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Earth Legions #3
The Excalibur Alternative
Rescued by aliens when his ship is overpowered in a near-fatal ocean storm, Sir George becomes increasingly alarmed when he realizes that the aliens intend to make him into a soldier slave, and he plans a daring escape. Reprint.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 31, 2001
About the author
David Weber
358 books4,403 followersDavid Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1952.
Many of his stories have military, particularly naval, themes, and fit into the military science fiction genre. He frequently places female leading characters in what have been traditionally male roles.
One of his most popular and enduring characters is Honor Harrington whose alliterated name is an homage to C.S. Forester's character Horatio Hornblower and her last name from a fleet doctor in Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander . Her story, together with the "Honorverse" she inhabits, has been developed through 16 novels and six shared-universe anthologies, as of spring 2013 (other works are in production). In 2008, he donated his archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University.
Many of his books are available online, either in their entirety as part of the Baen Free Library or, in the case of more recent books, in the form of sample chapters (typically the first 25-33% of the work).
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidw...
Many of his stories have military, particularly naval, themes, and fit into the military science fiction genre. He frequently places female leading characters in what have been traditionally male roles.
One of his most popular and enduring characters is Honor Harrington whose alliterated name is an homage to C.S. Forester's character Horatio Hornblower and her last name from a fleet doctor in Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander . Her story, together with the "Honorverse" she inhabits, has been developed through 16 novels and six shared-universe anthologies, as of spring 2013 (other works are in production). In 2008, he donated his archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University.
Many of his books are available online, either in their entirety as part of the Baen Free Library or, in the case of more recent books, in the form of sample chapters (typically the first 25-33% of the work).
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidw...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
September 22, 2012
Interesting premise and very nicely written.
Only fault I could find is that I really want to read the non existing sequel.
Only fault I could find is that I really want to read the non existing sequel.
August 6, 2012
A good book that leaves you waiting for the sequel but there is no sequel on the way.
May 30, 2017
Interesting and enjoyable, but not much of import happens. It's the expansion of a short story, and it's a fun read.
September 1, 2013
The Excalibur Alternative by David Weber is based on the short story Sir George and the Dragon. It’s a story of Englishmen ripped out of their timeline by an advanced alien civilization and forced to fight battles on their behalf on other worlds.
Like sometimes happens with short stories expanded to novel length, this book slows considerably in the middle and suffers bouts of over-long self-examination and overwrought exposition. Setting those parts aside, though, the rest of the book is a lot of fun.
The concept of transplanted ancient earth warriors has been done before (namely the excellent Misplaced Legion/Videssos Cycle by Harry Turtledove), but it is done very well here. The characters are richly drawn and sympathetic. The aliens are very alien in their appearance, if not as much in their thoughts and actions, however inscrutable they may appear. The battles are exciting, if one-sided.
As Weber sometimes does, he throws in a pretty big game changer or two about three-quarters of the way through the novel. Things move pretty quickly and decisively at that point and lead to a thrilling if somewhat predictable conclusion.
I’m a big fan of Weber’s and have never failed to be entertained by one of his books. Sometimes, however, it seems as if he is trying to cram an entire series into one book. He starts off with a great plot concept, slowly plays it out, and then suddenly introduces rapid changes and a big conclusion. He has either the seeds of an extended series or the foundation of a single non-stop action book, but with inconsistent pacing manages an uncomfortable marriage of the two.
The Excalibur Alternative is a fun read and definitely worth the time. It may leave you with the feeling it could have been much more than it is. Recommended read. 3.5 stars
Like sometimes happens with short stories expanded to novel length, this book slows considerably in the middle and suffers bouts of over-long self-examination and overwrought exposition. Setting those parts aside, though, the rest of the book is a lot of fun.
The concept of transplanted ancient earth warriors has been done before (namely the excellent Misplaced Legion/Videssos Cycle by Harry Turtledove), but it is done very well here. The characters are richly drawn and sympathetic. The aliens are very alien in their appearance, if not as much in their thoughts and actions, however inscrutable they may appear. The battles are exciting, if one-sided.
As Weber sometimes does, he throws in a pretty big game changer or two about three-quarters of the way through the novel. Things move pretty quickly and decisively at that point and lead to a thrilling if somewhat predictable conclusion.
