After reading through this thread, I am very happy to have been able to begin reading the novels almost from the beginning.
8)
After I'd discovered what Battletech was, I managed to find the Warrior trilogy, The first Blood of Kerensky book: Lethal Heritage, Wolves on the Border, Heir to the Dragon and the second two books of the Grey Death trilogy in my local bookstores back in the very late 80's. My grandmother, bless her, found I think a first edition of Decision at Thunder Rift for me. It has an orange cover and Grayson Garlyle and a Locust on the front cover. The only novel I have not yet read is Sword and the Dagger. I do keep an eye out periodically for it though.
I read the first of the Dark Age novels, largely because Mike Stackpole wrote it, but I lost interest as I didn't like the sudden leap 60yrs ahead in the timeline. I still think there are more stories to be told from the 4th succession war. And I'd LOVE to see stories from the Star League era and especially leading up the Exodus.