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Classic Battletech
BattleTech: The Warrior Trilogy
BLOOD AND TREASON!
The marriage of Hanse Davion to Melissa Steiner unites two Great Houses, upsetting the balance of power among the stars. While some hope this may bring an end to centuries of warfare, dark forces rally in an effort to destory this union before it is even born.
Welcome back to the Inner Sphere—where BattleMechs rule the day, betrayal is state policy, and a spy’s loyalty is always for sale.
EN GARDE, RIPOSTE and COUPE all in one volume!
The marriage of Hanse Davion to Melissa Steiner unites two Great Houses, upsetting the balance of power among the stars. While some hope this may bring an end to centuries of warfare, dark forces rally in an effort to destory this union before it is even born.
Welcome back to the Inner Sphere—where BattleMechs rule the day, betrayal is state policy, and a spy’s loyalty is always for sale.
EN GARDE, RIPOSTE and COUPE all in one volume!
- GenresScience Fiction
1049 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2008
24 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 16, 2013
Similar to many (most?) who have read this story and others within the Battletech series, I became acquainted with it when I was younger. In my case, I first read this when I was still in in my teenage years, though even now, as a university-educated thirty-something, I still greatly enjoy it. While there is no doubt some effect of nostalgia present whenever I pick up the book (or any Battletech book), I can feel confident in stating that as a piece of writing, it's plenty good even without rose-tinted glasses.
The Battletech series (particularly entries by Michael A. Stackpole) approaches science fiction from a very human perspective, full of sympathetic characters and intricate political factions. One gets a sense of a very well fleshed-out universe, which (as any fan knows) the Battletech universe most definitely is. The narrative of this book is similar to others of the series, insofar as it creates a multi-protagonist story - there are several very distinct individuals whose stories are followed throughout the entire trilogy. Those who prefer a more straight-forward read might find the 'character jumping' somewhat unusual, but given Battletech's over-arching emphasis on the 'big picture' being more important than any one individual, this 'jumping' is as much an iconic part of the series' identity as it is a narrative nuance.
To put on the English teacher's hat for a moment and to attempt to be analytically critical, this isn't 'high literature' by any means, and truly deep characterization isn't developed due to the novel's focus on telling the story of time and place instead of any one individual's narrative. To the book's credit, and similar to the other Battletech books, there is a distinct theme of conflict between individual interests and state interests, and an omnipresent theme of man's inexorable persecution of his fellow man. At its core, this is science fiction whose main purpose is to entertain, but it is not bereft of context between the lines. Featuring solidly round characters, and set in a vivid universe that successfully served as a tapestry for dozens of best-selling books, this story makes for a highly entertaining coffee-shop read.
For contextual reference, the Battletech series originated in the early 1980's, at the height of Reagan-era Cold War fever, and the entire novel (and indeed entire Battletech series) keenly reflects the socio-political tensions of the era. While one never loses sight of the fact that this is 'fiction for fun', there's enough clear allegory within its pages that make it a somewhat thought-provoking read, at times, if one wants it to be, though that kind of depth only truly emerges the more that one explores the Battletech fiction series as a whole.
Fundamentally, to best appreciate this book or indeed any Battletech book, you have to be interested in what could best be described as a well-crafted bag of popcorn, with some clearly detectable allegory, depth, and a classic sense of adventure and heroism.
Enthusiastically recommended for those who want to immerse themselves in fantasy/science-fiction universe that is far more well-written than most of its contemporaries.
The Battletech series (particularly entries by Michael A. Stackpole) approaches science fiction from a very human perspective, full of sympathetic characters and intricate political factions. One gets a sense of a very well fleshed-out universe, which (as any fan knows) the Battletech universe most definitely is. The narrative of this book is similar to others of the series, insofar as it creates a multi-protagonist story - there are several very distinct individuals whose stories are followed throughout the entire trilogy. Those who prefer a more straight-forward read might find the 'character jumping' somewhat unusual, but given Battletech's over-arching emphasis on the 'big picture' being more important than any one individual, this 'jumping' is as much an iconic part of the series' identity as it is a narrative nuance.
To put on the English teacher's hat for a moment and to attempt to be analytically critical, this isn't 'high literature' by any means, and truly deep characterization isn't developed due to the novel's focus on telling the story of time and place instead of any one individual's narrative. To the book's credit, and similar to the other Battletech books, there is a distinct theme of conflict between individual interests and state interests, and an omnipresent theme of man's inexorable persecution of his fellow man. At its core, this is science fiction whose main purpose is to entertain, but it is not bereft of context between the lines. Featuring solidly round characters, and set in a vivid universe that successfully served as a tapestry for dozens of best-selling books, this story makes for a highly entertaining coffee-shop read.
