What do you think?
Rate this book
銀河英雄伝説 [Ginga eiyū densetsu] #2
Ambition
In the thirty-sixth century humanity has conquered the galaxy and colonized countless star systems. The Galactic Empire, modeled along Prussian lines, and the democratic Free Planets Alliance are at war, and the fate of every human being in the universe hangs in the balance. This classic Japanese space opera, adapted into a legendary anime, is finally available in English for the first time.
After a coup d'etat erupts in the Free Planets Alliance, military strategist Yang Wen-li is ordered to use his tactical wizardry put down the rebellion, but the ringleader holding the capital is someone he had once trusted deeply. Meanwhile in the Empire, Reinhard will soon face a new trial as in the wake of the Emperor's death he stands amidst an intensifying power struggle among the aristocracy. The unbeatable magician and the unstoppable genius: the decisions these heroes make will send shockwaves across the galaxy.
After a coup d'etat erupts in the Free Planets Alliance, military strategist Yang Wen-li is ordered to use his tactical wizardry put down the rebellion, but the ringleader holding the capital is someone he had once trusted deeply. Meanwhile in the Empire, Reinhard will soon face a new trial as in the wake of the Emperor's death he stands amidst an intensifying power struggle among the aristocracy. The unbeatable magician and the unstoppable genius: the decisions these heroes make will send shockwaves across the galaxy.
Audiobook
First published September 1, 1983
78 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
About the author
Yoshiki Tanaka
600 books145 followersYoshiki Tanaka (田中 芳樹 Tanaka Yoshiki) is a Japanese novelist. He was born in Kumamoto Prefecture and took his doctorate degree in Japanese Language and Literature in the Graduate School of Gakushūin University in Tokyo.
His major works include the fantasy novel series Arslan Senki, also known as The Heroic Legend of Arslan, and the sci-fi space opera novel series entitled Ginga Eiyū Densetsu, also known as Legend of the Galactic Heroes, both of which were adapted as anime and manga. His fantasy works also include the novel series Sohryuden: Legend of the Dragon Kings that was also adapted as anime.
Tanaka is an avid fan of Chinese history and wrote some novels set in China. He also published two arranged-translations of Chinese literature: "Sui Tang Yanyi" ("Stories of Sui and Tang Dynasties") and "Shuo Yue Quan Zhuan" ("Telling the Complete Biography of Yue Fei") as "Gakuhi-den" ("The Story of Yue Fei"). He is also familiar with Persian history, which Arslan Senki is based on.
His major works include the fantasy novel series Arslan Senki, also known as The Heroic Legend of Arslan, and the sci-fi space opera novel series entitled Ginga Eiyū Densetsu, also known as Legend of the Galactic Heroes, both of which were adapted as anime and manga. His fantasy works also include the novel series Sohryuden: Legend of the Dragon Kings that was also adapted as anime.
Tanaka is an avid fan of Chinese history and wrote some novels set in China. He also published two arranged-translations of Chinese literature: "Sui Tang Yanyi" ("Stories of Sui and Tang Dynasties") and "Shuo Yue Quan Zhuan" ("Telling the Complete Biography of Yue Fei") as "Gakuhi-den" ("The Story of Yue Fei"). He is also familiar with Persian history, which Arslan Senki is based on.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 71 reviews
June 24, 2022
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this more than the first. However I think I enjoy the overarching setup more than the actual characters or story which sometimes felt a bit stilted.
I enjoyed this more than the first. However I think I enjoy the overarching setup more than the actual characters or story which sometimes felt a bit stilted.
December 1, 2017
Like, yes, these are space opera light novel pulp, and the writing varies from lilac to eggplant in its degree of purple, but GOD THEY'RE SO GOOD. Ridiculous scale - dozens of thousands of ships per side per battle (it is notable when Yang orders ONLY 800), billions of tons of weaponry, millions of personnel - and yet the humanity of the lead characters is never in question. For Yang, because he's a grumpy statistician; for von Lohengramm, because he is so MESSILY early 20s. He and Kircheis break up; it's awful, and both are too boneheaded and 20 to reconcile, and ugh these little Space Reich boyfriends have no right to upset me like this.
Still mad the books feature precisely four women with names, but willing to overlook it for the pulp factor - I am fully reading these for galactic intrigues and lots of pretty space war. Plus, I mean, context of a Japanese man writing in 1983 for sci-fi fans... most of the progressiveness in the English-language specfic publishing scene at that point was like "women can enjoy having sex" and "yes we acknowledge that Le Guin and Butler and Willis are writing circles around 97% of genre fiction". (knock wood)
Anyway this was a ton of fun and analyzing power structures in this framework is fascinating.
Still mad the books feature precisely four women with names, but willing to overlook it for the pulp factor - I am fully reading these for galactic intrigues and lots of pretty space war. Plus, I mean, context of a Japanese man writing in 1983 for sci-fi fans... most of the progressiveness in the English-language specfic publishing scene at that point was like "women can enjoy having sex" and "yes we acknowledge that Le Guin and Butler and Willis are writing circles around 97% of genre fiction". (knock wood)
Anyway this was a ton of fun and analyzing power structures in this framework is fascinating.
March 30, 2017
(Longer review of #1 here)
Straightforward follow-up to the first one, no surprises, no change in POV or anything. Just like the first one it's plans vs. reality, but the first half of this one has more politics than space battles, that was fun. The other nice thing is that slowly, the two main protagonists are starting to fall apart: Yang Wen-li starts to drink too much, Lohengramm starts to abandon his values. Since this is 10 books the author doesn't go too far, but the seed is there.
Sometimes the writing is awkward, which certainly isn't the fault of the translator, here's an example (the context is that Hilda has surprisingly offered her house's allegiance)
That last sentence is like a machine selling cat food in an asteroid belt: it has no business being there. The other problem is that sometimes it's too easy: the protagonists' plans are usually good, but their opponents' plans are either nonexistent or plain stupid, and the downfall of all opponents here is not due to good planning, but due to arrogance.
Anyway, if you liked the first one, then you'd like this one too!
Straightforward follow-up to the first one, no surprises, no change in POV or anything. Just like the first one it's plans vs. reality, but the first half of this one has more politics than space battles, that was fun. The other nice thing is that slowly, the two main protagonists are starting to fall apart: Yang Wen-li starts to drink too much, Lohengramm starts to abandon his values. Since this is 10 books the author doesn't go too far, but the seed is there.
Sometimes the writing is awkward, which certainly isn't the fault of the translator, here's an example (the context is that Hilda has surprisingly offered her house's allegiance)
“Hilda!” her father gasped, but she just kept calmly adding sugar and cream to her coffee. She was confident her body was not predisposed toward weight gain.
That last sentence is like a machine selling cat food in an asteroid belt: it has no business being there. The other problem is that sometimes it's too easy: the protagonists' plans are usually good, but their opponents' plans are either nonexistent or plain stupid, and the downfall of all opponents here is not due to good planning, but due to arrogance.
Anyway, if you liked the first one, then you'd like this one too!
April 15, 2020
These books are incredibly brilliant about painting historical and political themes in a space opera setting. In this book, we have two separate common occurrences in history taking place.
On the side of the democratic republic that is the Free Planet's Alliance, members of the military get fed up with the corruption in the government and stage a coup to take over and fix things the way they think is best.
On the other side of the galaxy, our despotic feudal type society experiences it's own upheaval. The negative consequences of that type of government are shown in a stark light, with the madness and lack of mental fortitude that comes from generations of inbreeding and privilege.
Our two main protagonist's develop further, in some good ways and in some bad ways. They both begin to understand the way the universe works more, and they both further their own individual desires.
I love the style of writing and how it makes me feel like I'm reading a 19th century novel. It's very detail heavy which might seem tedious to some, but I'm so in love with the whole concept that I just soak it all up. I also hope they make more of the audiobooks, because I'm really enjoying Tim Gerard Reynolds narration!
On the side of the democratic republic that is the Free Planet's Alliance, members of the military get fed up with the corruption in the government and stage a coup to take over and fix things the way they think is best.
On the other side of the galaxy, our despotic feudal type society experiences it's own upheaval. The negative consequences of that type of government are shown in a stark light, with the madness and lack of mental fortitude that comes from generations of inbreeding and privilege.
Our two main protagonist's develop further, in some good ways and in some bad ways. They both begin to understand the way the universe works more, and they both further their own individual desires.
I love the style of writing and how it makes me feel like I'm reading a 19th century novel. It's very detail heavy which might seem tedious to some, but I'm so in love with the whole concept that I just soak it all up. I also hope they make more of the audiobooks, because I'm really enjoying Tim Gerard Reynolds narration!
April 29, 2018
Final rating: 4.25/5 stars
This one should have been dubbed "Legend of Galactic heroes: Civil War" because that's all it was about. On both sides, while Phezzan is drinking in happiness because they are all killing each other in the meantime.
Nevermind that, the story in this one was quite simple: instead of three big battles like in the first book, it was about civil war breaking out in Galactic Empire because the old emperor died, and then Reinhard figured out something: if they are having civil war, why not make Free Planets Alliance have one as well? Put one Arthur Lynch with a very big grudge against Yang Wen-li, and you have the perfect formula for screwing things up.
And then there is the problem with Reinhard and the people whose advices he should he should considering, those being you know... only those two: Kircheis and von Oberstein. But both of them disagree on both of those things so it makes even more things difficult. And omg, Kircheis. To be honest, no one can replace him.
In the meantime, new cast is introduced, some have bigger roles, some develop further, some remain childish (come on Yang, seriously - even the book said so!).
Overall, not really fast paced like the first book, but i did have one problem... with writing. Maybe i havent noticed in the first book, but I did notice in the second. While it's appreciated to have character traits (like appearance, mostly) described, one still shouldn't go overboard. (Yes, we know Kircheis has red hair, bloody red hair, he is a red haired guy and yes, we know Reuentahl has heterochromia, there is really no need to repeat that more than 3 times.) That's a common mistake and annoyance found in fanfiction writers or the new writers, but i know it will get better for sure.
In the end, everything else is spot on! Perfect. I loved it. And then there was that particular scene in the last chapter... what a game changer... Ofc, adaptations can't always make a good job at adapting something in the thoughts are not integrated in the visuals too. Watching that scene in the finale in adaptation and reading about it were completely different shocks.
There was also that arena scene... and now i am hella said. That being said, no one is safe in this series. No one.
Also, Julian is the best. Bless Julian and his bloodlust when it comes to people threatening his adopted parent.
And Mittermeier and Reuentahl, bless them both. They are just damn great.
And yes, there are actual relevant female characters here: Hildegard, Frederica and Annerose all have roles, but do i even have to say that Frederica is the best one around?
In any case, this series is worth it - please read it in the honor of our lord and savior, Yang Wen-li who shares the same birthday as me.
This one should have been dubbed "Legend of Galactic heroes: Civil War" because that's all it was about. On both sides, while Phezzan is drinking in happiness because they are all killing each other in the meantime.
Nevermind that, the story in this one was quite simple: instead of three big battles like in the first book, it was about civil war breaking out in Galactic Empire because the old emperor died, and then Reinhard figured out something: if they are having civil war, why not make Free Planets Alliance have one as well? Put one Arthur Lynch with a very big grudge against Yang Wen-li, and you have the perfect formula for screwing things up.
And then there is the problem with Reinhard and the people whose advices he should he should considering, those being you know... only those two: Kircheis and von Oberstein. But both of them disagree on both of those things so it makes even more things difficult. And omg, Kircheis. To be honest, no one can replace him.
In the meantime, new cast is introduced, some have bigger roles, some develop further, some remain childish (come on Yang, seriously - even the book said so!).
Overall, not really fast paced like the first book, but i did have one problem... with writing. Maybe i havent noticed in the first book, but I did notice in the second. While it's appreciated to have character traits (like appearance, mostly) described, one still shouldn't go overboard. (Yes, we know Kircheis has red hair, bloody red hair, he is a red haired guy and yes, we know Reuentahl has heterochromia, there is really no need to repeat that more than 3 times.) That's a common mistake and annoyance found in fanfiction writers or the new writers, but i know it will get better for sure.
In the end, everything else is spot on! Perfect. I loved it. And then there was that particular scene in the last chapter... what a game changer... Ofc, adaptations can't always make a good job at adapting something in the thoughts are not integrated in the visuals too. Watching that scene in the finale in adaptation and reading about it were completely different shocks.
There was also that arena scene... and now i am hella said. That being said, no one is safe in this series. No one.
Also, Julian is the best. Bless Julian and his bloodlust when it comes to people threatening his adopted parent.
“I knew it!” he said suddenly. “This is it!”
The young, dark-haired commander leapt up and shouted, tossed the report up toward the ceiling, grabbed both hands of a dumbfounded Julian, and started dancing around the room with him. As Julian was being slung this way and that, he had a sudden realization and cried out in a loud voice, “Excellency! We can win this, can’t we? We can win this!”
“You bet we can win it! ‘Yang Wen-li doesn’t fight hopeless battles!’ Isn’t that right?”
That was when he heard the sound of someone clearing his throat. Yang stopped dancing and looked toward where the sound had come from. Three people—von Schönkopf, Frederica Greenhill, and Fischer—were staring at their commander.
Yang let go of Julian’s hands and reached up to straighten his disheveled hair—at some point, his beret had gone flying off as well.
“Good news,” he said. “The plan is decided. It’s looking like we’re gonna be able to win this somehow.”
And Mittermeier and Reuentahl, bless them both. They are just damn great.
And yes, there are actual relevant female characters here: Hildegard, Frederica and Annerose all have roles, but do i even have to say that Frederica is the best one around?
In any case, this series is worth it - please read it in the honor of our lord and savior, Yang Wen-li who shares the same birthday as me.
November 15, 2023
A strong continuation of the series. It’s written in such an engaging way that you continue writing.
I am use to a little more descriptive language rather than just saying “he was a tall man with dark, as they stood in the war room”, so it has been interesting reading an author that doesn’t hold my hand.
A lot of spicy events happen in this book, which makes me wonder what the heck is going to happen in the remaining 8 books.
I am use to a little more descriptive language rather than just saying “he was a tall man with dark, as they stood in the war room”, so it has been interesting reading an author that doesn’t hold my hand.
A lot of spicy events happen in this book, which makes me wonder what the heck is going to happen in the remaining 8 books.
May 24, 2020
I read the first one of these books three years ago. But it didn't take long to get back in the swing of things with volume two.
The issue that became increasingly apparent is that only two characters matter and one of them is never wrong. Both of them are interesting. One is wrong in substantial ways letting the ends justify the means, one is so openly apathetic about the ends that he just does the right and proper thing with the means. As a reader, you're supposed to be compelled by both but find one more admirable.
My issues with the book are mostly issues with sci-fi generally. Lots of important Capitalized Terms and Ideas that that people discuss in vaunted terms. Lots of people who are the best in the galaxy at something and also being space admirals before their 21st birthday. The old people are Scheming. And the young people are Righteous. The scale of the conflicts described is amplified one hundred times over to make them seem more interesting and important than the descriptions of those conflicts can (e.g. "they launched a skirmishing fleet of 16,000 battleships").
There are two things that kept me reading the book. Despite how brazen the author is in insisting on Yang Wen-li's likability, he is pretty likable. And his dialogue strikes a different chord than most of the cast.
The second, and more substantial, thing is reading the book as a historical document. While sci-fi always projects into the future, it does so as a way of engaging with contemporary ideas. It's sometimes a more interesting exercise to read the idea behind the book and try to infer the author's influences. Is this really about the Prussian Wars as he said? How much of it was informed by the rise of totalitarianism in interwar Japan? Or the position of Japan as buffer between the powers in the Cold War? Seeing how this specific author used this narrative to engage with many sides of many historical conflicts and trying to come to his own conclusions is a fun exercise.
The book reads quickly. While the language is often overly hyperbolic and most characters blend together, the plot clips along enough that you can skim intermittently and still have a good time. I don't know if I'll read all ten of these suckers, but I probably have at least one more in me.
The issue that became increasingly apparent is that only two characters matter and one of them is never wrong. Both of them are interesting. One is wrong in substantial ways letting the ends justify the means, one is so openly apathetic about the ends that he just does the right and proper thing with the means. As a reader, you're supposed to be compelled by both but find one more admirable.
My issues with the book are mostly issues with sci-fi generally. Lots of important Capitalized Terms and Ideas that that people discuss in vaunted terms. Lots of people who are the best in the galaxy at something and also being space admirals before their 21st birthday. The old people are Scheming. And the young people are Righteous. The scale of the conflicts described is amplified one hundred times over to make them seem more interesting and important than the descriptions of those conflicts can (e.g. "they launched a skirmishing fleet of 16,000 battleships").
There are two things that kept me reading the book. Despite how brazen the author is in insisting on Yang Wen-li's likability, he is pretty likable. And his dialogue strikes a different chord than most of the cast.
The second, and more substantial, thing is reading the book as a historical document. While sci-fi always projects into the future, it does so as a way of engaging with contemporary ideas. It's sometimes a more interesting exercise to read the idea behind the book and try to infer the author's influences. Is this really about the Prussian Wars as he said? How much of it was informed by the rise of totalitarianism in interwar Japan? Or the position of Japan as buffer between the powers in the Cold War? Seeing how this specific author used this narrative to engage with many sides of many historical conflicts and trying to come to his own conclusions is a fun exercise.
The book reads quickly. While the language is often overly hyperbolic and most characters blend together, the plot clips along enough that you can skim intermittently and still have a good time. I don't know if I'll read all ten of these suckers, but I probably have at least one more in me.
October 27, 2016
ok. motherf*ckers are at full blown war.
innocent people murdered. scratch that. innocent people are allowed to be murdered to prove a point.
and the homie. always trust the homie.
because when turn on your number one.
well sh*t. that's when keeping it real goes wrong.
innocent people murdered. scratch that. innocent people are allowed to be murdered to prove a point.
and the homie. always trust the homie.
because when turn on your number one.
well sh*t. that's when keeping it real goes wrong.
August 10, 2016
Review also published here
I really loved the first Legend of the Galactic Heroes book, as should have been apparent from the review a couple of months back. Ambition continues on from where Dawn left off. Admiral Yang Wen-li is in control of Iserlohn Fortress while Imperial Marshal Reinhard von Lohengramm is furthering his political and militaristic career by forcing the monarchy of the Galactic Empire into a corner.
Everything seems like a natural extension of the first novel, whether it be plot or characters, and as a result, my love for the series has only been growing over the course of volume two.
Unlike the previous installment, this one does not focus on big clashes between Free Planets Alliance and Galactic Empire. Instead, both are dealing with internal conflicts; while Reinhard is working on purging the aristocracy by branding them "Brigands and Usurpers", a coup d'etat keeps Yang and his allies busy around capital world Heinessen. This might mean that both plotlines are somewhat isolated, but also allows for both Yang and Reinhard to grow individually, within their own environments, without constantly banging heads in mighty space battles. On top of that, it gives more attention to the workings of their respective societies, and once again shows that, while on the surface very different, Alliance and Empire are becoming eerily similar.
The title, Ambition, is rather fitting in my opinion. It highlights the discrepancy between Reinhard and Yang, in that the former desires full control of the Empire and tearing down the aristocracy, while Yang shies away from praise and would prefer a quiet life in some backwater. It also points at various other characters throughout who wish for promotion or try to maintain their level of power to the detriment of all else.
A lot of the book spins around ambitions, power and self-deceptions on part of the players, which makes it a thematically consistent read.
While most of the origin stories and anecdotes of the protagonists were taken care of in Dawn already, there are still some small scenes here and there that flesh out various characters, including Siegfried Kircheis, Reinhard's right hand man and dearest friend. These scenes were touching and evocative, and contributed a lot to understanding of Reinhard and co. On Yang's side, more attention was given to Julian, who accompanies his patron throughout the novel, rather than being left at home on Heinessen. He is developing into a compelling character who propells Yang to new heights by his actions and attitudes. Those are just two examples of characters with renewed spotlighting, but there is a whole bunch of them in this book. If there's one thing Tanaka excells at, it is developing natural, likeable, competent characters who not only drive the plot forward but also offer insights and questions to the reader.
But Ambition is also about space battles, military action and conspiracies, all of which I felt were nicely executed and provided a good amount of challenge for the characters. While Reinhard seemed for the most part ahead of the aristocracy's game, passing the trouble on to his subordinates, Yang had to deal with a lot of problems head on. Like in Dawn, there were opportunities for most of his senior staff to prove their worth, whether it be Frederica Greenhill or Walter von Schönkopf. The author somehow manages to keep all these characters relevant to the overall story while building them up for future events that might move them closer to the center.
The battles themselves felt well executed, and even featured a big ground assault on a space fortress, which introduced an extremely violent but somehow still appealing character in Senior Admiral Ofresser. While rather bloody compared to the rest of the book, the chapter dealing with him and the battle was highly exciting and a great change of pace from massed fleet maneuvers and politics.
That doesn't mean that the space battles were dull, however. In fact, they were extensive, clever and at times even saddening. It was a great mix of different pieces of action with introspection and, at least on Yang's side, a bit of a negative look on warfare as a waste of lives.
That kind of political and societal commentary flows through the book, like it did in Dawn already. It may seem odd that a title such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes appears to have so much bad to say about war, politics and power, but then, I think that is kind of the point. Tanaka didn't seem to write a story about glorious leaders of war, but relatable characters caught up in the gears of history as they turn inevitably towards a cataclysm that will shake the galaxy to the core. While he praises tactical genius, he also makes the reader aware of the great weight of responsibility on the generals' soldiers, and the guilt an expedient solution might produce. There is a sense of tragedy in a lot of events sketched by the book, and I cannot help but appreciate it.
If there is anything to take away from the end of Ambition, it is that this series is just getting started. Big changes are occuring in both factions, and even within them. Strings are being pulled behind the scenes, and both Yang and Reinhard are left on shaky ground after sudden realizations hit them. Future novels, the third of which will be released in the coming winter (I already preordered it, too!), will be heavily influenced by the events of this second volume. It is a turning point with far reaching consequences - and I cannot wait to read what happens next.
I really loved the first Legend of the Galactic Heroes book, as should have been apparent from the review a couple of months back. Ambition continues on from where Dawn left off. Admiral Yang Wen-li is in control of Iserlohn Fortress while Imperial Marshal Reinhard von Lohengramm is furthering his political and militaristic career by forcing the monarchy of the Galactic Empire into a corner.
Everything seems like a natural extension of the first novel, whether it be plot or characters, and as a result, my love for the series has only been growing over the course of volume two.
Unlike the previous installment, this one does not focus on big clashes between Free Planets Alliance and Galactic Empire. Instead, both are dealing with internal conflicts; while Reinhard is working on purging the aristocracy by branding them "Brigands and Usurpers", a coup d'etat keeps Yang and his allies busy around capital world Heinessen. This might mean that both plotlines are somewhat isolated, but also allows for both Yang and Reinhard to grow individually, within their own environments, without constantly banging heads in mighty space battles. On top of that, it gives more attention to the workings of their respective societies, and once again shows that, while on the surface very different, Alliance and Empire are becoming eerily similar.
The title, Ambition, is rather fitting in my opinion. It highlights the discrepancy between Reinhard and Yang, in that the former desires full control of the Empire and tearing down the aristocracy, while Yang shies away from praise and would prefer a quiet life in some backwater. It also points at various other characters throughout who wish for promotion or try to maintain their level of power to the detriment of all else.
A lot of the book spins around ambitions, power and self-deceptions on part of the players, which makes it a thematically consistent read.
While most of the origin stories and anecdotes of the protagonists were taken care of in Dawn already, there are still some small scenes here and there that flesh out various characters, including Siegfried Kircheis, Reinhard's right hand man and dearest friend. These scenes were touching and evocative, and contributed a lot to understanding of Reinhard and co. On Yang's side, more attention was given to Julian, who accompanies his patron throughout the novel, rather than being left at home on Heinessen. He is developing into a compelling character who propells Yang to new heights by his actions and attitudes. Those are just two examples of characters with renewed spotlighting, but there is a whole bunch of them in this book. If there's one thing Tanaka excells at, it is developing natural, likeable, competent characters who not only drive the plot forward but also offer insights and questions to the reader.
But Ambition is also about space battles, military action and conspiracies, all of which I felt were nicely executed and provided a good amount of challenge for the characters. While Reinhard seemed for the most part ahead of the aristocracy's game, passing the trouble on to his subordinates, Yang had to deal with a lot of problems head on. Like in Dawn, there were opportunities for most of his senior staff to prove their worth, whether it be Frederica Greenhill or Walter von Schönkopf. The author somehow manages to keep all these characters relevant to the overall story while building them up for future events that might move them closer to the center.
The battles themselves felt well executed, and even featured a big ground assault on a space fortress, which introduced an extremely violent but somehow still appealing character in Senior Admiral Ofresser. While rather bloody compared to the rest of the book, the chapter dealing with him and the battle was highly exciting and a great change of pace from massed fleet maneuvers and politics.
That doesn't mean that the space battles were dull, however. In fact, they were extensive, clever and at times even saddening. It was a great mix of different pieces of action with introspection and, at least on Yang's side, a bit of a negative look on warfare as a waste of lives.
That kind of political and societal commentary flows through the book, like it did in Dawn already. It may seem odd that a title such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes appears to have so much bad to say about war, politics and power, but then, I think that is kind of the point. Tanaka didn't seem to write a story about glorious leaders of war, but relatable characters caught up in the gears of history as they turn inevitably towards a cataclysm that will shake the galaxy to the core. While he praises tactical genius, he also makes the reader aware of the great weight of responsibility on the generals' soldiers, and the guilt an expedient solution might produce. There is a sense of tragedy in a lot of events sketched by the book, and I cannot help but appreciate it.
If there is anything to take away from the end of Ambition, it is that this series is just getting started. Big changes are occuring in both factions, and even within them. Strings are being pulled behind the scenes, and both Yang and Reinhard are left on shaky ground after sudden realizations hit them. Future novels, the third of which will be released in the coming winter (I already preordered it, too!), will be heavily influenced by the events of this second volume. It is a turning point with far reaching consequences - and I cannot wait to read what happens next.
August 11, 2020
I loved this book so much it is the best Space Opera I have ever read such a great political drama that was always interesting never a dull moment. I loved the characters so much they were all told in a wonderfully detailed way especially Reinhard his group and Yang and his group. There is so much nuanced and wonderfully well developed characters that go through so much many parts especially at the end are so painful to read. I like how ambitious many of the characters are I like like how that ambition is a double edged sword that does not always go well in the end. I loved the plot it mainly was about two different civil wars from each side of the book with many painful and world altering consequences on each side. So overall i loved this volume of Legend of the Galactic Heroes and I will be reading more soon.
