Forgotten Worlds Books 1 and 2

[roosterboy]

Catalyst Game Labs is pleased to present the first two books of Herb Beas' Forgotten Worlds serial, originally published in 2007 and 2008.

Book 1: The Hunt for Jardine and Book 2: Finding Jardine are attached to this post.

Book 3: Escape from Jardine is currently being posted on the Fan Fiction board and can be discussed there.

[Knightmare]

 :thumbsup: Thanks Rooster! Thanks CGL!

[Orwell84]

Thanks for this, much appreciated :)

[Frabby]

Aaah, good old BattleCorps goodness. Nostalgia...

These are the unchanged original BC files, right?

[tapdancingbeavers]

Oooh, nice!   :o

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Will read tomorrow for sure.

[mikecj]

Thanks for posting these again!

[cklammer]

Very nice - thank you so very much. :))

Also: nice formatting for reading on ebook readers without further tweaking  :thumbsup:

[IronSphinx]

Yay!!!! I love this series!! Always wondered what happened to the good Doctor and her companions. Thanks CGL & Herb!! :thumbsup:

[Frabby]

Yay!!!! I love this series!! Always wondered what happened to the good Doctor and her companions. Thanks CGL & Herb!! :thumbsup:

We've known how the story ends since it was one of the "between the lines" stories on the WizKids website.
Her grandchildren (?) exchanged messages via LinkNet trying to piece together the puzzle of why the WoB had hunted down their family. Even in the Dark Age their search caused enough alarm for an unnamed agency to sabotage a civilian liner DropShip, with hundreds dead. (But really, you're asking for something like that when you name your DropShip the Lusitania IV...)

[rebs]

Thank you, CGL!

[HABeas2]

Yay!!!! I love this series!! Always wondered what happened to the good Doctor and her companions. Thanks CGL & Herb!! :thumbsup:

I found, years after my tenure ended, that I couldn't leave the story unfinished, especially with so much of that third book already written, so the last year or so was spent finishing it off between other projects of my own, with an eye toward release on the Fanfic boards because, well, I figured there were folks like you, IronSphinx.

We've known how the story ends since it was one of the "between the lines" stories on the WizKids website.
Her grandchildren (?) exchanged messages via LinkNet trying to piece together the puzzle of why the WoB had hunted down their family. Even in the Dark Age their search caused enough alarm for an unnamed agency to sabotage a civilian liner DropShip, with hundreds dead. (But really, you're asking for something like that when you name your DropShip the Lusitania IV...)

Heeee! That was a fun series of articles I wrote. And while it DOES suggest how the story ended, well, I had a fourth "book" in mind to explain what really happened to Stevens and co. after the events of the main story, and lay the groundwork for the adventures of Brooke's grandkids, Stefka and Yeska Riviera. Woulda been neat, but I never took that one any farther than a vague idea.

- Herb

[tapdancingbeavers]

Good to have new (partially) fiction from you Herb.  :)

[Frabby]

Heeee! That was a fun series of articles I wrote. And while it DOES suggest how the story ended, well, I had a fourth "book" in mind to explain what really happened to Stevens and co. after the events of the main story, and lay the groundwork for the adventures of Brooke's grandkids, Stefka and Yeska Riviera. Woulda been neat, but I never took that one any farther than a vague idea.

Oh. Oh oh. Now it all comes together...
Brookly Stevens is Devlin Stone!
 :ugly_stupid:   :lol:

Incidentally, given she had grandchildren - were her children ever mentioned anywhere?

[HABeas2]

Good to have new (partially) fiction from you Herb.  :)

Thanks, though I should note that this is likely my very last one. I just wanted to get it out of my system.

Oh. Oh oh. Now it all comes together...
Brookly Stevens is Devlin Stone!

Incidentally, given she had grandchildren - were her children ever mentioned anywhere?

Nope, because as of 3067, she and Tyler hadn't had any.

- Herb

[Bosefius]

Thank you Herb!!!

[IronSphinx]

I found, years after my tenure ended, that I couldn't leave the story unfinished, especially with so much of that third book already written, so the last year or so was spent finishing it off between other projects of my own, with an eye toward release on the Fanfic boards because, well, I figured there were folks like you, IronSphinx.

It is greatly appreciated.  :thumbsup:

[beachhead1985]

This is Awesome!

[HABeas2]

Thank you Herb!!!

No need to thank me for the re-release of the first two books. That was beyond my means.  8)

- Herb

[MoleMan]

Wow, is there any other Battletech fiction on here released like this? Not including all the fan fiction backlog I'm working my way through :D

[HABeas2]

To the best of my knowledge, no.

