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It’s the Galactic Empire versus the Free Planets Alliance in Japan’s greatest space opera epic!

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.

Imperial forces have captured the Phezzan Dominion and draw ever closer to the Free Planets Alliance capital of Heinessen. Yang hurriedly abandons Iserlohn Fortress and heads for the capital to protect countless civilians. Taking out Reinhard is the alliance’s only path to victory. Despite the empire’s superior numbers, Yang continues to outwit its most resourceful generals via tactical wizardry. Reinhard, on the other hand, seeing through Yang’s devices, opts for all-out war. And so, the “invincible” and “undefeated” once again clash swords. Who will emerge victorious?

241 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1985

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409 people want to read

About the author

Yoshiki Tanaka

595 books145 followers
Yoshiki 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.

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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Jacob.
35 reviews
January 29, 2024
An excellent continuation of the series. The writing is consistently engaging and the story is compelling. Which I think speaks volumes to the talent of the author, Yoshiki Tanaka, and the ability of the translator, Tyran Grillo.

I think what makes reading this series so interesting for me, is having grown up during the Afghanistan war and recognising all the parallels in post.
100 reviews
October 21, 2024
Yang wen-li, hero of democracy.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Vol. 3: Endurance - Yoshiki Tanaka (Highlight: 23; Note: 0)

───────────────

◆ Chapter 1

▪ Julian, don’t tell me you’re buying a bunch of hot air about death from some guy who’s never even died once himself.”

▪ To go into battle was to bear the weight of duty. Duty to carry himself properly, as well as to fight the enemy.

▪ Still, if a soldier could move his odds even a micron closer to surviving, it was his duty to make every effort to do so. That was the real lesson Julian had just learned from that soldier.

◆ Chapter 2

▪ To maintain order in the ranks—and to elevate the authority of the one at the top—it was vital to avoid creating a number two.

◆ Chapter 3

▪ A first-rate leader finds purpose in the question, “What can I accomplish with my power?” Whereas a second-rate leader’s only purpose is to perpetuate that power for as long as possible.

◆ Chapter 4

▪ Military force derived its potency from political and economic well-being; if a nation allowed either of these to weaken while only strengthening its military, lasting victories could not be expected.

▪ Put in extreme terms, military force was a last-ditch effort to reverse political or diplomatic defeat and was most valuable when not put into action.

◆ Chapter 5

▪ Pit him against those weaklings back in the capital,” von Schönkopf said, “and he can probably take out a whole platoon one-handed.”
“Meaning he’s even stronger than you are?” Yang replied.

▪ Was Phezzan thinking of becoming the Uighurs of this unified “New Galactic Empire,” desiring political reunification of all humanity and working to advance that goal?

▪ Perhaps nations were nothing more than expedients created to justify human madness. No matter how ugly, no matter how despicable, no matter how cruel the act might be, it could easily be excused once the nation had become preeminent. By claiming, “I did it for my country,” deeds as vile as invasions, massacres, and human experimentation could sometimes even be lauded. Someone who criticized those actions, on the other hand, might come under attack for “insulting the fatherland.”

▪ Those who held fantasies about the things called nations believed them to be guided by brilliant, or intelligent and moral, individuals of surpassing excellence. In reality, however, that just wasn’t the case. In the center of a nation’s government, any number of people could usually be found who had less developed powers of thought, worse judgment, and lower moral standards than the average citizen. Where they most certainly did surpass the average citizen was in their passion for the pursuit of power. If such passions could have been channeled in constructive directions, they could have reformed government and society, and become the impetus for establishing the order and prosperity of a new age. But were even a tenth of the people in government like that?

▪ Yang stood on the alliance’s end of the battlefield because he believed that a democracy that ordinary people came together to operate—fraught though it might be with detours, trials, and errors—was at least better than the dictatorship of a merciful emperor. Yet here Yang was on Heinessen—a world that was supposed to be the very citadel of democracy—apparently shut up in a birdcage belonging to medieval rulers reeking of corruption.

◆ Chapter 6

▪ For example, you could round up all the prowar politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals, and financiers, and form some kind of ‘Patriotic Regiment.’ Then, when the empire attacks, you can lead the charge. But first, you’ll all need to relocate from secure zones like the capital and come live on the front line at Iserlohn. How about it? We’ve got plenty of room for you

▪ Of all the things that human beings do, do you know which one is the most brazenly despicable? It’s when people who have authority—and the people who flatter them—hide in safe places singing the praises of war; push a patriotic, sacrificial mind-set on the people; and then send them off to the battlefield. If peace is ever going to come to this galaxy, we should eradicate malignant parasites like those first instead of perpetuating this pointless war with the empire.

▪ By ‘parasites,’ you refer to this court of inquiry?” Negroponte said. He was putting on a good show of remaining calm and composed, but there was an uneven ripple in his voice.
Yang fired back, making sure it sounded as disrespectful as possible: “Did it sound like I meant someone else?”

◆ Chapter 8

▪ Should the progress of history and the recovery of its natural currents be left in the hands of an outstanding individual like Reinhard von Lohengramm? Or should the responsibility instead be divided like it was in the FPA—among many people of ordinary morals and abilities, who advanced together slowly through cycles of conflict, anguish, compromise, and trial and error? The question was which way to choose.

▪ He had talent enough to fulfill the responsibilities of both. But what of his successor?
Society gained more by not placing excessive power in the hands of mediocre politicians than it lost by limiting the power of great heroes and statesmen who might or might not appear once every few centuries. That was a fundamental principle of democracy. After all, what a nightmare it would be if a man like Job Trünicht became a “sacred and inviolable” emperor!

▪ War can be compared to mountain climbing …;”

▪ “It’s the government that decides which mountain you climb. ‘Strategy’ means deciding which route you’ll take to the top and preparing accordingly. ‘Tactics,’ then, is the job of efficiently climbing the route you’ve been given.”

▪ Crashing a fortress into a fortress was not the kind of thing an orthodox tactician would come up with. Outside of Yang himself, it would require either an incomparable genius like Reinhard von Lohengramm or, failing that, a complete amateur who had no idea what he was doing

◆ Chapter 9

▪ I’ll make you some hot punch. I’ll mix honey and lemon with wine and dilute it with hot water. That works best for a cold.”
“Can you leave out the honey, the lemon, and the water?”

▪ Yang believed that the pen was mightier than the sword. In a society where truths were such rarities, that was one of a scant handful of exceptions, he believed.

▪ History’s not just a record of the past, it’s also the evidence of civilization being handed down to the present day. Our present civilization stands on top of a huge mound of accumulated past history.
Profile Image for Harris.
353 reviews
January 28, 2018
"If you ask me, political power is a sewer system. Without one, society can't function. But the stench from it clings to everything it touches. No one wants to get near it."

What a great line. I hope I can remember it in the future.

I enjoyed reading this book just like the others, but it does leave me feeling sad reading about the the death of a democratic nation. Even a fictional one.
Profile Image for Skolia.
33 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2020
Translation (or perhaps editorial) quality takes a sharp dive in the last chapter of the book. Obvious errors such as "fleets" substituted for "ships", and the inexplicable incorrect usage of the word "damages" are alarmingly common.

The book itself I would rate (if I could) 3.5 stars with the translation at 3 (or 2.5 if I let the last chapter weight it.)
84 reviews
February 22, 2025
Once again, Tyran Grillo's bungled translation brings down the rating of the overall book. It's incredibly frustrating, because this one should have been a five-star. Instead, I was rereading two, three, even four times to pull out the original meaning. What's a noun? Who is where? Doesn't matter, let's half-ass, quarter-ass, and whatever the proper word is for doing something at 12.5% effort. Even with Grillo screwing up, Mr. Tanaka's superior plot still makes this enjoyable, and absolutely worth reading. It still is grimly amusing how the original Legend of the Galactic Heroes OVA continues to be a better adaptation of the original novel than this translation.

In many ways, this is the culmination of the conflict everyone has been excited about since the first book. In volume 4, Strategem, Chariman Trunicht put the Alliance in a position where it would inevitably suffer the wrath of Reinhard von Lohengramm by siding with the remnants of Reinhard's enemies. With one move, Reinhard changes the entire nature of the conflict and puts an end to the status quo of the last century. This sets the stage for constant political and military moves that are so entangled in each other that the ripples are endless. Ultimately, all these appetizers, as exciting and riveting as they are on their own, are merely setting up the fest that was anticipated from the very beginning: Reinhard versus Yang. Their duel is fantastic, set at a breakneck pace that culminates in a result neither of them anticipates.

Even with Grillo's shoddy translation, absolutely worth reading, especially if you're this deep in the series. Your only alternative at this point would be to watch the original OVAs.
Profile Image for Jon Ladner.
Author 4 books4 followers
November 19, 2025
I’m trying to keep this spoiler free, but I think the great achievement of this book comes in the final chapters. They find me rooting for the defeat of a heroic leader and hoping a truly admirable man might betray those characteristics that make him admirable. It does what this series does best in leading you towards those questions of conflicting ideals. But it plays out perfectly, with the scion of a decadent democracy suitably thrown into the trash heap of a comfortable pension.

Yang Wen-li ends this story with an interesting observation—regardless of the form of government, power does ultimately lie with the people; autocracy allows the people a scapegoat for their poor governance whereas in a democracy there is nobody to blame but the people themselves. In this sense, democracy is morally superior because it doesn’t allow the people to escape the consequences of poor judgment. It’s definitely a point worth chewing on in these times.
Profile Image for Capt..
574 reviews75 followers
June 22, 2024
I’ve read flop books lately and I needed a palate cleanser, although I really wouldn’t say a Japanese space opera novel that focuses on intergalactic war a…cleanser 🤣

Reading Yang Wen-Li’s thoughts and strategies, as always, is a great eye opener for a lot of things. Even though the book is set on fictitious war and fictitious government factions, the moral and the system presented by Tanaka is as real as it gets. It’s actually scary how accurate those perceptive are. Specially the Free Planet Alliance’s corruptness and disgusting ways to stay in power.

