Customer Reviews

Battletech 42: Prince of Havoc: Twilight of the Clans VII (Battletech)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Lest anyone should doubt, Stackpole is the best when it comes to outlining the history of Battletech - which is as it should be, considering it's officially his job. I will not say PoH is his best effort, because it's not. As far as plot and action and story and character development and all, Grave Covenant was its superior. PoH shows an unfortunate tendancy - which occurs all too often in this genre, IMO - to start slow and then rush madly at the very end to draw the book to its finish. This has left some dangling plot threads, and prematurely cut off some others. One big instance is his almost deus ex machina takeover of the FedCom by Katharine - in the hurry to accomplish this and get to something else, the scenario by which Katherine manages the feat is rather implausible and certainly distasteful. Because of things like this, one believes maybe this book should have been accomplished it two parts rather than just the one cover. But that said, the power and quality of PoH still makes it an invaluable contribution to the series. Politics in the world of Battletech has been set on its ear, and it may never be the same again. And it's been done only as Stackpole could do it. Here's hoping the next episode is not long in coming, for we are seriously in need of resolution. For some things, anyway ... regardZ, JvS! PS - Who beside me hopes the assassin ends up targetting Katherine instead?

The first time, the Battletech novels made it to Germany, I became a fan of them. And to be perfectly honest after having read the other 41 novels, too, I can say that "Prince of Havoc" is the best one so far. The Jags are drowned in their own blood and cruelty, the Clan Invasion has ended (at least as long as the Wolfs and Jade Falcons are busy) and the Inner Sphere has radically changed. The role of being the bad guys has shifted from House Liao to House Steiner (thanks to Katherine Steiner's blood-thirst I can live with that - as a native Kraut). Michael Stackpole has managed to maintain such a high level of tension and incredible surprises and changes throughout the entire storyline, I can hardly wait for the story to be contiuned!

Let's just hope that we do not have to wait too long!

The Smoke Jaguar clan faces certain doom in this novel, with the combined might of the Inner Sphere bearing down on them. The clan's homeworld is lost, and with it all existence of the clan except for the the surviving Ikhan Osis. Guns and politics sums this thrilling novel up very nicely. The beginning of the books throws you into the mix of a Trial of Refusal for the clan's right to invade the Inner Sphere. Victor Davion, supreme commander of the Inner Sphere task force now faces the finest warriors the clans have to offer, but will he and his warriors survive the confrontation? The latter part of the book you learn of Victor's evil sister and that she has annexed his realm and stripped him of his power. The following politics further the story beyond belief but sometimes bore the reader with it's long winded speeches and hidden meanings, and complex anaolgies. Long time readers will like this book than first timers, but this book still proves the mastery of storytelling the Battletech authors have. I reccomend this book to anyone who a slight intrest or any intrest at all in Mech Warrior and Battletech to read this book. There are plenty of combat sequences that do not always favor the good guys. In closing, this book does deserve the 5 stars but the one star I took off is for the lengthy politics near the end, sometimes boring the reader. " A Warrior needs a war"

I genuinely enjoyed reading Prince of Havoc, I still pick it up and re-read it every once in awhile. But the problem is BattleTech has changed. I remember reading the "old-school" books, the Warrior series, Wolves on the Border, Heir to the Dragon, and so on. BattleTech had a "cyberpunk" feel to it. Things were industrial and dirty, the machines everyone depended on were irreplacable and unreliable. I could have pictured a character wearing dirty clothes with oil stains walking down a dark alley with a big Stersnacht strapped to his side. But now, things are going towards the "space opera," like Star Trekkish. Things are never desperate. The cavalry always arrives (in this case Victor Steiner-Davion) to save the day. It used to be that in conflicts the winner still loses in the sense that whatever he lost cannot be regained. But now conflicts are big and the good guys always win without much cost (the lost machines and technology is now replaceable). I remember in Heir to the Dragon, I could feel Theodore Kurita's fear of bieng assassinated by his father. But now all of the characters don't have this fear and all the factions of the Inner Sphere are "happy." Maybe that's why I don't really play BTech anymore (and if I do it's a Periphery Campaign), I just read the novels. Fading Suns, now that's a RPG with a true "fallen empire" feel with retrograde technology! You can guess what I play now.

This book has what I call a hard hitting storyline, that kind of leaves the reader wanting more but the books ends on a note of continued in next book feeling.This book is just what I like from Stackpole.It hits you hard between the eyes and says take that because I have more to beat you with.

More and more evidence of total bungling on the part of FASA. I am certainly never going to run any campaigns in the post-3060 universe...way too many unbelivable plot twists, with absolutly no thought given to such ideas as believability.

I would tend to agree with the previous reviewer who stated Mr. Stackpole's writing is rather weak in this book, but it isn't his writing as much as the plot. When one reads the "Warrior" trilogy or the first three of book about the return of the clans, the plot is very complex with many loosely connected storylines. Mr. Stackpole's last three battletech books are not anywhere near as complex and interesting as his previous works. Is it his writing or is it the maker of the game responsible for this change???

This book was extremely disappointing. Besides being the typical Michael Stackpole style of 1% mech action and 99% boring politics of the inner sphere, this book felt like somebody said "I'm bored with the Clans, let's get rid of them and start something else". The casual way that the inner sphere defeats the Clans to stop the invasion left me thinking that Stackpole or maybe FASA just want to end it. So what are the Clans to do now??? Their whole reason for being has melted away, and with barely a tremble from the khans. This book just doesn't jib with the BattleTech universe. Skip it!

The Inner Sphere is suffering.
Due to long running contractual disputes, Michael A. Stackpole ceased writing for the Battletech Universe (and the Star Wars Uni, on a side note) after this novel.
It was a blow to the series.
I think it is fair to say (and I speak as one of Mr.S's greatest fans) that this novel is not his best. At least the first half isnt. He really picks it back up in the second part, with his famous swashbuckling style of writing politics, action and intrigue, giving all you want and more from a series as rich and vibrant, as deep and inmence as Battletech.
The first half is by no means a write off (pun-tastic!), but it is a little below Mr. Stackpole's high standard. It is almost completly, a combat scene. Now I realise that the same can be said of the brilliant volume 3 of "The Blood of Kerensky", "Lost Destiny", but this time, it is all just a little too familiar.
Anyway, I still rate this a 5 star, as it is yet another stepping stone in the BTech Uni, a uni which is an absolute masterpiece in sci-fi.
Get this.
But get this last, after you have worked your way up through his others. Start with "The Blood of Kerensky" trilogy, if you're unsure. Then lock your door, throw out the phone, and enjoy...

I was always a Stackpole fan. It was his books that started me on the series and his that still make me amazed when I read them. His sheer detail and vivid action scenes should be a watermark for all other writers. But in this, his latest and likely last Battletech book, something is missing. Creativity. His actions scenes, which could have been incredible, are instead canned and unispired. If you want to read a battletech book for the action, look elsewhere. If you want to read about the deep story line of Battletch, then read this book. That it does do.