When I decided I needed to read the very first Honor Harrington book, I picked it up for reading while on a trip.  I needed the distraction, since the purpose of our trip was to attend my father-in-law’s funeral.

Based upon the comments made by characters in following books, I expected to see Honor when she was young, before she was in the position of commanding an entire ship.  Not so. She shows up as commander and this is at least her second command.  She’s already been adopted by her treecat Nimitz, so no more background there.  I also expected she’d make her reputation in this book, but I think she merely bolsters much of the reputation she has already established prior to the book’s beginning. 

Actually, I was disappointed that I couldn’t learn much more about Honor than I already knew.  When I’d read The Honor of the Queen, the references to what happened at Basilisk seemed to promise more.  The story was still interesting and I enjoyed the cast of secondary characters, but there’s no serious insights into Honor nor do I think that any personality-shaping events occur for her in the first book.

Considering the mood I was in while I read this book, I should add a mitigating comment.  It’s likely my assessment and enjoyment of the book was tainted by the events in my life.