Audiobook: Flag in Exile by David Weber

Flag in Exile
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington Book 5
Narrator: Allyson Johnson
Publication: Audible Studios (March 17, 2009)
Length: 16 hours and 52 minutes

Description: HONOR HARRINGTON MUST DIE

Hounded into retirement and disgrace by political enemies, cut to the heart by the murder of the man she loved, and bereft of confidence in herself and her abilities, Captain Honor Harrington has retreated to the planet Grayson to take up her role as Steadholder while she tries to heal her bitter wounds.

But the People's Republic of Haven is rising from defeat to threaten Grayson anew, and the newborn Grayson Navy needs her experience desperately. It's a call Honor cannot refuse, yet even as she once more accepts the duty whose challenges she fears she can no longer meet, powerful men who hate and fear the changes she's brought to their world are determined to reverse them. They have a plan ... and for it to succeed Honor Harrington must die.

Two irresistible forces are rushing together to crush Grayson between them, and only one woman uncertain of her capabilities, weary unto death, and marked for murder-stands between her adopted planet and its devastation.

My Thoughts: This episode finds Honor Harrington on Grayson taking up the responsibilities she has as Steadholder. She is in bad shape; she's grieving and lacking in self-confidence. When she is asked to take her place in the Grayson Navy, she is very reluctant and fears that all the certainty of her previous experience is gone. But the new Navy needs her experience and expertise because Haven has a new plan and it goes right through Grayson.

Her responsibilities to the Navy would be enough pressure but she is also facing hidden pressure from Grayson where a small fanatic band resents her success and the changes she is making to Grayson society and hatches a horrible plot to discredit her and kill her. And it doesn't matter how many innocents have to die as long as Harrington dies.

So these evil men attack Honor's Skydome industries and sabotage one of their projects which leads to the death of more than 90 people including more than 30 children. Since it looks like a horrible accident caused by Honor's greed and the usage of inferior materials, public sentiment turns against Honor and Honor herself is consumed by guilt even though she knows she didn't cut corners. When her engineers discover the sabotage that guilt is lessened but the finding the proof will alert the wrongdoers and may give them enough time to cover their tracks. And the whole situation is in danger of bringing down the Protector's new reforms.

And one final attempt to kill Honor almost succeeds and does succeed in killing many of her people and many of those who come to rescue her. One notable victim is the head of Father Church who throws himself in front of Honor to save her from an assassin's bullet.

Reeling from her injuries, Honor needs to find a duel with the Steadholder who masterminded the various plots against her and then return to her ship just in time to face an overwhelming force from Haven.

This was an excellent and exciting episode in the Honor Harrington series.

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