Classic Battletech

Series · 61

books · 1986-2002

By Victor Milán, Blaine Lee Pardoe, J. Andrew Keith, and more

Books in series

The Sword and the Dagger

1987

MechWarriors believe that the only way to kill a BattleMech is with another 'Mech... But Generals know that the best way to kill an army of 'Mechs is with a well-placed dagger. The five houses of the Successor States employ both warfare and treachery in their efforts to gain control of the interstellar empire once known as the Star League. Huge, man-like, walking tanks called BattleMechs rule the battlefields, but intrigues and plots rule the imperial courts. Hanse Davion is Prince of the Federated Suns, the largest of the five warring Houses... an idealistic man who has had to learn that politics is neither honorable nor straightforward. Ardan Sortek is the commander of Hanse Davion's personal guard. Although a long-time friend of Hanse's, he has not yet learned the lessons of power. Through a chance series of events he stumbles upon a plot of such magnitude that it threatens the balance of power of the Inner Sphere. Unfortunately, no one will believe him... Indeed, they think he is quite mad. Is Ardan crazy or is someone trying to kill Hanse Davion?

Decision at Thunder Rift

1986

Thirty years before the Clan invasion, the crumbling empires of the Inner Sphere were locked in the horror of the Third Succession War. The great Houses, whose territories spanned the stars, used BattleMechs to smash each other into rubble. Grayson Death Carlyle had been training to be a MechWarrior since he was ten years old, but his graduation came sooner than expected. With his friends and family dead and his father's regiment destroyed, young Grayson finds himself stranded on a world turned hostile. And now he must learn the hardest lesson of all: it takes more than a BattleMech to make a MechWarrior. To claim the title of MechWarrior all he has to do is capture one of those giant killing machines by himself. If it doesn't kill him first.

Mercenary's Star

1987

The Gray Death Legion. Mercenary warriors born out of treachery and deceit. Now the time has come for their first assignment, serving as the training cadre for farmer rebels on the once peaceful agricultural world of Verthandi. And although MechWarrior Grayson Carlyle has the knack for battle strategy and tactics, getting the scattered bands of freedom fighters to unite against their oppressors is not always easy. But the Legion must succeed in their efforts or die - for the only way off the planet is via the capital city, now controlled by the minions of Carlyle's nemesis, who wait for the Legion with murderous schemes...

The Price of Glory

1987

The Price of Glory, by William H. Keith, Jr., is the third book of the Saga of the Gray Death Legion. An established mercenary command by now, the Gray Death Legion suddenly find themselves framed for atrocious war crimes and in the end forge an unlikely cooperation with their old nemesis, Duke Hassid Ricol.

Warrior

En Garde

1988

In the third volume of the Warrior Trilogy miniseries, stripped of his rank, an exiled Justin Allard is given one last chance to reclaim his honor by fighting his own half brother in a high-tech duel for control over the ultimate power of the Inner Sphere. Original.

Warrior

Riposte

1988

Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner have united two Great Houses of the Inner Sphere in a marriage that suddenly upsets the balance of power among the stars. Though some hope this may bring an end to centuries of war, Maximilian Liao of the Capellan Confederation has enlisted the aid of two highly placed Davion traitors to destroy Hanse Davion and the Federated Suns from both within and without. But in the distant star chambers of the Capellan March and Draconis Combine, the Warlords of Maximilian Liao are honoring a different and more deadly to wage an unholy war that threatens to rip asunder the vulnerable worlds of the Federated Suns. As Davion 'Mech commander Andrew Redburn and his mercenaries streak into battle, an explosive clash of metal and men signals the return of a formidable foe. Interstellar legend Yorinaga Kurita has returned to stake his claim as the most bloodthirsty warrior of all. For both men it is do-or-die combat that could ensure the triumph of a glorious new alliance—or result in its total annihilation.

Warrior

Coupé

1989

THE EXPLOSIVE CONCLUSION TO THE WARRIOR TRILOGY The minions of Maximilian Liao are about the deliver a crippling blow to the forces of Prince Hanse Davion—discovering a way to use Hanse's own technology against him. Half a galaxy away, assassins stalk Hanse's wife, Melissa Steiner, and her mother, Archon Katrina Steiner, in the passageways of their own palace. Invasion is imminent. The only 'Mech force capable of stopping that invasion—the mercenary Kell Hounds—is trapped in a game of search and destroy with the most fearsome Kurita unit ever formed. Even if they come back in time...how many would make it? In a world where ten-meter-tall war machines are the soul of battle, assassins are state policy, and a spy's loyalty is always for sale, the only thing certain is death. Who can you trust? And in the bitter end, how will you be betrayed?

Wolves on the Border

1988

Bushido governs all these concepts. As a MechWarrior of the Draconis Combine, Minobu Tetsuhara was bound b Bushido - a code that demands loyal service - to the devious Warlord Grieg Samsonov. But when Minobu came upon a strange blue-and-gold Archer, the field littered with its vanquished opponents and its weapons now empty, Bushido also dictated that he not destroy the honorable but helpless warrior. And so he rescued Jaime Wolf. Minobu was then assigned as liaison to the Wolf's Dargoons, one of the Combine's most elite mercenary units, who treated him with the respect due a fellow warrior. When the mercenaries refused to renew their contract with Samsonov, Minobu was instructed to destroy them. Now Bushido dictates that Minobu oppose his honorable foe, a man with whom he has served and who deserves far better than betrayal...