- Herb

[Mendrugo]

Wow, is there any other Battletech fiction on here released like this? Not including all the fan fiction backlog I'm working my way through :D

The downloads section has a BattleCorps fiction sampler:  http://www.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/BattleCorps-Fiction-Sampler.pdf

[MoleMan]

Brilliant thanks, it just so happens that this is the first time I've ventured into this section of the  forum and this thread was at the top, awesome find! Cheers

[avon1985]

WOW, nice surprise! Thanks, good to read these again!

[DarkLloyd]

This is Awesome Herb!

Thank you for giving us another look into these stories.

[HABeas2]

This is Awesome Herb!

Thank you for giving us another look into these stories.

All I did was finish the third book with an eye toward public release on the Fanfic boards. Everything else came from folks other than me.

- Herb

[tapdancingbeavers]

All I did was finish the third book with an eye toward public release on the Fanfic boards. Everything else came from folks other than me.

- Herb

Everyone's part is appreciated.  :)

[Dq3]

Thank you very much to Herb and everyone who helped with the re release of 1+2! I've been trying to piece together the first two books from my old battlecorps downloads for over a year now, it'll be great to finally get to see one of my favorite stories wrapped up.  :D

[HABeas2]

Everyone's part is appreciated.  :)

Agreed!

Thank you very much to Herb and everyone who helped with the re release of 1+2! I've been trying to piece together the first two books from my old battlecorps downloads for over a year now, it'll be great to finally get to see one of my favorite stories wrapped up.  :D

Thank YOU, Dq3, and may I also say (judging from your post count), welcome to the forums!

- Herb

[Dq3]

Thanks Herb, I did have a question regarding the boarding action on the 'Sac; and I apologise in advance if this was answered somewhere previously, but I was wondering what model the BA/ PAL suit was? I was thinking Tornado or Nighthawk based on the timeline and the fact that it had fully articulated hands, or was it a custom MD job? Just curious!

[mikecj]

I love seeing the MD's fleshed out (pun intended) and expanded even further than we saw in the other works.

[HABeas2]

Thanks Herb, I did have a question regarding the boarding action on the 'Sac; and I apologise in advance if this was answered somewhere previously, but I was wondering what model the BA/ PAL suit was? I was thinking Tornado or Nighthawk based on the timeline and the fact that it had fully articulated hands, or was it a custom MD job? Just curious!

I believe that trooper was using a Nighthawk XXI PA(L). It was left vague in the story largely to demonstrate the relative inexperience the Sacajawea's crew had with battle armor, while also leaving room for me to maybe develop something special later (which I never did).

I love seeing the MD's fleshed out (pun intended) and expanded even further than we saw in the other works.

Thank you! That was one reason I decided to write this story... I mean, after the reason that I basically wanted my own Indiana Jones/Lara Croft type character in BT. ;)

- Herb

[Esskatze]

Big thanks to the powers that be at CGL for releasing the first two parts and to you, Herbert, for taking the time to finish that trilogy. I always wondered how the hunt for Jardine would end. Great read!  :)

[HABeas2]

Thank YOU for enjoying them!

- Herb

[HABeas2]

Hi,

So, Chapter 5 of Book 3 is now posted, for those who are interested.

And I have made a brief statement about it in the associated discussion thread you may want to read through as well.

In the meantime, adieu!

- Herb

[HABeas2]

Yo,

So, Chapter 6 of Book 3 is now live!

Enjoy!

- Herb

[Zinmar]

Are the first two books ever going to be released in paperback?

[HABeas2]

Are the first two books ever going to be released in paperback?

It is my understanding that they plan to combine all three books into a paperback or POD release later this year.

Whether or not that ACTUALLY happens, though, is beyond me.

- Herb

[Zinmar]

Fingers crossed that it happens. Nothing against kindle but I prefer an actual book in my hands.

[HABeas2]

Fingers crossed that it happens. Nothing against kindle but I prefer an actual book in my hands.

I'd like to hold a copy myself, if I'm being honest. Though I may be a bit biased.

- Herb

[pokefan548]

I'd like to hold a copy myself, if I'm being honest. Though I may be a bit biased.

- Herb

Within reason, there's absolutely no shame in wanting to keep the fruits of your labors displayed on the shelf.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

EDIT: seeing the answer on Sarna from 2020 I still would like to ask: is there a plan for post Jardine content still in the ‘works’ anywhere for ‘book four’?

Also random: while on Sarna I read about the Steven’s grandchildren (sourced from Dark Age: 3136 Levin’s Lost). Do we know when the Steven’s had a child? I don’t recall in the novels stating that (yes ‘published later’), so I’d hypothesize that it was somewhere after Jardine before her death clearly.

