Hell's Gate & Hell Hath No Fury, a brief review
Both by David Weber & Linda Evans, Hell's Gate and Hell Hath No Fury are interesting explorations of a different type of SF, unless your S in that stands for 'speculative'. The books are set in a series of parallel universes, explored by two very different transuniversal civilisations - one a fairly stratified (with exceptions) society which relies on magic for its technology, and one an incredibly diverse melting pot of a civilisation which relies on a combination of steam age technologies and limited mental powers.
As is usual for David Weber's stuff, the style of the books are quite 'military SF' - with heavy explanation for the technology and capabilities on both sides (both magical and steam-age). The hand of Linda Evans is evident in the emotion and reaction displayed by the characters though, and it makes a refreshing change from Weber's general staunch military men and women. Those military men and women are still quite common, and it almost audibly clicks when it switches from a character heavily designed by Weber to one jointly designed by the co-authors, but it is nevertheless something unexpected from Weber.
The plot of Hell's Gate consists of an account of the first meeting of the two civilisations and the two months afterward, from the first confused meeting and horrible misunderstanding to the first flares of military conflict between the two forces. Both the representatives of the civilisations are expeditionary elements sent far in advance of actual colonisation from their home universes, and without instruction from headquarters for the duration of the books. In the case of the Sharonians (the machinists) they have a two week information lag and a three to four month transport lag from their home universe, while the Union of Arcana are four months communications and six months travel from their own homeworld. Thus, rather than a true account of the civilisations meeting and clashing, Hell's Gate consists largely of the action between the expeditionary forces and an account of the scrambling preparations of the Sharonian governments to meet the new threat.
Hell's Gate plods along at a fairly leisurely pace, detailing the first mistaken massacre of the Sharonian civilian survey crew, and the retaliatory strike by the local forces of the Sharonian military, but little other action in a vast quantity of wordage. A lot of that wordage is spent on establishing the facts about both societies and how they work, which after all, is a truly herculean task when Weber & Evans are describing civilisations larger that our own, and very, very different. The technology and society/ies of the Union of Arcana, in particular, are quite alien, whereas the society of the Sharonians bears a great deal of similarity to our own, except with a lower technology level (though about the same speed of information as, say, 1950, thanks to widespread telepathy). Hell's Gate introduces the reader to a vast, well thought out, thoroughly grounded world based on principles that are alien to us, and that's the sort of thing I love to read. However, it does drag somewhat.
Hell Hath No Fury, however, is an entirely different kettle of fish. From the fifth page, the sequel explodes into blistering action, detailing the complete breakdown of diplomacy between the two expeditionary forces and the subsequent counteroffensive by the forces of the Union of Arcana. It's in this book that Weber's gift for military-style, edge-of-your-seat writing really hits its stride, and the reader is carried along with the speed of the offensive all the way to the fringe of Sharonian colonisation. It is in this book that the action really picks up, and while I read Hell's Gate over a few weeks, I read Hell Hath No Fury in one day from cover to cover.
I don't think I've ever read a story in which two opposing forces have had such different capabilites, but yet are so evenly matched. The Sharonians' military technology consists of bolt action rifles, slide action shotguns, railroads, artillery, mortars and hand grenades, as well as the superior communications and occasional other useful odds and sods granted by the mental capabilies of the Sharonians, none (except for the telepathy) particularly situation-orienting. The Union of Arcana's hand weapons consist of crossbows, swords and small spell-cannons, as well as spells from their more gifted troopers, but what really sets them apart is their more specialised weapons.
The Union of Arcana has Dragons
Dragons just like in the standard fantasy model, albeit quite stupid and piloted by men, but real, blue whale sized, fire-and-lightning-and-poison breathing dragons. As well as that monstrous advantage (which gives them an air capability which the Sharonians cannot match) the Union of Arcana has gryphons, incredibly fast moving aerial strike and recon units, and augmented mounts, giving them the ability to move across rough land at a consistent clip of forty miles per hour. As well as that, the expeditionary reinforcement of fourteen thousand people has around two hundred transport dragons which enable them to airlift around three quarters of their forces anywhere within a thousand mile range, at two hundred miles per hour.
Thus, to the Sharonians, the Union of Arcana are slow to react because of their communications shortfall, but when they react, they react fast. The Union makes it ten percent of the way to the sharonian homeworld in just two weeks, and a lot of Hell Hath No Fury consists of the Sharonians scrambling to form a world government to combat the offensive which they didn't even realise was happening until it was already most of the way done. The brave defence of Fort Salby, the last bastion before true sharonian civilisation, is one of the most gripping battle sequences I've ever read, showing the crown prince of the largest empire on Sharona leading the defence against alien weapons and honest-to-goodness dragons. As I said before, I've never read a story where two forces with completely different capabilities are so evenly matched. It's like the balance in goddam Starcraft. The battle which goes until almost the end of the book had me staying up reading until 2 in the morning with back-and-forth action and constant, almost coy reveals of the technologies and their implications of both sides by Weber and Evans.
Hell's Gate is slow, establishing the parameters, but it's worth it just to read Hell Hath No Fury. I'm looking forward very much to more in the series, especially since the second books ends on a bastard of a cliffhanger. Weber's website, however, says he's not working on a sequel at the moment, bah.
In conclusion, if you like military SF at all, read 'em, you buggers.
As is usual for David Weber's stuff, the style of the books are quite 'military SF' - with heavy explanation for the technology and capabilities on both sides (both magical and steam-age). The hand of Linda Evans is evident in the emotion and reaction displayed by the characters though, and it makes a refreshing change from Weber's general staunch military men and women. Those military men and women are still quite common, and it almost audibly clicks when it switches from a character heavily designed by Weber to one jointly designed by the co-authors, but it is nevertheless something unexpected from Weber.
The plot of Hell's Gate consists of an account of the first meeting of the two civilisations and the two months afterward, from the first confused meeting and horrible misunderstanding to the first flares of military conflict between the two forces. Both the representatives of the civilisations are expeditionary elements sent far in advance of actual colonisation from their home universes, and without instruction from headquarters for the duration of the books. In the case of the Sharonians (the machinists) they have a two week information lag and a three to four month transport lag from their home universe, while the Union of Arcana are four months communications and six months travel from their own homeworld. Thus, rather than a true account of the civilisations meeting and clashing, Hell's Gate consists largely of the action between the expeditionary forces and an account of the scrambling preparations of the Sharonian governments to meet the new threat.
Hell's Gate plods along at a fairly leisurely pace, detailing the first mistaken massacre of the Sharonian civilian survey crew, and the retaliatory strike by the local forces of the Sharonian military, but little other action in a vast quantity of wordage. A lot of that wordage is spent on establishing the facts about both societies and how they work, which after all, is a truly herculean task when Weber & Evans are describing civilisations larger that our own, and very, very different. The technology and society/ies of the Union of Arcana, in particular, are quite alien, whereas the society of the Sharonians bears a great deal of similarity to our own, except with a lower technology level (though about the same speed of information as, say, 1950, thanks to widespread telepathy). Hell's Gate introduces the reader to a vast, well thought out, thoroughly grounded world based on principles that are alien to us, and that's the sort of thing I love to read. However, it does drag somewhat.
Hell Hath No Fury, however, is an entirely different kettle of fish. From the fifth page, the sequel explodes into blistering action, detailing the complete breakdown of diplomacy between the two expeditionary forces and the subsequent counteroffensive by the forces of the Union of Arcana. It's in this book that Weber's gift for military-style, edge-of-your-seat writing really hits its stride, and the reader is carried along with the speed of the offensive all the way to the fringe of Sharonian colonisation. It is in this book that the action really picks up, and while I read Hell's Gate over a few weeks, I read Hell Hath No Fury in one day from cover to cover.
I don't think I've ever read a story in which two opposing forces have had such different capabilites, but yet are so evenly matched. The Sharonians' military technology consists of bolt action rifles, slide action shotguns, railroads, artillery, mortars and hand grenades, as well as the superior communications and occasional other useful odds and sods granted by the mental capabilies of the Sharonians, none (except for the telepathy) particularly situation-orienting. The Union of Arcana's hand weapons consist of crossbows, swords and small spell-cannons, as well as spells from their more gifted troopers, but what really sets them apart is their more specialised weapons.
The Union of Arcana has Dragons
Dragons just like in the standard fantasy model, albeit quite stupid and piloted by men, but real, blue whale sized, fire-and-lightning-and-poison breathing dragons. As well as that monstrous advantage (which gives them an air capability which the Sharonians cannot match) the Union of Arcana has gryphons, incredibly fast moving aerial strike and recon units, and augmented mounts, giving them the ability to move across rough land at a consistent clip of forty miles per hour. As well as that, the expeditionary reinforcement of fourteen thousand people has around two hundred transport dragons which enable them to airlift around three quarters of their forces anywhere within a thousand mile range, at two hundred miles per hour.
Thus, to the Sharonians, the Union of Arcana are slow to react because of their communications shortfall, but when they react, they react fast. The Union makes it ten percent of the way to the sharonian homeworld in just two weeks, and a lot of Hell Hath No Fury consists of the Sharonians scrambling to form a world government to combat the offensive which they didn't even realise was happening until it was already most of the way done. The brave defence of Fort Salby, the last bastion before true sharonian civilisation, is one of the most gripping battle sequences I've ever read, showing the crown prince of the largest empire on Sharona leading the defence against alien weapons and honest-to-goodness dragons. As I said before, I've never read a story where two forces with completely different capabilities are so evenly matched. It's like the balance in goddam Starcraft. The battle which goes until almost the end of the book had me staying up reading until 2 in the morning with back-and-forth action and constant, almost coy reveals of the technologies and their implications of both sides by Weber and Evans.
Hell's Gate is slow, establishing the parameters, but it's worth it just to read Hell Hath No Fury. I'm looking forward very much to more in the series, especially since the second books ends on a bastard of a cliffhanger. Weber's website, however, says he's not working on a sequel at the moment, bah.
In conclusion, if you like military SF at all, read 'em, you buggers.