March Upcountry

By: David Weber, John Ringo

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 17 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

Roger Ramius Sergei Chiang MacClintock was young, handsome, athletic, an excellent dresser, and third in line for the Throne of Man. So it wasn't surprising that he became spoiled, self-centered, and petulant. After all, what else did he have to do with his life?

But that was before his mother, the empress, packed him off to a backwater planet and he found himself shipwrecked on the planet Marduk, with jungles full of damnbeasts, killerpillars, carnivorous plants, and barbarian hordes of bad disposition. Fortunately, Roger had an ace in the hole: Bravo Company of Bronze Battalion of the Empress' Own Regiment. Now all Roger has to do is hike halfway around the planet, capture a spaceport from the Bad Guys, commandeer a starship, and go home.

Don't miss the rest of the action in the Prince Roger Series.

©2001 David Weber and John Ringo (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic Reviews

"Sure to please....Superb storytelling." (Publishers Weekly)

2 GREAT WRITERS 1 FANTASTIC STORY

Both writers do a wonderful job writing separately, but it adds so much more
when they join up.This book takes it's time in the set up, and the main character
seems to be an unlikeable dweeb.

Just like in other Weber and Ringo novels plenty of interesting action takes
place. As the story progress we find this unlikeable prince marooned on
a distant planet . The military guard assigned to protect him all believe him a
spoiled peacock, but prince Roger surprises them all.

As usual Stefan Rudniki does a fantastic job of narrating this book. He brings
each of the characters to life.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Spoiled Prince grows up

This basically the story of a spoiled prince, and his Marines, being shipwrecked on a planet full of hostiles. The prince grows up and his men learn to not hate him. Solid military Sci-fi.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Loved it

I am not a big fan of space science fiction stories. I tend to like more fantasy driven science fiction novels that include magic. However, this novel is an exception. The book seems like a cross between star wars and starship troopers. The reader is excellent, the characters are likable and the story plot is engaging. The march upcountry is about an arrogant prince who is forced into a situation where he must cross an alien planet full of hostile creatures. His character develops along the way and soon you'll find yourself rooting for his success. Give it a try, it's only a credit!

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Very Enjoyable!

This is a great listen for fans of military science fiction novels. The narrator (who I beleive also does the voice for most of the Ender's Game series of novels) makes listening to the story even more enjoyable.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Another winner

I really like john ringo, and teamed up with david weber who i have never read but cant wait to listen to some of his books now. the story was really good real good survival tactics and creative idea that is well formed makes for a great listen. this narrator needs to be ranked among some of the best out there. his voices are great you can tell what character by the voice all the time. he really nailed female voices. i have listened to all 4 in the series now. there are all very good.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Wow, What a great series!!

Wow! What a great find! Don’t you just love it when you try the first book in a series and you turn out to LOVE IT? Well that is exactly what happened here with me. I could not wait to download the next book, and they are all nice a long (so you get a lot of ‘bang for your buck.’) All of these prince Roger books are the kind of ‘long’ that goes by fast. There is plenty of satisfying action and the character development if great too. You really get to love each character and see what happens to them. I highly recommend each and every book in this series…If you like the first book your will like them all.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

A fantastic story, a truly epic tale!

Sing me, muse, of the tales of Prince Roger…this book begins a fantastic story, a truly epic tale, absent perhaps the gods of Homer’s stories, but lacking none of the humanity, adventure, and lessons of life of those two great ancient Greek stories. In this relatively ‘hard science’ science fiction, space-war drama, the authors show that they understand the workings of real as well as imagined weaponry, of early manufacturing techniques, and the tactics of war. You will come away with a sense that you have really been in these battles! And yet there is so much more here than the battles, just as in Homer’s stories. This fellow Roger, the hero, will likely annoy you at first, but that is intentional. The growth of his character and the bonds that these characters forge through this series of books is the real heart of this work. Here is a story where you can grow as you listen to it, which is read by a reader who seems to care about the story, and which will not disappoint you or cheat you, but will often surprise you. As you listen to and enjoy this first book cherish too that there are three sequels equally wonderful and all now available from Audible by the same reader. What a treat! If this is not the greatest series of four books I have ever experienced, then I have forgotten a work so monumental that such a lapse cannot be excused.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Excellent

