A Novel in the Safehold Series (#5) - How Firm a Foundation

Each successive book in this series tells less of a story then the previous one. This book could have been summarized in about 50 pages without any loss of information. Will the process eventually converge, or should we expect a new, ever more diluted book every year till Langhorne comes?

Still a good series, with progressive character and plot development. My only concern is that on some level the characters seem one dimensional e.g. all of the charisian characters have the same basic personality mold.

At this point, I just want the aliens to show up and put an end to it all. I don't think I can dig through another churchman's heavy introspection, nor can I abide another sailing lesson. Please David, show us the excitement--and humor--we so love in everything else you do.

Love the story. Tends to retell a lot. Good if it has been awhile since the last novel, not so good if you are reading back to back. Unfortunately, the holy war and it's fanatics reminds me too much of our curent wars.

I really enjoy this series of books, but, his use of weirdly spelled names detracts from the story line. The funny way of spelling reminds me of inexperienced writers trying to be different. Except for this complaint I would gladly give this series a 5 star

As usual Mr. Weber's writing and story development is superb. However once he finds a story that works he tends to ride that horse until it collapses under him of old age. That is happening here, time to wrap up this series and move on, it getting stale.

You need to have read the earlier books to appreciate this. The good guys and bad guys are pretty separate. I do like the series, but you have to pay attention as it skips back and forth between what is going on in different places. So I like it and would read the next one, but I can't give it the highest rating.

I have read all the books in this series, just like everyone here has.

I was about ready to give up after the last book, as the story had bogged down so badly.
I think this installment was better. It carried a bit more plot development and was perhaps just a little better written.

However, like so many here, I would like to say that,

I started reading these books for the SCIENCE FICTION content. If I want to read books about adventure in the age of sail, I will read the excellent books by Pat O'Brien. If I want to read about castles and lords and knights, I will stick to the history of Great Britain. If I want to read the best spy thrillers, I will go to John Le Carre.

I don't say I do not enjoy some of this content in the Safehold saga. But in the book I just finished, I think the Gbaba were mentioned about twice. I am not thrilled with the prospect of 5 more books just to get a rope around the neck of Jasper Clinton.
Let's move on with getting back to the tech that established the church and the suggestions in the present volume that other earth technology lies hidden in the temple and in orbit.
Let's think about the ultimate enemies in the galaxy.

I enjoyed this book but did think the whole series are getting a bit slow. The good news is that David Weber actually postulates an end point in this series. What a concept! I will be back for more but do hope it moves a bit faster in future volumes.

Like everyone, you come out the end gasping for more. Thus by definition its good.

yes i wish he wrote quicker(please someone tell me when the next book it coming out!!), yes i wish he used less characters but considering the way he writes and the length of the series (apparently originally intended to be 6 books and now currently estimated at 11...) this is a solid installment of the series.

no spoilers here but some interesting episodes of give and take in the ongoing struggle for safehold's souls and an ongoing lesson in the evolution of firearms and tactics.

look forward to the next.

this was by far the most darkest book i have read from weber the torture scenes were way way way to bad i stoped reading the book for about 2 days allmost throw the book away.the part with the midshipmen i could have done with out that LITTLE TEDBET. all i have to say to MR WEBER he better have a VERY good way of dealing with CLYNTAHN just simply dangling from a rope will not do thats why i gave it 4 stars. other than that a great book can not wait for the next one

I think a part of DW's talent is that he guides you into wanting what he's about to write next and then gently feeding it to you.
This book specifically has the usual tech advantages we expected from the series, the charisians continue to kick ass and take names and the evil inquisitor keeps up with his jihad and adds some terrorist tactics to make it more interesting.
The book can be a bit dry and frustrating at times.
The most blaring example is the (already infamous) sea storm which I suppose is used to show how good the charisian galleon crew is. Of course the fate of a single boat might be a bit less important than the fate of empires waging war for survival and that makes the whole episode feel like fluff. Add to that the marine/naval terms which are a lot like a foreign language to a landlubber like me and of course the complete lack of consequence the story has to the main plot line and you get pages you can safely skip.
After that initial disappointment though the book gets to the point and even skips several boring parts - who knew DW could be so focused.
As I approached the end of the book I couldn't help wanting more and more of the story. Also I couldn't help feeling cheated that 15% of the book's pages are devoted to an inconsequential sea battle and a glossary of names and terms used in the book.
Still the book is a page in the safehold saga and no self respecting fan will skip it. I just wish DW had more respect for the fans too.

I just finished reading this and couldn't put it down. Now I'm stuck waiting for the next one. I was thoroughly impressed with Weber's knowledge of old sailing techniques and terminology. If you want a real insight into what is truly good and what is evil read this book.

I'm a Weber fan. I've read almost everything he's written--several times. I liked this book. In fact, I've had very little sleep since I started it day before yesterday. As soon as I finish this review, I'm going to collapse into bed and try to catch up on my shuteye. I loved the first and second books in the series. I almost gave up reading it with the third book. I just hate long scenes in the minds and counsels of the bad guys where nobody is doing anything except talking about their evil plans. I love action scenes which Weber does superbly. There just weren't enough of them in the third book. I truly think that a canny abridger could cut out half or two-thirds of that book and produce a far better product. The fourth book was somewhat better. And I thought this book returned to the quality of the first two books in the series. It had lots of action.

Someone complained in an earlier review about the lengthy sea battle and the lengthy storm at sea. I eat this stuff up. I've been a long time fan of the Horatio Hornblower series and Aubrey-Maturin series, and I think Weber is doing just as good a job with his naval scenes as the authors of those two series. Several people complained that he spent too much time with minor characters, but this is the way Weber works. He has huge casts of characters and as major characters are killed off, they are replaced by formerly minor characters. For instance in that long sea storm, we see the development of the Hector Armahk character. Yes, he has been a minor character in the past books. I don't think he's going to be minor in future books. Likewise, Irys Daikon has been a minor character in past books, but based on the events in this book, I think Weber has big plans for her. Someone else complained that nothing happened to advance the plot line. I disagree. I don't want to create any spoilers, but there was one very major problem that the Charisians knew they were facing from the very first book which they finally get a grip on in this book.

This book is intended for those readers who like really loooonnnngggg series. The Honor Harrington series is over 20 books now if I remember right. I don't expect this series to be any shorter. I just hope both Weber and I live to reach the end. Neither of is a spring chicken anymore. 8-)

Now to MY complaint and the reason why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5. I hate graphic torture scenes. I don't mind bloody battle scenes, but torture hurts my mind. I have torture scenes still stuck in my head from books I read 35 years ago. I don't want any more of them, and in this book he provided several. I will mark those passages in my copy of the book and won't be reading them again when I reread the series. Please Mr. Weber. You've convinced me that Clyntahn is a monster. You don't need to give me any more proof. Leave the graphic details out of the future books, I beg you.

The series is great. The book may be too, but I don't know. Imagine my surprise when I got about 80 pages into the book and discovered the rest had been hollowed out and replaced with a book safe! Now I'll need purchase another copy.

...but at least now I have a place to store stuff.

Good addition to the series. Comments about torture and civil unrest clearly don't show much insight about old terran's history. There was no white knight or single ethical ruler to drive out the dark (or with neat high-tech toys)then and things were (and still are) messy.

If you are a Safehold fan, this is good. Not as good as book 1, but most sequels aren't.

It's hard to write a credible sci-fi book in recent years but this book makes an interesting attempt. I'm a huge fan of this series, which I consider to be the best that's come along in several years and much better than the other Weber series. The plot and character development are really good, there's plenty of action, and I found it really hard to put down. If you haven't read the other books, however, don't read this first. "Off Armageddon Reef" is the first and if you read it you'll likely be totally hooked on this series.

I've read most everything he has written. I like most everything he has written. However, this series regurgitates sea battles, regurgitates sea storms, and regurgitates pro and anti religious clap-trap nonsense adinfinitum. It is 10 percent good scifi, 10 percent metaphysical God and eighty percent filler and stuffing for a good comfortable sofa. Having said that, I eagerly await the next installment.

After the disappointment of another high profile sci-fi/fantasy series, on its fifth book with a HBO series, that will remain nameless...hint hint, I was pleasantly entertained by How Firm a Foundation. Overall, the book moved along at a much quicker pace than previous volumes, and while there weren't major action sequences, there were a lot of significant events that pushed the story along. On the blogs, there had been much speculation about new technology introductions, and the technical justifications were solidly laid for the upcoming introductions. Some prep work was also laid for the follow-on books, after this series is concluded. Overall, it was probably my favorite book, since the first one. I believe the stage is likely set to push the story along in the next book, and I think likely end the series in 3 more books. Of course, closing out this series, simple sets the stage for the next chain of events and time period in the future.

Let's be honest, you aren't thinking about getting this book unless you're a Weber fan. Any strays hie thee to BASILISK STATION and start on Weber properly.
For fans this is an above average read. One might label this book as the beginning of the end. The very evil Grand Inquisitor Clyntahn has overreached and looks to pay for it. This book also, at least partly, answers the vexed question of what the baddies hid under the Temple. There was also more on ship handling and weapons development than I wanted but just what some of you like.

I have to say, David Weber redeemed this series with this particular book. Maybe the series and the characters are growing on me, but I found it hard to put down and I was disappointed when it ended.

A lot of bad things happen to the good guys in this book. One particular character who died was one of my favorites, but the empire can't win all the time. Only a stupid and one dimensional enemy would always lose, and that would make for a very boring book.

Still, it isn't the "bad" things that happen that I liked about this book. The characters are really starting to get fleshed out better as the story progresses and the more action oriented story line really moves along.

Weber's dialog can be brilliant, though sometimes I find myself rolling my eyes. In particular, I find the chatty teasing between the characters at times to be silly, contrived and inappropriate to the scene. I suppose Weber wants to make the point that these characters are good humored people full of boundless love and affection for each other, but it get's so cloyingly saccharine sweet sometimes that I find myself skipping ahead until they are done.

I do however very much like the fact that Mr. Weber has delved into such deep questions of morality, law, and justice. Some of the best writing I've seen from him yet is when his characters are wrestling with these questions and having to come to terms with the darkness in others, and themselves. To his credit, Weber doesn't shy away from the particulars of these issues, and his characters reach conclusions and often make their reasoning clear, for better or worse. That's the thing that makes it so great.

For example, when Weber has Vicar Clyntahn lay out his reasoning for the harshness of his edicts, it is done in a manner that gives you insight into Clyntahn. You can almost appreciate Clyntahns point of view. He maybe scheming, ambitious and petty, but he isn't without reasons for his action.

I've spent my life in the South, and while I'm not religious myself, I'm very familiar with the issues that Weber is bringing up, vis a' vis religion. His view of religion is what I like to call, "God Is A Big Space Hippy."

You know, God's really an ok dude, and he's cool with everyone, and wants everyone to be cool with him. If you sin, well that will just bum God out, and he hopes that you wont disappoint Him in the future, but don't stress about it man, it's all good!

The contrary extreme, which Clyntahn exemplifies, is the "You are ALL going to Hell" point of view. This view asserts that Man is inherently, and incorrigibly, wicked. Nothing you can do will redeem you except (possibly) God (if he's in a good mood). Everything you do, every time you swear, check out some hot chicks ass, or fart in church, will be toted up by God. You'll be lucky, and happy, if you only spend a few million years in purgatory you sinner you! (for the Catholics)

For the non Catholics, it's not clear if anyone ever actually makes it into heaven as far as the "You Are ALL Going To Hell" crowd is concerned (except maybe themselves). Think Nancy Grace: Combine her sanctimony and condemnatory attitude with religion, and multiply it by 1000, and you have the typical Fire and Brimstone preacher.

Since the Church Of God Awaiting seems to be based on Catholic Church, and Weber's Safehold series seems to be recapitulating (in part) the Protestant Reformation I think this is good guide to go by.

Considering that however, I think Weber is perhaps a bit too sanguine about the ease with which many of his Safehold characters accept the truth of the Church and their exile on Safehold. The most pernicious fear that Christian religious nuts have (especially the Fire and Brimstone types) is the fear of their own intellect.

Christians are told constantly how the Devil is going to trick you. You are too stupid figure anything out for yourself. Your very reason and intellect is Satan's greatest tool. This is one of the great mind screws of history, and talking someone down from that attitude is going to take more than a moldy text held by moldy monks in a moldy monastery.

Imagine going into your local church, even one with the God Is A Space Hippy crowd running it, and proclaiming that the Bible they have been reading all these years is a fraud. Satan really is a good guy, unfairly maligned by early Church Founders, and Jesus was a usurping nut. For good measure, tattoo 666 on your forehead.

Actually, there is an ideology/religion that asserts something like that(Illuminism) but I'm going to go there right now.

But if you have any familiarity with religious people, you can see how you MIGHT be lucky to make it out of the Space Hippy church alive, but the Fire and Brimstone people? Forget it.

And that is the biggest problem that I see with Weber's story so far. I would expect there to be a lot more "fake converts." People, who upon hearing the truth, are horrified to discover that Clyntanh was right about the Heretics after all, and who resolve to help bring these evil Shan-wei worshipers down; all the while pretending to go along with the Heretics.

Still, I like this series. It has depth and it does what good science fiction should do. It puts humans in an odd and unfamiliar setting (Safehold) and allows us to examine our nature and our values in context that wont allow for habitual responses.

I look forward to the next book.

Good job Mr. Weber.

-Ken

I have had mixed feelings about some of the previous books in this series. There was too much talking and too little plot progression. However, this novel fulfills the promise of the series. Each of the story lines was exciting and compelling. An excellent, entertaining novel.

Moving the plot more than the last book in the Safehold Series, we return to the dark future where humans have abandoned technology and hidden themselves on a new planet Safehold in the far reaches of the galaxy. This chapter sees the destruction of yet another Church fleet and hints at a second front in the global war against Charis. The mixture of low and high tech, historical advances and mythology with new troubles exposed to be on the horizon keep the reader enthralled. Look forward to the next book in this and Weber's other series.

Weber has once again successfully extended the series in a mesmerizing manner. The battle sequences are superb, the economics are realistic, and most of all, the human dynamics keep you reading for more, more, more. Keep it coming Mr. Weber.

If you're into the Safehold series, you'll really enjoy reading HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION. It reinvigorates the series with several new plot twists and exits with some major modifications to the chessboard of characters. The only downside is finishing and having to wait for the next volume to be published.

David Weber is a favorite author of mine. This new series is another winner. I like the idea of a colony fleeing a bad situation on Earth and then extablishing a society back to our early days, around 1800. Then nine hundred years later to be wakened, but with restrictions.
Great. Don't stop writing Mr. Weber

In over 600 pages, How Firm a Foundation contains only small advancements in the ongoing Safehold Series. Any book, even those a part of a larger sweeping series, should have some sort of plot development and conclusion; How Firm a Foundation is filled mostly with minor characters, unimportant action, and a few seeds for the following books. You should only consider reading this novel if you are truly dedicated to the Safehold story in general - as a standalone science fiction/fantasy novel it will be a waste of your time.

David Weber's next chapter in the Safehold Series is, as is typical for Mr. Weber, one of those books you don't want to put down until you are finished! The saddest thing about a Weber book is the last page!

I can smell the salt air in this book, I hear all the sounds of the great sea battles. This book is a feast for all your senses.

I do not know how many books will be in the Safehold Series, but I eagerly await each new addition and, now it begins, the wait for the next novel!

I've been a solid David Weber fan for so long and have almost all his work. In this book, I feel as thought I only got 40% of my money's worth. 60% of this book is about trivial non-essential junk. Introducing new characters that won't be of any part of the plot but just to add words to the book. THe first books of this series, Merlin was a principal character. In this book, he's just in a few pages with really no use. I'm 3/4 through this page and am so disappointed with the story line that I'll just read some other book.

From the first to the last word I could not put it down. Now I have to wait for the next book, I am devistated.
I liked the filling out of the characters extremely well done, and especially the the group of four. And yes also to not all who follow Mother Church are evil. Well Done

I am a HUGE Weber fan, and until this release, I have loved the Safehold series. I am almost 8% into the book, and more than 7% of that has been about a bad storm. That's it. Just a bad storm. Ship was nearly destroyed. A few people were hurt. And for the average reader, who doesn't know much about nautical terms and equipment this is going to be a dull part of the story. I sail recreationally. I even race with my father in law on his 28' San Juan. I love sailing. But at 4%, I started skipping to dialogue. At 7%, I skipped to the next chapter, backed up two clicks, and picked up the story again. I sincerely hope Weber has a purpose for this, because if I encounter much more filler, I will have to put the book down and regret that I reread the last installment last week, and that I spent so much money on this one. Almost 7% of a book to describe a storm that only involves peripheral characters. It's almost(?)as if he used someone else to fill the story. The style is slightly different from what I am used to with him. As I say, this is a review in progress, so I'm hoping the book gets back to the plot of the series and I can start to enjoy it again.

UPDATE
I went up to three stars. If it weren't for that first 7%, I would have gone four stars. After completing the book and revisiting some old Harrington books, I am more convinced than ever that the storm sequence was not Weber's writing. In his other books, he seldom has such long descriptions of non-battle events. And when he does they are more written from the perspective of one or more characters, not from the 'narration' perspective. Later in the book, when describing political intrigue and religious backgrounds, the style is completely different and very readable. The only other explanation is that he wrote that section under duress. Like the publisher wanting more material, or he didn't feel good that week. Maybe a hostage situation.

Some people have commented this might be character development. To that I call 'BS'. The characters in question had already been established and well developed. And the description of the storm had little to do with their characters. True, there were orders given and actions taken, but the vast majority of that section read like a prosecuter's report. It was dry and complete to the point of overwhelming the reader with irrelevant information. It's just not his style, plain and simple. If you doubt me, reread Honor's experiance on a prison planet. Just as much description and narration, but it held us. The characters in question already had the skills and courage to face both the storm and their challenges later in the book. Only Yairley's seamanship was demonstrated.

Now for the good stuff. This installment brought to the front much more of the 'main land' political scene. We see the slow unravelling of both Clyntahn's hold on the Group of Four, as well as his further disconnect with the general population. Even the Loyalists are starting to have sympathy for the heretical Charisians, if not for Cayleb and Sharleyan. The grip that Mother Church has on the situation is tenuous at best, and it's control of the world is disintigrating. The Inquisition has overstepped its charter and has developed much the same way as the Spanish Inquisition did. We all know how that turned out. In many ways, I think the series is a sci-fi updated history lesson relating to the late Middle Ages in that sense.

This part of the series seems to be setting the stage for a mass exodus from 'Mother Church', and a growing sympathy for Charis. Even its enemies acknowledge they would have acted the same if they were faced with the same situation. Cayleb has grown weary of being the 'good guy' and has begun to treat the Inquisition exactly how his citizens and military have been treated. I suspect Sharleyan will become more and more his conscience as the series progresses. Evidence of this would be Cayleb feeding his fury with the feed from the sailors' deaths, while Sharleyan didn't watch it, wanting to remember them as she knew them.

Merlin is no longer as key a player, though he shows up at the right time often. Remember, the goal Nimue's consciousness set for Merlin was to prepare Safehold for a possible future encounter with the Gbaba. He realizes that the planet is not ready because of what Langhorne and the other 'Archangels' did in restricting technology. Merlin cannot stop the Church himself, nor can he defend the planet. He has to go about Nimue's plans carefully and cannot just hand the Charisians technology. He plants the seeds and lets them carry the ideas to fruition. He is much like a coach or teacher in that he is teaching the 'blood and bone' humans to think for themselves as they face the Church and later the Gbaba. It only stands to reason he would slowly take a back seat to the action. Just like our mentors do as we grow and learn.

The series has evolved from a sci-fi journey into what could almost be called an alternate history novel like the 1632 book Weber contributed too. I look forward to the next installment.

I have to say that I really enjoyed reading the newest book in the Safehold series. While the various books in the series have been uneven, I really enjoyed how Weber brings many different strings together in this latest book. I believe that the book balances political action, military and character developments well and plants a number of seeds that could grow into some interesting developments in the future. I really appreciate that not everyone on the Temple side is one dimensional or simply a monster. Most importantly for me though is that this book move the plot along and I can hardly wait for the next book in the series to come out.

loved this book--up to page 288 then the next page was 225 discovered missing pages are 289thru320 and duplicate pages are 225 thru 256--therefore I cant continue to read this book---please send a corrected copy ASAP

The leaders of the five year old Charisian Empire has won many battles at sea against the much bigger Church of God Awaiting that declared Emperor Cayleb, Empress Sharleyan and their supporters as heretics. The hero of the naval warfare, Cayleb understands the impact of the enemy's religious terrorism and the diabolical isolation scheme, but is unsure what his small nation can do to end the reign of terror.

Besides an insidious propaganda campaign that excommunicates critics, the Church deploys assassins to kill the empire's leaders and anyone on the Safehold mainland supporting Charisian. The Inquisitors torture anyone to send the message to those who consider allying with Charisian. In that scenario as the cruel foe tightens the knot around the island, the cybernetic avatar of long dead Merlin believes the answer lies dormant underneath Zion's Temple in the heart of the Church of God Awaiting.

The fifth Safehold science fiction thriller (see By Heresies Distressed and A Mighty Fortress) contains the usual military warfare but at much smaller scale due to the reign of terror campaign. The story line also focuses on the social and political issues facing those in opposition to the Church. Safehold focuses on a theocracy that brutally stomps on individual rights. The fear of freedom that Charisian represents is violently opposed by religious dogma that what the Church does is Godly even sacrificing the innocent. Cayleb remains a strong hero though still somewhat Harrington-light as he is more confortable at war than at running a country. Readers will relish David Weber's latest powerful condemnation of those who equate their church is the state; or oligopoly dictating society.

Harriet Klausner

Honestly, I am not sure why I am following this series; it is not my usual cup of tea. The bad guys are so totally bad; the good guys so "flawed" but virtuous; the intricate details of both tall ship rigging and handling them in storms and battles so beyond my comprehension and interest; and the characters are pretty much all very similar indeed, to the point where it's hard to tell who's talking without attribution, because they all sound the same.

Also, the weird spellings of basic names are just annoying, requiring far excessive use of Zs, Ys, Qs, etc. This of course enables Weber to "hide" stuff, like the Big Bad being named after Clinton, and one character literally called "Norman Bates" in conventional spelling.

Nonetheless, I find it rather addictive. And this is a pretty decent volume; not a lot happens that changes the prior status quo, but there's a lot of action of various kinds.

One quibble I had- and this is perhaps a spoiler of sorts: at one point various Good Guys are captured by the Bad Guys and sent on a long overland journey to the Bad Guys's capitol, where they will be tortured to death (some explicitly described). The Good Guys were thinking that if they went by ship, they could sink the ships and give them a more merciful death. However, since the GGs DO have (stealth) air power, plus incendiary shells, in the LONG journey they could have bombed the caravan... but no one thought to do that. Whyever not? They were OK with a quick death; they could not rescue them... but they could have provided a quick death even on land.

I really did not care for the amount of torture described here. OK, the Bad Guys are BAD. We get it.

The cast of thousands makes individuals hard to keep track of, though there is a handy reference in the back.

Anyway. I would not really recommend this series, and one can certainly not start in this volume and have a snowball's chance of figuring out what's going on. However, it's apparently addictive, and I am addicted.

The fifth book of David Weber's Safehold series sees the embattled island Empire of Charsis continuing to fight and survive against the machinations of The Church of God Awaiting, or, more specifically the evil Grand Vicar of the Inquisition who is now unquestionably the most powerful force in the church. The Grand Inquisitioner is adding new elements to his attempt to crush Charsis, unleashing his "Raikuri," suicide bombers targeting civilians and industry in Charsis itself. For the first time since "Off Armageddon Reef" Cayleb, Sharleyne and the Earth-born cyborg Merlin Athrewes along with their inner circle must face the fact that the Church has brought the fight back to them. Despite another stunning naval victory and turning of the Princedom of Tarot to their side, Charsis still faces annihilation. On the mainland, in the Empire of Siddamark, the Grand Inquisitor begins another offensive, using allies of The Church of God Awakening and other loyalists to attempt to overthrown the rightful ruler, King Stohnar. If Stohnar can't remain on his throne, Charsis will lose the opportunity to gain a mainland ally.

Weber continues to write a good story in the Safehold saga but How Firm a Foundation feels like we've seen this all before. Charsis uses the technological advantage brought to them by Merlin to devise new weapons that surprise the Church and it's allies, leading to big victories. This novel in particular felt like Weber had lost the thread of where he was going with all this. One of the most glaring examples of this takes place early on in the book where we spend nearly 45 pages on the exploits of a single Charisian galleon and it's battle with a nasty storm. There is such a thing as too much detail, and with Weber's exacting knowledge of wooden sailing ships, we're subjected to a painfully long series of pages detailing what happens to every sail, spar, mast, anchor and bilge pump as the galleon battles to survive. I guess sailing ship hobbyists might be enthralled by this, but to me it was just 10% of the book that did nothing at all to move things along.

As other reviewers have pointed out, sometimes Weber seems to get bogged down in the details, focusing on page after page of insight, detail and internal monologue at the cost of actually having anything happen. At the point I read this book, the sixth book in the series had already been released and a 7th was on the way. I'm at the point where I'm getting that "endless saga" feeling. Without a change of pace or some new reason to stick with it, I feel like I'm a book or two away from quitting this series,

I've been reading Mr. Weber's works for the better part of 20 years. I love most of his works and truly believe many of his stories are among the best science fiction ever written. The first two books of the Safehold series where great. The premise of the story might not be completely new but it had a fresh spin to it. The human race is almost extinct, having been hunted across the cosmos by the Gbaba(?)who are bent on eradicating any possible competition to their expansion as the only sentient beings in the Universe. A last ditch effort by humans to create a secret colony far across the universe and hopefully prevent the complete extinction of the human species. And how horribly wrong it all went. Great characters, battle sequences, and a storyline which created an interesting and believable world. Books three and four seemed overly long and bloated. The multiple subplots, storyline twists, and trivial character introductions make it difficult to keep up with the story and soon you stop trying. Great, another poor slob who is about to get his but handed to him by The Group of 4. i.e. Whyllem Smzth following the will of The Group of Four is given sanction to kill who ever stands against Mother Church, or poor hard working Zannkerhe Mylls is persecuted by the Inquisition for his heresy against Mother Church. The naming style of the characters to show the drift in the spoken language since the fall of old Terra is aggravating! The main characters, the ones who you paid $27.00 to read about are relegated into obscurity. Page after page, chapter after chapter of increasing expectations that something big and exciting is finally about to happen. Something, anything that will make the last 400 pages worthwhile. Then, finally the expected climax of the book which will cliffhang the story for the next installment....Sorry buddy, it's the end of the book... Nothing great has happened, nothing to make the last 400 pages worth the time spent reading them. Finally you're left with a vague since of disappointment as you close the book. The New/Next book is out next year, another $27.00 and you'll get to enjoy the next ground shaking installment in the exciting Safehold saga. Maybe the next 800 page book will restore your faith. Maybe (just maybe) "How Firm a Foundation" will be the next "best book ever written" by one of your favorite authors. Something that will recapture you interest in the Safehold world. $27.00 later you find book five is more of the same filler material, subplots, and minor character story lines rather than main character story lines. It's almost like a compilation of short stories reminiscent of the Bolo or Hammer's Slammers stories. "How Firm a Foundation" is an ok book that somehow fails to truly capture the essence of the author's intent or potential furtherance of the storyline. And yet once again your left with that vague since of disappointment as well as an empty wallet.

This is the only series I have ever read by Weber, and I look forward to getting immersed in this world. I absorbed this book quickly, in just one week despite a heavy workload. There are flaws in this one that served the plot more than the way the characters think. To explain my points there will be some spoilers
As you will read from other reviews there is some torture here on the part of the Inquisition, with Clayton leading the way. It is not as visceral as it could be have been done, but it gives some deeper meaning behind the ultimate punishments the "heretics" received. But my strong feeling is that could have been handled in previous books when the original arch bishop of Tellsberg was tortured to death live. Instead we sailors subject to this horrendous injustice.
of course Merlin and the group are sickened about what is to happen, but feel they can do nothing drastic, not even given them a clean death. But i really have to wonder about that as Merlin could have sent the SNARCs with the equivalent of some sort of disease to weaken and kill those poor sailors over just a few days. ( Cholera, arsenic, influenza, something that would have been naturally passed off). So i really wonder what purpose this particular lens served.
I am really surprised that when Cayleb's first minister perishes in a terrorist attack, there wasn't an attempt to portray the funeral even as the attacks are progressing.
I felt deep sorrow at Narman's passing, and overall there is a sense of desperation and helplessness that i feel is important to portray, as Cayleb & team realize that even with their distinct advantage, they are still easily attacked and vulnerable.
I really cant wait for the next installment, but Weber should be cognizant of the consistency of will.

