Author Topic: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!  (Read 8390 times)

OverKill

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Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« on: 03 February 2011, 15:19:36 »
My complaint is this.....

Why are there not more?!?!?! I mean really folks! You should be catering to MY needs!!

Sorry, I guess I was married for too long and that phrase kinda stuck in my head.

Anyways, I wanted to say that I have read a lot of books, and I mean a LOT, but I wanted to say that Stackpole's work on the Blood of Kerensky series has kept my interest in the battletech universe long after Mechwarrior IV went the way of the dinosaur.

I have just started to collect the books prior to, and after, this series. DO you have any idea how hard it is to track down decent copies of these books at a reasonable price? Take the Jade Falcon series for instance. I was able to order books 1 and 3 (used) at less than 5 bucks each (not including shipping) but book #2? They want like 45$ for. That better come with a lotto ticket and a swedish girl who knows 3 different massage techniques for that kinda money!

Hopefully there will be more stuff in the future dealing with the eras prior to and just after the clan invasion. I'd love to see some stuff around the BWC as well!

Cheers
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Sigma

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #1 on: 03 February 2011, 20:18:46 »
Ebay dude. And if you are saying that somebody is asking more than $2 for a copy of Bloodname they are nuts.

Also, used book stores, LOTB Trade and Sell section, B&V Traders, all have excellent prices on novels. Pick up the original prints of the Warrior Trilogy and Blood of Kerensky if you can (Black covers). They have the neato "Mike Stackpole in the 31st-and-a-half century intros."

For new novels, the Battlecorps vol 2 compilation just came out.

Me. I have almost all of the original novels and I've only been collecting about 2 years (though I did have a few from the late 90's I got new) and I haven't spent more than $100. All I need now is

Far Country
Imminent Crisis
Illusions of Victory
Initiation to War
The Dying Time
The original Mercenary's Star (not the reprint)

Sourcebooks are a different beast entirely though. I don't even want to begin crunching those numbers. :-X


EDIT: Found you a copy of Falcon Guard for $1 plus probably a $1 shipping
http://bvtraders.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=5_37&products_id=3642
« Last Edit: 03 February 2011, 20:33:39 by Sigma »

OverKill

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #2 on: 03 February 2011, 22:50:01 »
Hey Thanks man!!! I appreciate and had I known about this I would not have paid the 6$ for the copy that I did find :(

I actually have the Blood of Kerensky series, and have had it since it was on bookshelves still, but I think they were the reprints cause they aren't black.

The Warrior: En Guard that arrived today is all black cover though.

I'm looking for the following...

Sword and the Dagger
The Price of Glory
Heir to the Dragon
Bloodname

I have a lead on a couple of them from eBay but they are pretty expensive. About the price of the books brand new and Sword and Dagger? Gimme a break some want 100$ for the book.

The rest I already own, or am awaiting shipment/delivery... I ordered up to Wolfpack and once I clear all those and add them to my bookshelf I will begin working on the others after that.

Warrior: En Guard arrived today. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to NOT read a book?!?!?!?!? Gotta wait for the rest of that series before I read it.
« Last Edit: 03 February 2011, 22:53:11 by OverKill »
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Sigma

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #3 on: 03 February 2011, 23:28:27 »
The key is to eye the lots and be patient.

I was paying about $3 apiece for my Warrior Trilogy and BoK Trilogy black covers in okay to fair shape (got about half of them during that time) and then I saw a lot that had both together complete and like new for $12 shipped. You can bet I snapped that up.

Last week I missed a really good sourcebook lot I wanted while having dinner with my girlfriend. (TRO 3075, 3050U, and 3058U for $18 and change shipped. Hell I paid retail for my 3050U and that was over 2 and a half times that and I needed 3075 and 3058U to fill in 2 of my 4 missing TRO's in my collection)

Sure you get a few doubles that way but then you can always use them for trading fodder later. I have a close friend that also collects the novels and SB's so we always compare our lists whenever we get doubles to help each other out.

As for Sword and Dagger, the best bet is trade or used book store. Most of the book stores don't know what it's worth so you can pick it up for a few bucks. With trades you can always use some old metal you have doubles of instead of cash. I traded a couple of Unseen Crusaders and a Griffin for mine over at LotB. It's a little less than even in terms of current value but I picked them up in the market crash of late '09 where I got them in a $12 lance lot.

Man, might as well call me Mechwarrior Crawford Lawrence. ;D

OverKill

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #4 on: 03 February 2011, 23:46:28 »
Totally!!!! You certainly know the hookup spots.

I have my eye on two purchases. Just waiting for my e-cheque to clear within the next 24 hours and then I will pick those two up as well.

If you could keep your eye out though that would be great man! Preciate it!
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OverKill

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #5 on: 04 February 2011, 15:14:46 »
Ok Sigma, I now have the following added to the collection (this was the recommended chronological order)

SHIPPED - Decision at Thunder Rift
SHIPPED - Mercenary’s Star
WAITING FOR SHIPMENT - The Price of Glory
GOT IT - Warrior: En Guarde
SHIPPED - Wolves on the Border
SHIPPED - Warrior: Riposte
SHIPPED - Warrior: Coupe
WAITING FOR SHIPMENT - Heir to the Dragon
GOT IT - Lethal Heritage
GOT IT - Blood Legacy
GOT IT - Lost Destiny
SHIPPED - Way of the Clans
WAITING FOR SHIPMENT - Bloodname
SHIPPED - Falcon Guard
WAITING FOR SHIPMENT - Wolf Pack

A couple of these I had to sniper bid on ebay but I figure this should keep me in books for a little while although I have already read Blood of Kerensky like 3 times or so since I've owned them over the years.

The Sword and the Dagger I am going to wait till something comes up on eBay cause I don't think Amazon accepts Paypal and my prepaid credit card is just about out of juice. I have refused to allow myself any more money to play for a little while.
« Last Edit: 04 February 2011, 15:49:37 by OverKill »
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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #6 on: 18 February 2011, 17:39:02 »
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.

FedSunsBorn

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #7 on: 18 February 2011, 22:04:49 »
Yeah, I would definitely love more 4th War novels since that is/was the Davion Golden Age but I also would not mind stories on the Reunification War and the first three Succession Wars. So much potential...
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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #8 on: 21 February 2011, 12:53:05 »
You know,  there's a whole website with tons and tons of new canon Battletech fiction across a lot of different eras...
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Jaim Magnus

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #9 on: 21 February 2011, 18:34:24 »
True, but the OP was talking about novels.  Battlecorps doesn't have novels.  And yes, I know they're re-releasing the old novels, but to my mind that doesn't count.
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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #10 on: 08 March 2011, 04:56:32 »
True, but the OP was talking about novels.  Battlecorps doesn't have novels.  And yes, I know they're re-releasing the old novels, but to my mind that doesn't count.

Well, they've released some novel-sized serials.
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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #11 on: 11 March 2011, 14:25:09 »
EDIT: Wrong post
« Last Edit: 11 March 2011, 16:00:35 by Your Name Is »
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OverKill

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #12 on: 11 March 2011, 14:34:24 »
I just ant get into the whole e-book think. I enjoy actual hard copy for my geek out times. Besides I can leave a book around my fire hall without it being broken or stolen in between calls.
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Churcher

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #13 on: 06 April 2011, 12:01:41 »
I had actually finished up "Wolves on the Border" last night, and immediately ordered the BoK trilogy and Wolf Pack last night.  All of the orders from Amazon, and all together cost me about $22 and change.  However, I looked up "Heir to the Dragon" and it was going to cost me that much alone.   [tickedoff]  I wanna read that one!!!


Do you know how hard it is to wait?!?!
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OverKill

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #14 on: 06 April 2011, 12:27:10 »
Yes, I do! Heir to the Dragon was okay... to be honest I think Wolves on the Border was much better... The only parts of Heir to the Dragon I really liked were the introduction/fleshing out of the Bounty Hunter character.
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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #15 on: 06 April 2011, 16:16:36 »
I had actually finished up "Wolves on the Border" last night, and immediately ordered the BoK trilogy and Wolf Pack last night.  All of the orders from Amazon, and all together cost me about $22 and change.  However, I looked up "Heir to the Dragon" and it was going to cost me that much alone.   [tickedoff]  I wanna read that one!!!


Do you know how hard it is to wait?!?!
I know, I know. The BoK trilogy and Wolf Pack are really good. (Although I'm not too crazy about Stackpole's other entries in the series.

EBay is the way to go. I also snagged about 20 of the books from my local used bookstore for $2 each. Sword and Dagger is really the only book that gave me trouble in finding. I think I eventually snagged a copy for $38. It was alright. I think the first two books of the Gray Death Legion books are the real gems of the Classic Battletech series though.

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #16 on: 06 April 2011, 18:38:16 »
Wolves on the Border has a stronger narrative to it, but Heir to the Dragon's pretty cool. I did feel that it was a rather whirlwind tour of Theodore Kurita's life but at least it removed the silliness of the Kuritans in the Warrior Trilogy.

Hate to say it, but I just dug up my wrinkled copy of Heir yesterday and started reading it again. Wolf Pack is... well, it's a little weird for me. But kudos on grabbing them.

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #17 on: 11 April 2011, 00:17:13 »
Sword and the Dagger is the only B-Tech novel I don't own.  Just doesn't seem worth tracking it down and paying a huge price for a novel most consider lack luster.
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OverKill

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Re: Complaint about the novels (not really but....)!!!!
« Reply #18 on: 11 April 2011, 07:13:40 »
Agreed. I'm not paying 35 to 85$ for a book that is in poor condition to moderate condition and most people find less than stellar.
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