I like the Safehold series and How Firm A Foundation is another good installment. Familiarity is sometimes a good thing, reading an author you like writing something like what he has done before. I often go for that in reading series but it also can become a bit repetitive. This is what happened to me here. This is just more of the same, these medieval battles as entertaining as they are, are starting to bore me and even if we are moving into steam and iron. I do expect at least one more book with this slow technological progression until we hit something more advanced, which is something that I am looking forward to. We have the Gbaba aliens that almost exterminated humanity and made them run for Safehold to deal with.

Merlin, Cayleb and Sharleyan are like family now, extended family even and I love reading about them. Their dialogs are witty and often funny. This time it is a bit darker than before. The Group of Four and the Church are impotent at sea due to the new explosive ordnance of the Charisian Navy so they go for the terrorist response instead with terrible results.

Weber shows great historical knowledge down to a very detailed level as usually. The ongoing geopolitical struggle makes sense to me as a reader and it is quite entertaining. The bad guys don’t know what awaits them around the corner.

Merlin explores the limitations of the orbital weapon responses early in the book but later revelations fulfill the promises of the blurb about what is under the Temple. But that is all I am going to say about that.

Bottom line I liked How Firm A Foundation. It has great characters as always and there is progress. Things are starting to get interesting and tense on the mainland. There are things brewing that will be fun to see expanded in the next volume.

Book Information

How Firm A Foundation (Safehold 5) by David Weber (Tor) – Amazon US| UK

The Charisian Empire, born in war, has always known it must fight for its very survival. What most of its subjects don’t know even now, however, is how much more it’s fighting for. Emperor Cayleb, Empress Sharleyan, Merlin Athrawes, and their innermost circle of most trusted advisers do know. And because they do, they know the penalty if they lose will be far worse than their own deaths and the destruction of all they know and love.

For five years, Charis has survived all the Church of God Awaiting and the corrupt men who control it have thrown at the island empire. The price has been high and paid in blood. Despite its chain of hard-fought naval victories, Charis is still on the defensive. It can hold its own at sea, but if it is to survive, it must defeat the Church upon its own ground. Yet how does it invade the mainland and take the war to a foe whose population outnumbers its own fifteen to one? How does it prevent that massive opponent from rebuilding its fleets and attacking yet again?

Charis has no answer to those questions, but needs to find one…quickly. The Inquisition’s brutal torture and hideous executions are claiming more and more innocent lives. Its agents are fomenting rebellion against the only mainland realms sympathetic to Charis. Religious terrorists have been dispatched to wreak havoc against the Empire’s subjects. Assassins stalk the Emperor and Empress, their allies and advisers, and an innocent young boy, not yet eleven years old, whose father has already been murdered. And Merlin Athrawes, the cybernetic avatar of a young woman a thousand years dead, has finally learned what sleeps beneath the far-off Temple in the Church of God Awaiting’s city of Zion.

The men and women fighting for human freedom and tolerance have built a foundation for their struggle in the Empire of Charis with their own blood, but will that foundation be firm enough to survive?

It is catalog time and this is the first I seen of David Weber’s next Safehold novel. Seems we might see some army action on the mainland before this is over, I like it.

And we will learn what is under the temple… How awesome is that!

The Charisian Empire, born in war, has always known it must fight for its very survival. What most of its subjects don’t know even now, however, is how much more it’s fighting for. Emperor Cayleb, Empress Sharleyan, Merlin Athrawes, and their innermost circle of most trusted advisers do know. And because they do, they know the penalty if they lose will be far worse than their own deaths and the destruction of all they know and love.For five years, Charis has survived all the Church of God Awaiting and the corrupt men who control it have thrown at the island empire. The price has been high and paid in blood. Despite its chain of hard-fought naval victories, Charis is still on the defensive. It can hold its own at sea, but if it is to survive, it must defeat the Church upon its own ground. Yet how does it invade the mainland and take the war to a foe whose population outnumbers its own fifteen to one? How does it prevent that massive opponent from rebuilding its fleets and attacking yet again?

Charis has no answer to those questions, but needs to find one…quickly. The Inquisition’s brutal torture and hideous executions are claiming more and more innocent lives. Its agents are fomenting rebellion against the only mainland realms sympathetic to Charis. Religious terrorists have been dispatched to wreak havoc against the Empire’s subjects. Assassins stalk the Emperor and Empress, their allies and advisers, and an innocent young boy, not yet eleven years old, whose father has already been murdered. And Merlin Athrawes, the cybernetic avatar of a young woman a thousand years dead, has finally learned what sleeps beneath the far-off Temple in the Church of God Awaiting’s city of Zion.

This is my semi-regular series on the state of books in the making. (Read all articles tagged State of Books)

Joel Shepherd reports that he is starting a new Cassandra Kresnov series over on Pyr-o-mania. That is another reason to pick up the original series. The original trilogy follow the adventures of Cassandra Kresnov, an artificially created super-soldier who becomes disillusioned with the policies and actions of her country, the League. She defects to the city of Tanusha, on the planet of Callay in the Federation, the League’s rival nation, and attempts to live as a civilian software expert. She never seems to be able to leave the military from what I gathered and now we know why. I picked up an interest for this series while writing about Cassandra in Formidable Female Protagonists in Science Fiction Part 23. There was no schedule mentioned.

Alastair Reynolds might release another book this year according to his homepage Approaching Pavonis Mons by balloon. Blue Remembered Earth is the first book in his new series Poseidon’s Children that spans 11000 years (formerly known as 11k). Gollancz has it scheduled for June. Alastair is pruning the book down in size from the 212,000 words of the submission draft towards 180,000. He could not tell any details on the second book since the deal is still pending.

David Weber has finished the first edit of How Firm a Foundation, the next Safehold novel and taken a well deserved week off.

This is my semi-regular series on the state of books in the making.

Julie Czerneda is on the home stretch on her first fantasy novel – A turn of Light and as a holiday offering you can read an excerpt of the first chapter.

David Weber is about two weeks from turning in How Firm a Foundation, the next Safehold novel. It has been talks about a release towards the end of this year. He has made me a bit worried with his tweets lately.

• I just finished writing a difficult scene, now I’m taking a break. It’s hard to do mean stuff to the characters you really like…
• Almost finished with the rough draft of “How Firm A Foundation.” Hopefully I can have it sent off to Toni in the next two weeks! #amwriting
• Killed a named character today. I didn’t expect that it would be quite so poignant. 35,000 words left to go!

Wonder who that is? Hopefully not one of my favorite characters.

Elizabeth Moon turned in the manuscript for the third Paladin’s Legacy novel a while back (Book 2 Kings of the North will be out in March). It now has a title Crisis of Vision. We probably have to wait until March 2012 to read it.

This week’s Formidable Female Protagonists contain both Nimue and Ofelia two of my favorite SF characters. It’s fun researching the list, I pick up new books to read all the time. I got 46 more protagonists to go and later today you will have the first FFP in Science Fiction TV. The females are carefully selected by me, their names written on paper, folded and put in one of two bowls, one for new-to-me and one for read-by-me. I then select four read and one new-to-me and write about them.  I am open to suggestions for more females to include.

