Honor Among Enemies
Encyclopedia
Honor Among Enemies is the sixth Honor Harrington
novel by David Weber
. In the book, Honor returns to active duty from her political exile on Grayson to command a Q-ship
and fight space pirates.
. He believes that Honor will either deal with the piracy problems that are causing him losses in the Silesian Confederacy
or die trying.
Wayfarer includes space for carrying a squadron of Light Attack Craft (LACs), a large number of missile pods that can be quickly deployed through the ship's rear cargo doors, and unusually heavy energy weaponry for the ship's size and intended role, but it is essentially still a merchant ship, much slower than a regular navy vessel and with lighter defenses.
Honor's orders are to lead a squadron of four Q-ships to fight piracy in the Silesian Confederacy. Although piracy is a chronic problem in Silesia, the Royal Navy managed to keep it somewhat in check until the war began; with the fleet needed elsewhere piracy has gone completely out of control and the powerful Manticoran merchant cartels demand that the Navy do something. There are other considerations: Silesia is something of a disputed territory between the Star Kingdom of Manticore
and the Andermani Empire
.
While Honor leads her crew in battles against various pirates, the Havenites are also conducting covert commerce raiding in Silesia, in an attempt to destabilize Manticoran trade in the region and present themselves in a more favorable light to the Andermani.
The Havenite light cruiser PNS Vaubon, under Citizen Commander Warner Caslet
, had been pursuing a particularly loathsome group of raiders whose actions were repugnant to most of the Havenite officers involved. When Caslet sees some of these raiders attacking what he thinks is a Manticore merchant ship he decides to attack the raiders, despite being outnumbered. The Wayfarer destroys the raiders and Caslet is forced to surrender Vaubon to the superior vessel.
With the additional intelligence gathered by the Havenites, Honor takes the fight the pirates led by the terrorist
Andre Warnecke and with a hostage gambit liberates the planet Sidemore, which had been occupied by the pirates.
After her defeat of the pirates Honor goes looking for the Havenite commerce raiders. This leads to a larger-scale conflict with Havenite forces. Klaus Hauptmann has traveled on the liner Artemis to see the piracy situation first hand in Silesea, and Honor encounters them just as the Havenites are closing in on the Artemis. In the ensuing battle Wayfarer is able to destroy two Havenite battlecruisers but is itself ultimately destroyed. The few surviving members of Honor's crew, along with several Havenite prisoners, are rescued and return to Andermani space. Because of Honor's bravery in saving Hauptmann's life during the battle the two are reconciled.
, as one chapter shows Captain Harrington reading one of C.S. Forester's Hornblower novels and commenting that "the man writes a darned good novel".
Like previous books in the series, a good portion of the novel is told from the perspective of People's Navy officers, including the aforementioned Warner Caslet and his tactical officer Shannon Foraker
, introduced in the preceding Flag in Exile
. Their motivations and characters are more fully explored and shown to be in many ways the moral equal of the Manticorans, including Caslet's determination to pursue raiders whose actions have gone beyond the pale, far outside acceptable practice under the laws of war. It also introduced Admiral Javier Giscard
, commander of the Havenite raiders, and his political watchdog (and lover) Eloise Pritchart
.
Honor Harrington
Honor Stephanie Alexander-Harrington is a fictional character, the heroine of a series of military science fiction books set in the "Honorverse", written by David Weber and published by Baen Books....
novel by David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
. In the book, Honor returns to active duty from her political exile on Grayson to command a Q-ship
Q-ship
Q-ships, also known as Q-boats, Decoy Vessels, Special Service Ships, or Mystery Ships, were heavily armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the chance to open fire and sink them...
and fight space pirates.
Plot summary
After more than three years in exile on Grayson, several of Honor's old political enemies decide to try to kill two birds with one stone. Klaus Hauptmann is able to have Honor appointed as commander of HMAMC Wayfarer, a prototype Q-shipQ-ship
Q-ships, also known as Q-boats, Decoy Vessels, Special Service Ships, or Mystery Ships, were heavily armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the chance to open fire and sink them...
. He believes that Honor will either deal with the piracy problems that are causing him losses in the Silesian Confederacy
Silesian Confederacy
The Silesian Confederacy is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books.- History :...
or die trying.
Wayfarer includes space for carrying a squadron of Light Attack Craft (LACs), a large number of missile pods that can be quickly deployed through the ship's rear cargo doors, and unusually heavy energy weaponry for the ship's size and intended role, but it is essentially still a merchant ship, much slower than a regular navy vessel and with lighter defenses.
Honor's orders are to lead a squadron of four Q-ships to fight piracy in the Silesian Confederacy. Although piracy is a chronic problem in Silesia, the Royal Navy managed to keep it somewhat in check until the war began; with the fleet needed elsewhere piracy has gone completely out of control and the powerful Manticoran merchant cartels demand that the Navy do something. There are other considerations: Silesia is something of a disputed territory between the Star Kingdom of Manticore
Star Kingdom of Manticore
The Star Kingdom of Manticore , frequently referred to as Manticore or the Star Kingdom, is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse series of military science fiction novels and short stories by David Weber and others, published by Baen Books.- Depiction :The Star Kingdom was founded in the...
and the Andermani Empire
Andermani Empire
The Anderman Empire is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books.- Overview :...
.
While Honor leads her crew in battles against various pirates, the Havenites are also conducting covert commerce raiding in Silesia, in an attempt to destabilize Manticoran trade in the region and present themselves in a more favorable light to the Andermani.
The Havenite light cruiser PNS Vaubon, under Citizen Commander Warner Caslet
Warner Caslet
Commander Warner Caslet is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber.Born on the planet Danville, he served in the People's Navy...
, had been pursuing a particularly loathsome group of raiders whose actions were repugnant to most of the Havenite officers involved. When Caslet sees some of these raiders attacking what he thinks is a Manticore merchant ship he decides to attack the raiders, despite being outnumbered. The Wayfarer destroys the raiders and Caslet is forced to surrender Vaubon to the superior vessel.
With the additional intelligence gathered by the Havenites, Honor takes the fight the pirates led by the terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
Andre Warnecke and with a hostage gambit liberates the planet Sidemore, which had been occupied by the pirates.
After her defeat of the pirates Honor goes looking for the Havenite commerce raiders. This leads to a larger-scale conflict with Havenite forces. Klaus Hauptmann has traveled on the liner Artemis to see the piracy situation first hand in Silesea, and Honor encounters them just as the Havenites are closing in on the Artemis. In the ensuing battle Wayfarer is able to destroy two Havenite battlecruisers but is itself ultimately destroyed. The few surviving members of Honor's crew, along with several Havenite prisoners, are rescued and return to Andermani space. Because of Honor's bravery in saving Hauptmann's life during the battle the two are reconciled.
Background
Honor Among Enemies also depicts life in the lower ranks of the Royal Manticoran Navy, following young crewman Aubrey Wanderman through his adaptation to life onboard Wayfarer and his troubles with and eventual victory over a band of thug-like crewmen. The novel also plays up Honor Harrington's similarities with Horatio HornblowerHoratio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester. He was later the subject of films and television programs.The original Hornblower tales began with the 1937 novel The Happy Return Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy...
, as one chapter shows Captain Harrington reading one of C.S. Forester's Hornblower novels and commenting that "the man writes a darned good novel".
Like previous books in the series, a good portion of the novel is told from the perspective of People's Navy officers, including the aforementioned Warner Caslet and his tactical officer Shannon Foraker
Shannon Foraker
Vice Admiral Shannon Foraker is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber.An expert tactical officer, she has served under Warner Caslet on board the light cruiser PNS Vaubon during the early years of the war, gaining a reputation of...
, introduced in the preceding Flag in Exile
Flag in Exile
Flag in Exile is the fifth Honor Harrington novel by David Weber. In the story, the disgraced Honor enters a self-imposed exile on Grayson.- Plot summary :...
. Their motivations and characters are more fully explored and shown to be in many ways the moral equal of the Manticorans, including Caslet's determination to pursue raiders whose actions have gone beyond the pale, far outside acceptable practice under the laws of war. It also introduced Admiral Javier Giscard
Javier Giscard
Javier Giscard is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber.An admiral in the People's Navy, Javier Giscard was once one of Alfredo Yu's students. By the beginning of Haven's war with Manticore Giscard had the rank of Commander, as...
, commander of the Havenite raiders, and his political watchdog (and lover) Eloise Pritchart
Eloise Pritchart
Eloise Pritchart is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. She was introduced in the series' sixth novel, Honor Among Enemies as a People's Commissioner assigned to watch over a leading Havenite admiral.A native of the People's...
.
External links
- An excerpt of Honor Among Enemies is available for download or reading online at the Baen Free LibraryBaen Free LibraryThe Baen Free Library is a digital library of the science fiction and fantasy publishing house Baen Books where 112 full books can be downloaded free in a number of formats, without copy protection...
here. The whole novel can be found here.