Books - The Prince

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	Books - The Prince

The Prince is a 2002 science fiction compilation by Jerry Pournelle and S.M. Stirling. It is part of the CoDominium future history series. The Prince is a compilation of four previously published novels: Falkenberg's Legions, Prince of Mercenaries, Go Tell The Spartans, and Prince of Sparta. Only pages 173-176 are new

The title and subject matter of the book are inspired by The Prince by Machiavelli.

Plot

The action begins in the 2060's and ends in the 2090's. Over that period John Christian Falkenberg progresses from a junior officer in the CoDominium Navy, through a Captain and later Colonel of Marines, to a mercenary leader at the head of Falkenberg's Legion, whose core is composed of officers and NCO's from his former Marine command.

Falkenberg is a military genius with a flair for the bold and unconventional, using heavy doses of deception. He has components of Donal Graeme in him, as well as the young Napoleon, though he rejects political power. He has an enemy in Senator Adrian Bronson of Earth, who blames him for the death of his grandson while under Falkenberg's command, and who also opposes Admiral Lermontov, Falkenberg's ally in the Navy.

Through the stories, one theme is dominant. The CoDominium is shipping large numbers of voluntary and involuntary colonists to the colony planets. The involuntary colonists cause the most trouble, being used to a welfare state existence in government ghettoes known as Welfare Islands where drugs and entertainment, paid for by the remaining productive members of society, keep them pacified. Relocated to the colony worlds, they gather in city centers and shanty towns. Idealistic reformers take up their cause against the original colonists, who are mostly farmers and large landowners, purportedly in the name of liberty and equality. However the inevitable outcome would be a short-lived welfare state followed by economic collapse and starvation.

Falkenberg and his people are thus on what some would call the wrong side. They act to suppress bandits, rebels and insurgents who prey on landowners, and who may be in cahoots with reforming politicians bent on industrializing the economy. Partly this illustrates the soldier's dilemma, having to obey orders without regard to the rights and wrongs of the cause. It also illustrates Jerry Pournelle's convictions, which echo those of Robert A. Heinlein, that democracy is not the only proper form of government, nor is it always the best given the realities of economics and ecology. In each case in the stories, the nominal democrats are likely to lead their societies to destruction. Often, their opponents are not much better morally, but less likely to destroy their world.

The weapons and tactics employed are easily recognizable to a 20th century reader. Indeed a major point in the narrative is the likelihood that, given the need to import all advanced technology, the mule would be a better vehicle than the truck on a colony world, and a tank or two might be the deciding factor in a campaign. The weapons are rifles, mortars and light artillery. A few helicopters are available, but in some situations they are vulnerable to missiles fired by ground troops.

Arrarat

Originally published as the novel West of Honor, later incorporated into Falkenberg's Legions

Originally founded by religious zealots, the society is besieged by well-organized (and well-supplied) bandit legions. The story is a first-person narrative by Lt. Harlan (Hal) Slater of the Marines. Falkenberg is his commanding officer. On arrival they find that they are not at all welcome, since the local garrison does not have the ability or the desire to play host to a combat battalion. Falkenberg elects to take the Marines up country to an old fort. Slater is tasked with taking and holding the fort in a daring night assault using airlifted troops, while Falkenberg slogs up the river valley toward him. Holding the fort is not easy - though disorganized and untrained, the rebels have plenty of weapons with which to pummel the Marines.

After establishing the fort base, Falkenberg directs a cleaning out of the farther reaches of the colony. Slater commands a portion of the force which is slowly reduced as an enemy trap is sprung and then thwarted by Falkenberg. Finally the enemy is defeated, with Slater severely injured.

Of course the political situation is much more complicated. The zealots begin revenging themselves on anyone who collaborated with the bandits, while the colonial governor, who was trying to use the bandits to generate revenue to set up industries, becomes an enemy.

Hadley

Originally part of the novel The Mercenary, later incorporated into Falkenberg's Legions

Falkenberg has been recruited by Admiral Lermontov of the CoDominium fleet to create a military force that can support a government on one of the colony planets, providing the Fleet with a base when the CoDominium collapses, taking Earth with it. He is disharged from the Marines on a technicality in order to operate as a mercenary, though thanks to his conflict with Senator Bronson of Earth, he was likely to be arrested anyway.

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Books - The Prince

Plot

Arrarat

Hadley

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