Children of Hope (Seafort Saga 7) [Paperback]

David Feintuch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2001 | Series: Seafort Saga 7 (Book 7)

CHILDREN OF HOPE continues the action-packed epic SF adventure of a man tortured by his duty and bound by his honour. Captain Nicholas Seafort has survived space battles, alien invasion, ecological catastrope on Earth and colonial revolutions. Now he must face his greatest challenge: vengeance. For more information n this or any other Orbit title, visit the Orbity website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Children of Hope, the seventh book in David Feintuch's Seafort Saga, continues the story of Captain Nicholas Seafort and sheds new light on the alien invaders known as the Fish. Seafort may have survived all manner of battles, rebellions, and ecological challenges, but the vengeance of one 14-year-old boy could cost him his life.

Randy, the angry son of Derek Carr, blames Seafort for his father's death. Derek was the Stadholder of Hope Nation, a planet struggling for survival and freedom. After Derek's death, Hope Nation was plunged into political uncertainty and young Randy was left fatherless. One defiant act against the powerful Church launches Randy into an adventure that will lead him to face Hope Nation's church leaders, alien invaders, and the man he deems responsible for his father's death, Nicholas Seafort. At stake is not only Randy's life, but the fate of Hope Nation itself.

Feintuch, the winner of the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer, continues his military SF saga by creating another complicated character. Young Randy is just as tortured, difficult, and guilt-ridden as Seafort, but he has his own story to tell. While the unrelenting action mixes nicely with the political and alien invasion subplots, Randy ends up being a little too unpredictable. Too often he seems more like an 8-year-old than a 14-year-old, and at points it's hard to sympathize with him. In fact, the event that begins Randy's adventure is so unbelievable that it casts a shadow over the first half of the book, until the action heats up and the story truly gets exciting. Even so, Seafort Saga fans won't want to miss this installment, especially to discover how the Fish figure in. --Kathie Huddleston --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Midshipman's Hope (1994), Feintuch's paperback original first novel, which helped win him the John W. Campbell award as best new SF writer, introduced Space Navy officer Nicholas Seafort, whose sense of moral inadequacy drove him to superhuman accomplishments that left him feeling even guiltier. After five books the series went into hardcover with Patriarch's Hope (1999), and the fascinating Seafort is at the center of this seventh novel, too. The narrator, however, is Randy Carr, a 14-year-old boy who first tries to kill Seafort but winds up as his adopted son. Randy is a mess. He's impulsive, overflows with teen angst and has a talent for seeing the truth and sharing it in the bluntest, most insulting manner possible. Like his adoptive father, he takes himself more seriously than anyone should. They aren't alone; everyone in this novel is obsessively driven. After a war that wiped out the alien, space-dwelling Fish, humans are struggling for control on the planet Hope. In particular, servants of the Church will do anything to rule in the name of God. Then the Fish reappear.... Amid the nonstop action, Feintuch skillfully pushes all the emotional buttons. Readers may feel like whacking Randy upside the head with a two-by-four, but they'll probably nod approvingly toward Nick Seafort. Fans of military SF will love the book, and Seafort addicts will be happy to know that there are plenty of loose ends to weave into Feintuch's next novel.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 650 pages
• Publisher: Orbit (October 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841490709
• ISBN-13: 978-1841490700
• Product Dimensions: 4.3 x 7.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,722,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Return to Hope, September 3, 2002

By 

D. Sims (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Children of Hope (Paperback)

This is an excellant sequel in this particular series; I find it a return to the roots of the series and a distinct step up from the past couple of books. After leaving the world of Hope for the last few books in this series we return to there and to various colonial issues. Here too for the first time the role of the church as it plays in politics is brought into the main themes. We again see Seafort's rather particular sense of honor put to the test in various ways along with the newest of his child "projects" Randy Carr who provides the POV for most of this novel.

This is a very busy book; plots and sub-plots abound. You need a scorecard to keep track of who is playing what roles as the story unfolds. It is also very fast paced, not an easy book to put down. For serious readers of this series elements (and characters) of the other novels are presented, and occasional loose ends tied up.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By far David Feintuch's best!, January 3, 2002

By 

Remiclud - See all my reviews

This review is from: Children of Hope (Hardcover)

My local library just got in the Seafort Saga, and without really knowing what I picked Midshipman's Hope up and started reading it. Wow! I was hit with an awesome look at the future and really felt like I knew and could relate to the book's main character, Nick Seafort. Since then I couldn't put the books down. Now, six books later, I think that Children of Hope is an awesome volume in the continuing saga, but it also stands out uniquely on it's own. With a new main character, fourteen-year-old Randy Carr who is in desperate need of a father, Nick Seafort and his cast of familiar characters are not put on the back-burner, but rather closely intigrated into this young boy's fresh persective to make for some interesting plot twists and very realistic characters. This is a must-read for any fan of science-fiction or military novels!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Saga Continues..., April 27, 2001

By 

Roy J. Meek "Justin Meek" (Louisville, KY. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Children of Hope (Hardcover)

Well, overall I loved this book. I loved every book in the series, but this one is better than most. I rank it up there with "Fisherman's Hope" (my personal favorite). The action is non-stop and you really care about the characters. There is very little quality science fiction out there with a military theme to it, but this series makes up for lost time! The only negative I saw was that Randy was a little bit to much like Nick. I thought Fientuch trod over some old ground in some of Randy's character traits. Other than that though it was great! I loved finally seeing Nick the way others see him. Most of the books in the series are from his perspective and this is the first time we really get a good look at him through other eyes. I found myself saying "I bet I know what is going through his mind right now!" as I read the book. I wonder if we are seeing Nick mellow in his older days or if its just the perspective. I also love the way Fientuch pulls characters in from books waAAAAy back in the series. Just when you think you'll never see a character again they pop up out of nowhere. You you havn't read this series start at the beginning, but if you have GET THIS BOOK!!