Sunday, August 3, 2014

Throne Of Stars-David Weber and John Ringo

Throne Of Stars
David Weber and John Ringo
Baen, Aug 12 2014, $14.00
ISBN: 9781476736662

“March To The Sea.”  The bogus diplomatic mission assigned to Prince Roger was to get rid of him temporarily as the royals are tired of his boorish spoiled behavior.  One thousand rugged Marines accompany Roger with every one of these tough soldiers detesting this royal pain in the butt.  The assignment goes wrong and Roger and his troops become stuck on hostile Marduk.  Over the next few months, as many die Roger leads his Marines and loyal Mardukans in a deadly march to reach the only spaceport held by the enemy. 

“We Few.”  While marooned for eight months (and three books) with marines on Marduk, Roger survives while watching most of his comrades die.  Death turns Roger from hedonistic "Playboy Prince" to Bravo Company leader.  Freed from Marduk, he learns his biological father and Prince Adoula overthrew his mother Empress Alexandra; killed his siblings, nieces and nephews; blamed Roger for the mass regicide murders; and use the former ruler as a puppet.  Roger and his few marines supplemented by a few hundred Mardukans, a ghost and a few others need allies from those who will kill him at first sight.

March to the Sea is a powerful coming of age military science fiction as Roger turns from a hedonistic rotter into a competent leader.  We Few moves off Marduk but continues Roger’s development into a strong leader as he and the other survivors begin a counter revolt against those who assassinated and usurped his family as rulers.  Though it behooves newcomers to read the first Prince Roger Omnibus collection (contains March Upcountry and March to the Sea), series fans will enjoy this outer space saga.


Harriet Klausner

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