Rating: 
Summary: Not an Honor story, but good anyway
Review: It's easy to say the Weber story was my favorite, and the Stirling story the next favorite, but I either adore David Drake's work or cannot stand it. This one I did both. I liked this book. It was just too short for a book of additional stories in the HH universe.
Rating:
Summary: Additional information enhances the Honor universe.
Review: Many Honor Harrington readers become rabid fans in short order. Often, for fans like these there can never be enough of a series to keep them happy, but this collaberative effort does more than offer a quick "Honor fix." The book offers three short stories and an essay, none of which are *about* Admiral Harrington herself, but all of which are entertaining and informative. The essay is by David Webber (the stories are by Webber and other notable authors, Drake and Stirling) and sheds a great deal of light on the details of the history, politics, science, and geography of the universe of the RMN... It is well thought through, entertaining, and fairly complete, the sort of details that will make any universe even more enjoyable to a thorough, intelligent reader. Although not an Honor Harrington book per se, this addition to the list of Webber's publications is well worth the while for anyone interested in who Honor is and where she comes from.
Rating:
Summary: Mostly quite good
Review: Most of this is very good. David Weber's story about the first human adopted by a treecat was great; nothing like what I expected when I bought the book, but I found his story quite charming and interesting. Unfortuneately, Drake, another of my favorite authors, seeems way below his usual standards. The story just sort of drags malong to it's dull anticlimax. Fortuneately, Stirling's story more than makes up for, giving an interesting look at the PRH government situation. Stirling also shows that he shares Weber's skill at making the bad guys seem human and make them, if not likable, at least understandable. Weber's article at the end about the universes history, technology, etc. was vry interesting as well. A worthy purchase over all.
Rating:
Summary: Mostly quite good
Review: Most of this is very good. David Weber's story about the first human adopted by a treecat was great; nothing like what I expected when I bought the book, but I found his story quite charming and interesting. Unfortuneately, Drake, another of my favorite authors, seeems way below his usual standards. The story just sort of drags malong to it's dull anticlimax. Fortuneately, Stirling's story more than makes up for, giving an interesting look at the PRH government situation. Stirling also shows that he shares Weber's skill at making the bad guys seem human and make them, if not likable, at least understandable. Weber's article at the end about the universes history, technology, etc. was vry interesting as well. A worthy purchase over all.
Rating:
Summary: Background!
Review: Note to people unfamiliar with David Weber series. This book takes places in the universe of the Honor Harrington series (which started with On Basilisk Station). One of the stories, A Whiff of Grapeshot, might give more background into the series than one might like until after Honor Among Enemies, and the last part of the book gives general background into the universe, including history, politics and technology. For these reasons, the overall value of this book for non-fans of the series is rather low. For the *fans* of the series, on the other hand, there are three reasons to buy this book. First, the first tale, A Beautiful Friendship, tells the story of the first contact between human and treecats, a six-legged arboreal telepath sentient being alien being with some very feline features. Insights into treecat's culture and abilities, the story of the first adoption, and why do 'cats like celery so much, all of that you'll find here. It also shows that some of Honor's ancestors could give her a good run for her money. :-) Second, the third tale, tell us of some events that happen at the beginning of In Enemy hands, on the side of The People's Republic of Haven, which are only refered to in that book, never described. Insight into Haven's leadership minds. Third, the last section of the book, is a pretty deep background on the physics of space travel in HH universe, how the universe was colonized, history, geography and politics of the Kingdom of Manticore, history and some politics of the Solarian League and the People's Republic of Haven and comments on the military capabilities of Peeps and Manties at the beginning of the conflict. It covers nothing of what happens after the beginning of the series, nothing about treecats and nothing about Silesian Confederacy or the Andermani Empire. Moreover, all the really important notes are already in the series. Still, for those who just MUST know everything there is to know about the series, it has interesting details. David Drake's story is a disppointment, though. While the story has a few remarks to link it to HH universe, you would just have to change a few names and one would NEVER find any relation between this story and that universe. I suppose the story might be good, but this is just not Honor Harrington universe.
Rating: 
Summary: Why Celery?
Review: Read this book for the first short story: Why commando raids to obtain small amounts of a plant? Treecats give new meanings to the words: telepath, spy, caution. This even explains why treecats can be sentient, but never bothered to come down from the 'trees.' David Drake didn't bother to read any of the HH stories before mailing his garbage in. Read any WW1 'white man's burden' story instead, you'll feel better. (Drake's idea of making the Manties look good is to insult them less than his other characters.) He offers an excuse at the end: Parts of the story actually happened in Egypt long ago. I guess this makes it God's fault? S.M. Stirling did read the books, an excellent emulation. He manages to make the PRH leadership into worthwhile people, with courage, strenght and problems.. After all, Honor needs 'great' enemies to overcome.. The last part is by Weber again, and is a condensed history. Some rehash of the HH appendixes, but much is new: How the Solarian league and Haven came to be.
Rating:
Summary: Not a true installment of the Honor Series!
Review: The 3 stories were well written in themselves, but the only thing connecting them to Honor is that they are in Weber's galaxy including Manticore and the Peeps. Weber's short story was interesting since it explained the treecats. The others were just stories that seemed to throw in a mention of Manticore or the Peeps to be published in the book. Honor's name was never even included except for a technical "brief" by Weber explaining how the ships work and the planets' politics, etc. I use the term "brief" since it was closer to a military briefing than a story. If you love Honor and are hoping to find out what happens next in her life, don't bother with this book. If you're looking for a decent read of short stories by some good authors, go for it.
Rating:
Summary: The title is the key; there is more in Manticore than Honor!
Review: The books contains three short stories. The first, by David Weber himself, provides an excellent 'first contact' story about the Sphinxan treecats. This is a good stand-alone story with a juvenile protagonist. It is somewhat reminiscent of the "Little Fuzzy" sequels NOT written by H. Beam Piper. The second story, by David Drake, is good space opera. The third, by S. M. Stirling, fills in a gap in a previous Honor narrative (Honor herself is not mentioned). OK, if you like Sterling.
Rating:
Summary: More Than Honor
Review: This book gives good back ground and fill information on the Honor series but the reader should be warned it is NOT part of the series itself but more a reference, a group of short stories that help fill in or explain parts of the book that were not fully addressed in the books in the series itself. Once that is known the fore warned reader will be ready to enjoy it as a related work not a part of Honors history.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the next book in the series!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This book is not the sequel to "In Enemy Hands". This is merely three authors dsiplaying their writing styles in the Honor Harrington universe. While the stories are not bad, this is not what is expected of an Honor Harrington book. I do not suggest this book as a reader of Honor Harrington novels.
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