(SPOILERS) Uncomprisingly good

cthia wrote:Were there any treeecat deaths? Did RFCs coin flip come up tails for any of them?

There were enough VIPS at the conference it is assured. I can't think of any named cats. But I think both space lords had a cat with them.

ldwechsler wrote:

I disagree on more than a few points. NOT cleaning everything up leads to the next arc of the story.

We don't know what will happen on Darius. Or with the "Renaissance Factor." That's coming.

As for the "more children," that is simple. Emily is dead but she will have another child. Chances are there are sperm deposits from Hamish, had he died.

Yes, it was a bit much having several characters survive. But it also provides a reason for Honor to be less of a Fury (note the connection) when she gets to Earth. Also, it might be better for the next arc if there are more kids.

As for Intelligence not picking up on the bombs and their implications, there was not much time between the bombs and the surrender. Chances are, when people look through the government records from Terra they will find a lot of dirt but nothing on these bombs and some people will begin to work things out.

A couple of thoughts.

Had Hamish not survived, Honor would have committed suicide. Period. Had Hamish not been seen to have died would have meant Emily would have lived longer. That her eventual death would not have fallen on Honor conscience so poignantly. That Jacques and Hamish lived was allowed for in the story no matter how unlikely the events. I can live with that plot twist quite well.

Children. Several questions as yet unanswered about the third child. Emily loved Honor as much as she loved Hamish as a spouse. She knew she was dying. Her mother-in-law was one of the preeminent geneticists in known space. One of her last acts was to begin a child. Yet, that child was genetically between her and Hamish even if morally it will be as much Honor's child too. That raises a question in my mind.

Would Emily have asked Allison to giver one last professional gift; to gift her child both Honor's and Hamish's genes as well as her own? The make her final gesture a total union of their trilateral marriage? RFC has until the next book to decide, but his little pearly about the Harrington genome suggests that he might just weave this particular twist into the next Harrington arc. Perhaps there will be more children yet and all of them products of Emily, Hamish and Honor.

Lastly, I WAS RIGHT! See, Rose, Abby and Indy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Me thinks that when next we see Mr. Graham he will have either married Abby or in the process of a decades long courtship. I tend to think decades long courtship fits their personalities and stations in life.

I also think that Indy and Plays with Fire will be the new dynamic duo mentoring Raoul in the fine art of clandestine ops. Victor will have been promoted into policy making. Zilwicki will be more tied to Torch policy making as well. The story will need interesting characters to chase after the MAlign.

Oh, I forgot to mention; this was a very good book indeed. All the books filling in between this and AAC may have seemed redundant, but allowed this book to conclude the Haven arc in a crisp and poignant fashion. I believe only AAC held my heart more firmly and my attention more completely than this book.

Congratulations on a series very well written, David!

"Had Hamish not survived, Honor would have committed suicide."

In my opinion, highly unlikely.

phillies wrote:"Had Hamish not survived, Honor would have committed suicide."

In my opinion, highly unlikely.

My read was that she was too damaged to keep Nimitz from suiciding and so would not have him as a reason to fight for her own life once he was gone. She has a child that her beloved parents could raise without the influence of her damaged personality.

What selfish reason would she have had to live? None. The most driving selfish motive she had for anything was to make it all stop so she would have peace. I cite her selfish motives because every other motive she had to live without Hamish and Nimitz meant more sacrifice on her part. As she reiterated in her conversation with Elizabeth, she is tired and wants to enjoy the people she loves. Without Hamish and Nimitz, she would have been too tired to continue the fight. Had there been no one to take care of Katherine, Raoul and the final child, she may have continued to fight on even of Nimitz suicide. Because Allison and Alfred were there, she could be selfish and stop fighting once Nimitz died.

PeterZ wrote:SNIP

Lastly, I WAS RIGHT! See, Rose, Abby and Indy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Me thinks that when next we see Mr. Graham he will have either married Abby or in the process of a decades long courtship. I tend to think decades long courtship fits their personalities and stations in life.

SNIP

My literal first reaction when I hit that bit was, "oh, God, there are forumites who will gloat about this FOR YEARS."

My second was, "They may have won the battle, but I will win the war!! Tourville/Henke, Khumalo/Matsuko, and Allen/me, coming right up!"

roseandheather wrote:

PeterZ wrote:SNIP

Lastly, I WAS RIGHT! See, Rose, Abby and Indy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Me thinks that when next we see Mr. Graham he will have either married Abby or in the process of a decades long courtship. I tend to think decades long courtship fits their personalities and stations in life.

SNIP

My literal first reaction when I hit that bit was, "oh, God, there are forumites who will gloat about this FOR YEARS."

My second was, "They may have won the battle, but I will win the war!! Tourville/Henke, Khumalo/Matsuko, and Allen/me, coming right up!"

I was never more happy that Eloise survived. I truly thought she would buy it. Glad, I am, that you scared His Celeryness into letting her live.

We'll see about your choices. I agree about Lester and Mike. Matsuko is meant for Westman and Allen is indeed you destined relational compliment. Poor man got hammered and deserves some emotional compensation.

cthia wrote:
That's Honor giving the Mandarins an ear full.

Am I the only one who feels somewhat sorry about the Mandarins?

Particularly about Innokentiy Kolokoltsov...

Slneezy wrote:

cthia wrote:
That's Honor giving the Mandarins an ear full.

Am I the only one who feels somewhat sorry about the Mandarins?

Particularly about Innokentiy Kolokoltsov...

I suspect you are. Those self-centered idiots deserve what they get.

Let's see now.....which Alliance member state has the death penalty? Not sure but let them have jurisdiction over the trial.

Punishment (if convicted) death by letting the POWs from Filereta's and Crandall's fleets have the bassids.

ldwechsler wrote:
We don't know what will happen on Darius. Or with the "Renaissance Factor." That's coming.

Or that wormhole between Congo/Torch and...

PeterZ wrote:Let's see now.....which Alliance member state has the death penalty? Not sure but let them have jurisdiction over the trial.

There's textev that Manticore, Grayson, and Have do and Erewhon does not. I suspect Beowulf does not either.