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BattleTech Universe
BattleTech: The Mercenary Life
A COST IS ALWAYS PAID… Nikolai Reed is a trader on a Lyran JumpShip plying the space lanes… Chloe Mason is a hot-shot tech with the Hsien Hotheads mercenaries… Leaving the Northwind Highlanders, MechWarrior Ryana Nikol fills a billet with the Eridani Light Horse… Disparate lives, but a unified dream that will bring them all together on a fateful course that will span decades, cover hundreds of light years, and involve love, friendship, and loss across a dozen worlds. Each will pay a price along the way,as a cost always comes due. The Mercenary Life anthology is a compilation of stories written by Randall N. Bills. Including tales from several different characters as they cross paths, and the dream to found a new mercenary command is born. Their unique lives showcase the struggles and trials of the men and women who take up the mercenary mantle from a variety of angles, all bound around that central vision.
The first eight stories of this anthology were originally posted for free alongside the release of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries , acting as the origin stories for the mercenary command within that computer game. This is the first time they have been compiled into a single volume to allow for a Print on Demand physical copy. Additionally, an all-new ninth story has been added— The Sun Will Rise —along with postscripts for every story that gives the reader insight into how stories are crafted within a shared universe between tabletop, computer games, and fiction that spans more than thirty years and tens of millions of words.
The first eight stories of this anthology were originally posted for free alongside the release of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries , acting as the origin stories for the mercenary command within that computer game. This is the first time they have been compiled into a single volume to allow for a Print on Demand physical copy. Additionally, an all-new ninth story has been added— The Sun Will Rise —along with postscripts for every story that gives the reader insight into how stories are crafted within a shared universe between tabletop, computer games, and fiction that spans more than thirty years and tens of millions of words.
- GenresScience Fiction
270 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2021
28 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 6, 2022
This the story of a small mercenary unit. It was written as the foundation for the 5th game and is a collection of short stories. But the stories all follow the important people for this unit and progress thru time from origins to the game timeline.
It is an interesting placement of this new unit and characters in a lot of historically significant events. Nothing that really moves the main story as it is buried in the 3rd Succession War (centered around 3000).
The stories all include different long standing elements of Battletech fiction like Mercenaries, hiring halls, Solaris VII, House Lords, politics, and mech fights. I found it to be a pretty average offering in the stories that just backfill eras already covered in the main line.
The additional entries by Mr. Bills on how he developed the stories are interesting for a potential writer or people developing table top campaigns. I think I would have organized them together at the end because they do break up the narrative some.
It is an interesting placement of this new unit and characters in a lot of historically significant events. Nothing that really moves the main story as it is buried in the 3rd Succession War (centered around 3000).
The stories all include different long standing elements of Battletech fiction like Mercenaries, hiring halls, Solaris VII, House Lords, politics, and mech fights. I found it to be a pretty average offering in the stories that just backfill eras already covered in the main line.
The additional entries by Mr. Bills on how he developed the stories are interesting for a potential writer or people developing table top campaigns. I think I would have organized them together at the end because they do break up the narrative some.
May 29, 2021
Did someone learn a new word? Lets day it over, and over, and over.....
Painful to read. Like a poorly designed puzzle that doesn't f it together.
Gotta give the "middle eastern people" a big bull$# it part like a good lackey. Jump on the bandwagon like a complete elitist moron. Never in Battletech was this necessary, that includes now after attacks on American soil.
If your going to waste my time make sure you have a character from every religion get recognized. Completely ridiculous. Number 2 reason to never read this "work"????!!
The self congratulated chapter wrap ups are even worse.
I'd like my $4.99 back please.
Painful to read. Like a poorly designed puzzle that doesn't f it together.
Gotta give the "middle eastern people" a big bull$# it part like a good lackey. Jump on the bandwagon like a complete elitist moron. Never in Battletech was this necessary, that includes now after attacks on American soil.
If your going to waste my time make sure you have a character from every religion get recognized. Completely ridiculous. Number 2 reason to never read this "work"????!!
The self congratulated chapter wrap ups are even worse.
I'd like my $4.99 back please.
August 6, 2021
It's ok
The characters aren't terribly likeable or relatable, probably due to the short story method of telling. I didn't feel like I really knew them or their motivations. Somewhat disjointed. The best parts are the technical portions where you receive excellent explanations of some of the tech from the BT universe.
The characters aren't terribly likeable or relatable, probably due to the short story method of telling. I didn't feel like I really knew them or their motivations. Somewhat disjointed. The best parts are the technical portions where you receive excellent explanations of some of the tech from the BT universe.
May 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this - all the more so for the little explanations between each story by the author,
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews