Wolf Hunters

The Wolf Clan Was the first to make contact with the Inner Sphere and the contact has not ceased to make some significant changes on their ideology and methodology. From Dragoon to Exile to Steel and of late Hunters the Wolf Clan has proven themselves to be the most adaptable of the Clans. When Anastasia Kerensky announces to her Steel Wolves that they are to become mercenaries a few of her subordinates are appalled and the Clan shatters. Once more the Wolf evolves, those that stand by Anastasia become The Wolf Hunters. The shadow of the Wolf spreads through the Inner Sphere but not always in the same form.

An excellent first book for Mr. Killiany. Not quite the quality of a Mike Stackpole or Blaine Pardoe but much better than some efforts in this series. Take a chance you'll enjoy this author.

More than one of the Mechwarrior novels that digress from the main story line have failed to impress (to put it lightly and without profanity), but I really enjoyed this novel. It is well written and draws an audience that may not be particularly interested in the Steel Wolves (myself included) into the story. Overall, this novel deals very little with Anastasia, but follows the exploits of Wolves who have "gone abroad". This novel manages to be action-packed while also drawing sympathy and understanding of the main characters (again, something other spin-offs have failed to do *cough* "Patriot's Stand" *cough*). All this coming in an author's debut Mechwarrior novel! My only two gripes with this novel are that this story doesn't do anything to advance the main storyline, but I realize that this is a Kerensky spin-off. Also, this novel covers an awful lot of ground (both timewise and across quite a number of separate story lines) in too much of a hurry. When a chapter ends, but the time you get back to that particular story line, sometimes months have passed. I would actually argue that each of the story lines could have easily been made into its own novel and I would have looked forward to reading each of them. Thanks, Killiany, for a fun Mechwarrior read and I hope to see another one of your books soon. I would request a Solaris VII storyline, if possible!

WOLF HUNTERS is Kevin Killiany's first novel, but you wouldn't know it from reading it. (Admittedly, he's not new to fiction writing, or even to the BATTLETECH universe; he's been writing short fiction set in this universe for the past two years, released through BattleCorps.) In the novel, he does an excellent job of recapturing the characters developed by others (including Loren L. Coleman and Martin Delrio), even as he rebuilds them to fit the changing miniatures game. Anastasia Kerensky has been perhaps the most maddeningly inconsistent character in the universe, with only Katie S-D giving her a run for her money. But in WOLF HUNTERS, Kevin Killiany embraced that inconsistency; his Anastasia runs the gamut, from hardline Clanner to indulgent Spheroid. And yet, she really doesn't; she puts on whatever face will get her what she needs: the survival of her Wolves. The book details the evolution of the Steel Wolves of prior novels into the Wolf Hunters of the future. As is to be expected whenever a Clan unit undergoes change, there are objectors, which results in fights. Most of these are well-depicted; the very last one being the exception, in that it feels like significant parts of it were skipped over. The reader's still able to follow the plot; it just felt like the battle happened almost entirely offscreen, for whatever reason. But the multitude of battles, ranging from infantry to 'Mechs to aerospace, aren't the point of the book. That would be Anastasia's journey--nay, the Steel Wolves' journey--as they transform themselves into the Wolf Hunters who will be appearing in future novels. And (leaving the process obscured) it's an enjoyable, believable ride. Characters old and new are presented sympathetically, leaving the reader wanting to root for all sides--and managing to satisfy the reader no matter which they pick, I think. Kevin Killiany's book continues the trend of good novels the series has managed to keep for the past several years. WOLF HUNTERS left me looking forward both to the return of the Wolf Hunters, and to Killiany's return to the line.