Heir to the Dragon

1989

Theodore Kurita is heir apparent to the Draconis Combine, one of the most powerful realms of the Inner Sphere. But the Draconis Combine has never been a place of smooth transitions. Historically, a Kurita proves himself fit to lead by a successful bid for power - political or... otherwise. His perilous journey to power is a twenty-year odyssey of lethal encounters and narrow escapes. And at the end awaits the most dangerous foe of all, the man whom Theodore must one day depose - his own father.

#10

Lethal Heritage

1989

In the first volume of the Blood of Kerensky trilogy, the five warring Successor States of the Inner Sphere confront a new, mutual threat, the invasion of the Clans, technologically superior, bioengineered warriors.

#11

Blood Legacy

1990

Jaime Wolf has brought all the key leaders of the Inner Sphere together at his base on Outreach in an attempt to put to rest old blood feuds and power struggles. For only if all the Successor States unite their forces do they have any hope of defeating this invasion by warriors equipped with BattleMechs far superior to their own. But old hatreds and suspicions are hard to put aside, and mutual trust even harder to attain. Especially when the very man who asks for that trust has freely admitted to being a former Clansman himself. And even if the Houses should agree to stand together, another threat as fully dangerous lurks within their very midst - ComStar, the sect controlling interstellar communication which is determined to rule all of the Inner Sphere by any means at its disposal... Blood Legacy, volume two of the Blood of Kerensky trilogy, continues the saga of the Clan invasion begun in Lethal Heritage. This explosive trilogy is now back in print by audience demand and is the basis for the top-rated animated series.

#12

Lost Destiny

1991

With secret aid from ComStar - the Terran-based sect that serves as the keeper of the Inner Sphere's technological secrets and controls interstellar communication the Clans' BattleMech warriors have been incredibly successful in their campaign of invasion. But ComStar has its own reasons for giving aid to the enemy, and if its strategy proves successful, the Inner Sphere worlds will finally be reunited under ComStar's rule. Yet neither the Clans nor the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere are ready to become ComStar's puppets. And within ComStar's upper echelon a new power struggle is about to begin. As the Clans continue their inward drive, with Terra itself as their true goal, can ComStar mobilize the Inner Sphere's last defenses - or will their own internal political warfare provide the final death blow to the empire they are sworn to protect? Lost Destiny concludes the Blood of Kerensky trilogy, which is now back in print by audience demand and is the basis for the top-rated animated series. Don't miss any of the other BATTLETECH titles, which continue the saga of the Clan invasion and the explosive struggle within the Inner Sphere.

#13

Way of the Clans

1991

In the 31st century, Aidan aspires to be a warrior of Clan Jade Falcon and faces trials that will shape him into one of the best warriors in the galaxy, a member of an elite group of warriors resulting from generations of controlled breeding

#14

Bloodname

1991

Truebirth – Born in the laboratory, these genetically engineered soldiers train to be the ultimate warriors. They are the elite pilots of the Clan's fearsome BattleMech war machines. Freebirth – Born of the natural union of parents, these too are soldiers, but pale imitations of their truebirth superiors. Depised for their imperfections, they fight where and when their Clan commands. Aidan has failed his Trial of Position, the ranking test all truebirth warriors of the Clan Jade Falcon must pass. He is cast out. Disgraced. His rightful Bloodname denied him. But with a Bloodname, all past failures are forgiven. With a Bloodname comes respect. With a Bloodname comes honor. Aidan will do anything to gain that name. Even masquerade as the thing he has been taught to despise. A freebirth.

#15

Falcon Guard

1991

A Clash of Empires: In 2786, the elite Star League Army fled the Inner Sphere, abandoning the senseless bloodshed ordered by the Successor Lords. Now, almost three hundred years later the Clans, heirs of the Star League Army, turn their eyes back upon their former home. Nothing will stop them from raising the Star League banner over Earth once again. A Clash of Armies: For two years, the Clans' BattleMech war machines have overwhelmed the armies of the corrupt Successor Lords. Now, at the gates of Earth the Clans must fight one final battle, a battle that will decide the fate of humanity for all time. A Clash of Cultures: For Star Colonel Aidan Pryde of Clan Jade Falcon the battle is more than a question of military conquest. It is an affirmation of the superiority of the Clan way, a way of life he has sworn to uphold despite his fear that the noble crusade has fallen prey to the lust and ambition of its commanders.

#16

Wolf Pack

1992

The Succession Wars, The Marik Civil War, The War of '39, The Clan Invasions. Wolf's Dargoons were victorious in them all! For fifty years, the five mercenary regiments of Wolf's Dargoons have been the toughest MechWarriors in the Inner Sphere. Whatever the job, whatever the odds, Jaime Wolf's Dragoons always won. Now an aging Colonel Wolf is facing the biggest challenge of his career. And the enemy is not an Inner Sphere Lord or a Clan Khan, but a rebellion among his own men!

