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BattleTech Universe #19
Natural Selection
Moderate edge and spine wear. Comes shrink wrapped. Ships next business day. Free tracking. 100% guaranteed.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 23, 2020
The story is kind of interesting but has a lot of head-scratching moments. Like in the beginning of the book, where Victor Steiner-Davion invites a bunch of Clan leaders - who they are currently at WAR with - over to have a nice dinner and play some friendly Mech simulator games. I mean, WHAT? Why are any of these people hanging out together? Why are they acting like they are all friends with just a minor disagreement? I mean, it makes no sense. It’s bizarre.
And then later, Phelan Kell the Wolf Khan starts giving Victor personal relationship romantic advice. Seriously? The Wolf leader currently leading an invasion of the inner sphere where thousands are killed and/or enslaved visits the enemy leader and gives him relationship advice? Again, I get the same feeling I get from this book that I get from all Battletech books: the author’s complete denial of treating a war like what it would really be like.
And also, Phelan’s parents and family are like, “You may be a traitor who betrayed his country, joined the enemy, and is now overseeing a massive occupation, but we still love you and are not gonna judge your life choices, so give us a hug, partner.”
The unrealistic feeling continues with the unnamed “Red Corsair”, who is just a bad cartoon villain. She’s also the stereotypical clan mech babe: angry, super hot, and horny. With red hair this time. She does evil villain laughs a lot and “forces” her unwilling captured slave Nelson Geist to have sex with her. Other than that, she has zero motive or personality. Reading this, I feel like this is written by and for thirteen year old boys.
Later in the book, we get a lot of dogfighting when Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron show up. I mean, when Carew and his Aerotech fighters show up. It’s a change of pace I guess from the usual boring mech fight descriptions. (You know, “X fired his medium laser, which hit high on the right torso. Y countered with an azure bolt from his PPC, destroying armor on X’s left arm.”) But it does seem to drag on.
Some of the story machinations don’t make a lot of sense when you think about them. The plots within plots that get explained to you ad nauseum. But after a while you just go with it. Clans trying to resume the war? Got it already.
The subplot with the assassin is probably the most interesting thing in the story. I would say the writing on that is really well done.
And why is this book called “Natural Selection”? Your guess is as good as mine.
Oh well. Onward to the next novel! “Ideal War”, by Christopher Kubasik.
And then later, Phelan Kell the Wolf Khan starts giving Victor personal relationship romantic advice. Seriously? The Wolf leader currently leading an invasion of the inner sphere where thousands are killed and/or enslaved visits the enemy leader and gives him relationship advice? Again, I get the same feeling I get from this book that I get from all Battletech books: the author’s complete denial of treating a war like what it would really be like.
And also, Phelan’s parents and family are like, “You may be a traitor who betrayed his country, joined the enemy, and is now overseeing a massive occupation, but we still love you and are not gonna judge your life choices, so give us a hug, partner.”
The unrealistic feeling continues with the unnamed “Red Corsair”, who is just a bad cartoon villain. She’s also the stereotypical clan mech babe: angry, super hot, and horny. With red hair this time. She does evil villain laughs a lot and “forces” her unwilling captured slave Nelson Geist to have sex with her. Other than that, she has zero motive or personality. Reading this, I feel like this is written by and for thirteen year old boys.
Later in the book, we get a lot of dogfighting when Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron show up. I mean, when Carew and his Aerotech fighters show up. It’s a change of pace I guess from the usual boring mech fight descriptions. (You know, “X fired his medium laser, which hit high on the right torso. Y countered with an azure bolt from his PPC, destroying armor on X’s left arm.”) But it does seem to drag on.
Some of the story machinations don’t make a lot of sense when you think about them. The plots within plots that get explained to you ad nauseum. But after a while you just go with it. Clans trying to resume the war? Got it already.
The subplot with the assassin is probably the most interesting thing in the story. I would say the writing on that is really well done.
And why is this book called “Natural Selection”? Your guess is as good as mine.
