Voices Of Hope

Seafort Saga #5

by David Feintuch

Decades have passed since Nick Seafort battled the vicious aliens. Now, in the fifth installment of the celebrated Seafort Saga, it’s trouble on Earth that looms . . .Everyone knows Nick Seafort as “the Fisherman”—the hero who stopped the merciless, fishlike aliens when they attacked Earth. Voices of Hope picks up with Seafort decades later, after he’s retired as the Secretary General of the United Nations. Despite his trappings of power, he has been unable to aid the so-called transpops, desperate people who live in the dangerous lower levels of New York City. When Seafort’s son, Philip, follows a friend into the streets of New York, he encounters the transpop culture—one evolved to exist in the shadows and operate with ruthless efficiency. The trannies are a powder keg ready to blow, and a water shortage appears to be the spark to prove that humans can be far more dangerous than any outer-space alien. Long ago, Seafort had braved these violent streets to find his wife; now he must return to save his son.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction Fantasy, Military Fiction, Military Science Fiction, Dystopia

Paperback

First published October 1, 1996

About the author

David Feintuch (1944–2006) was the author of the award-winning military science fiction Seafort Saga series, which spans Midshipman’s Hope, Challenger’s Hope, Prisoner’s Hope, Fisherman’s Hope, Voices of Hope, Patriarch’s Hope, and Children of Hope. Feintuch came to writing late, previously having worked as a lawyer and antiques dealer. In 1996, at the age of fifty, he won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer from the World Science Fiction Society. He later expanded into the fantasy genre with his Rodrigo of Caledon series, including The Still and The King.

Reviews

[hevs · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Voices of Hope" is the fifth installment of "Seafort Saga", series I fell in love last year. Nicky Seafort, character constructed around strict and inelastic righteousness soaked in depression that made him unreliable and fascinating narrator, became one of my all-time favorites very quickly. I loved how deeply religious and moral he was - he and a big chunk of the world - how many strict rules made the story and character's struggle so intense. Feintuch put no distance between the reader and narrator so those books were emotionally exhaustive and I don't think I'll ever forget the ending of part four.
All of those qualities are present in "Voices of Hope", yet this installment differs from first four greatly. First of all we have different set of narrators, some characters we know from previous books (Mista Chang, Robbie Boland), some new. Second, also very important - action takes place in N'Yawk, in trannietown, not on a navy ship or in the academy. This radical change of setting changes the tone of whole story significantly. The plot revolves around two events: deteriorating water situation in trannietown which forces tribes to cooperation and Seafort son's, PT, running away from home to find his runaway friend he's convinced fled because of his harsh words (he might be an autistic twelve-year-old, but he is a Seafort to the bone). Since it's Seafort Saga this couldn't end well. Seafort himself is a minor character for the most of the book but it is still interesting to look at him from different perspective, especially since his narration is so unreliable.
Since two of the narrators are trannies (trannie boy Pook and traytaman Chang) and action takes place mainly in trannietown, we get a lot of trannietalk in here. Personally I love it. I don't think there's such thing as too much of trannietalk (though, as other reviews show, I might be in the minority; consider yourselves warned). I am always fascinated how well made this language is, how simple yet precise and how obvious it becomes after a while. A lot of made-up dialects in fiction is terrible from linguistic perspective, how hard to talk and think in them because they complicate language while its evolution never goes that way. Not trannietalk.
Trannies are not reduced to the language, they have a lot more space here than in previous books and Feintuch shows us that while very different from us or Uppies and are primitive in many aspects of their lives and culture, they are still human beings capable of complicated thought and deep feelings. In some cases they're more natural and honest than Uppies. Uppies on the other hand think they own da worl' and approach trannies with contempt - and get burned badly in the result. This is book about racism and genocide, about mindless cruelty of people treating other human beings worse than the animals. Even though they're armed only in knives and spears, trannies give a good fight, cleverly using their resources, and rather die than surrender into slavery. In this respect "Voices of Hope" are far more deep and complex book than the previous four. (and what a delight after flat and unconvincing "The Traitor Baru Cormorant")
It was almost a year since I've read first four books. I needed this time to cool down after the "Fisherman's Hope" ending. I think it was also good because "Voices..." are so different. If I've read them directly after previous one, expecting more Nicky, Navy and regulations I think I would be very disappointed because there’s only a tiny bit of it in the end of the novel (and Lord God, how perfectly Seaforty it is! even the hanging is mentioned, my favorite of inappropriate inside jokes). Instead I've got a big load of the familiar world, a lot about trannie culture, and this atmosphere I love. And a bunch of interesting characters (especially Halber). And, what I think might be important for some people because I saw it mentioned in reviews several times, construction of the book is different, we don't get the three-part scheme known from parts 1-4. I don't mind but I saw people do have a problem with it.
I like this book vary much and I think it is a worthy addition to the "Seafort Saga". It is different, though, so if read directly after previous ones it might disappoint - not because it's bad but because it is distinctly different.

[Jeffrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yuck. Not only could I not stomach this book, but I was shocked that he wrote another one in the same series.

Quit while your behind.

Read earlier books.

[Rhode PVD · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. Read it quickly, just to get my bearings on what happens in the Seafort saga before the next book begins, which hopefully won't have much more "trannie" dialogue. It's not written from Seafort's POV so if that's what you love, you'll be disappointed, although his young son's POV was charming and about the only good thing for me in this book.

I really don't like books written in dialect, it's just slow going and annoying. The fact that about 1/2 this book is written in "trannie" dialect made it a bad read for me. In the end, I skipped nearly all those chapters and still was able to figure out enough plot from the other chapters to know what I needed.

And, admittedly, I just don't enjoy reading novels about the poor, uneducated, violent, extreme-underclasses. Military yes, illiterate street gangs no thank you.

[Al · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ever want to read a book where every other chapter was written in pig Latin? Yeah, me neither. However David Feintuch thought it would be "immersive" to write many of the chapters in nothing but the pigeon speech of the transpops. This was OK for the first three paragraphs then it just got old. I can see doing a line here and there when it was supposed to be confusing to an uppy, but when two transpops were talking... why keep it up? I can't believe the editor/publisher allowed this to happen.

Other than that, it was pretty "meh." The one true villain in the story, Jared, gets off with a minor slap on the wrist and a new family.

Over all this was the worst story in the series so far. So much so that I am not going to read the next couple, at least not right away, even though they are on the shelf. Honestly, I think the story should have ended last novel when he wrote the epilogue/wrap up.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a total change for the Seafort series, and not a good one. It starts out several years after the events of the last book, with a huge chunk of time missing from the story. In that time, Nick Seafort ran for Secretary General, served, and resigned from office. He also got married again and had another child.

It would probably have been less jarring if there had been a book to recount all of that, but there wasn't, and won't ever be, sadly. So, we are stuck with multiple POVs, none of them actually of Seafort. Things are going to hell in a handbasket on Earth, and a string of misadventures happen.

All in all it's decent in the end, and if I remember right the remaining books are still good, so consider this a blip in an otherwise excellent series.

[Brad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nick Seafort saves the day again. This one took me awhile to get through. I liked the different voices but one thing that drives me crazy in movies, books and tv shows is when kids act really stupid. And in this there was some aggravating kid stupidity.

Two more books to go in this average space opera series.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not nearly as enjoyable as any of the other books in the Seafort saga. I found that I couldn't put the others down, but this one nearly drove me insane, with the "Trannie" dialogue that I found annoying and the lack of Nick's presence through most of the book. Really had to force my way through this one.

[Mark Sieger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 'Hope' series helped keep me sane when I first came to Taiwan. At that time there weren't very many English books available. You had to take what you could get. These books helped alot.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the last books to much self loathing it makes it a very long read.

[Larry Wegman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fifth in a science fiction series where the 300 year old past is reimangined 200 years in the future.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not one of David Feintuch's best works. He shouldn't have tried to write it from more than one person's perspective and a lot of it was just fluff.

[Rob Markley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series became increasingly unhopeful - continued out of 'loyalty completion' mode

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit, my heart sank when I hit chapter three of this novel and realised that a significant chunk of it was going to be in the transpop dialect that I so vehemently hated from the previous novel. I was more than tempted to put it down and move onto less annoying books, in honesty. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Whether it was the constant exposure that inured me to it, by the time I'd reached the half way mark of the book, I was reading the pigeon English of the transpops with almost as much ease as real English.

Opening a decade or so after the events of the last novel, this is a significant departure of style for Feintuch. Seafort is no longer in the Navy; his guilt complex finally got the better of him, although I'm not sure I can blame him on this occasion. The fate of the young cadets who trusted him weighs heavy on him. After an interlude in politics, his honesty got the better of him and caused a no confidence vote after he refused to shift blame for a past crisis. So now, he lives as a virtual hermit with his wife, son and aide.

Interestingly, much of the perspective here is from the children of the initial characters; you have PT, Seafort's son and Jared, the son of Adam Tenare. Out of the two, PT is by far the more interesting character and the chip on Jared's shoulder certainly makes it difficult to like him. But when Jared runs away from home, PT is determined to find him even as events spiral out of control. For Jared finds himself in the hands of Pook, a transpop joey, and his initial capture leads to far more dangerous things as he takes a role in the transpop uprising that might just destroy their entire culture.

