Audiobook: The Honor of the Queen by David Weber

The Honor of the Queen
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington Book 2
Narrator: Allyson Johnson
Publication: Audible Studios (March 4, 2009)
Length: 16 hours and 12 minutes

Description: RIGHT WOMAN, WRONG PLACE

It's hard to give peace a chance when the other side regards war as the necessary prelude to conquest, and a sneak attack as the best means to that end. That's why the Kingdom of Manticore needs allies against the so-called ""Republic"" of Haven--and the planet Grayson is just the right strategic place to make a very good ally indeed. But Her Majesty's Foreign Office had overlooked a ""minor cultural difference"" when they chose Honor Harrington to carry the flag: women on the planet Grayson are without rank or rights; Honor's very presence is an intolerable affront to every male on the planet.

At first Honor doesn't take it personally; where she comes from gender discrimination is barely a historical memory, right up there in significance to fear of the left-handed. But in time such treatment as she receives from the Graysonites does become wearing, and Honor would withdraw if she could--but then Grayson's fratricidal sister planet attacks without warning and she must stay and prevail, not just for Honor's honor, but for her sovereign's, for--THE HONOR OF THE QUEEN.

My Thoughts: Honor Harrington and her ship Fearless are on their way to Grayson as part of a diplomatic mission to sign a treaty with Grayson which will advance Grayson technologically and provide Manticore with an ally in its conflict with the Republic of Haven.

The problem is that Grayson is a place where women are definitely second class citizens. Honor's presence is an affront to all of Grayson. She deals with prejudice and intolerance as do her female officers. Because she fears her presence will hamper treaty talks, she convinces the diplomats including her old mentor Admiral Courvosier that she should escort some freighters to their next destination which will take about 11 days.

What she doesn't know is that Grayson's old enemies on Masada are getting ready to invade. And their religious fanaticism makes the Graysonites look positively liberal in comparison. Add in that the Masadans have the secret support of the Republic of Haven in the form of two ships with more power than Honor's and things get tense very quickly.

I liked the way this story told what was happening on Grayson and what was happening on the ships lent to the Masadans. The story was filled with plenty of space battles but also with character development for Honor and for the people on Grayson.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.