While this book moves the story forward (at least a little) it does so in fits and starts with many things that are flash backs presented as if they had not been already told in part. Many threads remain hanging. One can only hope Weber will not rush the wrap up to the kind if unsatisfactory ending he gave us for Armageddon Reef.

Only buy this book if you are a huge fan of the Honor Harrington series. It appears Mr. Weber basically took the extra chapters from his preceding four or five books that had to be cut due to length and slapped them together with a few new chapters. The final result is a book that covers a vast amount of material that's already been covered in the three preceding Shadow of Saganami books and the last two mainline Honor Harrington books (Mission of Honor and A Rising Thunder). Only, it's mostly told from the POV of relatively minor characters who've been on the periphery of the main storylines and barely moves any of the main storylines along at all. Throw in a great deal of character names, places or organizations that are presented in Polish or Czech and you have a book that at times becomes a grind to read. If you've read the five books mentioned above, you've pretty much covered the entirety of THIS book! Very disappointing.