pbplace wrote:I am very disappointed in the new Honorverse book. I wasted my money on a retelling of the same story that was told in the last four books. Shadow of Victory should have started from the end of Cauldron of Ghosts, with Michelle showing up to kick Mesa butt. Instead it begins BEFORE the battle of manticore and introduces TOO MANY new (and unnecessary) characters. If Weber has run out of ideas, he should stop writing the books. I have loved this series from the beginning, but will not be buying any more.
Carolyn
I suspect that the Authorial Note, at the beginning of
Storm From The Shadows still rings true. The canvas has become quite large. Larger than even the author himself had imagined...
An Authorial Note
Many readers will notice that some of the earlier chapters in this book retell, or fill in between, events which occurred in At All Costs. The retold material constitutes a very small portion of the entire book, and there is a definite method to my madness in taking this approach.
Once upon a time, in the simpler days of yore when I first began the Honor Harrington series, I hadn't quite visualized the scale of the project upon which I'd embarked. I always knew the story that I wanted to tell, and I'd always intended to arrive at the portion of the story line of which this book is a part. What I hadn't really counted on was the degree of detail, the number of characters, and the sheer size of the canvas I was going to end up with.
It isn't often that a writer is blessed with the response the Honor Harrington books have generated. When it happened to me, I was deeply gratified, and that's still true today. I also think that when readers are kind enough to support a series as strongly as these books have been supported, the writer has not only a special relationship with his readers, but also a special responsibility to them. At the same time, when a series extends through as many novels (thirteen, including Shadow of Saganami and Crown of Slaves) and anthologies, the writer sometimes finds himself forced to consider taking the storyline in directions of which not all of his readers are likely to approve. There's a fine balance between going where you know you have to go with a book and worrying about how you meet that special responsibility to your readership. And, to be honest, the Honor books reached that point about two novels ago.
-snip-
Bolded text is mine, not the author's.
I've reserved myself to trust his driving from the back seat and enjoy the scenery.
"Are We There Yet?"
Almost!****** *
You don't owe the author anything. But if you've been with the series from the beginning, you owe yourself the final book. And you owe the story. Don't quit now when the end is nigh.
Here's hoping that you reconsider.
