hawkeyegough's review against another edition
5.0
The world-building in this book is some of the best I've ever read. Add believable characters and realistic science for an excellent book. Already picked up the next one.
billyhopscotch's review
5.0
What I love about this book is that the good guys might win! I read Off Armageddon Reef after reading George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones, and let me just say that while I love Martin's book it can be a bit depressing. Thus, Weber was a nice break from harsh, cruel reality. It's such a perfect blend of sci-fi and fantasy that I cannot help but love it. Weber also does an excellent job of making each and every character unique and interesting for the reader, so the book never has a dull moment.
schnp's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
A sci fi book but with .
Overall the world building wasn't all that interesting, the warfare maybe interesting to those who like but that's not me.
Ended up feeling like a strange mix of political intrigue, old school battles, and sci fi tech setting and backstory that wasn't really very necessary.
Also kept waiting for the payoff to all the foreshadowing references to having to convert units of measurement. But the punchline never came.
Not a book I'd recommend for sci fi.
Spoiler
sailing ships and early technology like gunpowder advancesOverall the world building wasn't all that interesting, the warfare maybe interesting to those who like
Spoiler
naval battlesEnded up feeling like a strange mix of political intrigue, old school battles, and sci fi tech setting and backstory that wasn't really very necessary.
Also kept waiting for the payoff to all the foreshadowing references to having to convert units of measurement. But the punchline never came.
Not a book I'd recommend for sci fi.
titusfortner's review against another edition
3.0
I like the premise and I like the main characters. Unfortunately, there are approximately 100 point of view characters and a million secondary characters. Usually authors starting large works spend the first book focusing on a few characters in a limited setting. Not so here where world-spanning decisions are made between a dozen different countries each with their own rulers and attendants and motivations. I feel strongly that I shouldn't have to consult online resources to keep track of who is who on the first book. That being said, the story is enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
btemplet's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
dlince's review against another edition
4.0
Slow start, but picked up. Not the most complex of books, but a fun (and surprisingly naval-oriented) read.
patremagne's review
4.0
The last 100 pages were unbelievable. Book was a bit long, though.
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http://abitterdraft.com/2013/10/off-armageddon-reef-by-david-weber.html
Picture this: an incredibly powerful race of aliens known as the Gdaba halted the human exploration in space and all but wiped humanity out. The remainder of the human fleet splits up – one half cloaks and stops moving, the other continues flying to draw the Gdaba away. The half of the fleet that cloaked and escaped colonized an Earth-like planet called Safehold.
Here’s the catch – the Gdaba can detect any technology of the industrial level or higher. Humanity is forced to revert to a medieval society, where Safeholdians know nothing of their space-faring past and all believe in one religion run by a very strict church. Nimue Alban’s mind awakes in the body of an android and she is given the task of helping Safehold break away from its medieval prison, despite the teachings of the oppressive church, and eventually take on the Gdaba. Since Safehold is a medieval society, Nimue’s android body is made male, and she takes on the pseudonym Merlin Athrawes. Merlin ventures to the Kingdom of Charis, an island much like Old Earth’s England, to kickstart this scientific revolution.
I’ve never read Weber’s Honor Harrington series, but I’ve heard nothing but praise for the man’s talent. The premise for Safehold seemed awesome, and with Weber’s credentials I couldn’t imagine being disappointed.
I noticed a few things right off the bat that I found questionable, the first being the unconventional names. I’m all for having fantasy-like names such as Tisamon or Bayaz as opposed to modern names like Jim or Tom. Weber decided utilize the fact that humanity had to restart in picking names, so we’re left with ones like Haarahld instead of Harold and Bynzhamin rather than Benjamin. The idea makes sense and it’s kind of cool when you think of how names evolved, but on paper and with a cast as large as Safehold‘s, it’s a bit of a struggle to remember them (though this is a nonfactor with the audiobook). They’re definitely something you get used to the more you read, and you have plenty of time to get used to them with 800 pages in the paperback, which leads me to my next point.