Here is the list, read about them below.

1. Ofelia Fulfarres - Nest Guardian (Elizabeth Moon)
2. Bella Lind – Icon at the End of Time (Alastair Reynolds)
3. Helva – The Ship Who Sang (Anne McCaffrey)
4. Nimue Alban – Mind of a Dead Starship Captain (David Weber)
5. Rowan – Steerswoman (Rosemary Kirstein)

Ofelia Fulfarres – Nest Guardian

Book: Remnant Population (1996)
Author: Elizabeth Moon
Publisher: Baen
Genre: Science Fiction | First Contact

Meet one of my very best dearest friends, sorry books.

Meet Ofelia Fulfarres, she is a mature woman past childbearing who never got a chance to make something of herself. The setting is the one town on a company owned colony. She lives with her obnoxious son Barto and his wife Rosara in town when we learn that the company lost the franchise to the planet. All colonists have to leave. Ofelia has had enough and decides to stay when the others leave. I love to listen to Ofelia’s thoughts and to see her planning to stay behind.

She avoids the last shuttle and she is left all alone. The only human left on the planet. Ofelia can now live her own life as she like. It feels so liberating to read about it all. I want to be there all alone too that’s how wonderful it reads.

Half a year or so later the colony’s radio comes alive with human voices again. It’s the new company with a shipload of settlers. They don’t know Ofelia is down there, and their plan is to settle their colony closer to the equator on the grass plains there, far away from the old colony. They land and start to clear the area with heavy machinery when unknown aliens with knifes and spears attack and kill them all, to the last man, woman and child. While Ofelia listen to it all on the radio. Ofelia gets the scare of her life and she can’t talk to the ship before it leaves because the colonist realigned the communication satellite to the new colony.

Being all alone doesn’t feel safe anymore for Ofelia. She lives her life in fear now, in fear of the killers that lives somewhere on the planet. She starts to see dangers here and there.

One rainy stormy night she makes contact …

And that’s when the real story begins :-) Read it!

Elizabeth Moon has a real knack for lovable characters especially when it comes to formidable old ladies. Remnant Population is a very personal first contact story told from both Ofelia’s point of view and the aliens. It is intense and both the aliens and Ofelia act in believable ways that makes sense to the reader. It is in my opinion one of the best first contact stories ever and it should be a good story to start with if you are new to science fiction because it’s so character driven while providing most of the allure of the genre.

[Back to list]

Bella Lind – Icon at the End of Time

Book: Pushing Ice (2005)
Author: Alastair Reynolds
Publisher: Gollancz
Genre: Science Fiction

This is true Space Opera. It starts in the far future when humanity has conquered the stars and inhabit thousands of planets. Senator Chromis Pasqueflower Bowerbird proposes a program to memorize Bella Lind, the hero that started it all. Then it shifts back to 2057.

Rockhopper is a nuclear powerd mining ship, one of many that fuel earth’s space economy with a steady stream of comet raw material. Bella Lind is the captain of an elite crew of 150 or so. They call their work Pushing Ice.

So when Janus, one of Saturn’s ice moons breaks orbit and heads for the stars, Bella and her crew are the only ones that can reach it in time before it leaves the solar system.

The mission is voluntary and most of the crew is behind it. But the company has lied to them and faked their fuel situation. It is a suicide mission; they will not be able to return after reaching Janus. But Svetlana, Bella’s best friend and the ships chief engineer starts to suspect the truth. Bella confronts her former lover who is the CEO of the company but due to lack of proof she decides to continue the mission. This leads to a break with Svetlana.

The book focuses to a large part on the conflict between Svetlana and Bella. That deep friendship can turn to extreme hatred.

The Rockhopper ends up slip streamed with Janus and heading for a mysterious alien cylinder some hundred light years from earth at 99% of light speed. Svetlana blames Bella and with a majority of the crew behind her they exile Bella while they try to survive on Janus.

But that’s only the first step of their travel. They are propelled at near light speed to a gigantic alien Meta structure in the far future. Someone is collecting civilizations at the end of time.

The circle closes both with the future history of Man as their memento reach Bella and with Bella’s and Svetlana’s friendship. It’s a truly epic story. The painful conflict between two good friends is so well told you can feel their anguish.

[Back to list]

Helva – the Ship who Sang

Books: The Ship Who Sang (1961), the short story Honeymoon appears in Get Off the Unicorn (1977)
Series: Brain & Brawn 1
Author: Anne McCaffrey
Publisher: Random house and more, there is
Genre: Science Fiction

First she has to deal with becoming a Brain, then a ship, then with being a human. Helva is a formidable young female.

The Brain was perfect, the tiny, crippled body useless. So technology rescued the brain and put it in an environment that conditioned it to live in a different kind of body – a spaceship

Here the human mind, more subtle, indefinitely more complex than any computer ever devised, could be linked to the massive and delicate strengths, the total recall, and the incredible speeds of space.

But the brain behind the ship was entirely feminine – a complex, loving, strong, weak, gentle savage – a personality, all-woman, called Helva . . .

[Back to list]

Nimue Alban – Mind of a Dead Starship Captain

Books: Off Armageddon Reef, By Schism Rent Asunder, By Herseis Distressed, A Mighty Fortress
Author: David Weber
Series: Safehold
Publisher: Tor
Genre: Military Science Fiction

In this universe the last colony of the human race hides from the genocidal Gbaba on the planet Safehold. The colonists’ minds are changed while in cold sleep and they wake to a medieval world governed by an artificial religion where the colony leadership has taken the roles as angels. Some of the crew set up a high tech enclave, but they are ruthlessly exterminated by orbital strikes, weapons still active today, striking any semblance of higher tech. Sympathizers set of a nuke at a summit, killing most of the leaders. The Church of God Awakening is set up in the following period.

Nimue Alban is an android with the mind of a long dead starship captain. Her human self sacrificed herself to become a second or third line of defense against the suspected treachery of the leaders of Humanity’s last colony. She wakes up 800 years later with a mission to restore civilization.

The fourth book A Mighty Fortress was published April 13. The fifth book, title unknown will be out in 2011.

The Safehold Series started with Off Armagedon Reef where Niume Alban wakes up, assess the situation decide to back the kingdom of Charis for their enlightened royal family and general inventiveness. After a sex changing morph she dons the identity of Merlin a Seijin warrior, save prince Cayleb of Charis from assassins, becomes his bodyguard and start to change the way they think.

The Church of God Awakening is lead by the greedy and power blind Group of Four who conspires to send a fleet to destroy Charis. They are defeated by the new and improved fleet of Charis Off Armagedon Reef.

In By Schism Rent Asunder the church retaliates and massacre Charis’ unarmed civilian traders and their families. Cayleb now king, retaliates by sending a fleet half way around the planet. He also makes peace with Chrisholm, falls in love with their queen Sharleyan and in their Marriage creates the New Empire of Charis, united against the rest of the world.

In By Hersies Distressed it is Charis turn to go on the offensive, invading the island princedom of Corisade. Charis get to show up their new and improved army and artillery before they defeat prince Hektor’s army. Hektor is killed by church assassins. His son and daughter flees to exile with thoughts of revenge on Cayleb who they believe killed their father.

We have also learned that there is an Order inside the church that knows the truth about Safehold, that their religion is a fake and that suppression of scientific methods and innovation have been built into their society by the former colony founders. Now Cayleb, his wife and a few others know the truth. The brothers have an elaborate procedure before approving any new member and they are frankly scared of the rapid changes.

There is yet another group, the Circle, inside the Church that doesn’t know the truth, but they oppose greed and corruption inside the church. But they have been betrayed by one of their own when A Mighty Fortress starts. The only question is when the Inquisition will strike

[Back to list]

Rowan – Steerswoman

Books: The Steerswoman (1989), The Outskirter’s Secret (1992), The Lost Steersman (2003), The Language of Power (2004)
Omnibus: The Steerswoman’s Road (2003, book 1-2)
Author: Rosemary Kirstein
Series: Steerswomen
Publisher: Del Rey, Random house
Genre: Science Fiction

This was recommended to me and sounds intriguing, a world that isn’t what it seems, similar to Safehold but its own. Science and technology as magic I can’t wait to find out what kind of formidable Rowan is.

The Steerswoman’s Road

If you ask, she will answer. If she asks, you must reply. A steerswoman will speak only the truth to you, as long as she knows it—and you must do the same for her. And so, across the centuries, the Steerswomen— questioning, searching, investigating—have slowly learned more and more about the world through which they wander. All knowledge the Steerswomen possess is given freely to those who ask. But there is one kind of knowledge that has always been denied them: Magic.

When the steerswoman Rowan discovers a small, lovely blue jewel of obviously magical origin, her innocent questions lead to secret after startling secret, each more dangerous than the last—and suddenly Rowan must flee or fight for her life. Or worse, she must lie.

With every wizard in the world searching for her, Rowan finds unexpected assistance. A chance-met traveler turned friend, Bel is a warrior-poet, an Outskirter, and a member of a barbaric and violent people. Or, so it would seem.

For Bel, unknowing, possesses secrets of her own: secrets embedded in her culture, in her people, in the very soil of her homeland. From the Inland Sea to the deadly Outskirts, surrounded by danger and deceit, Rowan and Bel uncover more and more of the wizards’ hidden knowledge. As the new truths accumulate, they edge closer to the single truth that lies at the center, the most unexpected secret of them all. . . .

The Lost Steersman

The steerswoman Rowan has learned that Slado, a mysterious wizard, has secretly been working spells of incredible power. Both the Inner Lands and the Outskirts are now threatened by his Magic – and before the destruction becomes too great to reverse, Rowan must find Slado so that he can be stopped. But how does one stop the most powerful man in the world?

In the seaside town of Alemeth, the Annex holds centuries of steerswomen’s journals. They may contain clues to Slado’s location, but combing through them would take more time than Rowan has to spend. Then she encounters a lost friend: Janus, one of the few rare steersmen. But Janus quit the order without explanation. Now the bright, beloved companion of Rowan’s student days has become a man dominated by dark moods and even darker secrets.

When sleepy Alemeth transforms into a place of chaos, terror, and sudden death, Rowan wonders if all the secrets are connected. The shocking answer will change the steerswoman – and her world – forever.

The Language of Power

The steerswomen were seekers, collectors of knowledge, and whatever they learned was free for the asking. The wizards also had knowledge– the knowledge to command nature itself–but they jealously guarded their dark wisdom. The two groups have been at odds for centuries:

They do not agree, they do not converse, they do not associate.

Now the steerswoman Rowan has uncovered evidence that the master wizard, Slado, is conjuring dangerous spells in shadow, devastating the distant lands called the Outskirts and changing the course of the world. Rowan has no choice: Slado must be stopped . . . if he can even be found.

Following a dubious clue, Rowan and her friend Bel, an Outskirter, have come to the city of Donner, seeking answers from the past for a danger in the present. But the secrets go deeper than Rowan had ever imagined, compelling her to wonder: What if all this time she has been asking the wrong questions?

[Back to list]

Read Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | index | afterword

After reading the snippets since January my most anticipated book of the year arrived. I am a long time fan of David Weber and the Safehold series. Genocidal aliens, a Humanity that hides on the planet Safehold ruled by the Corrupt Church of God Awakening and an android with the mind of a long dead starship captain with a mission to restore civilization.

Title: A Mighty Fortress
Author: David Weber
Series: Safehold 4
Hardback: 720 pages
Publisher: Tor, April 13, 2010
Maps: Ellisa Mitchell
Jacket Art: Stephen Youll
Order: Tor | Amazon US | UK | B&N | Sfbok

Background

This is the fourth book in a series that started with Off Armagedon Reef where Niume Alban wakes up, asses the situation decide to back the kingdom of Charis for their enlightened royal family and general inventiveness. After a sex changing morph she dons the identity of Merlin a Sejin warrior, save prince Cayleb from assassins, becomes his bodyguard and start to change the way they think.

The Church lead by the greedy and power blind Group of Four conspire to send a fleet to destroy Charis. They are defeated by the new and improved fleet of Charis Off Armagedon Reef.

In By Schism Rent Asunder the church retaliate and massacre Charis’ unarmed civilian traders and their families. Cayleb now king, retaliates by sending a fleet half way around the planet. He also makes peace with Chrisholm, falls in love with their queen Sharleyan and in their Marriage create the New Empire of Charis, united against the rest of the world.

In By Hersies Distressed it is Charis turn to go on the offensive, invading the island princedom of Corisade. Charis get to show up their new and improved army and artillery before they defeat prince Hektor’s army. Hektor is killed by church assassins. His son and daugther flees to exile with thoughts of revenge on Cayleb who they believe killed their father.

We have also learned that there is an Order inside the church that knows the truth about Safehold, that their religion is a fake and that suppression of scientific methods and innovation have been built into their society by the former colony founders. Now Cayleb, his wife and a few others know the truth. The brothers have an elaborate procedure before approving any new member and they are frankly scared of the rapid changes.

There is yet another group, the Circle, inside the Church that doesn’t know the truth, but they oppose greed and corruption inside the church. But they have been betrayed by one of their own when A Mighty Fortress starts. The only question is when the Inquisition will strike

World building

This is the kind of story David Weber does well, take a backward planet and introduce modern science and technology. You notice his extensive knowledge in the details. You get the world by short narratives with local points of views that makes the world come alive with people you care for and understand.

The Church of God Awakening didn’t exist at first on Safehold, it came after a schism where part of the crew of the colony ships decided to create a technological enclave only to be exterminated by orbital strikes, in retaliation they set off a nuke at a meeting of the colony leadership, that had set up themselves as God’s Angles. The Church was created in the following years and it took it’s seat in the city of Zion and it’s mysterious Church complex made out of battle steel. It gives off mysterious energy readings so Merlin keeps his spying remotes out of it. Thats about the only place of power on the planet he keeps them out of.