#17

Main Event

1993

Dispossessed in the battle of Tukayyid, former Com Guard Soldier Jeremiah Rose wants nothing more than to strike back at the Clans who destroyed his 'Mech and his career. Dreams of swift vengeance turn to nightmares when every effort he makes to rejoin the fight to protect the citizens of the Inner Sphere is rejected. Forced to win a new BattleMech by fighting on the game world of Solaris VII, Rose recruits other soldiers from the arenas to create a new mercenary unit and take his grudge back to the invaders. Unfortunately, Rose is long on battle experience and desperately short on business skill. Turning a band of mismatched MechWarriors into an elite fighting unit becomes harder than he imagined when Rose is forced to fight his fellow MechWarriors in order to fight the Clans.

#18

Ideal War

1993

Captain Paul Masters, a knight of the House of Marik, is well versed in the art of BattleMech combat. A veteran of countless battles, her personifies the virtues of the Inner Sphere MechWarrior. But when he is sent to evaluate a counterinsurgency operation on a backwater planet, he doesn't find the ideal war he expects. Instead of valiant patriots fighting villainous rebels, he discovers a guerrilla war - both sides have abandoned decency for expediency, ideals for body counts, and honor for victory. It's a dirty, dirty war...

#19

Natural Selection

1992

Moderate edge and spine wear. Comes shrink wrapped. Ships next business day. Free tracking. 100% guaranteed.

#20

Assumption of Risk

1993

Solaris VII, the Game World, is the Inner Sphere in microcosm, and Kai Allard-Liao is its Champion, veteran of the war against challengers who wish his crown for their own. There is no place he would rather be. Then the political realities of the Federated Commonwealth intrude on Solaris. Ryan Steiner, a man sworn to dethrone Victor Steiner-Davion, comes to Solaris to orchestrate his rebellion. Tormano Liao, Kai's uncle, redoubles efforts to destroy the Capellan Confederation, and Victor Davion plots to avenge his mother's assassination. In one short month, Kai's past, present and future collapse in on themselves, forcing him to do things he had come to Solaris to avoid. If he succeeds, no one will ever know - but if he fails, he'll have the blood of billions on his hands.

#21

Blood of Heroes

1993

Melissa Steiner's assassination ignited the fires of civil war, and now secessionist factions clamor for rebellion against the Federal Commonwealth. The rebels' plans hinge on gaining control of the Skye March, and thus controlling the crucial Terran Corridor. Throughout the March, civil and military leaders plot to take up arms against Prince Victor Steiner-Davion. The final piece of the plant requires the secessionist forces to gain access to the planet Glengarry and the mercenary group that calls it home: the Gray Death Legion. When Prince Davion summons Grayson Death Carlyle and his wife, Lori, to the Federated Commonwealth capital, the rebel forces seize their chance to establish a garrison on Glengarry. The rebels didn't expect the legion's newest members to take matters into their own hands...

#22

Close Quarters

1994

Resourceful, ruthless, beautiful, apparently without fear, Scout Lieutenant Cassie Suthorn of Camacho's Caballeros is as consummately lethal as the giant BattleMechs she lives to hunt. Only one other person in the freewheeling mercenary regiment has a hint of the demons which drive her. When the Caballeros sign on to guard Coordinator Theodore Kurita's corporate-mogul cousin in the heart of the Draconis Combine, they think they've got the perfect gig: low risk and high pay. Cassie alone suspects that danger waits among the looming bronze towers of Hachiman - and when the yakuza and the dread ISF form a devil's alliance to bring down Chandrasekhar Kurita, only Cassie's unique skills can save her regiment. All she has to do is confront her darkest nightmares.

#23

Far Country

1993

Sho-sa Yubari Takuda leads a Draconis Elite Strike Team, one of the Combine's elite commando units. Well versed in techniques of conventional and unconventional warfare, even MechWarriors respect and fear the prowess of these deadly warriors. A follower of the ancient code of the samurai, Sho-sa Takuda firmly believes in the superiority of the Combine warrior culture and has always maintained that it would produce a harmonious and prosperous society - if only the realm could be freed from the pressures of foreign aggressors. But when a JumpShip malfunction catapults Takuda's team and a company of mercenary MechWarriors beyond known space, he finds long-held beliefs challenged. For the warriors find themselves on a planet inhabited by a primitive alien race, a race enslaved by the descendants of another group of humans - from the Draconis Combine.

#24

D. R. T.

1994

In a new adventure based on the popular science fiction role-playing game, rebel forces battle government armies as they compete in an intergalactic war to capture a inestimable prize. Original.

#25

Tactics of Duty

1995

Während ihres Kampfs auf Caledonia hat die Gray Death Legion gegen alle Grundsätze des Söldner-Ehrenkodex verstoßen. Das Kriegsgericht setzt als Strafe zu einem Tiefschlag Grayson Carlyle verliert Titel und Güter; die Legion muss Glengarry verlassen. Kommandeur Carlyle und seine Mannschaft wissen, dass sie einem Komplott zum Opfer fielen. Um ihre Ehre zurückzugewinnen, fassen sie einen tollkühnen Entschluss. Schlägt ihr Plan fehl, verspielt die Legion mehr als ihren guten Ruf.

