If you haven't read On Basilisk Station, stop reading this now. Go read that and its sequels as this is the 13th book in the series. And yes, the series is worth reading. Go! Read!

Yes, this is marketed as military SF, but it is more sophisticated than that. There are battles, but this book looks at what causes war in the first place, how to make peace, and where corruption leads. As such, it is an interesting book. We learn more about the capabilities of the treecats and more about the machinations of the Mesan Alliance. Right now, they are more one-dimensional villains than I like, but then the Havenites were like that at the start of the series and look at how much depth has been revealed to the readers.

I would recommend this book to fans of the series who enjoy discovering the backstage part of war, the smoke and mirrors of politics. ( )

This episode stresses the growing conflict between the Solarian League and Manticore and its allies. It also tells more about the goals and plans of the Mesan Alliance and the various smaller schemes that are leading toward their master plan.

After the Mesan Alliance's sneak attack on the Manticoran home world, the Solarian League decides this will be a great time for them to attack the Manticoran home world. After all, they are sure that even though Manticore might have better technology, they were hurt enough that the playing field is leveled.

Unfortunately for the Solarian League, information brought back from Mesa by Victor Cachat and Anton Zilwicki is compelling enough to prove the existence of the Mesan Alliance and convinces Haven and Manticore to finally end the long war that was subtly encouraged by that same Mesan Alliance. Their new treaty provides for mutaal military assistance and spells doom for any Solarian League fleet that might appear.

The Solarian commander comes to believe in this superiority and is willing to surrender but the Mesans have allowed for that by infecting his tactical officer with one of their assassin nanobots. This results in almost the total destruction of the invading fleet which the behind-the-scenes actual rulers of the Solarian League are desperate to spin as a positive for them.

But cracks are forming in the Solarian League which is also a Mesan Alliance plan. With Manticore stifling trade through their control of many of the wormhole junctions and bridges, the League is in growing financial trouble. And some of it member star systems are also thinking about withdrawing from the League led by Manticore's long-time ally Beowulf.

This was an engaging episode in this long-running series. ( )

This episode stresses the growing conflict between the Solarian League and Manticore and its allies. It also tells more about the goals and plans of the Mesan Alliance and the various smaller schemes that are leading toward their master plan.

After the Mesan Alliance's sneak attack on the Manticoran home world, the Solarian League decides this will be a great time for them to attack the Manticoran home world. After all, they are sure that even though Manticore might have better technology, they were hurt enough that the playing field is leveled.

Unfortunately for the Solarian League, information brought back from Mesa by Victor Cachat and Anton Zilwicki is compelling enough to prove the existence of the Mesan Alliance and convinces Haven and Manticore to finally end the long war that was subtly encouraged by that same Mesan Alliance. Their new treaty provides for mutaal military assistance and spells doom for any Solarian League fleet that might appear.

The Solarian commander comes to believe in this superiority and is willing to surrender but the Mesans have allowed for that by infecting his tactical officer with one of their assassin nanobots. This results in almost the total destruction of the invading fleet which the behind-the-scenes actual rulers of the Solarian League are desperate to spin as a positive for them.

But cracks are forming in the Solarian League which is also a Mesan Alliance plan. With Manticore stifling trade through their control of many of the wormhole junctions and bridges, the League is in growing financial trouble. And some of it member star systems are also thinking about withdrawing from the League led by Manticore's long-time ally Beowulf.

This was an engaging episode in this long-running series. ( )

Weber, David. A Rising Thunder. Honor Harrington No. 13. Baen, 2012.
A Rising Thunder begins a new story arc in the Honor Harrington series, and it provides Honor, and her various nations, a new enemy. The soviet-style Havenites have made peace, but there is deep division in the Solarian League and a generations-old conspiracy that aims to use Manticore as a pawn. We also have a new class of weapons based on mind-controlling nanotech. Only the baddies use such things, of course. Honor has moved so far up the political food chain—she is now a duchess and an admiral—that we might be forgiven for wondering whether she is in the line of succession. My only complaint with the novel is that it keeps Honor offstage for far too long. ( )

Well.... Lots of talk talk talk, blahblahblah, not much happens. I muscled through it on the assumption that it's important setup for the next book. I hope so. Sigh. ( )