On Basilisk Station, by David Weber

Honor Harrington is a captain in the Manticoran navy. She's ambitious in that she wants to execute the job to the best of her abilities, but she has no interest in the positioning and posing required for advancement. Manticoran politics have landed her in a post in a boring sector of space that is meant to be a career-killer for her. Yet she finds plenty of adventure and intrigue at Basilisk Station. Her conviction, honesty (with the right people) and aptitude win her dedicated friends in many important places - from the higher administration officials down to the grunts in the torpedo bays.
This is the first novel in the Honor Harrington series. The series currently includes over 10 novels, so there should be quite a bit of material to explore. I liked the first, and hope the rest will be as enjoyable.
text: 448 pages