The Great Honor Harrington Read Along is a read along led by me with critical analysis and SPOILER FILLED looks at the Honor Harrington series and related works by David Weber and collaborators. I’ve read the whole main series and the overwhelming majority of the offshoots, but some of these will still be first time reads. However, spoilers will be abundant throughout these posts, including for much later books in the series.
The Service of the Sword featuring stories by David Weber, John Ringo, Eric Flint, Jane Lindskold, and Timothy Zahn
The Service of the Sword is the fourth collection of Honorverse stories, and was published after War of Honor. As with my other looks at collections in this series, I’ll give thoughts on each of the included tales.
Promised Land by Jane Lindskold
I think this might be the best Honorverse non-novel I’ve read yet. Michael Winton, the crown prince of Manticore, is doing his time in the Manticoran Navy. He ultimately pushes back against the white glove treatment he felt he was getting and gets an assignment on a diplomatic mission to Masada. Meanwhile, on Masada, Judith is one of several wives of a prominent Masadan who makes his money in pirate raids. She had to work to cover up her life prior to her capture, but longs to find a way to escape. She discovers there’s a conspiracy involving many women who believe a promised one will lead them away from the oppressive, abusive, patriarchal Masada. When the plan starts to come to fruition, Judith and Michael’s missions collide in some fascinating ways.
I admit I did not expect a novella in an Honorverse collection to bring me to tears, but this one did. Lindskold weaves a fantastic yarn with some characters who are deeply important to the Honorverse but who don’t often get a time to shine. The collection was worth reading just for this story, but there are other great reads in it.
With One Stone by Timothy Zahn
Silesian piracy threatens shipping–shocker! But more is afoot, as Sonia Hemphill thinks there may be dangerous weapons being tested out there. Honor is sent for anti-piracy operations while Rafael Cordones is taken by the Bureau of Weapons on a secret mission to investigate the possible super-weapon. The story has all the makings of a classic Honorverse space battle, with stakes constantly getting raised, moral quandaries introduced, and more. It’s a great way to see some favorite characters in action yet again, and has a satisfying conclusion.
A Ship Named Francis by John Ringo and Victor Mitchell
I was honestly shocked by this one. It’s the first attempt I encountered to have a story deliberately based around humor in the Honor Harrington universe. GNS Francis Mueller is a ship in the Grayson Space Navy on which all the misfits are sent to be out of the way without having to find ways to get them back out of the Navy. When Sean Tyler, formerly of the Manticoran Navy, comes on board in pursuit of the opportunities for promotion that can be found by aiding a close ally of Manticore, he discovers an absolute shitshow. Prayers by the ship’s chaplain echo for hours at a time about the dangers of space; crew members have to be constantly sedated; and navigation can’t navigate. It’s right on the edge as a story of not being able to work, but if you’re willing to set aside some incredulity about whether this would all actually be allowed in the GSN, it’s a fun and often funny read. I was surprised. I actually really want more stories to tell us what happens to Sean Tyler after this experience, but I don’t think there are any.
Let’s Go to Prague by John Ringo
I found this one to be somewhat forgettable, especially in comparison with the rest of this collection. It’s a couple Manticoran agents who mess around with the Office of State Security. It has fun moments, but despite the fact that I read it maybe just a week or so ago, nothing sticks out in my memory as something I’ll carry forward. Again, it’s not bad, just kind of felt throwaway.
Fanatic by Eric Flint
Okay, this story was awesome. Victor Cachat sent to investigate the death of a People’s Comissioner. We get to see him fully dialed in as the brutal enforcer he was Before We Knew Him. There’s more than meets the eye to this story, too. He is ruthless, but fair, and Flint keeps us readers guessing what the catch is almost until the very end of the story. I loved it.
The Service of the Sword by David Weber
Abigail Hearns (a big name in several related Honorverse novels), at this point a Midshipwoman, is the first Grayson-born woman in the GSN, and her assignment takes her with Manticoran personnel (including captain Oversteegan, whose name should pop up if you’ve read Crown of Slaves or some other HH novels) to investigate the disappearance of allied ships. As always, there’s more here than meets the eye, and it leads to a direct, early confrontation with Manpower, Inc. We’ve got battles on space and on the ground in this tense story, and Weber brings it all to a satisfying conclusion. If you want stories to feature side characters that you care about from other novels, this is a great one to check out.
Overall Thoughts
The Service of the Sword might be the best of the story collections that I’ve read so far. It has some absolutely fantastic stories, fills in lots of background for beloved characters, and has a diverse set of focuses. I highly recommend it to fans of the Honor Harrington series.
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SDG.
Eclectic Theist 
I just finished the second Dread Empire’s Fall/Praxis trilogy from Walter Jon Williams and it’s left me quite broken. I re-read the original trilogy, immediately followed by the new trilogy, which I had been hoarding until it was finished.
I can’t stop thinking about the last few pages of the final book.
And selfishly I think of the age of the author (who is the same vintage as David Weber).
All I wanted was grand battles and dashing heroes and heroines. I hadn’t expected a most complicated, twisted love/hate story between two characters over the course of 3000 pages and the bombshell at the end of the sixth (technically eighth, as there are two shorter, self-contained books in the series, one for each of the main characters) book.
I read half a Regency Romance once (“The Black Sheep” by Georgette Heyer), and quite enjoyed it, but never picked it back up again after swapping to a new Kindle. Fiction about a time when wealth and standing where not equivalent, and those without sought more of what they lacked. This is how the Praxis feels.
I’ve found the Honorverse quite daunting, coming to it so late, though I’ve read some Weber-adjacent authors (mainly Eric Flint). I desperately need something to fill the gulf in my soul I’ve been left with after “Imperium Restored”. Perhaps it’s time to dip a toe.
I’ve actually been thinking of attempting. The Dread Empire’s Fall. I didn’t get into it the first time but it was a long time ago.
Probably not for everyone.
When I was at school I read a lot of Rudyard Kipling, Hornblower naval books (from the 30s-50s by CS Forester) and, critically, the Flashman books by George MacDonald Fraser.
I might re-read Hornblower, but I haven’t read all the Patrick O’Brian, Aubrey books yet.
Oh, and the Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwall.
Point being, Walter Jon Williams has such a convincing voice and tone for historical British fiction, particularly sea-faring fiction, that I was surprised to find out he is American.
Both Praxis trilogies are wordy, focusing, often, on the prickly, little details of relationships between Peers, who don’t see themselves as peers.
I’d suggest tackling that Georgette Heyer first, to get a feel for the “comedy of manners”. At least half of it, anyway.