I’m a big fan of Weber’s and have never failed to be entertained by one of his books. Sometimes, however, it seems as if he is trying to cram an entire series into one book. He starts off with a great plot concept, slowly plays it out, and then suddenly introduces rapid changes and a big conclusion. He has either the seeds of an extended series or the foundation of a single non-stop action book, but with inconsistent pacing manages an uncomfortable marriage of the two.
The Excalibur Alternative is a fun read and definitely worth the time. It may leave you with the feeling it could have been much more than it is. Recommended read. 3.5 stars
February 19, 2015
Despite this book being listed as #3 of a series, it's actually a standalone. The greater series lends color to this one, but it's unnecessary to have read it to understand and enjoy this story.
I adore this book. At the time I first saw it, the plot was innovative, and I've always admired Weber's ability to write battle scenes that not only depict fighting in all its savagery, but also depict strategy and tactics and to do it all in such a way that it's interesting to read. While I quite like his battle scenes, all too many writers make me tune out when they try to do the same. Weber manages the difficult art of making me feel like I'm there and that I *want* to be there.
The story is about a group of 14th English warriors who are abducted by aliens to fight battles with aliens in an attempt to claim various treaties, rights and territories. Their alien overlord is an arrogant idiot, surrounded by minions of varying quality. His might is too great for them to fight and they do his bidding for years before finally striking back. And when they do, they do it *well*.
Little do the rest of his kind know what they've created by kidnapping humans. ::evil laugh::
I adore this book. At the time I first saw it, the plot was innovative, and I've always admired Weber's ability to write battle scenes that not only depict fighting in all its savagery, but also depict strategy and tactics and to do it all in such a way that it's interesting to read. While I quite like his battle scenes, all too many writers make me tune out when they try to do the same. Weber manages the difficult art of making me feel like I'm there and that I *want* to be there.
The story is about a group of 14th English warriors who are abducted by aliens to fight battles with aliens in an attempt to claim various treaties, rights and territories. Their alien overlord is an arrogant idiot, surrounded by minions of varying quality. His might is too great for them to fight and they do his bidding for years before finally striking back. And when they do, they do it *well*.
Little do the rest of his kind know what they've created by kidnapping humans. ::evil laugh::
May 15, 2020
It's been done. Small band of earthling warriors abducted by aliens to fight their low-tech wars for them. Janissaries, The High Crusade and The Misplaced Legion to name a few. This was not the worst, but not the best either.
Weber tells an excellent tale, but he's more for telling than showing. Cute ending. (At least, unlike so many of his other tales, this one does end.)
A good read.
Weber tells an excellent tale, but he's more for telling than showing. Cute ending. (At least, unlike so many of his other tales, this one does end.)
A good read.
March 2, 2014
From Publishers Weekly
In the latest SF adventure novel from the creator of Honor Harrington, Weber (On Basilisk Station; Ashes of Victory; etc.) expands a short story, "Sir George and the Dragon," which appeared in the David Drake anthology Foreign Legions (2001), to good effect. The novel adheres to the story's basic plot: aliens of the Federation abduct 14th-century Englishmen to serve as mercenaries on planets where only low-tech weaponry is legal. But the author extends these events in several directions, with his usual mixture of apt characterization and historical sophistication (here regarding medieval weaponry and tactics). The Englishmen liberate themselves with the aid of the "dragon-men" (the Ternaui) and "Computer" (renamed Merlin), as well as the obstinate stupidity of their opponents. The narrative then leaps ahead several centuries to an ending that surprises both humans and aliens as they learn of the Empire of Avalon. The slam-bang action leaves little room for developing subplots beyond tantalizing hints, though this approach also means a streamlined story, in contrast to Weber's normally rather sprawling narratives. Newcomers to the author's work will do fine without having read previous books in the series. This novel makes an honorable companion to the late Poul Anderson's classic The High Crusade, which uses a similar plot idea.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library JournalAn alien spacecraft from the Galactic Federation rescues Sir George Wincaster and his army of knights and longbowmen from death at sea and forces the Englishmen to act as slave-mercenaries to fight intergalactic battles against other "primitive" species. When the captive soldiers discover allies in unlikely places, they embark on a bold uprising that leads to a surprising and fitting reentry into the history of their home planet. One of the genre's most accessible and skilled writers of military sf, Weber ("Honor Harrington" series) now delivers a lively and well-told tale of displaced warriors maintaining their courage and honor in the most difficult of circumstances. Based on a short story previously published in David Drake's Foreign Legions (LJ 6/15/01), this sf action adventure belongs in most libraries.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
May 4, 2017
Not as good as the first two in the series
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Excalibur Alternative (Ranks of Bronze Series Book 3) (Kindle Edition)
I really like David Drake's RANKS OF BRONZE and was happy to see another volume in the series. After reading it, I confess disappointment. Compared to other science fiction and fantasy, it is good. However it is one of David Weber's weaker efforts. Of course the book had to leave an opportunity for a sequel. Even understanding this, the ending seemed abrupt and hurried. Some of the characters and situations seem to have been borrowed from other of Weber's works. This can not be completely avoided by a prolific author but I wish it had not been so obvious. Even with these petty complaints, Weber remains an extraordinary story teller. Compared to Weber's other work, my opinion on this is about 3 1/2 stars. As I can't give that rating, I am marking it 4.
