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The Forge (The Raj Whitehall Series: The General, Book 1) Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1991

by S.M. Stirling (Author), David Drake (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 29 ratings
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On a planet that was once part of a vast interstellar civilization, humans survive on the edge of barbarism amid the ruins of the once-great empire
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Baen
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1991
  5. Dimensions
    4 x 1 x 6.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0671720376
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0671720377
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Military officer Raj Whitehall is roaming through catacombs ofthe planet Bellevue when he discovers the computer Battle Central, arelic from the Golden Age before the planet's fall a thousand yearsearlierp. 171 . Central decides Raj is the one to carry out a mission,and by showing him what will happen to the planet withoutintervention, Central convinces Raj to save the stet caps/pk CivilGovernment from corruption and bandits. With the computer's guidance,Raj proposes a battle plan and soon sets out to conquer the enemieswho would destroy Bellevue, while others plot against him fromwithin. Central gives Raj advice from time to time by demonstratingfor him in his mind's eye what could happen if Raj makes the wrongstrategic decision. The computer's intervention, however, confuses thestory line, especially since Central gives alternate scenarios, oneafter the other. This novel, first in a series, may appeal to militaryscience fiction buffs who enjoy puzzling out complicated battlescenes. Drake is the author of Northworld ; Stirling wrote Under theYoke.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Baen; Reissue edition (January 1, 1991)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0671720376
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0671720377
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4 x 1 x 6.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 29 ratings

About the author

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S. M. Stirling

S. M. Stirling

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I'm a writer by trade, born in France but Canadian by origin and American by naturalization, living in New Mexico at present. My hobbies are mostly related to the craft -- I love history, anthropology and archaeology, and am interested in the sciences. The martial arts are my main physical hobby.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
29 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

the gunner
5.0 out of 5 stars This is probably the best book that I've read this year;
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2013
Verified Purchase
The Forge, The General Series #1
(1991)
This is probably the best book that I've read this year; at least I enjoyed it the most. It is based on the Byzantine general Belisarius on a fictitious planet Bellevue.

See the above review by silliman89 "silliman89" for a plot summary or Arthur W. Jordin's review for a more detailed summary.
In book two of this series David Drake says" The Forge is quite simply one of the best novels to bear my name". I am not sure that I'd go that far, Redliner's and Hammer's Slammers have a special place in my heart.
I highly recommend this novel for Drake and Stirling fans and for anyone who enjoys a good military science fiction story mixed in with ancient history.
Gunner June, 2013
3 people found this helpful
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Michael G. Yount
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2018
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as expected
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Susan Rogers
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2015
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Thank you
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Arthur W Jordin
5.0 out of 5 stars Playing Politics
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2013
The Forge (1991) is the first SF novel in the Raj Whitehall series. It is set on Bellevue, a planet far from the center of the Federation. When the galactic government Fell a thousand years ago, Bellevue was abandoned.

The Civil Governor was the chief Administrator of Bellevue. After the Fall, military forces on the planet seized control of areas around their headquarters. The Settlers and Colonists resisted these military units.

Now the Civil Government is only one of the polities on the planet. Priests claim that the Federation Fell because of the sins of the galactic population. They assert that Computer will only come again when enough people return to the old religion.

In this novel, Raj Whitehall is a twenty-five year old from Drescott County. He is married to Suzette, a daughter of old and poor nobility. For his actions during the recent riots, he has been promoted to Captain and appointed to the Vice-Governor's Guard.

Thom Poplanich is a friend of Raj. They are the same age, but Thom is a scion of the previous Governor's family. He is a dilettante studying history.

Verrier Clerett is the Governor of the Civil Government. First of his line from Drescott County, he is now dying.

Barholm Clerett is the Vice-Governor of the Civil Government. He is the nephew of Verrier and the power behind the throne. He is married to Anne, a former prostitute and friend of Suzette.

Robert Tzetzas is the Chancellor of the Civil Government.

Hemlt Stanson is a member of the Vice-Governor's Guard. He is senior to Raj.

Mustaf Agrood Naxim is a noble from Sna Barbra County. He has come to the New Resident to ask for more troops.

Center is a Sector Command and Control Unit AZ12-b14-cooo Mk. XIV. He is a very advanced computer that had served the Federation before the Fall.

In this story, Raj and Thom are examining the catacombs under the New Residence. They have found rats, bones and enough computer artifacts to supply the priesthood for a few generations. They have penetrated deeper than ever before.

Then Thom sees a light. It is nothing like the lights used by the nobility. They follow it to a jammed sliding door.

Raj uses a crowbar to slide the door a little to the side. It sticks at that point, but they can see down a shaft. There is a floor below them.

Raj and Thom link their belts together. Raj rappels down first and then Thom. Bones cover the floor. Yet they have not been chewed by vermin.

Then mirrors appear around them. Raj fires all five rounds in his pistol, but the mirrors don't break. Instead, the bullets ricochet off them.

Then Thom is frozen in midair. A voice in Raj's mind says that he will do. The voice tells him that Center has chosen him to reunite the planet. Raj believes that Center is an angel of the Computer.

Leaving Thom behind in stasis with Center, Raj returns to duty. Barholm is holding court in the Hall. As the delegations present requests to the Vice-Governor, Center shows Raj the probable results. The Vice-Governor tries to pacify the petitioners, but the Chancellor would rather take their wealth and impoverish them.

Then a delegation from the Halvardi says that the Colonists are sending their best general with an army to conquer them and control their passes. Barholm sends them to the War Ministry. But he also ends the audience and calls a council of his military advisors.

The other advisors give the usual advice, but Raj has gotten an idea from the hidden visions presented by Center. Barholm likes his plans and starts apportioning tasks to the advisors. He sends Raj with Hemlt and two battalions of troops to the borderlands.

This tale takes Raj south toward the Colonists with Suzette and the two battalions. Raj has troubles with Hemlt, but Center shows him the probable consequences of a duel. Naxim acts as a tour guide as they enter on the Vale of Komar.

Suzette manipulates Hemlt until they reach the Vale. Then she drops him as no longer necessary. Yet Raj is still unhappy with her conduct.

This story is loosely based on the life of Belisarius, possibly the greatest general in the history of mankind. Barholm is based on Justinian I, emperor of the Byzantine Empire during the lifetime of Belisarius. Justinian's wife Theodora was an old friend of Antonina, Belisarius's wife.

Both Theodora and Antonina have gotten bad press from the historic sources of that time. Theodora was shown as a shrewish hag and Antonina was accused of having an affair, leading to Belisarius denouncing her. Yet Theodora was also viewed as the smartest woman of that era and Antonia was probably not a typical female of the time. Drake has also authored a SF Alternate History series about  Belisarius  that takes a more moderate approach to the wives.

Raj learns to use almost perfect intelligence assets. The next installment in this sequence is  The Hammer .

Highly recommended for Drake & Sterling fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of armed conflict, political intrigue, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin
One person found this helpful
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Amaxon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Winner-take-all Pillaging
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2015
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This is a future world of strange carnivores, two moons and tribesmen who battle with muskets and swords. -think Napoleanic wars with a few steam-powered machines, fighting among remnants of advanced civilization. Raj Whitehall is from gentry, much like Leary in  With the Lightnings . But no one leader seems able to unite the tribes.
Perhaps that is because some are known as Christos, others as Islamists, but Raj belongs to the state church of Starpriests. Those dress in white jumpsuits and robes, with ancient relics on chains (usually circuit boards made prior to 'the Fall'). All believe they are right. Drake pictures armies from feudal villages clashing with raiders flying a green and silver banner. Cavalry will gallop toward entrenched infantry, cannons fire, men cry out, and fires burn cultivated fields.
Moreover, carnosauroids prowl the forests, 1000 lb dogs function as horses, and the armies have camp followers providing batmen, seamstress service, or sex. Raj begins to have psychic visions that guide his choices in battle. We jump between alternative scenarios, watching him control impulsive behavior in the interest of a greater goal. The battle maps in back would have been more helpful within the passage describing them.
I count off one star for the violence and treatment of women as objects. Another star off for abrupt changes in narrative that leave me wondering what happened to a retreating enemy, or later, Raj's wife, Suzette.
Follow him through the battles ahead.
One person found this helpful
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SpaceCore42
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2014
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Good Book, though can be a bit confusing if you miss a detail or aren't referring to the maps
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Michael Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic post-apocalyptic military science fiction book
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2014
This is one of my favorite series, and I am currently re-reading it. This book is set on a future world that has fallen back to pre-industrial technology. The protagonist is chosen by a sentient battle computer to help restore civilization. Similar to other Stirling / Flint / Weber books, it shows what could happen when advanced technologies and knowledge is used by one side to gain an advantage over the other. Great battle scenes, engaging dialogue. After finishing the book, you immediately want to start the next one to see what Raj Whitehall is going to do next.

If you enjoy reading this, I recommend similar concepts like the Belisarius series also by David Drake & Eric Flint (even better than this series), the Safehold series by David Weber, the Emberverse books by SM Stirling or the 1632 series by Eric Flint.
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Amazon Customer
2.0 out of 5 stars Lame
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2012
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The same guy who wrote The Stone Dogs wrote this???

Flat characters, uninspired writing, hackneyed dialogue. Stirling definitely phoned this one in.
2 people found this helpful
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