The Honor Harrington books were rather average in length, floating between 350 and 450 pages for the most part. Safehold books are more or less all upwards of 700 with some even pushing close to 1,000 pages. In most reviews of the series you’ll find that people comment on Weber’s infodumps. While trudging through Off Armageddon Reef‘s 800 pages, the infodumps are readily apparent, and they really mess with the pacing. Occasional bits of information are nice, especially where background is needed. It seemed like Weber was almost flaunting, though flaunting is too harsh a word, his being a font of knowledge, for dozens and dozens of pages at a time. The book could have been slimmed by several hundreds of pages and been truly outstanding.
I bet an eyebrow or two were raised at the mention of Nimue taking the form of a man to make acquiring a position of influence easier, especially with Weber’s ability to write strong female characters. While Merlin is a man, Nimue’s female mind is definitely still inside the android. She doesn’t just magically lose her attraction to men, which leads to some hilariously awkward situations. Like I said, the cast of characters is huge, full of bastards like Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald and people you ‘t help but love like King Haarahld and Prince Cayleb of Charis.
Weber’s infodumps are sometimes very useful and necessary, but often extremely slow the pace of the tome that is Off Armageddon Reef. The final 150 or so pages made everything worthwhile, though, as they include some of the most outstanding depictions of naval combat I have ever read. Off Armageddon Reef, while overlong, was definitely worth the read, and while I’d like nothing more than to avoid getting caught up in a series that may very well exceed ten books of over 800 pages each, I will definitely be attempting to catch up.
-------------------------------
http://abitterdraft.com/2013/10/off-armageddon-reef-by-david-weber.html
Picture this: an incredibly powerful race of aliens known as the Gdaba halted the human exploration in space and all but wiped humanity out. The remainder of the human fleet splits up – one half cloaks and stops moving, the other continues flying to draw the Gdaba away. The half of the fleet that cloaked and escaped colonized an Earth-like planet called Safehold.
Here’s the catch – the Gdaba can detect any technology of the industrial level or higher. Humanity is forced to revert to a medieval society, where Safeholdians know nothing of their space-faring past and all believe in one religion run by a very strict church. Nimue Alban’s mind awakes in the body of an android and she is given the task of helping Safehold break away from its medieval prison, despite the teachings of the oppressive church, and eventually take on the Gdaba. Since Safehold is a medieval society, Nimue’s android body is made male, and she takes on the pseudonym Merlin Athrawes. Merlin ventures to the Kingdom of Charis, an island much like Old Earth’s England, to kickstart this scientific revolution.
I’ve never read Weber’s Honor Harrington series, but I’ve heard nothing but praise for the man’s talent. The premise for Safehold seemed awesome, and with Weber’s credentials I couldn’t imagine being disappointed.
I noticed a few things right off the bat that I found questionable, the first being the unconventional names. I’m all for having fantasy-like names such as Tisamon or Bayaz as opposed to modern names like Jim or Tom. Weber decided utilize the fact that humanity had to restart in picking names, so we’re left with ones like Haarahld instead of Harold and Bynzhamin rather than Benjamin. The idea makes sense and it’s kind of cool when you think of how names evolved, but on paper and with a cast as large as Safehold‘s, it’s a bit of a struggle to remember them (though this is a nonfactor with the audiobook). They’re definitely something you get used to the more you read, and you have plenty of time to get used to them with 800 pages in the paperback, which leads me to my next point.
The Honor Harrington books were rather average in length, floating between 350 and 450 pages for the most part. Safehold books are more or less all upwards of 700 with some even pushing close to 1,000 pages. In most reviews of the series you’ll find that people comment on Weber’s infodumps. While trudging through Off Armageddon Reef‘s 800 pages, the infodumps are readily apparent, and they really mess with the pacing. Occasional bits of information are nice, especially where background is needed. It seemed like Weber was almost flaunting, though flaunting is too harsh a word, his being a font of knowledge, for dozens and dozens of pages at a time. The book could have been slimmed by several hundreds of pages and been truly outstanding.
