Shadow of Victory Snippet #1

OrlandoNative wrote:

runsforcelery wrote:And he's Damien in this book everywhere the voice recognition software din't mishear me.

I did mention the final manuscript hasn't been turned in, didn't I?

Which is interesting, since the Baen website says the first half of Shadow of Victory is going to be in the Baen monthly bundle that becomes available TOMORROW, August 15th.

So where are they getting it from?

It won't be the final manuscript. Most likely it will initially be from the very first draft that David turned in to Baen.

See the Baen Ebooks FAQ
Monthly Baen Bundles
I purchased a "Forthcoming," "Half," or "Three-Quarters" version of an Ebook and it's full of mistakes!:

Most likely, we only have the eARC text available at this time. The "non-ARC" version is not available to us until roughly a month before publication date. Until we get the final text (then converted and uploaded), we use the text from the ARC for the Sample chapters and Baen Ebook Monthly Bundle quarters.

Thanks David, you're a masterful story teller and that you put up with your ever ravenous fans is a hero's task!

To my fellow fans, I sometimes have trouble keeping track of all the Honorverse characters. Is Rufino Chernyshev someone new or have we met him before?

Vince wrote:

OrlandoNative wrote:Which is interesting, since the Baen website says the first half of Shadow of Victory is going to be in the Baen monthly bundle that becomes available TOMORROW, August 15th.

So where are they getting it from?

It won't be the final manuscript. Most likely it will initially be from the very first draft that David turned in to Baen.

See the Baen Ebooks FAQ
Monthly Baen Bundles
I purchased a "Forthcoming," "Half," or "Three-Quarters" version of an Ebook and it's full of mistakes!:

Most likely, we only have the eARC text available at this time. The "non-ARC" version is not available to us until roughly a month before publication date. Until we get the final text (then converted and uploaded), we use the text from the ARC for the Sample chapters and Baen Ebook Monthly Bundle quarters.

I could see it possibly coming from an "intermediate" version, but I can't see them allowing *major* change between it and the final. Otherwise, folks probably would stop buying the bundles. Why buy advanced copies if the final product ends up being totally (or even significantly) different???

If you're talking about spelling, grammar, or minor mistaken references (like mixing up Eloise and Elizabeth's names); then, yes - after all, the ARC's are noted to be unproofed, and, given the time frame of the bundles, they're likely the same.

In any case, the quote you took from the Baen FAQ clearly states that the bundle text comes from the eARC - at least the partials. (Which, in this case, hasn't actually been announced as available separately yet; maybe tomorrow?) When they release the final bundle with the complete book they might use the actual released, printable verions, but that's not as clear. The eARC's are, supposedly, the final manuscripts as submitted by the author, prior to being proofed by Baen's editors (some of which obviously are better than others as far as proofreading goes) for those minor issues noted in the previous paragraph and then when those are corrected released for actual printing.

Brian wrote:Thanks David, you're a masterful story teller and that you put up with your ever ravenous fans is a hero's task!

To my fellow fans, I sometimes have trouble keeping track of all the Honorverse characters. Is Rufino Chernyshev someone new or have we met him before?

I'll defer to any textev someone has, but I think he is a newbie...but no guarantee that his real name isn't someone we already know (wheels within wheels).

I would bet a Manticore credit he (Rufino) set up the ambush and arranged the killing of Damien's boss...or did so under the instructions of Asimonova (sp).

Just for reference, during the SF Con in Chattanooga last year (about this time, IIRC), the MWW admitted he was rather..interested...in the character of Harahap and that he would be playing a part in this novel. Obviously DW was quite correct.

Can't wait for more.

Hutch wrote:

Brian wrote:Thanks David, you're a masterful story teller and that you put up with your ever ravenous fans is a hero's task!

To my fellow fans, I sometimes have trouble keeping track of all the Honorverse characters. Is Rufino Chernyshev someone new or have we met him before?

I'll defer to any textev someone has, but I think he is a newbie...but no guarantee that his real name isn't someone we already know (wheels within wheels).

He's new. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he turns out to be "clambake," though.

Hutch wrote:I would bet a Manticore credit he (Rufino) set up the ambush and arranged the killing of Damien's boss...or did so under the instructions of Asimonova (sp).

I had that thought. There's a serious problem with the time sequence - how did they get that assassin team from the Core all the way out to Meyers after learning that the Monica operation had gone sour? Even with the streak drive, it seems more likely that the MAlign wanted a set of cutouts in advance, and also wanted to recruit Harahap.

Hutch wrote:Just for reference, during the SF Con in Chattanooga last year (about this time, IIRC), the MWW admitted he was rather..interested...in the character of Harahap and that he would be playing a part in this novel. Obviously DW was quite correct.

Can't wait for more.

I believe it was to be a major part.

JohnRoth wrote:

Hutch wrote:I would bet a Manticore credit he (Rufino) set up the ambush and arranged the killing of Damien's boss...or did so under the instructions of Asimonova (sp).

I had that thought. There's a serious problem with the time sequence - how did they get that assassin team from the Core all the way out to Meyers after learning that the Monica operation had gone sour? Even with the streak drive, it seems more likely that the MAlign wanted a set of cutouts in advance, and also wanted to recruit Harahap.

This snippet is also long before Gen Yucel met someone more ruthless than she. I think the explanation given is probably the correct one. It doesn't really matter if it was Yucel, Verrochio, or Hongbo; any or all of them would see removing Harahap and his boss as just business-as-usual after a failed conspiracy.

