This is another book
in the excellent Safehold series. Safehold
is a planet intentionally hidden at a
low tech level from an alien intelligence that has wiped out mankind except for
Safehold. Safehold’s founders founded a new religion to
deter industrialization in hopes of not attracting the attention of mankind’s
nemesis. Much of the review here is the
same for the whole series.
This book as referred to by the characters is the end of the
beginning. That certainly suggests
future books. This book puts a bow on
much of the activity of the previous books but it is clear there can be a much
longer story. Of course part of the length
is Weber's inability to be succinct. As
much as I like the details, sometimes they are overwhelmingly mind
numbing.
The aforementioned theocracy has become dominated by the
gang of four. The gang of four, are
four corrupt churchmen who will do anything, no matter how despicable, to
remain in power. Mass murder, terriorism,
torture and even instigating civil war and denying all progress, it still
manages to trumpet it’s godliness.
As all of Weber’s works he has deplorable villains and
laudable heroes. Weber works many of
current society’s ills into his work.
Fanaticism, jihad, corruption, facile politicians, evil empires; he
manages to include or refer to through proxy. The dangers of church and state intermingling
is brutally depicted by the actions of the theocracy.
Weber is one of those rare authors who can infiltrate your
emotions with his characters and feel you full of empathy for their
actions. This book seems to show more
empathy for the "bad guys".
The depiction that all foes are not evil is done very well. Weber demonstrates that good people can be
put in untenable situations and find themselves doing evil works. Religious warfare is shown in it's brutal
reality. Something that has sadly been
illustrated by current events.
Some reviews complain that Weber is wordy but each brush
stroke can increase the depth and beauty of a work although in this book I did
feel he got a bit effusive. I find
myself being repetitive. Regardless of his verbosity or perhaps due to
the same, Weber writes compelling stories.
I recommend the book.
Web Site: http://www.davidweber.net/
This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.
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