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11th out of 212 books
—
197 voters
March Upcountry (Empire of Man #1)
The Royal Brat is in Trouble
Roger Ramius Sergei Chiang MacClintock didn't understand.
He was young, handsome, athletic, an excellent dresser, and third in line for the Throne of Man...so why wouldn't anyone at Court trust him?
Why wouldn't even his own mother, the Empress, explain why they didn't trust him? Or why the very mention of his father's name was forbidden at
...moreMass Market Paperback, 608 pages
Published
April 30th 2002
by Baen
(first published 2001)
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Modder! this book is pocking awesome! --- that's Pinopan for "My goodness, this is indeed an awesome book!" If you're looking for sci-fi with intricate political intrigue and underlying subtext of mankind's search for meaning, you're not very likely to find it on planet Marduk where Prince Roger Ramius Sergei Chiang MacClintock Heir Tertiary to the Empire of Man (my fingers cramped typing this) crash-lands with his royal bodyguard The Empress's Own Bravo Company -- but stick with Roger and his s...more
May 21, 2012
Doug Dandridge
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Any fan of military science fiction
I actually found this book on one of those freebie CDs that Baen has been putting in their hardcover books, and the book was from the local public library. I have always been a fan of Weber, but in my opinion John Ringo was the star of this series, and has become one of my favorite authors. The story follows a dilettante prince of the Terran Empire, and his shipwreck by sabotage on a primitive planet, Marduk, full of dangers. Prince Roger Ramius Sergei Chiang MacClintock Heir Tertiary to the Emp...more
I love Space Opera.. You know what I mean, don't you? I mean a Western set in some far-flung future with lots of neat Science Fiction weapons, alien cultures, etc. This novel filled that niche quite well.
Spoiled Prince Roger, third in line for the throne of the human empire, is sent off on a minor diplomatic mission, but then his ship is sabotaged. His regiment of marines are stranded on an out-of-the-way planet, where they decide to struggle across the harsh terrain, fighitng through hostile f...more
Spoiled Prince Roger, third in line for the throne of the human empire, is sent off on a minor diplomatic mission, but then his ship is sabotaged. His regiment of marines are stranded on an out-of-the-way planet, where they decide to struggle across the harsh terrain, fighitng through hostile f...more
March Upcountry by David Weber and John Ringo is the first book in the Prince Roger series. Prince Roger is the heir tertiary to the empire of man and a royal pain to his family and his bodyguards. He is closely guarded by the Bronze Battalion of the Empress's own detachment of the Imperial Marines. Prince Roger is a gorgeous playboy who seems to have no redeeming qualities as a prince, much to the chagrin of his mother, the empress.
Not only is he a spoiled rich brat, he is the son of a nobleman...more
Not only is he a spoiled rich brat, he is the son of a nobleman...more
I've been rereading David Weber books recently... just blasted through all the Honor Harrington and related series. So I picked this up because I was on a Weber kick, and I"m glad I did. I like his collaboration with John Ringo. It's very military... all about a unit of bodyguard marines marooned on a hostile planet with the prince they must protect, trying to keep him alive and get him across the planet to a spaceport. The world-building is interesting, though the plot is not a little trite. "S...more
This is a very long audio book but it's entertaining. The story is engaging although it did drag at some places. It's basically about the making of a hero from a spoiled prince. This is sciene fiction for the most part. There are a gazillion characters but somehow you get to know them. I suppose that is what makes Mr. Weber a good author. I don't know that anyone else could have written that many personalities and have me keep them straight. The story evolves around a group of marines that are e...more
Not my favourite Weber. The story of a crack military unit being stranded on a hostile planet and fighting their way across a continent to rescue has been done before, and better, in many books, of which his sometime collaborator David Drake's
Redliners
is, in my opinion, the best.
In addition, I really dislike the whole "interstellar empire" subgenre. I can't imagine a scenario in which interstellar civilization, even with faster-than-light travel, can work with hereditary nobility - and if it...more
In addition, I really dislike the whole "interstellar empire" subgenre. I can't imagine a scenario in which interstellar civilization, even with faster-than-light travel, can work with hereditary nobility - and if it...more
Not quite up there with the Vorkosigan Saga in my opinion, but an enjoyable romp through alien worlds with solid writing nonetheless.
The transformation of our Protagonist, lets call him "Mr. Fancy Pants" into "Awesome scary military dude" is of course quite predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless.
The writing isnt anything extraordinary but its functional and up to the task.
As a worldbuilding exercise however is succeeds admirably, and the entire world with its many different faccets just seems al...more
The transformation of our Protagonist, lets call him "Mr. Fancy Pants" into "Awesome scary military dude" is of course quite predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless.
The writing isnt anything extraordinary but its functional and up to the task.
As a worldbuilding exercise however is succeeds admirably, and the entire world with its many different faccets just seems al...more
One of the biggest letdown of the year. I was really looking forward to reading this, and wanted to like it so much. The plot is fun, the characters are fun, the setting is fun. The writing is just horrible. The authors just love describing techno babble, especially when it's absolutely irrelevant to the story. At first I paid attention to things, because these guys were writing paragraph after paragraph describing how this amazing super awesome gun works, and how much cartridges it can hold, an...more
I like David Weber. He has done a great job giving a scifi spin to the Hornblower stories with his Honor Harrington books. He writes a rousing tale that fits well within the writing style of CS Forester.