#26

Bred for War

1995

Along with the throne of the Federated Commonwealth, Prince Victor Steiner-Davion inherited a number of problems. Foremost among them is the Clans' threat to the peace of the Inner Sphere - and a treacherous sister who wants to supplant him. The Expected demise of Joshua Marik - heir to the Free Worlds League, whose very presence maintained peace - also endangers harmony. Victor's idea is to use a double for Joshua, a deception that will prevent war. But secret duplicity is a hard to maintain, and war erupts anyway, splitting the Inner Sphere and leaving the Federated Commonwealth defenseless. And when Victor thinks things can get no worse, word comes that the Clans, once again, have brought war to the Inner Sphere...

#27

I Am Jade Falcon

1995

For years, Star Commander Joanna has had to live with the shame of the Jade Falcon defeat at Twycross, and the nightmares of the heroic Aidon Pryde flaunting his bloodname in her face. Now, with the arrival of the new Star Colonel Ravill Pryde, who will lead them against the Wolf Clan, Joanna must once again fight for her chance to recapture the glory of her victory at Tukkayid. But will her advanced age bring her to defeat again, or will being a Jade Falcon be enough for her to take on the legendary Black Widow in a repeat battle at the Great Gash on Twycross?

#28

Star Lord

1996

An ancient evil has slumbered for centuries, passing from generation to generation, until one day a man discovers the truth of his genetic heritage - and proclaims himself Star Lord of the Inner Sphere. Disguising his army of renegade mercenaries as Knights of the Inner Sphere, the self-appointed Star Lord launches a series of raids that threaten and terrorize the universe! But Thomas Marik, leader of the Free Worlds League, cannot afford to have his Knights tarnished - and two can play the game of impersonation. With the help of a trusted advisor, Thomas comes up with a plan to infiltrate the evil Star Lord's backwater legions. Enter Duncan's Demons, a company of MechWarriors so improbable only desperation could have dreamed them up. Two soldiers seeking justice, a dishonored Clanswoman, a ne'er-do-well gambler and a real Knight of the Inner Sphere are entrusted with saving the Free Worlds League. But first they must learn how to get along...

#29

Highlander Gambit

1995

Death Commando Loren Jaffray is dispatched to the planet Northwind to destroy the elite Northwind Highlanders by winning their trust and starting a war from within—but Loren is waging his own personal battle between honor and duty. Original.

#30

Hearts of Chaos

1996

Sent to the planet Towne to prevent an invasion by the secret Black Dragon Society, Cassie Suthorn and Camacho's Caballeros find a world that has descended into faction-ridden turmoil, with a hostile population that rejects all outside intervention. Original.

#31

Operation Excalibur

1996

The Mercenary Code was broken by the Gray Death Legion during their desperate fighting on the planet Caledonia. At least, that is the ruling of the courts. And the judges decide to hit below the belt - Grayson Carlyle, revered leader of the now outlawed mercenary band, is stripped of his title and holdings, and the legion is banished from Glengarry, the planet they've called home for years. All seems lost, but Carlyle and his legendary troop of hardened warriors know they've been set up - and they have a trump card yet to play. Their dangerous scheme just might work, with the help of House Steiner - and enough guts and firepower to restore the name of the mighty Gray Death Legion to its rightful place of honor. But should they fail, they could lose a great deal more than their reputation...

#32

Malicious Intent

1996

With the Lyran Alliance beset by two threatening enemies, Vlad of the Wards and the Jade Falcons, Katrina Steiner finds her only hope in her brother and political rival Victor Davion, who may be destroyed if he assists her. Original.

#33

Black Dragon

1996

Theodore Kurita, samurai tyrant of the mighty Draconis Combine, is celebrating his sixty-first birthday. Topping the guest list is an unlikely bunch of high-tech troublemakers: Camacho's Caballeros, the toughest team of mercenary 'Mech warriors the Inner Sphere has ever seen. But their invitation is more than merely social. Theodore's powerful cousin, "Uncle Chandy," has recruited their ace operative, Cassie Suthorn, for a dangerous mission. On a xenophobic planet where honor and duty are worshipped like deities, the freelancing Caballeros are considered barbarians. But Cassie's covert investigation uncovers an insurrection, and Camacho's foreign "barbarians" could be the only unit with enough guns and grit to save the Draconis Combine from its own extremists.

#34

Impetus of War

1996

Major Loren Jaffray is a soldier's soldier, a hardened professional who made his reputation with the Capellan Confederation's legendary Death Commandos. Now serving as an officer in the Northwind Highlanders, Loren longs to prove his loyalty to his new comrades. And he's getting that chance - the Draconis Combine is hiring his regiment to take on a mission unlike any before it. The ruthless Clan Smoke Jaguar emulate the savagery of their feline namesake with lethal accuracy. Nobody knows this better than the samurai of the Draconis Combine, who fought to the death to save their very home world. Now Loren's crack highlanders will be the instrument of the Combine's vengeance, striking into the Deep Periphery to crush one of the Jaguars' supply centers on a distant world called Wayside V. But the young, confident major is in for a very nasty surprise - and unless he makes a brilliant change in plans, Wayside V will be soaked in Scots blood...

#35

Double-Blind

1997

BattleMech Blitzkrieg Using fast and furious hit-and-run tactics, Marcus GioAvanti and his Avanti's Angels mercenaries have earned a tough reputation throughout the Inner Sphere. But the Inner Sphere isn't where their newest job is taking them - because their latest employer resides in that remote and mysterious region of space known as the Periphery... Interworld Intrigue The Magistracy of Canopus has been the target of aggression by the Marian Hegemony, and in hiring Marcus and his gutsy band of can-do commandos, it hopes to retaliate. But the fact that the Canopians are armed with technology that is considered rare in the Periphery is the least of Marcus' problems. Marcus and his "Angels" will have to face the real force behind the hostilities - the religious cult known as Word of Blake. This fanatical group has a scheme deadly enough to trap even the amazing Avanti's Angels...

#36

Binding Force

1997

Aris Sung, a rising star in House Hiritsu, noblest of the Warrior House that have sworn allegiance to the Capellan Confederation. The Sarna Supremacy, a newly formed power in the Chaos March, is giving the Confederation some trouble - and Aris and his Hiritsu comrades are chosen to give the Sarnans a harsh lesson in Capellan resolve. But there is far more to the mission than meets the eye - and unless Aris beats the odds in a race against time and treachery, all the ferro-fibrous armor in the galaxy won't be enough to save House Hiritsu from the high-explosive cross fire of intrigue and shifting loyalties...

#38

Grave Covenant

1997

Possessing precious secret information that will lead them down the Exodus Road, the Inner Sphere Successor States can now meet the Clans on their own terms... and behind enemy lines. The Herculean task of amassing enough power means re-establishing the legendary Star League - a union of the Successor States and their BattleMechs led by Victor Steiner-Davion. But with the deadly game of politics making the Successor Lords wary of alliance, and Victor's Machiavellian sister, Katrina Steiner, hatching more vicious plots to further her own agendas, the war against the Clans may only be a distraction from the real danger...

#39

The Hunters

1997

"Carry the fight to the Clans!" has become the rallying cry for the armies of the Successor States. Now, as the Great Houses launch an offensive against the Clan Occupation Zone, a combined armed task force, drawn from across the Inner Sphere, begins its own desperate journey. Following the road marked out for them by a Clan defector, Task Force Serpent sets out to strike a blow at the heart of the Clans, at their home worlds. For so many years, the Inner Sphere has been the prey of the Clans. Now, in a war to end all wars, the hunted have become... The Hunters.

#40

Freebirth

1998

Dispatch Horse to the planet Huntress! The orders to investigate the secret experiment being done by the Falcons on the Smoke Jaguar homeworld came down from the Jade Falcon Khan herself. But does the covert mission require the natural bravery of a freeborn warrior - or do Horse's genetically engineered comrades consider him expendable? The perilous trek is dead-ended by a crash landing - right into a Smoke Jaguar trap. His 'Mech confiscated, his DropShip down, his Trinary imprisoned, Horse is duty bound to the enemy Jaguars - and closer to the core of the strange secrets of the Falcon stronghold than he ever imagined. For the Clan, the consequences could be explosive. For Horse, they could be fatal...

#41

Sword and Fire

1998

An awesome mission has been assigned to Taks Force Serpent: to destroy Huntress, homeworld of Clan Smoke Jaguar, the Inner Sphere's greatest menace. But the invasion has suffered a serious blow: Marshal Morgan Hasek-Davion has been struck down by an unknown assassin. With the fate of the entire Inner Sphere in jeopardy, only one other daredevil warrior is brave - and reckless - enough to bring the enemy to its knees... She is General Ariana Winston of the famed Eridani Light Horse mercenary brigade, and new commander of Task Force Serpent. The battle ahead is dangerous and uncertain, but Winston and her courageous comrades have the upper hand with hard-earned battle skills honed to fighting-edge perfection - and a secret weapon that could destroy Huntress for a ll time...

#42

Shadows of War

1998

General Ariana Winston shepherds her massive mercenary brigade over enemy lines in Operation Serpent in hopes of wiping out the military force of Clan Smoke Jaguar, and finds she has bitten off more than she can chew. Original.

#43

Prince of Havoc

1998

Task Force Serpent has triumphed and Clan Smoke Jaguar is shattered beyond redemption. But the final battle is still to come, when Prince Victor Steiner-Davion braves the unknown and travels to the very heart of the Clans: Strana Mechty. There, with elite units from across the Inner Sphere, he must wage the ultimate battle to destroy the the Crusader cause and forever eliminate the possibility of a new Clan invasion. Pushed to the edge of of endurance by a peace they cannot understand, the Clans accept the challenge—and the ultimate battle begins. But even if the Inner Sphere should prove triumphant, will their return be what they expect? Prince Victor left an Inner Sphere in united under a new Star League to battle the most dangerous foe the Inner Sphere has ever encountered: the Clans. But he also left behind his scheming sister Katrina Steiner, whose ambition knows no bounds. Task Force Serpent and Prince Victor believe that facing the Clans on their own homeworlds would prove the most difficult fight of their lives. They will soon learn that their fight has just begun.

