On Basilisk Station: Honor Harrington, Book 1 (Unabridged)
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4.3 • 63 Ratings
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- $21.99
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- $21.99
Publisher Description
Having made a superior look a fool, Honor Harrington has been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin.
Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station.
The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens.
Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling; the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is up to something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system.
But the people out to get her have made one mistake. They've made her mad.
A Note from Author David Weber
There's been some confusion—not to say, um, energetic debate, readers and fans being readers and fans—about the correct pronunciation of "Manticoran." The truth, alas, is that a stitch was dropped. An error occurred. A mistake was made… and it wasn't Audible's fault. It was mine. Before Audible recorded the very first Honor Harrington book, narrator Allyson Johnson and I not only corresponded by e-mail but actually spoke to one another by phone. She wanted to make absolutely certain she had the correct pronunciations for names, places, star nations, etc., and I tried to make certain all of her questions were answered. And so they were. Unfortunately, at some point in the process, I replied to one of her e-mails by telling her that "Man-ti-core-ahn" was pronounced "Man-tik-er-ahn." Exactly how this happened is more than I can say at this point, except to blushingly disclose that the original e-mail remains intact, confirming to all the world that it was, indeed, my fault. I can ascribe it only to a temporary mental hiccup on my part and crave your forgiveness. If, however, you must blame someone for the mix-up, that someone should be me and not Audible, who have done everything they could to get it right.
Customer Reviews
It's FINALLY Here! (And thankfully unabridged)
I am a huge fan of great SF/Fantasy, and I would place this book on a fairly even pedestal with Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game", Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", and John Steakley's "Armour". It has challenging and well thought-out conflicts, a believable, well-constructed universe, and space battles which will make you wish there were a video game under the franchise! This book, and its heroine's "damn all else, I'm doing what's right, no matter the personal cost!" attitude (along with the other books mentioned) actually helped to convince me to re-examine my views on the role of the military in our society, what it means to be a patriot, and the values which make true heroes. As a result, I later joined up myself. However, this is no hidden attempt to recruit any of you... I'm trying to illustrate that this book will move and excite you. For this price? You're getting a bargain.
Note that, as Baen (the publisher) has been a pioneer in the use of the Internet, you may also obtain the first book in most of their series for free, online in text format. Me? I have at least four versions of this particular book. Including, audio, because I can listen to it while doing chores around the house, while working a night shift, or to keep me energized on a road trip. I heartily recommend you buy this. You won't be disappointed.
David Weber's Best series
The beginning of this series is, while not his very best work, certainly up there, and kicks the honorverse series off with a real bang. Honor harrington is Manticore's Horatio Hornnblower, and Weber's starship combat is brutal, detailed, and as realistic as the plot allows. His weapons and tech have detailed roles and descriptions, but unlike most sci fi authors, they Don't drive the story; all of his sci-fi stuff supports the characters' interactions and somehow this story is a story of People, not technology or space. The narrator is good, if a little annoying at times. Audible would have been very hard pressed to find a narrator to do this story justice, and while they didn't, quite, make it, they did their best.
Buy this book!
The Truth Shall Set You Free
It never surprises me when I read fake reviews on various websites written by less than honest reviewers with questionable motives. But I have rarely seen so many superlative ratings for an inferior piece of work such as this production. The plot is weak, characters are plastic thin and there is no science or drama. I suffered through it just so that I could write an honest-to-god review. I found nothing that would even justify one star yet there are 16 reviews with 5 star ratings on ITunes. I can’t blame ITunes for this debauchery, but would strongly recommend a policy change to list the name of reviewers so buyers would have all the information as who is writing these fake reviews. Nevertheless, stay away from this production.
Reading and listening to Sci-Fi has been a lifelong joy for me. Over a forty year period, I have had the pleasure of experiencing hundreds if not a thousand creative works of wonderful fiction. If you like military Sci-Fi try Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet series. John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War is offers a slightly different flavor of the same theme. And James S A Corey’s the Expanse Series are also good stuff.
Peace…
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