Author Topic: ELH Fiction (Read 19519 times)

DarkISI · « **Reply #30 on:** 13 November 2021, 05:07:03 »

Quote from: five_corparty on 12 November 2021, 18:07:33

for the record, my wife's review:
W: "why is there so much talking? it's battletech, where are the battles?"

Me: "There's 2 in there, technically! i warned you, though, this was my 'small and quiet' story, the first one was my 'big and loud' one."

w: "now, i -liked- that one. action from start to finish!"

but this is what I love about BTech fiction: there's something out there for EVERYONE, and one story doesn't float your boat, the next one probably will. :) :)

Obviously, she hasn't read Failings in Teaching ;)

five_corparty · « **Reply #31 on:** 13 November 2021, 16:41:57 »

yeah, she doesn't read much battletech, and she's 50/50 on MINE! hahaha

lobezno · « **Reply #32 on:** 16 November 2021, 06:26:39 »

Hi, first: congrats on the short Novel! Its always nice to see events from the sourcebooks fleshed out from the characters point of view.

I think you mentioned that the initial draft was much longer. Can you tell what was cut out and how difficult it was?

Also, where are the brooding, necrosia drinking, vision chasing, slightly crazy Goliath Scorpion we have always heard of :-).

five_corparty · « **Reply #33 on:** 16 November 2021, 13:56:35 »

Thanks for the kind words!

In another thread, I've been discussing the actual WRITING of both stories, and you can find a few snippets and discussions of what I cut.

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/novel-and-sourcebook-reviews/writing-elh-fiction/

I don't know about the dour, necrosia slamming scorpions, I'm sure they're right off screen, right there to the left! ;) ;D

No, seriously, I love that every faction in BattleTech is big enough for wider lenses: if I ever come up with a good venom & seeker story, I'll totally write it and it'll fit right in, you know? But the factions are big enough - or in this case, small enough - to explore a tiny, quiet little story really focused on just two women. :-)

mikecj · « **Reply #34 on:** 18 November 2021, 17:20:28 »

I like how you humanized the characters. And the trials were cleverly conceived.

five_corparty · « **Reply #35 on:** 19 November 2021, 11:05:55 »

Quote from: mikecj on 18 November 2021, 17:20:28

I like how you humanized the characters. And the trials were cleverly conceived.

Thanks!

The references were a little unclear on whether they were "official" trials and whether zellbringing was used, and etc., so, I split the difference: this was an oddly offered challenge, and with non-lethal aspects to match up with the oddness in the references. But it was honorably offered and honorably accepted, which is the important part of clan trials. :)

J_Schmetzer · « **Reply #36 on:** 18 December 2021, 20:56:31 »

Just putting the Amazon link here, in case you all were waiting.

https://amzn.to/3sqj2nU

five_corparty · « **Reply #37 on:** 18 December 2021, 20:59:24 »

Whoot!! thanks!! I've been checking about every other day!

mikecj · « **Reply #38 on:** 19 December 2021, 04:01:46 »

Got it, read it, enjoyed it. Haven't reviewed yet. Not the viewpoint character I was expecting.

Did we see this battle from the other side in one of the novels?

DarkISI · « **Reply #39 on:** 19 December 2021, 05:18:59 »

That one was a downer.
But a good one.

I think we had the battle occur in "A Bonfire of Worlds"

five_corparty · « **Reply #40 on:** 19 December 2021, 18:42:18 »

Yeah, I dig it. A quiet little story that didn't focus on the bigger picture, the outside universe, the Light Horse unit as this THING; it was just about one LT and her friend in the unit and her experiences.

It was a super-tight POV on her, and it works. Really good stuff! :-)

MyndkryM · « **Reply #41 on:** 28 December 2021, 23:34:16 »

Just finished Strong As Steel!!!

Guidons Guidons Guidons

Thanks to all the writers for this series. It has been a joy to read!!!

mikecj · « **Reply #42 on:** 28 December 2021, 23:50:24 »

That was a good story. I forgot they always left battalions behind to watch the families and I'd assumed they'd died on Dieron with the 21st Striker and 19th Cavalry.

So the various "splinters" of the ELH were from the 10% that didn't die on Dieron?

MyndkryM · « **Reply #43 on:** 29 December 2021, 00:16:43 »

The ELH Unit Digest entry in Shrapnel #1 fills in some of that information. The short answer appears to be yes...the Dieron survivors would reform various commands each later vying for a claim, and concurrently an authorized reconstitution contingency (in this case the 11th Recon Bn.).

mikecj · « **Reply #44 on:** 29 December 2021, 15:59:48 »

Thanks! I'll go re-read that one.

