The Service of the Sword
Encyclopedia
The Service of the Sword, published in 2003, was the fourth anthology
of stories set in the fictional Honorverse
.
The book contains the following stories:
"Promised Land" by Jane Lindskold
"With One Stone" by Timothy Zahn
"A Ship Named Francis" by John Ringo
and Victor Mitchell
"Let's Go to Prague" by John Ringo
"Fanatic" by Eric Flint
"The Service of the Sword" by David Weber
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of stories set in the fictional Honorverse
Honorverse
The Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
.
The book contains the following stories:
"Promised Land" by Jane Lindskold
Jane Lindskold
Jane M. Lindskold is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels.Jane M. Lindskold was born in 1962, at the Columbia Hospital for Women. She is the first of four siblings: Ann M. Lindskold Nalley, Graydon M. Lindskold, and Susan M. Lindskold Speer. Lindskold's...
- Michael Winton, brother of Queen Elizabeth IIIElizabeth III of ManticoreQueen Elizabeth III of Manticore is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. She is the reigning monarch of the Star Kingdom of Manticore...
and Crown PrinceCrown PrinceA crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of ManticoreStar Kingdom of ManticoreThe Star Kingdom of Manticore , frequently referred to as Manticore or the Star Kingdom, is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse series of military science fiction novels and short stories by David Weber and others, published by Baen Books.- Depiction :The Star Kingdom was founded in the...
, embarks on his "snotty" cruise following his studies at Saganami Naval Academy. Determined to prove that he can be more than the Heir to the Throne, Michael requests to be assigned to a ship on patrol deployment instead of a "safe" posting in the Manticoran home system. He is assigned to the light cruiser Intransigent, which is sent to the planet Masada on a diplomatic mission. - Meanwhile, Judith, a young Grayson girl captured by Masadan privateerPrivateerA privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
s and forced to marry their leader, becomes the greatest hope of a secret sisterhood of Masadan women who are plotting their escape from the religious fanatics of their world.
"With One Stone" by Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn is a writer of science fiction short stories and novels. His novella Cascade Point won the 1984 Hugo award. He is the author of nine Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound...
- The People's Republic of HavenPeople's Republic of HavenThe Republic of Haven is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books....
tests a secret weapon. Bad news for them: their intended victim turns out to be Honor HarringtonHonor HarringtonHonor Stephanie Alexander-Harrington is a fictional character, the heroine of a series of military science fiction books set in the "Honorverse", written by David Weber and published by Baen Books....
. Good news for Manticore: Honor's solution to the problem gives them a secret weapon of their own.
"A Ship Named Francis" by John Ringo
John Ringo
John Ringo is an American science fiction and military fiction author. He has had several New York Times best sellers. His books range from straightforward science fiction to a mix of military and political thrillers...
and Victor Mitchell
- Sean Tyler, a corpsman in the Royal Manticoran Navy, thought that a stint as a loaner in the explosively-growing Grayson Space Navy would boost his career. So, when there was a slot vacant on board the cruiser Francis Mueller, his wish was granted. Unfortunately for Corpsman Tyler, no one told him that almost everybody on board the Francis—from the clueless captain to the psychotic XO and the panicky chaplain—had been sent there because no one else in the entire Grayson Space Navy wants them.
"Let's Go to Prague" by John Ringo
John Ringo
John Ringo is an American science fiction and military fiction author. He has had several New York Times best sellers. His books range from straightforward science fiction to a mix of military and political thrillers...
- A pair of Manticoran special forces operatives discover that a holiday can be even more fun if it involves spoiling StateSec's day.
"Fanatic" by Eric Flint
Eric Flint
Eric Flint is an American author, editor, and e-publisher. The majority of his main works are alternate history science fiction, but he also writes humorous fantasy adventures.- Career :...
- When the senior People's Commissioner assigned to a backwater sector of the People's Republic of HavenPeople's Republic of HavenThe Republic of Haven is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books....
is found murdered, Oscar Saint-JustOscar Saint-JustOscar Saint-Just is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. His name is most likely a reference to Louis de Saint-Just, an important figure in the French Revolution, who sat in the Comité de Salut Public with Robespierre.As First...
, now the dictator of Haven, sends a young and idealistic StateSec officer by the name of Victor CachatVictor CachatVictor Cachat is a fictional character created by writer Eric Flint for a story featured in an anthology collection set on David Weber's Honorverse series of novels...
to investigate. Confronting and terrorizing both Navy and StateSec personnel with his ruthlessness, Cachat orders broad reorganizations in the sector's military and security forces which may have more than "cleaning the house" in mind. But Cachat may be the right man in the right place at the right time when news of Saint-Just's overthrow reach his sector. Background for Crown of SlavesCrown of SlavesCrown of Slaves is a 2003 novel by David Weber and Eric Flint set in the Honorverse; it has been billed as the first in the Wages of Sin series, spun off from the main Honor Harrington series....
.
"The Service of the Sword" by David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
- Abigail Hearns, the daughter of a prominent Grayson Steadholder, has grown idolizing Honor HarringtonHonor HarringtonHonor Stephanie Alexander-Harrington is a fictional character, the heroine of a series of military science fiction books set in the "Honorverse", written by David Weber and published by Baen Books....
ever since she witnessed her defense of Abigail's homeworld from the Masadans. Out of sheer determination, she attended Saganami Naval Academy to become the first Grayson midshipwoman. She is sent for her "snotty" cruise on board the heavy cruiser HMS Gauntlet, commanded by an irritating Manticoran nobleman who may be more than what he seems. But when Gauntlet is sent to investigate the disappearance of several ships in a backwater region of space, Abigail discovers that the Peeps are definitely not the only bad guys out there: background for The Shadow of SaganamiThe Shadow of SaganamiThe Shadow of Saganami by David Weber, published in 2004, is a novel set in the Honorverse; it has been billed as the first in the Saganami Island series, spun off from the main Honor Harrington series...
.
External links
- An excerpt of The Service of the Sword is available for download or reading online at the Baen Free LibraryBaen Free LibraryThe Baen Free Library is a digital library of the science fiction and fantasy publishing house Baen Books where 112 full books can be downloaded free in a number of formats, without copy protection...
here. The whole anthology can be found here. - http://www.baen.com/library/