When starfighter pilot Simon Dodds is enrolled in a top secret military project, he and his wingmates begin to suspect that there is a lot more to the theft of a legendary battleship and an Imperial nation's civil war than either the Confederation Stellar Navy or the government are willing to let on.Within weeks of being reassigned to the Confederate border system of Temper, the five would begin to untangle a web of lies and a cover-up that seemed to span the length of the entire galaxy. And it would not be long before they themselves would come face to face with that which destroyed an an unforgiving, unstoppable, and totally unrelenting foe.There seemed to exist only one glimmer of hope of driving back the The ATAF Project - a secretly developed set of starfighters that may well just harbour some terrible secrets of their "A tightly plotted action-adventure yarn with a good mix of likeable, interesting and nasty characters" "Written with perspicacity and drive, with a strong voice and good attention to detail."124,000 words~ 450 pages
I really really wanted to like this book. It's self-published, in itself, a brave move. The author was employed at Lehman Brothers before its collapse in 2008 and this is an alternative direction for him as a career. I applaud his courage and fortitude at going it alone in this manner, but I can't help but feel that what we're left with is significantly sub-standard and that if this is his best effort, he needs desperately to get back into banking. Once again, it feels like the old stereotypical view of self-publishing, that it's for the people who couldn't make it in the "real" world. While I know that's not the case, this novel doesn't go very far towards proving it.
The plot is interesting, the setting engaging but underdeveloped. A few more comments about things like the artificial gravity, the different environments of the other planets, the space stations etc would not have gone amiss. As it was, we were left with a fairly bland understanding of exactly what this universe looked like. Even the bad-guys were incredibly stereotypical. Black-leather clad soldiers with round helmets with red eyes. Darth Vader meets the Cylons. Hardly inventive.
Similarly, with the limited description of the environment comes limited description of the action. All the important elements are there, and when they are, they are done well. I particularly liked a deception in one scene where two fighters collide, but with one's shields significantly more advanced than another’s, the former emerges completely unscathed. However, it's what's missing that's important here. On one occasion, five fighters face down what is described as the largest and most powerful battleship there is. Yet the encounter is dealt with in less than four paragraphs, and not very long ones at that. I felt like I had been cheated out of some well described combat sequences, there just wasn't enough depth.
Linked into that, is the universe as a whole. Do the shields deflect solids, energy or both? Is the FTL instant or does it take time? What sort of weapons are being used? These all sound like insignificant questions, but in Sci-Fi if they are not dealt with, it seems like a flim-flam of bodged writing.
Then we come to the characters. While all the ones we interact with consistently on a regular basis (the five members of the "White Knights" fighter squadron) are fleshed out well enough to give us a good idea of who each one is, they often don't interact very realistically. The chief example of this is the squadron leader, who is routinely undermined by her subordinates, and seems to me more like a stuffy mother trying to control her children than the leader of an efficient fighting unit. I'm reminded of something from Battlestar Galactica, where Starbuck and Apollo spar off.
Lt. Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace: You're the CAG, act like one.
Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama: What does that mean?
Lt. Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace: It means that you're still acting like everyone's best friend. We're not friends. You're the CAG! "Be careful out there?" Our job isn't to be careful, it's to shoot fracking Cylons out of the sky! "Good Hunting" is what you say. And one of your idiot pilots is acting like a child and refusing to take her pills. So she either says "Yes, sir" and obeys a direct order, or you smack her in the mouth and drag her sorry ass to sickbay and you make her take those pills!
The dialogue too, is less than believable. When we see one pilot, who I imagined to be, given the way he'd been depicted, a hard nosed, jock of an army officer, say something like "Can it, this is really annoying me" when being insulted by his fellow pilots, we tend to shake our heads. I understand the intent to avoid swearing and other harsh language, but there are other ways around that sort of thing.
The writing was also riddled with these jarring moments. The worst one of these is a large chunk of universe setting up which occurs just after an important mission briefing, during what we’re supposed to believe is a casual conversation between pilots on the flight deck. Sci-fi is a difficult genre to write in, often because of the need to set up the universe and tell a story, but that’s no excuse for vomiting up chunks of history that may as well have a massive neon sign with the word “EXPOSITION” written all over them.
Juddering, illusion breaking sections abound in this piece. There is a fairly obvious romance set up paragraph, jarringly out of place near an action scene and with no contextualising romance elsewhere, making it stick out like a sore thumb. At another point, a logo design is described as having the “outline” of a man on it, but clearly it must have more detail than just his outline as they can see that this ‘outline’ is naked. Also, at several points, information is repeated over and over as it makes its way down the levels in the military chain of command. When two people in different conversations reacted similarly in response some shocking information, Sweeny describes the second reaction as mimicking the first, but neither had seen the other, and ‘mimicking’ implies a deliberate attempt to imitate.
These may all seem like small, nit-picking errors, but what they end up doing is drawing the reader out of the environment that was created for them, and instead refocus their attention back in the room, siting with their Kindle (this is mostly e-book published), scratching their head at the word usage.
I really wanted to like this book, truly and honestly I did. But in the end, it just feels like another example of the saying "the slush pile has moved online". I'll read the sequel, but I hope that by then, we see a significant improvement.
Simon Dodds is on leave from his duty as a Confederation Stellar Navy fighter pilot working for his father running an apple orchard. It's not all good. He is on forced leave after a court martial for trying to be a hero and disobeying orders. His reckless actions resulted in the death of 2 civilians.
A dying Stellar Navy Pilot inexplicably winds up on his doorstep with gunshot wounds, and begs not to tell the navy or authorities about him just before he dies. Very mysterious.
In the middle of the investigation of the pilot's death, Simon is suddenly recalled because there is a crisis. The political situation is convoluted, but the Confederation is being threatened by another entity of allied planets, the Imperium, which itself is embroiled in what appears to be a civil war.
Simon is sworn to secrecy about the dead pilot, but finds out he was part of a secret fighter force he is to join. He leaves to train with his old squadron mates in a new, highly classified fighter.....but there is a lot more to the new fighter, the conflict, and what is ultimately in store for him and his squadron.
Comment: Fast paced with interesting characters. A very good read, especially if you like military SF. If I have any criticism it is trivial; the story wanders a bit trying to identify with and explore the nature of the major characters, and it's difficult to initially sort out the political background of who's fighting whom and why. Minor issues in what is a fun read. The next part of the Trilogy of the "Battle for the Solar System", "The Third Side" should be forthcoming, and I anticipate it's release.
I am not a sci-fi fan but I read this book as it was picked as one of our monthly group reads. I struggled with this book the whole way through but I think this was simply because of its genre. This is a difficult review to write as there was nothing wrong at all with what the author has done here but I simply couldn't get properly involved in the story as I wasn't interested before I started, which is maybe a bad mind set to start off a book with.
The story was very good although there were a few sub-plots and scenes that I can only assume are relevent to a sequel as they didnt seem to have much to do with the overall story except to bulk out the words. I did read the free version so not sure if these scenes are still in the 2nd as the author has mentioned that a few changes were made to minor areas of the book keeping the main plot the same. It has been written well and I would recommend it to those who enjoy sci-fi.
I am all for self published novels and am willing to download the sample before I decide to purchase, so I have little time for those that bitch in their reviews about grammatical errors and typos. I am no English Teacher and only read books to relax so I am willing to give authors a good bit of slack on this issue as long as the book has a good story.
This book has a great story that had me hooked from the start. Its not perfect and in some places a bit predicable yet once it gets pass introducing the main character with his background history, it then follows the adventures of his team of space pilots. Finishing the book leaves you with loads of questions and while I can't wait for the next in the series I do hope it has the answers.
I'm not sure I have ever before read a book with such a good premise, whose prose is so lifeless. The plot appears good, as do the characters, at least at first glance. Unfortunately the writing of those characters leaves me completely cold, they are just not interesting. The most damning thing is that the author cannot write action at all. An epic space battle is made as bland as possible. Avoid.
recenzja do "bitwa o układ słoneczny" okey ale nie jakies super bo - co to za zakończenie no blagam - dużo jakichs idiotyzmow - nierealistyczne jakieś sceny - najpierw jest nudno, a później jeb i cos sie dzieje nie wiem ciężko ocenić, nie zle, ale nie do polecania
I’m not a literary expert, but I read enough to know a good book when I find one. This is a good book. I liked it, and will recommend to readers of my type who want to try a Sci-Fi book.
At times observation of the characters fluxed between intrusive and apathetic. But, I found it relatively effortless to put myself into the shoes of a male fighter pilot from my reading seat at home as I sipped my hot chocolate and listened to Bat for Lashes warbling in the background. It was more like I was a bystander in the lead characters mind rather than in the driving seat – so to speak.
There were moments where it felt like I ran into a solid wall of back-story in the middle of a seemingly casual conversation, but nothing to cause a fuss over.
SF of this nature is not easy for me to digest as I read so much romance and contemporary/urban fantasy. However Sweeny’s storytelling style allowed me to sink into something I would never have been able to tolerate otherwise. The descriptions of the environment and technology itself were surprisingly roundabout - usually this kind of detail is stuffed down your throat, and not in a good way. This gave me the ability to enjoy this novel. I like my imagination to work as I read rather than being force fed, which can happen with Sci-Fi, Epic/High fantasy because of the out-of-this-world situations the writer is trying to reveal to you.
I should mention the ending was wonderful. The beginning ... you need to open yourself up to and allow it to wash over you rather than allowing yourself to become frustrated with the sluggish pace. Stick it through, as I have said the ending is excellent.
The use of language is admirable, and the sophisticated cover appeals to me (like most book addicts I love my covers). Overall this is a shining example of what an Indie book should be and was a pleasure to read.
I want to first preface this review by stating that I read the first edition of this ebook because it was available for free on my Kindle... the author does suggest that anyone interested in reading the entire trilogy should read the revised edition. That being said, I would not recommend this book. Its premise is intriguing... intergalactic war, fighter pilots, and action scenes dominate the narrative, (think Battlestar Galactica crossed with Top Gun) but lackluster writing skills and the inability of the author to keep my attention made this book a bit of a drag. The plot is predictable, the characters never waver from their established archetypes, and I generally just didn't care what happened until the last quarter of the book. By then, I was just trying to finish it. Overall, it reads like a dime store novel, good for a short read but nothing to write home about... if you're looking for something mindless, this could work. Otherwise knock out something more worth your time. I also feel compelled to note the author is British and uses certain British colloquialisms (like torch instead of flashlight, etc) throughout this edition. It did not effect my reading but it might for some.
An excellent science fiction novel of the space opera variety, Stephen J. Sweeney's The Honour of the Knights combines an intriguing plot that avoids many of the genre's cliches while retaining a convincing sense of authenticity with strong characterization and dialogue. Unlike many novels of this type, Mr. Sweeney's protagonist is far from perfect, with flaws grounded in reality that ring true without coming across as mere contrivances to create conflict for the sake to plot. My only criticisms are a certain plot "twist" that is telegraphed far too much, an unimaginative title, and the presence of what is, in essence, an info dump at the end of the book which serves primarily to answer questions left unresolved from the rest of the book. However, as it seems clear that Mr. Sweeney intends this novel to be the first in series, I will forgive such minor complaints as I anxiously await an opportunity to read more about this universe in future volumes.
This was a pretty good read... A "hero" book, but instead of a single hero, it's a team.
I also really like how well the suspense was handled, how the plot elements were slowly revealed. You KNEW there was something going on, but not exactly what.
Putting my science fiction geek hat on, what I didn't like how the space travel was handled. Whereas David Weber gets detailed in mechanics of space travel, delta-v, etc, this book really skimped on that and made it hard for me to accept. It "felt" like every space battle, travel, etc was done maybe underwater or in an atmosphere and not really in "space". Travel was to "fast", stuff to close, no inertia or delta-v issues at all, etc. Sure they are a galaxy spamming civ, but I found it hard to suspend my disbelief...
I got the free version for Kindle and I was quite pleasantly suprised by this one. I hear that the 2nd edition (that you pay for) is better so it's probably worth buying if you can.
