Author Topic: New upcoming novels  (Read 3021 times)

Dubble_g

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New upcoming novels
« on: 17 June 2017, 07:19:36 »
I saw this posted on Reddit, but didn't see any mention on these boards so I thought I'd share:

Status of Battletech Novels
https://www.reddit.com/r/battletech/comments/6hfkog/status_of_battletech_novels/

TL;DR 2 new novels this year, 2 more next. 2(?) will be Stackpole novels about the formation of the Kell Hounds. Others will be Jihad focused, one by Pardoe the other by Coleman. 

While I'm a huge fan of the fiction in this property, a little ambivalent about these choices. The Kell Hounds have always been a kind of vanity unit for Stackpole, and the books will be prequels to boot, so it's hard to rouse much interest. My interest in the Jihad books will depend on authors and story lines--if they're doing something interesting with the setting, I may give them a shot.
Author, "Inverted" (Shrapnel #4), "Undefeated" (#10), "Reversal of Fortunes" (#13) and "The Alexandria Job" (#15)

Frabby

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Re: New upcoming novels
« Reply #1 on: 17 June 2017, 08:09:39 »
I think both BattleCorps and the German BattleTech novel line have established that you don't have to drive the metaplot onwards in order to make a good BattleTech novel. Personally, I'll even say the breakneck pace at which Stackpole pushed the metaplot along was too fast for my liking. The universe is big, there's plenty room for stories at the same point in the timeline. Go back and visit interesting times and places, instead of whipping the universe along too fast.
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Author of the BattleCorps stories Feather vs. Mountain, Rise and Shine, Proprietary, Trial of Faith & scenario Twins

Dubble_g

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Re: New upcoming novels
« Reply #2 on: 17 June 2017, 08:26:28 »
No, that's not my objection. (Shameless self promo: read my fan fiction on this site and ask yourself if I have a problem with telling stories set in the "past").

Kell Hounds would be a direct prequel to events discussed in the Warrior series, and for that reason is less appealing to me.

It's like "Rogue One" I guess. The only way to make a story with a largely predetermined outcome interesting is to fill it with interesting people you genuinely care about, so it's more about the journey than the destination. With the Kell Hounds--i realize this may be a minority view--i feel they are too much of the author's favorites, so I'm not especially interested in them. Ymmd

I can see more potential for new and interesting stories with the Jihad, so that's more what I'd like to hear about, of the selections offered.
Author, "Inverted" (Shrapnel #4), "Undefeated" (#10), "Reversal of Fortunes" (#13) and "The Alexandria Job" (#15)

Wrangler

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Re: New upcoming novels
« Reply #3 on: 17 June 2017, 09:56:05 »
As long they come out, I will buy them.
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