When Weber is on, he's on. He spins tales like few I've ever read. I love so many of his books. Unfortunately, many agree with me that he's lazy and greedy. The Safehold series is a perfect example. First book - freaking awesome! Next couple of books, darn good, whetting your appetite for what's to come. Next three books -- and bear in mind that these are all in the 1,000+ page range -- ALL focus on generally one single county, one single war, several battles in each in which the plot doesn't freaking advance nearly at all, perhaps a month or two. It's filler shit and to drag that out over three books and over 3,000 pages just to repeat the same damn battles over and over again with the same damn atrocities and the same damn bravery and meanwhile you are dying to know if the SOB will ever move on and what will fucking HAPPEN because he's hooked you, so you know he's taking you for bank and screwing the hell out of you by just putting his word processor on repeat and walking away from it for a month only to return, not even bother looking, and sending it to his publisher. Makes you want to smack him in the face! God, I've never had such a love/hate relationship with an author.But damn it, many of his books are just head and tails above and beyond nearly any other sci fi/fantasy writer's productions, period. The trouble, for me, is when he co-authors. I rarely like his pairings, with the exception of the Multiverse series, which got screwed up with the death of his colleague, so it'll likely never be finished and I'll spend the rest of my life on pins and needles wondering WTH WAS supposed to and going to happen!!! Utter cruelty. But aside from that, I've been able to endure good ole' Steve, have never been impressed with Flint, and Ringo? Holy shit, he is such a right wing loon that he makes the "Tea Party" freaks look like flipping liberals! I promise he's a trump lover and that alone should tell you the size of his IQ. I can't stand anything Ringo writes or is involved with and I know he has a lot of fans, and he does write some good action sequences, but if he would just keep his damn politics out of it, it'd make his work not only much better, but possibly endurable! However, he never can seem to restrain himself and I've always pictured him as the stereotypical GI in Nam that developed a bad reputation due to actual events that unfortunately occured but were later discovered. No specifics. Could be dead wrong. Hope I'm dead wrong. But he seems like a massive rageaholic with a savage right wing hatred of anyone left of, well palin and trump, and that scares the shit out of me. Now, do I know Weber's politics? No, I don't. Do I care? No, I don't, because in the many dozens of books I've read of us, I can't recall a single time when he started proselytizing right or left, let alone oppressive, politics, and for that I am grateful because if he's collaborating with Ringo on books, I'd assume they get along and may share similar views and if so, I'd just rather be kept in the dark. As with many of his collaborative efforts, I find this less than impressive and combined with his co-author, a perfect items to dump in the trash can. Not ever recommended. ( )

The interminable journey to the sea took way too long for me to enjoy the story. The "Honorverse" is vastly entertaining by comparison. These boys could learn a thing or two from my favorite "world-builder" C.J.Cherryh. Sorry guys. 1 big thumb down on this one. ( )