And while I fell that Tanaka is speaking his own thoughts through Yang, I also loved how contradicting Reinhard’s insights are regarding politics and war.

I am and forever will be a Yang Wen-Li girlie but my heart is with Reinahard’s Empire.
Profile Image for Cronos.
33 reviews1 follower
April 6, 2020
La ciencia ficción desde un inicio ha servido como herramienta para la crítica social, en ese tenor, la obra de Yoshiki Tanaka es abrumadora. Escrita a principios de la década de los 80 esta Space Opera nos desnuda la futilidad de la guerra y desnuda las fallas de la democracia de esa época... que siguen siendo los problemas a los que nos enfrentamos actualmente. Es duro leer pasajes que parecen una copia exacta de noticias que he leído a lo largo del año.
Está saga es muy sencilla de leer, es adictiva y envolvente, la podría recomendar para iniciarte en la SF pero tiene dos problemas: creo que no tiene traducción al español y son 10 novelas. Si esto no los desmotiva, densela no se arrepentirán.
Profile Image for Christopher.
45 reviews
June 16, 2023
This book took me forever to finish. It’s such a small book, but it was a bit of a chore to get through. I think after about 5 of these Legend of Galactic Heroes, I got really tired of the translations. I felt as thought the translation was a bit better in the first few books, but this one was extremely bland.

That being said, the events that took place were exciting and the overall story has continued to move into a more dramatic, but maybe more dismal direction. The conflict and scheming between Yang Wen-Li and Reinhard von Logengramm is, as always, the best part of this series.
Profile Image for John.
828 reviews22 followers
February 23, 2020
With all the set-up done in the previous volume, this does not suffer as much from the slow start that previous volumes have had.

The action is good, and there are some interesting twists along the way.

It still suffers from very unclear dialog at time, as described in my review of the previous volume, but that alone isn't enough to dampen my overall enjoyment.
Profile Image for Kaoru.
434 reviews4 followers
July 24, 2021
Whoops. This volume ends on a development that I certainly didn't expect or even anticipate? I was ready to take an extended break from the series, by I guess I have to hunt down the next one after all.
The only thing getting in the way here is the, frankly, quite often awkward translation. But eh. It still beats hovering a phone over the original kanji text, I guess.
Profile Image for Grant Mougin.
96 reviews
April 13, 2025
What a fantastic midpoint for the series! To think there’s still 5 novels left is crazy. Really loved how this book further developed its frame of the narrator retelling history. There were specific sections when historians debated on specific outcomes and their meanings. Thought that was super cool.
Profile Image for Eric Kariuki.
54 reviews1 follower
May 13, 2025
The first half was dry but it picked up spectacularly over the course of the vermillion war.
Yang's refusal to vanquish the Duke will stay with me for some time.
This series as a whole provides a critique of both autocracy and democracy but this volume firmly sticks with the latter (Job Trunicht, William Ruto same whatsapp)
Profile Image for Steven Burnap.
108 reviews1 follower
May 23, 2018
Reinhard and Yang finally face each other directly and the results aren't what you'd expect.
52 reviews
April 29, 2019
another fine piece of legend. I am little sad that there is much less combat then in the earliest books but definetly looking forward for another :)
Profile Image for Lilly Davis.
14 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2019
I couldn’t stop reading, what an epic and an intense battle, I didn’t expect the outcome, awesome. I’m so grateful that these books were translated into English and I’m able to read them now.
Profile Image for Anna.
141 reviews3 followers
January 26, 2023
Ok, this one made going through book #4 worth it. A lot more action, strategy, tactics and a strangely satisfactory ending. Plus many scenes that I wanted to see.
Profile Image for Ahmad.
52 reviews1 follower
April 6, 2024
The conclusion to the first half of the story. A bit unexpected conclusion but I also don’t feel that invested anymore.
14 reviews
January 3, 2025
Long Live the Kaiser!

The battles in this action packed volume were absolutely stunning! Probably one of my favorite of the series. Long live the Emperor!
Profile Image for Maverynthia.
Author 2 books9 followers
May 4, 2018
Once again Yang wins not loses by the grace of Reinhard.  This one doesn't feel as believable as the other ones, since it's more or less a Deus Ex Machina.
Though it does showcase how smart Mariendorf is in pulling it off.
We also get to see Julian on his own with the Terra-ists.
195 reviews
December 26, 2018
A great volume, interestingly, I did not predict how the battle would end with the winner losing and loser winning. The commentary on democracy vs dictatorship was good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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