With the Lightnings

TL;DR: With the Lightnings is a classic military sci-fi novel that starts off slow and a bit rough around the edges but builds into an engaging and rewarding read in the second half. David Drake’s time in the genre shows, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of military "sci-fi".

Food Rating: If With the Lightnings were a meal, it would be a plate of spaghetti that’s just a little underdone. The initial bites are a bit chewy and not as satisfying as they could be, but as you keep eating, the sauce - rich with flavor - makes the dish come together in a way that leaves you ultimately satisfied.

David Drake’s, With the Lightnings, introduces readers to a vivid universe of political intrigue, military strategy, and compelling characters.

The novel’s opening chapters feel slow, with a heavy focus on exposition and worldbuilding. As the action picks up and the stakes rise, the interplay between the characters becomes a highlight of the story. Contrasting personalities and growing camaraderie add substance to the action.

For fans of classic military sci-fi, With the Lightnings is must-read. Though it takes time to find its stride, the novel rewards patience with an entertaining (and a bit formulaic) story that sets the stage for an expansive series.

A classic of military sci-fi. Much like the author has previously stated the book and it's sequels are love letters to the nautical classics of CS Forester and Patrick O'Brian. Thoroughly enjoyable read. 

Despite being first published in 1998, this is good old-fashioned sf, the kind they used to write when I was a child, in the 1950s and early 1960s. The main updates are near-equality of the sexes, and heroes with self-doubts and flaws.Some readers evidently insist on being plunged straight into hectic action, and complain that this story starts too slowly. I'm not complaining; I've read books, some of them good, that started more slowly, and I didn't notice any problem here on first reading. On second reading, well, it's a story with a couple of slow patches, the action isn't continuous, but there's plenty of action if you have a little patience.I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story on first reading; even on second reading, it makes a good start to the series. The scenario is unoriginal in most respects; characterization is quite good by the standards of 1950s sf, but that's not saying much. One benefit is that any reader of old-style sf can easily feel comfortable with this book.The most original aspect of it all is the technology of space travel and space combat, which I think is unique to Drake; he's thought it out carefully and can describe all the details confidently, as though he'd spent years working in that environment himself. This is a rather remarkable achievement and worth admiring, although not all readers will appreciate it.Drake says himself that the series is inspired by [a:Patrick O'Brian 5600 Patrick O'Brian https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1212630063p2/5600.jpg]'s Aubrey/Maturin naval stories, set in the Napoleonic Wars. Here we have a space navy operating in the fairly far future, but again there are two central characters: the young naval officer Daniel Leary, and the somewhat older Adele Mundy. Both are talented, but in different ways; they complement each other.

I do like the idea as a space opera in general, but I suppose I would have liked it better if the action was better paced. 2.5