Reviews
BattleTech Legends: Warrior: En Garde: The Warrior Trilogy, Book One by Michael A. Stackpole
unrulyshoggoth's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
keta's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It's like reading an early 90s anime.
isd's review against another edition
4.0
This time around I think I fond Kai Allard-Liao's attitude much, much more bothersome than on earlier readthroughs. I have this idea that it gets toned down noticeably much as life goes on, but now... phew, what a whiner he came across as.
One funny thing I think I've wondered about was Stackpole's weird thing about each different Clanner Warrior phenotypes (and of different Houses, like Ranna Kerensky-Someone and Vlad Ward-Someoneelse) being supposedly in the same sibko. Or the Wolves are just so weird compared to the Falcons, for example.
Still, the storyline's exciting and dramatic, not only on massive points like the battle of Radstadt or such. And it's already clear why the Mech's fusion engine exploding is often called stackpoling :D
One funny thing I think I've wondered about was Stackpole's weird thing about each different Clanner Warrior phenotypes (and of different Houses, like Ranna Kerensky-Someone and Vlad Ward-Someoneelse) being supposedly in the same sibko. Or the Wolves are just so weird compared to the Falcons, for example.
Still, the storyline's exciting and dramatic, not only on massive points like the battle of Radstadt or such. And it's already clear why the Mech's fusion engine exploding is often called stackpoling :D
kavinay's review against another edition
5.0
I know the story, but it's still fun. Stackpole shows us how the Inner sphere and the Clans are basically a more exciting take on Game of Thrones than what GRRM would later publish in 1996!
kavinay's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting way to set the table for the 4th succession war.
Like a lot of Battletech fiction though, the handling of culture and race in the 80s hasn't aged well. It's a thousand years in the future and race relations in the Inner Sphere are so silly that you're left practically welcoming the eventual clan invasion to wipe the slate clean of racially segregated interstellar empires. Argh.
Still the plotting is interesting enough and Stackpole is at worst a bit corny and at best a great weaver of wide-ranging cast.
Like a lot of Battletech fiction though, the handling of culture and race in the 80s hasn't aged well. It's a thousand years in the future and race relations in the Inner Sphere are so silly that you're left practically welcoming the eventual clan invasion to wipe the slate clean of racially segregated interstellar empires. Argh.
Still the plotting is interesting enough and Stackpole is at worst a bit corny and at best a great weaver of wide-ranging cast.
jasonmehmel's review against another edition
2.0
I'd never read this book as young Battletech fan, but it had such a point of prominence in the fictional history of the universe that I'd built up a lot of expectations.
I was looking for something easy to read and it delivered on that, with a continually moving plot and battle scenes aplenty. The writing does the job of explaining everything very clearly, and that can't be ignored; I've definitely read worse action!
This sounds like I'm damning with faint praise, and that might be true, but I also think that this book in some respects leans on the fictional universe it's drawing on for it's dramatic impact. If I were deeply immersed in that universe all the time, I might get more of a frisson of excitement as various prominent characters are revealed. Also, it's references to the drama of previous books both drains some of the drama in this book but does give it a more expansive feel, which is exactly what a fictional universe based on a wargame and roleplaying game needs. So I think this book delivers to that demographic well, but bereft from that context, it loses some of it's impact.
Some of the dialogue and internal monologues suffer from being either expository or extremely on-the-nose, but again, this book and it's universe isn't about exploring the subtleties of human interaction. It's about important events in a galactic scale.
So I do understand why these are missing, or at least not prioritized, but after reading authors like Guy Kay or Ursula K Leguin, I did find myself missing that extra level of detail.
I was looking for something easy to read and it delivered on that, with a continually moving plot and battle scenes aplenty. The writing does the job of explaining everything very clearly, and that can't be ignored; I've definitely read worse action!
This sounds like I'm damning with faint praise, and that might be true, but I also think that this book in some respects leans on the fictional universe it's drawing on for it's dramatic impact. If I were deeply immersed in that universe all the time, I might get more of a frisson of excitement as various prominent characters are revealed. Also, it's references to the drama of previous books both drains some of the drama in this book but does give it a more expansive feel, which is exactly what a fictional universe based on a wargame and roleplaying game needs. So I think this book delivers to that demographic well, but bereft from that context, it loses some of it's impact.
Some of the dialogue and internal monologues suffer from being either expository or extremely on-the-nose, but again, this book and it's universe isn't about exploring the subtleties of human interaction. It's about important events in a galactic scale.
So I do understand why these are missing, or at least not prioritized, but after reading authors like Guy Kay or Ursula K Leguin, I did find myself missing that extra level of detail.
steve_tj's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
amandak6647's review
5.0
A really great piece of Battletech fiction that really nails the world building and details of the setting. The characters are interesting and likable and while some of the dialogue can be a bit clunky, it’s never enough to sour the experience. If you like the Battletech universe you really need to read this trilogy and Stackpole’s Blood Of Kerensky trilogy.
inferiorwit's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Death, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, War, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Violence
brian's review
4.0
The first book in the "Warrior" arc, and also Michael A. Stackpole's first Battletech book.
Introduces a lot of places and characters that become major items in future books.
Justin Allard is exiled on trumped up charges and finds his way to Solaris VII where he quickly becomes a champion of the Capellan people.
Meanwhile, Kells Hounds find themselves targeted by Kuritan forces, and Melissa Steiner tries to sneak away to the Federated Suns to meet her futre husband.
There's lots of action, both of the Mech variety as well as political manoeuvring.
The only downside is that the dates jump back and forward, so you need to pay attention to chapter headings to work out which event is happening when. It settles down later in the book and is more linear.
I've been looking for this book for ages and wasn't having much luck, so good to see Catalyst reprinting it.
Introduces a lot of places and characters that become major items in future books.
Justin Allard is exiled on trumped up charges and finds his way to Solaris VII where he quickly becomes a champion of the Capellan people.
Meanwhile, Kells Hounds find themselves targeted by Kuritan forces, and Melissa Steiner tries to sneak away to the Federated Suns to meet her futre husband.
There's lots of action, both of the Mech variety as well as political manoeuvring.
The only downside is that the dates jump back and forward, so you need to pay attention to chapter headings to work out which event is happening when. It settles down later in the book and is more linear.
I've been looking for this book for ages and wasn't having much luck, so good to see Catalyst reprinting it.
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