Plot

The church is building an armada using the lessons learned from previous failures. This time they have almost the same technological level as Charis, at least until Charis new explosive projectiles enter production. The Charisian’s are hard pressed but their experience and training still gives them a significant advantage, that might not help if they are outnumbered three to one.

Charis also have to deal with attempted insurrection in Corisade, the princedom they defeated in book three. One of the leaders of the underground is the silversmith Paitryk Hainree (Patrick Henry, Give me Liberty, or give me Death).

There are also people inside Chrisholm that are not happy about the New Church of Charis some of them might even betray them.

The group of four tightens their grip on the church and a wave of arrest sweeps through Zion, while Merlin attempts to save as many family members and sympathizers as he can.

In an attempt to avoid fighting the combined fleet of the church, Cayleb sends off one of his best commanders on a mission to intercept one of the fleets before it can unite with the others.

The Navy really have to show their color here, they are the wooden walls of the fortress defending Charis, and A Mighty Fortress it is. But the big clash still lays ahead.

Characters

This is very much a character driven story. At the back of the book there is a 22 pages list of characters you might find useful if you are new to Safehold or need to catch up, My first thoughts at that was wow, this is like one of those old Russian classics, but don’t worry the main characters are not that hard to keep track on.

This is a space opera, so the characters are competent, they are not invincible and they are all easy to love. For example Queen Sharleyan is pregnant so Merlin brings her up in space on their way to a medical exam in his base in The Mountains of Light. She is the first human in space for centuries and her marvel is a delight to read. Another highlight is when they tell their Spy master and his wife the truth.

Weber has a thing for good persons doing evils bidding out of duty like Thirsk, the enemy fleet commander or Hektor’s daughter who believe she has to revenge her father.

Merlin gets to shift around a bit more in this book, he takes on the identity of other ‘friends’ of his to help with the evacuation in Zion and to visit other rulers in their bedrooms and chat a bit. It is all done with a great deal of humor. I also like that Merlin doesn’t solve all the problems himself, he can’t. In fact it can kill.

Extras

• One big map and four one page maps
• 22 pages of Characters
• A Glossary with 5 pages
• A Note on Safeholdian Timekeeping

My View

A Mighty Fortress is a magnificent military science fiction saga and I like it a lot. But there is much back story, meetings and character development is this book, that might not be for anyone, I like it quite well though. If you are looking for an action packed military action kind of novel this is not it. We are still waiting for the big fight here, that will probably be in the next book, expected 2011.

If you are new to Safehold you should start with the other books, the back story is quite extensive so you should read it first. Otherwise I would recommend it to any lover of Weber or Space Opera, as long as you don’t expect fast and action packed.

This is my totally biased list of the top military science fiction series of our time. These are the ones I found entertaining to read and reread. My focus is as always the characters and the wow moments. Thats why there is lots of space opera here. I have followed some of the authors here for decades others for just a few years. They are all good, the focus in there books lies on different things though.

I like binary counting it seems. Counting down from 10001 in seventeen steps.

Edit: I added RCN, which I love but forgot.

10010. RCN is about Captain Daniel Leary and his friend the formidable Adele Mundy and their military adventures aboard the Heavy Cruiser RCS Milton. David Drake rewrite historical battles and wars and make beautiful military science fiction out of it.The next Royal Cinnabar Navy book to come out is What Distant Deeps that will be out in September 2010. I read RCN 7: In the Stormy Red Sky about a year ago before I started doing reviews.

10001. Starfire Series – is built on a board strategy wargame about interstellar conquest. A survey fleet travels trough a previously uncharted wormhole and run into a hive-like speice called the Bugs, all communications attempts fail and the Bugs ambush the fleet and launch an invasion against the Terran federation and nearby powers. In the center of the series is the arms race with the bugs. Later in the series there are other opponents. Solid political and military technology world building if somewhat weaker in character building by David Weber and Steve White. The fifth book Exodus is written by Steve White and Shirley Meier.

10000. Confederation of Valor – is about the futuristic career of a non commissioned officer fighting aliens for the elder races in the alliance. There is a secret behind the scenes that are gradually revealed. The Protagonist Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr keep her space marines and and superiors alive. Tanya Huff writes good characters and the dialog is to die for. My reviews of the first four books, there is a fifth book The Truth of Valor coming out in september 2010.

01111. Jenny Casey - used to be a former retired Canadian special forces living in the hellish streets of Hartford, Connecticut. Earth is in shambles from environmental disasters. Jenny becomes a pawn in game of world dominance between Canada and China over being the first to reach the stars. In Hammered Jenny tries to survive, in Scardown she has to fly and in Worldwired she has to teach the aliens to talk with each other. The world is a bit noir and gritty as Elizabeth Bear likes to write.

01110. Major Ariadne Kedros – is a woman with a dark military past working as a surveyor. Her past catches up with her, both from old enemies and old friends. The world is built on Greek culture with the dominating race being the Minoans called so because they share symbols with the Greek. Temporal buoy’s play a significant part in the story as well as their weaponization. Laura E. Reeve is the creator of this resourceful and guilt ridden heroine. The third book Pathfinder is out this summer.

01101. Aldenata universe – Posleen War | Cally’s War | Hedren War – takes place in a world where an ancient race, the Aldenata uplifted a number of races, screwing them up at the same time. The only race not uplifted is the humans. When the galactic society is attacked by the ferocious Posleen there is a need for someone that can fight so they turn to the humans, who they fear almost as much as the Posleen. The O’Neal clan unite the different series. The redheaded feisty warrior princess Cally stands out together with her war hero father Mike. It’s John Ringo’s universe and he cooperate with Tom Kratman, Mikael Z. Wiliamson and Julie Cochrane there. This is also another example of a series where other races taking advantage of the human race’s ability to fight.

01100. Stellar Marines Universe – Heritage Trilogy | Legacy Trilogy | Inheritage Trilogy – is Ian Douglas Stellar Marines family saga. The Garroways fight in the sands of Mars to the Magellanic Cloud. Humanity is on the brink of extinction time after time as they fight the Xul, a galaxy spanning race of xenophobics. Built on ‘Hard science’. Ian Douglas is really a pseudonym for William H.Keith.

01011. Tour of the Merrimack – is about the  finest battleship in Earth’s fleet and its crew.The series’ arc about how to deal with the ravenous Hive, a race of space traveling insects that devour all life they come across. In The Myriad the Mack was out looking for the Hive’s Home world when they stumbled on the time traveling aliens who eventually caused the universe to throw them into an alternative reality to avoid paradox. In Wolf Star the war between Earth and the New Roman Empire is going at full blast and Merrimack is in a deep strike mission behind enemy lines when they meet the Hive again and the Romans have to bow down and admit they need help. In the Sagittarius Command they go after the cause. I love Rebeca M. Meluch’s characters.

