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BattleTech: The Long Road
305 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 8, 2026
Strong Finish
The first half of the book felt like it was trying to decide if it was a Battletech novel or a new romantasy series. The second half it finally found its course in the story and finished strong with what we’re wanting to read about. Tara and the how the story of the ilKhan era was progressing.
The first half of the book felt like it was trying to decide if it was a Battletech novel or a new romantasy series. The second half it finally found its course in the story and finished strong with what we’re wanting to read about. Tara and the how the story of the ilKhan era was progressing.
May 24, 2026
Still finding my feet with BattleTech; the game, the setting and the novels. This was an interesting read - I feel bad that I can't quite justify rating it higher. There are some very good character beats here, and a lot of potential. A few clunky dialogue lines (not even from the Clanners) don't detract from the brighter moments. Particular shout out to Tara going back over how the fall of Terra went for her to Anastasia Kerensky. The insurgent attack at around the half way mark was a damn strong sequence, and while I didn't think the finale was quite able to match it, it was decent. This could've been a 5 to me
The problem... is one of viewpoint.
I apologise for comparing this to another BattleTech novel, but it's going to be a *very* obvious comparison point for fans, since it's starring the other set of Jade Falcons. A Question Of Survival introduced the Jade Falcon remnants as a faction, but spent a significant amount of time with a young Ghost Bear cadet. We see her life with the Bears, what she loves, what she hates, and the Jade Falcons are ultimately coloured by that light. The entire book, in retrospect, becomes an explanation of why someone would be happy joining this makeshift clan.
The Long Road, by its nature, has to pull a similar trick. It wants to be the story of several formerly Republic of the Sphere characters coming to join the Star League Defense Force. Overcoming their grief, their anger, and deciding to take this path. And I don't think the book really got or sold that emotional journey. For *any* of the cast.
I can buy skimming over it for Tara Campbell - we start.with her integrated into the Falcons. But the book brings up some very fair mixed feelings and bitterness she has every right to feel about how the fall of the Republic played out and how she's now viewed. And yet... she's not only doing her duty, she's eager to stay in the fight? So's every Republic rebel who loses as long as they get taken alive. One character who was heavily scarred by Clan Wolf during the Fall is now just... Down with joining the new regime?
If this was one character, I could write it off as a subplot that didn't land. It's the entire main cast. Everyone just... Is down with the SLDF. Even the insurgent PoV character starts talking about how bad the insurgency has been acting and is trying to get his SO out. And he's the only one that's even conflicted over it - the other ex RAF jump ship at the first chance they get, and their integration with the Falcons is breezed through.
Without getting the emotive journey of why these people let their old nation go and join the army of the conquering nation, the better aspects of the book get buried and it ends up a kinda middle of the road actioner. Boom boom boom, Mechs shoot each other, the people we care about get a happy ending, try not to think about how they got here, or the colleagues who died fighting the army they're now in.
Shout out to the Marik coloured nail painting bit though. That got a laugh outta me. ^^
The problem... is one of viewpoint.
I apologise for comparing this to another BattleTech novel, but it's going to be a *very* obvious comparison point for fans, since it's starring the other set of Jade Falcons. A Question Of Survival introduced the Jade Falcon remnants as a faction, but spent a significant amount of time with a young Ghost Bear cadet. We see her life with the Bears, what she loves, what she hates, and the Jade Falcons are ultimately coloured by that light. The entire book, in retrospect, becomes an explanation of why someone would be happy joining this makeshift clan.
The Long Road, by its nature, has to pull a similar trick. It wants to be the story of several formerly Republic of the Sphere characters coming to join the Star League Defense Force. Overcoming their grief, their anger, and deciding to take this path. And I don't think the book really got or sold that emotional journey. For *any* of the cast.
I can buy skimming over it for Tara Campbell - we start.with her integrated into the Falcons. But the book brings up some very fair mixed feelings and bitterness she has every right to feel about how the fall of the Republic played out and how she's now viewed. And yet... she's not only doing her duty, she's eager to stay in the fight? So's every Republic rebel who loses as long as they get taken alive. One character who was heavily scarred by Clan Wolf during the Fall is now just... Down with joining the new regime?
If this was one character, I could write it off as a subplot that didn't land. It's the entire main cast. Everyone just... Is down with the SLDF. Even the insurgent PoV character starts talking about how bad the insurgency has been acting and is trying to get his SO out. And he's the only one that's even conflicted over it - the other ex RAF jump ship at the first chance they get, and their integration with the Falcons is breezed through.
Without getting the emotive journey of why these people let their old nation go and join the army of the conquering nation, the better aspects of the book get buried and it ends up a kinda middle of the road actioner. Boom boom boom, Mechs shoot each other, the people we care about get a happy ending, try not to think about how they got here, or the colleagues who died fighting the army they're now in.
Shout out to the Marik coloured nail painting bit though. That got a laugh outta me. ^^
February 12, 2026
I read this expecting more of the heroic warriors of the future SLDF, but instead got much more sensitive and broken characters, and also a lot more dinner parties than I expected. I enjoyed the idea of looking into the thoughts of soldiers trying to reconcile the huge battles and campaigns they went through, while also still fighting their wars, but I could have done with less wine aunts and cry sessions.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews