Most helpful customer reviews
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2.0 out of 5 stars
The lackluster end of the Seafort saga, Jul 19 2004
This is the seventh and latest installment in the Seafort series of books, a series that focuses on the moral struggles of a man raised in a strict religious home located in a theocratic future. Although the first several books contained elements of the parental relationship that Seafort seems to end up establishing with everyone around him, they were mainly focused on his intense desire to adhere to the impossible strictures of his conscience. Those books were eminently readable and even moving. This book, and Partiarch's Hope, the previous book, depart from that theme and concentrate almost entirely on the way that Seafort saves wayward youths from themselves through proper Victorian discipline and punishment. The author goes from examining the pressures inherent in such a system to simply promoting it as the proper cure for wanton behavior, mental anguish, and in this latest case, interstellar war. Like most science fiction "series", this one should have ended long ago.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
One book too many in the great Seafort series, Jul 19 2004
This is the seventh and latest installment in the Seafort series of books, a series that focuses on the moral struggles of a man raised in a strict religious home located in a theocratic future. Although the first several books contained elements of the parental relationship that Seafort seems to end up establishing with everyone around him, they were mainly focused on his intense desire to adhere to the impossible strictures of his conscience. Those books were eminently readable and even moving. This book, and Partiarch's Hope, the previous book, depart from that theme and concentrate almost entirely on the way that Seafort saves wayward youths from themselves through proper Victorian discipline and punishment. The author goes from examining the pressures inherent in such a system to simply promoting it as the proper cure for wanton behavior, mental anguish, and in this latest case, interstellar war. Like most science fiction "series", this one should have ended long ago.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Compelling, Intelligent and Gripping Saga !, Jun 20 2003
I picked up Midshipman's Hope 12 days ago and just could not stop reading the Seafort saga. From Midshipman's Hope to the most recent Children of Hope, it has been a most enjoyable and rewarding experience. The plot is intense and riveting, the characters vividly alive. I love the protagonist, Nick Seafort. I love the way Feintuch develops Seafort's character. From a young midshipman to captain to saviour of the human race to secretary-general to possibly saviour of both his kind and the alien, he is one of the most endearing, intriguing and complex hero I have encountered in Sci-fi/fantasy. He is a man of honor, courage and integrity. He is devoted to his God, despite his doubts, and haunted by his sense of duty. Yet he is compassionate, vulnerable and sensitive. My favorite in the series is Challenger's Hope which moves me to tears a few times, Prisoner's Hope a close second and Patriarch's Hope a close third. Voices of Hope is good but the narrations by two of the trannies characters is sheer torment as it was a struggle to make sense of the trannies' language or jargon Feintuch has created. I ended up skipping most of the trannies' narration. Please Feintuch, no more trannies' language or any such jargon in the future of the series. I also hope that Feintuch will stay with Seafort as the narrator in future as the story somewhat loses its intensity when the narration is by another character as is the case in Voices of Hope and Children of Hope. The ending section of each book has thus far been climatic and simply stunning. Children of Hope leaves me with a great sense of anticipation, crying for more from Seafort, his children and friends. Feintuch, I salute you for such an amazing saga. Keep it up!
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by David Feintuch
