Customer Reviews

More Than Honor (Worlds of Honor #1)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This paperback contains three short stories, only one of which is written by David Weber. This book DOES NOT continue the current storyline with Honor Harrington, as in the other Honor books. Instead, the stories in this book are set in the Honor universe, but do not contain any details about Honor herself.

I especially enjoyed the first story, by Weber, which detailed the story of the first partnership between Treecat and Human, as hinted at by Honor in a previous book. While more of a "light" read than his other stories, I found it completely enjoyable. You learn quite a bit more about Treecats, since the story is told partially from their point of view.

The other two stories were good as well, and expanded our knowledge of the HH Universe, but I didn't think they were quite as exciting as some of Mr. Weber's work. However, the stories are enjoyable, and point out the fact that there is plenty of room for other tales besides those of Honor Harrington.

The last section is quite a treat, at least if you are a person who loves detailed pseudo-histories of fictional universes. Mr. Weber has taken the time to share some of his detailed notes with us, in the form of historical accountings and explanations of everything from how the Kingdom of Manticore was founded (complete with working details of the Manticore Government), to technology and space travel. If you enjoyed his other technical discussions in previous books, you will want to get this book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, it helped ease the yearning for the next book in the Honor series, and helped expand my understanding and enjoyment of the series. A good book and a good read.

Note to people unfamiliar with David Weber series. This book takes places in the universe of the Honor Harrington series (which started with On Basilisk Station). One of the stories, A Whiff of Grapeshot, might give more background into the series than one might like until after Honor Among Enemies, and the last part of the book gives general background into the universe, including history, politics and technology. For these reasons, the overall value of this book for non-fans of the series is rather low.

For the *fans* of the series, on the other hand, there are three reasons to buy this book.

First, the first tale, A Beautiful Friendship, tells the story of the first contact between human and treecats, a six-legged arboreal telepath sentient being alien being with some very feline features. Insights into treecat's culture and abilities, the story of the first adoption, and why do 'cats like celery so much, all of that you'll find here. It also shows that some of Honor's ancestors could give her a good run for her money. :-)

Second, the third tale, tell us of some events that happen at the beginning of In Enemy hands, on the side of The People's Republic of Haven, which are only refered to in that book, never described. Insight into Haven's leadership minds.

Third, the last section of the book, is a pretty deep background on the physics of space travel in HH universe, how the universe was colonized, history, geography and politics of the Kingdom of Manticore, history and some politics of the Solarian League and the People's Republic of Haven and comments on the military capabilities of Peeps and Manties at the beginning of the conflict. It covers nothing of what happens after the beginning of the series, nothing about treecats and nothing about Silesian Confederacy or the Andermani Empire. Moreover, all the really important notes are already in the series. Still, for those who just MUST know everything there is to know about the series, it has interesting details.

David Drake's story is a disppointment, though. While the story has a few remarks to link it to HH universe, you would just have to change a few names and one would NEVER find any relation between this story and that universe. I suppose the story might be good, but this is just not Honor Harrington universe.

This is the second collection of shorts built around the "Honorverse" of David Weber. In this one, Honor Harrington does not appear at all but that doesn't stop it from being a good read. It consists of 3 short fiction stories and 1 "background" essay.

"A Beautiful Friendship" is by Weber. It details the story of Stephanie Harrington, Honor's ancestor, and her place as the first human to be adopted by a treecat. It is a good adventure story of an intelligent but headstrong young girl on a frontier planet. The genes that will eventually be passed on to Honor are present and visible.

"A Grand Tour" is the work of David Drake. It tells the story of an aristocratic scholar form Manticore who learns of an act of piracy by a Havenite ship. Since he has a reserve naval commission, he takes matters into his own hands using, of all things, a light cruiser won in a poker came. It comes across much more believably than it sounds.

"A Whiff of Grapeshot" is from S. M. Stirling. It takes place entirely on Haven and tells the story of the suppression of the Leveler revolt alluded to in some of the Honor Harrington stories.

"The Universe of Honor Harrington" is the background essay from Weber. In it, he details humanities march to the stars, describes the technology that makes it possible and looks at the political systems of Manticore and some of the other polities encountered in his series. It is well worth the read for fans.

This is an excellent little volume.

Many Honor Harrington readers become rabid fans in short order.

