Hell's Gate

This book was a bit confusing at first, trying to keep the two cultures seperated (and telling the names apart), but it was really very good. So is Hell Hath No Fury.

I am sorry for those of you who did not like the rather complicated but very interesting new world Mr. Weber has created. I rather enjoyed it and thought the next book even better. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to be immersed in a good yarn.

To those who are griping about the amount of exposition, don't you think the introduction of not one but TWO entirely new universes might require a little bit of explaining? Actually there are more since it's a multiverse, but the protagonists are from the two main ones. See? It is such a broad new storytelling concept that even in a letter about it some explanation is required. I suspect the same folks would be complaining that there wasn't ENOUGH background if Weber had left it out and simply dropped dragons and spells on a reader who had just gotten used to a bunch of characters (in the OTHER universe) who were telepathic steam engine users. Yes, there are a lot of characters, but again, remember, two universes. Rest assured, these people are being introduced for a reason. Seemingly minor characters now will have vital roles to play later. Trust the author. He knows what he is doing. Has Weber ever disappointed you before? I found this novel, well, novel. It is a promising and entertaining beginning to a whole new series and I look forward to a long and enjoyable string of books set in this `multiverse' that promise to stand up in quality and pure reading fun to the Honor Harringtons already on my shelves. I read through this book in just a couple of days and immediately ordered the next one. Let me assure you now; It gets even better in "Hell Hath No Fury". I am eagerly awaiting announcement of the third book in this thoroughly enjoyable new series and will buy it without hesitation

I love David Weber's work but I have put off starting this series for quite a while because I am miffed. I am waiting for the continuation of some of his other works, particularly the Honor Harrington series. I want him to get on with it. Now, having read this one, I have even more reason to be miffed. I have to wait for continuations of this series as well. The concept is a bold one. "Portals" allow transit from parallel versions of earth that are practically identical except for one thing. There are no humans. This has led to a plethora of resources as the new universes are exploited. Then comes the fateful day when it is learned that "we are not alone". There is another human civilization out there doing the same thing. This could be cause for rejoicing except that first contact does not go the way anyone could hope. There is shooting by two nervous individuals. It gets worse when an incompetent and cowardly officer becomes responsible for a massacre of a civilian survey party. The two civilizations facing each other have much in common. There are political considerations for just about everything in both home universes. This leads base men to make matters worse on both side. There is also much different. On one side, technology seems to be fairly primitive. Arbalests and swords are the normal armament. This does not prevent those using this technology in doing so most effectively but it is still primitive when compared to the technology used by the other side which seems to be on a par with the late Victorians. The real difference, though is in their respective gifts and talents. The more archaic civilization does not need the fancy mechanics because they have magic, complete with dragons, unicorns and such. The other side does not know how to fight this. For their part, though, the more advanced civilization makes use of psionic talents. Telepathy, precognition and related skills are a normal part of life for them. In neither case are these gifts and talents universal but they do tend to make the other side even more incomprehensible than they would otherwise seem. Weber and Evans have crafted a well thought out series of universes in this series. This initial book is basically dealing with the initial contact and the ramification stemming from that contact. The point of contact is a long way from the home of either civilization and the potential for unwanted strife is great. Weber and Evans make the most of that potential. I still want Weber to get back to work on the Honorverse books but I am going to cut him some slack because I want him to finish more of these as well.

Hell's Gate (2006) is the first SF novel in the Multiverse series. Two civilizations are expanding through the multiverse via interspatial gates on their home worlds when they meet in the universe soon to be known as Hell's Gate. In this novel, two men from different universes encounter each other in a newly discovery universe. Both have standing orders to avoid hostilities, but each takes precautions that alarm the other man, leading to them simultaneous firing at each other. Both hit their targets, but the man from Sharona is only severely wounded by the arbalest bolt and manages to evade the Arcanans until returning to his own party. The civilian survey party promptly leaves their encampment, taking only essential supplies and the interspatial maps, and head back to the entrance portal and its fort. The Arcanan soldiers find their man dead in the stream shortly after the incident. He has been shot through the heart with a heavy rifle. The Arcanans backtrack the Sharonan to his camp, but it is deserted when the Arcanans got there, yet the evacuation path is quite clear. The Arcanans follow the Sharonans and catch up with them at Fallen Timbers, a clearing in the forest caused by a tornado. There the two groups had a final shootout. Ecah group has weapons unknown to the other party. The Sharonans have firearms -- both rifles and handguns -- using chemical propellants. The Arcanans have arbalest -- crossbows -- as well as crewserved magical devices shooting fireballs and lightning bolts. Neither have any electronic devices, but the Arcanans have Personal Crystals -- magic balls -- that function like personal computers and the Sharonans have Voices who can contact each other over long distances. Commander of Hundred Jasak Olderhan tries to keep the confrontation from becoming violent, but Commander of Fifty Shevan Garlath starts the firefight by shooting Ghattoun chan Hagrahyl with his arbalest as the leader of the Sharonan survey party rises empty handed to try to parley with their pursuers. Garlath is promptly shot multiple times by the survey party, but the Arcanan soldiers quickly retaliate and their flame weapons begin to take out the survey party. The only survivors of the Sharonan survey party are Shaylar Nargra-Koymayr and three badly burned men. Magister Gadrial Kelbryan recognizes the probable relationship between Shaylar and her husband Jathmar Nargra because of their identical wedding bracelets and uses her meager healing talents to treat Jathmar. Since this healing exhausts her minor gift, the other two men die of their wounds. After Hundred Olderhan gets his wounded men, Shaylar and Jathmar back to his base camp, he is promptly relieved by Hundred Hadrign Thalmayr as originally planned and Thalmayr disregards everything told to him by Olderhan. Jasak waits for his men to return from a reconnaissance of the Sharonan base, but eventually is forced to return to the fort. Thalmayr is still at the forward base when t