18 replies to this topic

[NRP]

I'm interested in reading the lore of this game. Which books should I start with? I checked in the Nook store, and there are many, many books, some Battletech, some MechWarrior. Is there a difference? What do you recommend?

[StonedThoughts]

I guess the best idea would be to start with The "Gray Death Trilogy" (Decision at Thunderrift/Mercenarys Star/Price of Glory) wich are also the first (Classic) Battletech Novels released as far as i know

[Skylarr]

I feel the following books will give you a good feel of the BaatleTech Universe.

I would start with the Warrior Trilogy by Michael A. Stackpole, is about the events before and during the Fourth Succession War( 3028 to 3030). The main acts are the wedding of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner, the experiences of Justin Xiang on Solaris VII and as spy on Sian, the vendetta between Morgan Kell and Yorinaga Kurita, the machinations of Michael Hasek-Davion and of subversive elements inside the Steiner nobility, ComStar's secret manipulations and of course the most important battles of the war.

• Warrior: En Garde (August 1988) 3026
  
• Warrior: Riposte (October 1988) 3028
  
• Warrior: Coupé (April 1989) 3029

Heir to the Dragon, by Robert N. Charrette, follows Theodore Kurita for twenty-two years as he learns to survive and thrive in the subtle and deadly courts of the Draconis Combine. The novel is also the only narrative of the War of 3039.


The Saga of the Gray Death Legion is a series of books about the famed Gray Death Legion mercenary unit. Most of the novels are by William H. Keith, Jr., with additional writing by Andrew Keith and Thomas S. Gressman. (This is the Mercenary unit that found the Helm Memory core that brought back Star League Tech right as the Clans hit.)

• Decision at Thunder Rift by William H. Keith, Jr. (June 1986) 3024
  
• Mercenary's Star by William H. Keith, Jr. (June 1987)
  
• The Price of Glory by William H. Keith, Jr. (October 1987) 3028 (Helm Memory Core was found in this book)
  
• Blood of Heroes by Andrew Keith (July 1993) 3056 From this book the novel talk about the unit after the Clan Invasion.
  
• 
  Tactics of Duty by William H. Keith, Jr. (August 1995)
  
• 
  Operation Excalibur by William H. Keith, Jr. (August 1998)
  
• 
  The Dying Time by Thomas S. Gressman (January 2002)

The Legend of the Jade Phoenix trilogy, by Robert Thurston, is the story of the fall and redemption of Aidan Pryde, hero of Clan Jade Falcon.

• Way of the Clans (August 1991) (This happens in Clan space before the Clan Invasion)
  
• Bloodname (October 1991) (This happens in Clan space before the Clan Invasion)
  
• Falcon Guard (December 1991) (This is about Aiden Pryde during The Invasion including the Battle of Tukayyid)

Blood of Kerensky is a trilogy by Michael A. Stackpole about the Clan Invasion (3049 - 3052)

• Lethal Heritage (September 1989)
  
• Blood Legacy (December 1990)
  
• Lost Destiny (April 1991)

There are many other fine novels you can read. Here is a complete list of BattleTech Novels.

Edited by Skylarr, 07 June 2013 - 09:52 PM.

[Surtr]

NRP, on 29 May 2013 - 07:29 PM, said:

I'm interested in reading the lore of this game. Which books should I start with? I checked in the Nook store, and there are many, many books, some Battletech, some MechWarrior. Is there a difference? What do you recommend?

[Redacted] Just start with #1 and get reading!

Edited by Egomane, 14 June 2013 - 08:32 AM.
CoC violation

[NRP]

Thanks everyone! Something to do when I'm traveling.

[Moku]

I would start out with these in this order:

Legend of Jade Falcon Trilogy
Warrior Trilogy
Wolves on the Border, Heir to the Dragon, & Wolf Pack
Blood of Kerensky Trilogy

Edited by Moku, 30 May 2013 - 09:37 AM.

[Adridos]

Just avoid Far Country and you should be fine.

[JadeRaven]

Adridos, on 30 May 2013 - 09:32 AM, said:

Just avoid Far Country and you should be fine.

Squawk!

[CyclonerM]

May i suggest you "Wolves on the border" (i am reading it right now and i love it) and the comic "The Spider and the Wolf"? They are both abouth Wolf's Dragoons.