April 20, 2022
Literary Junkfood
The other day I introduced my wife and mother in law to Goldfish crackers. Despite the fact that they've lived in America for over 20 years, they somehow missed this nutritiously vapid tastebud tantalizer. Goldfish don't taste extraordinary, but it's the lingering flavor that matters. Independently, both remarked on the cracker's ability to lure a consumer into just another bite: "you can't stop eating them!"
So this series is the literary equivalent of Goldfish. No nutrition, tastes only OK, yet somehow I'm still picking up the sequels.
The other day I introduced my wife and mother in law to Goldfish crackers. Despite the fact that they've lived in America for over 20 years, they somehow missed this nutritiously vapid tastebud tantalizer. Goldfish don't taste extraordinary, but it's the lingering flavor that matters. Independently, both remarked on the cracker's ability to lure a consumer into just another bite: "you can't stop eating them!"
So this series is the literary equivalent of Goldfish. No nutrition, tastes only OK, yet somehow I'm still picking up the sequels.
August 6, 2019
Two civil wars, so much political intrigue, so many deaths, so much plotting and scheming.
The book was so good.
Perfect follow-up to book 1.
The book was so good.
Perfect follow-up to book 1.
October 18, 2024
Ok this is getting better. 4 full stars.
Ambition - Yoshiki Tanaka (Highlight: 35; Note: 0)
───────────────
◆ Chapter 1
▪ I can totally see how people’s thinking gets less and less pure as they rise higher and higher,
▪ Behind the Crusades, there had been seafaring merchants in Venice and Genoa who planned to weaken the influence of the unbelievers and monopolize trade between the East and the West. Ambition backed by cold calculation had been supporting that fanaticism.
▪ Which creates a need to organically combine the seizure of the political hub in the capital with localized rebellion.
▪ “In short,” said Bucock, “they have to scatter the capital’s military forces. To do that, they’ll sow rebellion on the frontier. There’ll be no choice but to mobilize the military to put it down. But their real aim will be taking the capital while we’re gone.
◆ Chapter 2
▪ There are four reasons. Will you hear me out?”
Her father nodded. His daughter’s explanation was as follows:
First: Marquis von Lohengramm had sided with the new emperor, and by order of that emperor, had just cause to subdue those who opposed him. Compared with that, the Braunschweig-Littenheim camp was preparing to wage nothing more than a private war of naked ambition.
▪ Emperor Erwin Josef II gave Reinhard the title of Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military. Naturally, this was not the idea of the six-year-old child but that of the one receiving the title.
◆ Chapter 3
▪ He felt no beauty or sincerity in exaggerated words like “saving the country” and “patriotism” and “concern for the nation’s future.” Why was it that those who threw around those lines most loudly, most brazenly, were the ones leading warm, comfortable lives far away from danger?
▪ Certainly, the present system is corrupt, and it’s reached a dead end. So what you want to say next is, ‘Therefore, I’m bringing it down with armed force.’ I’m asking just to see what you’ll say, but what happens when you become corrupt, especially given that you have all the weaponry? Who’s going to discipline you, and how?”
◆ Chapter 4
▪ Already, the discussion had moved away from strategy and tactics, and shifted to the dimension of political gamesmanship. They had barely looked at the forest, but already they were appraising the value of its black sables’ furs.
◆ Chapter 5
▪ Yang was not the fierce commander type of leader, but he could always be found on the front line when going into battle and in the rear when disengaging—particularly in losing battles, in which he would stay behind to cover his comrades’ retreat.
That, he believed, was his bare-minimum duty as a commander. If it wasn’t, then who in their right mind would entrust their life to a greenhorn who had only just turned thirty?
▪ When soldiers designed economic policy, the result often ended up being national socialism implemented through rigid control and supervision. The merchant from Phezzan could see that this captain was no exception.
“Economies are living things,” he said. “Try to control them, and they will never go in the direction you expect. In the military, an officer can go so far as to strike subordinates to make them follow orders, but there’s going to be trouble if the economy is treated that way. If, instead, you were to leave things to us Phezzanese …”
▪ Don’t delude yourself into thinking that money can uphold society and the hearts of the people.”
“That’s a great line,” said the merchant, ripples of cool ridicule brimming in his eyes. “However, it might be better with one little change. Put ‘violence’ where ‘money’ is. I imagine you can think of so many examples.”
▪ There’s a breed of people who force their own righteousness on others through violence. They come in all sizes, from big ones like the Galactic Empire’s founder, Rudolph von Goldenbaum, to little ones like you, Captain … You are Rudolph’s own son. Understand that. And then get out of this place where you have no right to be!”
▪ The members of the Military Congress for the Rescue of the Republic had realized too late that they were a minority that had never had the support of the people.
▪ I want to turn. I want to work under you.”
Yang turned the empty paper cup around and around meaninglessly in his hand. “I wonder if you’re really able to toss out ideology and conviction and turn that easily,” he said.
“Ideology? Conviction?” Bagdash said with shameless scorn. “Those are just expedients for getting through life. If they get in the way of my staying alive, then out the door they go.”
It was in this manner that Bagdash came to be treated as one who had voluntarily laid down his arms and surrendered, and was confined to quarters in a cabin on board Hyperion. He had an insolent attitude, however, and complained that there was no wine with his meals. He also demanded that the soldiers who brought him his meals be women—and extraordinarily beautiful ones, to boot.
▪ Future danger is no reason to kill somebody in the present, Julian.”
◆ Chapter 6
▪ A decisive battle awaits us in the Kifeuser system. When the time comes, I will lead a detachment of eight hundred ships from the main fleet.”
“Only eight hundred ships?”
Wahlen and Lutz widened their eyes at this figure. Kircheis nodded, calm as ever.
Although the enemy had deployed fifty thousand vessels, they were not deployed in formations according to function. Instead, a hodgepodge of military vessels of varying degrees of firepower and maneuverability—high-speed cruisers next to gunships, battleships side by side with torpedo boats—mingled in chaotic disarray. All of this connoted a lack of consistency in both the enemy’s tactical planning and chain of command.
“It’s an undisciplined mob, is what it is. We’ve no reason to fear,” declared Kircheis.
▪ If I’m going to fight with a brat, I would rather it had been the gold-haired one. That redheaded henchman of his is hardly up to snuff, but he’ll have to do.
Those were the words Marquis von Littenheim had uttered before trading blows with Kircheis.
Marquis von Littenheim’s boasting had been lost somewhere in the battle zone. Before he could withdraw, countless specks of light appeared before him. A fleet of his supply vessels had been stationed at the rear in preparation for prolonged battle. But now, to Marquis von Littenheim, they were nothing more than an obstacle in his path of retreat.
“Open fire!”
The gunnery officer could hardly believe his ears.
“But they’re on our side, Your Excellency. To fire on them now would mean …”
“If they’re on our side, then why are they blocking my esca—I mean, our change of course? I don’t care who they are. Fire! I said fire!”
▪ “But they’re on our side, Your Excellency. To fire on them now would mean …”
“If they’re on our side, then why are they blocking my esca—I mean, our change of course? I don’t care who they are. Fire! I said fire!”
Thus did the Battle of Kifeuser give rise to even greater tragedy. An unarmed supply fleet was attacked by its own for the sole purpose of opening an escape route. It was a grotesque symbol of the absurdity of war itself
▪ My arm was blown off in the attack. I say we show this,” he said, holding up the stump of his arm, “to the men in the fortress.”
“I take it your loyalty to Marquis von Littenheim was blown off with it?”
▪ Mittermeier was going to savor his revenge to the fullest. Compared to the finger painting of the young nobles, his command of battle was a work of art.
▪ Foreseeing the enemy’s escape route, he had laid an ambush. In this case, because said route was the same taken during the initial advance, the prediction had been an easy one to make.
▪ As Merkatz saw it, Duke von Braunschweig’s pathology was that of one whose pride was easily wounded. He probably wasn’t even aware of it himself, but he believed that he was a great and infallible presence, which made it impossible for him to feel gratitude toward others. He likewise could not acknowledge the ideas of those who thought differently from him. To him, such people were traitors, and any advice from them he interpreted as nothing less than slander.
◆ Chapter 7
▪ In human history, there had been no battles of Armageddon between absolute good and absolute evil. What had occurred was strife between one subjective good and another subjective good—conflicts between one side and another, both equally convinced of their rightness. Even in cases of unilateral wars of aggression, the aggressor always believed it was in the right. Thus, humanity was in a constant state of warfare. So long as human beings kept believing in God and justice, there was no chance of strife disappearing.
▪ By and large, conviction was an embarrassing word, and even if its existence in dictionaries must be accepted, it was not a word that ought to be seriously uttered. When Yang would say so, Julian would respond with amusement, “So, that’s Your Excellency’s conviction?”
▪ If a particular area of space could be utilized at a particular time, that was sufficient. It was only because some aimed to secure areas of space in perpetuity that routes became restricted, battle spaces were delineated, and fighting became unavoidable. But shouldn’t it be enough to simply use areas without any enemies—during only the intervals when the enemy wasn’t present?
▪ The entire group nodded vigorously. Seeing this, Greenhill continued. “We started this ourselves. It was facilitated by Rear Admiral Lynch’s returning from the empire and giving us such a marvelous strategic plan. Marquis von Lohengramm had nothing to do with it. That’s so, isn’t it, Lynch?”
Lynch’s eyes, glazed over with drunkenness, burned red. From the face he made, it looked as though he had been seized by some sort of powerful urge. “I’m honored by your praise, but it wasn’t me who came up with that strategy.”
“What?!” An ominous look of doubt spread obliquely across Admiral Greenhill’s face. After a few seconds’ hesitation, he asked, “Then who? Who came up with such an accomplished plan?”
A considerable moment of silence passed between this question and its response.
“Marquis Reinhard von Lohengramm, imperial marshal of the Galactic Empire.”
“W-what did you say?!”
“Yang Wen-li is right. This coup was the brainchild of the Marquis von Lohengramm, the golden brat himself. He wanted to cause infighting within the alliance while he was settling things with the aristocracy in the empire’s civil war. You’ve all been manipulated.
▪ Admiral Yang, the end result of all this is that you’ve lent your strength to the continued existence of despotism.”
“What is despotism? Isn’t it when governing officials not chosen by the citizenry rob the people of their freedom and try to control them through force and violence? That is, in sum, exactly the thing that you all have done here on Heinessen.”
Silence.
“It’s you, noble soldiers, who are despots. Am I mistaken?” Yang’s voice was gentle, but there was no forgiveness in the words he spoke.
◆ Chapter 9
▪ Power is justified not by how you get it but by how you use it.
▪ Because Kircheis had kept his vow, he now had to keep his vow to Kircheis as well.
▪ It was because he had to put up with this kind of thing that promotions just weren’t worth it. “You’re getting ahead of the pack now” and “Oh, you’re moving up in a world” envious people would say, but the thing about pyramids was that the closer you got to the top, the narrower and more treacherous the footing became. To Yang, it was a strange breed indeed that could be so fixated on elevating their status without ever considering their precarious footing
▪ the thing about pyramids was that the closer you got to the top, the narrower and more treacherous the footing became.
▪ When I was with Trünicht, I kept feeling more and more disgusted, and then something just hit me from out of the blue. It was like, what’s democracy worth when it gives legal authority to a man like that? And what are the people worth when they keep supporting him?”
He exhaled softly.
“And then I came to myself and felt terrified. Because I’d be willing to bet that a long time ago, Rudolf von Goldenbaum—and more recently, that bunch who staged the coup—thought exactly the same thing and arrived at exactly the same conclusion: Only I can stop this. It’s utterly paradoxical, but the thing that turned Rudolf into a cruel dictator was his sense of responsibility and duty toward the whole human race.”
▪ You know what he said to all his officers and soldiers just before the Battle of Doria? That the survival of the state was insignificant compared to freedom and individual rights. I think that was inexcusable.”
“It’s a dangerous idea,” Doumeck agreed, leaning forward. “Follow that to its logical conclusion, and it means that as long as freedoms and individual rights are protected, he would be fine with the alliance crumbling and being replaced by the empire. I can’t help feeling a niggling little doubt about his loyalty to the fatherland.
▪ What Yang did receive was a number of ostentatiously named medals: Free Warrior First Class, Glory of the Republic, the Heinessen Memorial Award for Outstanding Military Service, and more. When he got home, Yang noticed that the little boxes that the medals came in were just the right size, so he used them to keep bars of soap in and tossed the medals themselves into a corner of his locker. Julian supposed that the only reason he didn’t throw them away was that he was planning to eventually sell them off to an antique dealer and use the money to buy history books and liquor
Ambition - Yoshiki Tanaka (Highlight: 35; Note: 0)
───────────────
◆ Chapter 1
▪ I can totally see how people’s thinking gets less and less pure as they rise higher and higher,
▪ Behind the Crusades, there had been seafaring merchants in Venice and Genoa who planned to weaken the influence of the unbelievers and monopolize trade between the East and the West. Ambition backed by cold calculation had been supporting that fanaticism.
▪ Which creates a need to organically combine the seizure of the political hub in the capital with localized rebellion.
▪ “In short,” said Bucock, “they have to scatter the capital’s military forces. To do that, they’ll sow rebellion on the frontier. There’ll be no choice but to mobilize the military to put it down. But their real aim will be taking the capital while we’re gone.
◆ Chapter 2
▪ There are four reasons. Will you hear me out?”
Her father nodded. His daughter’s explanation was as follows:
First: Marquis von Lohengramm had sided with the new emperor, and by order of that emperor, had just cause to subdue those who opposed him. Compared with that, the Braunschweig-Littenheim camp was preparing to wage nothing more than a private war of naked ambition.
▪ Emperor Erwin Josef II gave Reinhard the title of Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military. Naturally, this was not the idea of the six-year-old child but that of the one receiving the title.
◆ Chapter 3
▪ He felt no beauty or sincerity in exaggerated words like “saving the country” and “patriotism” and “concern for the nation’s future.” Why was it that those who threw around those lines most loudly, most brazenly, were the ones leading warm, comfortable lives far away from danger?
▪ Certainly, the present system is corrupt, and it’s reached a dead end. So what you want to say next is, ‘Therefore, I’m bringing it down with armed force.’ I’m asking just to see what you’ll say, but what happens when you become corrupt, especially given that you have all the weaponry? Who’s going to discipline you, and how?”
◆ Chapter 4
▪ Already, the discussion had moved away from strategy and tactics, and shifted to the dimension of political gamesmanship. They had barely looked at the forest, but already they were appraising the value of its black sables’ furs.
◆ Chapter 5
▪ Yang was not the fierce commander type of leader, but he could always be found on the front line when going into battle and in the rear when disengaging—particularly in losing battles, in which he would stay behind to cover his comrades’ retreat.
That, he believed, was his bare-minimum duty as a commander. If it wasn’t, then who in their right mind would entrust their life to a greenhorn who had only just turned thirty?
▪ When soldiers designed economic policy, the result often ended up being national socialism implemented through rigid control and supervision. The merchant from Phezzan could see that this captain was no exception.
“Economies are living things,” he said. “Try to control them, and they will never go in the direction you expect. In the military, an officer can go so far as to strike subordinates to make them follow orders, but there’s going to be trouble if the economy is treated that way. If, instead, you were to leave things to us Phezzanese …”
▪ Don’t delude yourself into thinking that money can uphold society and the hearts of the people.”
“That’s a great line,” said the merchant, ripples of cool ridicule brimming in his eyes. “However, it might be better with one little change. Put ‘violence’ where ‘money’ is. I imagine you can think of so many examples.”
▪ There’s a breed of people who force their own righteousness on others through violence. They come in all sizes, from big ones like the Galactic Empire’s founder, Rudolph von Goldenbaum, to little ones like you, Captain … You are Rudolph’s own son. Understand that. And then get out of this place where you have no right to be!”
▪ The members of the Military Congress for the Rescue of the Republic had realized too late that they were a minority that had never had the support of the people.
▪ I want to turn. I want to work under you.”
Yang turned the empty paper cup around and around meaninglessly in his hand. “I wonder if you’re really able to toss out ideology and conviction and turn that easily,” he said.
“Ideology? Conviction?” Bagdash said with shameless scorn. “Those are just expedients for getting through life. If they get in the way of my staying alive, then out the door they go.”
It was in this manner that Bagdash came to be treated as one who had voluntarily laid down his arms and surrendered, and was confined to quarters in a cabin on board Hyperion. He had an insolent attitude, however, and complained that there was no wine with his meals. He also demanded that the soldiers who brought him his meals be women—and extraordinarily beautiful ones, to boot.
▪ Future danger is no reason to kill somebody in the present, Julian.”
◆ Chapter 6
▪ A decisive battle awaits us in the Kifeuser system. When the time comes, I will lead a detachment of eight hundred ships from the main fleet.”
“Only eight hundred ships?”
Wahlen and Lutz widened their eyes at this figure. Kircheis nodded, calm as ever.
Although the enemy had deployed fifty thousand vessels, they were not deployed in formations according to function. Instead, a hodgepodge of military vessels of varying degrees of firepower and maneuverability—high-speed cruisers next to gunships, battleships side by side with torpedo boats—mingled in chaotic disarray. All of this connoted a lack of consistency in both the enemy’s tactical planning and chain of command.
“It’s an undisciplined mob, is what it is. We’ve no reason to fear,” declared Kircheis.
▪ If I’m going to fight with a brat, I would rather it had been the gold-haired one. That redheaded henchman of his is hardly up to snuff, but he’ll have to do.
Those were the words Marquis von Littenheim had uttered before trading blows with Kircheis.
Marquis von Littenheim’s boasting had been lost somewhere in the battle zone. Before he could withdraw, countless specks of light appeared before him. A fleet of his supply vessels had been stationed at the rear in preparation for prolonged battle. But now, to Marquis von Littenheim, they were nothing more than an obstacle in his path of retreat.
“Open fire!”
The gunnery officer could hardly believe his ears.
“But they’re on our side, Your Excellency. To fire on them now would mean …”
“If they’re on our side, then why are they blocking my esca—I mean, our change of course? I don’t care who they are. Fire! I said fire!”
▪ “But they’re on our side, Your Excellency. To fire on them now would mean …”
“If they’re on our side, then why are they blocking my esca—I mean, our change of course? I don’t care who they are. Fire! I said fire!”
Thus did the Battle of Kifeuser give rise to even greater tragedy. An unarmed supply fleet was attacked by its own for the sole purpose of opening an escape route. It was a grotesque symbol of the absurdity of war itself
▪ My arm was blown off in the attack. I say we show this,” he said, holding up the stump of his arm, “to the men in the fortress.”
“I take it your loyalty to Marquis von Littenheim was blown off with it?”
▪ Mittermeier was going to savor his revenge to the fullest. Compared to the finger painting of the young nobles, his command of battle was a work of art.
▪ Foreseeing the enemy’s escape route, he had laid an ambush. In this case, because said route was the same taken during the initial advance, the prediction had been an easy one to make.
▪ As Merkatz saw it, Duke von Braunschweig’s pathology was that of one whose pride was easily wounded. He probably wasn’t even aware of it himself, but he believed that he was a great and infallible presence, which made it impossible for him to feel gratitude toward others. He likewise could not acknowledge the ideas of those who thought differently from him. To him, such people were traitors, and any advice from them he interpreted as nothing less than slander.
◆ Chapter 7
▪ In human history, there had been no battles of Armageddon between absolute good and absolute evil. What had occurred was strife between one subjective good and another subjective good—conflicts between one side and another, both equally convinced of their rightness. Even in cases of unilateral wars of aggression, the aggressor always believed it was in the right. Thus, humanity was in a constant state of warfare. So long as human beings kept believing in God and justice, there was no chance of strife disappearing.
▪ By and large, conviction was an embarrassing word, and even if its existence in dictionaries must be accepted, it was not a word that ought to be seriously uttered. When Yang would say so, Julian would respond with amusement, “So, that’s Your Excellency’s conviction?”
▪ If a particular area of space could be utilized at a particular time, that was sufficient. It was only because some aimed to secure areas of space in perpetuity that routes became restricted, battle spaces were delineated, and fighting became unavoidable. But shouldn’t it be enough to simply use areas without any enemies—during only the intervals when the enemy wasn’t present?
▪ The entire group nodded vigorously. Seeing this, Greenhill continued. “We started this ourselves. It was facilitated by Rear Admiral Lynch’s returning from the empire and giving us such a marvelous strategic plan. Marquis von Lohengramm had nothing to do with it. That’s so, isn’t it, Lynch?”
Lynch’s eyes, glazed over with drunkenness, burned red. From the face he made, it looked as though he had been seized by some sort of powerful urge. “I’m honored by your praise, but it wasn’t me who came up with that strategy.”
“What?!” An ominous look of doubt spread obliquely across Admiral Greenhill’s face. After a few seconds’ hesitation, he asked, “Then who? Who came up with such an accomplished plan?”
A considerable moment of silence passed between this question and its response.
“Marquis Reinhard von Lohengramm, imperial marshal of the Galactic Empire.”
“W-what did you say?!”
“Yang Wen-li is right. This coup was the brainchild of the Marquis von Lohengramm, the golden brat himself. He wanted to cause infighting within the alliance while he was settling things with the aristocracy in the empire’s civil war. You’ve all been manipulated.
▪ Admiral Yang, the end result of all this is that you’ve lent your strength to the continued existence of despotism.”
“What is despotism? Isn’t it when governing officials not chosen by the citizenry rob the people of their freedom and try to control them through force and violence? That is, in sum, exactly the thing that you all have done here on Heinessen.”
Silence.
“It’s you, noble soldiers, who are despots. Am I mistaken?” Yang’s voice was gentle, but there was no forgiveness in the words he spoke.
◆ Chapter 9
▪ Power is justified not by how you get it but by how you use it.
▪ Because Kircheis had kept his vow, he now had to keep his vow to Kircheis as well.
▪ It was because he had to put up with this kind of thing that promotions just weren’t worth it. “You’re getting ahead of the pack now” and “Oh, you’re moving up in a world” envious people would say, but the thing about pyramids was that the closer you got to the top, the narrower and more treacherous the footing became. To Yang, it was a strange breed indeed that could be so fixated on elevating their status without ever considering their precarious footing
▪ the thing about pyramids was that the closer you got to the top, the narrower and more treacherous the footing became.
▪ When I was with Trünicht, I kept feeling more and more disgusted, and then something just hit me from out of the blue. It was like, what’s democracy worth when it gives legal authority to a man like that? And what are the people worth when they keep supporting him?”
He exhaled softly.
“And then I came to myself and felt terrified. Because I’d be willing to bet that a long time ago, Rudolf von Goldenbaum—and more recently, that bunch who staged the coup—thought exactly the same thing and arrived at exactly the same conclusion: Only I can stop this. It’s utterly paradoxical, but the thing that turned Rudolf into a cruel dictator was his sense of responsibility and duty toward the whole human race.”
▪ You know what he said to all his officers and soldiers just before the Battle of Doria? That the survival of the state was insignificant compared to freedom and individual rights. I think that was inexcusable.”
“It’s a dangerous idea,” Doumeck agreed, leaning forward. “Follow that to its logical conclusion, and it means that as long as freedoms and individual rights are protected, he would be fine with the alliance crumbling and being replaced by the empire. I can’t help feeling a niggling little doubt about his loyalty to the fatherland.
▪ What Yang did receive was a number of ostentatiously named medals: Free Warrior First Class, Glory of the Republic, the Heinessen Memorial Award for Outstanding Military Service, and more. When he got home, Yang noticed that the little boxes that the medals came in were just the right size, so he used them to keep bars of soap in and tossed the medals themselves into a corner of his locker. Julian supposed that the only reason he didn’t throw them away was that he was planning to eventually sell them off to an antique dealer and use the money to buy history books and liquor
October 14, 2016
Very much like the first novel in this series, it earns an additional star point just because of the stunning narration from Tim Gerard Reynolds. His voice talent soars above the generic, overly-linear, and wholly prosaic prose which, in my opinion, runs the risk of undermining this entire literary endeavour.
There is a good story here and fascinating characters taboot, but the writing style is so cut-and-dry that it doesn't necessarily make for a pleasurable reading experience. You just sort of zip through wondering if you're ever going to hit the fun part...or at the end.
As long as Reynolds is here to narrate, I'm here to listen, because only his talent for accents and character voices makes this book more interesting than it really is.
There is a good story here and fascinating characters taboot, but the writing style is so cut-and-dry that it doesn't necessarily make for a pleasurable reading experience. You just sort of zip through wondering if you're ever going to hit the fun part...or at the end.
As long as Reynolds is here to narrate, I'm here to listen, because only his talent for accents and character voices makes this book more interesting than it really is.
August 8, 2016
Pretty good, marred only a little by Viz's changes to modernize it. Since this is the second book, it continues the story of the first book. All I can say is that for one part of the story near the end, it just seems to go a bit too fast on what happens. The anime does this too however. Also I don't get why nobody is blaming Oberstein for anything since he's the one that came up with everything. Seriously he look too suspicious here.
However if you are good you can pick up the foreshadowing of what's to come.
However if you are good you can pick up the foreshadowing of what's to come.
July 24, 2025
This one flew by! My poor space ikemen. They’re all having a rough time. Except schonkopf lol. Which is fitting.
February 10, 2025
The title of the book prompts a single question: whose (ambition)?
Reinhard's triumph over the Alliance in the first book brought consequences. The earliest of those consequences is the death of the Emperor Friedrich IV, which causes a succession crisis as his heirs are all below the age of majority. Ultimately, Reinhard backs the young boy Erwin Josef II, who would have automatically risen to the throne if not for only being five years old. Students of history know that a child king brings a regency, and regencies are often plagued by civil war. Civil war also brings opportunity, both for ambitious upstarts and foreign powers, and to curb the latter, Reinhard successfully manipulates the Alliance into its own civil war, one far more devastating than the one the Galactic Empire endures.
The theme, Ambition, lurks beneath nearly every move in the Great Game taking place in this novel, with further ties to the series theme of the conflict between authoritarianism and democracy. The most dominant ambition is that of Reinhard von Lohengramm, whose ambition is to conquer the entirety of the universe, whose plays shake the foundation of both Empire and Alliance, but other players, such as Chairman Job Trunicht of the Alliance, Landsherr Rubinsky of Phezzan, and more, all have their own ambitions, all less lofty than Reinhard's, and quite frankly, less beneficial for humanity, too. As Reinhard's foil, Yang Wen-li has no ambition beyond getting his pension, so his decisions, while almost as impactful as Reinhard's, are less a matter of agency than they are submission. After all, even the book observes that the militarists who launch a coup against the incredibly corrupt politicians of the Alliance are not wrong that if way things continues as they are, the Alliance will fall.