[Hellraiser]

Catalyst Game Labs is pleased to present the first two books of Herb Beas' Forgotten Worlds serial, originally published in 2007 and 2008.

Book 1: The Hunt for Jardine and Book 2: Finding Jardine are attached to this post.

Book 3: Escape from Jardine is currently being posted on the Fan Fiction board and can be discussed there.

I'm not seeing the attachments anymore.
Are they still available?

[Frabby]

The Book 3 previews were taken down when CGL purchased the manuscript for publication as proper canon. Previously, it was technically non-canonical fan fiction.

[HABeas2]

EDIT: seeing the answer on Sarna from 2020 I still would like to ask: is there a plan for post Jardine content still in the ‘works’ anywhere for ‘book four’?

Also random: while on Sarna I read about the Steven’s grandchildren (sourced from Dark Age: 3136 Levin’s Lost). Do we know when the Steven’s had a child? I don’t recall in the novels stating that (yes ‘published later’), so I’d hypothesize that it was somewhere after Jardine before her death clearly.

Well, after they eventually combine the three published parts in a combined omnibus (supposedly later this year), there have been discussions of me doing a follow-on. I have outlined a full three-book sequel, and submitted it for approval some time back, but it's still just a "maybe" at this time until I hear otherwise.

And as to the Stevenses' grandkids, well, that's rather another story entirely (pun semi-intended). I have ideas and material in the works related to them, but yeah, a lot relies on maybes and I-don't-knows at this moment.

I will concede that these Stevenses have no kids at the time of the Jardine events. Their relationship has a few issues that make children rather difficult right now... ;)

- Herb

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Cool thanks a lot

[heist08]

I, too, would love to see this series continue. I’d also love to see stories detailing the Stevens grandkids’ adventures.

Heist08

[niall78]

I'm not seeing the attachments anymore.
Are they still available?

Wondering this myself. I bought the paperback recently 'Escaping Jardine' - where can I purchase the first two parts of this story?

[HABeas2]

Wondering this myself. I bought the paperback recently 'Escaping Jardine' - where can I purchase the first two parts of this story?

They're still not out in print (supposed to be a compilation of all three parts later this year), but I know you can find them in e-book format on Amazon, at least.

On GCL's site, they seem to be on sale here:
Part 1 = https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/collections/battletech/products/battletech-the-hunt-for-jardine-forgotten-worlds-part-one
Part 2 = https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/collections/battletech/products/battletech-finding-jardine-forgotten-worlds-part-two

Hope that helps.

- Herb

[mikecj]

I'd love to see a follow-on trilogy.  there was so much about the M-D we never saw and Appy was a pretty interesting character.

[HABeas2]

I'd love to see a follow-on trilogy.  there was so much about the M-D we never saw and Appy was a pretty interesting character.

Well, good news, I suppose! If the outline I sent is accepted and the story continues, Apollyon makes more than a few appearances in it, as do some other MDs of note.

- Herb

[niall78]

They're still not out in print (supposed to be a compilation of all three parts later this year), but I know you can find them in e-book format on Amazon, at least.

On GCL's site, they seem to be on sale here:
Part 1 = https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/collections/battletech/products/battletech-the-hunt-for-jardine-forgotten-worlds-part-one
Part 2 = https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/collections/battletech/products/battletech-finding-jardine-forgotten-worlds-part-two

Hope that helps.

- Herb

Thanks Herb. I'm a dead tree maniac when it come to BT so I'll wait for a physical release. Have a few more to read so I'll put 'Escaping' into hibernation until a full release. Love the whole Stephens arc as it hits all my BT sweet points - lost world's, Comstar manipulation,  Jihad Era and the Explorer Corps.

It's great to see Jihad stores like this hitting the shelves. It's one of the best Eras in the cannon that was unfortunately let down by a lack of novel support at the time - even if the source books were some of the best ever published. I say this as a guy who was on board from the 4th Succession War as well. Jihad kicks ass. I look forward over the next few years to reading more fiction relating to this era.

[HABeas2]

I thank you very much for those kind words, Niall! It was unfortunate that we couldn't produce novels in that time, to be sure. That fact alone informed the whole execution of the Jihad-era more than any other factor. (If anyone's keeping score, the next most impactful factor was the need to satisfy continuity in two directions--past and future--at the same time.)

Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that the sequel series will ever get greenlit and written at this time (that decision is above my pay grade now), but if it does, I hope the result doesn't disappoint. I had a blast just writing the detailed outlines alone!

- Herb

[mikecj]

Ok, Indiana Brook better get the hat when she gets back to civilization!

[HABeas2]

Ok, Indiana Brook better get the hat when she gets back to civilization!

Assuming Tyler's not using it, maybe she will!

- Herb