I cannot say the same for John Ringo. His books are very one dimensional and so are his characters, but without the panache that I like in CS Forester or even the Flashman novels. He has taken the military scifi community by storm, but it just doesnt do it for me.
All that said, I liked this ser...more
I cannot say the same for John Ringo. His books are very one dimensional and so are his characters, but without the panache that I like in CS Forester or even the Flashman novels. He has taken the military scifi community by storm, but it just doesnt do it for me.
All that said, I liked this ser...more
First in the series of Prince Roger books, a collaboration between John Ringo and David Weber. Prince Roger is third in line for the crown of the Empire of Man (an interstellar empire) and a spoiled brat. His mother the queen sends him by spaceship on a diplomatic mission, where the ship is sabotaged and they are forced down on an alien planet. They must battle monsters, deal with the natives and begin the long trek to a spaceport held by their enemies, where they hope to gain control of a space...more
I liked this book a lot, obviously. The only thing I didn't like about this book is something I just generally don't like in books: subtle endings. See, this series is very much one continuing story and there isn't much to distinguish the end of the book from the end of other chapters. It just keeps going on into the next book. I find that very unsatisfying. A Game of Thrones was especially bad about this point, not even bothering to have a wrap-up. At least this book did better than that. Still...more
With an extremely broad wink at Xenophon, Weber and Ringo have a lot of fun crash landing a spoiled playboy prince on a marginal jungle world with a battalion of space marines tasked with getting him safely home. Although they cheat a little by having convenient characters with unlikely special skills, this is mostly an excuse to explore how a crack unit without their high technology falls back on classic military training, and what happens when they encounter what seems to be the authors openin...more
This was a very odd read. I'm comfortable with the genre and the plot was easy enough to pick up. The premise was solid and is just the sort of transformational epic that I'm a sucker for. But this book just didn't do it for me.
The thing that stands out the most was the writing itself. Most of the time when I'm reading a book I don't notice the words at all. That wasn't the case here. There were many points in the book where I could not suspend my disbelief. There were sequences, statements and...more
The thing that stands out the most was the writing itself. Most of the time when I'm reading a book I don't notice the words at all. That wasn't the case here. There were many points in the book where I could not suspend my disbelief. There were sequences, statements and...more
In a complete out of character thing for me this is one of the few books that I have read multiple times. Here you have a book written by my two favorite authors, combining Science Fiction with a smattering of fantasy and just plain gritty writing.
The book is a lot of plain old fun. Starting with the SF standard of an intergalactic empire engaged in a long term dispute with the significant opponents. That is where Prince Roger MacClintock comes into the scene. Spoiled, petulant and whiny, a clo...more
I really like this series. There's solid military-style action, the characters are believable, and the character development goes in non-frustrating directions. It's Weber, so people with names actually die, but this was written before Weber decided to emulate GRRM and start killing anyone who actually possessed a moral compass. It's also Ringo, so most of the people talking are smart-asses, which makes it fun. It's a little bit preachy in places, but nowhere near as bad as it can get with Ringo...more
"Travel to distant lands, meet strange and exotic native peoples, and kill them."
That's military science fiction for you, although in this case it also is the slogan of the Bronze Battalion of the Empress' Own Regiment.
After terrorist sabotage, Prince Roger MacClintock and the Bronze Battalion space marines are stranded in the wilderness of the planet Marduk, noted for high mountains, high temperatures, low technology and the short tempers of its nine-foot, four-armed, slime-covered natives. The...more
That's military science fiction for you, although in this case it also is the slogan of the Bronze Battalion of the Empress' Own Regiment.
After terrorist sabotage, Prince Roger MacClintock and the Bronze Battalion space marines are stranded in the wilderness of the planet Marduk, noted for high mountains, high temperatures, low technology and the short tempers of its nine-foot, four-armed, slime-covered natives. The...more
In the first book of the Empire of Man series, Crown Prince Roger is a spoiled, annoying brat. When his ship is sabotaged and crashes in the wilderness on a backwater planet, he is forced to rough it towards civilization with a company of Marines from the Imperial Guard. Very enjoyable military science fiction.
Note: This series is also known as the Prince Roger Series or simply the March Upcountry series.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1479
Note: This series is also known as the Prince Roger Series or simply the March Upcountry series.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1479
Prince Roger, the black sheep of the Empire of Man's royals, is shipped out to show the flag on one of the Empire's backwater planets. An assassination attempt shipwrecks him and his Marine guards on a decidedly unfriendly barbaric planet. Roger and the Marines must travel across the planet to hopefully depart from the only spaceport. Roger has a lot of growing up to do.
Weber and Ringo make a good team for this first of four books in the Empire of Man series.
Weber and Ringo make a good team for this first of four books in the Empire of Man series.
Grab your popcorn for this read.
