Customer Reviews

March to the Stars (Prince Roger Series #3)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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. *****

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

I have to admit I had extremely high expectations for March to the Stars, probably too high. After all March Upland and March to the Sea were two of the best books I have read in years. The characters, character development and action were superb. However this third installment left me a little unsatisfied.

In March to the Stars you have for the most part the same characters, same action, so where is the problem? The problem is that they are the same. I mean how many barbarian hordes can you slaughter before it gets a little old? How long can unrequited love continue before it gets stale and you begin to believe the characters involved are mere idiots instead of soul scared human beings? (I have to admit this part really bothered me, the romanticist in me wanted to see a lot more development in the relationship between the prince and Sergeant Despreaux and the turn it took disappointed me. My problem you say? Correct but it did not help to give me an overall "feel good" for the book.)

Another problem I had with this series is when will it end? In my opinion this could have been wrapped up in this volume ending what I would consider to be one of the best stories written in the past few years. But no, we are left on the hook again. Not necessary a bad thing but I fear that excessively prolonging it will diminish the excellent story that has already been written. I look to the Wheel of Time or the Sword of Truth series' as examples of authors who just don't know when to stop! I am sorry to see a good thing run into the ground and I fear it may happen here. John Ringo's A Hymn Before Battle series is heading down that path quickly. Every story needs closure or it becomes tedious and boring.

In summary this volume was average at best. The best I can say about it, since I will probably have to wait another year for the next one, is that I won't waiting around with that gut wrenching anticipation that March to the Sea gave me.

This book is the 3rd in a series, the first 2 being, "March Upcountry" and "March to the Sea." This book and the series in general are a good+ read, but they are not a great read. Why? For David Weber fan's you just have to buy the book and read it, but I'm sure you'll what I did. 75% of this book and 100% of the last two books contained the effort of our heros to get to the star port so they can get off the primitive planet they are stranded on. And in the space of 2.75 book the battles to get to said space port get just a little bit old after a while!

This book is written in Weber's wonderful style, yet the overal number of battles contained with the pages of the 3 books of the series to this point make the reader want to cry enought!! For David Weber Fan's I would say read the book. But for those who haven't had the pleasure of reading Webers other wonderful works I would suggest that this isn't the series to start with.

This book was a page-turner. I've gotten the other two books, devoured them in one sitting, and this one was no exception. An excellent read, well worth the money. Buy it! You'll like it! You'll stay up till 3 AM reading it!

So why the AAAARRRRGGGGHHH?

Cause it's #3 in a planned 7 book series! Dammit!

There's a lot of .... complications .... shoved in this episode, with a few possible red herring traces. All told, it matches the others without any problem. A problem I see is him continuing the series another 4 books with the same urgency and flair for detail that he's shown so far.

I can't say much more without giving away away things I shouldn't, but I think it's safe to say the following.

At the end of the book, the Prince is THOROUGHLY torqued off. He wants to use a big pocking wrench on someone. And he's got a good idea who.

Waiting for the next one... dammit...

J.

David Weber and John Ringo have worked together to produce an enjoyable tale about the transformation of a spoiled aristocrat into a seasoned and even cynical combat commander. Over the series of books, however the style has become noticeably looser and much less formal, almost to the point of parady.

Also available under very liberal ebook policies from Baen.com. Overall, an enjoyable read and continuation in the series.

March to the Stars (2002) is the third novel in the Empire of Man series, following March To the Sea. In the previous volume, Roger and the surviving Marines of Bravo Company, Bronze Battalion, the Empress' Own Regiment, and their auxiliaries have fought their way to K'vaern's Cove, killing a lot of Boman on the way and even more after they arrive. However, losses have been heavy among Roger's companions, including Matsugae Kotas, his valet and semi-father figure. The losses are undermining his determination, but Sergeant Nimashet Despreaux refuses to let him stay in his funk.

In this novel, the shipyards of K'vearn's Cove have turned out six armed schooners of Imperial design as well as one belated addition, a much larger, and slower, armed transport, the Snarleyow, to carry the cavalry's civans and other bulk cargo. When the flotilla is only a few days out from the large island, or small continent, where the spaceport is located, they discover why ships fail to return from voyages across the sea: a coll fish as large as the ship takes a bite out of the stern of the Sea Skimmer. By the time Roger's troops have killed the monster, at least half of those onboard are lost. Thereafter, they mount a bead weapon manjack on the stern of each ship to give the next fish an unpleasant surprise.

The fight against the giant coll fish shakes Roger out of his funk. This is fortunate, for a couple of days later they discover another ship apparently fleeing with six others in hot pursuit. Despite the other possibilities, the pursuing ships really are pirates and Captain Pahner temporarily relinquishes command to Roger, who is much more knowledgeable about surface naval warfare.

Roger leads the five smaller ships into an attack on the pirates, leaving the Snarleyow behind to guard the merchanter. The pirate ships are designed with a bow-mounted bombard for attacking in a stern chase and only have a few swivel guns on the sides. Since the goal is to capture the pirate ships rather than sink them, Roger maneuvers to the windward, swoops directly at the pirates with the wind behind him, and then pummels the pirate ships with grape and ball broadsides, even slowing down as they draw near to allow multiple strikes. Although a lucky shot temporarily disables the Prince John, Roger's ships disable four of the pirates immediately, the disabled Prince John takes another with a plasma rifle from the stern, and the Hooker chases down the last ship.

As the Hooker overtakes the pirate and rakes her with broadsides through the stern, Roger returns command to Captain Pahner and sits out the boarding in the ratlines, where he can see the action. Cord and Denat, Roger's asi and his nephew, stay with Roger to protect him with their shields, but Cord sees that the pirates are killing prisoners and leaps aboard to save them. Noticing Cord board the pirate, but not really understanding why, Roger follows him -- with a curse or two -- to guard his back. Dogzard, Roger's pet, also jumps aboard. Bad luck for the pirates, who make the mistake of attacking the threesome and don't survive the experience. Nonetheless, Roger is the center of angry attention as his companions assume that he has yielded to his impulses once more. After everybody quietens down enough to hear, Roger explains that Cord started it, but he still gets chewed out, even by Cord, for not staying safely aboard the Hooker.

This little exercise in piracy suppression gains them an important ex-prisoner, a Shin princess, Pedi Dorson Acos Lefan Karuse. She is an excellent source of intelligence as well as humor, for she has become benan -- the Shin equivalent of an asi -- to Cord due to his rescue. Since Pedi is young and pretty, everyone is soon teasing Cord about his new girl friend.

After the snickering dies down, Eleanora O'Casey, Roger's chief of staff, explains the geography and politics of the area. The pirates are Lammar Raiders from an island based political entity similar to the Barbary Sultanate. The Krath Temple rules a riverine civilization in the principal valley to the south of the mainland. The Shin and the Shadem are barbaric highlanders in the small vales covering most of the mainland from the north to the Temple lands.

The Marines are running out of time. While the giant coll fish extended their supplies of dietary supplements, there still isn't very much left. Moreover, a hunter/killer team from the spaceport is following their trail. Now they are faced with a theocratic society that takes slaves and uses them up quickly, not to mention unfriendly pirates. And then they must take the spaceport and capture a ship in orbit.

Note that the girl in the mirrored armor is not visible on the front or back covers. However, the pirate ships changed from two masted cogs in the story to something like three masted galleons on the front cover. Artists, can't live with them ...

This installment of the series does not lack for excitement, yet it left me wanting a sequel. I am happy to see the post by one of the authors stating that there will be more volumes.

Recommended for Weber & Ringo fans and for anyone who enjoys deadly environments and competent soldiers in a SF setting.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Have you ever taken up that offer at a steakhouse? The kind that gives you a steak for free, if you eat the entire 64 ounces in one sitting? The first few bites are delicious (because everyone knows that free food tastes great!), but after you've gorged a bit, the thought of the remaining portion just sits badly in your stomach.

This is how I feel about this series. MARCH UPCOUNTRY and MARCH TO THE STARS are like the first few bites of that steak. They are delightful and suprisingly good. Over the hazardous journey on planet Marduk, Prince Roger's transformation from a spoiled brat to a thoughtful leader is very well written. His Marine bodyguards and other companions are characters that you love, because each has their own sparkling bit of personality. As repetitive as some of the battle scenes become, you can tell that the authors put work into making each Mardukan enemies and situations unique.

However, in the third installment of this series, MARCH TO THE STARS is disappointing compared to the previous books. The battles are unsatisfying and the characters are weak. The delightful interactions between Roger, Pahner, Nimashet, Poertena, Julian, Kosutic and others are few and far between. Captain Pahner, especially, takes a backseat to Prince Roger's now growing authority. He is there to give a halfhearted resistance, but is now just a ghost of the brave and commanding officer that we grew to love. The Mardukans now have a bigger role, but Cord's romance, though somewhat amusing, is also a bit silly.

When the remaining team finally (finally!) reaches the spaceport, I had a sort of "What? That's it?" reaction. I had this same reaction when I got to the last page of the book. Maybe my book had a weird fluke of a copy, but it felt very much like the two authors erased a chapter or two at the end and forgot to tell anyone about it. Maybe they cut off the last chapter to make it the first chapter of the next book. And there is obviously going to be another book.

At the glacial pace that they are setting, it will probably take another 3 books for Prince Roger to get home, and another trilogy after that so that he can save the Empire, and another three for him to marry Nimashet. Authors, take note: we could stand it for the first two books, but if the third book is getting a bit tired, then you'd better work *awfully hard* to make the rest of the books engaging. No more chopped of endings and lazy editing.

To sum it all up: If you could not get enough of the first two, the third is a decent read. However, if you want some closure, it would be better to wait for the rest of the inevitable series to be released in your local library.

I am probably dating myself here, but I find Weber/Ringo's works to be every bit as entertaining as Robert Heinlein's and David Eddings stories. I don't think I can pay a higher compliment. It's very apparent that one or both have some combat experience, the battle descriptions and the mental attitudes of the characters are too close to reality to be "made" up.
March to the Stars did not disappoint me in any way. Nor did it proceed as I had thought it would. That was pleasant, I like a little surprise now and then. I am looking forward to the next installment. I agree that if this turns into a ten book series it may hard to keep it as exciting and fresh as it has been. But I could easily see it being a six book series. Doesn't matter I will still buy and read em all. To those Nay-sayers and armchair editors out there, write something better...I'll buy it and read it too. To David Weber and John Ringo...keep it up guys, in this old farts opinion, you're doin good. "nuff said".