Interview: SF Author David Weber
"Off Armageddon Reef" – From the Creator of "Honor Harrington"
Sep 9, 2009
David Weber's science-fiction novel Off Armageddon Reef (published by Tor Books, January 2007), is a complex tale of faith vs. science, played out in the story of one planet’s struggle to save itself from the Gbaba, a warring alien race bent on extermination, by willingly returning to a pre-electricity society.
The only inhabitant who remains aware of what heights the culture had previously reached -- who is, literally, a storehouse of centuries’ worth of historical and technological data -- is a heroine known as Merlin, who, though dead for 800 years, now exists as a recorded personality record in an android body.
“There’s a lot going on,” admits Weber, laughing. "It’s got resonances with a lot of other stuff I’ve done, and yet it’s very much its own unique blend."
Science and Faith
As Merlin attempts to help her people acquire a level of technology and knowledge that will help them to eventually defeat the Gbaba, she must struggle against an imposed religion that, in the author’s words, “is designed to lock these people forever into a non-technological society.
“She needs to kick off the equivalent of the Reformation,” Weber says. “She herself was raised in the church. Now, she is essentially the last Christian in the universe dealing with this false religion. But she also sees herself as the last Muslim, the last Buddhist, etc., because she’s the only one who even knows these religions existed.”
Launching the "Safehold" Series
"Anyone who reads this book – and gets to the end – will find it obvious that I’ve got an ongoing series here. I’m leaving my protagonist and allies in a dangerous situation, long-term."
Even so, this is no Back to the Future: Part II. Weber doesn't leave readers twisting in the wind, with no resolution whatsoever.
"The immediate threat that the people of Safehold have faced throughout this book has been dealt with by the end," Weber explains. "They are in a position where the reader can stop with them and draw a deep breath. One of the things I have tried to do is to make each of my books a satisfying read in and of itself, without feeling that you’ve suddenly stopped in the middle."
Weber, who is also the author of the popular “Honor Harrington” series, believes this story will likely stretch to at least 10 books published over the next decade. And he’s looking forward to every minute of writing them.
“This story lets me play with the morality of decision making and the obligations of adult human beings. One of the recurring threads in my work is this notion of responsibility: Yes, there’s a problem and, even though you may not be the one that created the problem, a responsible human being steps up to the plate to do something about the problem."
Schism and Heresies
Since its publication, Off Armageddon Reef has been followed by:
- By Schism Rent Asunder (2008)
- By Heresies Distressed (2009)
All books in the series are currently available in print, audio, and Kindle editions.
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