Vince wrote:

OrlandoNative wrote:Which is interesting, since the Baen website says the first half of Shadow of Victory is going to be in the Baen monthly bundle that becomes available TOMORROW, August 15th.

So where are they getting it from?

It won't be the final manuscript. Most likely it will initially be from the very first draft that David turned in to Baen.

See the Baen Ebooks FAQ
Monthly Baen Bundles
I purchased a "Forthcoming," "Half," or "Three-Quarters" version of an Ebook and it's full of mistakes!:

Most likely, we only have the eARC text available at this time. The "non-ARC" version is not available to us until roughly a month before publication date. Until we get the final text (then converted and uploaded), we use the text from the ARC for the Sample chapters and Baen Ebook Monthly Bundle quarters.

OrlandoNative wrote:I could see it possibly coming from an "intermediate" version, but I can't see them allowing *major* change between it and the final. Otherwise, folks probably would stop buying the bundles. Why buy advanced copies if the final product ends up being totally (or even significantly) different???

If you're talking about spelling, grammar, or minor mistaken references (like mixing up Eloise and Elizabeth's names); then, yes - after all, the ARC's are noted to be unproofed, and, given the time frame of the bundles, they're likely the same.

In any case, the quote you took from the Baen FAQ clearly states that the bundle text comes from the eARC - at least the partials. (Which, in this case, hasn't actually been announced as available separately yet; maybe tomorrow?) When they release the final bundle with the complete book they might use the actual released, printable verions, but that's not as clear. The eARC's are, supposedly, the final manuscripts as submitted by the author, prior to being proofed by Baen's editors (some of which obviously are better than others as far as proofreading goes) for those minor issues noted in the previous paragraph and then when those are corrected released for actual printing.

I think you are confused as to how Baen monthly bundles work. The idea that the bundle ebooks as they are first released are never updated to the final versions is flat out wrong.

When a Baen monthly bundle is first released, any ebooks that have already been previously released in final form (Baen cycles ebooks through their monthly bundles at least twice, possibly as many as three times to coincide with the hardcover, trade paperback, and mass-market paperback editions) has the final edited text available.

It's different for ebooks that have not been previously released in final form. For those, a Baen monthly bundle will only have the EARC text initially available (first 1/2 the text, then 3/4 of the text). And the only way to read the ebooks in the bundle is in HTML format with a web browser online.

BUT, when the ebooks are finally completed and released, the online HTML text is updated to the complete, final, fully edited and proofed editions. Those final editions are also made available in all the other file formats Baen supports.

This only applies to the ebooks purchased as part of a monthly Baen bundle, however. IF you purchased an EARC of an ebook (assuming it is available as an EARC) and did NOT purchase it in a monthly Baen bundle, you:
1) get the full unproofed, unedited, first draft to read in full immediately on purchase, and
2) do NOT get a complete, final, fully edited and proofed edition when the ebook is released.

Summing up: If you purchase an ebook that has never been released before as part of a monthly Baen bundle, you will be able to read part of the ebook online for a while in draft format, BUT when the ebook is released as part of that same monthly bundle, you will have all the ebooks in complete, final, fully edited and proofed editions, NOT draft format.

And: If you purchase an ebook as an EARC, what you get is exactly what you purchased (errors and all), and your EARC will never be updated to the final, fully edited and proofed edition. If you do wish to read a final, fully edited and proofed edition, you will have to purchase that separately.

I have purchased many monthly Baen bundles in the past, and all of them that had ebooks that had never been previously released had those ebooks updated to the complete, final, fully edited and proofed editions when the bundle was fully released (the date the ebooks were made available for purchase individually, or shortly thereafter if a particular book is running really late).

I'm thinking that most of "Rufino"'s story is BS. This attack was a test, and Harahap passed it, so Rufino offed the rest of the assassination team when Grant "went off script" and tried to bring out his pulser.

As others have said, it's nice to see how it was that Harahap ditched the Sollies for the MAlign. I've got a nasty and suspicious mind, so I'm leaning towards the MAlign setting this up, not Kalokainos.

Eagleeye wrote:

George J. Smith wrote:Is Brendon Grant a beta or gamma line? (I can't see an operative like that being alpha, too dangerous for the powers that are to allow near them)

It seems as though he changed the plan to eliminate Harahap based on the latter's performance against the hit squad, and only someone high up enough, or in the good books with the high ups, would have the authority/temerity(?) to change the plan.

Maybe he saw that Harahap could be an asset to the alignment in the near future stirring up trouble the verge.

Brendon Grant is neither nor, I'd say. If I read the scene correctly, he was the boss of the assassination team and was killed by MAlignment agent Rufino Chernyshev.

GregD wrote:I've got a nasty and suspicious mind, so I'm leaning towards the MAlign setting this up, not Kalokainos.

I'm shocked, just shocked, at this lack of faith in the goodness of strangers who work for the MA.

If Harahap comes to the same conclusion, it could be quite "interesting". Since that would lead to him deciding to "clean up" his current bosses, rather than his previous bosses, no?

kzt wrote:

GregD wrote:I've got a nasty and suspicious mind, so I'm leaning towards the MAlign setting this up, not Kalokainos.

I'm shocked, just shocked, at this lack of faith in the goodness of strangers who work for the MA.