Customer Reviews

Impetus of War (Battletech 30)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ok. this story is well written and exciting but the plot is a hundred novels old! Let's start: first, they plan on attacking a clan world that should be garrisoned only by a PGC, but find out ,too late of course, that they have a front line unit on the planet, which also happened to Prince Davion in Lethal heritage and to the Black Thorns in DRT. Then they lose their ability to take off from the planet,what has happened to almost all units, mercenary and regular alike, everytime an assault is planed on the Battletech universe, then, like all the other books, one of the characters comes up with an uncanny way of saving the day. I'm not saying that the book is bad, just that the story is not as inventive as it may appear.

Blaine Lee Pardoe has done what no other writer in the Battletech Universe has done. Beat the Smoke Jaguar Clan on their own ground and made them like it. What is even better the Northwind Highlanders,a crack mercenary unit, is the instrument of that defeat. At no time was I even willing to put it down. If you like non-stop action with realistic combat sequences that stay true to the board game and a fast moving plot full of "what's going to happen next?"enjoyment, take the time and put down the C-bills for a very good read

The Northwind Highlanders are some of the best mercinaries in the Inner Sphere. Now they've been hired by the Draconis Combine to attack the Combine's number one enemy, the ruthless clan Smoke Jaguar. The Highlanders travel to the distant planet of Wayside, far in the deep periphery. They expect it to be an unimportant planet, with only a token force guarding it. What they find is the Smoke Jaguar's newest, hottest military force, primed and ready for action. Their intel useless, the Highlanders must come up with a plan FAST or face destruction.

This is defianatly one of the best Battletech novels available, and if you've read Highlander Gambit (or even if you haven't) you have got to try this book. It features many of the characters introduced in Pardoe's first novel, as well as introducing Kurt Blackard, Cullen Craig, chief tech Mitch Frasure, and clan bondsman Kerdon. This is a great sequel to Highlander Gambit.

A note, this book has Stirling's Fussilers rather than Macleod's Regiment as the primary Highlander unit.

Not a great book by any means. The following has spoilers - read at your own risk.

Impetus of War is filled with so many contrived nuanaces that the book pales in comparison to Pardoe's other works. Not even close in quality to Double Blind (Pardoe) or Highlander Gambit (Pardoe). If you are looking for logical planning or probable results from desperate gambles, this book is not for you.

The Northwind Highlanders brigade-size merc unit, specifically Stirling's Fusiliers Regiment, is hired to take a dangerous mission to attack a Clan Smoke Jaguar staging base at Wayside V. As noted by other reviewers, the mission starts out with a near-disaster that robs the Highlanders of their ride home, most of their unit, and almost any chance of victory. The Clan Smoke Jaguar forces, conversely, are well-equipped and field an entire Galaxy of troops (essentially, a Clan-equivalent "demi-brigade") plus a Warship and its escorts. The Highlanders have zero chance, but Jaffray comes into it with a convoluted plan that involved sneaking off the planet, traveling lightyears away to get the Nova Cats to attack and by playing one Clan off another, achieve victory. Meanwhile, the rest of the Highlanders would fight a retreating action waiting for Jaffray's plan to work. The time chronology of the story falls apart as Jaffray's strike unit manages to travel distances that would mean the Fusiliers are having to hold on for months, not weeks.

One excellent portion however, is the development of the Craig/Jaffray feud. Both characters grow around this and it adds just a little of the angst every story like this needs. Had it been more explored, the story would have been greater served. It definitely shows Pardoe has excellent caliber when he needs it and certainly manages to hold this book back from a waste of time.

The Smoke Jaguar forces are once again shown as totally insane and inept (how did they ever get anywhere acting like this?) - nothing new for the entirety of the Clan era books. Essentially, the Jaguars become just cannon-fodder yet remain touted as great warriors until the end, regardless of having numerical and technological superiority and shows that by this point, the general company line was the Jaguars were going to be the next "Capellan Confederation baddies." The entire story follows the Jaguars' continual losses to the smaller desperate Highlanders and eventually, the Jaguars lose entirely to the Nova Cats. Again, if the Jaguars were this easy to defeat why are they continually mentioned as the serious enemy of the entire Sphere? It makes no sense and the answer is not explored in this book aside from using the Jaguars as yet another faceless foe. A poor book.

This book was my first book in the Battletech series and it got me hooked. The descriptions of actual battles are excellent. Blaine Lee Pardoe should definetly bring back the Northwind Highlanders in his next Battletech book. From what I gather this shows one of the few examples where the Inner Sphere works together instead of having internal strife. I also like the plan Jaffery comes up with; it shows imagination. I will definetly get all the books.

Ever wander what a real clash between two clans that really hate each other is? You will have a great taste when Smoke Jaguars and Nova Cats just ignore one of the great mercenary units of the Inner Sphere (Highlanders) to fight to the death. This book make you comprehend what fighting the clans in their own land is like: you have to use every trick in the book and in your brain, expend every breath of your men and women (until they die, of course), not to win, just to stay alive to maintain hope... although, against the clans, either you win or you die.

This book is great! The war started at the beginning and ends at the end.It is just perfect!

If only it could get better.......

That's how I felt after reading highlander gambit. Loren Jaffray and the Highlanders were so deep and cool that I wanted more. And lo and behold, impedus of war. I didn't even think about it, I just bought it as soon and I saw even the slightest mention of the highlanders. I don't regret it to this day. The plot is one of the most uniqe of the series and the Characters only rivaled by those in stackpole's novels.

A MUST BUY FOR ALL BT AND NON BT FANS!!!!

I recomend this book to anyone who even remotely likes battletech. It is a great story and the plot and strategies used to the Northwind highlanders out of a jam. It is also a great breakthrough against the fight against the clans and a stroke of militry and tactical genious 5 STARS

This novel has good info of the workings of one of the finest merc units around!!! The Northwind Hilanders meet the Smoke Jaguars on there own ground. However things do not go as planned and everyone must wonder if any will survive