This is at least my tenth time reading this book, and I still love it. I think, however, some of the dimensionless villains are starting to get to me. Honestly, I think that dimensionless villains in any fiction are really starting to get to me. People without redeeming characteristics just aren't this common. ( )

A nice sequel to first Honorverse book. I enjoyed it for the most part although my series fatigue set in sooner than normal with is usually the third book of a series. This book is not really a sequel rather simply the next story in the life of the character of Honor Harrington. She grows as a person in this story and is not simply in the right place at the right time. She learns more about herself and the impact she has on others. Good stuff. I do plan on reading further installments of this series after a break.
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El reino de Mantícora necesita aliados contra la República de Haven, que considera que la guerra y la conquista son el orden lógico y natural que debería seguir el universo. El planeta Grayson es el perfecto aliado. No obstante, el Ministerio de Exteriores de Su Majestad olvidó un detalle cuando escogió a Honor Harrington como representante: las mujeres de Grayson carecen de derechos y, por tanto, no ocupan puestos de responsabilidad. Lo que, sin duda, convertirá su presencia en una afrenta intolerable para todos los varones del planeta.

The story starts off slow, and starts to pick up (but also slowly). It's a complicated plot: a misogynist religious culture (women are source of evil because the first sin committed by mankind was Eve's fault). The Progressive branch of the religion has an extreme falling out with the smaller, Conservitive branch and the Conservatives move to another planet and now want to return and show the Progressives the error of their ways. And they plan to do it by using some dupes from a different planet (who are hoping to scam them in turn). Meanwhile, the good guys are trying to get a foot hold on the original planet because it's strategically located between them and the bad guys who are the ones trying to league themselves with the Conservatives. To add some interest, remember that both religious cultures despise women...and Honor Harrington is a woman. Initially she feels put-out by the slurs and taunts and tries to distance herself from the action only to learn that the conservatives have used the bad guys to begin a war that was only a pretext to initiate a coup de tat and her best friend/father-figure is killed in the action that she must now try to salvage.

For the most part, this is a solid 3-star story, but the ending is definitely worth an extra half-star. ( )

This book introduces us to the planet Grayson, a patriarchal polygynous theocracy that for political and strategic reasons needs an alliance with Manticore, and whose leader has been educated offworld and so is actively trying to bring his world into the modern world despite the cultural challenges. So there's a lot about sexism and gender roles in this book, and it's handled very well.

I could do without quite so much demonization of the Masadans, the misogynist extremist fringe of the same religion; but I can see the usefulness of having characters that are unambiguously evil in a book like this. (Also, content note for rape & gang rape. Inevitably, I suppose.) The Havenites we meet, on the other hand, are quite decent, which is a plus.

What I'd forgotten is just how rapid Honor's rise initially is. It's only the end of the 2nd book, and she's already a Steadholder, a Countess, and a Dame. ( )