Who is worse, a man with no ambition who embraces the corrupt status quo that masquerades under a lofty idea, or the man with ambition who overthrows the corrupt status quo and subordinates all under his own hand? There is no answer, as Mr. Tanaka avoids providing one. Situations and incidents are provided, their consequences explored, and their effects on the players observed, their morality debated, but there is no right or wrong answer. Another recommendation from me, so continue this series!
Reinhard's triumph over the Alliance in the first book brought consequences. The earliest of those consequences is the death of the Emperor Friedrich IV, which causes a succession crisis as his heirs are all below the age of majority. Ultimately, Reinhard backs the young boy Erwin Josef II, who would have automatically risen to the throne if not for only being five years old. Students of history know that a child king brings a regency, and regencies are often plagued by civil war. Civil war also brings opportunity, both for ambitious upstarts and foreign powers, and to curb the latter, Reinhard successfully manipulates the Alliance into its own civil war, one far more devastating than the one the Galactic Empire endures.
The theme, Ambition, lurks beneath nearly every move in the Great Game taking place in this novel, with further ties to the series theme of the conflict between authoritarianism and democracy. The most dominant ambition is that of Reinhard von Lohengramm, whose ambition is to conquer the entirety of the universe, whose plays shake the foundation of both Empire and Alliance, but other players, such as Chairman Job Trunicht of the Alliance, Landsherr Rubinsky of Phezzan, and more, all have their own ambitions, all less lofty than Reinhard's, and quite frankly, less beneficial for humanity, too. As Reinhard's foil, Yang Wen-li has no ambition beyond getting his pension, so his decisions, while almost as impactful as Reinhard's, are less a matter of agency than they are submission. After all, even the book observes that the militarists who launch a coup against the incredibly corrupt politicians of the Alliance are not wrong that if way things continues as they are, the Alliance will fall.
Who is worse, a man with no ambition who embraces the corrupt status quo that masquerades under a lofty idea, or the man with ambition who overthrows the corrupt status quo and subordinates all under his own hand? There is no answer, as Mr. Tanaka avoids providing one. Situations and incidents are provided, their consequences explored, and their effects on the players observed, their morality debated, but there is no right or wrong answer. Another recommendation from me, so continue this series!
December 14, 2016
After spending a significant portion of the first novel dealing with world-building and establishing characters and situations, the second novel of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a stronger, more confident affair both in writing and translation.
On the translation side, the characters feel more expressive, and the book reads less like a history book of the future and more like a novel, which is a good thing. The 'dry' tone of the first novel's translation is much less evident here, giving us characters that shine through, particularly Yang Wenli (but then again I'm already a Yang fan).
While the first novel got too bogged down on details, this second book is purely focused on the present, looking at the outcome of the disastrous Alliance invasion of the Empire, and how this has the unintended consequence of a military coup in the Alliance capital. In the meantime, Reinhard ascends to supreme power while facing the only obstacle left in the Empire: the established aristrocrats he so hates. In this novel the Alliance and Empire sides are much more separate as they are each dealing with internal affairs, but still links exist between both stories.
There are victories great and small for all the major characters as well as some unexpected setbacks, keeping the story fresh (unless, of course, you watched the anime). For anime watchers, not a lot is new here, although fan-favourite Dusty Attenborough does show up, but very much in the background. The book covers the second half of season 1 of the anime.
tl;dr a worthy second volume that renewed my faith in the novel series.
On the translation side, the characters feel more expressive, and the book reads less like a history book of the future and more like a novel, which is a good thing. The 'dry' tone of the first novel's translation is much less evident here, giving us characters that shine through, particularly Yang Wenli (but then again I'm already a Yang fan).
While the first novel got too bogged down on details, this second book is purely focused on the present, looking at the outcome of the disastrous Alliance invasion of the Empire, and how this has the unintended consequence of a military coup in the Alliance capital. In the meantime, Reinhard ascends to supreme power while facing the only obstacle left in the Empire: the established aristrocrats he so hates. In this novel the Alliance and Empire sides are much more separate as they are each dealing with internal affairs, but still links exist between both stories.
There are victories great and small for all the major characters as well as some unexpected setbacks, keeping the story fresh (unless, of course, you watched the anime). For anime watchers, not a lot is new here, although fan-favourite Dusty Attenborough does show up, but very much in the background. The book covers the second half of season 1 of the anime.
tl;dr a worthy second volume that renewed my faith in the novel series.
September 14, 2022
Well, I think compared to its predecessor volume, it's doing very well... The first volume had a lot of problems with its forced clichés or poorly structured strategies (more or less half of the strategies were good and the others were non-functional and unrealistic ), but in this one there was much more exploration of social structures and the system, where LOGH shines brightly.
For sociology that fits perfectly into these political systems inherent to their ramifications, we have the social movements and oppressions they make in relation to power, sometimes attacking even those who help them indirectly... For comparison with the current world, think about the system of streaming where a famous streamer, because of his influence, needs to be careful with his words, not only for biased influence on his followers (sometimes, naively), but also when confronting the democratic or dictatorial rules of the platform
In terms of philosophy, the macroscopic reactions of society, when Inspected in a micro way, find inside, the human complexity ready to emotionally combat this malicious rationality.
Similar to this danger of being reported by a malicious public that until then, sees its false content as hope, things here move in an unexpected way, with the deaths of some interesting characters that served to good advantage for the concept of empire and the alliance
The metaphors and comparisons that accompany these forms of government are consistent with the feverish political plans that reverberate to this day in our society, obviously much more cautiously, although social domination is very similar.
For sociology that fits perfectly into these political systems inherent to their ramifications, we have the social movements and oppressions they make in relation to power, sometimes attacking even those who help them indirectly... For comparison with the current world, think about the system of streaming where a famous streamer, because of his influence, needs to be careful with his words, not only for biased influence on his followers (sometimes, naively), but also when confronting the democratic or dictatorial rules of the platform
In terms of philosophy, the macroscopic reactions of society, when Inspected in a micro way, find inside, the human complexity ready to emotionally combat this malicious rationality.
Similar to this danger of being reported by a malicious public that until then, sees its false content as hope, things here move in an unexpected way, with the deaths of some interesting characters that served to good advantage for the concept of empire and the alliance
The metaphors and comparisons that accompany these forms of government are consistent with the feverish political plans that reverberate to this day in our society, obviously much more cautiously, although social domination is very similar.
June 16, 2024
Schönkopf waltzed into the bridge singing with lipstick marks covering his face, arms, and uniform holding a gun on his shoulder after liberating the people and was like 'I need coffee', while everyone glared at him. Classic! Da da da daaaa! I lOVE this guy! I need more of him! I think my man has a crush on Frederica, but she's in love with Yang. I ship Yang and Frederica, I think I ship Frederica and Schönkopf too. Definitely, a couple I wouldn't have been mad at if this had gone that way.
The forever war was on pause in this book, while the Galactic Empire and the FPA both had their own civil wars which was brutal, interesting and entertaining. This was very fast pace, I'm amazed by how much happens in one book in this series. I think it equals to 3 novels in 1. I think we stayed a little too long in the Galactic Empire in the beginning. I start getting Yang withdraws when I don't hear from him too long.
I'm a little mad at Tanaka for relying his own religious opinions through characters, unnecessary. I'm really mad about the ENDING when you made me ugly cry even though I knew it was coming, that doesn't make it hurt any less! WHY?! WHY DID YOU KILL OFF ONE OF THE BEST BADASS CHARACTERS IN THIS SERIES?!?! I kinda hate you for this! I am still mad at Reinhard and Annarose too!
Shout out to Julian for upgrading from errand boy to Badass! And to Oberstein for giving me Tales from the crypt vibes! Lmao!
I still think the reader has the worst male Katherine Hepburn impression! LMAO! His BORING voice made the parts without space battles more boring - weird Earth cult.
The forever war was on pause in this book, while the Galactic Empire and the FPA both had their own civil wars which was brutal, interesting and entertaining. This was very fast pace, I'm amazed by how much happens in one book in this series. I think it equals to 3 novels in 1. I think we stayed a little too long in the Galactic Empire in the beginning. I start getting Yang withdraws when I don't hear from him too long.
I'm a little mad at Tanaka for relying his own religious opinions through characters, unnecessary. I'm really mad about the ENDING when you made me ugly cry even though I knew it was coming, that doesn't make it hurt any less! WHY?! WHY DID YOU KILL OFF ONE OF THE BEST BADASS CHARACTERS IN THIS SERIES?!?! I kinda hate you for this! I am still mad at Reinhard and Annarose too!
Shout out to Julian for upgrading from errand boy to Badass! And to Oberstein for giving me Tales from the crypt vibes! Lmao!
I still think the reader has the worst male Katherine Hepburn impression! LMAO! His BORING voice made the parts without space battles more boring - weird Earth cult.
December 16, 2022
I dropped this book once because I accidentally gave myself a spoiler that
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2021
If Tolstoy had been Edgar Rice Burroughs, then this is what "War and Peace" most likely would have been like. Still quite epic in scope and execution, but a little stiff on the prose side. Or is the translator to be blamed here? Whatever the cause, with the second book in the series it doesn't bother me much anymore. Either that or I just succumbed to it by this point. Besides, it does provide for some unintentionally funny moments here and there. For instance, there's a section in one of the earlier chapters in which a group of characters gets introduced with descriptions that read like a bishonen parade pulled from the deepest depths of fanfiction.net, and it's absolutely hilarious.
It may not be particularly deep, it's very likely that the anime adaptation is actually better (because there is some good potential in this story and the characters, no doubt about it) - but it is a neat 'n rompy space opera. A space opera that with its depiction of a fascist society and coup d'états might get a little bit too real sometimes (I happened to read this in 2020, between the days of the storming of the Capitol and Biden's inauguration), but as we know: Life imitates art and vice versa and we all have to deal with it sometimes, don't we?
It may not be particularly deep, it's very likely that the anime adaptation is actually better (because there is some good potential in this story and the characters, no doubt about it) - but it is a neat 'n rompy space opera. A space opera that with its depiction of a fascist society and coup d'états might get a little bit too real sometimes (I happened to read this in 2020, between the days of the storming of the Capitol and Biden's inauguration), but as we know: Life imitates art and vice versa and we all have to deal with it sometimes, don't we?
January 25, 2023
Still loving the series, but I think I liked Dawn a bit more.
This is the second book in Tanaka’s Legend of Galactic Heroes. The book focuses on two separate civil wars occurring simultaneously. One in the Free Planet’s Alliance, the other in the Galactic Empire. These internal conflicts are happening in parallel, and their told primarily from the perspective of Reinhard and Yang Wen-li. Due to the nature of the conflicts, we don’t get to see them head-to-head as much as in the first book. Any conflict between the two main characters is really just espionage.
I learned a lot about each government’s power structures and politics. I think this was Tanaka’s intention. As the series goes on, I imagine the insights gained from Ambition will be invaluable.
That being said. It took me much longer to get through this book when compared to the first in the series. I found myself having to read it very slowly in order to understand everything that was going on. There are like a thousand characters and each are continuously changing their motivations and even occasionally their alliances.
I’m super stoked to see Reinhard and Yang Wen-li get back into it. I wanna see them at each throats (figuratively)!
I definitely plan on continuing the series. Now I’m pretty sucked in.
This is the second book in Tanaka’s Legend of Galactic Heroes. The book focuses on two separate civil wars occurring simultaneously. One in the Free Planet’s Alliance, the other in the Galactic Empire. These internal conflicts are happening in parallel, and their told primarily from the perspective of Reinhard and Yang Wen-li. Due to the nature of the conflicts, we don’t get to see them head-to-head as much as in the first book. Any conflict between the two main characters is really just espionage.
I learned a lot about each government’s power structures and politics. I think this was Tanaka’s intention. As the series goes on, I imagine the insights gained from Ambition will be invaluable.
That being said. It took me much longer to get through this book when compared to the first in the series. I found myself having to read it very slowly in order to understand everything that was going on. There are like a thousand characters and each are continuously changing their motivations and even occasionally their alliances.
I’m super stoked to see Reinhard and Yang Wen-li get back into it. I wanna see them at each throats (figuratively)!
I definitely plan on continuing the series. Now I’m pretty sucked in.
March 29, 2025
This will be lightly spoiler-y, as I’m going back through this ten volume series.
This installment continues directly from the first, but without any direct confrontation between Yang and Reinhard. Rather, parallel uprisings happen on both sides, each with profound tensions and complications underneath. Yang Wen-li (Free Planets Alliance) puts down an attempted takeover by a nationalist party, and fights to preserve the democratic ideal that the military is and should be subordinate to the people—and his efforts ultimately work to the benefit of a popularly elected would-be autocrat who is antagonistic towards everything Yang believes. Reinhard (Galactic Empire), believing himself to be the most fit to succeed the deteriorating Goldenbaum dynasty, in order to pursue that goal ends up destroying those parts of himself that make him most fit to rule.
This volume also has so many spectacular and memorable moments—the destruction of Artemis’ Necklace, Frederica Greenhill sticking with Yang, Jessica Edwards’ resistance movement, the revealing of Trunicht, the sentencing of Ofessor, Oberstein’s manipulation of Reinhard, and that final, brutal chapter where Kircheis confronts Reinhard’s attempted assassin.
This installment continues directly from the first, but without any direct confrontation between Yang and Reinhard. Rather, parallel uprisings happen on both sides, each with profound tensions and complications underneath. Yang Wen-li (Free Planets Alliance) puts down an attempted takeover by a nationalist party, and fights to preserve the democratic ideal that the military is and should be subordinate to the people—and his efforts ultimately work to the benefit of a popularly elected would-be autocrat who is antagonistic towards everything Yang believes. Reinhard (Galactic Empire), believing himself to be the most fit to succeed the deteriorating Goldenbaum dynasty, in order to pursue that goal ends up destroying those parts of himself that make him most fit to rule.
This volume also has so many spectacular and memorable moments—the destruction of Artemis’ Necklace, Frederica Greenhill sticking with Yang, Jessica Edwards’ resistance movement, the revealing of Trunicht, the sentencing of Ofessor, Oberstein’s manipulation of Reinhard, and that final, brutal chapter where Kircheis confronts Reinhard’s attempted assassin.
January 13, 2022
Built upon the first novel quite well, much less focused on world building and more on developing the massive cast. A lot more... brutal(?) then the first as well, both in the descriptions and the treatment of characters. Not a lot of focus on the conflict between the two powers but I think the "side-story" civil wars were important in solidifying Yang and Reinhard as characters.
September 13, 2023
Me sigue impresionando cómo de este serie de novelas ramplonas y mal escritas, apenas borradores, salió uno de los grandes animes de todos los tiempos —Legend of the Galactic Heroes—; un testamento a la importancia de los directores. Tanaka Yoshiki, doctor en letras, solo sabe describir los ojos de sus personajes como joyas y gemas brillantes. Y luego está el mal de Tolkien: nimiedades ocurren en cincuenta páginas, mientras que eventos trascendentes suceden en dos —ejemplo: la masacre de miles de civiles en un estadio—. Lo mejor, quizá, es el progresivo alcoholismo de Yang Wen-li, así como este famoso discurso: "Lo que está en juego en esta batalla es, como mucho, la vida o la muerte del Estado. Comparado con las libertades y los derechos individuales, el Estado vale poca cosa".
December 7, 2025
Favorite Characters - Julian, Kircheis, Schenkopp, Mittermeyer, Ruenthal, Reinhard, Yang Wen Li, Merkatz
Favorite scenes - The Stadium massacre, Julian protects Yang Wen Li, Kircheis saves Reinhard, Mittermeyer and Ruenthal storm the corridor. The soldier and the kid
The series is just getting better! Huge jump from book one. The plot here is not only well-paced but extremely engaging. Even the slower moments leave room for great character development. Having Yang and Reinhard each deal with rebellions in their respective countries really added to the theme that Tanaka is trying to create. Having these two characters, who have different ideologies, go about stopping a rebellion, was a fascinating way to show the positives and negatives of both of the governments each character is trying to build.
Favorite scenes - The Stadium massacre, Julian protects Yang Wen Li, Kircheis saves Reinhard, Mittermeyer and Ruenthal storm the corridor. The soldier and the kid
The series is just getting better! Huge jump from book one. The plot here is not only well-paced but extremely engaging. Even the slower moments leave room for great character development. Having Yang and Reinhard each deal with rebellions in their respective countries really added to the theme that Tanaka is trying to create. Having these two characters, who have different ideologies, go about stopping a rebellion, was a fascinating way to show the positives and negatives of both of the governments each character is trying to build.
October 26, 2024
The strengths of the first book are still here, but the author tries to add deeper political machinations, and it doesn't work as well. The political aspects and causes feel very simplified and hard to believe. The first book gives the impression that a handful of competent people are keeping civilization afloat on basically all sides, and this just exaggerates that even further. It doesn't feel like the plot naturally flows from the circumstances, as much as there was a specific scenario to be reached by the author, and they took the quickest path there. There's a flood of characters to be introduced, and it starts to feel like a pointless parade of people after a while, as most of them don't really matter anyway.
October 17, 2019
Esta segunda parte de The Legend of the Galactic Heroes me gustó mucho más que, Dawn, el primer libro y se debea dos factores:
1.- Mientras leía el primer libro lo comparaba contra el anime de 2018, que si bien es una adaptación bastante fiel, con la música y animación deja muy por debajo a la novela.
2.- Ambition trata más sobre intriga política que sobre batallas, muy GoT en el espacio.
Otro paralelismo a GoT es como van muriendo personajes importantes con los que te encariñado, aquí hubo dos, y la segunda si me agarro en curva y casi grito por la sorpresa y dolor.
1.- Mientras leía el primer libro lo comparaba contra el anime de 2018, que si bien es una adaptación bastante fiel, con la música y animación deja muy por debajo a la novela.
2.- Ambition trata más sobre intriga política que sobre batallas, muy GoT en el espacio.
Otro paralelismo a GoT es como van muriendo personajes importantes con los que te encariñado, aquí hubo dos, y la segunda si me agarro en curva y casi grito por la sorpresa y dolor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 71 reviews