How Firm A Foundation by David Weber

Ok, I'm losing count, this is another book in the excellent Safehold series. Safehold is a planet lost from an alien intelligence that has wiped out mankind except for Safehold. Safehold's founders founded a new religion to deter industrialization in hopes of not attracting the attention of mankind's nemesis.

The aforementioned theocracy has become dominated by the gang of four. The gang of four, are four corrupt churchmen who will do anything, no matter how despicable, to remain in power. Mass murder, terriorism, torture and even instigating civil war and denying all progress, it still manages to trumpet it's godliness.

As all of Weber's works he has deplorable villains and laudable heroes. Weber works many of current society's ills into his work. Fanaticism, jihad, corruption, facile politicians, evil empires; he manages to include or refer to through proxy.

Weber is one of those rare authors who can infiltrate your emotions with his characters and feel you full of empathy for their actions. This book shows the Charisian Empire, once more, co-opting a former foe into a stalwart ally.

Some reviews complain that Weber is wordy but each brush stroke can increase the depth and beauty of a work.

I highly recommend the book.

Weber comes out with the Safehold books at a rate of one a year. My problem is that at that rate, whenever I read the latest, I sometimes forget the finer details from the earlier stories. Sure Weber and the publisher recognise this. So they have a very good appendix of characters and terms, and maps at the front of each book.

But there is one basic aspect that often trips me up. The 3 main island kingdoms. Charis. Chisholm. Corisande. Why did Weber start them all with C? I just have trouble distinguishing them from each other until I am well into the book. Does anyone else have this problem? It sounds trivial to some of you no doubt.

What I think happened is that Weber has by now internalised his fictional world so much that he cannot see this. Or rather more precisely, that when he wrote his first book, this was already true. And he unwittingly went ahead.

This is the fifth installment in the "Safehold" series in which the major character is Nimue Alban. Not all of the author's fanbase will like it - there is very little here for the people who like high-tech space battles for instance - but I thought it was an improvement on volume four and like all the books in this series I could hardly put it down.

Like the previous novels in this series it's another massive doorstop of a book, with five pages of maps, 550 pages of story followed by another 50 pages or so of appendices (character index, glossary etc.) But I found the editing tighter than the previous installment - in particular, less of the book is taken up with interminable conference calls. There is also more of a sense that the author knows where he is going with the story, despite the fact that the war between the good guys and the evil "Temple" seemed to be facing a stalemate at the end of book four.

If you're going to read this series, don't begin with this book: start at the beginning and work through in order. The five "Nimue Alban"/Safehold books published to date are:

1) Off Armageddon Reef
2) By Schism Rent Asunder
3) By Heresies Distressed
4) A Mighty Fortress (Safehold 4)
5) This book, How Firm a Foundation

Not all the ideas are new: the story re-works of a number of the ideas in Weber's earlier books, particularly the Dahak trilogy "Mutineer's Moon," "The Armageddon Inheritance" and "Heirs Of Empire (Dahak series)" - the whole trilogy has also been published as "Empire from the Ashes". But IMHO Weber uses the experience he has gained in the meantime to re-use the same basic ideas more effectively and with some original twists.

For example, the alien attackers who are at war against humanity at the start of the first book, and the threat of whom hangs over subsequent books, will remind many Weber fans of the Kangas from "The Apocalypse Troll" and even more of the Achuultani from the "Dahak" trilogy.

The anti-technological church which the heroes and heroines are struggling against throughout the first five books bears a striking resemblance to the church on Pardal in "Heirs of Empire," the third book in the Dahak trilogy. But in both cases the presentation of those ideas is better done.

None of the statements in this review are spoilers for "How firm a foundation" but the following comments about the setting of this fifth book may infer more than you want to know about the outcomes of the first four books if you have not read them yet. If that is the case I suggest you navigate to the page for "Off Armageddon Reef" or the first book you have not yet read (see links above) without reading further here.

The basic idea for the series is that in the 25th century, humanity finds evidence that other intelligent races have recently existed on nearby stars - but that a xenophobic alien race is exterminating them. The Terran Federation has just enough warning to make a fight of it when that enemy finds us and attacks ten years later. The war lasts fifty years - but at the end of that time it is obvious that humanity is losing and in serious danger of being wiped out.

Operation Ark, a final desperate attempt to plant a colony outside the area patrolled by the enemy, is launched. If they succeed, the colonists will face a choice: try to build a civilisation powerful enough to defeat the attackers, or abandon any technology which might attract their attentions and simply hide.

The anti-technological faction in the leadership of the new colony win, and set up a totalitarian theocracy whose main aim is to stifle any technical change. For eight hundred years nobody on the planet knew that it was a colony, that humanity has a deadly enemy out among the stars, or that the real reason for the ban on technology was to avoid attracting the attention of that enemy.

But eight hundred years after the founding of Safehold, a cyborg was activated with the mind and memories of Lieutenant-Commander Nimue Alban, a brilliant tactician who had been one of the thousands of people who gave their lives that the colony fleet could get through. When the corrupt leaders of the church attempted to destroy the nation of Charis for being a bit too innovative, as a warning to others, Nimue adopted the persona of "Merlin Athrawes" a warrior mystic, and helped them to defeat the initial church invasion.

At the start of this fifth book, through a mixture of war and brilliant diplomacy the young King of Charis, Cayleb, has created and consolidated an empire comprising most of the maritime island nations in the part of Safehold around his original Kingdom. As Charis controls the islands and the seas, while the corrupt leaders of the Temple dominate the main landmass, we appear to have the same sort of stalemate as when the Royal Navy of Nelson's time dominated the seas while Napoleon's Army dominated the land.

But this book describes how that stalemate began to break ...

It starts with the central character setting up a fake steam railway network on an uninhabited island. Nimue wants to find out whether the creators of the anti-technological church left any orbital sensor or weapons platforms designed to destroy such a manifestation of forbidden technology.

From this we are taken to "Onedin Line" territory as some of Weber's supporting characters are trying to keep a galleon afloat and unwrecked during a terrible storm at sea. Boring if you are mainly interested in battles, brilliant if you like exciting and well-written tales of the sailing navy.

And then we are back to political manouvering, espionage, and church-sponsored terrorism as Grand Inquisitor Clyntahn continues his effort to crush the good guys and anyone else who opposes him.

If you have become attached to and interested in the characters built up over the previous books, and the world which Weber has built for them, you may enjoy this as much as I did. If, however, you are one of those readers who enjoy David Weber's books mainly for the battles, this, like the last one, is a book to miss.

There is only one major naval battle described in detail in this book, and DW doesn't pretend that the outcome is in any doubt. However that doesn't mean there is no tension in the book. Dave Weber's style puts you looking over the shoulder of good guys and bad guys alike as the latter are planning various horrible arocities and Weber leaves you in considerable doubt which of them will be succesfully carried out, and whether the good guys will be able to rescue any of the innocents who the Inquisition is planning to murder.

(Incidentally I strongly agree with another reviewer who asked if we can have a bit less detail on the inquisition's use of torture in future volumes).

At this point in the series, the technology with which the good guys have equipped their navy appears roughly comparable to the early nineteenth century, while the bad guys have broughts themselves up to about the mid-seventeenth century. The technology of naval combat at these times is well described and I found it interesting.

Weber appears to have listened to complaints about some of his recent novels, and as mentioned, far less of the book is taken up with detailed descriptions of lengthy conference calls between the major characters. ("A Mighty Fortress" must hold the record for the highest proportion of time spent on conference calls in a novel set on a world with mainly 17th century or earlier technology. Those of us who spend enough time on conference calls at work really don't want more of them when reading for pleasure!)

This book is nevertheless, like the preceding book, "A Mighty Fortress" or like "Storm from the Shadows" in the author's "Honor Harrington" universe, likely to be one of the books which a significant part of the author's fanbase hate because there are not enough battles. But I think those who have enjoyed most of this series will like this book a lot.

Okay first let me say that I usually love David Weber's writing. HOWEVER, I am not so impressed with his Safehold series to date. The first book was a very well done set up for the series, gave some background and set up the main characters well. The volumes since, while well written, have way too much descriptive narrative with reasonings, whys, and wherefores for my taste. His Honor books have some explanatory pages but they usually are pertinent to the story line plus the action scenes are great. I realize that plot development is needed for any well written book but I personally think Weber has over done it in this series. Maybe he just has too much on his plate with so many on going series to write. (Honor, Honorverse, Hell's Gate, Safehold, and War God).

Take a story you've written before, and done fairly well at; it was a single sub-section of a book with several separate disparate storylines. You want to elaborate on the story, and take it from being a smaller subset of a single book to being its own full-fledged novel. Great. Now take that story and stretch it into a series that will likely end up as 10+ books, using a combination of substantially longer time period, larger scale, and quite a bit of filler.

This was not a poorly written book; in fact, its quite well-written. The problems lie in how much 'filler' it contains. Instead of describing events, it foreshadows them; using just as much time to foreshadow them as to describe them, if not substantially more. This is book 5, quite likely a halfway point, or a one-third point, in a series Weber could have easily told in less than 5 books, and done just as well. I could easily imagine this series being vastly improved by taking the entire story including the conquest of the Temple which is likely several books to come, putting it in three books, then doing another 3-book trilogy about the development of a new spacebound terran race, and the Charisian space navy's war with the Gbaba.

However much I might despise the way the series drags on, I keep being drawn back to it, wanting to know just how things turn out in a given plot, only to be disappointed yet again.

