About the Author

With more than eight million copies of his books in print and 33 titles on the New York Times bestseller list, David Weber is a science fiction powerhouse. In the vastly popular Honor Harrington series, the spirit of C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander lives on--into the galactic future. Books in the Honor Harrington and Honorverse series have appeared on 21 bestseller lists, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and USA Today. Additional Honorverse collaborations include the spin-off miniseries Manticore Ascendant with New York Times best-selling author, Timothy Zahn; and with Eric Flint, Crown of Slaves and Cauldron of Ghosts contribute to his illustrious list of New York Times and international bestseller lists.

Best known for his spirited, modern-minded space operas, Weber is also the creator of the Oath of Swords fantasy series and the Dahak saga, a science fiction and fantasy hybrid. Weber has also engaged in a steady stream of best-selling collaborations: the Starfire Series with Steve White; The Empire of Man Series with John Ringo; the Multiverse Series with Linda Evans and Joelle Presby; and the Ring of Fire Series with Eric Flint.

David Weber makes his home in South Carolina with his wife and children.

John Ringo is the New York Times best-selling author of the Black Tide Rising series, the Posleen War series, the Through the Looking Glass series, and more, including the Troy Rising series, of which Live Free or Die is the first installment. A veteran of the 82nd Airborne, Ringo brings firsthand knowledge of military operations to his fiction.

Reviews

Stranded on the hostile planet Marduk and charged with the protection of Prince Roger, Tertiary Heir to the Throne of Man, the Bronze Battalion of the Empress's Own company of elite soldiers makes its tortuous way toward the sea and their only hope of returning home. This fast-paced sequel to March Upcountry continues the odyssey of men and women caught in a struggle for survival and determined to maintain their courage and humor in the face of overwhelming odds. Coauthors Weber (the Honor Harrington series) and Ringo (A Hymn Before Battle) excel in depicting the lives and times of soldiers both on and off the battlefield. With particular appeal to fans of military sf, this title belongs in most sf collections. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

In this admirable continuation of the authors' March Upcountry (2001), Prince Roger McClintock and his diminishing band of Royal Marines are still on the soggy, hot planet Marduk and still having an interesting time. Their way to the sea and their ultimate goal is barred not only by jungle, swamp, weird wildlife and local politics, but also by a wandering barbarian horde known as the Boman. In addition, the Marines' technological advantage is shrinking faster than their numbers, their vitamins may run out before they reach safety and the course of true or any other love for the prince and female sergeant Nimashet Despreaux is not running smoothly. However, human and Mardukan are able to combine resources including the engineering skills of the city of Diaspra, the wealth of the port city of K'Vaern's Cove, and the military talents of Marine Captain Pahner, exiled Mardukan prince Raster and formidable general Bistem Kar to generate both weaponry and tactics to defeat the Boman. The development of a Mardukan combined-arms force will fascinate sophisticated readers (the manual of arms for a four-armed, 10-foot soldier is a thing of beauty), while the overthrow of the Boman will grip straightforward action lovers in spite of the staggering body count. And there's the distinct hint of at least one more volume about Prince Roger's homeward journey at the end of this one, a hint that will please many. (Aug.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.