This note contains spoilers for the book.

By David Weber and John Ringo. This is the start of the backstory for We Few. My memory is insisting that these are Ringo books, but the evidence I can find does not support this.

We start by seeing how spoiled the Prince is. He seems to be pretty spoiled, but it's clear we've also gotten into a dysfunctional feedback cycle where he's put off by everybody around him thinking poorly of him (while having to defer to him). Only his valet seems to have any respect for him. And the little bits so far from the Prince's perspective don't look hopelessly rotten or completely overrun with beliefs in entitlement; so I can believe this guy turning into the guy in We Few.

These are definitely plot-heavy books, though the characters are significant also. I don't find them nearly as compelling as the Honor Harrington books; partly I'm just not as inherently attracted to the stories of the ground-pounder, and small-unit command is often less interesting to read about than command of a ship with a crew of hundreds, or thousands, or a group of such ships.

I am interested in the technological adaptations, as they pass out weapons technology to all and sundry in their travels across the planet. This visit will very definitely leave major lasting results on the cultures they traveled through on the way! Their actions do not conform to the Federation's Prime Directive at all (nor would they be expected to; the Empire has no such directive, and these particular people are a military body-guard whose mission is to keep the Heir Tertius to the Throne of Man alive, and eventually get him home). They really don't care very much what they do to anybody nearby in the process.

The Mardukans are interesting; amphibian-based intelligent people, with slimy skins and all. Cold-blooded, and they don't do very well at all in cold weater.