On Basilisk Station

Honor Harrington, Book 1

By: David Weber

Narrated by: Allyson Johnson

Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Having made a superior look a fool, Honor Harrington has been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin.

Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station.

The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens.

Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling; the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is up to something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system.

But the people out to get her have made one mistake. They've made her mad.

A Note from Author David Weber
There's been some confusion—not to say, um, energetic debate, readers and fans being readers and fans—about the correct pronunciation of "Manticoran." The truth, alas, is that a stitch was dropped. An error occurred. A mistake was made… and it wasn't Audible's fault. It was mine. Before Audible recorded the very first Honor Harrington book, narrator Allyson Johnson and I not only corresponded by e-mail but actually spoke to one another by phone. She wanted to make absolutely certain she had the correct pronunciations for names, places, star nations, etc., and I tried to make certain all of her questions were answered. And so they were. Unfortunately, at some point in the process, I replied to one of her e-mails by telling her that "Man-ti-core-ahn" was pronounced "Man-tik-er-ahn." Exactly how this happened is more than I can say at this point, except to blushingly disclose that the original e-mail remains intact, confirming to all the world that it was, indeed, my fault. I can ascribe it only to a temporary mental hiccup on my part and crave your forgiveness. If, however, you must blame someone for the mix-up, that someone should be me and not Audible, who have done everything they could to get it right.

©2002 David Weber (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Awful Reader

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The reader is incredibly stilted. It cuts up the story and makes in entirely unpleasant.

Great start to a great series

Having read the full HH series, the first installment remains my favorite. The first two acts of On Basilisk Station are somewhat slowly paced (though still brisk by Weber's infamously loquacious standards), but the amazing conclusion makes the wait worthwhile. I'm one of the readers who is in this series more for the space battles and strategizing than the politics and characters, but I also recognize that the battles would not be nearly as entertaining without the broader context of the story. The slow build-up, though it drags in places, gives a much needed contrast without which the final quarter of the book would not be as exciting as it is.

From a technical side, Johnson is an excellent narrator. Her voice is crisp and even and her enunciation is flawless. In 15 hours of reading, she spoke not a single word that I misunderstood. From a performative side, she puts very little emotion into the characters. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - I certainly prefer too little over too much - but it makes Weber's already dry dialogues even drier. Comparisons that others have made to listening to a newscaster are exaggerated... but not by much. I also didn't care for some of the accents she affects for the characters, though I will say that they are at least distinctive. There's no mistaking whose voice she is imitating even without the narration cues. Overall, it took me some time to get used to her style, but once I did, the audiobook was a very easy listen.

Must have for any Sci-fi fan

A great Sci-fi story by Mr. Weber and Allyson does a great job breathing life into his characters.

Love the book

This is a great story. Manticore is miss pronounced a lot but the story is great.

Makes a big splash

Naturally Weber had plotted out far beyond this first episode when Basilisk Station was released. What a tremendous opening!

Great story from a great author

Fast paced story while still giving great background details. Multiple good and bad characters to draw you in the love them or hate them as appropriate.

On Basilisk station

I really enjoy this series. However I hate being cut off 1/2 thru. If your like me? you may want to wait on this series, until Audible decides to offer all the books. They cut you off at book 7 of 12.

Amazing

I chose to listen to this book because of the high ratings of the series and the author. I have to admit it started slow for me and I wasn't prepared for the extensive military descriptions and I really had to concentrate to listen. I'm glad I did. What a character development. With every emotion, every moment of tension, I won't ever forget this book. I will listen to the rest of the series without hesitation.

It's been a long time

I read the Honor Harrington books when I was a kid many years ago and had mostly forgotten about them since then. I was delighted to find these after I re-discovered David Weber in his new Safehold series. I have now listened to most of the Honor books again and am thrilled with both the content and the reader. Audible you are doing a great service to readers everywhere who only have time to read in the car (most of us poor CA folks who have great weather but a horrible commute) by spreading this wonderful series of Sci-Fi to new and old Sci-Fi readers alike. Great job Audible Frontiers. If you have not read the Honor series I highly recommend it if you are a Sci-Fi fan or just like a good story. It is an entertaining story which will keep you entertained.

Three books and losing interest

For those of you looking for a Vorkosigan Saga experience, this isn't it - not nearly. Contrary to other reviewers, I find the narration fine - not a distraction. What IS over the top is how enthralled the author is in detailing the nuances of the technology he has thought up - including appendices. There are other writers of hard science fiction who let the reader figure their worlds out through the plot. Here, plot and character are subordinate to the writer's ego. I'd say the target audience is teen.