How Firm a Foundation

Safehold Series, Book 5

By: David Weber

Narrated by: Charles Keating

Length: 28 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

The Charisian Empire, born in war, has always known it must fight for its very survival. What most of its subjects don’t know even now, however, is how much more it’s fighting for. Emperor Cayleb, Empress Sharleyan, Merlin Athrawes, and their innermost circle of most trusted advisers do know. And because they do, they know the penalty if they lose will be far worse than their own deaths and the destruction of all they know and love.

For five years, Charis has survived all the Church of God Awaiting and the corrupt men who control it have thrown at the island empire. The price has been high and paid in blood. Despite its chain of hard-fought naval victories, Charis is still on the defensive. It can hold its own at sea, but if it is to survive, it must defeat the Church upon its own ground. Yet how does it invade the mainland and take the war to a foe whose population outnumbers its own 15 to one? How does it prevent that massive opponent from rebuilding its fleets and attacking yet again?

Charis has no answer to those questions, but needs to find one… quickly. The Inquisition’s brutal torture and hideous executions are claiming more and more innocent lives. Its agents are fomenting rebellion against the only mainland realms sympathetic to Charis. Religious terrorists have been dispatched to wreak havoc against the Empire’s subjects. Assassins stalk the Emperor and Empress, their allies and advisers, and an innocent young boy, not yet 11 years old, whose father has already been murdered. And Merlin Athrawes, the cybernetic avatar of a young woman a thousand years dead, has finally learned what sleeps beneath the far-off Temple in the Church of God Awaiting’s city of Zion.

The men and women fighting for human freedom and tolerance have built a foundation for their struggle in the Empire of Charis with their own blood, but will that foundation be firm enough to survive?

Listen to more in the Safehold series.

©2011 David Weber (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

A fine story by weber

I enjoyed webers ability to create an almost visceral and immersive and often times brutal experience in this novel. it is not his best novel, but it is definitely one of his better ones.

Narater made every one sound old

Good story but narrater Keating made ever one sound the same and old. The good news is the next book is only one credit!

Different voice actor

There is a different voice actor for this book. Not as good as a performance as the original voice actor.

New Narrator

The story is as excellent as ever, but changing to a different narrator... it's like if your Dad was reading you a story, with voices and sound effects, but then your grandpa takes over for a while... He's trying, but he just doesn't have the same flair. it's not a BAD reading, but compared to the previous narrators, it just doesn't hold water. Much like Bishop Harper's Navy of God.

only okay narration

There were several times I was jarred out if the story by the narration. The narrator often had younger characters sounding like querulous old men

another new narrative...

where to write 15 Words Don't write me a lot of Words Words Words Words

Love the Narrator - I could listen to him all day.

I'm on the Grind and have knocked out 5 books in two months. I'm really enjoying the story and not in small part to Mr. Keating's narration. The story is rich and you have to give Mr. Weber credit for doing his homework with regards to Naval terms. I am starting to get concerned that he is going to pull a Jordan on us and just pour out book after book without advancing us towards what should be an inevitable end. Even now he's starting to get a little mired down in the details.

Still - Good Story, Good Depth, Good Narrator. He has kept my free time interesting.

Thank you Mr. Weber.

Better than book 3

The narrators keep changing even in the middle of book. Ok but definitely not as good as books 1 & 2. Story picks up with more action but you have love to appreciate all the nuances. Clearly Weber has done his homework.

Pluses to the Narrator

Enjoyed the story and especially the narrator. He really made the characters come alive.

Awesome Story, Horrible Narrator

What did you like about this audiobook?

I love all of Mr Weber's book. I love the idea that in the next book there maybe more Seijins. I would really love to see a woman maybe with Nimue Alban's appearance. I do love a strong woman character.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

I just love learning, I really love the way the book layes out the evolution of objects. For example the pistol, Mr. Weber does a great job of explaining how the evolution of the pistol happen.

He does the same with ships. I can really see why one innovation affects and forces innovation on another object. Example why the cannon and exploding shells for the innovation of metal ship.

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

I like to think i have a logical mind, and i love love love to learn new things, but even more then that i love to know why things work and the way they do. The author is one of the best people i have every heard in the way of explaining concepts without a visual aid.

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

OK this is the only thing i hated about this book, the narrator this Charles Keating is so monotone, in all the other book the narrators have inflection and emotion in there voice. If something exciting is happening the voice reflects that, if the character is mad the narrator sounds mad. This guy Charles Keating did not have any of that, i could not tell one character from another they all sound alike, and i could never get excited or into any part of the book because he was so flat.

I would say i maybe a bet bias because I like the guy that started off the series so much more, and I am really in my head comparing the two. But I really think i would fell the same way no matter what book this guy reads. I do not normally give bad reviews of book but i could let this go unsaid. I love David Weber's book but if this would have been the first one I ever read I more then likely would never read another one.

The Narrator reminded me of my College British Literature Professor that use to put me to sleep.

Do you have any additional comments?

the only reason i did not give this book 5 stars is because of the narrator. I feel bad for not giving a prefect grade to a author as talented as David Weber.