Ghost War

I came into this book knowing absolutely nothing about the Mechwarrior or Battletech universe, and I naively had my doubts about the caliber of novels in this specific genre. Maybe it's the fact that I associate Battletech with PC and console gaming, but I was afraid this was just going to be a rather simplistic novel that served little purpose beyond framing a context in which huge metallic monsters can go at each other tooth and nail. My doubts turned out to be incredibly unfounded. I found Ghost War to be a complex, surprising, challenging read that combined action, drama, and well-placed bits of humor in a finely crafted package.I did worry that I would be at a disadvantage here, not having read any of the earlier Battletech novels, but this first entry in the Mechwarrior: Dark Age series may well have posed fewer problems for me than for many of the Battletech gurus out there. Knowing nothing of the earlier history, I had no worries or questions about changes that had taken place in the Battletech universe during the preceding and apparently murky Golden Age of Peace spoken of here from the vantage point of 3132-3133. Much of that earlier history would seem to be minimized, in fact, because the computer network basically holding the Republic together over "the missing years" has now been taken out by unknown offenders, doing much to isolate the individual planets. With interplanetary communication greatly reduced, society's unsavory forces begin to climb back out of the shadows. Racial and cultural tensions increase, and greedy men seize the opportunity to play their little games of power. With internecine conflict simmering on a number of planets, the Republic finds its golden era of peace greatly threatened from within.Fortunately, the Republic has certain individuals trained to observe, report, and work to forestall messy new conflicts in its sphere of influence. Special operatives dubbed Ghosts can be sent to infiltrate questionable planet-based organizations and work to ferret out the identities of the true bad guys out there, and the hero of this novel is one of the best. The story actually threw me for a bit of a loop about one hundred pages into it. I would like to say that Ghost War kept me guessing, but in all honesty I was so unprepared for what happened that I wasn't aware I should have been guessing in the first place. Battletech and Mechwarrior veterans are far too knowledgeable to fall for the plot device that zinged me, I imagine, but I did indeed get zinged. For this reason, I will refrain from really going into any detail about the plot. I have sort of looked down upon series books of this type in the past (it's shameful, I know), but I vow to change my attitude from this point on. Ghost War is an intricate, carefully woven story that keeps the reader on his toes until the very end. My first Battletech novel will not be my last, and I can only hope that other Battletech authors can rival the talent of Michae

I've never read any of the other MechWarrior or BattleTech series of books, yet I have been very interested in the MechWarrior PC games. As a matter of fact, I have MechWarrior 3 on my computer, and I am looking forward to upgrading my gaming system to Microsoft's X-Box just so I can have Mech Assault. If there is anything that I can say about MWDA:Ghost War, it's that I love this book! I was warned (I read another review)that I would be in for a ride. And I have been on one since the first page. And it hasn't changed my opinion about the game, whatsoever. Every step I take in a 'Mech, is an imaginery walk in Mason's 'Mech. Michael Stackpole's Mason Dunne tells it like it is, and can walk the walk to prove it. Although, if you leave it to Lady lakewood, he's a bit clumsy. However, Stackpole has a good sense of deception. I was fooled by the Sam Donnelly/Mason Dunne character and his intentions. I was even more fooled by the so-called arrest by Janella Lakewood. No need to say more and ruin the story there.Yet, I give the same warning to those who are about pick up this book: your in for one hell of a ride! I hope that the remaining three books, and all of the others are just as exciting as this one. For a first timer, and an avid fan of Briam Lumley's Necroscope Series, this is a very decent change of pace for me. Every page read is a new lesson learned in playing the game. But then again, I'm just a junkie for this kind of stuff, and I have a run-away imagination. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Anyway, read MWDA: Ghost War. Live it, feel it, explore it, chew on it for lunch! You'll find it pleasing to the palate. Especially if you envision it with today's headlines of war here, impending war there, you'll raise an eyebrow at some of the similarities. There's a sign post up ahead - "Warning: 'Mech Crossing" Just pray that its a Ghost Knight.I give MWDA:Ghost War, 4 stars. Add 1 because at this point I haven't finished reading as of yet. And I'm waiting for the next one to arrive.

In the first few pages of this book I had to check to make sure I was still reading a "Mech Warrior" book. I was both pleased and surprised to find this book writen in first-person. I've read a few books from the BattleTech series and often wondered what the characters were saying in there heads. The book takes place 50+ years ahead of the previous timeline. It was a new and exciting story that kept me turning pages all night.

Welcome to the Dark Age, courtesy of Michael Stackpole. After a leap of several decades into the future from the last Battletech novel, things have changed far more, perhaps, than during the entire succession wars period. Nearly all the familiar characters from the past are dead, leaving only a very limited tie to the past; in fact there is really only one returning character from the old days. Humanity is still fractured with regards to any single galactic government, but there has been an inroad to peace, if only in a limited region of space. Unfortunately, though this new principality has been around for a while, it is not so secure as its residents might hope. The initiation of the Dark Age concept actually occurs several months before the book begins, with the centuries-old, high-speed interstellar communications network being sabotaged by unknown conspirators. This has forced all the interdependent worlds to begin fending for themselves for the first time in a long time. The results are frightening, with power being seized by very unsavory individuals. Writing in the first person, a first for any of the Battletech/Mechwarrior series, Stackpole shows the same brilliant prose and excellent action and intrigue that his readers have come to expect from him. While the game line might not appeal to all the old fans, I think that the new storyline will. Except for a few re-drawn political lines, the universe is still recognizable. And for new readers to the game universe, Stackpole does a good job in bringing the reader up to speed on the past 60+ years of the Inner Sphere. I highly recommend this book.

Oh how death does walk again... Stackpole's maiden novel in the new Mechwarrior Dark Age Era is, in my honest opinion, the fourth best book in the entire Battletech/Mechwarrior series (the first three being the Blood of Kerensky Trilogy, also by him). Although written in the first person, a new point of view for the series, Sam Lubin is compelling as a mech jockey for hire w/ a penchalant for bad luck and the narrator of the story... his story. The character of Mason Dunne provides an anti-Sam, and Janella Lakewood rounds out the compilation with both a strong authority, and a soft tenderness only a Knight-Errant could provide. The opposition of course is not only portrayed as ruthless, cunning, and abominable... but also beautiful and attractive in this time of crisis. Their true identity is of course part of the guessing game that draws you into the book. The energy Stackpole spends here is not wasted... he does not give Lubin the invincible Victor trait he has been highly criticized for. In fact, it literally looks as if Victor is on his last legs... but his legacy is already present to carry on for him. While much has been revealed, there is still much to be revealed but this is as good a start as anyone could ask for. This is a book for everyone... for old CBTers this is a good way to look at the new era... for new MWDAers this is a bold entry into their new world... and for people who just like a good story with intrigue this is the book for you... or someone you like.