I have listened to dozens of audiobooks, and March Upcountry is my third favorite after Ender's Game and Atlas Shrugged. It was almost too good, tempting me to break my rule of only listening while exercising, and I was pleasantly angry when this story ended before I expected. You will recognize the (excellent) narrator as one of the teachers in Ender's Game. I am ordering the sequel now.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Weber, Ringo, and Rudnicki -- a great combination

This is the first in the Prince Roger series, and it gets off to a great start. Typical Weber and Ringo, with lots of action and adventure, but there's more underneath here than we sometimes see. The story has Prince Roger on his way to do his "wave the flag" duty at a distant world when his ship, and the dedicated Company of soldiers assigned to protect his (in their and just about everyone else's opinion) worthless butt is forced to land on a minor and rather inhospitable world due to sabatoge. They fight the flora, fauna and natives, to march "up-country" to try to get to the one port on the planet so that Roger can return home. The interaction between Roger and his Company, especially the Company Commander, is a learning experience for everyone.

The story is well read by Stefan Rudnicki, whose narration is seamless and becomes a part of the story, never standing out or distracting.

Overall, a pleasure, and a read that makes me really want to do a couple of extra laps just to listen to it.

14 of 15 people found this review helpful

Good book, superb reader

Any additional comments?

Stefan Rudnicki is one of my favorite readers for military fiction. His voice is calm and relentless (appropriate for military), showing little emotion and yet somehow conveying the character's emotions and intentions. He is very good at distinguishing the different characters.Each of the species on Marduk has its own way of speaking. In addition, each character has his own way of speaking within that dialect. Truly amazing!In the final book of the trilogy, there are three Terran military personnel. I can tell instantly which one is speaking. Some readers do this by having one lisp, or have a hoarse voice - Mr. Rudnicki doesn't have to resort to such cheap tricks. Highly recommended!

My only complaint is that in the early chapters, Roger is not whiny enough. Very minor complaint for such a long, intricate book.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Great sci-fi.

Have fully enjoyed this audio book. At first I found the reading a little hard to listen to but really got into it and now find it brilliantly engaging. Have since downloaded the other two books in the trilogy as I could not wait to find out how the story and characters progress.
It contains some quite complex battles that you have to concentrate quite intently to stay switched on to where all the characters are but often found when you miss parts you can piece it together after but I digress a great yarn with great character development and a world that is well easy to picture and a good narrative. Defo. one for the sci-fi geeks amongst us however.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

March Upcountry (Unabridged)

I really enjoyed this audio book i would say it was a cross between starship troopers and avatar.
This if the first book of four and i look forward to getting the rest.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A very good book

Any additional comments?

Stefan Rudnicki is one of the few American voice artists I have found on this site that can really bring the books he is reading to life; his performance brings an edge and depth to the characters that is so often missing in audio books. Even his female characters are believeable without him having to resort to silly voices or the dull monotone of many of his counterparts (I REALLY wish they could get him to record the Honor Harrington books which, I found, were impossible to listen to).
Highly recommended

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

An Epic Story

This series is up there with the epic Deathstalker audiobooks by Simon R Green. Start with this book and work your way though - you won't be disappointed.
Exceptional story vividly read and spanning a vast world of surprises.
Great action and characterisation adds to the plot.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good book - good series.

I very much enjoyed this "Prince Roger" series and have listened to it more than once.



For fans of epic science fiction this is a good buy - although the emphasis is more on low tech than high tech.

Great book and series

The only complaint I have about the price Rodger series is there are only four books.

The story is well written and reasonably paced, the humour is well placed and not out of context.

The book has the feel of Webers Honour Harrington

Fantastic

Wow, I couldn't put this away once I started it. I hope the next "March to the sea" is just as good.