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BattleTech Universe #107
BattleTech: A Splinter of Hope/The Anvil
VICTORY AT ANY COST… Jump into your BattleMech cockpit, fire up your fusion engine, and charge into the fray with two BattleTech novellas from Philip A. Lee and bestselling writer Blaine Lee Pardoe. A Splinter of Hope : Violent expansion of the Capellan Confederation and the Draconis Combine has cost recently crowned First Prince Julian Davion both his mentor and countless Federated Suns worlds. To rally his people, he funnels the fires of justice into an ambitious yet risky campaign to retake a vital New Syrtis, the occupied capital of the Capellan March. However, the Capellan people have fought dearly for their prize and will do anything in their power to hold onto it. Will Julian’s gamble preserve the future of the Federated Suns, or is the invasion doomed before it even begins? The Anvil : Khan Malvina Hazen of Clan Jade Falcon is known throughout the Inner Sphere as a merciless, bloodthirsty tyrant. The next target for her scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners tactics is the Lyran Commonwealth world of a persistent stain on the Jade Falcons’ history. But not all Falcons follow Malvina’s lead. Ordered to take Coventry at any cost, Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu wishes to see her Clan victorious, but no victory is worth the Jade Falcons losing their very soul. To stand up to tyranny and find an honorable path forward for her Clan, she must balance the razor’s edge between duty and honor—or die trying.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
208 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2019
About the author
Blaine Lee Pardoe
96 books119 followersBlaine Pardoe is a New York Times Bestselling and award winning author of numerous books in the science fiction, military non-fiction, true crime, paranormal, and business management genre's. He has appeared on a number of national television and radio shows to speak about his books. Pardoe has been a featured speaker at the US National Archives, the United States Navy Museum, and the New York Military Affairs Symposium. He was awarded the State History Award in 2011 by the Historical Society of Michigan and is a silver medal winner from the Military Writers Society of America in 2010. In 2013 he was awarded the Harritt Quimby Award as part of the induction ceremony at the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame. Mr. Pardoe is also a member of the League of WWI Aviation Historians.
His books have even been mentioned on the floor of the U.S. Congress. His works have been printed in six languages and he is recognized world-wide for his historical and fiction works. He can be followed via Twitter (bpardoe870)
His books have even been mentioned on the floor of the U.S. Congress. His works have been printed in six languages and he is recognized world-wide for his historical and fiction works. He can be followed via Twitter (bpardoe870)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 11, 2020
This book contains two novellas set in the BattleTech Dark Age universe.
A Splinter of Hope by Philip A. Lee is the first novella in this book. In this one First Prince Julian Davion is the only person who has been allowed to visit inside the walls of Fortress Republic. He now knows that the Fortress Republic wall will soon be coming down and the Republic of the Sphere plans on taking back the systems lost while the walls of Fortress Republic were up. In the meantime, Julian Davion decides to take back some of the systems taken from the Federated Suns by the Draconis Combine and the Capellan Confederation. He decides to start by breaking his peace treaty with the Capellan Confederation and take back New Syrtis. Unfortunately, the Capellan Confederation has expected this very thing and has sent one of their most capable commanders to defend New Syrtis. The future of the Federated Suns will depend on Julian's success or failure.
The Anvil by Blaine Lee Pardoe is the second novella in this book. Khan Malvina Hazen of Clan Jade Falcon is hell-bent on capturing Terra and becoming the ilKhan and making Clan Jade Falcon the ilClan. To achieve this she has been attacking the Lyran Commonwealth, on her path to invade the Republic of the Sphere and capture Terra. She needs to capture the Lyran Commonwealth planet of Coventry, the site of many Jade Falcon defeats in times past. She decides to send Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu, one of her best Commanders. Commander Chistu does not believe in Khan Hazen's Mongol Doctrine, however, which targets civilians and condones killing all enemy combatants even if they surrender. She honors the old traditions of Clan Jade Falcon and is determined to complete her mission and maintain her honor. In her way will be not one but two Steiner generals and their army's.
A Splinter of Hope by Philip A. Lee is the first novella in this book. In this one First Prince Julian Davion is the only person who has been allowed to visit inside the walls of Fortress Republic. He now knows that the Fortress Republic wall will soon be coming down and the Republic of the Sphere plans on taking back the systems lost while the walls of Fortress Republic were up. In the meantime, Julian Davion decides to take back some of the systems taken from the Federated Suns by the Draconis Combine and the Capellan Confederation. He decides to start by breaking his peace treaty with the Capellan Confederation and take back New Syrtis. Unfortunately, the Capellan Confederation has expected this very thing and has sent one of their most capable commanders to defend New Syrtis. The future of the Federated Suns will depend on Julian's success or failure.
