Leigh Kimmel’s Reviews > Toll of Honor > Status Update

A confrontation by several lieutenants, getting one critical answer out of Summervale -- who paid him to goad Paul Tankersley into an intemperate act, then call him out on it to enable what's effectively murder -- and Honor Harrington is training herself in fast-draw precision marksmanship.

More efforts to make sure Honor's loyal subordinates don't take matters into their own hands. And a mysterious call by someone who knows at least something about who was behind the duel.

We see the actual duel, and just how outclassed Paul Tankersley was. And then we see what Honor's loyal subordinates are ready to do to the man who killed him -- and what their superior has to do to make it clear that they are not to actually carry out such a deed.

In Field of Dishonor, the incident with Paul Tankersley and Summervale was mostly offstage. Now we know just how Paul was manipulated into doing something rash, and just how deep Summervale cut, by hurting both Paul and the woman he loved.

The story of a family-run restaurant -- and how it became a hot spot for the rich and famous.

Pavel Young's first speech in the House of Lords, and more behind-the-scenes political discussion.

Some of the particulars of Honor Harrington becoming Steadholder Harrington. It makes me wonder how much was passed over in the earlier books because they were focused on other things, and how much because DW hadn't yet nailed those details down. I wish I had the time to re-read Field of Dishonor and Flag in Exile.

A look at the politics behind the problem of Pavel Young -- and it's a doozy. A father who'll use his connections to cover for the Golden Child who never learned basic compentencies, or courage.

A bit of history on Brandy's family -- her first ancestor in the SKM came as a crook, using his identity as an exobiologist in an attempt to smuggle treecats (at a time when they were not yet recognized as sophonts) and learning the hard way that they could play complex tricks. His time in the SKM's corrective institutions created a respect that led him to settle permanently and begin a family.

A side story to the events of *Field of Dishonor* and *Flag in Exile,* it deals with Brandy Bolgeo, a wounded veteran of the disastrous battle in which Pavel Young's cowardice proved nearly catastrophic to the Manticorian Royal Navy.