Cauldron of Ghosts (Crown of Slaves)

It felt like two different authors wrote this (perhaps because it was two different authos, but I mean you could really tell where Mr Weber stopped and Mr Flint started), and it really didn't prgress the HH universe very much. If you are keeping up with the HH storyline, you probably need to read this, but certainly, if you have not read anything else in theseries, you don't want to start here.

I've read everything Weber has written, except the kids books. I love the honorverse. But this book was just flat dull for most of its length. I wound up skipping page after page of lackluster and unimportant dialogue. The first one third, you can skip altogether. Nothing of importance happens, nothing interesting, and nothing that really moves the story forward. Weber sometimes has a weakness for talk, but never before has it been so bland and boring. This is not a navy book. There is very little space fighting involved. It's a land war thing, and that doesn't really start up until the last quarter of the book. The main characters in this book are the secondary characters from previous books, mainly Victor, Zilwicki, and a cast of also rans. If you're following the broad honorverse story arc, you can basically skip this book altogether. It really doesn't add anything you haven't already seen, and doesn't really advance the plot in any important way.

I will read just about anything in the Honorverse. But this seemed at times to be a repeat of what I'd already read, yet at other times, it was confusing. I didn't feel that the book allowed the story to progress very much at all. I enjoy seeing other characters' perspectives, but I also expect the authors to take the story further from the last point covered.

I have read all of the Honorverse books, so obviously I like the series. And on occasion these side-story books such as Cauldron of Ghosts have been a bit disappointing, or at least frustrating, while I wait for the grand story to be advanced. So I approached this book with some trepidation, given the numerous sketchy reviews.

Sure, the story isn't perfect, but in the end I enjoyed the book immensely, and am glad I bought it, and that is what really matters. Don't let the nit-picking put you off.

This book is above his usual efforts, and keeps your interests up, without going back and repeating stuff that you are totally aware off. So it makes for interesting reading, and keeps you spellbound throughout. It has much less technicalities and more action that I have become accustomed to with David Weber. Perhaps Eric Flint is keeping his feet 'to the fire", because this book is one of the most interesting he has written in the last year and a half.

This is a solid addition to the Honorverse. David Weber and Eric Flint team up to make a solid spy novel. The book centers on the character of Victor Cachet, Haven spook-in-chief, with a normal amount of political wrangling and well thought out but misguided planning from the other side. Although this has a military side, I would not call this a military S.F. book, like most of Weber's best stuff. I look forward to more from this team of writers.

I have read all of the Honorverse books, so obviously I like the series. And on occasion these side-story books such as Cauldron of Ghosts have been a bit disappointing, or at least frustrating, while I wait for the grand story to be advanced. So I approached this book with some trepidation, given the numerous sketchy reviews.

Sure, the story isn't perfect, but in the end I enjoyed the book immensely, and am glad I bought it, and that is what really matters. Don't let the nit-picking put you off.

This book is above his usual efforts, and keeps your interests up, without going back and repeating stuff that you are totally aware off. So it makes for interesting reading, and keeps you spellbound throughout. It has much less technicalities and more action that I have become accustomed to with David Weber. Perhaps Eric Flint is keeping his feet 'to the fire", because this book is one of the most interesting he has written in the last year and a half.

This is a solid addition to the Honorverse. David Weber and Eric Flint team up to make a solid spy novel. The book centers on the character of Victor Cachet, Haven spook-in-chief, with a normal amount of political wrangling and well thought out but misguided planning from the other side. Although this has a military side, I would not call this a military S.F. book, like most of Weber's best stuff. I look forward to more from this team of writers.

Weber and Flint are an impressive team. The result this time, as it has been throughout the series, is a balanced and inspired tale of human triumph over long odds and what appears to be insurmountable obstacles. I was impressed with the character development and how each of characters interacted and became richer and fuller throughout the storyline. I can't wait for the next chapter in this exciting and absorbing series.

Thandi Palane & Victor Cachet's last stand, similar to the battle of Thermopylae.

What starts as a spy mission turns into a revolution on Mesa, pitting the free slaves against Mesa's battle armoured army.

Enjoy reading.

Individually, authors David Weber and Eric Flint are superb storytellers. Put them together and -- WHAMMO! -- you've got yourself a crazy good read! I pre-order most anything published by Baen Books, but even if this title is your first under their aegis, it's a doozy an an excellent place to start. Highly recommended.

I have every one of Weber's Honorverse novles, the story collections, the spinoffs, etc. and it seems to me that David simply starts to lose interest as the story lines drag/move on and the fluff percentage starts to climb. There is not really anything new in this book and th characters have been more insightful, dramatic, and powerful in prior books. It is time for the Evil Badguys of the Mesan Alignment to be brought to bay, their superweapons and drives neutralized, and wiped out to the last villain. It is time for Merlin to invade the basement of the temple in the Safehold series and string up the Grand inquisitor. The characters - Victor Cachat, Anton Zilwicki, Honor, Michelle Henke, etc have been explored and explained. "Cauldron" is a pleasant read but not gripping at all. Weber needs to reboot his imagination.

As always, the writing is superlative. IMHO we are starting to see some stagnation in the honorverse, and this book is representative of that, less about cool space battles and super awesome characters ,and more about politics and intrigue. I still devoured it, and enjoyed it, but I see the whole series taking a different tack.

One of the things I really like about David Weber's Honerverse series is the way that multiple people, in multiple situations are doing things and seeing things from a different light. That's much more like the real world where marketing might be doing one thing while engineering is doing something else even though they are working on the same project. From the first book where Honor Harrington is a commander of a small ship to now being commander of the fleet she has moved on and other characters have stepped into the limelight.

This book moves forward the upcoming war between the Universe and the Slave traders. The joint heros are spies who are investigating what's really going on by the Mesan Alignment. They are going into a scary world and setting up an operation. I've just gotten started on my third time to read the book. This is one of the few books I've read, turned back to page one and started over. My only regret is that it will now be a long time until I get to visit the Honorverse again. Well, that's for the next book. I may have to go back to the first one and read them all again.

The Honorverse series now has about seventeen or twenty books, and they are great. So you can read this one first, but you'll understand it a lot better if you start with "On Basilisk Station" and work your way forward. Oh yes, go see the upcoming movie when it comes out in a year or so.

I have been following this series since the beginning. Ups and downs, ins and outs. Its a good saga and my biggest complaint is how long it is between books. ( Not the only one on that). Good addition to a complex saga,

I really enjoyed this book; it was well written and fun. However, I could guess some of the plot and there were many references to people discussed in previous books in the series that I couldn't remember, which was a little frustrating. Overall a very good read.

Another Honorverse page turner that kept me up to late. I really like the action that results when you add Victor Cachat and Anton Zilwicki together in a book. Looking forward to the next in the series.

An excellent fiction reading, well-supported by an extensive list of characters at the back. Many sub-plots, all interwoven and with characters from earlier Weber writings appearing, at times in cameo, to support the story as it unfolds. Most enjoyable.

Cauldron Of Ghosts for the Third Book in The Series Is Very Entertaining with more depth added to the very interesting characters from the series. The ending is surprising but consistent with earlier parts of the series. In all a great read.

My usual Weber critique - I love the world, I love the characters, I can't stand the self-indulgent refusal to edit down. Weber loyalists worship here. the rest of us love the action and skim the rest.

This is the ~25th book in the Honor Harrington Series space opera. If you haven't read all the others you definitely shouldn't start here. For one thing, the earlier books are better, and secondly, there are too many threads and characters that you would not understand/appreicate. As much as I have liked the series, the rate of progress in the main plot has gotten so slow to raise serious questions if the author (s) will EVER resolve the story - at the current rate if might take another 40 years, if then.

Having read all the previous books (I'm obviously a fan), this one could have covered the same ground in 100 pages. Far too much extraneous talking among characters to no purpose, beating dead horses telling the reader how clever/deadly/etc are the main characters (and if you didn't understand it the first ten times you were told, don't despair, you'll be told it again another ten times or more), and some disjointed plot and character features as pointed out by other reviewers.

Even as merely a chapter in 'a never-ending story,' this one has a weak ending - leaving this chapter resolution for the next book.

Reluctantly given a three-star rating = one star for moving the series along and five stars for being part of the series.

This is the ~25th book in the Honor Harrington Series space opera. If you haven't read all the others you definitely shouldn't start here. For one thing, the earlier books are better, and secondly, there are too many threads and characters that you would not understand/appreicate. As much as I have liked the series, the rate of progress in the main plot has gotten so slow to raise serious questions if the author (s) will EVER resolve the story - at the current rate if might take another 40 years, if then.

Having read all the previous books (I'm obviously a fan), this one could have covered the same ground in 100 pages. Far too much extraneous talking among characters to no purpose, beating dead horses telling the reader how clever/deadly/etc are the main characters (and if you didn't understand it the first ten times you were told, don't despair, you'll be told it again another ten times or more), and some disjointed plot and character features as pointed out by other reviewers.

Even as merely a chapter in 'a never-ending story,' this one has a weak ending - leaving this chapter resolution for the next book.

Reluctantly given a three-star rating = one star for moving the series along and five stars for being part of the series.

The continuing saga in the Honor Harrington series with important characters and their roles that brings the entire series altogether. There is never a dull moment with these characters and it's hard to put the book down. I highly recommend this to all who are devotees to the Honor Harrington series and if not they should start at the beginning today!

I look forward with anticipation for another book about the Honorverse. I usually end up reading them very quickly as I cannot put the book down. In about a month, I will read the book again, this time allowing myself to savour each page..