I haven't read the entire thread. I started on the first several pages and got the idea. If my post is redundant, my apologies. I have read the entire e-ARC.
I loved this book. The Shadow series is abut the birth of the SLN successor states. Those nations will be born of fire and blood and as our dear Czech friends can attest to the value of accepting restraint to achieve peaceful compromise. The mainline Honor stories are about the war between the MAlign and the Alliance. These stories are about the death of the SLN and the nations that spring from its corpse. To tell that story we have to be introduced to nations and people in just a few books that RFC used nearly a dozen to introduce the mainline Honorverse.
I get the distinct impression that the introduction has just been completed and the story line will now commence in earnest. I just can't wait! Seriously, let's consider where the Shadow of Victory leaves us, shall we?
The Star Empire has just finished knocking loose the OFS from most of the star systems between Lynx and Mesa. They have proved to every system in the area that they care enough about their word that RMN Admirals will put their ships in harm's way just to avoid standing forsworn when their enemies make promises on their behalf. They accepted moral responsibility for commitments made to honest star nations made by their enemies and did everything they could to meet those commitments. This has become the standard for interstellar behavior for that entire region. This is the foundation of building a star nation in that region and a firm one it is too.
The Western portion of the Verge is now firmly pro SEM. They have in the 100 some-odd light years between Lynx and Mesa 3 wormhole connections; one in Poland(sorry but I haven't memorized the actual spelling), one in Lynx and one in Mesa. The polish bridge is but 64 light years from Lynx and has a significant FF base inside a week's travel time.
The North-Eastern parts of the Verge are quickly being secured by the Bad Boys of Maya. They stand to gobble up the MAlign's Manticoran promisses to targets in that region. They simply facilitate the revolutions that stem from MAlign efforts and accept the gratitude of newly freed star nations. They will of course openly acknowledge their relationship with Manticore when the time is ripe.
We don't know just how many inhabited systems are in those areas, but a wag puts between 20-30 in a volume of space similar to the Talbot Quadrant between Lynx and Mesa. Assuming a similar density around Maya and we see that RFC has just given the Allies approximately 100 relatively poor star nations to tend to in a volume of space equal to about 40% of the Verge. That makes the volume of space the Allies have to protect equal to the entire Solarian League.
What a setting for RFC death-rides! We get Honor's largely political story and a few larger fleet engagements (defense of Beowulf) on occasion in the mainline books. Now, we have the setting for constant battles between the odd RMN Roland convoy protector and the squadron of Nevadas. Going forward, I get to look forward to:
-Abigail's courtship with Indy Graham. I guessed this when first Indy was introduced but it appears to be progressing apace.
-Lester and Mike's budding relationship
-Steve Westman being dragooned into foreign service/intel ops in the new systems. He has the perfect cover as an "oligarch" looking to expand the markets he serves
-Scotty and Naomi kicking the snot out of increasingly competent FF commerce raiders
-Aivars' promotion to Rear Admiral and getting command of the forces defending the South-Eastern Verge
-Lots and lots of stuff RFC can have fun writing now that he has a suitable setting for the sorts of stories he is soooo good at writing.
As I said, I LOVED this book. Not just for the story, but for what it did for the viability of continued interesting stories in the Honorverse.
