Popular Military Science Fiction

Spring’s here! I’ve got the fever.

I want to sit out on the back deck, watch the birds, smell the flowers and read something really good.

What would be good to read? I asked that question at my book club, and when two members got into interrupting each other over what they liked best in a particular series, I knew it was one I had to check out. It is an older series, but that means that you don’t have to sit around and wait impatiently if you want to read the next book in the series. So, I took the plunge.

The title was On Basilisk Station by David Weber and it introduces the whole Honor Harrington series.

Yes, I know, another series…sigh.

An additional reason I wanted to read this was that one of my most popular blogs is entitled Military Science Fiction. This was an earlier blog when I was first getting started, but it has held up in the most hits category…so my readers like military science fiction…and this fit the bill.

With a bonus…a hot female protagonist.

So here’s a popular military science fiction…with a hot female as the Captain who has an alien cat riding her shoulders. The only thing missing is a dragon or two, and they wouldn’t fit well into her aging  light cruiser.

Honor Harrington graduated top in her class. She’s described as having a “strong boned face” and short cropped hair. Still, the arrogant eldest son of the Earl of North Hallow, Pavel Young, had expected compliance when he tried to rape her at the academy, but instead he got a humiliating beating.

Which he never forgot.

She’s given Fearless, an over-age light cruiser  with an armament that, as she takes command, is being gutted and replaced with top secret weapons promoted by Lady Sonja Hemphill of the Red Admiralty. Honor is then tasked with a battle “exercise” to prove the weapon. She wins the first exercise with clever tactics but tips her hand. Once the weapon is revealed, the opposition team in all subsequent battles beats her severely and embarrasses Admiral Hemphill. Honor makes her look like a fool and earns her enmity and the enmity of the Lord Admiral, her cousin. The result is Honor is exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin by a superior who hates her.

Basilisk Station is the punishment station for the Royal Manticoran Navy where the worst incompetents and those who incur  The Lord of the Admiralty’s displeasure are sent.

And now, that is Honor Harrington.

Worse, when she arrives, who greets her but Captain Lord Pavel Young with a smirk on his face as he leaves her by herself and her single  ship to patrol the entire system while he heads home for a refit, setting her up for failure and a ruined career.

Then the aborigines of the system’s only inhabitable planet are being supplied a dangerous homicidal, hallucinogenic  drug and taught how to make advanced weapons.

Large powerful cartels and merchants are using it to smuggle and reap large profits. The last thing they want is a by-the-book navy uncovering their operations and shutting them down.

And, Someone is Up to Something, and it looks like the nearby system of the Republic of Haven is eager to expand its territory west, but first it has to go through the Central Junction that is currently being held by Manticore, and Basilisk Station is in the way.

With the head of the Manticoran Admiralty dismissing Basilisk Station as unimportant and unaware of any possible problems, Honor stands alone in a crippled ship with a demoralized crew that blames her for their disgrace, and proceeds to attempt the impossible task of patrolling the entire system.

Because it’s her duty.

How she succeeds makes for a fun and interesting read. She straightens her cap, pets her treecat, Nimitz, and takes on the enemy with admirable grit and determination.

Once I got past the first several chapters about the intricate politics and detailed military facts with innumerable names to figure out, I began to enjoy the story more. After Honor gets to Basilisk Station, the whole situation becomes interesting, even though, problem after problem is thrown at her.

You have to admire her grit and determination and evaluate her response to obstacles against your own life. I found myself petting my cat, adjusting my shirt, and getting on with what was necessary and right just as she does.

A few point of view changes create confusion at times, but the story is worth it, and most likely, I’ll be reading more in this popular series.

Speaking of popular series, ah hem…

I have expanded my distribution and put a few of my books on Smashwords. As a gift for Mother’s Day or just as a treat because you took the time to read this, I have a coupon for a free copy of the second book in the series, A Dangerous Talent for Time. This is my longest book and is a fun romp around Alysia in search of the answer to a riddle while the characters fall in love, fight battles, meet exotic characters and deal with a time talent who can control events and shift the future. It’s my daughter’s favorite book in the series.

www.smashwords.com/books/view/87864. Coupon code JU87K

Thank you for the many who downloaded a number of my books during the Liebster Awards Blog and my KDP Select experiment. It was fun and I appreciate your response. If you have the time, and like the book, I would really appreciate you writing a short review on Amazon, Nothing fancy…a few words. Just go to the book page and scroll down to the reviews and you’ll see how easy it is.

And thanks to Cathy Reynolds for her great reviews. You have a generous heart and inspire me to write more exciting adventures. Thank you…hug.