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BattleTech Universe #43
Prince of Havoc
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.
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.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 8, 2026
"LMFAO," said the scorpion.
My major complaint - and I am beginning to wonder why it is that Battletech books do this - is that the most interesting bit is not told in narrative but told in summation. There was at least one if not one+ unnecessary book in the Twilight of the Clans mini-series. We are at what, book seven? With another to come? And yet, and yet, my waifu is relegated to a summary?!? Again, Hitchcock had it correct. Whatever the benefit in surprise here is trivial to the sort of tension that could have been, more so because it is fascinating material, by its nature of lending texture and nuance to the world.
I like her so much because she is something out of Shakespeare, the best sort of villain because she is right and she is evil. But, okay, fine, I get that Stackpole wants her chewing scenery to relieve sexual frustration. I guess moving from Orientalism to mysogyny is a two steps forward, one step back sorta thing?
As a further aside, I do find the retcon over the assassination to be funny, considering how roughly that author treated all the other author's work.
The book is split into two, with the first section being that of the final battle on the Clan homeworld, and the second being the fallout from that battle in the Inner Sphere's highest levels of politics. The first section is odd. The overall stakes are so high that the sort of personal investment that makes mech combat work is missing. I feel that the intention is to show off all the major characters doing their major character thing in a fight, but because so few are paired off against one another there is little in the way of tension. There is an eye towards making the fights interesting by engaging the different sorts of conditions the fights are taking place under. But to make this section sing, the whole Twilight of the Clans books would need to be structured differently (like if each fight was the conclusion to some sort of arc between each of the combatants). Still, this represents a least worst option, since I could easily see overreaching here and making a whole book of combats, which would be significantly more dull.
The second part is the politics that follows. On one hand, it is a little too similar to the previous meeting, down to the way that the surprises work. I also did not expect to miss all these people acting like mean girls to one another in the initial meetup. Some of the moments of camaraderie is good (looking at you, Isis) but the sort of chumminess between some of the leaders is not an interesting way to implement them not fighting anymore. The twist was enjoyable. Reader, I laughed.
So, ignoring some of the odd choices throughout, and with a difficult to love structure, the beats are solid.
My major complaint - and I am beginning to wonder why it is that Battletech books do this - is that the most interesting bit is not told in narrative but told in summation. There was at least one if not one+ unnecessary book in the Twilight of the Clans mini-series. We are at what, book seven? With another to come? And yet, and yet, my waifu is relegated to a summary?!? Again, Hitchcock had it correct. Whatever the benefit in surprise here is trivial to the sort of tension that could have been, more so because it is fascinating material, by its nature of lending texture and nuance to the world.
I like her so much because she is something out of Shakespeare, the best sort of villain because she is right and she is evil. But, okay, fine, I get that Stackpole wants her chewing scenery to relieve sexual frustration. I guess moving from Orientalism to mysogyny is a two steps forward, one step back sorta thing?
As a further aside, I do find the retcon over the assassination to be funny, considering how roughly that author treated all the other author's work.
The book is split into two, with the first section being that of the final battle on the Clan homeworld, and the second being the fallout from that battle in the Inner Sphere's highest levels of politics. The first section is odd. The overall stakes are so high that the sort of personal investment that makes mech combat work is missing. I feel that the intention is to show off all the major characters doing their major character thing in a fight, but because so few are paired off against one another there is little in the way of tension. There is an eye towards making the fights interesting by engaging the different sorts of conditions the fights are taking place under. But to make this section sing, the whole Twilight of the Clans books would need to be structured differently (like if each fight was the conclusion to some sort of arc between each of the combatants). Still, this represents a least worst option, since I could easily see overreaching here and making a whole book of combats, which would be significantly more dull.
The second part is the politics that follows. On one hand, it is a little too similar to the previous meeting, down to the way that the surprises work. I also did not expect to miss all these people acting like mean girls to one another in the initial meetup. Some of the moments of camaraderie is good (looking at you, Isis) but the sort of chumminess between some of the leaders is not an interesting way to implement them not fighting anymore. The twist was enjoyable. Reader, I laughed.
So, ignoring some of the odd choices throughout, and with a difficult to love structure, the beats are solid.
November 26, 2024
A good chunk of the first half was descriptions of mech combat and tactics, which would've completely enthralled a teenager me, but not so much adult me. The second half was full of the political machinations you expect out of a complex universe populated by engaging characters.
September 4, 2023
This book is an important link from the Clan Invasion era to the FedCom Civil War. Don't miss it. Great character development for Victor Davion
December 18, 2024
Excellent twist!! Nice to get some questions answered, finally.
August 8, 2022
Twilight on the Clans 7
After defeating Clan Smoke Jaguar on their homeworld, the renewed SLDF head to the clans main planet to turn the truce of Tukkayid into something more permanent.
Upon returning to the Innser Sphere, Victor Davion finds that his sister Katherine has used his absence to take over his realms.
The first half of the book has decent mech battles, the second half is plots within plots as a new head of the Star League is decided, and intelligence forces try to get evidence of Katherine's involvement in the assassination of her mother.
A good way to wrap up the Inner Sphere part of the story, book 8 (last in the series) is more Clan-oriented.
After defeating Clan Smoke Jaguar on their homeworld, the renewed SLDF head to the clans main planet to turn the truce of Tukkayid into something more permanent.
Upon returning to the Innser Sphere, Victor Davion finds that his sister Katherine has used his absence to take over his realms.
The first half of the book has decent mech battles, the second half is plots within plots as a new head of the Star League is decided, and intelligence forces try to get evidence of Katherine's involvement in the assassination of her mother.
A good way to wrap up the Inner Sphere part of the story, book 8 (last in the series) is more Clan-oriented.
June 21, 2020
Good ending but some of Victor Davion's lines are stilted. This also wraps up the Inner Sphere invasion of Clan space. On the whole, I found the Eridani Light Horse thread and their battles much better than the other invasion thread.
Also, of the eight battles, I though it should have been a closer match. The score is 5-2-1. However, in my opinion, it should be more like 4-2-2 or even 3-3-2.
Also, of the eight battles, I though it should have been a closer match. The score is 5-2-1. However, in my opinion, it should be more like 4-2-2 or even 3-3-2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2021
Book 43 of the BattleTech Series, and Book 7 of the Twilight of the Clans. Operation Bulldog has joined in taking the battle to the Clans, and now the Star League demands a Right of Refusal for the Clan invasion of the Inner Sphere. The Inner Sphere armies return, but to changes that happened while they were away.
May 1, 2017
Bit of an odd way to pace the resolution to Operation Bulldog and Taskforce Serpent. Basically, the second half of the novel could easily have been it's own book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews