47 replies to this topic

[Amechwarrior]

Another vote for the Jade Phoenix Trilogy. I just lent it to a friend who liked sci-fi but had never heard of Mechwarrior or Battletech and now they want more. The Blood of Kerensky is next for her. One of the things that really hooked me was how the same events get to be experienced by all the different characters on both sides of the battlefield.

[Calico Red MacNaughton]

I've repurchased the Warrior Trilogy and Blood of Kerensky Trilogy several times, they really outline the politics of two of the most used campaign settings. One book I remember reading over and over that I don't think has been mentioned is "Main Event." It follows Jeremiah Rose and the creation of the Black Thorns from idea to first contract. My playgroup lived in the Field Manual: Mercenaries for a good long while, and Main Event's merc narrative gave excellent insight and mental fodder for our own merc building crusades. It may be nostalgia, but I would suggest giving it a read.

[minobu tetsuharu]

Take a guess. It's not hard if you are an avid fan.

[Venkman]

feor, on 06 November 2011 - 10:35 AM, said:

edit: occurs to me, how long it will take for a troll to say "Far Country"... and how long they'll survive after doing so.

I like Far Country. Granted, I don't really like aliens in BattleTech, but I enjoyed the story otherwise, and have often wondered what happened to the survivors at the end of the book when they leave in their DropShip for the other planet.

I also really like the original Gray Death Legion books, as well as just about all of Mike Stackpole's books, particularly the Warrior trilogy. Anything pre-Clans gets bonus points with me just because there's so little of it. I also really dug the two (three?) about Camacho's Cabarellos and wish they had come back. I would have liked to see Cassie Suthorn beat the **** out of an Elemental.

Edit: Oh, and the Aiden Pryde books are great too... Legacy of the Jade Falcon, I think? Really the only set of Clan-centric books I've read that I'll hold up on the same level as most of the Inner Sphere based books.

Edited by venkman, 06 November 2011 - 04:37 PM.

[theginganinja]

1. The Blood of Kerensky trilogy
2. The series revolving around Archer Christifori and his unit
3. Roar of Honor (One of the Mechwarrior books, rather than a Battletech one. Along with Test of Vengeance, this really got me hooked on the Ghost Bears)

Edited by irishwarrior, 06 November 2011 - 04:43 PM.

[Shadoe Ryder]

The Warrior Trilogy, followed by any of the Stackpole books. But I will admit that after reading the Jade Phoenix books I found I no longer hated the Jade Falcons so to speak.

[Skygrunt]

My favorite is Call of Duty and my favorite author is Blaine Lee Pardoe.

[Johnathan McKenna]

Jade Phoenix books. I really liked the in depth backround into the production of a clan warrior.

[DFDelta]

Call of Duty would be my favorite one, directly followed by the complete warrior triology.

[SnagaDance]

chewie, on 06 November 2011 - 11:22 AM, said:

sorry, but the CC's were a dreadful series of books. I mean lets all launch ourselves onto a mech, and stab our knife into a mech cockpit view port, because even if it can bleed off kilojoules of energy from a laser or explosive tipped ac shots, but that knife just goes through like butter......

I've read the books multiple times and i don't recall such a scene. I do believe there's a scene where she manages to enter a mech using an emergency access control that's shut behind a panel (which she manages to pry open). This is not done out of the blue but there's an actual lead-up with her liking to spend time with the techs to learn how mechs work, so she will have better knowledge about how to make them stop working.
They also describe the use, or rather necessity, for such a control. Otherwise, how to get access to a critically wounded pilot who is not conscious/able to move? And what about dead pilots in their mechs? Simply replace the whole head?

Of course, you have to jump/climb/cling to an actual working mech, which requires loads of guts and you'd need to have serious mental issues. Luckily she has both.


