Customer Reviews

Prince of Sparta

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This book exemplifies the best characteristics in military science fiction. A severe problem with some military science fiction stems from the tendency to favor military techno-details over any other factors in story telling such as plot, characterization, and internal coherence. The best of the writers working in the military sci fi sub genre write good stories whether they are military in flavor or not. Robert Heinlein, David Drake, S.M. Stirling, H. Beam Piper, Keith Laumer, and Jerry Pournelle have written good stories that someone can sit up nights finishing, that have characters that we become interested in as to their actions and fates, and that are, for the most part, correct and cohesive in details. What is the ultimate test of good military sci fi? If any person in high school or college can read the book with the same interest (horrified or morbid as it may be) as a veteran of military service (Maybe I should have included, Tom Clancy's more recent offerings as military sci fi, but not necessarily good military sci fi stories). Prince of Sparta, with a cast of characters ranging from opposing political leaders to the Legion commanders and the working rank and file of the Legion, Royal Spartan Infantry, and Helots to the cameo glimpses of ordinary citizens, works as a story. The characters of Prince Lysander, Maj. Generals Owensford and Slater, Caldwell Whitlock, Skida Thibodeau, Dion Croser, Geoffrey Niles, Sergeant Miscowsky, Cornet Talkins, Juanita Fuller, Von Reuther, Major Sastri, and others are, if a bit stereotyped, what makes reading this book interesting. The actions and interactions of these characters under well plotted and well written stress situations mirror sadly that of what real people have done in real life. To enjoy this book, which is the third or fourth in a slowly more cohesive series and which is the best of them so far in reading enjoyment, you need not be a right wing conservative or interested in the military though enough details historical and technical are given for extra interest. You just have to enjoy a good adventure story that has tension and action in plenty.

Not bad. It is not just a purely war story. There is extra flesh on those bones, where we have a good description of the social struggles that parallel and drive the armed conflict. Some of the characters may indeed seem more real than others. It may well be that the authors spent more time expanding out some and just cursory attention to others.

If you end up liking this book, the biggest problem may be that there are no sequels. In this future history of Pournelle's, he and his co-authors have done little in recent years. Perhaps it is because it posits as its starting point the CoDominium - an alliance between the US and the USSR. Since the latter imploded, this future history has become alternate future history. Maybe that is perceived by Pournelle or the publisher to have negative impact on future sales?

Compared to the previous volume in this series ('Go_tell_the_Spartans') this one has more life in it. It does not confine itself to mechanically putting the Falkenberg characters through their paces and expounding US military dogma. This extra readability comes at the cost of continuity of the storyline and military credibility, but would seem to be worth it.

Any fan of the 42nd that persevered through 'Go_tell_the_Spartans' will wholeheartily welcome this one.

Since this is the third time I've bought this book, it's got to be good Right!