In scanning the previous reviews I noticed that several people complained that the alien commander was too stupid to be realistic. Those reviewers have apparently been fortunate in their work and life experience. In my law enforcement career I once worked for a unit director who was, if anything, stupider than the alien and just as arrogant, incompetent, vindictive and callous. Seemingly absolutely convinced of his superior knowledge and ability he seldom listened to anyone. If he did listen, he took credit for the idea. So yes, it is possible to have a commander as stupid as the alien. Anyone who studies history has also come across people who seem to have been much like the alien commander. On the other hand, I have worked for and been commanded by two or three people who may have been as flexible and competent as Sir George in such circumstances, but, especially given the level of human knowledge in the 1300's, I don't believe that all of the troops would have accepted the situation as readily as did these English. Again based on my experience, I believe there would have been some serious mental and emotional problems. This review is from the Baen Books edition published January 1, 2002 and sold by Amazon Digital Services.
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Excalibur Alternative (Ranks of Bronze Series Book 3) (Kindle Edition)
I really like David Drake's RANKS OF BRONZE and was happy to see another volume in the series. After reading it, I confess disappointment. Compared to other science fiction and fantasy, it is good. However it is one of David Weber's weaker efforts. Of course the book had to leave an opportunity for a sequel. Even understanding this, the ending seemed abrupt and hurried. Some of the characters and situations seem to have been borrowed from other of Weber's works. This can not be completely avoided by a prolific author but I wish it had not been so obvious. Even with these petty complaints, Weber remains an extraordinary story teller. Compared to Weber's other work, my opinion on this is about 3 1/2 stars. As I can't give that rating, I am marking it 4.
In scanning the previous reviews I noticed that several people complained that the alien commander was too stupid to be realistic. Those reviewers have apparently been fortunate in their work and life experience. In my law enforcement career I once worked for a unit director who was, if anything, stupider than the alien and just as arrogant, incompetent, vindictive and callous. Seemingly absolutely convinced of his superior knowledge and ability he seldom listened to anyone. If he did listen, he took credit for the idea. So yes, it is possible to have a commander as stupid as the alien. Anyone who studies history has also come across people who seem to have been much like the alien commander. On the other hand, I have worked for and been commanded by two or three people who may have been as flexible and competent as Sir George in such circumstances, but, especially given the level of human knowledge in the 1300's, I don't believe that all of the troops would have accepted the situation as readily as did these English. Again based on my experience, I believe there would have been some serious mental and emotional problems. This review is from the Baen Books edition published January 1, 2002 and sold by Amazon Digital Services.
September 30, 2018
Futuristic rendition of the whole Excalibur legend, set during space faring times. It isn't bad, but I feel like I've read this many times before.
I think the comic book series Camelot 3000 is superior.
I think the comic book series Camelot 3000 is superior.