On to other books, I actually also liked Far Country, but not really as a Battletech book. It seemed outside of the franchise.
I disliked the Black Thorns books, not because of the writing style but solely because of the completely unbelievable combat results vs the Clans. Sure, some heroic events are to be expected in stories like these but those books seemed to just heap them higher and higher.
Finally, already mentioned in my first post, but Star Lord was absolutely dreadful. Totally cheesy 80's B-movy tripe right there IMO.

[A C E]

Exodus Road. classic battle tech story

[HeartoftheJaguar]

The Exodus Road is my favorite print novel. Not only is it one of the few novels dealing with my favorite clan, the jags, but Trent is one of the most compelling characters in the BT universe where, lets be honest, a lot of the characters lack a whole lot of personality. The story is epic and it remains my favorite print novel after being my first. Read a bunch more since.

Now I highly recommend looking into the stories and novels only off of battlecorps. Betrayal of Ideals by Blaine Pardoe, about the true circumstances behind the Wolverine annihilation, and Fall from Glory by Randill Bills, which follows Andery Kerensky during the exodus and the pentagon civil wars are some of my favorite BT stories of any medium. Personally I can't get enough of pre-invasion Clan stories. And I love the portrayal of the founder of the clans, Nicholas Kerensky as this brilliant yet emotionally cold and megalomaniacal figure. Shows the real person behind his legend and the Clans' worship of him.

[Hunter McGee]

Is there really any way to pick just one? Stackpole, Thurston, and all the others, but I have to go with anything and everything that Blain Lee Pardoe put in print.

[The Smith]

So many great ones, but I would have to say Jade Phoenix Trilogy was my favorite.

[Damon Howe]

My favorite is a little known book called "By Blood Betrayed", again by Blaine Lee Pardoe and Mel Odom.

It was the first Mechwarrior book I remember reading, and it really got me into the series. That book had EVERYTHING in it. Clans, Mercs, periphery nations, and pirates. It was so cool how they mixed backwater tech and knowledge of the periphery with the modern IS. Just an all around eye catcher.

As for the Dark Age series, which is the only other series I've read, I really liked the Northwind Highlanders Trilogy. That was an interesting series.

[FallguySoldier]

Guys, I really need help. I want to expand my lore on the Battletech universe, but I can't seem to figure out which books to read while waiting for this game. I'm not really into conspiracies and political madness, although I know that most of the Battletech books are filled with this kind of stuff. If anything, I'd prefer ones where they delve more into the characters, their trials and tribulations, and the dramas that they go through, hopefully mixed in with a little bit of comedy and/or romance. For example, books that I enjoyed so far were:

"The Legend of the Jade Phoenix" trilogy
"The Blood of Kerensky" trilogy
"I am Jade Falcon"

Any suggestions?

[FeldonKane]

Well my favorite books are "Call of Duty" and "Measure of a Hero" by Blaine Lee Pardoe and pretty much any other book Archer shows up in. and FallguySoldier, if you need books to read, i would suggest those as well, they really delve into the characters in the book especially Archer, and it also gives you a great view of what it is like during the civil war.

[FallguySoldier]

FeldonKane, on 19 March 2012 - 01:02 PM, said:

Well my favorite books are "Call of Duty" and "Measure of a Hero" by Blaine Lee Pardoe and pretty much any other book Archer shows up in. and FallguySoldier, if you need books to read, i would suggest those as well, they really delve into the characters in the book especially Archer, and it also gives you a great view of what it is like during the civil war.

Thanks, I'll definitely look into those the next time I stop by my local bookstore. Much appreciated!

[Moncai Icaza]

No one said any of the TT rulebooks yet?

In all honesty i have read only a few of the books and there are two i enjoyed that haven't been mentioned i think
One is a civil war book that has fighting in a park filled with ice sculptures.

The other is a story about training unit that is used to escort a VIP and breaks into an ambush. Can't remeber the name of eather one currently

Love the civil war books in general and the adien pryde stuff

[Evil Ash]

Armor, not necessarily about Mech mechs, but battle suits count in my opinion.