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The Honor of the Queen

Get-go edition
Author	David Weber
Cover artist	Laurence Schwinger
Country	The states
Language	English language
Serial	Honour Harrington series
Genre	Military science fiction
Publisher	Baen Books
Publication date	1993
Media type	Print (hardback and paperback)
Pages	422
ISBN	0-671-72172-0
OCLC	316892473
Dewey Decimal	813/.54
LC Class	PS3573.E217 H69 2000
Preceded by	On Basilisk Station
Followed past	The Brusque Victorious War

The Honor of the Queen is a science fiction novel past American writer David Weber, first published in 1993. It is the second book in the Honor Harrington series, In the story, Honor goes on a mission to bring the religiously conservative, sexist world Grayson onto the Manticorans' side in preparation for the inevitable state of war with Oasis.

Plot summary [edit]

3 years subsequently the events in On Basilisk Station, Captain Accolade Harrington returns to the Star Kingdom afterwards a long anti-piracy campaign in the Silesian Confederacy. While her send, the heavy cruiser HMS Fearless, has her first refit, new orders arrive. Fearless is to lead a small Manticoran squadron supporting a diplomatic mission to the planet Grayson, a planet ruled by a heavily sexist and patriarchal society, due in office to its fundamentalist Christian and Luddite history, too as its brutally hostile environment. The diplomatic mission is to exist led past Admiral Raoul Courvosier, Award's mentor and personal friend. With the long-awaited war with Haven looming close, Manticore is working to form an Alliance with many small nations. Grayson is critical to this endeavor, every bit information technology would close a flank of accelerate for a possible Havenite invasion fleet. Adding to the pressure, Haven is negotiating its ain brotherhood with Masada, Grayson'due south historical rival.

The Manticoran ships make it at Yeltsin's Star, the system where Grayson is located, and are greeted by the small Grayson Navy. Yet, the welcome is soured past sexism in the Graysons, for whom the notion of a woman in uniform is intolerable. After several hostile confrontations, Honor leaves the system to escort a convoy of freighters, believing her presence is souring the negotiations, even though Courvosier tries to convince her not to do then.

After Honor leaves with iii of the four Manticoran warships sent to Grayson, Admiral Courvosier meets with Admiral Bernard Yanakov (the commander of the Grayson Navy), and the officers begin to work their way through their cultural differences, earning some sympathy and respect for each other'southward betoken of view. Everything is cutting short when a Masadan armada approaches Grayson and begins attacking space stations throughout the system. Admiral Courvosier accepts Yanakov'due south offer to join his armada in chasing the Masadans, not knowing that the Masadans possess two Havenite warships under Helm Alfredo Yu and Cmdr. Thomas Theisman, "bought" from Oasis simply reporting to Masadan command. This fleet makes quick work of Grayson'south outdated defenders, not to mention the Manticoran destroyer Madrigal, leading to the deaths of both Courvosier and Yanakov.

Honor's ships return to Grayson and are attacked by Masadan light assail craft, which damaged 1 of her ships. After entering Grayson's orbit, they are apprised of the disquisitional situation post-obit the battle and the death of Admiral Courvosier. Honor strong-artillery Protector Benjamin into allowing her to take a leading role in the defense of Grayson. She also then defends him against Masadan assassins, losing one of her eyes, earning her a neat deal of acclaim from the Grayson people.

Grayson soon learns that Masada has built an advanced base within Grayson'southward star system. Leading her ships and the remnants of the Grayson fleet, Honor defeats a group of Masadan warships, too as the PNS Breslau, now fighting as the MNS Principality. Cmdr. Theisman is able to inflict significant impairment on the HMS Apollo, under Cmdr. Alice Truman, but is ultimately forced to give up. In one case in confidence, he tells Honor that in that location are female POWs from Madrigal at the base and that he suspects they are being ill-treated. An assail by Fearless' Marines follows, and the Masadan base is captured, finding most of the prisoners executed and all the female prisoners horrifically brutalized, with Honor nearly performing an on-the-spot execution of the Masadan commander.

On Masada, the Havenite "advisers" see that Masada's bid to conquer Grayson is doomed and try to pull out. Even so, the Masadans find out and seize control of the Saladin, which they have renamed Thunder of God. Helm Yu catches wind of the mutiny and pulls as many Havenite crew off the transport every bit he can, leaving the Masadan fanatics in buying of a Sultan-class battle cruiser which outguns Honor's remaining ships.