I bet an eyebrow or two were raised at the mention of Nimue taking the form of a man to make acquiring a position of influence easier, especially with Weber’s ability to write strong female characters. While Merlin is a man, Nimue’s female mind is definitely still inside the android. She doesn’t just magically lose her attraction to men, which leads to some hilariously awkward situations. Like I said, the cast of characters is huge, full of bastards like Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald and people you ‘t help but love like King Haarahld and Prince Cayleb of Charis.
Weber’s infodumps are sometimes very useful and necessary, but often extremely slow the pace of the tome that is Off Armageddon Reef. The final 150 or so pages made everything worthwhile, though, as they include some of the most outstanding depictions of naval combat I have ever read. Off Armageddon Reef, while overlong, was definitely worth the read, and while I’d like nothing more than to avoid getting caught up in a series that may very well exceed ten books of over 800 pages each, I will definitely be attempting to catch up.
thinde's review against another edition
4.0
I've read this series from the start through book 9, (the end of the war), and a little into ten. This review is for the series as a whole.
I can heartily recommend the first book. It sets up the world and starts introducing us to the main players, but takes the time to tell a solid story. And it's a story with the strength to thrill readers and to squeeze their hearts. There are so many diverse layers that almost anyone should be able to find a lot to enjoy.
As the series progresses, I am less and less inclined to endorse each book. Two and three are good but problems set in and it becomes a slog. Don't get me wrong, there are still powerful moments sprinkled throughout. They're what drag the reader forward... those short chapters that push your heart into your throat and bring a tear to the eye, but it's work to find them.
Taken as a whole the series seems to have only ten percent direct action and the other ninety percent is split evenly between expositional dialogue and omniscient third party descriptions. It breaks the rule, "show, don't tell."
Weber has obviously invested a phenomenal amount of time creating this world and its hundreds of detailed characters. I applaud the dedication, but I don't need to see every facet. Injecting so much ancillary detail into a story bogs it down, making the pace so slow as to become frustrating. Frustration is the theme of this review. I know just how good Weber's writing can be. I see glimpses of it in these books. They stand out starkly, like stubborn trees that have survived an encroaching desert. Perhaps this is what Weber feels is "literature." It's not literature, it is self-indulgent.
So, if you don't mind skimming through the boring bits to find the gems... have at it.
I can heartily recommend the first book. It sets up the world and starts introducing us to the main players, but takes the time to tell a solid story. And it's a story with the strength to thrill readers and to squeeze their hearts. There are so many diverse layers that almost anyone should be able to find a lot to enjoy.
As the series progresses, I am less and less inclined to endorse each book. Two and three are good but problems set in and it becomes a slog. Don't get me wrong, there are still powerful moments sprinkled throughout. They're what drag the reader forward... those short chapters that push your heart into your throat and bring a tear to the eye, but it's work to find them.
Taken as a whole the series seems to have only ten percent direct action and the other ninety percent is split evenly between expositional dialogue and omniscient third party descriptions. It breaks the rule, "show, don't tell."
Weber has obviously invested a phenomenal amount of time creating this world and its hundreds of detailed characters. I applaud the dedication, but I don't need to see every facet. Injecting so much ancillary detail into a story bogs it down, making the pace so slow as to become frustrating. Frustration is the theme of this review. I know just how good Weber's writing can be. I see glimpses of it in these books. They stand out starkly, like stubborn trees that have survived an encroaching desert. Perhaps this is what Weber feels is "literature." It's not literature, it is self-indulgent.
So, if you don't mind skimming through the boring bits to find the gems... have at it.
bookarian's review against another edition
5.0
Uses elements from the King Arthur story in a science fiction space travel/alternate history setting. Eddings typical mixture of believable characters and military exposition.