March to the Stars [Hardcover]

David Weber (Author), John Ringo (Draft Writer)

Book Description

Series: Weber, David | Publication Date: December 24, 2002

Prince Roger MacClintock was heir to a galactic empire - and a spoiled young brat. Then he and his Royal Marine bodyguards were stranded on Marduk with only their feet to get them half way around the entire planet, and he had to grow up fast. Now they have to cross a sea with monsters big enough to swallow a ship - and across water is an enemy spaceport, bristling with heavy artillery, while Roger's team has only hand weapons.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Science fiction icon David Weber (the Honor Harrington series) teams up with Airborne-soldier-turned-author John Ringo (A Hymn Before Battle) in their third novel about Prince Roger Ramius Sergei Chiang Alexander MacClintock, Heir Tertiary to the Throne of Man. March to the Stars continues the adventures of Roger and the Bronze Barbarians that started in March Upcountry and continued in March to the Sea as they battle their way across the remote planet of Marduk in their bid to return home to Earth. Through the course of these first three novels, Roger has grown from a spoiled brat into a true leader of men and aliens alike. March to the Stars takes the Bronze Barbarians of the Imperial Guard across the Eastern Ocean of Marduk, facing giant sea monsters and pirates, and eventually to a spaceport held by humans of questionable loyalties. The naval battle with Mardukian pirates contains some swashbuckling heroics worthy of Errol Flynn himself, and Roger learns that not everything is as it seems on either Marduk or Earth. Fortunately, he's got the Bronze Barbarians and the Basik's Own at his back.

Collaboration is a tricky art form, and the resulting work can often feel rough and blocky, with the writers' differing styles at odds. Weber and Ringo deliver a work with a smooth blending of style, serving up a sum that is indeed greater than its parts. Readers should be warned, however, that by the end of the story they will likely be tempted to scoop up other works by these authors to satisfy their reading needs while waiting for the next novel in the series. --Ron Peterson

From Publishers Weekly

In their third outstanding military SF novel about a spoiled, foppish princeling's coming of age while marooned on the primitive planet of Marduk after a bungled assassination attempt, Weber and Flint (March Upcountry; March to the Sea) show Prince Roger developing into a thoughtful and highly competent (not to mention dangerous and charismatic) leader, who can inspire loyalty among both his Marine bodyguards and the Mardukan troops who have lent a hand or four. Parallels with Prince Hal in Henry IV are probably intentional, adding a certain gravitas to the many exceptionally well-done battle scenes, especially one that recalls the scale of Tolkien's Helm's Deep, which Roger wins by exercise of intelligence rather than strength. The prince and his followers discover that the original assassination attempt is part of a wider plot, as is a particularly loathsome example of cross-cultural contamination affecting the dominant Mardukan society. As Roger and company prepare to leave the planet, readers can look forward to seeing how the authors will retell Henry V. It should be one hell of a St. Crispin's Day.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Baen; First Edition edition (December 24, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743435621
• ISBN-13: 978-0743435628
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,120,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The March Series, January 8, 2003

By 

Yiwei Sun - See all my reviews

This review is from: March to the Stars (Hardcover)

There are reasons to read this book and then there are reasons not to read this book. If you, like me, thought the first two books of this series was some of the greatest sci-fi you have ever read, then you might be disappointed at reading this book. The March series, for now, is scheduled to be part of a 7 book series, which you no doubt knew roughly since Weber is given to writing a fuller universe than is present in March Upcountry. Given that knowledge, this book is more of a conclusion, a bitter conclusion, but still a conclusion to the battles fought on Marduk.

This novel serves the purpose of introducing the problems Roger will face when he tries to leave Marduk. Which was expected of course, just not the depth of those problems which came as a surprise for me. Rather a bitter, twangy, and sweet surprise. You will not see Roger "grow" as he grew in March Upcountry or March to the Sea. However, you will see Roger experience factors which will cause him to grow, because if he doesn't grow the consequences are rather unpleasant.

The sea voyage will be new and refreshing but after that things become more twisted. The land campaign is plagued with complexities of security and planning. Hard enough to fight natives who outnumber you, but add the spaceport to the mix and things start getting ugly.

So... If you want to continue this series or just want to know the end of the time spent on Marduk with an adequate sense of completion, then read the book. If you want to see Roger become more than he is at the moment, then you'll have to wait for the next book or books in the series. If you want to see Roger's romance develop into marriage, don't count on it buddy. Now that you know everything you need to know before reading the book, decide on whether it is worth it to you to read it.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Weber, Ringo, write faster!, October 23, 2003

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: March to the Stars (Hardcover)

During the first two books (MARCH UPCOUNTRY & MARCH TO THE SEA) spoiled Prince Roger transformed into a warrior. At the beginning of book three, Prince Roger Ramius Sergei Alexander Chiang MacClintock and his Marines have begun crossing a treacherous sea on the planet Marduk.

Many native Mardukan characters from the previous books had joined the Royal Marines. The Empire thought them all long dead. However, Roger's troop had to somehow get off the hot and boggy planet they had wrecked on before they could let the Empire know otherwise.

After six long months of marches and too many battles to recall, they were finally nearing the small and secluded space port which was their destination. Information made the port seem to be hostile instead of friendly, but since nothing had been easy up until now, the information did not come as a big surprise. The hostiles would just have to learn the old truism: You DON'T mess with a MacClintock.

***** Okay, I do not think it is a spoiler to tell you this much: There is going to be a fourth book. There HAS to be. By the time you are half way into the book you just KNOW that there is no way all this can be done in one book. The authors added a few new twists to ensure the necessity of another book. Personally, I believe this series is the best, with only the Honor Harrington series being better. There is just too much time in between each of these books though.

If you are just researching and have not read the first two books as yet, then do not bother to begin reading the series until after the next book comes out. You must read all the books, in order, to understand the major characters, as well as what is going on.

Each book left me begging for more and this one is no exception. This is an awesome series with two well known and brilliant authors creating spectacular characters and places for readers to lose themselves in. Highly recommended book. Part of a highly recommended series. *****

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hmmm. Okay, if you say so..., February 15, 2003

By 

John Ringo "Fleetstrike 6" (Chattanooga, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: March to the Stars (Hardcover)

Well, all I can say is it's _my_ favorite of the three. By the end of March to the Stars I was, frankly, running out of new ways to kill barbarians or even make the bad guys interesting.

I _like_ the plot twists in this one. I think that Roger grew alot in this book and, what is more important, so did some of the others.

As to references to, ahem, the Never Ending Wheel, this story has a very definite conclusion, thank you. You'll just have to wait a few more books to get to it.

But thanks for reading.

John