Customer Reviews

Battletech 43: Falcon Rising: Twilight of the Clans VIII

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've been into BattleTech for some time, but have only recently started up on the novels. I've read a few other Twilight of the Clans books and liked them, but this one was the cream of the crop. Sure, the 'Mech battles are a bit boring, but it was a good book. It is not ridiculous for one warrior to defeat three 'Mechs or the Black Widow, and the Clan culture is very interesting, if a bit alien. Of course, I'm a bit biased, being a Jade Falcon lover in a crowd of Inner Sphere book reviewers. To summarize my thoughts, if you like the Falcons or are neutral, but this book. If you hate them (you freak), stay away.

Whereas consensus here seemed to state that the plot was OK, but the characters were lacking, I think the reverse.

The best part of the Battletech universe is not the tedious mech battles (which serve as a good backdrop), but the idea that each faction is complex. No one is a good guy or bad guy, its all a matter of perspective.

What I like about Thurston's writing is that (for the most part) the characters aren't either Kai Allard good, or Katrina evil. The characters act in a fresh, unexpected and more lively manner than most other predictable Btech characters. I thought Freebirth was a great example of that, but it seemed to be jeered non-stop. The plot was fairly standard and cliche, but I did like the idea of the inter-clan scientist rebellion.

The way I see it, leave it to Stackpole for the big plot twists and stuff and Thurston for fleshing in of details (no offense to the other fine authors).

The writing meandered, jumping forward, rambling, then jumping forward again. It totally lacked energy, zing, excitement, anything. It is dead. For someone that has twenty-one novel credits, it was a... poor perfomance. If it weren't for wanting to read the ending of the Twilight of the Clans series, I would've scrapped the book after twenty pages. The characters were cookie cutter stale. They relied on allusions to past stories to carry the novel rather than on demonstrated actions, dialogue, or internal monologue. It tried, but failed, again and again, to capture the basics of good characterization. The action, usually a good trademark of Battletech novels, was laughable. Pardoe, Stackpole, and Coleman, other Battletech authors, make you smell the sizzling circuits, hear the explosions of autocannon fire, and see the dazzling PPC shots. When this novel tried action, it left me bored. It was similar to saying, "Bang bang, you got shot. Now, you shoot back. Bang zap, you missed." It was that bad. The battles that could have been interesting, like Victor Davion's Trial of Refusal to the Invader Clans and the battles between the Steel Vipers and Jade Falcons were barely touched. If you are a fan of the Battletech novels and a follower of the Twilight of the Clans series, I would try to find a plot summary and spare yourself the pain.

This was an interesting Battletech novel. I like it because it isn't an Inner Sphere novel and has nothing (well, almost nothing) to do with the 'Sphere: it is only Clan verses Clan; the Jade Falcons verses the Steel Vipers. I am a Wolf Clan Fan, but Falcon Rising was pretty good. When I don't root for the Wolves (since there are only what, 2 novels about them?) I root for the Jade Falcons. I really like the espionage involved in the Scientist Caste and all of the Grand Council Politics. This made me laugh too. If this is your first time reading Battletech, this wouldn't be a bad one to start off with, even though it is a later book in a series. You will like it. Read it. It's worth your 5 bucks.

For some reason or other this book is just boring. The storyline is okay but some of the battle scenes are just plainly stupid. One warrior defeating three mechs out of six pulease! However I am looking forward to Thurston's next book. Bernard Wong is the ape swinging in the urban jungle!

Mechwarrior diana proves her worth to the jade falcons, and the clans in general, as they defend attacks on Khan Marhe's adapt-or-die policies for making the 'falcons great once again by the steel vipers.

Of interst is the fate of that darling trueborn, joanna, and diane's mom takes 007's place in the world of intrigue -but she doesn't come with all the special affects...

The underlying message remains constant through- out the book, but I will leave that to you to find.

While I have previously found Thurston's books to be tedious at best, Falcon Rising clearly shows some improvement. Thurston has finally found a way to use multiple story lines in an interesting manner, without rehashing the characters' psyche over and over. While the book was easy to read and interesting, with a pleasant mix of action and intrigue, it is still built upon what I refer to as the failures of Thurston's earlier novels. The author has a tendency to over-agrandize his characters at the cost of realism. Take for instance Martha Pryde. Thurston continually refers to her shameful treatment of Aidan Pryde, his main character in the series, as "honorable." Where, in any sense of the word, can honor be found in turning on your own, attacking those with whom one is fighting? Then we have to examine his over-glorification of Aidan Pryde to "greatest hero" status. Unfortunately, Aidan's codex would not inspire the fame awarded to him by the author. One last is Thurston's horrible treatment of the Natasha Kerensky/Joanna saga. Joanna being a detestable warrior who could never win for herself a bloodname, nevertheless remaining invaluable to Clan Jade Falcon, was allowed by the author to triumph over a fully blooded, legendary warrior such as the Black Widow?! What a sorry example of characters being placed before realism! How did FASA authorize this?? These arguements notwithstanding, Falcon Rising is Thurston's best work to date; easily readable and interesting as a companion to the main BattleTech storyline.

Falcon Rising -does- do better than the previous attempt to entertain. not saying much, htough, since Freebirth (I felt) was a waste of my five dollars. However, neither book belongs in the twilight of the Clans story, and while this is at least semi-entertianing, it certainly shouldn't cap the TotC saga.

Falcon rising was a worth epiloge to the twilight of the clans series. With this book I truely understand the reason for the story Freebirth. earlier on. The book is a thrilling read, from Diana's quest for a bloodname, to the final battle with the steel vipers. This book is a must have for any fan of the jade falcons

This book was the best in the Twilight series. Thurston is my favorite BattleTech author anyway, and this was no exception. Finally some other author than the utterly boring and totally pro FedCom Stackpole is allowed to seriously affect BT history. Hopefully, FASA will allow Coleman and Pardoe the same, and ditch Stackpole and his papercard thin characters.

In any case, the political maneuverings and battle descriptions were well done, and as usual, the characters complex and intresting.