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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
This rounded out the trilogy well. For me, the reading gets bogged down in the description of the weaponry and the battles, but the plots and character arcs are worth pushing through.
Imagine the fate of the human race is going to be decided by a single climactic battle upon which the hopes of the galaxy is hanging. Now imagine that while this is going on there’s subplot upon subplot to follow instead of the decisive final conflict.
It's like justifying the first Iraq invasion.
The most telling scene in the novel is when VS-D is arguing with MH-D, and Victor keeps saying "it's because I'm short," like Davey Jones, and it's like dude, the only reason that you keep reiterating that is because without you saying it, VS-D and MH-D would be interchangeable characters, the functional distinction being this 'tell don't show' problem of Victor's.
I had in mind to call out the author for his racial essentialism, as Liao and Kurita scenes are written as if describing aliens, but I hesitated to do so because I didn't think it was fair, and eventually it hit me as to why: essentialism of character as a philosophical idea runs through the book, biggest case in point being whose conversations read like a badly translated Socratic dialog about romance and war. It is unclear where is getting all the straw for their arguments, but the whole thing feels embarrassing and feels like it should award a vinyl yellow ribbon for its creepy presentation of the philosophy of solidering. At least the is legitimately hilarious, even as I feel like some of the arguments made stand in direct opposition to
I do want to give props for at least trying to do something interesting with Liao, however brief, and however unsupported. That last point is at the core of the book's weakness, as already discussed with Victor's abilities, but also with the structure of the plot in general. Teniente is cool. I would have preferred more of it than some of the other plots. But the lead-up does not work, not dysfunctional, but two books of preface for what could have better been arranged in 57 pages.
Focht and Tukayyid is the involved and moving thread here, though with some snark in that Stackpole. But even that leaves a bad taste, with the reveal that so much of Tukayyid, which has the same effect on Phelan's plot. I do wonder if the emplaced armor is a conscious choice or not. But in general, things pick up enough at the end to provide something satisfying.
The most telling scene in the novel is when VS-D is arguing with MH-D, and Victor keeps saying "it's because I'm short," like Davey Jones, and it's like dude, the only reason that you keep reiterating that is because without you saying it, VS-D and MH-D would be interchangeable characters, the functional distinction being this 'tell don't show' problem of Victor's.
I had in mind to call out the author for his racial essentialism, as Liao and Kurita scenes are written as if describing aliens, but I hesitated to do so because I didn't think it was fair, and eventually it hit me as to why: essentialism of character as a philosophical idea runs through the book, biggest case in point being
Spoiler
Kai and Deidre,Spoiler
DeidreSpoiler
elemental scene in jail when they crack upSpoiler
the description of the Clans' philosophy elsewhere in the book.I do want to give props for at least trying to do something interesting with Liao, however brief, and however unsupported. That last point is at the core of the book's weakness, as already discussed with Victor's abilities, but also with the structure of the plot in general. Teniente is cool. I would have preferred more of it than some of the other plots. But the lead-up does not work, not dysfunctional, but two books of preface for what could have better been arranged in 57 pages.
Focht and Tukayyid is the involved and moving thread here, though with some snark in that Stackpole
Spoiler
killed Focht off technically, with Charette redeeming him (and Theodore) in a different book for reuse then hereSpoiler
is all an ilKhan Ulrich Xanatos Gambit
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't care I love this trilogy and re-reading it again for the first time in decades just brought all the feelings and emotions back. I wish there was more focus on Phelan and his Wolf Clan.
One of the better Mech Warrior books. The end of the "Blood of Kerensky" trilogy. Phelan Wolf nae Kell earns the Ward bloodname, and Comstar both secularizes while stopping the clan invasion for a 15 year truce.
Some good lessons can be found in this book. One of the big ones can be boiled down to "plan ahead." The clans were so used to fighting short, vicious actions that at Tukkyid they learned why logistics are so important to warfare.
Some good lessons can be found in this book. One of the big ones can be boiled down to "plan ahead." The clans were so used to fighting short, vicious actions that at Tukkyid they learned why logistics are so important to warfare.
On the 6th round I'm just commenting that Stackpole was indeed a bit inconsistent in his Clanners. I can get that the Wolves didn't give much of a crap about the way they talked, but the Falcons... no, that sort of speech would not fly in a proper Clan - and the Elementals at Alyina were proper Falcons.
I know, nitpicking about very silly things. That short silliness list could include other things like Prezno being constantly called Przeno, but this sort of stuff might have been unclear between authors.
I know, nitpicking about very silly things. That short silliness list could include other things like Prezno being constantly called Przeno, but this sort of stuff might have been unclear between authors.
Not what I expected. It covers a lot of ground but leaves a lot of Tukkayid unexplored. Interesting regardless as it sets the stage for everything that's going to happen up to 3067.