Military SF:" March Upcountry" by John Ringo and David Weber

[Fumesucker]

Read it here online here for free.

http://www.webscription.net/10.1125/Baen/067131985X/067131985X.htm

And you can read the second volume online for free also.

I just finished the "Prince Roger" four book series by David Weber and John Ringo, it kept me interested enough to keep going through four books and came to a remarkably satisfying conclusion.

If you like David Drake or SM Stirling there's a good chance you'll like this..

http://www.amazon.com/March-Upcountry-David-Weber/dp/0743435389

An established master of military SF, Weber, and a fast-rising comer in the genre, Ringo, combine forces in the first of a new series sure to please their fans. Prince Roger Ramius Sergei Alexander Chiang MacClintock has a problem. Thanks to terrorist sabotage, he and a company of space marines are marooned in the wilderness of the planet Marduk, noted for high mountains, high temperatures, low technology and the short tempers of its nine-foot, four-armed, slime-covered natives. They have to get out of this place. In their effort to do so, they win allies among the Mardukans (mostly in legitimate ways) and overcome others by judiciously combining sneakiness and firepower. Along the way, the prince turns from a spoiled brat into a useful, even valuable member of the company. This coming-of-age theme often crops up in military SF, and indeed both authors are working within territory they know well. The pace never gets too slow, despite generous world-building and extended action scenes. Another strength is the deceptively deep characterization particularly of Prince Roger, whose transformation draws on skills and character traits carefully planted early in the novel. The book could actually use more background (the villainous terrorist Saints are shadow figures) and ends on a cliff-hanger (or cliff-climber), but overall the superb storytelling will add considerably to the reputation of both authors