The Honour of the Knights is more of an action sci-fi than an in depth space opera. Lots of big space battles and gung ho fights that don't tax the brain too much. That might sound damning but it's part of the books charm. Sometimes it's all you need.
The writing is done fine, sometimes it feels as the characters are being described instead of evolving but it didn't detract to much from my enjoyment. A couple of the twists are obvious and could be seen a mile off as well. Still the story has got me hooked enough to buy the second book "The third side."
Okay, the mystery that Sweeney weaves into this story is killing me! I can't believe that you don't find out before the end of the first book! I won't say more about what the mystery is so that I don't give it away. Of course I'm going to have to find the second book now as soon as I clear out my reading pile a little bit. Good book, worth reading for the science fiction fan. A little bit cheesy at times, butI've read mush cheesier and still liked it. I think that since the writer is still young we could be looking at a master of the craft in another decade or so. Keep up the good work!
I have to admit it took me a few chapters before I really warmed to this one. I almost gave up after a few pages, but am glad that I persevered. As the plot developed and the pace and scale increased substantially towards the end of the book, I was hooked and ended up reading the last 1/3 of the book in a single sitting. Some of the technology mentioned/used in the book was somewhat more glossed-over than I would like, but that is not an unusual feature of scifi writing.
The books ends on a high-note but also leaves the plot wide open for a series of sequels. Overall I would definitely recommend this one to scifi fans.
Decent space-fighting romp with pretty good main characters. The book could use some editing and I hope secondary characters get fleshed out better in the sequels because it's the secondary characters that truly enhance the tapestry of a wholly-imagined world. The action was exciting and filled with intrigue, and I found myself ready to follow the Knights on their next adventure. Good work, and I look forward to the sequels.
The story of a space fighter pilot and his crew caught in the centre of a war between 2 rival empires. They are trained to fly the next generation of fighter craft but not told how or why these craft have been developed. They are then caught up in a mission to retrieve stolen data and save the home fleet from disaster. Well written and executed, read this in a couple of days and will be looking out for the next book in the series due out in November 2011.
Loved the storyline and world building and the numerus action scenes were wll written and quickly drawn me in. Only real complaint is that some of the characters are a bit forgettable and could do with padding out a bit. Still, it is a great book, the world building alone makes it worth checking out.
Just added the sequel to my "to read list" too and I'm looking forward to reading it!
This book was not very good. The writing style was awkward, the plot was obvious and full of tropes, the hardware star of the story was invincible...it was just a mess. Rather than go into all of them in detail, I'll just say that as a fan of science fiction, I cannot recommend this book to anyone. As a fan of military science fiction, for which ones must often make sacrifices of style for substance, I also cannot recommend this book.
Stephen Sweeney is a really good writer. The world building is amazing and I quickly found myself immersed in the world that Honour of the Knights is set in. There are also some pretty unique ideas in the book and plenty of twists and turns to keep the readers interest. The space battle scenes are especially fun to read.
I really wasn't sure what to give this book. I was thorn between 2 or three stars. In the end I gave it three because it's not really a bad book. I'm just not sure that I like it that much.
My main problem with the book is that the story is really based on lies, deception, treason and deceit and I really do not like that in books or films.I just find it annoying or even depressing.
Was a fun, quick book to read, and it was free from amazon (still is)! Bought the 2nd edition of this which adds more to the story (20,000 words more) and am currently reading through it, enjoying the updated writing style. Looking forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy.
Great book for all those who like to read space adventure. The battles between the star fighters were well written and exciting. The action was great. I really like the charactors and their stories flow smoothly. I highly recommend this book.
Good effort. Story is compelling and eaay to read. Just enough questions about what has gone on and the backgrounds of the individual characters, like Chaz to make you want more.
A reasonable SF read, but very cliched. Somehow the period set out in the book did not feel genuine. Some advances in technology were in place but other aspects did not ring true.
Pretty decent sci-fi. Occasional plot holes distract from the main story at times, and hard to say if it's worth retail price, but definitely worth it from a used-book shop.