Honor dispatches Apollo back to Manticore for reinforcements, while her Fearless and Alistair McKeon's Troubadour prepare to fight the Masadans. The Manticorans' superior tactical skills, and the Masadans' unfamiliarity with their ship, let them to inflict much more harm on Thunder of God than they ought to have done, but Thunder of God by sheer weight of burn is able to destroy Troubadour and inflict equal damage on Fearless. Manticoran reinforcements, summoned by Apollo and led past Admiral Hamish Alexander, Earl White Haven, arrive in-organisation, but neither Fearless nor Thunder of God are able to detect them due to damage to their radar and gravitic detection equipment. Despite knowing the outcome is hopeless, Award commits Fearless against Thunder of God hoping to do enough damage to foreclose Thunder from carpeting bombing Grayson. In a desperate chance, White Haven's armada launches from beyond maximum range, distracting the Masadan coiffure at a crucial moment and allowing Fearless to deliver the killing blow.

With Grayson secured, a joint Manticore-Grayson armada attacks Masada and occupies the planet. Thomas Theisman is returned to Haven. The Havenite refugees from Saladin, led past Alfredo Yu, give up to the Graysonites; many defect, including Yu himself. Award recovers from the wounds sustained during the many battles and the assault on the Mayhew family, receiving a prosthetic eye. Protector Benjamin decorates her with the Star of Grayson and appoints her as Steadholder (governor) of a new fief on Grayson, assuasive her to aid Benjamin speed up his planned social reforms, a programme which comes to be known as the "Mayhew Restoration." Finally, the Manticoran government creates Honor a Countess and names her a Companion of the Knights of King George.

The players [edit]

The Star Kingdom of Manticore is the star nation that occupies the Manticore binary star organisation. It is a monarchy and the electric current ruler is Queen Elizabeth III of the Firm of Winton. The binary Manticore Organisation was located 512 low-cal-years to the Galactic northward of the Sol Arrangement and World. Information technology independent three habitable planets: Gryphon, Sphinx, and the capital planet Manticore.^[ane] The Star Kingdom was a single-system nation. From the 19th Century Mail Diaspora (when humans left the Sol Organization) onwards it began to contain new systems for strategic reasons, by and large to control the termini of the Manticore Wormhole Junction and the possibility of war with The People's Republic of Haven.^{[2] [3]}

The People's Republic of Haven is trying to counter the Manticoran Brotherhood by aiding the Masadans and throwing a potential brotherhood between Manticore and Grayson off-balance. The Havenites know that Masada is not a reliable ally, but they take it for the moment. Different Manticore, they go along very well subconscious to the Masadans that they care for their women equally equals.

The Protectorate of Grayson is desperate for foreign assist to sustain its growing industrial base and technological development, also as to end their conflict with Masada, a disharmonize on which affairs is impossible. Manticore is more reliable for the Grayson leaders (who also want to modernize their society) than the voracious People'southward Republic.

Masada has just ane goal: to conquer Grayson and restore the "true Faith" to their original world. In the eyes of the Masadan leadership, an alliance with Haven is zip more than a provisional bargain with a bunch of "infidels", a deal from which both sides may go benefits, but nothing more than that.

The characters [edit]

Manticorans [edit]

HMS Fearless

• Honour Harrington - Helm of the List, Royal Manticoran Navy

The commanding officer of Fearless and virtual commander of the small Manticoran squadron sent to Grayson. She takes over and organizes the defense of Grayson following the first devastating date between Grayson and Masada.

• Nimitz

Accolade Harrington's treecat. During the novel, Nimitz and Honor develop an empathic link between the two of them, allowing Honor to sense the emotions of others.

• Andreas Venizelos - Commander, Majestic Manticoran Navy

Fearless' executive officer.

• Rafael Cardones - Lieutenant Commander, Royal Manticoran Navy

Tactical officer on board Fearless.

• Carolyn Wolcott - Ensign, Regal Manticoran Navy

Inferior officer serving under Lt. Commander Cardones at Tactical.

• Tomas Ramirez - Major, Purple Manticoran Marine Corps

Commander of the Marine disengagement on board Fearless.

• Iris Babcock - Sergeant Major, Royal Manticoran Marine Corps

Fearless' senior Marine non-commissioned officeholder or "Gunny".

HMS Apollo

• Alice Truman - Commander, Imperial Manticoran Navy

Commanding officer of the light cruiser HMS Apollo. During the novel, she sets a speed record during her transit between Yeltsin's Star and Manticore to warn the Manticoran Admiralty of the state of affairs in Grayson.

HMS Troubadour

• Alistair McKeon - Commander, Royal Manticoran Navy

Honor'southward former XO on the old Fearless, now in command of his own destroyer.

HMS Madrigal

• Jason Alvarez - Commander, Royal Manticoran Navy

Commanding officer of the destroyer Madrigal. Survived the destruction of Madrigal later on the first battle with the Masadans, just was later tortured and killed by his captors at Blackbird Base.

• Mercedes Brigham - Lieutenant Commander, Regal Manticoran Navy

Executive Officeholder of HMS Madrigal. Also survived later on the destruction of her transport. Suffered torture and rape at the hands of her Masadan captors before being rescued by Fearless' Marines.

• Mai-Ling Jackson - Ensign, Imperial Manticoran Navy

Some other survivor of Madrigal. Together with Mercedes Brigham, she is i of just two female survivors captured by the Masadans. The other women captured were systematically raped and murdered, inflicting a violent trauma upon Ensign Jackson.

Diplomatic mission to Grayson

• Raoul Courvosier - Admiral of the Green, Royal Manticoran Navy

One of the most recognized tacticians of his time, onetime instructor at Saganami Naval University and mentor to Honour Harrington. Dies on board Madrigal while fighting the Masadans.

• Reginald Houseman

Admiral Courvosier'southward second-in-control inside the diplomatic mission. A leading theorist of the Liberal Party who is convinced that the armed forces is fiddling more than a bunch of ignorant warmongers. Advocated leaving Grayson to its own fortune and was physically struck by Captain Harrington after illegally ordering her to leave the organization.

• Sir Anthony Langtry

Manticore'due south administrator to Grayson.

Graysons [edit]

• Benjamin Mayhew Ix

Planetary Protector (head of state) of Grayson. Educated at Harvard University's Bogotá Campus on Globe and a reformist who wishes to integrate Grayson with the rest of the Galaxy.

• Bernard Yanakov - High Admiral, Grayson Space Navy

The commanding officeholder of the Grayson Navy. Died on board the calorie-free cruiser Austin Grayson during the first battle with the Masadans.

• Howard Clinkscales

Grayson's Government minister of Security and one of the planet'due south staunchest conservatives, although he comes to respect Award Harrington after she saves the lives of Protector Benjamin and his family.

• Wesley Matthews - Helm (later Admiral) - Grayson Space Navy

Commander of the light cruiser Covington, which survives the first battle with the Masadans. Later goes on to command what remains of the Grayson Navy.

• Mark Brentworth - Commander, Grayson Space Navy

A Grayson officer assigned as liaison between Captain Harrington and the Grayson Space Navy.

• Michael Mayhew

Protector Benjamin's brother and heir to the Protectorship.

• Jared Mayhew (a.grand.a. "Maccabeus")

Grayson's Minister of Industry and secretly a leader of the Maccabeans, a underground society aimed at reunifying Grayson and Masada and cleansing Grayson of its "apostasy".

Havenites [edit]

• Alfredo Yu - Captain, People'southward Navy

Commanding officeholder of the battlecruiser PNS Saladin, renamed MNS Thunder of God afterward its "acquisition" by Masada. Captain Yu was given a commission inside the Masadan Navy every bit Captain until the Masadans were fix to crew the ship. Defects to Manticore after existence betrayed by the Masadans.

• Thomas Theisman - Commander, People'southward Navy

Commanding officeholder of the destroyer PNS Breslau, renamed MNS Principality after its "acquisition" by Masada. Captured past Honour Harrington following the surrender of his ship; he then reveals that the Masadans were torturing the survivors of Madrigal.

Masadans [edit]

• Matthew Simonds - Sword of the Faithful, Masadan Navy

The commander of the entire Masadan war machine and leader of the assaults on Grayson. Brother of Primary Elderberry Simonds

• Thomas Simonds

Primary Elder of the Church of Humanity Unchained and the head of state of Masada.

• (first name unknown) Williams - Helm, Masadan Navy

Commander of Blackbird Base of operations. Hanged by the Graysons for war crimes.

• Ronald Sands

Deacon of the Church of Humanity Unchained and head of Masadan Intelligence.

• Ernst Franks - Admiral, Masadan Navy

Senior commander of the Masadan fleet.

References [edit]

1. ^ On Basilisk Station (Harrington one), David Weber, 1993
2. ^ Ashes of Victory (Harrington nine), David Weber, 2000
3. ^ Crown of Slaves, David Weber, 2003

External links [edit]

• The consummate text of The Award of the Queen is available for download or reading online at the Baen Gratis Library here.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honor_of_the_Queen

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