Feintuch, David

Voices of Hope

Midshipman's Hope (Traveller's Bookshelf)

A hideous accident kills the senior officers of UNS Hibernia--leaving a terrified young officer to save three hundred colonists and crew aboard a damaged ship on a seventeen-month gauntlet to reach the colony of Hope Nation. With no chance of rescue or reinforcement, Nicholas Seafort must overcome despair, exhaustion, guilt; he must conquer malfunctions, mutiny, and an alien horror beyond human understanding. He must save lives. And he must take them, in the name of duty.

A hideous accident kills the senior officers of UNS Hibernia--leaving a terrified young officer to save three hundred colonists and crew aboard a damaged ship on a seventeen-month gauntlet to reach the colony of Hope Nation. With no chance of rescue or reinforcement, Nicholas Seafort must overcome despair, exhaustion, guilt; he must conquer malfunctions, mutiny, and an alien horror beyond human understanding. He must save lives. And he must take them, in the name of duty.

Patriarch's Hope

If you're already a fan of David Feintuch's bestselling Seafort Saga, Patriarch's Hope will be a welcome chance to catch up with the series' hero, Nicholas Seafort, now Earth's global executive. In this installment, Secretary General (SecGen) Seafort must juggle the demands of a colonial empire across the stars, a powerfully politicized Navy, and a morally questionable world religious council against the needs of a dangerously degraded planet. Much of the book details Seafort's political maneuvering and the discarding of his anti-"Enviro" prejudices with the help of his idealistic son. But the action picks up before the book closes, as a crippled Seafort leads a small team to wrest a giant battleship from the hands of a mutinous captain unhappy with the SecGen's change of heart.

If you aren't already a fan of the "Seafort Saga," you may or may not be sold by Patriarch's Hope, depending on your tastes. The grizzled, conflicted Seafort huffs and puffs predictably throughout, and the pseudofuturistic, military motif is ever-present and a bit much at times (the "SecGen" and his "middies," use "puters," fly "helis," and find frequent cause to shout "Belay that!"). Hope is passable military SF, but it serves better as an adventure-filled primer on honor, stoicism, personal responsibility, and male bonding. --Paul Hughes

If you're already a fan of David Feintuch's bestselling Seafort Saga, Patriarch's Hope will be a welcome chance to catch up with the series' hero, Nicholas Seafort, now Earth's global executive. In this installment, Secretary General (SecGen) Seafort must juggle the demands of a colonial empire across the stars, a powerfully politicized Navy, and a morally questionable world religious council against the needs of a dangerously degraded planet. Much of the book details Seafort's political maneuvering and the discarding of his anti-"Enviro" prejudices with the help of his idealistic son. But the action picks up before the book closes, as a crippled Seafort leads a small team to wrest a giant battleship from the hands of a mutinous captain unhappy with the SecGen's change of heart. If you aren't already a fan of the "Seafort Saga," you may or may not be sold by Patriarch's Hope, depending on your tastes. The grizzled, conflicted Seafort huffs and puffs predictably throughout, and the pseudofuturistic, military motif is ever-present and a bit much at times (the "SecGen" and his "middies," use "puters," fly "helis," and find frequent cause to shout "Belay that!"). Hope is passable military SF, but it serves better as an adventure-filled primer on honor, stoicism, personal responsibility, and male bonding. --Paul Hughes

Fisherman's Hope (Seafort Saga)

Naval Academy Commandant Nicholas Seafort is a legend to the masses, an idol to his hundreds of teen cadets. They don't see the tormented soul of a man who believes that merciless duty has led him to betray every friend he ever loved, every ideal he ever cherished. After a lifelong ordeal, Seafort needs time. Time to reflect. Time to heal. Instead he is pulled into a maelstrom of crisis, corruption, and danger as the helpless, unprepared Earth faces annihilation from a horde of alien attackers. Alone at the center of a cosmic apocalypse, Nick Seafort must face his final battle . . .And his most unforgivable sin.

Naval Academy Commandant Nicholas Seafort is a legend to the masses, an idol to his hundreds of teen cadets. They don't see the tormented soul of a man who believes that merciless duty has led him to betray every friend he ever loved, every ideal he ever cherished. After a lifelong ordeal, Seafort needs time. Time to reflect. Time to heal. Instead he is pulled into a maelstrom of crisis, corruption, and danger as the helpless, unprepared Earth faces annihilation from a horde of alien attackers. Alone at the center of a cosmic apocalypse, Nick Seafort must face his final battle . . .And his most unforgivable sin.

Challenger's Hope (Seafort Saga)

An alien attack and an admiral's betrayal leave a wounded Commander Nicholas Seafort stranded aboard a doomed ship of arrogant colonists and violent street children. His crew is rebellious, his ship short of weapons, fuel, food. Easy prey for the alien predators now massing to attack. Only Nick Seafort's will stands between his charges and violent death. But is he merely postponing their end?

An alien attack and an admiral's betrayal leave a wounded Commander Nicholas Seafort stranded aboard a doomed ship of arrogant colonists and violent street children. His crew is rebellious, his ship short of weapons, fuel, food. Easy prey for the alien predators now massing to attack. Only Nick Seafort's will stands between his charges and violent death. But is he merely postponing their end?