01010. Dahak Series – Earths Moon is in reality a gigantic camouflaged battleship who’s crew become the human race. This is discovered by a lone human astronaut that has to face the ancient ship’s computer Dahak. It’s not enough that he has to deal with mutineers that survived in Antarctica, he also has to do with an onslaught of hordes of genocidal aliens and traitors. David Weber is at his best in this awesome space opera

01001. Empire of Man – Prince Roger is a failure and a brat when his starship is sabotaged and he and his company of marine bodyguards has to land on the other side of an hostile planet and walk all the way to the star port on the other side. Wonderful four armed aliens, an epic journey and a prince that becomes a man and the soldiers that fights with him. Nice technological progression from stone age to space age. Written by John Ringo and David Weber.

01000. Lost Fleet - The Alliance has been fighting the Syndics for a century – and losing badly. Now its fleet is crippled and stranded in enemy territory. Their only hope is a man who’s emerged from a century-long hibernation to find he had been heroically idealized beyond belief . Captain John ‘Black Jack’ Geary’s legendary exploits are known to every schoolchild. Appalled by the hero-worship around him, Geary is nevertheless a man who will do his duty. And he knows that bringing the stolen Syndic hypernet key safely home is the Alliance’s one chance to win the war. But to do that, Geary will have to live up to the impossibly heroic ‘Black Jack’ legend. Victorious the final book in the series is out now in April. Written by Jack Campbell

00111. Seafort Saga - is built on C. S. Forester’s novels about Horatio Hornblower and written by David Feintush. The books are set in a future human society that is largely dominated by unified Christianity. The main protagonist is a naval officer who strives always to do his duty, both to the navy and to his God, at great personal cost. Beside the personal story there is an interesting race of fish like aliens central to the story.

00110. Kris Longknife – is about a formidable woman with a knack for getting in trouble and getting out. She is one of them Longknifes and if life wasn’t enough complicated being an officer in the navy, the society of humanity dissolve and her grandpa is named King making her a reluctant princess. The Peterwald family with their long standing grudge with the Longknife set up their own little pocket empire and starts to make life for Kris and her family difficult. Lots of humor, fantastic characters by Mike Shepherd. The next book Redoubtable will be out in November this year.

00101. The Vorkosigan Saga - is about Miles and his mother Cordelia Naismith. It begins with Cordelia’s military career and the unlikely love story between her and Miles father. Miles is crippled in vitro by an assassination attempt but grows up to a crippled formidable interstellar spy and mercenary admiral. Lois has modeled the series after Hortio Hornblower with a taste of Lord Peter Wimsey. The novels stand alone pretty well but benefit from each other. Another Miles novel, CryoBurn is coming later this year. Written by Lois McMaster Bujold.

00100. Safehold – is the world where humanity hides from extermination from the Gbaba, something went wrong thou, the leaders of the colony reprogrammed the colonists in cold sleep creating a medieval world ruled by the church and themselves as Angles. When a fraction tries to revive advanced technology they are ruthlessly exterminated by orbital strikes. 800 years later their second line of defense wakes up. Nimue Alban is an android with the mind and memories of a long dead starship captain. Her mission is to restore civilization and prepare Man for the inevitable re-encounter with the Gbaba. David Weber’s knowledge in history comes to life in this beautiful military saga. The latest novel A Mighty Fortress is out this April (it arrived April 20 for me).

00011. Family’s Regnant universe – Heris Serrano Trilogy | Esmay Suiza continuation | Suiza and Serrano - is about two formidable females Heris Serrano of an old navy family and Esmay Suiza of an old army family. Characters easy to love and formidable old ladies. Much of the driving force for conflict in this universe comes from longevity treatments. Those who get it and will live long life, those who fear the consequences or those who wont wait their turn. Elizabeth Moon is an amazing crafter of characters and worlds.

00010. Honor Harrington is about a competent man kind of military woman with an empath treecat called Nimitz that becomes the foremost military commander of her time battling expansionist empires and human slavers. She is called the Salamander because she thrives in the heat of battle. There are so far eleven books in the series that starts with On Basilisk Station and the next book Mission of Honor will be out this summer. The series is written by David Weber and the success so far have lead to two sub series Saganami and Wages of Sin. The first written together with Eric Flint.

00001. Old Man’s War start with protagonist John Perry joining the army on his seventy-fifth birthday and goes off to fight in The Colonial Defence Force where he meets the love of his life, fight aliens, become leader of a colony and in general make himself useful. I am afraid to tell you much about this series because I so enjoyed the surprise  I got as piece after piece fell in place. John Scalzi is one of my favorite authors, I love his characters and his humor.

And before you say how could he miss Hammer Slammers, I didn’t. I tried to read them a couple of times but never really fell for it. Bolo is another ‘series’ that I considered but I feel its less a series and more of a loose concept even if i love them. I have probably missed some, because I haven’t read them, so as usual give me a comment, I love to get to know more military science fiction series.

Snippet #42: The debriefing continues before we switch over to Rhobair Duchairn who just received an envelope under his napkin.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.
• Snippet #35 February, Year of God 894, I, Duke of Kholman’s Office, City of Iythria, Gulf of Jahras, Desnairian Empire, A high official of the Imperial Desnarian Navy receive a disturbing letter
• Snippet #36 The local commanders are not happy after the ship battle, but feel confident that the king will not take their heads when the bad news reach him. There is a buzzing industrial revolution going on in the area from all the money the church pour in. The building program is more or less on schedule but the crews need much more training before they can fight the Charisian Navy so the fleet operational date have to be moved forward to autumn maybe even next year.
• Snippet #37 II, Ice Ship Hornet, Lake Pei, The Temple Lands
  The Earl of Coris in transit, economics and scenery mostly.
• Snippet #38 Coris gets to ride the cool iceboat
• Snippet #39 III The Temple, City of Zion, The Temple Lands
  We learn something of the circle’s struggles and the current situation from Samyl Wylsynn. Danger looms for the circle.
• Snippet #40 The priests finish talking about the young crown prince, and all the help he will need. Vicar Rhobair Duchairn have a cold beside trying to get his colleagues to understand that the Church can’t continue to spend like this. Meanwhile The Earl of Coris start his ‘interview’.
• Snippet #41: The Grand Inquisitor interview starts with a request on insights on Corisade resistance and in making clear to Coris what is expected of him. Meanwhile in his travel guide is debriefed.

