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The Lost Fleet

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The Lost Fleet
Post by Dieu_Le_Fera   » Sat May 31, 2014 11:53 am

Dieu_Le_Fera
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Just about finished the first 6 books of the main series, anyone else read it?
"Battle Cruisers lead the way!"
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Re: The Lost Fleet
Post by JohnS   » Sat May 31, 2014 12:29 pm

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Dieu_Le_Fera wrote:Just about finished the first 6 books of the main series, anyone else read it?


Yeah, I love'em! I've also read the Beyond the Frontier and Lost Stars books. The former is a direct sequel to the Lost Fleet. The others are a spin-off, though very good, especially the characterization.

On a side note, two of the Kris Longknife books have mentioned the ship Dauntless, captained by Jack Campbell. :lol: (I also like those quite a bit.)
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Re: The Lost Fleet
Post by Dieu_Le_Fera   » Sat May 31, 2014 12:47 pm

Dieu_Le_Fera
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)

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Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 2:15 pm
Location: Philadelphia

It is interesting that the author decides to not focus on physical details, instead builds on personality. I have some grudges about that, especially when it comes to certain characters who seem to be there just to be the bad guy, and it is painfully obvious. Also, later in the books when suddenly a distant character is pushes to the for-front with a heavy personality change.

The battle sequences are awesome though, as well as a realistic viewpoint of military life, and how it deals with the rank and file. The main reason I ask is because I have had a hard time comparing this series, and Honorverse, though if I go to many forums it seems people try to compare them and it just doesn't work for me. I don't really see a comparison other then a few generic tropes that don't effect the story overall.
"Battle Cruisers lead the way!"
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Re: The Lost Fleet
Post by JohnS   » Sat May 31, 2014 7:17 pm

JohnS
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Dieu_Le_Fera wrote:It is interesting that the author decides to not focus on physical details, instead builds on personality. I have some grudges about that, especially when it comes to certain characters who seem to be there just to be the bad guy, and it is painfully obvious. Also, later in the books when suddenly a distant character is pushes to the for-front with a heavy personality change.

The battle sequences are awesome though, as well as a realistic viewpoint of military life, and how it deals with the rank and file. The main reason I ask is because I have had a hard time comparing this series, and Honorverse, though if I go to many forums it seems people try to compare them and it just doesn't work for me. I don't really see a comparison other then a few generic tropes that don't effect the story overall.


I agree with you that there's no similarity between those two series beyond the obvious ones that just define what sub-genre of SF they fit in. Were these actual fans of the series? It seems like the sort of thing someone would say that doesn't like military SF. "Oh, those space battle books are all alike", sort of thing.

I know what you mean about some of the obvious bad guys. Though they tend to make their move and get shuffled off pretty promptly, at least. No lingering villains past their shelf life here. New and different threats are always popping up.

The background to the action is well thought out. For example, the ships not being made to last a long time, since it's expected they'll die in battle before long. And the reason that Black Jack is so tactically effective.

The religious aspect is neat, also. By and large, people are quite devout, but their religious beliefs and practices are way different than one normally sees in fiction.
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Re: The Lost Fleet
Post by Grabthar's Hammer   » Sat May 31, 2014 11:06 pm

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Hi
I've read The Lost Fleet and love it for what it is. Loadsa good bits but I do love the 1st and 2nd battles of Lakota!
    ~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~
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    Re: The Lost Fleet
    Post by Michael Everett   » Sun Jun 01, 2014 5:40 am

    Michael Everett
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    I thought the funniest battle was the one where Black Jack proved himself to be too brilliant and ended up having both of his task forces and the enemy fleet passing through the same volume of space in wildly different trajectories.
    His response (and most of the Bridge crew) could be best summed up as "Well, that worked, but let's not do it again".
    ~~~~~~

    I can't write anywhere near as well as Weber
    But I try nonetheless, And even do my own artwork.
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    Re: The Lost Fleet
    Post by Dieu_Le_Fera   » Sun Jun 01, 2014 11:05 am

    Dieu_Le_Fera
    Lieutenant (Junior Grade)

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    Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 2:15 pm
    Location: Philadelphia

    JohnS wrote:The religious aspect is neat, also. By and large, people are quite devout, but their religious beliefs and practices are way different than one normally sees in fiction.


    Yeah the ancestor worship goes along nicely with the books attempt to portray the march of the ten thousand. The verbal exchanges between Rhione and Disjani make for some nice comic relief as well.
    "Battle Cruisers lead the way!"
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    Re: The Lost Fleet
    Post by JohnS   » Sun Jun 01, 2014 5:23 pm

    JohnS
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    Dieu_Le_Fera wrote:
    JohnS wrote:The religious aspect is neat, also. By and large, people are quite devout, but their religious beliefs and practices are way different than one normally sees in fiction.


    Yeah the ancestor worship goes along nicely with the books attempt to portray the march of the ten thousand. The verbal exchanges between Rhione and Disjani make for some nice comic relief as well.


    Yeah, the fun just never stops when the Captain and "that woman" are in the same room. Just ask Black Jack... :)

    I like your signature quote 'cause it's got a nice dramatic ring. But, oh, the painful irony to know why they lead the way. :cry:
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    Re: The Lost Fleet
    Post by Dieu_Le_Fera   » Sun Jun 01, 2014 9:16 pm

    Dieu_Le_Fera
    Lieutenant (Junior Grade)

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    Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 2:15 pm
    Location: Philadelphia

    JohnS wrote:Yeah, the fun just never stops when the Captain and "that woman" are in the same room. Just ask Black Jack... :)

    I like your signature quote 'cause it's got a nice dramatic ring. But, oh, the painful irony to know why they lead the way. :cry:


    I am a stubborn individual to a fault. To the point that those around me have to remind me of the fact at certain times. I can actually relate to how the old fleet mentality can and would stick despite the consequences.

    Unlike David Weber and his Honorverse, in The Lost Fleet the actual "butchers bill" is never really detailed. That leaves the reader to speculate, and if we go by modern naval standards that the biggest ships are comparable to a floating city or town, it does not surprise me that some captains would suffer from PTSD, and I was relieved when the author made that point. We have not had to deal with such losses since World War 2, and even then I find it more comparable in lives lost to the Civil War.

    On a lighter note, my favorite exchange is when Geary needs to cut in on the conversation before Rhione asks Disjani for her choice of weapons.
    "Battle Cruisers lead the way!"
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    Re: The Lost Fleet
    Post by Daryl   » Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:29 am

    Daryl
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    Great series and hard to put down reading.
    Compared to the Honorverse the technical aspects are different in that the universe overall confirms more with what we understand at present, however at times the physics shouldn't be analysed like we do the Honorverse. When battlefleets dogfight, doing mathematically impossible manoeuvrers, you need to just shrug and read on enjoying the yarn.
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