BattleTech: VoidBreaker

BattleTech Universe #124

by Bryan Young

BLACKOUT NO MORE!

As the new ilClan era begins, Clan Sea Fox aims to be the leading broker of interstellar communications across the Inner Sphere, but the Blackout, the continuing malfunction of the hyperpulse generator network, has stood in their way for far too long.

To fix the inoperative HPG network, they assign one of their most elite Watch operatives, Kenja Rodriguez, to a mission that may be the key to restoring communications throughout the universe.

Kenja’s first priority is to capture the one man in the galaxy with the skills and knowledge to repair the Tucker Harwell. But before she can take him to VoidBreaker Station to begin repairing the vast HPG network, she’s has to find him first. Unfortunately, she's not the only one looking for him. It’s a race against time and unknown enemies as Kenja hunts down the one man who can transform the Inner Sphere…before her enemies get to him first…

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction

387 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2025

About the author

Bryan Young (he/they) works across many different media. His work as a writer and producer has been called "filmmaking gold" by The New York Times. He's also published comic books with Slave Labor Graphics and Image Comics. He's been a regular contributor for the Huffington Post, StarWars.com, Star Wars Insider magazine, SYFY, /Film, and was the founder and editor in chief of the geek news and review site Big Shiny Robot! In 2014, he wrote the critically acclaimed history book, A Children’s Illustrated History of Presidential Assassination. He co-authored Robotech: The Macross Saga RPG and has written five books in the BattleTech Universe: Honor's Gauntlet, A Question of Survival, Fox Tales, Without Question, and the forthcoming VoidBreaker. His latest non-fiction tie-in book, The Big Bang Theory Book of Lists is a #1 Bestseller on Amazon. His work has won two Diamond Quill awards and in 2023 he was named Writer of the Year by the League of Utah Writers. He teaches writing for Writer’s Digest, Script Magazine, and at the University of Utah. Follow him across social media @swankmotron or visit swankmotron.com.

Support Bryan on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/swankmotron

Reviews

[Richard Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun spy novels set in the Battletech universe. Lots of Ian Flemming vibes though it probably won't be a great book if you're not familiar with the universe.

[Daniel Yocom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humanity across the known galaxy has struggled since the collapse of the communication network’s collapse. Something happened with the hyperpulse generator (HPG) network that made it possible. The Clans have fallen into a new Dark Age.

Star Colonel Kenja Rodriguez of Clan Sea Fox Watch has a mission to not only bring honor to her clan, but find out more about HPG, and have Clan Sea Fox lead the way out of the dark.

I had the opportunity of reading an advance review copy of BattleTech: VoidBreaker.

In true BattleTech fashion, VoidBreaker starts right in on the action after a short overview of what the book is addressing. In the case of this story the loss of interplanetary communication that happened with the collapse of the HPG network.

There is always political intrigue taking place within and between the Clans. There are subplots dealing with those issues. Along with dealing with mercenaries and non-Clan citizens.

The main story arch is with Kenja Rodriguez and her mission that takes her across multiple planets, dealing with events she never thought would be a possibility.

Bryan Young is back in his fourth novel in the BattleTech Universe. This one is a departure from the storyline he has been writing about in the past three. Not only is he writing about characters in a different clan, but he’s also taking on a story about a member of the Clan’s Watch. A Clan’s Watch is the Intelligence branch of the Clan, and the story reflects a higher level of intrigue. This is a spy novel set in the BattleTech Universe with all the trappings you would come to expect from both genres.

BattleTech: VoidBreaker was an enjoyable read that had me moving through the pages.

I found myself attached to the characters, and not just the leads. It is a BattleTech novel and every one of the characters introduced is at risk. This made the story more poignant and impactful.

I enjoyed the view Bryan Young gave in his work as he is working with a different Clan and a different element of Clan life and politics. The intrigue was balanced and has the elements of other spy novels I have enjoyed.

I recommend BattleTech: VoidBreaker to fans of BattleTech and fans of espionage. This is a nice partnership of the setting and the genre.

You can read the complete review at
https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...

[Alexander Shearer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked:

* Espionage story in the BT universe
* As usual for Bryan, good and distinct characters

Not as liked:

* Still too much telling when the actions have already shown me what's going on
* The final villain reveal made me sigh in a bad way

[Tim Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable story, for Battletech fans, moves a few things on the Univers as well.

[Philip Kahn-Pauli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what it says on the tin - it is a classic James Bond style tactical espionage action story told in the BattleTech. It's great! The plot directly ties into the arc of the ilClan era and sweeping away the last vestiges of the Dark Age. The Sea Fox protsgonists are compelling. Each set piece ratchets up the tension. Also...best zero G fight scene yet written in BT novel. Go check it out and read it quick!