#44

Battletech 43

Falcon Rising: Twilight of the Clans VIII

1999

As the Khans of the Clans gather on Strana Mechty to plan a new invasion of the Inner Sphere, Jade Falcon Khan Marthe Pryde strives to rebuild her Clan to its former glory. She bloods new warriors and wins others in Trials from other Clans, but she cannot waste any fine warrior - even those who are freeborn. She gives a Trinary composed entirely of freeborns to a freeborn Star Captain and allows Diana, the freeborn daughter of a Jade Falcon hero, to compete for a bloodname. The Khans of the Steel Vipers - long-standing rivals of the Falcons - use these radical moves against Marthe, attacking her in the Grand Council. In the midst of this war of intimidation, the Inner Sphere accomplishes the unthinkable - an invasion of Clan space. But even that cannot stop Marthe Pryde or the Steel Vipers as their ripening conflict explodes into war...

#45

Threads of Ambition

1999

Sun-Tzu Liao is the first Lord of the resurrected Star League. In the last year of his reign, he decides to milk his power for every ounce of benefit to himself. His dream to rebuild his Capellan Confederation at any cost is about to become a reality. His first victim: his own aunt, Candace Liao, who deserted the Confederation in the Fourth Succession War, taking the St. Ives Compact with her. Answering Sun-Tzue's call to battle is Warrior House Hiritsu, always ready to serve, and the Hustaing Warriors, who will do what is necessary to get the job done. As border skirmishes between BattleMechs turn bloody, military units rally to Candace Liao's call to hold the line. Both Sides are unyielding in this hard-fought war. And as Capellan fights Capellan, the high price of glory will be paid in full...

#46

The Killing Fields

1999

In hope of salvaging the embattled worlds of the renegade St. Ives Compact, Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao has launched a war that stretches far beyond the scope of military conquest. His mission: reunite St. Ives with his own Capellan Confederation. But after months of combat extend into years, the smash-and-destroy tactics have turned the crippled Compact into a bloody wasteland- and the Chancellor's costly victory into a virtual deathwatch. For the warriors of Hause Hiritsu, and for the Capellan and Compact soldiers on the 'Mech-shredded front lines Sun-Tzu's noble crusade has become a nightmare. And now, with his dream of glory slipping away, the Chancellor will make one last desperate gamble - a final solution to regain total control of a civil war exploding out of control. no matter what the cost.

#47

Dagger Point

2000

Edwin Amis, new commander of the Eridani Light Horse, faces a tough decision: Should he openly defy the First Lord of the Star League? Sun-Tzu Liao, the First Lord, has sent Star League troops as "peace-keepers" to the St. Ives Compact to prevent open rebellion by angry citizens - but they're not seeking peace. Amis knows the mission is only a guise for reclaiming territory for the Capellan Confederation, and he's ready to station counter-forces on Milos, close to the heart of the Capellan capital. But on Milos, things are already escalating - Death Commando Chen Shao and his ruthless partner, Nessa Ament, have secretly murdereed a dissident's family in cold blood. Now, in what could erupt into full-scale war, both forces are at each other's throats.

#48

Ghost Of Winter

1999

All his life, Sturm Kintaro wanted to be a MechWarrior. Now, he is one - untested in combat, but eager to show his prowess and be transferred away from the backwater planet Kore. But he is about to get a bigger opportunity than he ever wanted when a band of interstellar pirates launches a surprise attack and takes control of the planet. After the rout, Sturm finds himself stranded in the frozen wastes of Kore with no 'Mech, no help, no hope... Until he stumbles upon a long-hidden secret, one that will help him prove himself a worthy MechWarrior. Now, Sturm must wage a one-man war against the invading force - and resurrect a ghostly legend of Kore - if he is going to save his people from annihilation.

#49

Roar of Honor

1999

Angela Bekker is a rising star in the Ghost Bear Clan. Devoted to duty and honor, relentless in the pursuit of flawless victory - a prime example of Clan excellence in mind and body. So when she receives orders to form a new Trinary from scratch, she jumps at the chance to have her own command. Especially since they are to be stationed on the planet Toffen at the leading edge of Ghost Bear space. But what is an honor for some is an opportunity to strike for others. Led by the bloodthirsty Dirk Radick, forces of Clan Wolf launch an assault to take the valuable planet from the inexperienced troops. But the hunters soon become the hunted, as the Stalking Bears live up to their name. Only when the smoke clears does Angela realize that great honor comes at a great price - one that she may not be willing to pay...

#50

By Blood Betrayed

1999

Harley Rassor is a simple farm boy in a complex techno-universe - more than happy to work the land of planet Slewis with his father. His restless older brother left to join the elite merc corps, Able's Aces... and paid with his life. Now, Harley's father want him to join the fight - and learn what happened to his brother. What he learns is that the Aces are in turmoil. His instructor - tough-as-nails Lieutenant Livia Hawke - also happens to be his brother's ex-lover. Rumors of suspected payoffs and setups are commonplace. And the entire unit is in danger of being disbanded. Then pirates launch a devastating raid on the Rim Collection's resources, sparking an all-out fight that will put the Aces in the thick of battle - and reveal to Harley that there are worse things in war than death...