I like the Safehold series and How Firm A Foundation is another good installment. Familiarity is sometimes a good thing, reading an author you like writing something like what he has done before. I often go for that in reading series but it also can become a bit repetitive. This is what happened to me here. This is just more of the same, these medieval battles as entertaining as they are, are starting to bore me and even if we are moving into steam and iron. I do expect at least one more book with this slow technological progression until we hit something more advanced, which is something that I am looking forward to. We have the Gbaba aliens that almost exterminated humanity and made them run for Safehold to deal with.

Merlin, Cayleb and Sharleyan are like family now, extended family even and I love reading about them. Their dialogs are witty and often funny. This time it is a bit darker than before. The Group of Four and the Church are impotent at sea due to the new explosive ordnance of the Charisian Navy so they go for the terrorist response instead with terrible results.

Weber shows great historical knowledge down to a very detailed level as usually. The ongoing geopolitical struggle makes sense to me as a reader and it is quite entertaining. The bad guys don't know what awaits them around the corner.

Merlin explores the limitations of the orbital weapon responses early in the book but later revelations fulfill the promises of the blurb about what is under the Temple. But that is all I am going to say about that.

Bottom line I liked How Firm A Foundation. It has great characters as always and there is progress. Things are starting to get interesting and tense on the mainland. There are things brewing that will be fun to see expanded in the next volume.

5th book in a series of 6 books so far. I suspect that this series will go 10, maybe 12 books, before Weber runs out of gas.

I believe that the Safehold series is a retelling of Weber's earlier most excellent Dahak series, _Mutineer's Moon_ and others. I have nothing to base this belief on other than my own reading of both series.

I find HFAF to be a very good book of telling about a very trying time. The books is tighter than the previous books in the series so maybe someone is telling him to calm down on the cannon p0rn. Personally, I like the series either way.

This book is enjoyable to read. I would recommend reading the other books in the series that precede it before reading this book. Weber doesn't spend too much time catching up readers who missed the previous 4 or 5 books. I think there is too much planning and too little action for me, but I see that Weber uses this to expand his characters. The series is becoming a bit too cumbersome, although I admit I'm hooked and will stay with it till the end. It is beginning to seem a little like a soap opera. All the action is at the beginning and end of the books. Just when you start to think, alright, now something is happening, the book ends. This book isn't at the level of the first book of the series, "Off Armageddon Reef", but it's an enjoyable read. It's especially good for amateur military history buffs like me.

Take a story you've written before, and done fairly well at; it was a single sub-section of a book with several separate disparate storylines. You want to elaborate on the story, and take it from being a smaller subset of a single book to being its own full-fledged novel. Great. Now take that story and stretch it into a series that will likely end up as 10+ books, using a combination of substantially longer time period, larger scale, and quite a bit of filler.

This was not a poorly written book; in fact, its quite well-written. The problems lie in how much 'filler' it contains. Instead of describing events, it foreshadows them; using just as much time to foreshadow them as to describe them, if not substantially more. This is book 5, quite likely a halfway point, or a one-third point, in a series Weber could have easily told in less than 5 books, and done just as well. I could easily imagine this series being vastly improved by taking the entire story including the conquest of the Temple which is likely several books to come, putting it in three books, then doing another 3-book trilogy about the development of a new spacebound terran race, and the Charisian space navy's war with the Gbaba.

However much I might despise the way the series drags on, I keep being drawn back to it, wanting to know just how things turn out in a given plot, only to be disappointed yet again.

I like the Safehold series and How Firm A Foundation is another good installment. Familiarity is sometimes a good thing, reading an author you like writing something like what he has done before. I often go for that in reading series but it also can become a bit repetitive. This is what happened to me here. This is just more of the same, these medieval battles as entertaining as they are, are starting to bore me and even if we are moving into steam and iron. I do expect at least one more book with this slow technological progression until we hit something more advanced, which is something that I am looking forward to. We have the Gbaba aliens that almost exterminated humanity and made them run for Safehold to deal with.

Merlin, Cayleb and Sharleyan are like family now, extended family even and I love reading about them. Their dialogs are witty and often funny. This time it is a bit darker than before. The Group of Four and the Church are impotent at sea due to the new explosive ordnance of the Charisian Navy so they go for the terrorist response instead with terrible results.

Weber shows great historical knowledge down to a very detailed level as usually. The ongoing geopolitical struggle makes sense to me as a reader and it is quite entertaining. The bad guys don't know what awaits them around the corner.

Merlin explores the limitations of the orbital weapon responses early in the book but later revelations fulfill the promises of the blurb about what is under the Temple. But that is all I am going to say about that.

Bottom line I liked How Firm A Foundation. It has great characters as always and there is progress. Things are starting to get interesting and tense on the mainland. There are things brewing that will be fun to see expanded in the next volume.

5th book in a series of 6 books so far. I suspect that this series will go 10, maybe 12 books, before Weber runs out of gas.

I believe that the Safehold series is a retelling of Weber's earlier most excellent Dahak series, _Mutineer's Moon_ and others. I have nothing to base this belief on other than my own reading of both series.

I find HFAF to be a very good book of telling about a very trying time. The books is tighter than the previous books in the series so maybe someone is telling him to calm down on the cannon p0rn. Personally, I like the series either way.

This book is enjoyable to read. I would recommend reading the other books in the series that precede it before reading this book. Weber doesn't spend too much time catching up readers who missed the previous 4 or 5 books. I think there is too much planning and too little action for me, but I see that Weber uses this to expand his characters. The series is becoming a bit too cumbersome, although I admit I'm hooked and will stay with it till the end. It is beginning to seem a little like a soap opera. All the action is at the beginning and end of the books. Just when you start to think, alright, now something is happening, the book ends. This book isn't at the level of the first book of the series, "Off Armageddon Reef", but it's an enjoyable read. It's especially good for amateur military history buffs like me.

"How Firm a Foundation" continues Weber's series nicely, full of the political machinations and military details for which he is known. The characters are great; they interact well, with solid dialogue, and even manage to continue character growth - quite a feat for the fifth book in a series. There are enough of those bamf moments to satisfy, and this book brings together a lot of the threads that were present in previous novels, giving more shape to how the story will turn out (and that's all I'll say for fear of spoilers).

The book is typical Weber, and does get quite into the minutia and details of the events. Some readers (I among them) like this style, at least occasionally. Other readers are annoyed at the lack of significant resolution after a 600 page tome. If you've gotten this far in the series, odds are you'll like the book as much as the previous ones. If you're looking to pick the series up at this late point, it's not such a good idea; apart from lacking the background, it's assumed you're a die-hard reader by this point, and don't really need complete resolution. Weber's books aren't meant to be standalone novels, but lengthy, quasi-historical and most of all very complete accounts of a complex, realistic tale (realistic for sf/fantasy, at least). And in this quality, his books, HFaF included, do excel, demonstrating all of the painstaking work Weber puts into the entwined webs of plot, character, and side-event threads. Think of the level of detail you'd expect from a fictional, character driven approach to, say, WWI, and you'll be somewhere in the right ball park at least. HFaF covers about 1 year of the conflict. Is there resolution? No. But was I really expecting any? Also no, or at least no more than I would from reading a book about the progress of WWI in 1916.

I look forward to the sequel, and will probably make sure to read it too the day it comes out.

Another great series by a great author. I bought this book at the airport. The plot did not interest me initially for his first books in the series. I preferred the faster paced books in the Honor Harrington series and their oh-so-close to modern day politics. The safehold series goes back to a more historical political perspective. I believe to make it more realistic and give the historical perspective requires at least some graphic torture scenes. Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. I too am horrified and mentally harmed by reading this stuff, but reality was likely much worse in the past. I think it's presence is critical to understanding how the politics and reactions to those politics really add depth to this book.

First, let me say that this is another page turner by David Weber. For the most part, I loved the book, but I am noticing one reservation I developed towards the end of reading this one. You can substitute Honor Harington and her cronies and nemeses (nemesises??) for the character's in this book, and the names and place giving you pretty much the same story and story line... Out numbered, but technologically advanced government able to keep ahead of the innovation curve against greatly outnumbered totalitarian regime, big on numbers not on brains. Both sides filled with valiant and honorable characters, both sides with a few dopes and traitors. A heroine (or in the Safehold series a hero/heroine, depending on which persona you think he/she really is at this point) with superhuman strength and capabilities capable of ensuring she (shim) gets out of any tight spot the author conjor's up. A current war that really will not address the real enemy that lurks ahead.

Don't get me wrong. The characters are so engrossing that reading about them again in a different venue and with different names does not bother me in the least. But, here is an idea... how about a series based on a hero/heroine that is part of the technologically regressed, buy numerically superior free state... maybe that's what we will get when the human race finally meets the Gbaba... What I am really afraid is that as the Safehold series progress, I will be able to predict the ending of each book based on is counterpart in the Honor Harrington series. Will our Safehold hero/heroine be getting captured in a future book and find himself/herself able to escape the Church and death at the last minute? I think I will be very disappointed if the plot thread starts pointing in that direction. Reading it in the Hornblower and Harrington sagas was enough. I would like to start seeing a more original idea.

Ok... I have made my complaint. I should also balance it by saying that the character development is again wonderful. The plot line engrossing. The action balanced, detailed, and well paced. And nothing in the Harrington series really prepares you for Prince Emerald's development through the series to this point. In fact, something truly original in this series is the setup that allows for old enemies to become friends in a very manageable and believable sense without allowing the reader to determine ahead of time which characters will make that transition, which will not, and which will die trying. There are many heart wrenching moments in this book. The Church does find ways to strike back and it is a nice touch on how Weber uses current events as inspiration for what the Church finds itself capable of doing to strike back. I am one reader who does not mind the obvious metaphors to current events and politics, but I imagine that some readers may be more sensitive to them than others. I am also impressed by the sheer number of characters that Weber can introduce, keep track of, and often refer back to in logical step and order, while developing even some of the minor characters a little each time they are introduced. The scope of his characterization is breathtaking.