On another note: My book shipped from amazon.com today so I will have the book early May, that frankly feels like living at the edge of the world far far away. 25 days delivery for a book! I am so tempted to go for the ebook too. Edit: it arrived after eight days. Amazon or someone close to them should learn to count.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.
• Snippet #35 February, Year of God 894, I, Duke of Kholman’s Office, City of Iythria, Gulf of Jahras, Desnairian Empire, A high official of the Imperial Desnarian Navy receive a disturbing letter
• Snippet #36 The local commanders are not happy after the ship battle, but feel confident that the king will not take their heads when the bad news reach him. There is a buzzing industrial revolution going on in the area from all the money the church pour in. The building program is more or less on schedule but the crews need much more training before they can fight the Charisian Navy so the fleet operational date have to be moved forward to autumn maybe even next year.
• Snippet #37 II, Ice Ship Hornet, Lake Pei, The Temple Lands
  The Earl of Coris in transit, economics and scenery mostly.
• Snippet #38 Coris gets to ride the cool iceboat
• Snippet #39 III The Temple, City of Zion, The Temple Lands
  We learn something of the circle’s struggles and the current situation from Samyl Wylsynn. Danger looms for the circle.
• Snippet #40 The priests finish talking about the young crown prince, and all the help he will need. Vicar Rhobair Duchairn have a cold beside trying to get his colleagues to understand that the Church can’t continue to spend like this. Meanwhile The Earl of Coris start his ‘interview’.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.
• Snippet #35 February, Year of God 894, I, Duke of Kholman’s Office, City of Iythria, Gulf of Jahras, Desnairian Empire, A high official of the Imperial Desnarian Navy receive a disturbing letter
• Snippet #36 The local commanders are not happy after the ship battle, but feel confident that the king will not take their heads when the bad news reach him. There is a buzzing industrial revolution going on in the area from all the money the church pour in. The building program is more or less on schedule but the crews need much more training before they can fight the Charisian Navy so the fleet operational date have to be moved forward to autumn maybe even next year.
• Snippet #37 II, Ice Ship Hornet, Lake Pei, The Temple Lands
  The Earl of Coris in transit, economics and scenery mostly.
• Snippet #38 Coris gets to ride the cool iceboat
• Snippet #39 III The Temple, City of Zion, The Temple Lands
  We learn something of the circle’s struggles and the current situation from Samyl Wylsynn. Danger looms for the circle.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.
• Snippet #35 February, Year of God 894, I, Duke of Kholman’s Office, City of Iythria, Gulf of Jahras, Desnairian Empire, A high official of the Imperial Desnarian Navy receive a disturbing letter
• Snippet #36 The local commanders are not happy after the ship battle, but feel confident that the king will not take their heads when the bad news reach him. There is a buzzing industrial revolution going on in the area from all the money the church pour in. The building program is more or less on schedule but the crews need much more training before they can fight the Charisian Navy so the fleet operational date have to be moved forward to autumn maybe even next year.
• Snippet #37 II, Ice Ship Hornet, Lake Pei, The Temple Lands
  The Earl of Coris in transit, economics and scenery mostly.
• Snippet #38 Coris gets to ride the cool iceboat

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.
• Snippet #35 February, Year of God 894, I, Duke of Kholman’s Office, City of Iythria, Gulf of Jahras, Desnairian Empire, A high official of the Imperial Desnarian Navy receive a disturbing letter
• Snippet #36 The local commanders are not happy after the ship battle, but feel confident that the king will not take their heads when the bad news reach him. There is a buzzing industrial revolution going on in the area from all the money the church pour in. The building program is more or less on schedule but the crews need much more training before they can fight the Charisian Navy so the fleet operational date have to be moved forward to autumn maybe even next year.
• Snippet #37 II, Ice Ship Hornet, Lake Pei, The Temple Lands
  The Earl of Coris in transit, economics and scenery mostly.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.
• Snippet #35 February, Year of God 894, I, Duke of Kholman’s Office, City of Iythria, Gulf of Jahras, Desnairian Empire, A high official of the Imperial Desnarian Navy receive a disturbing letter
• Snippet #36 The local commanders are not happy after the ship battle, but feel confident that the king will not take their heads when the bad news reach him. There is a buzzing industrial revolution going on in the area from all the money the church pour in. The building program is more or less on schedule but the crews need much more training before they can fight the Charisian Navy so the fleet operational date have to be moved forward to autumn maybe even next year.

New this month is the publishing house link, where you can buy the book. If you want to check out the publishing houses yourself and maybe create your own list, please use my Links page it has direct links to upcoming releases by the publishers I like.

Books On Order

A Mighty Fortress
Safehold 3
by David Weber
Published by Tor Books

This is one of the books of 2010 that I am most eager to read, I am a big fan of David Weber and you have seen the snippet spam I have been doing here on the site.

Young Cayleb Ahrmahk has accomplished things few people could even dream of. Not yet even thirty years old, he’s won the most crushing naval victories in human history. He’s smashed a hostile alliance of no less than five princedoms and won the hand of the beautiful young Queen Sharleyan of Chisholm. Cayleb and Sharleyan have created the Charisian Empire, the greatest naval power in the history of Safehold, and they’ve turned Charis into a place of refuge for all who treasure freedom.

Their success may prove short-lived. The Church of God Awaiting, which controls most of Safehold, has decreed their destruction. Mother Church’s entire purpose is to prevent the very things to which Charis is committed. Since the first attempt to crush the heretics failed, the Church has no choice but to adopt some of the hated Charisian innovations for themselves. Soon a mighty fleet will sail against Cayleb, destroying everything in its path.

But there are still matters about which the Church knows nothing, including Cayleb and Sharleyan’s adviser, friend, and guardian— the mystic warrior-monk named Merlin Athrawes. Merlin knows all about battles against impossible odds, because he is in fact the cybernetic avatar of a young woman named Nimue Alban, who died a thousand years before. As Nimue, Merlin saw the entire Terran Federation go down in fire and slaughter at the hands of a foe it could not defeat. He knows that Safehold is the last human planet in existence, and that the stasis the Church was created to enforce will be the human race’s death sentence if it is allowed to stand.

The juggernaut is rumbling down on Charis, but Merlin Athrawes and a handful of extraordinary human beings stand in its path. The Church is about to discover just how potent the power of human freedom truly is.

The Orphaned Worlds
Humanity’s Fire 2
by Michael Cobley
Published by Orbit UK

I really liked the first book in the series so I am looking forward to read this one.

Darien is no longer a lost outpost of humanity, but the prize in an intergalactic power struggle. Hegemony forces have a stranglehold over the planet and crack troops patrol its hotspots while Earth watches, passive, rendered impotent by galactic politics. But its Darien ambassador will soon become a player in a greater conflict. There is more at stake than a turf war on a newly discovered world.

An ancient Uvovo temple hides access to a hyperspace prison, housing the greatest threat sentient life has ever known. Millennia ago, malignant intelligences were caged there following an apocalyptic war. And their servants work on their release.

However, Darien’s guardians have not been idle, gathering resistance on the planet’s forest moon. Knowledge has been lost since great races battled in eons past, and now time is short. The galaxy will depend on the Uvovo reclaiming their past – and humanity must look to its future. For a new war is coming.

The Lotus Eaters
Carrera 3
by Tom Krateman
Baen Books

Tom likes to be controversial (my opinion) but if you can overlook that his Carrera Series is quite decent military science fiction.

Sometimes paranoia is just a heightened state of awareness. Carrera’s won his war, and inflicted a horrific revenge upon his enemies. But there are wars after wars. The Tauran Union is planning an attack. The criminals of neighboring states are already attacking, and threatening to embroil him in a war with the planet’s premier power. His only living son is under fire among the windswept mountains of Pashtia. An enemy fleet is hunting his submarines. His organization has been infiltrated by spies. One of the two governments of his adopted country, Balboa, is trying to destroy everything he’s built and reinstitute rule by a corrupt oligarchy. Worst of all, perhaps, he, himself, bearing a crushing burden of guilt, isn’t quite the man he once was. Fortunately, the man he once was, was lucky enough to marry the right woman…. The Lotus Eaters is the direct sequel to A Desert Called Peace and Carnifex.

