March Upcountry
An article I was reading linked to a book I enjoyed as a canonical example of bad science fiction. The book is March Upcountry by John Ringo and David Weber. I started wondering what it was about the book that made the article’s author think of it as bad science fiction. Here’s what I’ve come up with.
This isn’t a novel full of deep ideas and shattering concepts. It’s a yarn about a spoiled prince who is stranded on a backwater planet and how he becomes a leader. Mostly it’s an adventure with a bit of a coming-of-age story thrown in. Essentially the same book could have been written a century ago about a prince getting stranded in Africa, or South America, or some other isolated locale. The science fiction bits are largely window dressing rather than essential plot elements. This book is for entertainment. There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and the tired man who wants a book to read. -G.K. Chesterton
The main protagonist is extremely competent once he gets over being a spoiled rich boy. The story isn’t about the angst he suffers or his various failures, The emotions evoked are primarily about triumph - winning out against the odds by doing your best and surpassing your limitations. Unlike the most of the so-called great literature I was exposed in high school, this isn’t a story about failure, about things going wrong, about despair and hopelessness. Why I like heroic, cinematic, high-magic campaigns: “I already have a place where I can get little recognition for my accomplishments, advance at a very slow pace, and have to work hard to eke out minimum rewards for my efforts. It’s called work.” — toberane.
In sum, if you’re looking for deep thoughts or angst this book will disappoint you. Otherwise it’s a fun, if not particularly deep story.