travelgirlut's review against another edition
3.0
The first half was lots of politicking and blahdy blahdy blah. But once everyone gets out into space things pick up. And the end is downright tense. Though you know Honor has to survive since there are more books in the series, you never know who else is going to die, and die they do! Sadnesses all around.
katmarhan's review against another edition
4.0
A more complex book than the previous entries in this series, in my opinion. Not only the ever-evolving relationships between Honor and her crew, but with Nimitz and his mate as well. Throw in pirates, honorable Peeps, POWs, nasty bullies who get what's coming to them, a glimpse into the Andermani Empire, and old personal enemies faced anew and you have a rip-roaring good story with plenty of twists and turns.
9/10 on my personal raring scale.
9/10 on my personal raring scale.
edb14's review against another edition
4.0
Once again, Weber mixes up his formula and gives Honor a task that reveals more of her command skills and personality while also not making her the linchpin of the universe. Honor returns from her forced exile to take up command of a lowly converted merchantman and is sent off to fight pirates while the "real" war wages on behind her. I enjoyed the up-close view of her crew and the nuances of command that this setup allows, a view that hasn't been showcased in Weber's work since the first novel in the series. The forays into other people's heads and problems seem less like plot cul-de-sacs in this one because they all relate back to Honor's command problems on her ships, and it was fun getting to see a lowly rating's perspective on the infamous Honor Harrington. Weber also used the opportunity to humanize several of Honor's recurring antagonists, both from the Manticoran side and the Havenite side. All of these are fun additions and help this novel to be an extenuation of Honor's adventures without once again placing her at the center of an all-important conflict.
Some of the set pieces are beginning to grate on me, though. Weber continuously introduces and characterizes characters, complete with first and last names and ranks, and expects us to remember all of them, even though their primary purpose is to admire Honor and then eventually to die horribly when her ship gets shot up. Several old characters are also brought back from previous novels, and I had to strain very hard to place their names with their roles from the plot of the first book. Predictably, most of the newly introduced characters are killed off, along with a smattering of our old friends (though none of the really integral ones) in a pattern that has been fairly predictable since the third novel. I suppose it is still effective, but the blatant whipsawing of emotions that Weber is going for is beginning to irk me.
Weber's prose style is also becoming more long-winded and tedious with each installment. He spends more and more time on the inner thoughts of characters, often for 5 or 6 pages at a time, while skipping over actual command decisions and actions. His chapters seem more like vignettes, blocked off from any actual plot progression. You never see how characters move from one place to another; they simply appear there at the start of their vignette, thinking about plot points that happened over the last several days that we were not permitted to see. Its like a very grand-scale passive voice that infuses the whole novel. Its not a deal-breaker, but each novel is getting longer and slower because of it. Skimming back over the pages of the first book, I was shocked at how much faster-paced it seemed.
None of this has ruined the series for me. I am still ready for the next installment, but I can feel my enthusiasm waning and my pace slowing. I will probably start reading other things and will finish this series at a more leisurely pace when I feel I have time.
Some of the set pieces are beginning to grate on me, though. Weber continuously introduces and characterizes characters, complete with first and last names and ranks, and expects us to remember all of them, even though their primary purpose is to admire Honor and then eventually to die horribly when her ship gets shot up. Several old characters are also brought back from previous novels, and I had to strain very hard to place their names with their roles from the plot of the first book. Predictably, most of the newly introduced characters are killed off, along with a smattering of our old friends (though none of the really integral ones) in a pattern that has been fairly predictable since the third novel. I suppose it is still effective, but the blatant whipsawing of emotions that Weber is going for is beginning to irk me.
Weber's prose style is also becoming more long-winded and tedious with each installment. He spends more and more time on the inner thoughts of characters, often for 5 or 6 pages at a time, while skipping over actual command decisions and actions. His chapters seem more like vignettes, blocked off from any actual plot progression. You never see how characters move from one place to another; they simply appear there at the start of their vignette, thinking about plot points that happened over the last several days that we were not permitted to see. Its like a very grand-scale passive voice that infuses the whole novel. Its not a deal-breaker, but each novel is getting longer and slower because of it. Skimming back over the pages of the first book, I was shocked at how much faster-paced it seemed.
None of this has ruined the series for me. I am still ready for the next installment, but I can feel my enthusiasm waning and my pace slowing. I will probably start reading other things and will finish this series at a more leisurely pace when I feel I have time.
vintonole's review against another edition
4.0
Started slow, with many threads and diversions, but the action starting half-way through was certainly worth it. Probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite book in the series.
imitira's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, so this one starts to stretch the plot past the point of good sense in pursuit of dramatic scenes. But at least there's some interesting secondary character development, which is just as well, since we also advance with the blithe killing off of relatively important secondary characters for pathos.
tuftymctavish's review against another edition
4.0
If the last book had far too much scene setting, this just gets in and on with things much quicker. Loads of action scenes and space battles which I like a lot, overall a fairly fast paced adventure, but a bit too much 'light in their eyes' communication and hoo-rah, honour-based conduct. That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading it in concentrated spurts.
sleeping_while_awake's review against another edition
3.0
Honor Among Enemies read simpler than previous Honor books. There seemed to be less substance, less antagonist povs and political plotting.