Victorious
The Lost Fleet 6
by Jack Campbell (John G. Hemry)
Published by Ace

Last book in the Lost Fleet Series but don’t worry there are two more series ordered in the same universe according to the authors homepage.

I like this series it is honest to god uncomplicated military space opera.

As war continues to rage between the Alliance and Syndicate Worlds, Captain “Black Jack” Geary is promoted to admiral-even though the ruling council fears he may stage a military coup. His new rank gives him the authority to negotiate with the Syndics, who have suffered tremendous losses and may finally be willing to end the war. But an even greater alien threat lurks on the far side of the Syndic occupied space.

WWW: Watch
WWW Trilogy 2
by Robert J. Sawyer
Published by ACE

I am was so tempted by this book and it’s prequel WWW: Wake about a girl that was born blind and then given an experimental treatment that fails but let her see the web and the sentient born out of it, that I ordered both after the mid March list.

Webmind is an emerging consciousness that has befriended Caitlin Decter and grown eager to learn about her world. But Webmind has also come to the attention of WATCH-the secret government agency that monitors the Internet for any threat to the United States-and they’re fully aware of Caitlin’s involvement in its awakening.

WATCH is convinced that Webmind represents a risk to national security and wants it purged from cyberspace. But Caitlin believes in Webmind’s capacity for compassion-and she will do anything and everything necessary to protect her friend.

Other books of interest

Conflicts
Published by NewConPress

Looks spiffy, I consider getting this one too.

– A spaceship hurtles into the unknown carrying humanity’s last hope, but does it also carry the seeds of its own doom? – The galaxy’s ultimate facilitator finds himself pursued by relentless enemies, while, of greater importance, there’s a puzzle to be solved – A rescue mission to a hostile alien world turns out to be far more than it seems – The Celtic nation has reclaimed its homeland, forcing the English into impoverished enclaves, but hot-headed English youth isn’t about to take that lying down – A trivial disagreement between two off-duty super soldiers out for some R&R escalates and escalates, eventually endangering an entire world –

Thirteen tales of human striving, of ingenuity, brilliance, desperate action, violence, and resolution. Thirteen tales of Conflict, of Science Fiction at its absolute best.

Full contents:
1. Introduction – Ian Whates
2. Psi.Copath – Andy Remic
3. The Maker’s Mark – Michael Cobley
4. Sussed – Keith Brooke
5. The Cuisinart Effect – Neal Asher
6. Harmony in My Head – Rosanne Rabinowitz
7. Our Land – Chris Beckett
8. Fallout – Gareth L. Powell
9. Proper Little Soldier – Martin McGrath
10. War Without End – Una McCormack
11. Dissimulation Procedure – Eric Brown
12. In the Long Run – David L. Clements
13. Last Orders – Jim Mortimore
14. Songbirds – Martin Sketchley

Feed
Newsflash 1
by Mira Grant
Published by Orbit

I am tempted with this one to, but I think I’ll wait on a review.

The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beat the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.

NOW, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives-the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.

Nebula Awards Showcase 2010
Edited by Bill Fawcett
Published by Roc

The year’s best science fiction and fantasy in one essential volume.

An annual commemoration, the Nebula Awards are presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America to those members whose imaginations refine and re-define the infinite storytelling possibilities found within the genre. The Nebula Awards Showcase represents the best of the best in fantasy in one indispensible collection.

This year’s compilation includes stories by: Ursula K. LeGuin, Catherine Asaro , John Kessel, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, and Harry Harrison, this year’s Grandmaster.

Damage Time
by Colin Harvey
Published by Angry Robot

Another temptation, I like hard SF and this one looks right down my alley.

Rock-hard SF Thriller from the author of Winter Song: no-one here gets out alive. It’s 2050 and sea-levels have swamped today’s coastal regions. New York City is protected by tidal barriers and the USA is bankrupt. Detective Pervez (Pete) Shah serves with the NYPD’s Web Crimes Division as a Memory Association Specialist. When he’s accused of murdering a glamorous woman in a bar, he must find the killer, save himself … and the world.

Saltation
Liaden 10
by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Published by Baen

Theo Waitley is a Nexus of Violence. Thrust mid-year into a school for pilots far from the safe haven of her birth home on scholarly Delgado, young Theo Waitley excels in hands-on flying while finding that she’s behind the curve in social intricacies as well as in math. Her mentors try to guide her studies and training into the channels best suited to her special abilities and inclinations, including suggesting that she should join in the off-world studenty association, a plan resulting in mixed success. After a series of confrontations, fights, and ultimately a riot after which she is thanked for not killing anyone, Theo is named a “nexus of violence” by the school’s administration. Facing suspension and carrying little more than a hastily procured guild card, a pistol taken from an attacker, and the contents of her pants pockets, Theo must quickly decide if she’s ready to return to Delgado in disgrace, or launch herself into the universe as a freelance pilot with credentials she’s already earned.

Up Jim River
by Michael Flynn
Published by Tor Books

Hugo Award finalist and Robert A. Heinlein Award-winning SF writer Michael Flynn returns to space opera with Up Jim River. There is a river on Dangchao Waypoint, a small world out beyond Die Bold. It is a longish river as such things go, with a multitude of bayous and rapids and waterfalls, and it runs through many a strange and hostile country. Going up it, you can lose everything.

Going up it, you can find anything. The Hound Bridget ban has vanished and her employer, the Kennel (the mysterious superspy agency of the League) has given up the search. But her daughter, the harper Mearana, has not. She enlists the scarred man, Donovan, to aid her in her search. With the reluctant assent and financial aid of the Kennel, they set forth. Bridget ban was following hints of an artifact that would “protect the League from the Confederacy for aye.” Mearana is eager to follow that trail, but Donovan is reluctant, because whatever is at the end of it made a Hound disappear. What it would do to a harper and a drunk is far too easy to imagine.

Donovan’s mind had been shattered by Those of Name, the rulers of the Confederacy, and no fewer than seven quarreling personalities now inhabit his skull. How can he hope to see her through safely? Together, they follow Bridget ban’s trail to the raw worlds of the frontier, edging ever closer to the uncivilized and barbarian planets of the Wild.

What’s on your list?

Those are the ones I picked so far, do you have anyone I might be interested in? or for anyone else reading this list? Please write a comment here with your pick or a link to your pick.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.
• Snippet #35 February, Year of God 894, I, Duke of Kholman’s Office, City of Iythria, Gulf of Jahras, Desnairian Empire, A high official of the Imperial Desnarian Navy receive a disturbing letter

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.
• Snippet #34 VII Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tairys, Province of Glacierheart, Republic of Siddarmark
  Info dump about the city and it’s trade through the eyes of the Archbishop before he starts to think about the Circle and the mysterious letter he has received.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.
• Snippet #33 The three ships do battle.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.
• Snippet #32 talking and thinking before the three ships close.

Continue to read older Snippets:

A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors. See Cover art and blurb. Iit will be out in April 2010. Source: Eric Flint’s homepage

• Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
• Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
• Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
• Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm’s standing army
• Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
• Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four’s intentions towards them.
• Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
  Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
  Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
  famous for “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”.
• Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
• Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes’ Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
• Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
• Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue’s Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
• Snippet#12- Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
• Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
• Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
• Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld’s Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar’s first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
• Snippet #16V Archbishop’s Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
  Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
  Discuss Maikel’s planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
• Snippet #17- the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the ‘know’. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
• Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn’s Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
• Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans’ passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.
• Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire. Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
• Snippet #21: I, Imperial Palace, City of Cherayth, Kingdom of Chisholm; and HMS Dawn Wind, 54, Dolphin Reach.
  Sharleyan and Caleb discuss the situation in Corisande with archbishop Staynair through their new communication devices. Sharleyan feel sympathy for Irys Daykyn
• Snippet #22 – they continue their talks while Merlin is having his ‘down time’. They discuss reformation and bringing more church people in on the secret.
• Snippet #23 II Archbishop’s Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Archbishop Klairmant Gairlyng, Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn and Bishop Kaisi Mahkhynroh discuss Ahdymysyn’s motivation for joining the Church of Caris
• Snippet #24 Ahdymsyn reflects on his own position, the church and everything before their talks continue in a very open hearted manner especially concerning the church’s corruption and the murder of prince Hektor, they have a suspect.
• Snippet #25 III Royal Palace, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande
  Sir Koryn Gahrvai joins his father Sir Koryn Gahrvai in the council chamber. Sir Raimynd Lyndahr, the Keeper of the Purse, Edwair Garthin, the Earl of North Coast, and Trumyn Sowthmyn, the Earl of Airyth was also there. The council have a difficult tight rope to walk between the occupation and their obligation to the young crown prince.
• Snippet #26 IV HMS Rakurai, 46, Gorath Bay, Kingdom of Dohlar and HMS Devastation, 54, King’s Harbor, Helen Island, Kingdom of Old Charis
  Admiral Thirsk have a crew testing out Charisians new sailing techniques while Staynair and merlin watches from afar, the next battle will be more on equal terms.
• Snippet #27 – They continue to talk about what to do with Thirsk and the fleeets that are about to be launched against them by the Church. Then they continue to talk of a preemptive strike.
• Snippet #28 V City of Fairstock, Province of Malansath, West Harchong Empire
  The Earl of Coris onboard the ship Snow Lizard approach Fairstock in the middle of a snowstorm.
• Snippet #29 Earl Coris is met by father Hahlys Tannyr and they discuss the travels they are going to make together.
• Snippet #30 VI HMS Destiny, 54 Off Hennet Head, Gulf of Mathyas
  We meet young Ensign Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk, the Duke of Darcos again in the middle of some bad weather. They spot two ships sporting church pennant.
  Then we switch over to the commander of those ships.
• Snippet #31 The church ships let them self be overtaken by the lone Charisian galleon.

Mission of Honor is a long awaited Honor Harrington novel the 12th in an extremely popular series. This is one of my absolute favorite series, I love everything by David Weber [profile], he is the master of military science fiction in my humble opinion.

MoH-snippet One Chapter 1:

December, 1921, Post Diaspora

“To understand Solly foreign policy, we’d have to be Sollies
. . . and nothing would be worth that!”
– Queen Elizabeth III of Manticore

Arsenovich Kolokoltsov, the Solarian League’s Permanent Senior Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs is struck speechless by disbelief and shock by the report from New Tuscany. Then he calls a conference with Permanent Senior Undersecretary of the Treasury Wodoslawski, Abruzzi, MacArtney, , Permanent Senior Undersecretary of Commerce Quartermain and Fleet Admiral Rajampet Kaushal Rajan and start to raise hell.

MoH-snippet Two: The Solies start to realize how far behind they are on the technology curb.

MoH-snippet three- The byrocrates are shocked by the Solarian League Navy utter defeat and the following surrender. They worry about the consecuences.

MoH-snippet four – they continue to talk about the battle at New Tuscany. Hot heads want to retaliate at any cost, cooler heads try to reason that it would be suicide to go up against the Manticorian navy at this time.

MoH-snippet five - they discuss declaring war on the Star Empire

MoH-snippet six: – they continue to discuss a war with the Manties and comes to a conclusion.

MoH-snippet Seven Chapter 2: Fleet Admiral Winston Kingsford, CO, Battle Fleet and Fleet Admiral Rajampet continue discussing the Mantis in private. Especially putting some analysts on the data right away, then they continue talking about fleet deployment, mantis missiles and when they will go after the Mantis home system. Winston is having an intresting inner dialogue about Sandra Cranell and her task force being deployed in the Madras sector.

MoH-snippet Eight: – Rajampet finish his meeting before we switch over to Queen Elizabeth III for a chat with Admira l Lady Dame Honor Alexander-Harrington. They start out talking about Stacy Hauptman and her father before they switch over to Manpower and the Talbot Cluster.

MoH-snippet Nine Honor and Elizabeth continue to speculate on the Solarian response. It’s four days to Christmas. Honor will be leaving on an unspecified mission (Haven?) after celebrating Christmas with her family.
Honor meets with Admiral Tourville afterwards

MoH-snippet ten Honor, Nimitz and Tourville remembers previous meetings and do social niceties before coming to the point in the next snippet.

Snippet 11 Honor want to know about the political leadership in Haven but they end up talking about the surrender demands.

MoH-snippet 12 Chapter 3: Benjamin IX, Protector of Grayson talk with the commander in chief of the Grayson Space Navy Wesley Matthews about their security situation.

MoH-snippet 13 Mathew and Benjamin continue to discuss the political and military situation especially considering the Mantis, the Sollis and the Havenite.

MoH-snippet 14 They confirm Lady Harringtons mission.
The Royal Manticoran Navy’s Destroyer Division 265.2, known as “the Silver Cepheids,” prepare to go home from their position a light-month from Manticore-A

MoH-snippet 15 The Silver Cepheids prepare to leave while the officers involve them selfs in cheerful banter about SCA. Then we switch over to Commodore Karol Østby of the Mesa Alignment Navy and his task force that quietly have been scouting the Mantis system in preparation for Oyster Bay.

Source: www.ericflint.net

Mission of Honor will be available in June 29 2010

Description: The Star Kingdom of Manticore and the Republic of Haven have been enemies for Honor Harrington’s entire life, and she has paid a price for the victories she’s achieved in that conflict. And now the unstoppable juggernaut of the mighty Solarian League is on a collision course with Manticore. The millions who have already died may have been only a foretaste of the billions of casualties just over the horizon, and Honor sees it coming.

She’s prepared to do anything, risk anything, to stop it, and she has a plan that may finally bring an end to the Havenite Wars and give even the Solarian League pause. But there are things not even Honor knows about. There are forces in play, hidden enemies in motion, all converging on the Star Kingdom of Manticore to crush the very life out of it, and Honor’s worst nightmares fall short of the oncoming reality.

But Manticore’s enemies may not have thought of everything after all. Because if everything Honor Harrington loves is going down to destruction, it won’t be going alone.