Main Event (Battletech)

Rating:
Summary: A decent Battletech novel,better than most
Review: A man driven by rage to avenge his fallen comrades leaves his elite military unit - the Com Guard - to fulfill his vow to destroy the Clans. To accomplish this, he forms his own mercenary unit, the "Black Thorns". This book follows the exploits of his recruitment of other Thorns and their first battles together as a unit.

Rating:
Summary: The worst Battletech book I have read
Review: Bad writing job and horrible plot. To be avoided!!! Find someone who writes a better Battletech story.

Rating:
Summary: One of the better Battletech books, but the sequal is better
Review: Despite what some other reviewers will tell you, this one ranks right up their with Stackpole. Good character development, and tying together different elements of a character. The desensitization of war caused on Solaris is covered well, sometimes a bit too obviously. The battle is interesting, and the story of Turkyyaid shows a 'soldier's eye' view. The battle against the Clans is a little too easy towards the end, and I regret not telling a little more about Comstar. Some parts of the good old Order must be more nonsecular than others for him to be able to leave that easily. This is well-written, and is necessary to enjoy D.R.T., but the second one is better. I only wish their was a third Black Thorn story.

Rating:
Summary: Not what I had expected
Review: Honestly, this novel might not even rate the three stars I have given it, but I was feeling generous.

This book reads a great deal like someone's home MechWarrior role-playing game. The main character starts out with nothing, and attempts to recruit his former neighbors and family members to his cause. The rejection leads him to Solaris VII, where he must fight to gain the materiel he needs for his personal vendetta. He is there but a few days before leaving for Outreach to find a contract for his new merc unit, and to recruit more personnel. Everything works out relatively neat and tidy. It just does not read like a good novel, with the convenience of events and the results.

Also, given the back cover text, I had expected more along the lines of a Solaris-set novel, but the story stays on that world for a comparatively short time. Much more time is spent on the world that the unit is contracted to defend. And the antagonism there again reads like something from a poorly-designed RPG campaign, with the local strife resulting in an action by that planet's leaders unlike any other in the Battletech universe. The story climaxes with combat against Clan invaders, with the occasional pointless death thrown in, I assume to highlight the random savagery of war, but seemingly tacked on as an afterthought.

I was really disappointed in this novel. Note, however, that the sequel is vastly superior and very much worth the read, while this one is sure to languish on my shelf without getting a second read.

Rating:
Summary: Whoever wrote this should be shot
Review: I can't believe FASA would dare to tarnish the BattleTech franchise with this drivel. Ridiculous plot, paper-thin characters. The much-hyped Solaris planet, which could have been such a great plot device is reduced to one remarkably un-astounding battle. Overall, a walking 300-page nightmare.

Rating:
Summary: What a Turkey!
Review: I recommend you AVOID "Main Event" (James D. Long). This story is such a turkey I was cheering for the bad guys in hope that some miserable main characters would get bumped off (alas, no such luck). This book features some amusing editorial errors, such as multiple instances of energy weapons ejecting shell casings as they are fired. Those errors are far more entertaining than the characters or the storyline. Why, I wonder, did I make myself finish this book?

Rating:
Summary: What a Turkey!
Review: I recommend you AVOID "Main Event" (James D. Long). This story is such a turkey I was cheering for the bad guys in hope that some miserable main characters would get bumped off (alas, no such luck). This book features some amusing editorial errors, such as multiple instances of energy weapons ejecting shell casings as they are fired. Those errors are far more entertaining than the characters or the storyline. Why, I wonder, did I make myself finish this book?

Rating:
Summary: Pretty neat.
Review: I'm still sort of a novice at the whole Battletech history and universe. I wasn't aware of The Black Thorns or at least not that I could remember. I actually had this book on my shelf for several years and it didn't look interesting until it was the last Battletech book left. I was pleasantly surprised! Rose's recounting of his earlier battles with the clan was very captivating. I still never cease to be amazed at how many different mechs exist between the clans and inner sphere forces. I am always running into new ones. Does anyone know of one comprehensive site that has pictures and info on every mech known to man?

Rating:
Summary: Pretty neat.
Review: I'm still sort of a novice at the whole Battletech history and universe. I wasn't aware of The Black Thorns or at least not that I could remember. I actually had this book on my shelf for several years and it didn't look interesting until it was the last Battletech book left. I was pleasantly surprised! Rose's recounting of his earlier battles with the clan was very captivating. I still never cease to be amazed at how many different mechs exist between the clans and inner sphere forces. I am always running into new ones. Does anyone know of one comprehensive site that has pictures and info on every mech known to man?

Rating:
Summary: Do you want to know what Battletech is about?
Review: Read this book and find out. One of the best pictures of the battletech universe in my opinion. What are the hopes of a beaten but not broken soldier, the hardships of running a mercenary unit, and more. Better than the sequel by light years. Just do not try to play that battle against Morgan's forces with any hope of repeating the story of the book.