Storms of Fate

BattleTech Universe #60

by Loren L. Coleman

The civil war within the Federated Commonwealth rages unabated. Katrina Steiner-Davion continues her tyrannical rule as her deposed brother, Victor, slowly wins back the empire Katrina stole from him. Now, with the Clans striking out once more from their occupation zone and violence chewing up armies on dozens of worlds, Victor prepares what he hopes is the final assault to stop his sister's plans. His battlefield: the Star League conference, where Katrina is maneuvering herself into position to become leader of the entire Inner Sphere!

But even as Victor looks toward victory, Katrina's carefully laid plans develop a more personal - and sinister - offensive. A torch, lit by the flames of treachery, threatens to start a blaze that will consume Victor, the civil war, and the entire Inner Sphere...

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks

278 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Loren L. Coleman (born 1968) is a science-fiction writer, born and grew up in Longview, Washington.

He is known for having written many books for series such as Star Trek, Battletech/Mechwarrior, Age of Conan, Crimson Skies, Magic: The Gathering and others. Former member of the United States Navy, he has also written game fiction and source material for such companies as FASA Corporation, TSR, Inc. and Wizards of the Coast.

In early 2010s, he began writing The ICAS Files series, science fiction short-stories. [wikipedia]

Reviews

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was a book with a lot going on and that makes sense given the complex period of the civil war it covers. We have a lot of on the ground action with Victor's forces moving across the Lyran Alliance and even some political maneuvering at the third meeting of the renewed Star League and more of Katrina's machinations from her base of power at New Avalon.

The action is fast and furious, but there are a number of great sequences captured expertly by Coleman that involve mixed army compositions and all that good stuff. Some limited space battles of interest, but nothing overly complex beyond the final confrontation towards the end of the book. But still, great demonstration of how these combat scenes should go with a taste of the larger-scale strategy here and there.

The political stuff is tricky with a rather truncated assassination chapter and some chapters focused on intelligence forces also moving across the Inner Sphere. But this book is just setting the stage for the final confrontation to come.

[MjL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Civil War rages on with some Star League politics. That's always fun.
My only big complaint is Omiko Kurita's death. That death scene was somewhat boring compared to the failed attempt (and the rest of the Assassin's adventures during the earlier storyline). But the part where Katherine tells about it to Victor? Anticlimactic as hell. A huge bellyflop, that's all.

Oh, and the advertised new, scary attack by the Clans? I think the Jade Falcon assaults were mentioned in something like three or four sentences in the book... what the hell? Oh yeah, the Falcons are attacking some places somewhere, did you remember? No? Neither did I :|

[Brian Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The penultimate book in the Classic Battletech series, leading up to Endgame.
Katherine/Katrina Steiner is scheming behind the scenes to become the head of the Star League, the civil war is carrying on across multiple worlds and Victor is in for a shock that could cost him everything.

There's a lot of mech battles going on in this, interspersed with the politicking that goes with Katherine's scenes. There is also a subplot with security forces trying to find the evidence to link Katherine to the assassination of Melissa Steiner.

The action scenes are well written with a few familiar personalities thrown in as everything approaches it's conclusion.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluff, but fun fluff. Got into these because my boyfriend plays the MechWarrior games on the PC. I don't know why reading about the weapons configuration of a battlemech is so darn entertaining, but it is. I sit there fascinated as they describe the damage from gauss rifle blasts, etc.

Funny, though, no one uses my personal MechWarrior technique of running into the mech you're fighting and blasting the crap out of them. Ha.

[Sean]

Outstanding book! Victor learns his limitations, more and more. He also learns the power of rumor.