This is one of those books where a small action spirals into something that quickly becomes out of control. With none of the military structure of the previous novels, this is a novel that clearly depicts the desperation of those on the streets as their water source is diverted to those with votes and income. The use of multiple perspectives gives you a wide view of events, allowing you to see the butterfly effect from several points of view. It's cleverly done and well realised, as Feintuch never loses sight of the main narrative thread. There's a balance between the childhood innocence and rebellion and the more finely tuned political views of the adults, but all of them collide as what was a simple missing person case spirals into an all out war.

The overuse of the transpop dialect may well be the deal-breaker for some though; whilst it makes sense for it to be such a huge part of this novel as most of the action takes place on the streets, it is undeniably hard going. I surprised myself by getting used to it, but others may struggle as much as I did in the last book.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review: This is the 5th book in the Seafort Saga, what is often referred to as Hornblower in space. After attacks by an alien armada (known as fish), Earth suffers severe casualties and the loss of much infrastructure now internal conflicts intensify the desperate situation especially the increasing lack of water which has created an even more divisive society.

Nicholas Seafort SecGen has now retired and is Comdr of the Naval Academy. This book seems to be a sort of transition over to the younger generation his son Philip (who has inherited his father’s habit of blaming himself for everything) and Jared, son of Adam Tenere (who is Seafort’s Naval Liaison assistant and friend). Jared runs off determined to make his mark on the world which he certainly does when he starts a war between the transpop world and the authorities.

*

I have really enjoyed the other books in this saga although I tend to prefer more fantasy genre rather than space I thought this was an excellent and exciting series and David Feintuch is a terrific storyteller and this should have been another 5 star entry.

However, the transpop language where before it was scattered through the novels and yes although difficult to read it was part of what made the book interesting. But this time each character has a chapter to themselves and you swap between them so we see the differing viewpoints as events unfold Philip, Jared, Pook (a transpop), Robert Boland (a politician’s son) and Pedro (another transpop who is a bit like a Delboy who trades in goods). This means that you have entire chapters devoted to events within the transpop world and thus their language and I found that my heart sank every time I realised that it was Pook and Pedro’s time to tell their story and it really hindered the pace of the story. It also lacks a female voice which is disappointing although Seafort's wife Arlene is often mentioned and her actions have quite an effect on the storyline she does not feature as a viewpoint in herself which I thought the story could have done with.

I still found the story exciting, interesting and pacy - there’s plenty of action and heartbreak. But I am sorry I really think I have reached the end of the line and this will be the last book I read in this series it is just too much hard work which is a great shame.

[Wolfiesara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series, but after 5 books, it has become apparent that all of Nicky's wives are weak in character and generally bad for him. His first wife *seemed* perfect, but often undermined his confidence. His 2nd wife *seemed* eager to please and very feminine, but only wanted the security and comforts he could provide and knowngly betrayed his trust and blamed him for the consequences of her actions. His 3rd wife is capable of protecting herself and her family and seems tough, but is mentally weak and easly swayed, putting her family in mortal danger, even after being warned that her actions could lead to the deaths of people she loves. It makes me suddenly realize that in a society where women are apparently treated as equals, there are a lack of women in positions of real power and they lack the moral strength shown by many of the male characters. Even amongst the supporting characters there are very few females whom I would not consider to be weak and seriously flawed characters. The realization is disappointing in a series that I otherwise really enjoy. I'm not sure if this is an indication of how the author views females, or supposed to be a flaw in Nicky's taste in women that has carried over into the rest of the characters. Either way, there are no positive female role models thus far in the series.

I'm goving this book only 3 stars, not because of my impression of how the author portrays female characters, but because of the weak plot device used to advance the conflict with the transient population. Apparently it would have been too obvious if the corrupt politicians had just done this on their own. Therefore, the author chose instead to have the otherwise strong and protective 3rd wife make an irrational choice that will further endanger her child, even after being warned that it could cause his death, because she's a 'distraught mother worried about the safety of her only child'. Not only is it weak plot device, it's jarring to have a character behave in a manner so very contrary to her nature.

[Gregory Faccone · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought Feintuch might have learned more from the previous voyage of this series and altered course to more favorable—and successfully navigated space. But unfortunately, that notion got sucked down the gravity well of Earth into the pits of “Escape from New York.” Nearly everything you may have liked in books 1-3 is not here, and most of what you didn't like in book 4 is highlighted. As Feintuch was banging these novels out one-a-year, he may not have had time to realign this diversion from the series's strengths.

Additionally working against this entry was the jump to the next generation. That can be difficult for many readers who have come to expect and enjoy their familiar cast, not this johnny-come-lately set of kids. Feintuch, of course, is not the first to wrestle with this, and I recall having similar feelings in the fantasy classic Chronicles of Amber series. Authors may mistakenly drop newbies into a world forged by characters from the previous books and assume readers will get behind them the same way. Nick Seafort may be a difficult protagonist, but he is our difficult protagonist.

A final note, as mentioned by many, was the heavy use of transient street slang. I certainly am no stranger to lingua franca. I have peppered my series with unique words and expressions used in context. This adds a certain veracity to a universe. But full POV perspectives and conversations in street speech are, in reality, alien to the mind, and difficult to read. I am sad to say, as it goes against the grain for me, that this entry in the series could be skipped with just a synopsis to keep you up to speed.

This series is not designed to be a high literature, and this entry is not. It bonks for many reasons, but there may be “hope” yet in the books to come.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this "Seafort" book and the chapters from transpop POV do not bother me as, at this point, I have no problems whatsoever reading them. I don't even miss the Seafort point of view, per se, but most, if not all, the many new perspective characters are so horrible. And not in a fun to read way either. Jared is pathetic and selfish and whiny. PT is pretentious and annoying and whiny. Pook is crude and violent and immature and whiny. Robert is a consummate politician, so basically I despise him, and he's whiny too. So much whining. Nevertheless, a decent story and the characters are well-developed if incredibly unappealing. The ending is good and satisfying, though not as amazing as some of the previous endings in the series.

[Clint the Cool Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good story. It’s written in a different style from the others. It’s still first-person, but the view alternates among the main characters, using all except for Nick Seafort himself. This is an ambitious way to tell the story, but it’s done really well.

The build up of the story is awesome. From a search for a missing person in lower New York gradually building up to a full on war, it’s kind of amazing how one step leads to another. It’s pretty believable to me, and makes for a great story.

I do get tired of reading the chapters composed of “trannie talk”, but you do get used to it, and it does a good job of putting you in those characters’ heads.

Highly recommended!

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a departure from the main series in multiple ways. It's post-apocalyptic urban tribes, not space. It's lawless, not the hierarchy of the military. And the character who we've been living with isn't the main character of this book. We rarely see him and even then it's from someone else's perspective.

It's got some interesting action, but the description of the tribes are unrealistic and reflect an immature understanding of what humans are like when they build their own societies.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book - it was different from previous books in the series as it wasn't involving external alien threats and was about futuristic earth politics instead. My biggest problem with it was the entire chapters in transpop speech which I found very difficult to understand and was really detrimental to my enjoyment. Whilst it was interesting to finally get out of Nick's head and have several POV some were much better then others.

[Boulder Boulderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really dislike this series. This book in particular was far too long, it becomes a literal farce in the middle with the finding and losing the finding again. Low, dull, poorly paced and overall a waste of time.

[Cannibalcrowley · Rating 1 out of 5]

The transient speak is such a slog that I refuse to finish the book. It's simply not worth the frustration.

[Dave Cooke]

Didn't like it

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was good, but can be a very difficult read - very much executed with probably half of the dialog in Transpop vernacular.

[James]

paperback book

[Jodi Woody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this Sci Fi book up for .25 from the library and didn't know it was the last one of a series of several books. So at first the "trannie" language really confused me. By about midway I was catching on to almost all of it. It is told from the viewpoint of about 5 people so you really have to pay attention to the chapter headings that let you know who's in charge. A great book about the differences in financial status in a future society. Has some military aspects but I am guessing not as much as the first few books. Great morals, a small amount of swearing and some of that is in a futuristic slang. There is also a lot of violence, and it's pretty vivid, so I can't recommend for younger than high school. I give it 4 stars and will be reading the first books as well.

[JV Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voices of Hope is the 5th of the Seafort Saga. 20 years after Nick saves Earth and forfeits his soul, his son Philip and his friend Jared take to the streets in a dangerous adventure that causes ripples across the political arena throughout the human empire.

I found this one a little harder to read. The story was told from the perspective of five different characters and although it was really well written, I found it harder to keep interested in the characters and their motivations when I was really interested in what Seafort and his son were up to through it all.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the different voicings, but the characters, though interesting, all felt rather like caricatures. The very few women are simultaneously strong and completely useless.

The pacing at the middle and end of the book was nice, and it read quickly.

[Fatbaldguy60 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as the others. Multiple first person viewpoints, none of them Nick.

[Jeremy Hallum · Rating 3 out of 5]

definitely not as good as the first four.