I think you guys are too easy to please. I finally finished the book. Bit the bullet and paid $9.99 for the ebook. Most of what I read now days are on Kindle Unlimited, where I get as many books as I can read for a month for $9.99 --- Usual number -- 10-12.
Here's the review I posted on Amazon: 3 star rating
I'm Frustrated! This series looks to be never ending. Rather like this book. It was a slog to get through. I love David Weber, I think his Honor Harrington series is the best military SF ever written, and this series started out great, but each book has gotten progressively worse. This one is the worst so far.
What's wrong?
1. There are 100's of pages spent describing things that are of little interest.
2. The main characters of the series are mostly off stage.
3. There is no terrific ending, like the ones Weber is famous for. Instead there's a "Is that all we get?" ending.
4. The series is going no where. Like David, "We get it already. It's time to move to what is by now the obvious conclusion of the series."
5. The main tension of the series, the threat hanging out in outer space is only barely mentioned, and if someone hadn't read the first book or two there would be serious questions about why the main characters are pulling their punches when there is so much more that could be done.
To David Weber: "Please move this series ahead by a couple of thousand years and give us a Safehold Space Navy and let's fight the real villains in this timeline.
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The truth is that I barely could finish the book. I very nearly left the ending unread. Judging by how the ending played out, I probably should have. I'll likely give this series one more book and if the war is not ended in that one, I'm done. ---- Unless and until he moves it out to space.