Often, for fans like these there can never be enough of a series to keep them happy, but this collaberative effort does more than offer a quick "Honor fix." The book offers three short stories and an essay, none of which are *about* Admiral Harrington herself, but all of which are entertaining and informative.

The essay is by David Webber (the stories are by Webber and other notable authors, Drake and Stirling) and sheds a great deal of light on the details of the history, politics, science, and geography of the universe of the RMN... It is well thought through, entertaining, and fairly complete, the sort of details that will make any universe even more enjoyable to a thorough, intelligent reader.

Although not an Honor Harrington book per se, this addition to the list of Webber's publications is well worth the while for anyone interested in who Honor is and where she comes from.

First off, this book is an invitation to share in the universe of Honor Stephanie Harrington. No more, no less.

The first story is background, the beginning of the relationship between men and treecats.

The second story is David Drake being funny again. (See his `All The Way To The Gallows' to see him REALLY being funny.)

Steve Stirling's `A Whiff Of Grapeshot' is truly significant background, because it gives an insight into the character of Esther McQueen and how she was able to accomplish her victories in `Echoes Of Honor.' In `Flag In Exile' and `Honor Among Enemies', she was just a name. `A Whiff Of Grapeshot' made her a person.

This book gives good back ground and fill information on the Honor series but the reader should be warned it is NOT part of the series itself but more a reference, a group of short stories that help fill in or explain parts of the book that were not fully addressed in the books in the series itself. Once that is known the fore warned reader will be ready to enjoy it as a related work not a part of Honors history.

If you've managed to read any of my other reviews, you know I staunchly support Honor, and the military necsseties. Now, we have 1 story by DF Weber, in which he introduces the treecats as more than Honor's quizzical, mischeveous emotional guru. Learn a little something intruiging about the Harrington lineage too.. 1 story from David Drake, which starts out making me wonder if anything interesting could possibly occur, then it does. Better than the Slammers even. 1 story from SM Stirling, who may have abandoned the 5th millennium of his own creation, but writes quite well in Honor's. If SM Stirling wrote for the Peeps, and DF Weber wrote for the Manties, there'd be hell to pay on both sides, something akin to 2 of Niven & Pournelle's Motie warriors duking it out. No survivors. They're that good. Not to spoil it for you, but if things evolve from Stirlings contribution, God help the Manties. Either that, or the Peeps may actually be salvageable after all. Read it. For the warm fuzzies of the first story, the triumph of the second, or the bitter hope of the third.

I bought this book in paperback, and very much enjoyed it. I am not going to duplicate the other fine reviews of the content.

I ordered the "hardcover" from Amazon because I was switching all of my Honor titles to hardcover editions. What I received was a little 6" x 4" mass-market paperback with a hard, shiny cover on it.

Very disappointing for the price.

I spent 23 years in the military. I am a woman. I met many fine officers who just happened to be women. I have often been saddened because there were no fictional depictions of female warriors which showed the truth. The truth is simply that the best of the woman and the best of the men who lead us have mostly the same charecteristics and mannerisms. BRAVO to David Weber for gifting a real woman charecter with real military charecteristics! The concepts of honor, duty, and courage are no different once taught to any soldier. THANK YOU for telling the simple truth that a good leader, a good soldier, a fine warrior, simply is - regardless of sex, race, creed, or missing body parts!

More Than Honor is a collection of short stories set in David Weber's Honorverse, or the universe of Weber's Honor Harrington series. This book contains three short stories and one essay, none of which are about Harrington herself, but provide lots of background information enhancing the reader's understanding of the Honerverse. The first story, Weber's A Beautiful Friendship, recounts the first contact between humans and treecats, and how the relationshihp between the two species developed. We learn much from this story about the 'cats and their culture. David Drake checks in with the next story, A Grand Tour, about Hakyon Nessler, who encounters some disreputable naval officers committing an act of piracy, and how he takes matters into his own hands in dealing with them. S.M. Stirling delivers the third story, A Whiff of Grapeshot, set on Haven. This story is about Esther McQueen, the head of the military, and the suppression of the Leveller Revolt. The essay, The Universe of Honor Harrington, is written by Weber himself. Weber gives us a condensed history of the Honorverse, with some added insight into the technology and science of the the Honor Harrington universe, as well as the history and the political landscapes of the star nations within that universe. If you're looking for an Honor Harrington story, you'll want to skip this book, but if you would like to deepen your understanding of the Honorverse, then More Than Honor is an oustanding read.