#51

Illusions of Victory

2000

Solaris VII is known as the Game World - where entertainment is king, money is power, and MechWarriors from every corner of the Inner Sphere come to make war against one another in the ultimate sporting event. Michael Searcy arrived on Solaris VII as a dishonored MechWarrior, and worked his way up in the rankings to become a value commodity in the games. He knows all the moves, plays all the angles, and can put on a show as well as he fights. But now, the ancient grudges pitting warriors against each other have spilled out of the arena - and are moving through the streets in an all-out war. And Michael is caught in a championship match where the winner is the last man left alive...

#52

Flashpoint

2001

One of the few survivors of the First Kathil Uhlans' battle with the Clans, David McCarthy returns to Kathil to join the planetary militia, only to find a planet torn apart by factional strife out to seize control of Kathil's orbital shipyards. Original.

#53

Measure of a Hero

2000

Colonel Felix Blucher's orders from the Archon were simple enough: quash the Davion Loyalist uprising on Thorin. But Blucher never planned on facing the fearless Archer Christifori, local militia leader and decorated MechWarrior in the Clan Wars. As tensions rise between Blucher's Lyran Alliance and the Davion Loyalist population, Archer is torn between obedience to the Archon or allegiance to his people. But when Blucher's forces go too far, Archer takes up the Loyalist cause and becomes commander of the rebel army. The final confrontation looms and the rebels face long odds - but it takes more than 'Mechs to win Thorin's freedom. It takes a hero...

#54

Path of Glory

2002

NEW ALLIES. OLDER ENEMIES. For MechWarrior Zane, allegiance to the Nova Cat Clan comes above all else. So when he sees his clan disgraced, cast out, and suddenly allied with the hated Inner Sphere, Zane's only desire is to see the Nova Cats returned to their former greatness. For Palmer Yoshio, the Draconis Combine is the only honorable thing in a chaotic galaxy. But when he is forced to train alongside the outcast Nova Cats, he finds that his own notion of honor is a far cry from his leader's. Now, for Zane and Yoshio, the line between friend and foe will be drawn in the blood of their fallen comrades—and neither warrior will be able to look at their universe in the same way again....

#55

Test of Vengeance

2001

When a renegade faction of the Draconis Combine military invades the Ghost Bear capital of Alshain, the long-time bitter enemies are once again plunged into bitter conflict, a brutal war in which Jake Kabrinkski, an Elemental, a race of genetically engineered warriors equipped with advanced power armor, is destined to play a key role. Original.

#57

Call of Duty

2002

The planet of Odessa is caught between two adversaries whose personal antagonism may cost them much more than their lives. On one side is Count Nicholas Fisk, ruler of Odessa and a staunch supporter of Katrina Steiner, the ruler of the Lyran Alliance. In an effort to help stamp out the rebellion against Katrina's rule that has sprouted up across dozens of Alliance worlds, Count Fisk hopes to lure one of the more successful rebels to ultimate destruction. On the other side of the conflict are Leftenant General Archer Christifari and his Archer's Avengers, who support Prince Victor and his bid to oust Katrina. Though he knows that Odessa is a trap, the possibility of winning over the famed mercenary unit Snord's Irregulars to the cause is too tempting to pass up. But where peace is expected, battle ensues. And the black and white of friend and foe quickly turn to shades of gray while treachery abounds.

#58

Initiation to War

2001

On planet Epsilon Eridani, young Tybalt Kelly dreams of one day becoming a MechWarrior - no matter how much his father hates the idea. When the local County Shu Militia starts recruiting for warrior training, Tybalt finally gets his wish. But he might not live to regret it. Because the raw, untested forces of the Shu are about to meet their baptism of fire. Unidentified 'Mech raiders have been hitting cities and supply depots, destroying and plundering at will. And the newly fitted MechWarriors are going after them. Now Tybalt is about to discover the hard truth that some battles have no winner - and in war, glory may be fleeting, but death is forever...

#59

The Dying Time

2002

Only days after the demise of legendary warrior Grayson Death Carlyle, the mercenary forces of the Gray Death Legion are called into action. Their mission is to protect Hesperus II in the Isle of Skye. With civil war raging, it is vital that the planet's famous Defiancé BattleMech production facilities not fall into the hands of the enemy. Seeing the Lyrans and Davionists at each other's throats, the Skye separatists have seized the opportunity to instigate a new rebellion, and they too threaten the safety of Hesperus II and its factories. Now commanding the Legion is Lori Carlyle, widow of Grayson. But what Lori doesn't realize is that her troops are little more than pawns in the continuing hostilities between the factions of Victor Steiner-Davion and his ever-cunning sister, Katrina - and that the Gray Death are about to enter a battle they are meant to lose. If there is one constant in this universe, it is that pawns are made to be sacrificed...

#60

Storms of Fate

2002

The civil war within the Federated Commonwealth rages unabated. Katrina Steiner-Davion continues her tyrannical rule as her deposed brother, Victor, slowly wins back the empire Katrina stole from him. Now, with the Clans striking out once more from their occupation zone and violence chewing up armies on dozens of worlds, Victor prepares what he hopes is the final assault to stop his sister's plans. His battlefield: the Star League conference, where Katrina is maneuvering herself into position to become leader of the entire Inner Sphere! But even as Victor looks toward victory, Katrina's carefully laid plans develop a more personal - and sinister - offensive. A torch, lit by the flames of treachery, threatens to start a blaze that will consume Victor, the civil war, and the entire Inner Sphere...

#61

Imminent Crisis

2002

Leftenant Colonel Grayson Addison's first absolute loyalty is to the Capellan March of the Federated Suns. If Field Marshal Hasek calls, Addison and his Eighth Syrtis Fusiliers will heed. But his fealty is not so clear where Archon-Princess Katrina, ruler of the entire Federated Commonwealth, is concerned. For as Katrina and her brother vie for power in a civil war that has engulfed the entire realm, the Fusiliers sit in an island of calm, neither supporting nor opposing any side and walking a dangerous line between survival and annihilation. But when the hammer of an invading army lands upon them, the time for decisive action is at hand - and Addison finds he must battle old friends as well as enemies if he is to remain true to his House and his army, as well as to himself...

#62

Operation Audacity

2002

The Civil War rages on, with deposed Prince Victor Steiner-Davion's forces bloodied from the recent defeats inflicted by his sister, Katrina. Worse still, Clan Jade Falcon has seized the opportunity to launch a determined offensive into the Lyran Alliance, destroying forces on both sides of the conflict. But Prince Victor has formed a daring plan of his own - hold the Falcons in check on the worlds they have already conquered and unleash a massive force under Major General Archer Christifori deep inside Clan space with the mission to cut the Falcon offensive off at its core. To succeed, Victor and Archer must convince one of Katrina's most loyal warriors - Leftenant General Adam Steiner - to join the fight. But how can either side trust the enemy they have sworn to kill?

#63

Endgame

2002

It is the darkest hour of the ongoing civil war between Prince Victor Steiner-Davion and his sister, Katrina. With Victor brought low by the assassination of his love, Omi Kurita, the allied forces are rudderless. As Victor recovers in hiding, Katrina's military rallies. Victor's last chance lies before him, and he will need to draw on his strongest supporters. Kell. Allard-Liao. Sandoval. Marik. Sortek. All have their parts to play as the allied forces attempt to sweep Katrina's loyalists before them. It is their final bid to claim victory, bring a tyrant to justice, and return the thrones of two interstellar nations to benevolent rule.

Authors

Victor Milán

Author · 17 books

Victor Woodward Milán was an American writer known for libertarian science fiction and an interest in cybernetics. In 1986 he won the Prometheus Award for Cybernetic Samurai. He has also written several shared universe works for the Forgotten Realms, Star Trek, and Wild Cards Universes. He has also written books under the pseudonyms Keith Jarrod, Richard Austin (Jove Books The Guardians series), Robert Baron (Jove Books Stormrider series), and S. L. Hunter (Steele series with Simon Hawke, who used the pen name J. D. Masters). He also wrote at least 9 novels under the "house name" of James Axler for the Harlequin Press/Gold Eagle Books Deathlands series & Outlanders series.

Bill Keith was raised in the mountains of western Pennsylvania, and served in the Navy as a corpsman for many years. In addition to writing fiction and non-fiction works, he is an award-winning illustrator/artist. He has also published under the psuedonyms: Ian Douglas (SF series: Heritage, Legacy, Inheritance, Star Carrier, Andromedan Dark) H. Jay Riker (SEALS:The Warrior Breed series) Keith Douglass (Carrier and Seal Team 7 series) Bill Keith Keith William Andrews (Freedom's Rangers series) Robert Cain (Cybernarc series)

Credited on some German editions as "Robert N. Charette".

Loren L. Coleman

Author · 25 books

Loren L. Coleman (born 1968) is a science-fiction writer, born and grew up in Longview, Washington. He is known for having written many books for series such as Star Trek, Battletech/Mechwarrior, Age of Conan, Crimson Skies, Magic: The Gathering and others. Former member of the United States Navy, he has also written game fiction and source material for such companies as FASA Corporation, TSR, Inc. and Wizards of the Coast. In early 2010s, he began writing The ICAS Files series, science fiction short-stories. [wikipedia]

Ardath Frances Hurst Mayhar was an American writer and poet. She began writing science fiction in 1979 after returning with her family to Texas from Oregon. She was nominated for the Mark Twain Award, and won the Balrog Award for a horror narrative poem in Masques I. She had numerous other nominations for awards in almost every fiction genre, and won many awards for poetry. In 2008 she was honored by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America as an Author Emeritus. Mayhar wrote over 60 books ranging from science fiction to horror to young adult to historical to westerns; with some work under the pseudonyms Frank Cannon, Frances Hurst, John Killdeer, Ardath P. Mayhar. Joe R. Lansdale wrote simply: "Ardath Mayhar writes damn fine books!"