I have really mixed feelings about this book! I’ve read it at least twice before, and after looking at the series on TVTropes, I decided to give it another go. I understand that the series is done now, so I thought I might try reading the whole thing.

It’s an interesting premise, with detailed worldbuilding, a compelling narrative, and characters that are fun to follow. I enjoyed reading the book, and I can see myself enjoying the rest of the series, too.

Yet, I’m troubled by a lot of the messages of the book. I don’t know whether Weber’s frank depiction of violence is commendable in a “war is hell” kind of way or if he’s embracing the militarism of his setting. What’s more clear is his apologetic view toward imperialism—there’s an “aboriginal” alien population that plays a role in this book but only to be a savage, violent, drug-addled force for the antagonists to manipulate and the protagonists to slaughter, and wow does that not sit well with me on this reading. What’s worse is that if Haven are the French and Manticore are the British, this alien population has to be coded as Indigenous Americans, right?

I may still give the sequel a try, because I really did enjoy most of the book, but it’s hard to overlook how problematic this element is—and I know that apologies for empire aren’t going away in the series.

• On Basilisk Station
• David Weber
• imperialism
• Honor Harrington