The Anvil by Blaine Lee Pardoe is the second novella in this book. Khan Malvina Hazen of Clan Jade Falcon is hell-bent on capturing Terra and becoming the ilKhan and making Clan Jade Falcon the ilClan. To achieve this she has been attacking the Lyran Commonwealth, on her path to invade the Republic of the Sphere and capture Terra. She needs to capture the Lyran Commonwealth planet of Coventry, the site of many Jade Falcon defeats in times past. She decides to send Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu, one of her best Commanders. Commander Chistu does not believe in Khan Hazen's Mongol Doctrine, however, which targets civilians and condones killing all enemy combatants even if they surrender. She honors the old traditions of Clan Jade Falcon and is determined to complete her mission and maintain her honor. In her way will be not one but two Steiner generals and their army's.
October 21, 2020
It's hard to assign a particular star rating to an omnibus edition like this since it is ultimately two different stories that really should be evaluated based on their individual merits. But I gotta work with what I bought, so here we go.
The first story, A Splinter of Hope, has the honor of being my first-ever Dark Age book I've read, and the experience was admittedly a little jarring. Here we have the current Prince of the remnants of the Federated Suns, First Prince Julian Davion, as he sets off on a campaign to retake the world of New Syrtis from the Capellan Confederation. The story is mostly told from the Davion side with some bits that show us Capellan developments firsthand. But the overall story wasn't that strong nor gripping and at times felt like the story had to jump forward across the campaign in a non-intuitive manner. Battle sequences also weren't all that amazing, but then again it's only a novella, so that's not a lot of space to cover material.
The second one is The Anvil, which is a stronger story that tackles the Clan Jade Falcon invasion of Coventry and an interesting perspective of Galaxy Commander Stephani Chistu who does not fully agree with her Khan's new Mongol Doctrine that advocates for victory at any cost, including such dishonrable actions such as destroying civilian targets or even contemplating the use of nuclear weapons. How she does her best to follow her rather explicit orders from her Khan while facing two RCTs from the Lyran Commonwealth sets the stage for a very interesting tale.
Just when we thought we understood the Clans and their unique way of thinking, this story has us facing a new philosophical movement within the Clan that has the potential to change how anyone can treat the likes of Clan Jade Falcon in battle. And it was presented quite masterfully with some great combat scenes to boot. My only annoyance, which is a pet peeve at best, is the constant reference to scenes jumping a few hours later, which got a little silly over time.
The first story, A Splinter of Hope, has the honor of being my first-ever Dark Age book I've read, and the experience was admittedly a little jarring. Here we have the current Prince of the remnants of the Federated Suns, First Prince Julian Davion, as he sets off on a campaign to retake the world of New Syrtis from the Capellan Confederation. The story is mostly told from the Davion side with some bits that show us Capellan developments firsthand. But the overall story wasn't that strong nor gripping and at times felt like the story had to jump forward across the campaign in a non-intuitive manner. Battle sequences also weren't all that amazing, but then again it's only a novella, so that's not a lot of space to cover material.
The second one is The Anvil, which is a stronger story that tackles the Clan Jade Falcon invasion of Coventry and an interesting perspective of Galaxy Commander Stephani Chistu who does not fully agree with her Khan's new Mongol Doctrine that advocates for victory at any cost, including such dishonrable actions such as destroying civilian targets or even contemplating the use of nuclear weapons. How she does her best to follow her rather explicit orders from her Khan while facing two RCTs from the Lyran Commonwealth sets the stage for a very interesting tale.
Just when we thought we understood the Clans and their unique way of thinking, this story has us facing a new philosophical movement within the Clan that has the potential to change how anyone can treat the likes of Clan Jade Falcon in battle. And it was presented quite masterfully with some great combat scenes to boot. My only annoyance, which is a pet peeve at best, is the constant reference to scenes jumping a few hours later, which got a little silly over time.
April 7, 2019
The first story is a Davion versus Liao classic. It has the classic hardliner, fanatical Liao Death Commandos doing horrific war crimes. It's sad to see how far House Davion has fallen since the good old days of Hanse and the combined Federated Commonwealth state.
The second story is a Steiner versus Jade Falcon classic. It shows the transposition of the classic honor bound way of the clans versus the new doctrine adapted by the Jade Falcon Khan. The story is a modern setting re-do of the Battle of Coventry. It also shows off the strength of House Steiner even though they have fallen quite a bit from old time like House Davion in the first story.
Both stories bring back the old flare of BattleTech fiction.
The second story is a Steiner versus Jade Falcon classic. It shows the transposition of the classic honor bound way of the clans versus the new doctrine adapted by the Jade Falcon Khan. The story is a modern setting re-do of the Battle of Coventry. It also shows off the strength of House Steiner even though they have fallen quite a bit from old time like House Davion in the first story.
Both stories bring back the old flare of BattleTech fiction.
May 22, 2020
Two very decent Battletech novellas for those of us who like this sort of thing.
February 14, 2021
Good read.
I had a blast reading this. Looking forward to more action and continuation in these storylines! I would recommend this to all BattleTech fans.
I had a blast reading this. Looking forward to more action and continuation in these storylines! I would recommend this to all BattleTech fans.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews