Crown of Slaves (Unabridged) [Audio Download]

Although set in the same universe as David Weber's Honor Harrington books, this book tells the story of Berry Zilwicki, formerly a street child from Old Earth, and her friend Ruth Winton as they are introduced to the political scene in the interregnum between the cease-fire and resumption of hostilities between Manticore and Haven. Ruth is sent as the Crown's personal representative to the funeral of a prominent member for political reform within the Solarian League and Berry goes along with her for company and a bit of camouflage. Berry's father, the star kingdom's premiere intelligence agent, is sent along to keep them out of trouble (hah!). With Anton out of the way, the two girls are drawn into a whirlpool of events that appear to be spiralling out of control!
As this has all the hallmarks of being written mainly by Eric Flint, the political background and interactions between the various parties have a greater depth than is usually present in the Honorverse. However, the military actions are also generally at a lower key than Weber's, though no less intense. The authors have brought in elements from earlier novels to build up a new generation's story while still keeping familiar elements from earlier stories.
I only hope that any further books in this series keep up the standard of this book.

“Crown of Slaves” is a wonderful embellishment of the ‘smaller’ but no less infamous characters of the Honorverse and I for one loved it. The truly convincing characterisation and witty bantering humour that marks Weber as an exceptional writer of the Sci-Fi genre are present as always, and lighten the otherwise grim but spectacular space-warfare and devious intrigue flavoured by Eric Flint. Take one Captain Anton Zilwicki, ex-spook, the spy wannabe (Ruth) who also happens to be the daughter of the Queen's sister-in-law Judith Winton and Ruth’s partner in crime (pun intended) the body double in the form of Berry Zilwicki. Add Cathy Montaigne’s foul language and political savvy. Political minefields in the systems Erewhon and the Solarian League. Snippets into Virginia (Ginny) and Kevin Usher’s own sly agendas, with their notorious friend, the ruthless Victor Cachat on the ball. Add the slave extremists, the Audubon Ballroom, the assassin, Jeremy X into the mix and you get one hell of a book. I’m not going to tell you more because that would spoil the fun of it – but it’s definitely NOT one to miss!!!

Set in the same Universe and timeframe as David Weber's "Honor Harrington" novels, sometimes nicknamed the "Honorverse." The events take place at approximately the same time as the early chapters of "War of Honor."

If you have not read any of the other books in the series: this novel is set in the far future and is the story of how men and women from planets who are normally bitter enemies - indeed, technically at war with one another - collaborate against an unholy alliance of terrorist religious extremists, and corrupt corporations profiteering from a vile form of slavery and who are rich enough to buy governments.

If you are familiar with the rest of the series, be aware that this books has several differences from them.

With the most recent group of short stories and novels in the "Honorverse" Weber and his collaborators seem to be establishing three groups of characters and storylines, which they are all linked in a reasonably consistent manner into one history.

There is the main sequence featuring Honor Harrington herself, in which the first novel, and the best one to start with, is "On Basilisk Station." The most recent novels in the main sequence are "War of Honor" and "At All Costs." There is a "next generation" sequence featuring some younger officers in the Haven and Manticoran navies such as Helen Zilwicki and Abigail Hearns. And there is a series of spy stories, in which "Crown of Slaves" is the first full length novel. Honor Harrington does get a cameo part in the book, but the central figures are Anton Zilwicki, his adopted daughter Berry, Princess Ruth Winton, and the Havenite agent Victor Cachat.

The first main difference between "Crown of Slaves" and most of the other books in the Honorverse is that the main enemy is the genetic slavers, the companies who traffic in slaves (particularly Manpower) and the governments they have bought. Agents from Manticore and Grayson are practically allied with agents from Haven against the slavers, despite the fact that their countries are involved in a very bitter war. Hence Manticorans such as Anton Zilwicki can and do make common cause with Victor Cachat, the star agent of Haven's Federal Intelligence Service.

The second main difference is that the book is about espionage, politics, counter-terrorism and revolt rather than space battles. The only Manticoran naval officer who gets to fight a space battle is Captain Oversteegen, who despite being a cousin of the Manticoran Prime Minister, Baron High Ridge, has a mind of his own.

This is a well-written story, with a lot of excitement, a rather convoluted but clever plot, and interesting heroes and heroines, although the "bad guys" are sometimes so cartoonishly evil that they are a little hard to believe.

If you read the other "Honorverse" books purely for the space battles, leave this one alone. If you like the intrigue and the characters, you'll probably like this book.

If you have not read any of the Honorverse books, but like stories of
intrigue and revolt in the far future - think Aeon Flux but slightly more cerebral and plausible - you may well enjoy it.