Friends Indeed

Star Kingdom, Book 5

By: David Weber, Jane Lindskold

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

A new novel featuring Stephanie Harrington in Honorverse prequel series

What happens after the War of the Gods?

The answer lies in the Heart of the Mountain ...

The trouble with treecats

Stephanie Harrington didn’t discover treecats—they were indigenous to the planet Sphinx, a colony of the tiny Star Kingdom of Manticore. But at age ten she was the first human to bond with one. Now, almost 17, she is the species greatest champion.

To the rest of the human galaxy, if they are known at all, they are recognized as tool using, socially organized, fuzzy little creatures, with no known method of communication—who also happen to be fierce hunters. But are they sapient? Because if they are, that would have all sorts of repercussions for the families who have settled on Sphinx, the Harringtons not the least.

There will be winners, and there will be losers. And Stephanie is there to make sure the treecats don’t lose out.

But Stephanie, the treecats, and Sphinx itself may be caught up in an even greater conspiracy than the one to help the fighting ‘cats survive, one generations in the making ...

©2025 Words of Weber, Inc. & Obsidian Tiger, Inc. (P)2025 Audible, Inc.

Fantastic start to the next adventure in the series!

David Weber and Jane Lindskold did a wonderful job of returning us to the initial treecat timeline. This time around, Stephanie is growing up and she is back with a bang. As more people are engaged in the treecat conspiracy a new overhanging mystery looms over the treecats for the reader to work through. Kristine Hvam does an excellent job bringing the story to life. I can’t wait for the next’s book in the series.

This was a solid story and oh God I balled.

The Preformance was in this one was a solid 10 out of 10. it covers very important themes and lessons we could all stand to learn. I would recommend it to all.

Lovely

I love the deep dive we get into treecat culture and the growing relationship between treecats and humans. Really lovely book! Also the narration was great, separating out all the various personalities of humans and treecats.

Treecats and Drama

As with the first 4 in the series, this book centers on Stephanie Harrington. The book takes up a few months after the previous installment, in very early spring.
For those that have read the Honor Harrington series, there is a tie in with the "Alignment" conspiracy. We learn how Stephanie's Genie line was "lost" from the Alignment.
Stephanie and Karl start a survey of Treecat clans, and there is lots of Drama after a Treecat is shot by a human.
This book is fast paced and full of interesting characters.

Doesn’t advance the story

I wish I’d not purchased this book. I want to know what happens when Honor, et al. go after The Alignment again. Instead I get minutiae about the life and times of Stephanie Harrington. Frustrating.