I would definitely recommend this book; however, I feel that I am now on my guard to see where the plot and story goes and hope it starts diverging more from the Harrington Series. I am afraid I will be judging these books more now on how they differ from them than just on whether they are an enjoyable read. I am not sure that is fair, but the seed of doubt as been sown.

This started out as a great concept, but gradually became weighed down with mind-bending and mind-numbing writing.

Weber somehow creates a book that proves there is no loving, helping god. Yet his characters, and clearly the author, have "faith" in a deity to help them. This very same deity that apparently watched with indifference as almost all of humanity was exterminated like pests. This same "god" that allowed the plans on Safehold to be subverted, and the religion to be distorted into a controlling, manipulative, repressive, murderous regime. How could any sentient being feel any fondness for a god that would allow all of this to happen?
This is a book designed to drive people to a logical conclusion that we humans are all we have in the world (and our picas), and we make it on our own or we die. I kept waiting for Merlin (very cool character otherwise) to come to his/her/its senses and start telling people to create humanistic ethics, to rely on each other, and to shed ALL of the bizarre myths they were burdened with, not just the latest ones that their religion embraced.
Weber is a talented author who can make very likable characters. But the increasingly delusional "faith" he infects his characters with makes his books harder and harder to enjoy.
Plus, he spends way too much time describing minutiae of the technologies they are developing, and the political intrigue. It's interesting up to a point, then it becomes deadening. There were times I started skipping forward looking for some fun Merlin action or at least plot movement.
I finally put the book down about half way through. I was so disconcerted about his weird, almost evangelical zeal, and so bored by his obsessive detailed descriptions. I've decided not to read any more David Weber books. Too painful and boring, despite his obvious talents.

I do agree that this book seems to indicate that the series is going to get pretty long, and that worries me, since it may take years to finish and time is a rather fleeting commodity these days.

That said, I've found this series to be a rare jewel that I constantly recommend to people. I know that a lot of people ate looking for "action movies in a book," but I am really enjoying the fact that a modern Science Fiction author is writing actual LITERATURE, instead of merely pandering to action junkies. Of course, I tend to be an action junkie, too, but I'm also a seminary professor and writer, and it is on that basis that I truly appreciate the Safehold series. Weber's characters think deeply here (much too deeply for some) and actually work things out in groups via a participatory process. I appreciate that people hate going to meetings and therefore hate reading about them, but in the real world, that's how a lot of big things get done. Things don't happen on Safehold like they do in the Honorverse, but I'm okay with that.

That's all reaction. I like this series because it deals with important issues in faith and humanity while pursuing the interesting Science Fiction of how humanity can find its way back to the stars after over a thousand years of avoiding technology. Could he write it more efficiently? Probably. But there are little extras that creep out in the midst of the text that have a lot more meaning than just the story. The characters are much more real here than the cardboard cutouts that we tend to expect in a more common space opera, and that makes the narrative pretty messy at times. Most of the time, I wouldn't trade them for anything. The main villain has become so despicable, that I fear that no bad end can satisfy our need to see him brought to justice, and his supporting villains are mostly people who are just greedy or weak. Seeing them in contrast to the heroes (some of whom also have questionable pasts) paints an interesting human drama that I would not want to miss out on for the sake of "moving things along."

So I remain concerned about whether this series will be completed, and I'm troubled about some of the details of a certain character's death, but all in all this is one of the few series that has me constantly scanning the Internet in hopes that I'll hear news of when the next installment is ready.

How Firm a Foundation (2011) is the fifth SF novel in the Safehold series, following A Mighty Fortress. The initial work in this sequence is Off Armageddon Reef.

In the previous volume, Sharleyan bore Princess Alahnah Zhanayt Naimu Ahrmahk. Admiral Manthyr lost two ships in hurricane winds and waves and several more in battle with ships of the Earl of Thirsk. Ahbraim visited the bedroom of King Gorjah.

Gahrvai and his men raided Storm House. Maigwair came up with a ruse to snooker the Charisians. Lock Island led a charge across the decks of NGS Crusade.

In this novel, Merlin Athrawes is a PICA -- Personality-Integrated Cybernetic Avatar -- of Nimue Alban. She is over nine hundred years old and is masquerading as a male because females have less influence on Safehold. She is captain of Cayleb's guard and his secret advisor.

Cayleb Ahrmahk is Emperor of the Charisian Empire. His empire includes the nations of Old Charis, Chisholm, Emerald, Zebediah and Corisande. The Empire is gradually nibbling away at the Mother Church. Cayleb is aware of the truth about Merlin.

Sharleyan Tayt is now Cayleb's wife and Empress of Charis. The former Queen of Chisholm is not a consort, but a co-ruler of the Empire. She also is mother of the heir to the Empire. Sharleyan knows the truth about Merlin.

Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmhk is an Ensign in the Imperial Charisian Navy. He was adopted into the Ahrmahk family after trying to save the former King of Charis. Now he is serving on the HMS Destiny under Captain Dunkyn Yairley.

Hektor Daykyn was Prince of Corisande. Under orders from the Church, he led the attack against Charis. He was assassinated and Charis was blamed for the deed.

Phylyp Ahzgood is the Earl of Coris. He accompanied Prince Hektor's surviving children into exile within the Kingdom of Delferahk. Irys is very protective of her brother Daivyn.

In this story, Merlin is running a test in the Castaway Islands. He has devices moving around producing heat and hot vapor like steam engines. He has Owl monitoring the surveillance satellite for unusual behavior or communications with the devices under the Temple.

He gradually increases the heat levels and the movements until their traces mimic a full fledged railroad system. The satellites remain passive and don't signal the Temple. Merlin leaves the devices running, but it seems that steam engines are not prohibited by the satellite programming.

In the Gulf of Mathyas, Hektor is on the main topmast crosstrees trying to identify a pair of ships. He has the keenest eye on the Destiny, but the haze in the Gulf of Mathyas is too thick to see anything except the mast tops. He reports the problems to the first lieutenant.

Hektor is ordered down to the deck. Then he is sent to notify the captain that the glass is dropping rapidly. Captain Yairley doesn't like the looks of the weather and orders his ship onto a new heading to get more sea room.

Destiny sails northeast, reducing sails and still picking up speed away from the hurricane. She sails over two hundred miles, but then the wind turns and forces her back to the southwest. She is almost driven onto Scrabble Shoal.

Destiny loses her rudder on a rock and breaks some hull planks before anchoring off the shoals. After the wind dies, the ship crew starts repairing damage. The rudder is replaced with a jury rig and Destiny starts on the long voyage to a friendly port.

In Chisholm, HMS Royal Charis sails for Tellesberg with Emperor Caleb. Then the HMS Dawn Star sails for the Grand Duchy of Zebediah with Sharleyan, Merlin and the newly born Crown Princess. Alahnah is very unhappy about the stormy weather.

In Zebediah, Sharleyan sentences the Grand Duke to death for treason. Then she sails to Corisande for sentencing of the convicted traitors. She executes several before an assassin shoots her.

Luckily, the ballistic cloth distributes the blow and prevents the bullet from penetrating. Adjourning the court until the next morning, Sharleyan soaks her bruises in a hot tub. The next morning, she hears four more cases and finds them guilty, but pardons the defendants.

In Delferahk, Princess Irys thinks more about the assassination of her father. She is beginning to believe that Charis lacked any reason to kill Prince Hektor before the surrender. So she starts figuring who else would benefit from her father's death.

The Earl of Coris has already concluded that Charis had not caused the death of Prince Hektor. He is beginning to worry about further attacks on the family. Then Ahbraim delivers a message offering assistance to Irys and Daivyn when the Grand Inquisitor moves against them.

This tale is a bridge to the next volume. Although various actions are conducted in the novel, most of the story is about political maneuvers. Various kings are turning against the Group of Four.

Innovation continues throughout Safehold. The next installment in this series has not yet been named, but should be released in the Fall of 2012.

Highly recommended for Weber fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of other planets, political intrigue and personal courage. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is definitely not the book to start with in this series (first book is Off Armageddon Reef). But all the critics notwithstanding, I loved this book--for me a real page-turner that I could hardly put down.

BUT I have read all the previous books and come to love the characters, so I loved the dialogue and character development, and mourned the loss of a couple of favorites. True there was less action, and even Merlin was unable to stop an assassination attempt right in front of him, SNARC help and all. Well, Weber is making Merlin more human and less super robot and I like that. Not everyone agrees, but IMHO Weber is a superb storyteller who certainly holds my attention. If anyone craves constant action with little character development, go re-read the Lensman series.

I'm sad to do it but I am giving up on David Weber and the Safehold series. Book 1 - how new an innovative - but it has been a steady and depressing slide since them. I do love complex worlds a la Frank Herbert or China Mieville, but I read sci-fi / fantasy for sci-fi / fantasy and not to read about minutia. Yes, put up the sails and take them down - but don't spend 2 pages talking me through every step. Yes, an interwoven narrative is great but there is a point when you have so many characters, I hardly care about them at all.

I thoroughly blame Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series for my lack of patience for authors who start strong and fade quickly. I'm just not willing to trudge through 11 more books about sub-plots, bit characters in whom I have no emotional investment and pages and pages of pointless descriptions that do nothing to advance the plot. It is sad that Mr Weber has fallen in to this black hole of mediocrity where the size and number of volumes in the series is more important than telling a quality story.

As in the rest of the Safehold series, this book is a sermon, a very readible and entertaining sermon, but nonetheless a sermon about separation of church and state, about the potential for abuse of power and greed, about the evils inflicted by fanatics in the name of religion, and about the healing and nurturing experienced when religion is based in love for ones fellow humans.

This is specific to the audiobook: Charles Keating is an awful narrator. He has no ability to do voices, and he makes everyone sound like a bored British butler. When he reads "'Yes, it's working!' Merlin said excitedly." it sounds exactly like "Would you care for any more tea, my lord?". Either of the previous two narrators for this series would have been far better. I'm still in the first couple chapters and I'm strongly tempted to give up and do this one as an ebook....

After the absolutely horrible experience in A Mighty Fortress, Weber has continued in his style of huge expository lump but at least the flow has improved from swamp to merely sluggish.

Like others have noted, the first 6% of the book was spent following a single ship through a single storm. It was an episode with absolutely ZERO plot value. We learned nothing new about any of the characters, and no consequences flowed from those 50-odd pages. It was simply Weber showing off his ability to cow editors into letting him write whatever he feels like.

Similar to the previous book, Weber spends far too much time on internal soliloquy spelling out every detail of personality, interactions, could-have-been, should-have-been, might-have-been, possibly-will-be, etc.... An author who can't get the reader to understand the characters without spelling it out should probably stop writing altogether.

On the plus side, at least we finally get some action and plot development. The Group of Four's counter-strategy is revealed to some extent. Some main characters die and yet other characters take center stage. There's even a battle or two to help get the adrenaline up.

Yet even those positives which improves the plot line flow are tainted by how blatantly obvious they are. Weber apparently got the feedback that he needs to explain why Merlin can't go out and sink entire enemy fleets while flashing all that high tech, but the explanation is clearly deficient. The plot line on Princess Irys is resolved in the most obvious way, so on and so forth.

The only reason I bothered giving this a 2nd star is because at least ~1/4th of the book had enough plot-relevant flow to keep me interested. That's a major improvement from the last book.

I'd strongly suggest people wait to buy this book until it's cheaper. Even the Kindle version of How Firm A Foundation is priced 80% higher than the previous book.

Wait. You're not missing much.

I love David Weber's Safehold series. HOWEVER, It was very difficult listening to the audio book. I have heard all of the previous on audio and enjoyed them, especially the first couple. The narrator of this book was terrible. He was monotone and I think my grandchildren would agree that I do better characterization than he did. With the long sea battles, it is very difficult to listen to him and pay attention. (You know, with an audio book there is no skimming over.) In the future I will avoid books read by this man. (For the record, he has a lovely voice, I just don't think he does a good job.)

How Firm a Foundation is the fifth in Weber's "Safehold" series of novels, and they really don't seem to be getting tired at all. I loved this one. From the moment I picked it up, I felt like I was back in a world I thoroughly enjoy, ever eager to get to the next page.

The pace is somehow both fast and slow simultaneously. While I'm hard pressed to say things in the world have advanced much from the beginning to the end, at the same time the prose never dragged, and I never felt I was slogging through the material at all.

There's something about the Safehold saga that really grips me. The evil is truly evil, but in a human way (rather than mysterious demons or inscrutable aliens), and the good is good in a pragmatic and honorable way. And the "science fiction" part of the book (the introduction of further and further refined elements of gunpowder technology), allows Weber to spend a bit of time really seeing how it can change the world he's created. And as if that wasn't enough, we also get Weber's classic sea battle prose (which he perfected doing space battle prose with his Honor Harrington series). Weber's battles have got the mix of big and little moments done in a way that make it possible to stay interested in the strategic situation, the tactical situations, and the moments of person heroism that come in any time of conflict.

The one caveat I've got: Don't start this series in the middle. It's not that it makes the story especially confusing, but it certainly would make me far less invested in the way the story unfolds. And caring about how things happen (and who they happen to) is a great boon to this storyline.

To summarize: I loved it. And am eagerly looking forward to book 6! 5 of 5 stars.

INTRODUCTION: "How Firm a Foundation" is the fifth installment in the Safehold Saga of David Weber and after finishing it I have to say that while Safehold has remained one of my top four ongoing sff series, it slipped a little down since this book while a solid David Weber offering is the weakest of the series for several reasons I will describe later, most notably the ratio depth/number of pages getting towards "extremely successful author needs to tell all details" levels.

While technically science fiction and indeed quite sf-nal in ethos, "Safehold" is much closer to epic fantasy in theme and world building. If Off Armageddon Reef had as main focus adventure and naval battles, By Schism Rent Asunder intrigue and revelations, By Heresies Distressed land war and consolidation, A Mighty Fortress faith and the second round of all-out naval battles, How Firm a Foundation is mostly a "lull in the action/setup" with a bit of "Empire Strikes Back" in it.

Since I talked at length about the setting and characters in my reviews of volumes 2 and 3 linked above, while the author talked at length about the series in my interview with him, here I will assume familiarity with the context and the main characters, so be aware of massive spoilers for volumes 1-4 below, volumes which will be referred by initials (OAR, BSRA, BHD, AMF) as is the usual when discussing a hugely popular author like David Weber.

ANALYSIS: "How Firm a Foundation" has an interesting structure in the series and while things happen I found it the least satisfying novel to date because almost all the great moments - and it has a lot of putative such - are repeats from the earlier four novels - for example we find out what the key is and it is not as mind blowing as Merlin visiting Saint Zherneau in BSRA, or the martyrdoms/Charisian retaliation, wrenching and satisfying respectively still do not compare with Eryk Dynnis and the Delferak hangings to which they are also very similar.

"How Firm a Foundation" has a high major characters body count, and I was shocked at least at one of the main character deaths which was really unexpected, though again in emotionality it did not reach Harahld's death in OAR. As series placement, the book is a clear first of the next stage of the series, so despite all, not much is decided in the end and we are left with a huge "to be continued" sign.

I think the main problem with the novel lies in its structure - OAR had a clear arc and ended at the best point possible with the invasion of Charis shattered, the schism opening and Cayleb taking over; BSRA + BHD are one huge novel split in two and again they solve their arc - the Charisian imperial reach is achieved with the alliance with Chisolhm, the defection of Emerald and the defeat of Corisande, while the Church is preparing their counterattack, which is of course the topic of A Mighty Fortress another one book story arc like OAR dealing with the second naval war between Charis and The Temple and the Charisians' overwhelming victory.

But at the end of AMF we had reached a lull and the first 200 pages of How Firm a Foundation reflect that and the book is very slow there. Things get going of course but due to the military realities, it is mostly intrigue, terrorism and mop-up on the seas until of course the last part where the proverbial **** starts hitting the fan and we get to the next stage and total war, however the novel stops there since it is already over 600 pages. So cutting the first 200 pages to 50 condensed pages of the same and expanding the last part would have done wonders.

This being said I still turned the pages and stayed way too late to read the novel and I still loved it a lot. As scenes go, as mentioned lots of great moments but we've seen them before so their impact is more muted, though there is one that truly stands out with Merlin at his inimitable cool deep in enemy territory. And Anzhelyk still rocks!

Overall How Firm a Foundation is still an A+ for the sweep of the storyline and its great characters - or if you want its epic-ness which is still there at the highest levels of sff -though a little short of the awesome novel I expected when A Mighty Fortress seemed to conclude the first part of the series. However the next novel should finally clear up the scene and move Safehold towards the decisive resolution we all expect with bathed breath!

Note: This review had been originally published on Fantasy Book Critic and all the links and references are to be found there

This is one of the most complex arcs I have ever read. Before each new book comes out, I go back and completely re-read the prior one and it always makes more sense. This is a world that I hope lives on for years

Weber is a good, prolific author, in desparate need of a cruel editor. He produces good hard science sic- fi, tends to bog down in trivia and minutiae. If you edited 50 pages out, this would be a great, tight novel. As it is, it drags horribly. But strong readership has convinced Weber that every word is priceless. Wrong - many are worthless. I'll critique his indecipherable variant spelling of names another time. Good read. But wearing.

Fifth in the Safehold military science-fiction series that combines high tech with early 19th century technology in a setting of religious warfare.

How can you tell evil? They're willing to kill anyone. Anyone not on their side is a heretic; anyone on their side is a martyr.

My Take
I hate David Weber. I was hoping that he'd finally conclude this series with this book and, while it appears to be getting close, I find I have to wait for the next installment...! Arghhhh!!! It's making me crazy! This series is so compelling! I've just spent from 2 to 9:30 reading non-stop with my heart pounding! If I had number six in my hands, I'd have kept right on going. As it is, I'll just have to wait until September 18, 2012 for Midst Toil and Tribulation.
I still don't see why Merlin couldn't have taken that troop transport out and saved Sir Gwyllym and his men. He could have wiped out their "escort" and gone home with the boys leaving the Group of Four to twiddle their thumbs!
AND, he's left us with the Siddarmarkians facing a horrible winter, beset on at least two sides. I'll kill him. Can't he write any faster!??

Now that I have that out of the way...this was excellent. Weber really knows how to grab hold and force tremendous amounts of empathy, anger, and a modicum of joy as Cayleb, Sharleyan, and all the rest of the Charisians thumb their noses at those corrupt, vicious bastards. That's not to say there aren't a number of extremely close calls...gasp, gasp, gasp... Gimme a minute to catch my breath...

Tricky bugger the way he introduced us to a humble Charisian and his family who had fled Charis because he disagreed with the Church of Charis and then brought us back in touch with him again at the end when the so-very self-righteous Temple Loyalists were beating, burning, and raping their way through town. I must confess I don't know how Cayleb and Sharleyan can resist blowing up their own prisoners. I understand the reasons why they aren't, but... And Thirsk. How much you wanna bet before Thirsk decamps!?? Just as soon as he can get his family outta town... There are numerous vignettes Weber provides giving us a humane insight into many of the minor (and more minor!) characters in this story. Weber just keeps dragging us in; as well as padding out the book!

I keep being confused. In the same paragraph, Weber says it's been 1,000 years and then he turns around and says nine centuries. In any world, that just doesn't add up. I do wish he'd pick a range and stick to it.

There's a lovely bit in which Maikel and Paityr discuss vocation and faith. And another in which Paityr reveals the real strength, as he sees it, of Maikel's faith.

The Story
Merlin and OWL are testing the kinetic bombardment platform to determine at what point the weaponry might be activated. Meanwhile, there are a lot of sea crossings for Sharleyan and young Alahnah as she represents the Empire of Charis at the sentencing in Zebehdiah and Corisande while Cayleb is returning to Tellesberg.

Besides executions, it's acts of sabotage and torture. What the Inquisition plans for the prisoners will affect how Charisians treat any priests of the inquisition. And lends weight to threats of what could happen to ships' companies if port cities do not surrender.

Naval battles against other ships and fortresses. The evolution of weapons. Merlin's concerns with the possibility of other PICAs hidden below Zion. The insurrection in Siddarmark where the quarters populated by Charisians--Charisians who fled because they did not agree with the Church of Charis--were annihilated. Assassinations...some successful, some not. Rescue missions.

The Cover
The cover is lightening up almost like a sunrise with copper blending up into the darkest night at the top. In the center is an inset image of another naval battle while Merlin looks on from where he kneels under his recon skimmer watching. I'm going to guess it's a metaphor for OWL and the many SNARCs scattered around this world.

It is How Firm a Foundation that Cayleb and Sharleyan are creating for what we can only hope will be a new world.

I really enjoyed this book and the series. Just a couple of points. First I am a prude, just wanted to get that out of the way. David has decided to add foul language mostly from Zhasper, but in other places as well. I personally have found that most authors use this for some shock effect, for me it does not. To me it takes away from the whole book. I believe you can have some character express anger without the expletives. I know most will say just skip it, and I do, I just don't like it. When I hear that type of language I leave, I don't want to pay $13.00 to read it. Second it wasted 10% of the book with the name pages. That's all I have to say. I look forward to the next installment and hope for a return to fewer expletives.

Weber keeps you engaged with a vast host of characters all of which have believable motivations and perspectives. The book is all about several months during a global war. But it is the human interactions that matter.

I absolutely love this series. There are heroes to love, villains to hate, heart pounding action, tear jerking heartbreaking moments... and so much more. As much as I want Charis to win and all the horrible things to be over I also don't want the series to stop. They always manage to hold my attention and I love reading them over and over again until the next one is out.

In this book charis's struggle for survival takes a turn. New knowledge is gained about the nature of the Systems under the Temple and in orbit that Merlin is so worried about and new allies are gained while old cherished friends are lost. It sets up nicely for several more books. I shall impatiently await each new chapter in this series

This review is NOT a critique of David Weber's book. That much is very very good, as is his usual. I'm here to criticize the PRODUCTION of the Audio book.

The reader of the 1st & 2nd Safehold books was Oliver Wyman. To use a Baseball analogy: He hit the ball out of the park. Excellent job.

The reader of the 3rd & 4th Safehold books was Jason Culp. He didn't do as excellent of a job. Call it adequate-to-above-average.

The reader of this 5th book is Charles Keatin.
To use a very detailed, scientific description: "Yuck!".

I am a person who has "Cookie-Bite" pattern hearing loss. That means I can hear the lower and upper portions of the frequencies just fine, but the perception of the middle frequencies, where human speech is concentrated at, while still existing, is reduced in its perception.

Charles Keatin does not belong in an Audiobook studio.

His voice is very raspy, and when he speaks the relevant portions softly (as the text dictates), it's very difficult to make out what he's saying.

Keatin's characterization of the different roles is close to non-existent. Wyman set the standard here; with his reading just the tone of his voice gave the listener a strong clue as to who the character was even before he actually said who was speaking.

Why, oh why did they go from Great to adequate to poor readers?

-----

On a different production note...

I've noticed that the last track of several CDs tend to have play-back problems (especially if you are "ripping" them in iTunes, etc). This seems to be true across all five book's audiobook versions.
{i.e.: This production problem can't be blamed on Keatin!}

I'd been waiting for this book for a long time. 214 pages in, as Cayleb and Nahrmahn are sailing into Tellesberg, the page ends and it's June, year of God 895. The numbered page is 250. No pages have been ripped out, it's perfectly bound. The pages simply are not there.

I have to say that I was a little nervous about this book. The third book was so hard to read that I almost gave up on a series I had grown to love. This book is defiantly a step back in the right direction. The action isn't quite up to the level of the first two books but still the quality stuff you expect from Weber. The only down side of this book is that I have to wait a year to read the next installment.

I am an avid Weber reader. There is only one of his books I do not have an interest in. The Armageddon Reef series appeals to me since I was a kid and dreaming up stories that I might tell. This latest book is a great read and I finished it as quick as I could. I did give this book the highest rating for the reason that it fully met my hopes for the series. Great job David.

- kindest regards, pat

Best Weber book in years, possibly best in the series so far. If you liked the previous books in Safehold you will like this one. If you don't like Weber's writing style you might not like it... (why are you reading the series?). This book is much better than Out of the Dark and I am glad I bought it.

Let me warn everyone that this will be partly a review, and partly a polemic against those reviewers for whom this book (and others in the series) lack sufficient mayhem, battles, and body counts. In fact, let me get that out of the way first.

If what you're looking for in a science fiction novel is intergalactic blood-and-thunder, go elsewhere. Read Eric Flynt, or John Ringo, or better yet, go play in the Star Wars universe, because that isn't what you're going to find dominating the Safehold series. If you're disappointed in the series so far, save yourself the time, effort, and let-down reading this one will bring you and hie thee off to the aforementioned alternatives.

Granted, David Weber can be needlessly wordy, even verbose, at times. I've no doubt a very determined editor could easily reduce the length of "How Firm a Foundation" by 15-20%. I'll even admit there were times when I found myself thinking, "OK, DW, get on with it!" I can't and won't try to make excuses for that. As for the complaint made in several of the reviews that Weber spends too much time repeating scenes from earlier books or re-covers old ground, I would retort that Weber is very determined to make sure that his readers are fully aware of the context, physical and temporal, in which the action-even if it's just a conversation-takes place. This helps tremendously in keeping the tone, coloring, and development of characters consistent from one book to the next. It's a strength that deserves more recognition than it achieves.

What is Weber's greatest strength, however, is the DEPTH of his writing, not his character development, his multiple plot-lines within larger plot-lines, or the land and sea battles. Using fictitious characters, Weber throws some very bright-and sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes agreeable-light on human nature, and this is what is best about the Safehold series and Weber's writing. In "A Mighty Fortress" he gave some thought-provoking insights into how religion can be used as a tool for human ambition, even by those with the best intentions. He quietly raised questions in the readers' minds about the nature of the relationship between God and human beings, as well as if there actually is such a relationship, or even if there should be one. He took the time to examine-and posit for his readers- the moral differences (and consequences of those differences) between a man or woman believing that they personally were accountable to God for their actions, and men or women who believe that by blindly following the orders of other men and woman they themselves are absolved of responsibility before God for their actions. He highlights something that many people in the early 21st Century seem to have forgotten: that good institutions and good intentions can be used and perverted for evil purposes. I suspect that many of those "reviewers" who speak blithely about "skimming" the Safehold novels to avoid Weber's verbosity are actually doing so to avoid an uncomfortable confrontation with the truths contained within his prose.

Well, there's more of the same in "How Firm a Foundation," although the focus this time is on the political arena, rather than the spiritual realm. This time, while recounting episodes of derring-do and political machination, Weber explores power: the application of power, the will to power, the seductiveness of power, the trap of power. From courtroom judgements to political assassinations to decrees of campaigns of terror and subversion, POWER is what drives this novel. There are men who have crises of conscience in their service to the Church of God Awaiting who decide that they can no longer serve that Church; individual priests who come to a bitter understanding of the differences between power and faith; a decision made by major character that costs him his life, his choice driven by the power of love. And then there is the terrible corruption wrought by power. I've read few passages as movingly dark and disturbing as the one where Willem Rayno, playing Martin Bormann to Clyntahn's Adolf Hitler, begins to realize what a monster his superior is, and yet at the same time understands that without Clyntahn, he, Rayno, is nothing: without saying it in so many words, Rayno realizes that he lacks the moral stature to abandon Clyntahn, let alone strike out at him to stop him-and that his own fate is no longer his to decide, it will be determined by that of Clyntahn. So Rayno realizes that he must continue to be the monster's instrument-there is no escape for him.

This is SERIOUS writing, my friends, and it deserves contemplation. This is not a book to be "skimmed," it must be read-and the more you read it, the more you appreciate it. I would submit that those who skim it, and who derogate the more philosophical aspects of Weber's story-telling, do so not out of convenience, but because he prods their consciences in ways they don't wish to be prodded. The books of the Safehold series do something that only the best fiction does: they eventually propel the reader to introspections. And that, my friends, is far more valuable and enduring than any hundred space battles, frigate actions, or cavalry charges.

If you love the series you will love this book. If your looking to read a single book it probably isn't for you.

This book resolved some small pieces of the storyline, and brought a ton of new pieces crashing together. I think its mostly a setup for the next book in the series, and serves to develop characters more and move a lot of pieces into place.

David produced another winner. He continues with the Safehold saga and provides everything that makes his book so wonderful. He continues with in-depth exploration of personal interactions and keeps things hopping with plenty of great battle scenes. For those of you that like the invincible Merlin there are several points where he is the invincible hero from the first book. I cannot wait for the next book!!!