Author | David Weber |
---|---|
Cover artist | David Mattingly |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Series | Honor Harrington series |
Genre | Military science fiction |
Publisher | Baen Books |
Publication date | March 1, 2012 |
Media type | Print (hardback & paperback), E-book, [1] Audiobook [2] |
Pages | 464 |
ISBN | 978-1-4516-3806-6 |
Preceded by | Mission of Honor |
Followed by | Uncompromising Honor |
A Rising Thunder is a science fiction novel by American writer by David Weber, released on March 6, 2012 by Baen Books. It is the thirteenth novel set in the Honorverse in the main Honor Harrington series. The novel was originally split into two books due to its size, leading in a delay of publication. [3]
The book begins in March 1922 P.D., sometime before the end of the previous novel, as tensions continue to escalate between the Star Empire of Manticore and the Solarian League after a number of battles. Manticore recalls all of its merchant vessels from Solarian space, and takes control of several wormholes, denying access to Solarian traffic. As the repercussions of these actions begin to reverberate throughout the League, its unelected controlling bureaucrats, known derisively as "the five Mandarins", start feeling the pressure from the transstellar corporations and criticism from the media. While it is clear that Manticore is in a position to inflict tremendous damage to the League economy, the Mandarins are not willing to pay the political and diplomatic price of taking responsibility for the actions of the League Navy, and continue to believe in the League Navy's technological superiority over the mere "neobarbs" of the Star Empire. They support Admiral Rajampet's planned invasion of the Manticore System, despite the risk that failure would make them look even weaker.
In the meantime, Captain Anton Zilwicki and Agent Victor Cachat arrive on Haven and present to President Eloise Pritchart their evidence of Mesan involvement in the assassinations that triggered the resumption of hostilities between Haven and Manticore. Upon hearing this and supporting information from a Mesan defector, Dr. Herlander Simões, Pritchart sets out on an unprecedented state visit to Manticore. The evidence is presented to a reluctant Empress Elizabeth, who is finally convinced that Haven is no longer the enemy and agrees not only to negotiate a peace treaty but to accept Pritchart's offer of military alliance against the upcoming League attack (a "re-run" of the same scene from Mission of Honor). Hearing about this visit and the intelligence Zilwicki and Cachat brought with them regarding Mesa's plans, the Beowulf government joins the new "Grand Alliance". Shortly afterward, Protector Benjamin Mayhew arrives from Grayson to participate in the peace talks and to represent the other members of the Manticoran Alliance. The Sphinxian treecats, of whom Honor's companion Nimitz is one, communicate to Honor their ability to detect the instant when a Mesan nanotech victim is triggered and offer to help defend the humans against it.
At Beowulf, a fleet meant to reinforce the League's 11th Fleet attempts to transition through the wormhole junction but is forced to retreat by the combined forces of the Beowulf System Defense Force and a Manticoran task force under the command of Admiral Alice Truman. Meanwhile, Solarian Admiral Filareta arrives at Manticore at the head of 11th Fleet, 427 superdreadnoughts strong, to find Honor with only 40 Manticoran SDs to her name. He confidently ignores her warnings that the Alliance is more than ready to deal with his attack. Harrington's trap involves another 150 Grayson SDs lying in stealth in front of 11th Fleet, while Haven's 250 SDs drop out of hyperspace behind it. (The Second Battle of Manticore, like the first, sets a record as the largest space battle in history.) Filareta realizes that his position is hopeless and orders a surrender, but his operations officer, a victim of the Mesan nanotech, instead triggers a wild launch of unarmed missiles and then a hidden bomb, destroying the flagship's bridge and killing everyone therein including himself. The resulting "battle" ends with nearly 300 Solarian ships destroyed at the cost of only a few LACs, and 1.2 million Solarians KIA, another 1.4 million captured, to a mere 2,000 Alliance casualties.
Upon news of 11th Fleet's destruction, the Mandarins find themselves having to deal with the resulting blow to the League's prestige. They accuse Manticore of perfidy and Beowulf of treason for its discordance with League policy towards Manticore. Their efforts to sway the public are successful. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth helps organize the marriage of the heir apparent, Prince Roger, to which much of Haven's political leaders are invited. President Pritchart announces that their peace treaty has been ratified by the Haven senate and that the Second Havenite-Manticoran War is officially over.
Admiral Rajampet is forced to kill himself by Mesan nanotech control. His deputy, Admiral Winston Kingsford, becomes the acting head of the Solarian League Navy. He informs Kolokoltsov that Manticore's technological advantage is so overwhelming that any further military confrontations would be a one-sided massacre similar to the Second Battle of Manticore. Even worse is the economic and political analysis. Ultimately, Kingsford presents Kolokoltsov with their only option: fighting a commerce-raiding war, until they can match Manticore's military capability or sue for terms. Kolokoltsov convinces the other Mandarins that their best chance to stay in power is to adopt Kingsford's recommendations, score some victories and only then attempt a negotiated settlement. They also have the Beowulfan government investigated for treason to divert attention away from their own failings. This maneuver results in the head of the Beowulf delegation to the Assembly declaring that her government intends to invoke a never-before-used section of the League constitution which allows member systems to secede from the League, to be confirmed by a referendum of Beowulfan voters (which is certain to pass by a huge majority).
