with Lindskold's story and it was a solid fill-in-the-blanks connection to the Crown of Slaves spinoff. It was also tightly written relative to Weber's penchant for info dumps, which I appreciated. 3.5 stars.
Zahn's story seemed overly simple at first and got better and more complex as it went. It's been awhile since I've read the other HH short story collections, so it took a quick Google to recall that his lead character is one we've seen before, with a lot of questions unanswered. 4 stars.
I was only slightly less absorbed with Lindskold's story and it was a solid fill-in-the-blanks connection to the Crown of Slaves spinoff. It was also tightly written relative to Weber's penchant for info dumps, which I appreciated. 3.5 stars.
bethmitcham's review
3.0
I liked the first story by Lindskold, but found the next two hard slogs (by Zahn and Weber). The final "story" was a mind-numbingly boring "history" of technical design of imaginary space battle ships. Yawn.
More...