I am wanting to join in on the rp, and increase my knowledge of the mech warrior world and lore. To such effect I would like to start reading the books. Can anyone hook me up with a list of the Titles, and a good reading order (by timeline)? I would be very appreciative!!!
http://www.stargazerserv.com/csv/btech/battletech_novel_list.htm That's the reading list I'm using atm.
Stackpole's are far and away the best reads imho. Warrior Trilogy for Inner Sphere story lines (although Marik and the Free Worlds League are largely abscent), Kerensky Trilogy for Clanner.
This is correct also Wolves on the Border is excellent and Heir to the Dragon is pretty good as well. Notice how all the good storylines are BEFORE the Clans came and fucked everything up?
your not kidding, just refinished Heir to the Dragon and started the jade falcon trilogy, shoot me now!! I am such an IS person, can't get motivated for the clans.
Well I liked the Kurita series, anything by Stackpole (he also wrote some Shadowrun books) I do enjoy the Wolf's Dragoon stories (so far) but skipped the entire Jade Falcon series (it just flat sucked). I don't mind the Wolf clan stories (again, so far).
I actually have a problem with Stackpole in that he's very inconsistent with damage dealt/taken. The books are a good read, it's just that I get an eye twitch when I read about medium lasers cutting away armor to only reveal more armor or dealing only superficial damage to medium mechs at one point, and then when a hero character is the one shooting 3 medium lasers freaking core out a heavy clan mech and blow the reactor/ammo. Of course I am admittedly nit-picky with my suspension of disbelief when dealing with sci-fi. I can let giant bulletproof spider monsters slide, but god forbid the hero kills one with a pocket knife. That's just unrealistic.
I'm currently in the midst of the Gray Death Legion trilogy. I have to say, I'm a huge fan of William H. Kiefer Jr. books. He has a entire series under the moniker of Ian Douglas, and they are mind blowing. It's nice to read some of his earlier work.
There is a lot of Deus Ex Machina action going on in that trilogy. Grayson Carlyle was apparently born at the end of a moonbow cast by 7 full moons in a field of 4 leaf clovers on a blanket made of rabbit feet to a leprechaun and a unicorn.
Oh, I'm aware that the bastard is lucky to the point that he must be a leprechaun, but I still like the writing.
Kinda because it got rid of all the succession war stuff, though their introduction was brilliant, a great point in the series. I agree that it starts out very slow, but once it gets going its really good, Sword and the Dagger is that way aswell
