18 replies to this topic

[Sargon X]

I am new to Mechwarrior Online and I am really enjoying it, so much so that I want to learn more about the Battletech universe.

I have previously played some of the older DOS versions of Battletech and dabbled in the tabletop game many years ago, but I don't have much knowledge of the "fluff".

Where would be a good place to start? Is there a novel or a series of novels that are considered essential to the core of the Battletech universe? I would be very interested in reading some Battletetech fiction, but really have no idea where to begin.

[9erRed]

Greetings,

Before your start collecting or just reading individual books, there may be some background you might want to look at first.

The Inner Sphere, the Great House's and the wars.
- http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Inner_Sphere

Any of the coloured words will take you to that specific location for more in-depth story lines.


The Clans, where, how, why, and some back ground about there culture.
- http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Clans

And, you'll need to at least have an understanding of what the Star League was, and it's Defence Force. (SLDF)
- http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Star_League
- http://www.sarna.net...e_Defense_Force


That is enough to keep a curious reader busy for months, with all the links and additional depth for nearly everything. Even without getting into the 50 some books that have been written, or the Tech manuals, there's plenty of this timelines history here.

Good luck with the reading, and welcome to the universe.
9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 02 March 2014 - 09:11 PM.

[LoPanShui]

What's generally considered to be the best starting point for understanding Inner Sphere politics and policies is the Warrior Trilogy by Michael Stackpole. This covers the events leading up to and including the 4th Succession War, which was the last Succession War and set up the Inner Sphere for the invasion of the clans.

The Clan Invasion is covered in The Blood of Kerensky Trilogy, also by Stackpole. The Clan Invasion happens twentyish years after the 4th Succession War and is probably the most important event in the timeline as it completely changes the Inner Sphere in a very permanent fashion.

[CeeKay Boques]

In case you're more of a PDF guy:

http://d15yciz5bluc8...iverseGuide.pdf


http://archiv.twobt...._battletech.pdf

BTU pdf also available at catalyst.

[LoPanShui]

Blood of Kerensky is the most in depth from the Clan Wars. The Jade Phoenix Trilogy's last book gives some personal stuff about the Clan Wars from the Clan side, specifically a Jade Phoenix MechWarrior named Aiden Pryde who becomes a legend at the Battle of Tukayyid, the de facto last battle of the Clan Invasion.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Marack Drock, on 03 March 2014 - 11:20 AM, said:

Yay. I will be reading these. I like this thread.

I am surprised (and embarrassed) that we hadn't pointed you at those before!

Not quite sure what you mean by the Clan Wars though - the Clan Invasion maybe?

[Alaskan Nobody]

Marack Drock, on 03 March 2014 - 01:31 PM, said:

Yeah the Invasion. I that is my favorite Era.

Blood of Kerensky trilogy follows that from the eyes of Victor Steiner-Davion (sorry), Kai Allard-Liao, Phelan Kell, and Hohiro's Yakuza Aid.

Edited by Shar Wolf, 03 March 2014 - 01:39 PM.

[Pht]

Sargon X, on 02 March 2014 - 07:59 PM, said:

I am new to Mechwarrior Online and I am really enjoying it, so much so that I want to learn more about the Battletech universe.

I have previously played some of the older DOS versions of Battletech and dabbled in the tabletop game many years ago, but I don't have much knowledge of the "fluff".

Where would be a good place to start? Is there a novel or a series of novels that are considered essential to the core of the Battletech universe? I would be very interested in reading some Battletetech fiction, but really have no idea where to begin.

While this is not strictly fiction, it IS strictly in-universe lore:

http://mwomercs.com/...y-an-education/

Yes, its's long. However, I wrote it to be easily digested a section at a time.

As for the rest of the lore ... if you want to get into the books, I would suggest the warrior trilogy and the blood of kerensky trilogy.

If you decide you like any one faction, I would suggest finding a copy of the source books/field manuals for said faction (and yes, all of the factions have their screaming downsides. that's just the way of the BT lore). The source-books proper will give you the histories and timelines and all that jazz.

If you use this list: http://www.sarna.net...leTech_products

you can see all of the BT source books;

and this link is for the novels:

http://www.sarna.net...ttleTech_novels

I have had luck finding hard to find BT stuff here: http://www.bookfinder.com/

and than there's the official BT shop: http://www.battlecor...ex.php?cPath=27

and last but not least, THE wiki for bt stuff: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page

Yes, it's overwhelming. There's a LOT of stuff. No, not even the current BT line developer knows all of it (his own admission) - so, pick a spot you like, and otherwise, learn where to find stuff you don't know.

Last but certainly NOT least: http://bg.battletech.com/?page_id=400 , and THE official short intro to the BT lore, since forever: http://d15yciz5bluc8...iverseGuide.pdf

Edited by Pht, 04 March 2014 - 12:33 PM.

[Sargon X]

LoPanShui, on 03 March 2014 - 07:48 AM, said:

What's generally considered to be the best starting point for understanding Inner Sphere politics and policies is the Warrior Trilogy by Michael Stackpole.

I just ordered all 3 volumes of the Warrior Trilogy from Amazon, so I will start there (in addition to reading some of the online resources that have been provided). Thanks everyone!

[LoPanShui]

Sweet, glad I could help. Just don't expect much out of the Free Worlds League in any of the books. For some reason, for the most part, the novels just skip right over House Marik.

[CoffiNail]

Sargon X, on 06 March 2014 - 08:12 PM, said:

I just ordered all 3 volumes of the Warrior Trilogy from Amazon, so I will start there (in addition to reading some of the online resources that have been provided). Thanks everyone!

As much as I am a fan of the Clans of Kerensky, the Warrior trilogy is a excellent place to start.

Heir to the dragon and wolves on the border are also excellent. Good place to go next is also blood of Kerensky trilogy, as it will get you set up for the storyline pgi is hitting for. Maybe?

[Steinar Bergstol]

Warrior trilogy definitely for an introduction to how the Inner Sphere works prior to the clan invasion, and yes, Blood of Kerensky trilogy for the invasion itself. I'll also wholeheartedly second CoffiNail's recommendation of Heir to the Dragon (particularly if you have any interest in the Draconis Combine) and Wolves on the Border (which deals with the Draconis Combine, the Wolf's Dragoons and the origin of the bad blood between the two and the background for Takashi Kurita's "Death to mercenaries" edict).

I'll also recommend the original 5 House sourcebooks. I know few books ever gave me a better insight into the Draconis Combine than the original House Kurita sourcebook did. Thick and full of info if you can find them. Heck, even the original Mercenary's Handbook gave a good feel for the universe from a Merc's point of view in between the info for running or creating a merc unit.

[Skylarr]

Skylarr, on 03 January 2014 - 03:54 PM, said:

I feel the following books will give you a good feel of the BattleTech 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 on the novels cover the unit after 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.


v This is a list that I made over a year ago and I post when someone asks for a recommendation.

[DJO Maverick]

Echoing what's been already said, but yes, the Warrior Trilogy is hands-down the best jumping on point for the series, though if you really want to go back to the beginning, the Gray Death Trilogy were the first set of books that directly preceded them (starting with Decision at Thunder Rift), and they aren't bad. Very different style, and I prefer the Stackpole stuff, but good nonetheless.

[DocBach]

Era Report 3052 gives a good idea of whats happening around MWO's timeline.

[Jaroth Corbett]

Patrick's Battletech Archive

http://web.archive.o...ultraforce.org/

Warhawk PPC

http://ppc.warhawken...ises.com/1.html

[CoffiNail]

Jaroth Corbett, on 16 March 2014 - 03:49 AM, said:

Patrick's Battletech Archive

http://web.archive.o...ultraforce.org/

This was my very first real good resource when I was younger, I very much enjoy his format and such of his Archive. I wish someone would make something similar again.