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Natural Selection

(BattleTech Universe #19)

Michael A. Stackpole (Goodreads Author)

3.84 · Rating details · 571 ratings · 6 reviews

Sporadic Clan incursions into Inner Sphere territory supply mercenaries like the Kell Hounds with more work than they can handle... border raids sharply divide the Federated Commonwealth's political factions, bringing further instability to the realm standing between Clan's goals and anarchy.

And while secret ambitions drive plans to rip the Commonwealth apart, Khan Phelan ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Published July 7th 1992 by Roc (first published January 1st 1992)

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Lists with This Book

Natural Selection by Michael A. Stackpole

Decision at Thunder Rift by William H. Keith Jr.

Wolves on the Border by Robert N. Charrette

Battletech Novels

70 books — 8 voters

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Average rating 3.84 ·

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· 571 ratings · 6 reviews

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Feb 23, 2020 Clint the Cool Guy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The story is kind of interesting but has a lot of head-scratching moments. Like in the beginning of the book, where Victor Steiner-Davion invites a bunch of Clan leaders - who they are currently at WAR with - over to have a nice dinner and play some friendly Mech simulator games. I mean, WHAT? Why are any of these people hanging out together? Why are they acting like they are all friends with just a minor disagreement? I mean, it makes no sense. It’s bizarre.

And then later, Phelan Kell the Wolf The story is kind of interesting but has a lot of head-scratching moments. Like in the beginning of the book, where Victor Steiner-Davion invites a bunch of Clan leaders - who they are currently at WAR with - over to have a nice dinner and play some friendly Mech simulator games. I mean, WHAT? Why are any of these people hanging out together? Why are they acting like they are all friends with just a minor disagreement? I mean, it makes no sense. It’s bizarre.

And then later, Phelan Kell the Wolf Khan starts giving Victor personal relationship romantic advice. Seriously? The Wolf leader currently leading an invasion of the inner sphere where thousands are killed and/or enslaved visits the enemy leader and gives him relationship advice? Again, I get the same feeling I get from this book that I get from all Battletech books: the author’s complete denial of treating a war like what it would really be like.

And also, Phelan’s parents and family are like, “You may be a traitor who betrayed his country, joined the enemy, and is now overseeing a massive occupation, but we still love you and are not gonna judge your life choices, so give us a hug, partner.”

The unrealistic feeling continues with the unnamed “Red Corsair”, who is just a bad cartoon villain. She’s also the stereotypical clan mech babe: angry, super hot, and horny. With red hair this time. She does evil villain laughs a lot and “forces” her unwilling captured slave Nelson Geist to have sex with her. Other than that, she has zero motive or personality. Reading this, I feel like this is written by and for thirteen year old boys.

Later in the book, we get a lot of dogfighting when Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron show up. I mean, when Carew and his Aerotech fighters show up. It’s a change of pace I guess from the usual boring mech fight descriptions. (You know, “X fired his medium laser, which hit high on the right torso. Y countered with an azure bolt from his PPC, destroying armor on X’s left arm.”) But it does seem to drag on.

Some of the story machinations don’t make a lot of sense when you think about them. The plots within plots that get explained to you ad nauseum. But after a while you just go with it. Clans trying to resume the war? Got it already.

The subplot with the assassin is probably the most interesting thing in the story. I would say the writing on that is really well done.

And why is this book called “Natural Selection”? Your guess is as good as mine.

Oh well. Onward to the next novel! “Ideal War”, by Christopher Kubasik. ...more

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Apr 08, 2015 Justin rated it it was ok

Shelves: scif-fi

Readers who like Victor Steiner-Davion must be blind to all his character faults. As holding the equivalent of major in the armed forces after 3-4 years, you would think he would know how to delegate. He refuses to listen to advice and even his must trusted adviser, Galen Cox, has to call out his stubbornness. While his battlefield skills are excellent, he still doesn't know how to work with others off the battlefield. No surprise that in the FedCom Civil War, he keeps losing the hearts and mind ...more

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Dec 01, 2018 Lewis Ray Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Well done.

Stackpole moves the timeline of the Battletech universe along while telling a self contained story. The Kindle version contains a few spelling errors. But nothing major.

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Jun 26, 2013 Brian Turner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, battletech-novels

After the truce of Tukkayid, a group of bandits start hitting planets in the Inner Sphere.
A group from Clan Wolf is sent to stop them, but has no luck. After they wipe out an I.S. unit they were supposed to be supporting, the Kell Hounds are called in by Vicotr Steiner-Davion.

In the midst of this, Archo Melissa Steiner is assassinated, throwing everything into turmoil. Rumours fly that Victor had a hand in it.

So, this is where the final arc of the battletech space opera begins. As ever, Stackpol ...more

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Sep 08, 2007 Alex rated it it was amazing

Too bad theres no book cover. Basically, well executed, as always by the author. It provides a look into Clan / Inner Sphere politics, as pirate raids from what seems to be Clanners threatens to break the Truce of Tukayyid.

Phelan Ward, a Wolf command star, Lt. Col. Daniel Allard and the Kell Hounds must stop the Red Corsair and her raids...with the help of a traitor.

I love this book, since it's got four of my favorite elements. BattleMechs, Phelan, Dan Allard and the Kell Hound mercenary regimen ...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Eric Lawson rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Natural Selection by Michael Stackpole tells the tale of the pirate Red Corsair and her clan technology equipped mechs raiding the Federated Commonwealth border. Khan Phelan Kell of the Wolves and Victor Steiner-Davion have to work together to stop the truce that has halted the Clan invasion from falling apart.

This book gives an interesting insight into Clan politics. The Wardens and Crusaders working against each other for their own vision of the future of the Inner Sphere.

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