Oh well. Onward to the next novel! “Ideal War”, by Christopher Kubasik.
January 2, 2023
Readers who like Victor Steiner-Davion must be blind to all his character faults. As holding the equivalent of major in the armed forces after 3-4 years, you would think he would know how to delegate. He refuses to listen to advice and even his must trusted adviser, Galen Cox, has to call out his stubbornness. While his battlefield skills are excellent, he still doesn't know how to work with others off the battlefield. No surprise that in the FedCom Civil War, he keeps losing the hearts and minds of his subjects. So what if he was proven right by others? So what if he doesn't like politics? There are countless of other military characters forced to play politics but VSD is horrible.
In fact, for all the other BattleTech books with Victor, I skim those parts.
For the Red Corsair, on the one hand, her character development was one sided. On the other hand, I realized it is meant to be a mystery as to her identity. Her agenda and methods were weakly explained. I get that.
Overall, if you want Clan vs Inner Sphere action, you'll get it.
In fact, for all the other BattleTech books with Victor, I skim those parts.
For the Red Corsair, on the one hand, her character development was one sided. On the other hand, I realized it is meant to be a mystery as to her identity. Her agenda and methods were weakly explained. I get that.
Overall, if you want Clan vs Inner Sphere action, you'll get it.
December 4, 2023
It is like a decent anime filler episode.
There are three plot threads in this book, all of which rest uneasily together. The first is the high level politics of the Federated Commonwealth. The second is the assassination of , and the third is a mysterious individual known as the Red Corsair, a suspiciously well-equipped bandit, and the trouble she causes.
The first is too wonky, most of the time. The big plus is that VS-D...now is a character! He is not just Davy Jones, he is GW Bush! He is a good commander but a bad leader, and more of a crusader than the Crusader faction of the Clans. I don't love it, but I will take it, as it is more interesting than before. The only problem is that he seems to have acquired this by vampirism, as now Phelan Ward, was apparently forced to relinquish his character upon ascending the Khandom of the Wolves. At this point, Phelan is as flat as his predecessor in the role.
A significant amount of this part of the story feels like I am listening to a Battletech lore podcast, as it consists of two or three people talking about the complexities of the politics in the Inner Sphere, and specifically the conflicts within the FedCom. It is boring, overlong, and often leaves me irritated at the characters. I want to like it, because I think this is the more interesting parts of the setting, but the presentation is unnecessary.
But it is the introduction of Katrina (nee Catherine) Steiner-Davion, and I am immediately sold on her. As much as the Davions have the Designated Hero Problem, everything about her seems to be showing her as a great villain, a sort of proto Amy Dunne who has justified grievances she works out in unjustifiable manners. Actually, on villains in general this one as great, as returns. I love to hate that guy, and I think that he represents what I think would be the real result of the Clans, specifically how he wields In my experience with such formalities, that is the usual result, and not...whatever the Clans are in the book.
And in the spirit of that, the character here that I am most irritated with is Ragnar. I would complain about it being unrealistic, but really I am complaining that it is boring. Seriously, if, for instance, We don't need Phelan. We have Phelan at home.
The assassination story line follows the assassin, and all the clever things that they do. I do not like it because this book is science fiction. The story is all tradecraft, which can be fun, but I realized in reading this that the fun of reading about that sort of espionage is thinking about it in terms of reality. You sort of play along at home. But in science fiction, the author can create new rules whenever. So the prospect becomes a bit dull.
The third is that of the Red Corsair, which feels like being trapped in someone's fetish. Our hero has to play video games so that the Dommy Mommy will breed him. And as a whole, it is a frustrating experience. It feels like it could have been the whole book, except I guess the main characters are contractually obligated to be involved or something. I liked the Galaxy Quest gone bad premise.
But the Red Corsair's primary secret is about as obvious as a scheming Vizier, and while I quite liked the secondary secret (the endgame plan) as an event, the manner of getting there is so contrived that I felt disbelief that there was not some twist to it. And far too much of the parts that I felt were the most interesting (the other captives with Geist and, you know, anything that wasn't in the bedroom) were dropped without warning.
I did however, particularly in light of the Geist plot, like the "Red Shirts get Mechs" scene. That's good Battletech.
I am concerned that future books are going to be like this. I think that if you ditched all the creepy wank material that there was something in the Red Corsair story, but if we have some slate of contractually-obligated characters who have to always appear to make it a real novel, that is going be a graveyard of fun.
There are three plot threads in this book, all of which rest uneasily together. The first is the high level politics of the Federated Commonwealth. The second is the assassination of , and the third is a mysterious individual known as the Red Corsair, a suspiciously well-equipped bandit, and the trouble she causes.
The first is too wonky, most of the time. The big plus is that VS-D...now is a character! He is not just Davy Jones, he is GW Bush! He is a good commander but a bad leader, and more of a crusader than the Crusader faction of the Clans. I don't love it, but I will take it, as it is more interesting than before. The only problem is that he seems to have acquired this by vampirism, as now Phelan Ward, was apparently forced to relinquish his character upon ascending the Khandom of the Wolves. At this point, Phelan is as flat as his predecessor in the role.
A significant amount of this part of the story feels like I am listening to a Battletech lore podcast, as it consists of two or three people talking about the complexities of the politics in the Inner Sphere, and specifically the conflicts within the FedCom. It is boring, overlong, and often leaves me irritated at the characters. I want to like it, because I think this is the more interesting parts of the setting, but the presentation is unnecessary.
But it is the introduction of Katrina (nee Catherine) Steiner-Davion, and I am immediately sold on her. As much as the Davions have the Designated Hero Problem, everything about her seems to be showing her as a great villain, a sort of proto Amy Dunne who has justified grievances she works out in unjustifiable manners. Actually, on villains in general this one as great, as returns. I love to hate that guy, and I think that he represents what I think would be the real result of the Clans, specifically how he wields In my experience with such formalities, that is the usual result, and not...whatever the Clans are in the book.
And in the spirit of that, the character here that I am most irritated with is Ragnar. I would complain about it being unrealistic, but really I am complaining that it is boring. Seriously, if, for instance, We don't need Phelan. We have Phelan at home.
The assassination story line follows the assassin, and all the clever things that they do. I do not like it because this book is science fiction. The story is all tradecraft, which can be fun, but I realized in reading this that the fun of reading about that sort of espionage is thinking about it in terms of reality. You sort of play along at home. But in science fiction, the author can create new rules whenever. So the prospect becomes a bit dull.
The third is that of the Red Corsair, which feels like being trapped in someone's fetish. Our hero has to play video games so that the Dommy Mommy will breed him. And as a whole, it is a frustrating experience. It feels like it could have been the whole book, except I guess the main characters are contractually obligated to be involved or something. I liked the Galaxy Quest gone bad premise.
But the Red Corsair's primary secret is about as obvious as a scheming Vizier, and while I quite liked the secondary secret (the endgame plan) as an event, the manner of getting there is so contrived that I felt disbelief that there was not some twist to it. And far too much of the parts that I felt were the most interesting (the other captives with Geist and, you know, anything that wasn't in the bedroom) were dropped without warning.
I did however, particularly in light of the Geist plot, like the "Red Shirts get Mechs" scene. That's good Battletech.
I am concerned that future books are going to be like this. I think that if you ditched all the creepy wank material that there was something in the Red Corsair story, but if we have some slate of contractually-obligated characters who have to always appear to make it a real novel, that is going be a graveyard of fun.
December 23, 2022
Another excellent tale from the old crew of origional wrighters
Start to finish classic Battletech. Story line, action and results. The Classic Battletech shows how staying true to the story line and message keeps the whole Inner Sphere on track!!!!
Please read the Classics. This is True Battletech!!!
Let the new "woke" authors know how pitiful and useless their failed stories of homosexuality and social justice have no place here!!!
Review the new woke writers with scorn, cast them aside like bandit trash.
Start to finish classic Battletech. Story line, action and results. The Classic Battletech shows how staying true to the story line and message keeps the whole Inner Sphere on track!!!!
Please read the Classics. This is True Battletech!!!
Let the new "woke" authors know how pitiful and useless their failed stories of homosexuality and social justice have no place here!!!
Review the new woke writers with scorn, cast them aside like bandit trash.
December 1, 2018
Well done.
Stackpole moves the timeline of the Battletech universe along while telling a self contained story. The Kindle version contains a few spelling errors. But nothing major.
Stackpole moves the timeline of the Battletech universe along while telling a self contained story. The Kindle version contains a few spelling errors. But nothing major.
June 13, 2021
Not a bad read
Not bad it's a pivotal point in the storyline. Not overwhelmingly th depressing as many of these are. It shows the internal struggle of the clans.
Not bad it's a pivotal point in the storyline. Not overwhelmingly th depressing as many of these are. It shows the internal struggle of the clans.
December 28, 2021
Action, intrigue, and some very deep understanding of all kinds of relationships and powerful positions.
July 10, 2023
Popcorn book. Nothing spectacularly bad nothing spectacularly good.
May 18, 2015
After the truce of Tukkayid, a group of bandits start hitting planets in the Inner Sphere.
A group from Clan Wolf is sent to stop them, but has no luck. After they wipe out an I.S. unit they were supposed to be supporting, the Kell Hounds are called in by Vicotr Steiner-Davion.
In the midst of this, Archo Melissa Steiner is assassinated, throwing everything into turmoil. Rumours fly that Victor had a hand in it.
So, this is where the final arc of the battletech space opera begins. As ever, Stackpole gets into the politics and action and plots within plots that are bubbling away under the surface.
A group from Clan Wolf is sent to stop them, but has no luck. After they wipe out an I.S. unit they were supposed to be supporting, the Kell Hounds are called in by Vicotr Steiner-Davion.
In the midst of this, Archo Melissa Steiner is assassinated, throwing everything into turmoil. Rumours fly that Victor had a hand in it.
So, this is where the final arc of the battletech space opera begins. As ever, Stackpole gets into the politics and action and plots within plots that are bubbling away under the surface.
September 8, 2007
Too bad theres no book cover. Basically, well executed, as always by the author. It provides a look into Clan / Inner Sphere politics, as pirate raids from what seems to be Clanners threatens to break the Truce of Tukayyid.
Phelan Ward, a Wolf command star, Lt. Col. Daniel Allard and the Kell Hounds must stop the Red Corsair and her raids...with the help of a traitor.
I love this book, since it's got four of my favorite elements. BattleMechs, Phelan, Dan Allard and the Kell Hound mercenary regiments. Yah!
Phelan Ward, a Wolf command star, Lt. Col. Daniel Allard and the Kell Hounds must stop the Red Corsair and her raids...with the help of a traitor.
I love this book, since it's got four of my favorite elements. BattleMechs, Phelan, Dan Allard and the Kell Hound mercenary regiments. Yah!
April 29, 2013
Natural Selection by Michael Stackpole tells the tale of the pirate Red Corsair and her clan technology equipped mechs raiding the Federated Commonwealth border. Khan Phelan Kell of the Wolves and Victor Steiner-Davion have to work together to stop the truce that has halted the Clan invasion from falling apart.
This book gives an interesting insight into Clan politics. The Wardens and Crusaders working against each other for their own vision of the future of the Inner Sphere.
This book gives an interesting insight into Clan politics. The Wardens and Crusaders working against each other for their own vision of the future of the Inner Sphere.
January 3, 2022
This was the first book I read about Battletech. It’s my favorite of all the books of Battletech series I have read and the one I recommend the most. Michael A. Stackpole also wrote some great Star Wars novels. Entertaining story and a great sci-fi book.
April 11, 2021
BattleTech book 17. Assassination and power begins to shift. The Red Corsair is raiding above the truce line, can she and her army be stopped?
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews