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Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse

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Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by George J. Smith   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 8:20 am

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With One Stone wrote: "Good," Hemphill said softly. "Then allow me make myself even clearer. You acted out of loyalty to Captain Harrington and the Fearless. I appreciate that. But loyalty must always be balanced with the larger perspective. Here we had a chance —a small one, admittedly, but still a chance —to feed Haven a line of disinformation that could have tied up its time and resources for years to come."
She lifted her chin. "And no matter what you, Captain Harrington, or anyone else aboard Fearless ever do with your careers, you will never accomplish anything that could possibly pay that kind of dividend for the Star Kingdom. Understood?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Cardones said.



I posted this before in the thread about Charles, however thinking back about all the Honorverse books I can't think of a bigger understatement.
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by cthia   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:02 am

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George J. Smith wrote:
With One Stone wrote: "Good," Hemphill said softly. "Then allow me make myself even clearer. You acted out of loyalty to Captain Harrington and the Fearless. I appreciate that. But loyalty must always be balanced with the larger perspective. Here we had a chance —a small one, admittedly, but still a chance —to feed Haven a line of disinformation that could have tied up its time and resources for years to come."
She lifted her chin. "And no matter what you, Captain Harrington, or anyone else aboard Fearless ever do with your careers, you will never accomplish anything that could possibly pay that kind of dividend for the Star Kingdom. Understood?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Cardones said.



I posted this before in the thread about Charles, however thinking back about all the Honorverse books I can't think of a bigger understatement.


Um George, respectfully, in my understanding of an understatement I wouldn't particularly think that that is one. To turn it into an understatement would be if Hemphill would say something rather like "Cordones, you and your Captain Harrington will do great things."

As it stands it is simply an appalling lack of foresight. Or closer to a gross overstatement. Or one could argue for it being an outright boldface ignorant lie.

I suppose if you really wanted to you could squeeze some semblance of an understatement out of it but I'd tend to think it rather unorthodox or too cerebral, for me anyways.

Of course this is coming from someone who is a long shot away from mastering his own native language. :D

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by cthia   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:29 am

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When Hamish said to Janacek "If I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't have believed you could get more stupider" is somewhat of an understatement.

When the Soul of Steel addressed the (House of Lords?) about going to war with Haven and said "You will rue this day," is a huge understatement.


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Last edited by cthia on Sat Mar 11, 2017 10:24 am, edited 2 times in total.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by cthia   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:36 am

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When Hemphill says that Apollo will be a force multiplier is an understatement.

When Henke says it's time to take the gloves off to see what the SLN is made of is an understatement. And when the results were in and she said that they were outclassed is a huger understatement.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by cthia   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:38 am

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Hamish's statement about his superiority over the SLN at that time being akin to "pushing baby chicks into a stream of near pike" is an understatement.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by cthia   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:40 am

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Pavel Young being "an overbred cretin" is a felonious understatement.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by cthia   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 10:53 am

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Depending on who you ask, the equivalent of Harrington being an out of control crazy b*tch might be an understatement. :lol:

Of course I was loosely paraphrasing, not too loosely iinm, but it was someone in the House of Lords I think, just prior to her being given command of Fearless and being sent to Basilisk? I always thought it was rather humorous. Everyone certainly don't like Honor. That is one ingredient which makes her character so endearing and real.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by Vince   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 12:47 pm

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Citizen Admiral Theisman to Oscar Saint-Just:
Ashes of Victory, Chapter 48 wrote:"Good-bye, Citizen Chairman."
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History does not repeat itself so much as it echoes.
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by Dauntless   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 12:48 pm

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more likely said by Hauptman to get Houseman to sponsor Honor for command of the Q-ships he needed in silesa
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Re: Biggest Understatements in the Honorverse
Post by cthia   » Sat Mar 11, 2017 1:10 pm

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Dauntless wrote:more likely said by Hauptman to get Houseman to sponsor Honor for command of the Q-ships he needed in silesa

There it is! Thanks for banging that nail on the head Dauntless.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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