April 18, 2017
Sir George Wincaster, Third Baron of Wickworth, was having a bad day. He and his men were stuck on this damn ship in the middle of the worse lightning storm he'd ever seen, and he'd already seen at least one transport ship (the one with most of the horses, damn it!) fall into Neptune's waiting arms, and he had a feeling that HIS ship was next. How long could they possibly survive? Turns out... a lot longer than he thought. Mostly because they were "rescued" - taken prisoner - by a... a... ship is the word that comes to mind... but never in all his days had Sir George ever seen any vessel that could... hang, no float in the air, unmoved by the worst the storm could throw at it. Turns out, aliens had come to call, and they needed soldiers to fight for them.... and they didn't care what the SOLDIERS' opinions on the matter was.
July 5, 2010
This science fiction book has an interesting premise, and it is filled with action. The author is a lay Methodist minister, and I liked how the people in it had God as an every-day part of their lives. So many science fiction authors seem to think that God becomes irrelevant in the future, for some reason.
That being said, I thought the author could have cut the length of the book by several pages. He was much too wordy in his explanations, and frankly, I found myself reading only a sentence or two out of many paragraphs to skip the boring stuff.
This the first book by this author I have read, which is strange because I found out that he is wildly popular in science fiction circles. I am looking forward with anticipation to reading more of his books.
That being said, I thought the author could have cut the length of the book by several pages. He was much too wordy in his explanations, and frankly, I found myself reading only a sentence or two out of many paragraphs to skip the boring stuff.
This the first book by this author I have read, which is strange because I found out that he is wildly popular in science fiction circles. I am looking forward with anticipation to reading more of his books.
March 19, 2012
What a wonderful, improbable, but fabulous story! For starters, the opening scene is set in a terrible rain storm, evidently sometime in the late middle ages, on a small ship, at sea. The survival of the others in the fleet is a question, and the protagonist's ship seems to be taking water, badly. Then a huge something appears in the sky overhead, and begins to lift the ships into itself. Instead of fighting for King Edward in France, the company finds itself fighting for and unnamed guild, on primitive backwaters of the Galactic Federation. The story proceeds from there, and I won't spoil it, but it has an amazing surprise ending. If this story doesn't amuse and cheer you, I don't want to hear it.
August 31, 2015
David Weber is a really good author. This is a really decent book. I've got no problems with the "world" building or the character development. People did what I thought they would do in the situation they would do it in. The military tactics appeared sound.
The only problem I've got with Weber is one of style. I often find that he does two things that leave me a little flat. First... I noticed a few times a lot of the action that happened in this book actually took place between quotation marks. Show don't tell. Second... Keeping in line with my first nit, really long info dumps.
This book has both of those slowing it down. Still... pretty good read overall.
The only problem I've got with Weber is one of style. I often find that he does two things that leave me a little flat. First... I noticed a few times a lot of the action that happened in this book actually took place between quotation marks. Show don't tell. Second... Keeping in line with my first nit, really long info dumps.
This book has both of those slowing it down. Still... pretty good read overall.
August 1, 2008
This is absolutely superb. Loved every second I read it, all the way to the last page...and it left me wishing this was the beginning of a series. Oh well, guess I'll just have to read it again...
January 25, 2016
Honestly, I initially had a hard time getting into this book. It was a struggle. But it was Weber and he’s usually quite good, so I kept slogging on and am I ever glad I did. By the time I was halfway through, I knew it was pretty good. By the time I was 75% of the way through, I was convinced it was damn brilliant. By the time I finished late last night, I was convinced I had just finished one of the best military sci fi novels I had ever read and I’m deeply disappointed there is apparently no sequel. I actually feel honored to have read such a masterpiece! This was a true work of art. Weber can tell a story like no other and while he can get bogged down in infodumps and can drive readers nutty with irritating habits, such as using stupid names and titles and reusing the same words over and over again (people “nod” and “shrug” and “bare their teeth” and “pinch the bridge of their nose” in most of his novels), it’s less frequent in this book than in most of his other books, for which I was grateful.
The synopsis of this book lies in a small fleet of 14th Century English knights and their army on their way to fight in France, fighting for their lives in a bad storm and losing the battle. With half the fleet having been lost and the remaining ships about to go down, an alien spacecraft from the Galactic Federation rescues Sir George Wincaster and his army of knights and longbowmen from certain death at sea and forces the Englishmen to act as slave/mercenaries to fight intergalactic battles against other "primitive" species throughout the universe on various planets where advanced weapons are banned. Sir George is a master tactician and is told by his “Commander” that he and his people will die if they lose a battle, so they have an incentive to win – every time – and they do. Over and over again. And they and their families go into “stasis” sleep during flights between planets, thus living hundreds of years while aging merely several years at a time, all the while hating their “demon-jester” Commander who kills their fellows as “object lessons” and has other alien species as guards and a godlike colleague named “Computer” who can monitor the humans’ conversations and converse with them virtually anywhere, but ensures that they must watch what they say at all times.
Apparently, there are 22 “civilized” races or I guess civilizations in the Federation overseeing hundreds of barbaric protectorics or other types of planets, all of which are subject to complete annihilation at the hands of the Federation with no qualms whatsoever, as the inhabitants of these planets, as barbaric uncivilized nonentities, are fortunate to even be allowed to live at the pleasure of the Federation. Earth, however presents a problem because it has and can develop technologically faster than most other civilizations and represents a long term potential threat.
Sir George and his people desperately want their freedom, desperately want to kill their ruthless and thoughtless and brutal Commander and to their surprise, some 350 years into their adventures, one of the alien species acting as guards on the gigantic ship they are on present a tiny possible way to do this, but they have to act quickly and decisively and if they fail, they all die. Additionally, Earth will almost certainly die and they will have to join this “dragon-man” species in finding a new planet to colonize and create a new human colony for the race to begin over again. It’s a very tense moment in the book.
I won’t describe what happens next, but it’s climactic, to a certain degree. But there’s more. Jump ahead hundreds of years. To Earth, which has been in contact with the Federation for over 100 years and which has been using antiquated Federation technology to build its own Navy as quickly as possible, knowing they can never match the Federation’s military capability. Fast forward to a Federation ultimatum put to Earth’s government which they are willing to meet, only to be told, off the record, by the local Federation fleet admiral that nothing they do will be acceptable, that they are to be exterminated. The human admiral is devastated, knowing the human race is literally about to be wiped out forever and ever, within hours. Can anything possibly save humanity? Can anyone or anything stand against the Federation?
It’s a quick, climactic ending to the book after a long, drawn out build up to this point, and that’s a little disappointing, but the duel ending, while short and sweet, does not at all disappoint and it’s pretty damn awesome. Could the Federation actually be in trouble and not even know it? Pretty awesome if that’s true. A lot of stuff is explained at the end of the book, classic Weber infodump which I actually didn’t mind for once, but what it amounted to was hope for the future and a personal hope and desire for a damn sequel, which I’m not getting. So that blows. But suffice it to say that the ending, again, while rushed, was eminently satisfying and partially mind blowing. No, completely mind blowing. I loved it! This isn’t Weber’s best book at all, but quite good, very good. But as a stand alone, especially, it’s quite excellent and very enjoyable and, for me, it’s a strong five star book and well worth the read. Definitely recommended!
The synopsis of this book lies in a small fleet of 14th Century English knights and their army on their way to fight in France, fighting for their lives in a bad storm and losing the battle. With half the fleet having been lost and the remaining ships about to go down, an alien spacecraft from the Galactic Federation rescues Sir George Wincaster and his army of knights and longbowmen from certain death at sea and forces the Englishmen to act as slave/mercenaries to fight intergalactic battles against other "primitive" species throughout the universe on various planets where advanced weapons are banned. Sir George is a master tactician and is told by his “Commander” that he and his people will die if they lose a battle, so they have an incentive to win – every time – and they do. Over and over again. And they and their families go into “stasis” sleep during flights between planets, thus living hundreds of years while aging merely several years at a time, all the while hating their “demon-jester” Commander who kills their fellows as “object lessons” and has other alien species as guards and a godlike colleague named “Computer” who can monitor the humans’ conversations and converse with them virtually anywhere, but ensures that they must watch what they say at all times.
Apparently, there are 22 “civilized” races or I guess civilizations in the Federation overseeing hundreds of barbaric protectorics or other types of planets, all of which are subject to complete annihilation at the hands of the Federation with no qualms whatsoever, as the inhabitants of these planets, as barbaric uncivilized nonentities, are fortunate to even be allowed to live at the pleasure of the Federation. Earth, however presents a problem because it has and can develop technologically faster than most other civilizations and represents a long term potential threat.
Sir George and his people desperately want their freedom, desperately want to kill their ruthless and thoughtless and brutal Commander and to their surprise, some 350 years into their adventures, one of the alien species acting as guards on the gigantic ship they are on present a tiny possible way to do this, but they have to act quickly and decisively and if they fail, they all die. Additionally, Earth will almost certainly die and they will have to join this “dragon-man” species in finding a new planet to colonize and create a new human colony for the race to begin over again. It’s a very tense moment in the book.
I won’t describe what happens next, but it’s climactic, to a certain degree. But there’s more. Jump ahead hundreds of years. To Earth, which has been in contact with the Federation for over 100 years and which has been using antiquated Federation technology to build its own Navy as quickly as possible, knowing they can never match the Federation’s military capability. Fast forward to a Federation ultimatum put to Earth’s government which they are willing to meet, only to be told, off the record, by the local Federation fleet admiral that nothing they do will be acceptable, that they are to be exterminated. The human admiral is devastated, knowing the human race is literally about to be wiped out forever and ever, within hours. Can anything possibly save humanity? Can anyone or anything stand against the Federation?
It’s a quick, climactic ending to the book after a long, drawn out build up to this point, and that’s a little disappointing, but the duel ending, while short and sweet, does not at all disappoint and it’s pretty damn awesome. Could the Federation actually be in trouble and not even know it? Pretty awesome if that’s true. A lot of stuff is explained at the end of the book, classic Weber infodump which I actually didn’t mind for once, but what it amounted to was hope for the future and a personal hope and desire for a damn sequel, which I’m not getting. So that blows. But suffice it to say that the ending, again, while rushed, was eminently satisfying and partially mind blowing. No, completely mind blowing. I loved it! This isn’t Weber’s best book at all, but quite good, very good. But as a stand alone, especially, it’s quite excellent and very enjoyable and, for me, it’s a strong five star book and well worth the read. Definitely recommended!
August 5, 2011
Une idée originale : des extraterrestres très avancé technologiquement sauvent une compagnie de soldats anglais du XIVe siècle.
Bien sûr tout ceci n'est pas sans contrepartie. Les extraterrestres attendent d'eux qu'ils combattent pour leur guilde. Reste cette question : pourquoi des E.T. dotés de technologies avancées auraient besoin de combattants "primitifs" ?
La réponse à cette question nous apparaît au fil des pages (mais on la devine avant quand même). L'appréhension des technologies extraterrestres par des hommes du moyen-Âge est intelligemment traitée et le tout est agréable.
Un regret : il y a certaines longueurs par moments. Pas des longueurs désagréables, l'auteur se donne juste le temps de créer une ambiance et de mettre en place son intrigue. Mais du coup, quand arrive la fin (un peu abrupte) on ne peut que regretter qu'il n'ait pas pris le temps de davantage la peaufiner.
Pas un grand roman donc, mais tout de même sympathique.
Bien sûr tout ceci n'est pas sans contrepartie. Les extraterrestres attendent d'eux qu'ils combattent pour leur guilde. Reste cette question : pourquoi des E.T. dotés de technologies avancées auraient besoin de combattants "primitifs" ?
La réponse à cette question nous apparaît au fil des pages (mais on la devine avant quand même). L'appréhension des technologies extraterrestres par des hommes du moyen-Âge est intelligemment traitée et le tout est agréable.
Un regret : il y a certaines longueurs par moments. Pas des longueurs désagréables, l'auteur se donne juste le temps de créer une ambiance et de mettre en place son intrigue. Mais du coup, quand arrive la fin (un peu abrupte) on ne peut que regretter qu'il n'ait pas pris le temps de davantage la peaufiner.
Pas un grand roman donc, mais tout de même sympathique.
July 1, 2011
This feels like it should be one of Weber's earlier novels, but it's a relatively recent 2002 vintage (and adapted from a short story the year before). It's also, for Weber, a a rare done-in-one, telling the tale of a 14th Century English army snatched up by aliens to fight (legally low-tech) wars on their behalf.
Weber knows and enjoys his ancient warfare, and despite a jolting change 7/8 of the way through the book (to bring it to some sort of triumphant conclusion), it's fascinating to watch the intersection of technologies he describes. He's done a better job, though, in both space battles and hi-tech/lo-tech melanges, so I can't give this a particularly high rating. But it's good fun, and quite readable, as hamburger in lieu of steak.
Weber knows and enjoys his ancient warfare, and despite a jolting change 7/8 of the way through the book (to bring it to some sort of triumphant conclusion), it's fascinating to watch the intersection of technologies he describes. He's done a better job, though, in both space battles and hi-tech/lo-tech melanges, so I can't give this a particularly high rating. But it's good fun, and quite readable, as hamburger in lieu of steak.
June 17, 2013
Interesting. Great premise. Solid, but at times questionable writing. The whole book could have been expanded into a great series... too late now though. The way that the plot jumps is just a bit contrived and weakens the already questionable sense of believability where the characters' emotions and personalities are concerned. If you're looking for a fun and engaging way to spend six hours or so give it a read. I read it in one sitting, which I can't remember doing with any books recently. So: lots of fun, could be better, definitely not brain material.
January 27, 2013
After a second read with the other two in the universe...this isn't nearly as good as I remember it being. It feels more like a short story padded out to length (it is) once I know that's what it is. There's rather too much whining and complaining, and not enough kicking ass and taking names. The last portion, like the books before it, fails to be balanced at all - humans are suddenly infinitely more powerful than their foes.
March 14, 2013
This is the first David Weber book I have read outside of the "Honor Herrington" series and it was not as enjoyable. The beginning was fun and the ending was exciting but I thought the middle bogged down badly. I also had some problems in the "suspend disbelief" area. I did not think the main characters reacted properly and the guild, which was portrayed as this rules-bound beuracracy, did not follow their own rules, which seems inconsistant.
February 8, 2011
This is the novel version of "Sir George and the Dragon" which appeared in Foreign Legions (compiled by David Drake).
A 14th century English army is kidnapped by aliens and used as cannon fodder for subjugation of "primitive" planets. A wonderful twist of fortune at the end.
Good military science fiction in the Weber tradition.
A 14th century English army is kidnapped by aliens and used as cannon fodder for subjugation of "primitive" planets. A wonderful twist of fortune at the end.
Good military science fiction in the Weber tradition.
April 17, 2013
I liked this book a lot - was a good read. Reminded me a lot of some of David Drake's works. I normally stay away from David Weber's solo works because he tends to focus a lot on the political aspects (see his Honor series) but I think he does very well in collaborations where he adds the right amount of political with out it being too much.
March 20, 2018
Small group of "uncivilized" warriors and their families get abducted by high tech aliens that want them to fight in their primitive wars. The aliens use their loved ones against them to keep the warriors fighting. It's oddly touching and sweet. The writing and attention to detail was well done, It didn't drag on at all and the ending was quite satisfying.
February 10, 2016
Very fun book and a good stand-alone if you didn't read the first two in the series. The author stays true to the universe he created and Bad Things happen to good people. Not all the characters are likable, and that, too, is wonderfully realistic. All the bits of the story piece together to tell something wonderful that *might* have happened. And maybe still will ....
December 29, 2010
The big problem is I want to review Poul Anderson's [return]The high Crusade instead. It must be twenty odd years since I read that light but intelligent, exciting and amusing book. Weber's attempt at Knight in space plods a very poor second.
August 20, 2011
David Weber is a very detailed oriented writer and this is true in this book. Bringing English Knights into a futuristic technology makes for an entertaining and enjoyable read. The aliens didn't know what hit them!
December 31, 2011
This is an okay book. I've read it twice, more by accident than choice. The very end part of the book seems to have more words than needed. But the beginning, when the humans are trying to figure out how to overcome their allien captors is pretty good.
February 22, 2014
Première partie originale et fin plus classique à la Weber. Dommage que les aventures des arbalétriers anglais ne soient pas plus développées entre les deux... mais qui sait, peut être David Weber envisage-t-il une série dans cet univers?
April 14, 2008
Science Fiction
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