Customer Reviews

HEIRS OF EMPIRE

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The two Dahak books that preceded this novel were very good works of fiction and this title is no exception. The first book was Mutineers' Moon; the second book was The Armageddon Inheritance. Heirs of Empire is the third book so far in this series.

This book takes place ten years after the events that conclude The Armageddon Inheritance. The Achuutani have been repulsed and a small portion of them even become allies of sorts. Humanity is now residing on two worlds, Earth and the old Imperial capitol planet. Colin and his Empress wife have two children who are teenagers just approaching adulthood.

Everyone thought that after the defeat of Anu and his mutineers that humanity would rally around the new Emperor, Colin, and build a brighter future and prepare for the final conflict with the Achuutani. If anything the trouble is worse then before. The threat this time is not as strong or as brazen but it is unknown. A threat unknown is deadly indeed. I really can't say a whole lot more with out giving too much of the plot away. I will say that the story is split and written from two points of view. One story relates events on Earth and the Imperial Capitol. The second story line follows Colins' children and their friends. The children are probably a bigger part of this book then Colin and the traditional cast of characters.

A good book. Of the three books in this series thus far this was my least favorite. I am firmly convinced, after reading a great deal of Mr. Webers' work, that David Weber writes best when he is tight and careful with his word count. I think the longer books of his are a little sloppy. Don't misunderstand me. I am a big fan and love this book and only find fault with it when I compare it the first two books of this series. A worthy continuation to the saga.

The saga that started with Mutineer's Moon continues and I found the book to be a page turner. Treason, war and revenge in one book but not on one world. Musket and pike war in the age of lasers and rockets.

Ok, David, where is the next in the series? I can't wait to get back to the lives of Colin, his family and his faithful spaceship.

Books 1, 2 and 3 are all fantastic. This one focuses on the next generation, the creation of new ships, and being stranded on backward worlds. It was a little slow, and had less space action then is the norm for the series. The book wraps up this book - But we are left hanging! Honor Harrington seems to get all the attention, and fans of the other series are left hanging! This series has everything a fan of military SF could want - except a conclusion!

While I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Weber's continuation of the Mutineers Moon story, I was surprised by the different battle theme this story took. I was expecting more intense space battles, but really enjoyed the pikes and muskets used by Colin's children in their quest.I sincerely hope Mr. Weber makes a sequel to this story in which the Achuultani are fought on their on turf.

this is the best science fiction series of books i've ever read. I rarely read a book more than once, but i've read all the books in this series at least 3 times straight through. I have trouble putting them down even to stop to eat. Mr. Weber, if you're reading this, I encourage you to keep writing on this series all the way to it's logical conclusion, the destruction of the Achu'Ultan computer.

This series started out as ok/good space opera, and has moved on to something much better. I won't give away the plot, but there is a very real moral dilemma where the characters more or less accidentially start a major war that they have no choice but to continue and win, or even more lives will be lost. A must read for military/alternate history buffs, another look at pikes vs muskets. Weber continues to improve, and now is one of the best (And most prolific) authors in S

It really takes a good author to handle the mixing of a gunpowder theocracy and futuristic science, but here it has been handled with class amd comes off with a genuine 5-star rating. A new tale in this universe is definitely called for.

In the finale to the "Dahak" series by David Weber, Colin's first children grow up and enter the Fleet themselves. When their ship is sabotaged on their middy flight, they must make their way to an unknown planet, find a way home and - while they are at it - settle a religious conflict that they accidentally started. Meanwhile back home, Colin and Jiltanith - devastated by what they believe is the loss of their children - discover a plot to destroy their new home planet and overthrow them. Can they stop the destruction of their planet and discover who is plotting against them? Can their children let them know they are alive and find a way home?

This book definitely left me wanting more in this series. Weber is a master, there is no doubt.

this book is still great in it's own right but unlike the 1st two, it doesn't merit 5 stars it felt a bit rushed and that kept it from being great

Heirs of Empire (1996) is the third novel in the Dahak series, following The Armageddon Inheritance. In the previous novel, Colin has become His Imperial Majesty, Colin I, and returned from the Bia System with the Imperial Guard, 93 planetoids, all larger and more powerful than Dahak. This flotilla helps finish off the Achuultani advance force and then ambushes the vanguard and the main force. However, they soon discover that a powerful reserve force still remains and Earth has no more reinforcements. During the desperate fighting, however, Dahak leads a suicidal assault on the command ship and, while communicating with the Achuultani Battle Comp, manages to terminate its software. Although Dahak the ship is destroyed, Dahak the persona is downloaded to Dahak Two and rebooted therein.

Ten years later, Earth is faced with the religious bigots of the Church of the Armageddon and the xenophobic bigots of The Humans for a Human Imperium. Moreover, Colin has a mole in his government, providing information to a terrorist group, the Sword of God, that is bombing random targets and assassinating government officials.

Meanwhile, Sean and Harriet, the Imperial children, are growing up under the benevolent guardianship of Dahak, the 52,000 year old Battle planetoid. They and their friends are destined for the Battle Fleet Academy and, on their midshipman cruise, the terrorists sabotage their ship. While escaping before the ship blows, they are stranded in an unexplored sector. Fortunately an inhabited planet is nearby, but it is controlled by a theocracy that believes all offworlders are demons. Moreover, the planet is heavily defended by an ancient computer which, under the control of the theocracy, is programmed to destroy any ship approaching or departing the planet. They cannot overcome the numerous orbital weapon systems nor can they destroy the computer itself due to possible collateral damage to the human population, so they will just have to confront the computer directly despite the tens of thousands of opposing soldiers.

This novel has a basic subplot of a technological treasure trove among a primitive and hostile theocracy much like Pournelle's King David's Spaceship. It has military aspects similar to Pournelle's Janissary series as well as Weber and Ringo's Markudan March series. It also has a minor romantic element.

During their stay of the planet Pardal, Harriet sustains damage to the implants in her right eye and has to wear an eye patch. Shades of HH!

Recommended for Weber fans and anyone who enjoys tales of shipwrecked technological sophisticates among primitive natives.

-Arthur W. Jordin