Marveryn · « **Reply #45 on:** 31 December 2021, 13:13:46 »

not keeping up with the history as well as i could. I never notice that the light horse were now a bunch of strong out units of survivors that are keeping up the name going and from the reading of the last light novel the units in the commonwealth may had just a big a claim to the name as the units feature in this story. It be interesting to see how the big the group is now that they are remerging again from what i gather each command may had been at least a company if not a battalion of battlemech with a combine group of amor and infantry to get them to regimental status. Even if they link they are going to have issue combining their resources before they first see actions, but with the funds finally avaible any holes most likely will be fill

it also solve Davion issue. they need troops and they need them fast.

five_corparty · « **Reply #46 on:** 01 January 2022, 23:31:44 »

Quote from: mikecj on 28 December 2021, 23:50:24

That was a good story. I forgot they always left battalions behind to watch the families and I'd assumed they'd died on Dieron with the 21st Striker and 19th Cavalry.

So the various "splinters" of the ELH were from the 10% that didn't die on Dieron?

Yes- The units on Dieron were the ones assigned to watch the dependents, but every unit always has a small HQ element to stay at base and be a liaison for their dependents, to push replacements forward, or, if tragedy strikes, to notify their dependents that someone has fallen.

That's what happened with the 11tth: the battalion itself was absorbed by the Scorpions, but their commander (probably one of the highest ranked of the remaining 10%) reformed the Battalion.

I'm assuming many of the other small units have similar stories: perhaps a lance detached for a recon mission, perhaps a pair of married MechWarriors on their honeymoon: small groups of survivors here and there holding tight to tradition and carrying on.

I really liked this story, if it's not coming through in my post: I think this story very much captured that spirit of the ELH shown through all the stories beforehand, and how a LOT of the small groups of survivors refused to let it die. It's no surprise a few of the units decided not to rejoin: it's been 70+ years at this point, nearly all of the old timers would be dead and units are creating their own, new history.

But for the majority, they carried the ELH traditions with them, and survived, prospered, and for the most part, did well by the legacy. And now they're reforming together.

I liked it. A solid conclusion to a FINE anthology. :)

five_corparty · « **Reply #47 on:** 01 January 2022, 23:33:19 »

Quote from: five_corparty on 01 January 2022, 23:31:44

double post

ignore this, it double posted, I don't know why

mikecj · « **Reply #48 on:** 02 January 2022, 00:09:15 »

Quote from: five_corparty on 01 January 2022, 23:31:44

Yes- The units on Dieron were the ones assigned to watch the dependents, but every unit always has a small HQ element to stay at base and be a liaison for their dependents, to push replacements forward, or, if tragedy strikes, to notify their dependents that someone has fallen.

That's what happened with the 11tth: the battalion itself was absorbed by the Scorpions, but their commander (probably one of the highest ranked of the remaining 10%) reformed the Battalion.

I'm assuming many of the other small units have similar stories: perhaps a lance detached for a recon mission, perhaps a pair of married MechWarriors on their honeymoon: small groups of survivors here and there holding tight to tradition and carrying on.

I really liked this story, if it's not coming through in my post: I think this story very much captured that spirit of the ELH shown through all the stories beforehand, and how a LOT of the small groups of survivors refused to let it die. It's no surprise a few of the units decided not to rejoin: it's been 70+ years at this point, nearly all of the old timers would be dead and units are creating their own, new history.

But for the majority, they carried the ELH traditions with them, and survived, prospered, and for the most part, did well by the legacy. And now they're reforming together.

I liked it. A solid conclusion to a FINE anthology. :)

The next story: ELH: The Rear-D.

;D ;D ;D ;D

five_corparty · « **Reply #49 on:** 02 January 2022, 13:56:47 »

Quote from: mikecj on 02 January 2022, 00:09:15

The next story: ELH: The Rear-D.

;D ;D ;D ;D

Real talk, man, I was told by the S1 as I was coming to a unit they were deploying and the BDE CDR was trying to decide to bring me on trail party or leave me as rear-D commander and I LITERALLY said, "I'd prefer to go with the unit downrange."

Got off the phone and looked at wife: "I'm sorry babe, but Rear-D?"
She said: "I get it." :) ;D ;D

mikecj · « **Reply #50 on:** 02 January 2022, 14:30:26 »

AGREED!
I've dodged it each time. I even talked myself into Torch/ADVON twice to make sure they couldn't change their minds!

My wife gets it too.

That would be a hell of a Shrapnel story... Tales of the Rear-D. And we could fill it with real events just changing names, and nobody'd believe it was all true.

Demon55 · « **Reply #51 on:** 07 February 2022, 12:33:15 »

Is there a way to get them in paperback? I am only seeing kindle.

DarkISI · « **Reply #52 on:** 07 February 2022, 12:35:18 »

Quote from: Demon55 on 07 February 2022, 12:33:15

Is there a way to get them in paperback? I am only seeing kindle.

Soon(ish). No exact date given, but a compilation is forthcoming.

Demon55 · « **Reply #53 on:** 07 February 2022, 18:41:06 »

Quote from: DarkISI on 07 February 2022, 12:35:18

Soon(ish). No exact date given, but a compilation is forthcoming.

That is good to read.

five_corparty · « **Reply #54 on:** 19 March 2022, 13:13:08 »

The ELH compilation is out in paperback- one of the neat things is, they put images of the Battlemechs after each story, like they used to do back in the old novels! very fun and cool!