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

great story with a mediocre narrator

The narrator only had one voice. this was more akin to being read a story than listening to a performance

My favorite so far

If you haven't read the first books, you need to stop reading this and get to book 1!

Once again there is a new narrator. The one thing I don't like about him is that he mispronounces Merlin's last name. And HE correctly pronounces valet! Now that I have that out of my system...

Even though Merlin has been the main "mover and shaker" in the story so far, he begins to take on a different role as more people are taken into the inner circle. Karlis' (the name of Cayleb's home)--I can't remember... innovations are growing by leaps and bounds. And Jaspar grows more crazy and escalates the Jihad.

Although I am enjoying this story immensely, I do think it could do think it could with a hair cut!That being said, though, I am enjoying this book the best of what I've read so far. : )

Great Story

narrator sounds stressed ALL of the time. of all series narrators this one seemed to miss the flavor. thank goodness for the writing

Pronounce

The narrator did a poor job of pronouncing names and words as the had been.

Narrator

Story followed nicely with the previous books. Narrator monotone and pronunciation inconsistent with previous books.

amazing book

this is an amazing book I laughed I cried and I was angered feeling that kind of emotion is always the sign of a good book in my opinion

Reader

The reader had a nice voice, the lack of variation between characters made it difficult to listen to at times.

Safehold FTW!

I agree with the many other reviews that this was NOT the book for this narrator. It was not necessarily that he was bad. I can imagine listening to him on other occasions. But the voices were not distinct enough and all tended to sound old with that reedy quality even if it was a young character. However. I must say we were all quite spoiled with Oliver Wyman’s (?) superb performance one the book one Off Armageddon Reef. It would really have been amazing to hear the entire series with his voice.
I am VERY anti religion. But my husband suggested this with the caveat that I read at least through the first three chapters before tossing it aside. I must say. I REALLY do not like all the crap out of Zion. But then that is how I see the real world. It IS interesting to be provided with a multitude of different perspectives on a wide variety of issues. And the naval battles and descriptions & explanations of the development & progression of warfare are intriguing. It really brings the history of it all to life. Well done. As usual.

Taking it to the mainland

Good book.

Switching narrators in longer series has its downfalls. Changing the pronunciation of just about every name from the first books is jarring in am audio book

Keep them coming.

Weber does not disappoint. Bring on the next one. The characters remained fresh and dynamic. Very hard for a series with so much detail. Well worth the credit.