For contextual reference, the Battletech series originated in the early 1980's, at the height of Reagan-era Cold War fever, and the entire novel (and indeed entire Battletech series) keenly reflects the socio-political tensions of the era. While one never loses sight of the fact that this is 'fiction for fun', there's enough clear allegory within its pages that make it a somewhat thought-provoking read, at times, if one wants it to be, though that kind of depth only truly emerges the more that one explores the Battletech fiction series as a whole.
Fundamentally, to best appreciate this book or indeed any Battletech book, you have to be interested in what could best be described as a well-crafted bag of popcorn, with some clearly detectable allegory, depth, and a classic sense of adventure and heroism.
Enthusiastically recommended for those who want to immerse themselves in fantasy/science-fiction universe that is far more well-written than most of its contemporaries.
July 19, 2018
¿Quiere saber más de esta trilogía, sin spoilers? Visite:
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October 30, 2019
This trilogy, more than anything leading up to this point in the Battletech series, is the tipping point. Here, events are set into motion that will echo for the rest of Battletech series. We meet plenty of new characters and explore some we’ve already seen in earlier novels, but here I really got attached to some that will go on to do much more in the series, as well as some whose stories end here. Stackpole did a great job enriching characters like Hanse Steiner, and portrayed him as charismatic, likable, and fallible. The Kells and their mercenary unit would remain some of my absolute favorite characters moving forward. The Allards, too, are explored and expanded here, and I enjoyed their family ties despite the difficult politics. There are so many memorable moments and sympathetic characters. The twists, intrigue, betrayals, politics, and action here kept me excited and engaged throughout.
I was a Michael A. Stackpole fan coming into this trilogy, having read and enjoyed his Star Wars X-Wing novels. I was somewhat familiar with Battletech; I had played some of the Mechwarrior games, as well as having read some of Loren L Coleman’s work in Battletech. When I read this trilogy, it set me on the path to becoming a true Battletech fan, and to date, I’ve read all of the novels published in English. Stackpole took the reigns and drove the major events of the series with this trilogy, and continued to be integral with the direction for the rest of the series. I was lucky enough to purchase autographed copies from his website (www.stormwolf.com) and through a little email correspondence, I learned he’s a really nice guy too. It always helps to know that the author’s not just talented, but a good person too.
I was a Michael A. Stackpole fan coming into this trilogy, having read and enjoyed his Star Wars X-Wing novels. I was somewhat familiar with Battletech; I had played some of the Mechwarrior games, as well as having read some of Loren L Coleman’s work in Battletech. When I read this trilogy, it set me on the path to becoming a true Battletech fan, and to date, I’ve read all of the novels published in English. Stackpole took the reigns and drove the major events of the series with this trilogy, and continued to be integral with the direction for the rest of the series. I was lucky enough to purchase autographed copies from his website (www.stormwolf.com) and through a little email correspondence, I learned he’s a really nice guy too. It always helps to know that the author’s not just talented, but a good person too.
February 22, 2023
Got into this because of Mechwarrior 2, loved the world building and character development that stackpole puts into this.
November 12, 2013
I love the Battletech universe even though it's becoming a bit dated these days. I'm also a fan of Michael Stackpole, who is one of the lead writers responsible for creating the franchise in the first place, and he shows a strong performance here in this series. His 'Warrior Trilogy' is an excellent read even if you're new to the franchise, and is a worthy addition to any sci-fi reader's library.
Though I admittedly enjoyed the first book more than the sequels, one cannot fully enjoy the spectacle that is the "Inner Sphere Conflict", without reading the whole series.
If your a fan of Dune, or giant robots slugging it out on the future battlefield--read it.
Though I admittedly enjoyed the first book more than the sequels, one cannot fully enjoy the spectacle that is the "Inner Sphere Conflict", without reading the whole series.
If your a fan of Dune, or giant robots slugging it out on the future battlefield--read it.
January 22, 2016
While not the best work of Stackpole in the Battletech universe, this is still a critical piece of work that helps set up a lot of the other major storylines in the Battletech novels. The core story of the journey of Justin Xiang Allard into the Capellan Confederation as he works to destroy his former masters in the Federated Suns is a great story indeed, one that I enjoyed a lot. Number of the other side plots, especially those involving the Kell Hounds and the Genyosha were a bit awkward, especially when compared to other depictions of similar events like in Wolves on the Border.
Still, this was a great deal for any Kindle user and a very light yet enjoyable read.
Still, this was a great deal for any Kindle user and a very light yet enjoyable read.
October 15, 2010
Michael Stackpole proves once more that he's a master of intrigue-based writing. The end of this novel has a twist that left me wondering what the heck just happened, but made complete sense when I thought back on the events of the novel.
February 20, 2011
It was ok. Guilty reads
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews