Honor Harrington Series [+]
May 18 2026
Probably took a couple of years but I finished re-reading the Honor Harrington series including the last book, Uncompromising Honor, which I hadn't read.
With the first book, On Basilisk Station, it begins as Horatio Hornblower in space with a new female captain, an old ship with a surly down-on-its-luck crew, and in a minor backwaters system where revolution and invasion are imminent, though unknown, threats. Honor Harrington is tall, youthful (due to prolong 3rd generation which greatly extends lifespans and slows down aging so at times it's a bit of an anime "teenagers fighting wars" feel), beautiful (though she never thinks so and most people attach caveats that get fewer as the series goes on), smart, tactically brilliant, loyal (to her Queen, nation, friends and family), and embodies her first name.
As the series progresses she is often involved in doomed fights that she somehow wins, often has to combat sexism, and loses people, loved ones, and parts of her body (replaced with prosthesis and cybernetics because her body rejects limb regrowth tech). Honor Harrington quickly rises through the ranks and socially as well as she becomes an Admiral and also a Greyson Steadholder (kind of like a Duke/Duchess of a small country) and one of the richest people in her corner of the galaxy.
Meanwhile during most of the series Harrington's nation, the Star Kingdom of Manticore, is in a decades-long war against the People's Republic of Haven (which later reverts to being the Republic of Haven after a change of government). By the last two or three books the focus starts to shift to an incipient war with the Solarian League, the biggest nation at least 100 times bigger than either Manticore or Haven with a fleet to match though fairly obsolete since they haven't been at war in hundreds of years. Oh and I forgot the shadow bad guys that appeared maybe half-way in the series and become more and more revealed though still mostly believed to be fictitious in the last book.
To go along with that shift we get to the point in the last few books that Honor is merely one of many characters. Maybe appearing in a third or a quarter or even less of the book though often still at key moments. So by the last book it is truly a good time to end the series since there are other series set in the same universe. Honor is promoted to an NPC background character and one of the movers and shakers of the galaxy.
I really like the first 12 books which kind of end with peace between Manticore and Haven. Books 13 and 14 is mostly about setting up the Solarian War with Honor Harrington making appearances but just kind of being there, though she does command a big fleet in book 14. Too many separate groups each doing their own plots (though all involving Manticore vs Sol) and it was not as good storytelling (and the books are also quite long).
Overall one of my favorite series. May have gone a bit too long but at least finished before the author dies (David Weber was like 65 when he wrote the last book in this series though even now still writing books in related series).
With the first book, On Basilisk Station, it begins as Horatio Hornblower in space with a new female captain, an old ship with a surly down-on-its-luck crew, and in a minor backwaters system where revolution and invasion are imminent, though unknown, threats. Honor Harrington is tall, youthful (due to prolong 3rd generation which greatly extends lifespans and slows down aging so at times it's a bit of an anime "teenagers fighting wars" feel), beautiful (though she never thinks so and most people attach caveats that get fewer as the series goes on), smart, tactically brilliant, loyal (to her Queen, nation, friends and family), and embodies her first name.
As the series progresses she is often involved in doomed fights that she somehow wins, often has to combat sexism, and loses people, loved ones, and parts of her body (replaced with prosthesis and cybernetics because her body rejects limb regrowth tech). Honor Harrington quickly rises through the ranks and socially as well as she becomes an Admiral and also a Greyson Steadholder (kind of like a Duke/Duchess of a small country) and one of the richest people in her corner of the galaxy.
Meanwhile during most of the series Harrington's nation, the Star Kingdom of Manticore, is in a decades-long war against the People's Republic of Haven (which later reverts to being the Republic of Haven after a change of government). By the last two or three books the focus starts to shift to an incipient war with the Solarian League, the biggest nation at least 100 times bigger than either Manticore or Haven with a fleet to match though fairly obsolete since they haven't been at war in hundreds of years. Oh and I forgot the shadow bad guys that appeared maybe half-way in the series and become more and more revealed though still mostly believed to be fictitious in the last book.
To go along with that shift we get to the point in the last few books that Honor is merely one of many characters. Maybe appearing in a third or a quarter or even less of the book though often still at key moments. So by the last book it is truly a good time to end the series since there are other series set in the same universe. Honor is promoted to an NPC background character and one of the movers and shakers of the galaxy.
I really like the first 12 books which kind of end with peace between Manticore and Haven. Books 13 and 14 is mostly about setting up the Solarian War with Honor Harrington making appearances but just kind of being there, though she does command a big fleet in book 14. Too many separate groups each doing their own plots (though all involving Manticore vs Sol) and it was not as good storytelling (and the books are also quite long).
Overall one of my favorite series. May have gone a bit too long but at least finished before the author dies (David Weber was like 65 when he wrote the last book in this series though even now still writing books in related series).