Prisoner's Hope (Seafort Saga)

Assigned to Hope Nation while recovering from injuries, Captain Nicholas Seafort is appointed liaison to the wealthy planters of the verdant colony planet. But, reeling from a savage alien attack, the U.N. space flotilla flees homeward, and the colonists seize their moment to rebel. His beloved wife and closest friends gone, Seafort must halt a revolution and rally the ravaged colony against the inhuman invaders. But to save the world, Nicholas Seafort must forsake his vows--and commit an unthinkable, suicidal act of high treason.

Assigned to Hope Nation while recovering from injuries, Captain Nicholas Seafort is appointed liaison to the wealthy planters of the verdant colony planet. But, reeling from a savage alien attack, the U.N. space flotilla flees homeward, and the colonists seize their moment to rebel. His beloved wife and closest friends gone, Seafort must halt a revolution and rally the ravaged colony against the inhuman invaders. But to save the world, Nicholas Seafort must forsake his vows--and commit an unthinkable, suicidal act of high treason.

Children of Hope

Children of Hope, the seventh book in David Feintuch's Seafort Saga, continues the story of Captain Nicholas Seafort and sheds new light on the alien invaders known as the Fish. Seafort may have survived all manner of battles, rebellions, and ecological challenges, but the vengeance of one 14-year-old boy could cost him his life.

Randy, the angry son of Derek Carr, blames Seafort for his father's death. Derek was the Stadholder of Hope Nation, a planet struggling for survival and freedom. After Derek's death, Hope Nation was plunged into political uncertainty and young Randy was left fatherless. One defiant act against the powerful Church launches Randy into an adventure that will lead him to face Hope Nation's church leaders, alien invaders, and the man he deems responsible for his father's death, Nicholas Seafort. At stake is not only Randy's life, but the fate of Hope Nation itself.

Feintuch, the winner of the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer, continues his military SF saga by creating another complicated character. Young Randy is just as tortured, difficult, and guilt-ridden as Seafort, but he has his own story to tell. While the unrelenting action mixes nicely with the political and alien invasion subplots, Randy ends up being a little too unpredictable. Too often he seems more like an 8-year-old than a 14-year-old, and at points it's hard to sympathize with him. In fact, the event that begins Randy's adventure is so unbelievable that it casts a shadow over the first half of the book, until the action heats up and the story truly gets exciting. Even so, Seafort Saga fans won't want to miss this installment, especially to discover how the Fish figure in. --Kathie Huddleston

The seventh novel in the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch, Children of Hope continues the story of a man bound to his duty-and wracked by guilt for all that his duty demands of him. Captain Nicholas Seafort survived alien wars, planetary rebellions, and ecological chaos on Earth, but now something much more ordinary might finally cost him his life-vengeance...

"The seventh novel in the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch, recipient of the prestigious John W. Campbell Award, Children of Hope continues the story of a man bound to his duty and wracked by guilt for all that his duty demands of him. Captain Nicholas Seafort survived alien wars, planetary rebellions, and ecological chaos on Earth, but now something much more ordinary might finally cost him his life...vengeance. Derek Carr was Stadholder of the colonial planet Hope Nation when Captain Nicholas Seafort ordered him to take command of the UN starship Galactic, a mission that ultimately cost Derek his life. It was a tragedy that forever changed the political landscape of Hope Nation and left young Randy Carr fatherless and desperate for revenge. Now a young man bucking against authority, Randy rebels against Hope Nation's oppressive Church-State and draws the wrath of a powerful and malicious clergy. As he seeks refuge from those who would make an example of him, he sustains himself with dreams of repaying Captain Seafort for the death of his famous father. When the opportunity presents itself, he leaves the UN's most decorated hero and legendary leader fighting for his life?an action that sparks the most explosive trial in starship history. For Randy Carr, it will be more than a fight for justice. Because what began in the name of duty could suddenly end with a death sentence. "

The Still

When Queen Elana dies, underaged Rodrigo's status as the rightful king is instantly threatened by the ambitions of his uncle. Despite his personal shortcomings and manifest lack of readiness to rule, he has loyal friends and allies and they help him first to flee his uncle and, gradually, to fight and win the most important battle of the war for Caledon: the struggle to command himself. Only then can he begin to claim his kingdom.

This isn't a sanitized Fantasyland, nor is it a comfortable story. David Feintuch doesn't flinch from the violence and roughness of his medieval setting, and his depiction of Rodrigo's striving for self-confidence and the respect of others is hard-hitting and hard to put down. There's room for a sequel, but no real need: the coming-of-age story is the heart of this book, and it beats vividly.

When Queen Elana dies, underaged Rodrigo's status as the rightful king is instantly threatened by the ambitions of his uncle. Despite his personal shortcomings and manifest lack of readiness to rule, he has loyal friends and allies and they help him first to flee his uncle and, gradually, to fight and win the most important battle of the war for Caledon: the struggle to command himself. Only then can he begin to claim his kingdom.This isn't a sanitized Fantasyland, nor is it a comfortable story. David Feintuch doesn't flinch from the violence and roughness of his medieval setting, and his depiction of Rodrigo's striving for self-confidence and the respect of others is hard-hitting and hard to put down. There's room for a sequel, but no real need: the coming-of-age story is the heart of this book, and it beats vividly.

The King

With his new kingdom still reeling from the war that set the crown of Caledon upon his head, Rodrigo must be stronger than ever to keep his position-and the fragile peace that surrounds him. Now he leads a contentious and divided army against powerful invaders, and only his expert use of magic of the Still can save them.

Seafort's Hope