A Rising Thunder debuted at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List. [4] It dropped to #15 in the second week, [5] #25 in the third week, [6] #27 in the fourth week, [7] and dropped off the list on April 22, 2012. [8]
Liz Bourke, in her review on Tor.com, expressed disappointment in the "continuing...lack of focus" in the recent Honor Harrington books, which lack the "enthusiasm and vibrancy" of the earlier books. She also found "the spiraling profusion of names" caused problems in the political discussions and battle sequences, allowing for "little unity". Despite the problems she found, Bourke says there are "flashes" of the "solid character[s] and solid action and a relatively entertaining flow of techsposition", just less than is usually found in Weber's work. [9]
The Honorverse is a military science fiction book series, its two subseries, two prequel series, and anthologies created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. They are centered on the space navy career of the principal protagonist Honor Harrington. The books have made The New York Times Best Seller list.
John Ringo is an American science fiction and military fiction author. He has had several New York Times best sellers. His books range from straightforward science fiction to a mix of military and political thrillers. He has over seven million copies of his books in print, and his works have been translated into seven different languages.
On Basilisk Station is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, first published in 1993. It is the first book in his Honor Harrington series, and follows Commander Honor Harrington and Her Majesty’s light cruiser Fearless during their assignment to the Basilisk system. Though Basilisk Station and the planet of Medusa have become a dumping ground for military officers from Honor's home star system of Manticore who are currently in disfavor, she is determined to discharge her duty regardless of the circumstances.
Honor Among Enemies is a 1996 science fiction novel by American writer David Weber. It is the sixth book in the Honor Harrington series. In the book, Honor returns to active duty from her political exile on Grayson to command a Q-ship and fight space pirates.
The Short Victorious War is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, first published in 1994. It is the third book in the Honor Harrington series.
Flag in Exile is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, first published in 1995. It is the fifth book in the Honor Harrington series. In the story, the disgraced Honor enters a self-imposed exile on Grayson.
The Honor of the Queen is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, initially published in 1993. It is the second book in the Honor Harrington series. Sent to participate in diplomatic talks between the Kingdom of Manticore and the Republic of Haven, Honor Harrington discovers that she is stranded on the fiercely patriarchal, misogynist planet Grayson.
In Enemy Hands is a military science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, first published in 1996. It is the seventh book in the Honor Harrington series and Like most novels in the series, its text is available in the Baen Free Library.
Echoes of Honor is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber. It is the eighth book in the Honor Harrington series.
Ashes of Victory is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber. It is the ninth book in the Honor Harrington series.
War of Honor is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, the tenth book in the Honor Harrington series. It was first published in 2002.
More Than Honor, published in 1998, was the first anthology of stories set in the Honorverse. The stories in the anthologies serve to introduce characters, provide deeper more complete backstory and flesh out the universe, so claim the same canonical relevance as exposition in the main series. David Weber, author of the mainline Honor Harrington series, serves as editor for the anthologies, maintaining fidelity to the series canons.
Changer of Worlds, published in 2001, was the third anthology of stories set in the Honor Harrington universe or Honorverse. The stories in the anthologies serve to introduce characters, provide deeper more complete backstory and flesh out the universe, so claim the same canonical relevance as exposition in the main series. David Weber, author of the mainline Honor Harrington series, serves as editor for the anthologies, maintaining fidelity to the series canons.
Crown of Slaves is a 2003 novel by David Weber and Eric Flint set in the Honorverse; it has been billed as the first in the Crown of Slaves series, spun off from the main Honor Harrington series.
The Shadow of Saganami is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, published in 2004. Set in the Honorverse, it is the first in the Saganami Island series, spun off from the main Honor Harrington series. It debuted at No. 16 on The New York Times best seller list for hardcover fiction.
At All Costs is a science fiction novel by American author David Weber, first published in 2005. It is the eleventh book in the Honor Harrington series.
Torch of Freedom is a science fiction novel by American writers David Weber and Eric Flint, published on November 3, 2009. It is the second book in the Crown of Slaves series which runs parallel (timeline-wise) to the main Honor Harrington series. It is the sequel to the 2003 novel Crown of Slaves, also by David Weber and Eric Flint. The book includes a Baen CD Library disk.
Mission of Honor is a science fiction novel by American writer David Weber, published on June 22, 2010 by Baen Books. It is the twelfth novel set in the Honorverse in the main Honor Harrington series.
This is the complete list of works by military science fiction and space opera author David Weber.
Uncompromising Honor is a science fiction novel by American writer by David Weber, released on October 2, 2018 by Baen Books. It is the fourteenth novel set in the Honorverse in the main Honor Harrington series. It was the first main series Honor Harrington book in five years.