Torch of Freedom

By: David Weber, Eric Flint

Narrated by: Peter Larkin

Length: 21 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

As the slavemasters of Mesa plot against the Star Empire of Manticore and the newly liberated slave planet of Torch, Anton Zilwicki and the notorious Havenite secret agent Victor Cachat set off on a dangerous mission to uncover the truth concerning a wave of mysterious assassinations that have been launched against Manticore and Torch.

Most people are sure that the Republic of Haven is behind the assassinations, but Zilwicki and Cachat suspect others of being the guilty party.

Queen Berry of Torch was one of the targets of the unknown assassins. The former head of the Ballroom slave liberation organization, Jeremy Xnow one of Torch's top officials, but still considered by many the most dangerous terrorist in the galaxycalls in some past favors owed to him.

In response, a security officer from Beowulf arrives in Torch to take charge of Queen Berry's securitya task made doubly difficult by the young monarch's resentment of bodyguards and the security officer's own growing attachment to her.

Meanwhile, powerful forces in the Solarian League are maneuvering against each other to gain the upper hand in what they all expect to be an explosive crisis that threatens the very existence of the League itself.

©2009 David Weber and Eric Flint (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Filled in the blanks on the main story line.

What did you love best about Torch of Freedom?

It filled the back story in for Torch. More detail on the trip to Mesa and the Green Pines event. If you have read or listened through the main story and loved them, you should listen to this.

What did you like best about this story?

More Detail on the tertiary characters and sets the stage as the story on the main line completes.

Have you listened to any of Peter Larkin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I love listening to his performances, but I like Alyson Johnson's reading better on the main books. Part of it is that pronunciations of some names are not the same and it tripped me up a bit while listening. Part of it is Alyson Johnson's reading has cemented character voices in my head. But still a good listen.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I ended up listening to it until I fell asleep and had to restart the next morning to finish the story.

OK

Not as good as the mainline Harrington. But still a worthwhile listen. Explains a couple of later occurrences.

Great story Well read

I really enjoyed Torch of Freedom. The story line follows on with the Honor Harrington universe but gives us the background to what's happening in Manticore. Really well read also. I highly recommend it.

Great

Another great addition to the Honor verse. Read the book , you'll like it seriously.

Much improved audio levels, and a bang-up story

The first volume had all sorts of audio level and other issues. The only issue still remaining is the lack of any pause between the last word of a chapter and the “Chapter x” of the following chapter.

The story is still awesome! I’ve read/listened to this story many times, and I thoroughly enjoy it every time. The characters are interesting, and the plot and pacing are great.

He talks alot, but doesn't have much to say

This is the most disappointing novel I've yet read from David Weber. The characters spend a LOT of time just talking, and their witty reparte (somehow they're almost all witty with a wry sense of humour and sarcasm) takes up the bulk of the book. There's very little combat or action, and very little new plot. What plot there is, is really just a bit of backstory on some of the happenings in the larger Honorverse. I won't say it should be avoided, but it might be better to read it where you can skim through some of the boring bits - like the beginning, when almost 1 hour or more is spent on a long, drawn out political discussion with little context as to what it has to do with the rest of the story.

Yes yes yes! ♡♡♡♡♡

the Honor Universe once more cracks out the top-level live entertainment that reading has brought to me. I have all the books but now I see the sights in my imagination thank you

Not horrible

The need to insert a bunch of incomplete fairly recent historical references is a little tiring, the narrator mispronounces several words and names. Cuts a stark contrast with Alyson Johnson’s reading of the few shared passages, in which she does not.

Not a terrible story, but the nuts and bolts of it are distracting from the story.

good story but does jump around and past areas

good book but skipped some areas I would have liked to have more details. narration was outstanding.

THE background story. One sidelight.

The vignettes of the Honorverse torch style. Certainly filled with the subplots worthy of the Great Granddame of all the Honor Harrington tapestry.