[ExtremeA79]

I suggest the Gray Death trilogy, then the Warrior trilogy.
If you want to know about the Clans, the Legend of the Jade Phoenix trilogy is a great read.
My favorite book was Falcon Guard, 3rd book of the Legend of the Jade Phoenix.
The ending of that book on the battle of tukayyid was amazing. When Aidan Pryde sent a Star to that city and then comguards showed up, sun has set, dropships flew overhead... The Clanners were destroying the comguards, but for every comguard that died, 3 more seemed to take its place. I place in my head Götterdämmerung,The feeling in me was nothing that any, ANY book I have ever read. When Kael Pershaw then told Aiden they were going to lose no matter what, that he ran thru every calculation, and that the supply depot and other forces at the bridge were under attack, such a amazing feel along with the music in my head. And as the falcons made their retreat thru the night back to the bridge, guided by the illuminated sky from the explosion of the supply depot, and then when Diana told Aiden she was...
Yeah going too far about to spoil it. Just read and you will like.

[Kyone Akashi]

In my opinion, you should check out the various factions and groups, even the different eras, and then pick your novels accordingly.

Otherwise you'll probably have way too much stuff to read through. Many of the novels also appeal to very different readers in terms of the writer's style, so you'll hear very different opinions about which are the best or the worst ones. For example, a Stackpole seems to be more focused on black-vs-white popcorn action, whereas a Charrette muddies the boundaries between protagonist and antagonist and delivers extensive background for the characters' motivations. A Bick, on the other hand, may attempt to evoke emotional response by shocking you with unusually graphical descriptions, or expand the setting by touching "non-standard" subjects in the Battletech universe such as crime or homosexuality, rather than just focusing on 'Mech fights.

So perhaps you could alternatively also just pick up one book from each of the Battletech writers that did more than one novel, and then see how you like their unique way of approaching the material.

[Zakie Chan]

http://www.stargazer..._novel_list.htm

Lists the books in chronological order. Thats what im following and allows a good sense of whats happening across the inner sphere.

[Surtr]

Darren Tyler, on 02 June 2013 - 09:02 AM, said:

I suggest the Gray Death trilogy, then the Warrior trilogy.
If you want to know about the Clans, the Legend of the Jade Phoenix trilogy is a great read.
My favorite book was Falcon Guard, 3rd book of the Legend of the Jade Phoenix.
The ending of that book on the battle of tukayyid was amazing. When Aidan Pryde sent a Star to that city and then comguards showed up, sun has set, dropships flew overhead... The Clanners were destroying the comguards, but for every comguard that died, 3 more seemed to take its place. I place in my head Götterdämmerung,The feeling in me was nothing that any, ANY book I have ever read. When Kael Pershaw then told Aiden they were going to lose no matter what, that he ran thru every calculation, and that the supply depot and other forces at the bridge were under attack, such a amazing feel along with the music in my head. And as the falcons made their retreat thru the night back to the bridge, guided by the illuminated sky from the explosion of the supply depot, and then when Diana told Aiden she was...
Yeah going too far about to spoil it. Just read and you will like.

I still think the Jade Pheonix trilogy would make the best Btech movie.

[Sadistic Savior]

The Jade Phoenix trilogy is the best so far IMO.

I would start with Lethal Heritage and go from there...I have read all the pre-Clan books and none of them were that great IMO.

Here is the actual order of the books:
http://www.stargazer..._novel_list.htm

[ZGundam]

I bought, and have, every single book in the BT universe (Dark Age sucks). I am moving soon and need to lighten my load. anyone who is willing to buy all the novels I have, let me know.

[Sug]

Moku, on 30 May 2013 - 07:52 AM, said:

I would start out with these in this order:

Legend of Jade Falcon Trilogy
Warrior Trilogy
Wolves on the Border, Heir to the Dragon, & Wolf Pack
Blood of Kerensky Trilogy

Such a random order....

I suggest you start with End Game.

[Surtr]

Also I really enjoyed most of the Twilight of the Clans books, but it helps to read others to get some history to the characters.

[Moomtazz]

Zakie Chan, on 02 June 2013 - 01:00 PM, said:

http://www.stargazer..._novel_list.htm

Lists the books in chronological order. Thats what im following and allows a good sense of whats happening across the inner sphere.

This is the way to do it....

[Egomane]

A small reminder:
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Please do not post links leading to such pirated content to the MWO forums.