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 Book, Not impressed with Narrator

The series and the book are great, but I'm going to have to give in Keating a 2 star rating for his performance - the previous narrators were MUCH better.

like the story, not the reader

Would you consider the audio edition of How Firm a Foundation to be better than the print version?

I, have been hooked on the Safehold series sense the first book. It sometimes gets overly detailed, but that's what makes the stories so good. I also liked the reader in the first 4 books, but this reader is not very good. He sounds to old for the characters, and he reads too slow. I had to increase the read speed just to tolerate it.

How could the performance have been better?

If you had used the first reader or at the every least a younger one.

David Weber has done it again!

This next installment in the Safehold series continues the well thought out universe that Weber has created. If you are thinking about enjoying an epic science fiction, this is a series you should listen to. If you enjoy the Horatio Hornblower series, but would love a sci-fi twist that also has a depth of character development that is superb, this is a series for you.

Book I like it

I like this book and I recommend it! I am now starting book 6 which I got from my library so I can't review it individually on Audible and I just started it but I warn you that the constant change of narrators is really painful especially in book 6. Make sure you read the reviews book 6.

Good book, poor reader

Would you listen to How Firm a Foundation again? Why?

The (ongoing) story is interesting, albeit more of an alternate history or even fantasy-with-scifi-trappings than scifi.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters are engaging, the world well-defined, and the the antagonists interesting rather than just purely and universally punching bags.

How could the performance have been better?

The reader seems to have only 2 voices: querulous old man, and cranky old man. Every character--including the women--seems to sound pretty much exactly the same.

Any additional comments?

I wish the various publishers would make an effort to retain the same reader throughout a series.

great

love all the characters and technology mix and they way things are discovered and implemented

Narrator needs a new line of work

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes its a great story

What other book might you compare How Firm a Foundation to and why?

1632, both have a modern or futuristic character that interacts with a more technological primitive society.

How could the performance have been better?

The Narrator needs to learn how to adjust his voice so you can differentiate between the characters. I had trouble even when a woman was supposedly speaking. The narrators infliction needs work. Sad happy and excited, just about al of the emotions sounded the same.

Was How Firm a Foundation worth the listening time?

Yes, the story was good enough to compensate for the horrible narrator.

Any additional comments?

Unless the story this narrator is reading is a book where only men speak and its in Britain think twice before you buy and listen to it.

Awesome continuation of a memorable story!

A story that draws you in. Encourages you to relate and join the struggles and triumphs. Highly recommended!

Story Tellers

Any additional comments?

I believe that story tellers HAS an effect on a book Especially series,and ones as healthy as this one. It somehow changes something.

Good

Not my favorite performer. It's a voice I use to put myself to sleep rather than enjoy the story, but good none the less.