By Schism Rent Asunder

[MeklorIlavator]

So, the second book in David Weber's new trilogy came out recently. For those unfamilar, the first book is called Off Armagedon Reef. In it, it details how all of humanity is wipe out except for one colony wich has to revert to pre-electrical technology in order not to be discovered, until the enemy hopefully believes them destroyed and stops actively hunting for them, which would be a couple centuries. Of course, since there has to be a conflict, the head of the colony decides to create a society that is both less advanced than intended and that will never advance, primarily by mind washing the colonist into thinking that the directors/staff of the colony ships are all angels, and creating a faith that shuns all advanced technology. Realizing that something like this would happen, the Good Guys made a plan to sabotage this by leaving behind a sort of adviser. Just to let you know, what I just described could all be taken from the back of the book or from the first 50 pages of the book, and leaves out alot of the explanations.

What you people think about it? Personally (huge spoiler alert. Really, I'm warning you)
The order of Saint Zherneau wasn't that big of a surprise. I thought that for a group that came up with the original conspiracy would have thought up a couple other tricks, even if they didn't know about the Kinetic bombardment system.

[Krrth]

I just finished it today, and I want the next. Dammit.

[MeklorIlavator]

Same. Of course, that partly because the first time I read the last lines I thought
It was saying that that was the last time she say him, which would have really sucked. Also, so much more of the first book makes sense now, especially some of the kings reactions.

[Krrth]

Yes, Yes it does. I have to admit, the document threw me for a loop the first time I saw it. He's got a lot to wrap up in one more book. Anyone else think there might be 'bot on the other side?

[MeklorIlavator]

Not really. If they had one, they would have had at least one of the "Archangels" around the whole time. I do think that the mysterious power systems are actually control mechanisms for the Kinetic Launch system. After all, the first time it was used it had to have been manually controlled, so why not keep the systems. This way, if the church even needs to use it, they can, likely after some long and involved ritual.

Also, notice how even the "evil" side had characters you can sympathize with? Sure, there are the psychos and hitler-likes, but most seem to have some good points to them. And some really are evil when you consider what they know about the situation. It seems to be one of Weber's strong points. Heck, in the Harrington series Rob S. Peirre and Oscar St Just have thier good points. Admittedly, not many(especially in Oscars case), but at least it doesn't feel like some fiction where either a character is on the good guys side, the bad guys side, or changes to the good guys side as soon as they realize what is actually going on.

[Emperor Tippy]

Also, notice how even the "evil" side had characters you can sympathize with? Sure, there are the psychos and hitler-likes, but most seem to have some good points to them. And some really are evil when you consider what they know about the situation. It seems to be one of Weber's strong points. Heck, in the Harrington series Rob S. Peirre and Oscar St Just have thier good points. Admittedly, not many(especially in Oscars case), but at least it doesn't feel like some fiction where either a character is on the good guys side, the bad guys side, or changes to the good guys side as soon as they realize what is actually going on.

Off Topic:

I've notice it as well, it's mostly only the truly whack-o ones that you can't sympathize with at least a bit. I mean even the Mesa ones can be a bit (how would you act if you didn't just believe but could prove that you were superior to regular humans in every measurable category).

[Lord Iames Osari]

I splurged on one-day shipping from Amazon and stayed up until 5 in the morning finishing it.

I loved it. (details in spoiler)

The whole Order of Zherneau thing caught me by surprise, but I had been waiting for Cayleb to find out the whole truth ever since his crisis of faith moment in the first book, so that was awesome.

The alliance with Chisolm didn't really surprise me, although the unification with Charis was unexpected. What really surprised me was how Nahrman got involved. I mean, what?

Also, Erayk Dynnys completed his metamorphosis from ass-covering bureaucrat to martyr. I can't think of a better word to describe him, really. And I wanna know how Anzhelyk and his wife know each other - although it's possible I missed that due to being very very sleepy.

[Dervag]

On Topic:

Has anyone noticed that a lot of the setting elements for this trilogy are a reprise of what he already did with Heirs of Empire, only on with more depth? Yes, the details are different, but I get the feeling Weber has wanted to write this story for a long time. As in, a story about a physical superman (superwoman?) with knowledge of modern (postmodern?) technology stuck in a world that's been mired in the early Age of Gunpowder for millenia.

I haven't read the second book yet, for the record. Some time soon...

Off Topic:

Off Topic:

I've notice it as well, it's mostly only the truly whack-o ones that you can't sympathize with at least a bit. I mean even the Mesa ones can be a bit (how would you act if you didn't just believe but could prove that you were superior to regular humans in every measurable category).Harry Turtledove is possibly even better at it.

He can get you inside the head of a concentration camp commandant. It's scary, because sometimes you sit back and realize what you just saw this character thinking about and the horror doesn't kick in until after you read it. At least, I think that's scary.

[Krrth]

Actually, I did notice that. At first, I was t hinking that the plot seemed familiar, and then it hit me. We'll have to see how much of the plot from Hiers gets transported over in the next book.

[Lord Iames Osari]

On Topic:

Has anyone noticed that a lot of the setting elements for this trilogy are a reprise of what he already did with Heirs of Empire, only on with more depth? Yes, the details are different, but I get the feeling Weber has wanted to write this story for a long time. As in, a story about a physical superman (superwoman?) with knowledge of modern (postmodern?) technology stuck in a world that's been mired in the early Age of Gunpowder for millenia.

I did notice, yeah, which is why I was initially reluctant to read the first book. Little did I know how awesome it would be.

[Dervag]

Actually, I did notice that. At first, I was t hinking that the plot seemed familiar, and then it hit me. We'll have to see how much of the plot from Hiers gets transported over in the next book.I don't think it'll be identical. The characters are different, for starters.

I suspect what happened is that Weber really wanted to write stories about gunpowder warfare and is rather frustrated that his saga of the 'Napoleonic naval wars IN SPACE' evolved away from that. But he's writing for an audience that likes modern or postmodern perspectives on the world, so the basic concept for the novel that he used in "Heirs of Empire" is something he wanted to develop more thoroughly in a somewhat different context.

Remember, a lot of novels boil down to the same basic concept. That doesn't mean they're all the same.

[Foeofthelance]

>< Damnit, I forgot he was writing this one for Tor and not for Baen. Explains why I managed to miss it. Blast, now Im going to have to seriously increase my book order for August...

My mom is gonna kill me, what with bringing home two more hardcovers this month...

[MeklorIlavator]

Never actually read his Heirs series, but the synopsis did remind me of another series, the General series by S.M. Stirling and David Drake. Is the Heirs series good?


Also, just been re-reading the first(before re-reading the second; I find it helps me catch more of the subtle things in the book), and I just got past the verifier scene. Notice how Haarahld is terse and formal the entire time? Or how his face "tightened, as with a flicker of anger" at one of Father Wylsynn's questions? It didn't really make sense before, but I guess I thought he simply resented that these questions were being asked or something, but with what we now know, it makes alot more sense.