March Upcountry could have some potential as a fun pulp sci-fi book. However, I think its major flaw is that this first in a series did not have enough of a substantial plot arc or character development to justify ending where it did. I understand it's a serial, but really I have no desire to continue reading it. The only way I would continue would be if I was really bored with everything I was reading and it was sitting there very convenient to grab.
As it is, Mar...more
March Upcountry could have some potential as a fun pulp sci-fi book. However, I think its major flaw is that this first in a series did not have enough of a substantial plot arc or character development to justify ending where it did. I understand it's a serial, but really I have no desire to continue reading it. The only way I would continue would be if I was really bored with everything I was reading and it was sitting there very convenient to grab.
As it is, Mar...more
Excellent story, but the characters were lacking in some depth. The Prince's internal narrative was at odds with his outer persona as advertised, but there was a disconnect there that was never reconciled to my satisfaction.
The supporting cast is rather large and quite diverse, but generally lacked depth. I was quite interested in most of them, and disappointed with what (little) I learned about them.
I still intend to read the sequel(s?).
The supporting cast is rather large and quite diverse, but generally lacked depth. I was quite interested in most of them, and disappointed with what (little) I learned about them.
I still intend to read the sequel(s?).
I'm a big sci-fi fan, but not a military buff or a sociological student, but this book was excellent. It was recommended to me by a good friend, and I'm grateful for it. It covers a lot of ground, has several character arcs, shows a different biological system in the native Mardukans and the rest of the world's unusual and frightening creatures, and has some fascinating warfare. The only reason I didn't give it five out of five is because it skips ahead without explanation in certain parts. You...more
This is the first book in the great Empire of Man series. John Ringo and David Weber write very well together. While Weber can occasionally bore readers uninterested in every last technological detail, Ringo's presence really keeps that tendency in check. Ringo's humor also adds a lot.
The 4-book story follows Prince Roger's transformation from a spoiled dandy to a rugged war leader as he and a group of marines battle their way across an unknown planet. The series' first couple of books serve as...more
The 4-book story follows Prince Roger's transformation from a spoiled dandy to a rugged war leader as he and a group of marines battle their way across an unknown planet. The series' first couple of books serve as...more
The Empire of Man series was an enjoyable read. I especially enjoyed the evolution of the main character, the Prince. At this point there are four volumes available in the series, and I am curious if a fifth will appear, especially as the storyline has taken a turning point in setting. If you like a mix of tech and old-fashioned Burroughs-esque savagery, you might enjoy this.= series.
Both David Weber and John Ringo are a rare breed - authors who are able to collaborate and create solid, cohesive stories.
This book (and the following series) is a perfect example: it combines fantastic settings, believable (and interesting) characters, and a realistic grasp of the human condition that adds a subtle romantic thread to a not-so-subtle humorous look at the ridiculous side of life.
This book (and the following series) is a perfect example: it combines fantastic settings, believable (and interesting) characters, and a realistic grasp of the human condition that adds a subtle romantic thread to a not-so-subtle humorous look at the ridiculous side of life.
When the youngest prince of the Empire of Man crashlands on a jungle planet, his Marine entourage is sure they're all going to die. Possibly by being executed for having killed him to keep from having to deal with him. But they're Marines and he's the Prince and it's their job to get him home, even if he doesn't understand why he can't make them carry his luggage.
First in a fairly standard military sf series about a young, clueless prince stranded on a primitive planet with a squad of military, who travels through a variety of cultures to attempt to leave the planet and return to his civilization. Actually pretty decent series without too much right-wing jingoism and interesting takes on the different cultures.
A fun, not very rigorous military space opera. I listened to the audiobook version. It's a bit uneven - I like the world building, but many concept and phrases from our known Earth have persisted over the centuries and end up sounding like lazy writing shortcuts. All in all, the good stuff in this book outweighs the bad and I've moved on to the sequel.
I thoroughly enjoyed this action-packed space opera. It is the start of a long adventure through the jungles, mountains, deserts, and seas of a barbarian planet called Markduk. I love the character of Roger, even at the beginning of the book when he's a raging dandy. He is very likable and at the same time completely detestable. There are MANY characters in the book, many of which are one-dimensional, but the core characters are well-developed and compelling.
I'll be reading many more of these bo...more
I'll be reading many more of these bo...more
This is another of David Weber's best series in my opinion. It starts a little slow but has some amazing moments. One of Weber's favorite plot themes is to bring advanced technology to a primitive civilization, and while that is one of the themes in this series he's done an incredible job of finding problems that technology can't solve.
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| What's The Name o...: Sci Fi: Spoiled prince leads exploration on new planet. Befriends native alien. [s] | 4 | 37 | Jul 12, 2012 10:38pm |
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1952.
Many of his stories have military, particularly naval, themes, and fit into the military science fiction genre. He frequently places female leading characters in what have been traditionally male roles.
One of his most popular and enduring characters is Honor Harrington whose alliterated name...more
More about David Weber...
Many of his stories have military, particularly naval, themes, and fit into the military science fiction genre. He frequently places female leading characters in what have been traditionally male roles.
One of his most popular and enduring characters is Honor Harrington whose alliterated name...more
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