If Manticore's politicians are so short-sighted and bound by personal
enmity and cynical politics that they won't let the RMN make use of
Honor's talents and abilities, rest assured that Protector Benjamin and
*his* Admiralty are not.
The People's Republic of Haven has begun to swing the tide of battle a
bit; if not actually in its own favour so far, at least a bit less
one-sidedly toward Manticore.
While this book certainly has its quota of lasers, grasers and missiles
and deadly space warfare, the more important parts are politics on
Grayson, the religion-dominated world where Honor has been made the
first female Steadholder (roughly a Royal Duke in terms of our own
peerages, and very much the great feudal lord that such a title once
implied).
On half-pay from the Manty Navy, she is invited to join the Grayson one
-- as an Admiral. She does, and the usual results of giving Honor
Harrington spaceships to play with ensue. (This woman attracts Forlorn
Hope Last Stands like Jessica Fletcher atttracts murderers...)
Meanwhile, on Grayson, various reactionary elemsnts, offended at the
thought of a woman having power, and even more offended that Honor had
made no attempt to hide her relationship with her late lover, are
trying to stir up bogotry and hatred against her... And some of them
are very powerful men, indeed; men who will stop at nothing to
discredit her, even if it means the deaths of countless innocents --
possibly even their own people!
But what this book is mostly notable for, in my opinion, is that it
shows us more of the Grayson State Church of Humanity Unbound, and its
God the Tester... And of Reverend Hanks, the physically but spiritually
great man who stands at its head; a truly Good Man in the way so few, even religious,
are truly Good Men.[1]
And there is a terrible crime -- two terrible crimes, actually -- that
shake Grayson and its society to their roots.
And Honor must stand, literally sword in hand, to bring justice to a
murderous traitor...
Good read.
[1] David
swears he is not based on Archdeacon (later Bishop) Pinckney
of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina, who we both had the good
fortune of knowing while we were kids and he was Archdeacon in charge
of missions in that diocese, but i cannot imagine any other face or
voice for him... {return} |
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