Pirate ships have been attacking merchant ships around Silesia, many of them Manticoran. Because of the war, the military doesn't have many resources spare. Due to the insistence of the wealthy merchants, the Manticores re-fit some merchant ships with heavy firepower, and a few other modifications. These ships, known as Q-ships, should be able to deceive the pirate ships from far away. However, the Q-ships will not be able to withstand any true battle engagement.
It's seen as a long shot, and of course, when the question comes up as to whom should pilot this timebomb, Honor Harrington's name comes up. Honor decides to take the challenge. It's even more challenging when her crew are a mix of newbies and troublemakers - whatever the military could spare.
There is a subplot with a young crewmember and a bully. It was a little middle school like, but it was still entertaining to read. I can't remember the last time a person over 13 used the term "snotnose" to insult anyone.
Maybe I am forgetting how villains were written in scifi books in the 90s? It's offsetting to have a character call his victim snotnose, and then also have enemy ships which rape the crews they capture. Weird range of evil.
No one really has any nuance to their evil, or even goodness for that matter. Granted, Honor is the hero and we want her to save the day. She chooses hot chocolate over coffee, fer chrissakes.
There's another small subplot of treecat romance between Nimitz and another treecat, Samantha. I didn't mind it, and it's really not that much of the book. I love animals, even if treecats aren't supposed to be cuddly, so any Nimitz plots are okay by me.
If there's anything to be learned of this series, it's always rather clear what the outcome will be. Honor lives up to her title of Mary Sue. It was nice to be back to the space battles and away from the religious squabbling on Grayson.
I thought there was a lack of complexity to this book that there had been in the previous ones. Not that any of the characters in this series have been particularly nuanced (pretty much black/white, good/evil), but the overall plot seemed a little flat.
Maybe it was more suited for a short story or novella? Because ultimately if you consider this particularly plot in the whole Honor story-line, what's going to come of this? Seemed like a diversion to me. This book would have been better served if it were shorter.
Pirate ships have been attacking merchant ships around Silesia, many of them Manticoran. Because of the war, the military doesn't have many resources spare. Due to the insistence of the wealthy merchants, the Manticores re-fit some merchant ships with heavy firepower, and a few other modifications. These ships, known as Q-ships, should be able to deceive the pirate ships from far away. However, the Q-ships will not be able to withstand any true battle engagement.
It's seen as a long shot, and of course, when the question comes up as to whom should pilot this timebomb, Honor Harrington's name comes up. Honor decides to take the challenge. It's even more challenging when her crew are a mix of newbies and troublemakers - whatever the military could spare.
There is a subplot with a young crewmember and a bully. It was a little middle school like, but it was still entertaining to read. I can't remember the last time a person over 13 used the term "snotnose" to insult anyone.
Maybe I am forgetting how villains were written in scifi books in the 90s? It's offsetting to have a character call his victim snotnose, and then also have enemy ships which rape the crews they capture. Weird range of evil.
No one really has any nuance to their evil, or even goodness for that matter. Granted, Honor is the hero and we want her to save the day. She chooses hot chocolate over coffee, fer chrissakes.
There's another small subplot of treecat romance between Nimitz and another treecat, Samantha. I didn't mind it, and it's really not that much of the book. I love animals, even if treecats aren't supposed to be cuddly, so any Nimitz plots are okay by me.
If there's anything to be learned of this series, it's always rather clear what the outcome will be. Honor lives up to her title of Mary Sue. It was nice to be back to the space battles and away from the religious squabbling on Grayson.
I thought there was a lack of complexity to this book that there had been in the previous ones. Not that any of the characters in this series have been particularly nuanced (pretty much black/white, good/evil), but the overall plot seemed a little flat.
Maybe it was more suited for a short story or novella? Because ultimately if you consider this particularly plot in the whole Honor story-line, what's going to come of this? Seemed like a diversion to me. This book would have been better served if it were shorter.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
There are good and bad aspects of this book. I'll start with the bad and end with the good.
1. Honestly, was anyone surprised with Tschu died? I sure wasn't.
2. Honor is special in way too many ways. She is too bloody perfect. Now it looks like that she might have two tree cats. Not only is she an outstanding officer, but gosh, even the treecats treat her special. :bangs head:
3. Actually No 2. all over again, with the addition of the fact that when Tschu dies is death has no emotional revelance, not even in terms of getting the reader to feel for Samantha. Instead, it seems to be used to show us how great Honor is, yet again.
Now for the good:
1. Many of the main supporting points and characters. I found myself more concerned with them than with Honor. In fact, I couldn't have cared less about Honor, but the supporting characters were interesting.
2. Presenting two different sides of a conflict.
3. Dealing with issues that occur in war that few other writers truly touch upon in depth.
4. Honor's loophole.
5. A male asking for maternity leave.
1. Honestly, was anyone surprised with Tschu died? I sure wasn't.
2. Honor is special in way too many ways. She is too bloody perfect. Now it looks like that she might have two tree cats. Not only is she an outstanding officer, but gosh, even the treecats treat her special. :bangs head:
3. Actually No 2. all over again, with the addition of the fact that when Tschu dies is death has no emotional revelance, not even in terms of getting the reader to feel for Samantha. Instead, it seems to be used to show us how great Honor is, yet again.
Now for the good:
1. Many of the main supporting points and characters. I found myself more concerned with them than with Honor. In fact, I couldn't have cared less about Honor, but the supporting characters were interesting.
2. Presenting two different sides of a conflict.
3. Dealing with issues that occur in war that few other writers truly touch upon in depth.
4. Honor's loophole.
5. A male asking for maternity leave.