Gallipoli: A story of the First World War, and an Early Mel Gibson Role

Review by Jacob Malewitz

Writer A Writer's Eye, A Reader's Eye, The Comic Book Bin

“Gallipoli” was an early role for the controversial actor Mel Gibson, along with an unknown actor named Mark Lee. Gibson proved in his later years he knew how to play in the war roles; but war is more a sideline to this story than a major point.

The film is about two young Australians and their inevitable decision to join up with the British army, and fight in the First World War. Gibson is, initially, against the idea of going and fighting, and voices his opinion in early conversation with his friends. “You blokes want to get yourself shot go right ahead,” Gibson says to them.

The initial part of the movie works on Mark Lee’s character and, just when things get tedious, when nothing is really happening, Gibson is brought into the fold.

Lee is a talented runner (called the fastest in Western Australia) who is to young to join up in the army – which is his dream – but is able to lie and get past the screeners. Gibson, being so against fighting, ends up joining after running into Lee’s character.

This epic is slow at first, but, as mentioned, Gibson’s enlivens the movie, bringing his trademark touch to it. It is odd to see him as a man who really doesn’t want to fight. After he befriends Lee, they march through the desert to the army camp and, after joining up, are immediately sent to Gallipoli, a peninsula in Turkey that the British were hoping to gain.

The story behind the battles of Gallipoli should be noted. The first man to propose the plan was Winston Churchill, who hoped to cut off valuable supply routes to Germany by defeating the Turks. Even with all the initial planning, things would get very bloody for the British forces trying to win. Churchill’s plans weren’t followed to the letter and he, so distraught over this, resigned his position in protest. This left the command to the British High Command, who decided not to give up, even though the Turks were well dug in on the peninsula because the British had waited so long to attack.

In a way, like many war films, it shows the pointless decisions made during war. The decisions to choose to sacrifice many for a cause was key to the battles at Gallipoli. In the end, the film is more a critique of this great tragedy than a simple film. The lavish battle scenes are absent, but the point is made.

An early role by Mel Gibson that should be given respect; and though it isn’t his best, it means more than “Mad Max” or “Lethal Weapon” ever did.

Editor's Sci-Fi Touch:

Battlestar Galactica is one of the better series in recent memory. I just rented the first season of the show and figured out how crazy I really am for jumping on-board so late. It can be hard to sum up in words. I will try to write a complete review soon. This is no basic sci-fi tale: humanity is on the brink of complete defeat by the Cylons, and are trying to reach the 13th colony Earth. If only it were that simple....

The Worlds of Stephen King: Horror Writer Reloaded

by Jacob Malewitz

Writer A Writer's Eye, A Reader's Eye, The Comic Book Bin

Stephen King has recently been called the most popular writer in America. Harry Potter enthusiasts need not be angry: J.K. Rowling is British.

From his classic horror novel “Carrie,” to his recent successes “Bag of Bones,” “Cell,” and “Lisey’s Story,” King has proved he is a master of the horror genre.

What made him so successful? It took a lot of gall to write of a young girl going through puberty and being scorned. King is a man and came up with the story of the girl after some goading from his wife, and his memories of outcasts in high school.

What made King successful was his ability to shine a light on things most people didn’t want to see. Whether it be struggling, alcoholic writers, or the devil, King wasn’t afraid to make a story disturbing. Yet he doesn’t do it just to disturb; King writes of the things that affected him throughout his life, as can noted in his memoir/how-to “On Writing.”

Perhaps Stephen King’s best work is “The Shining.” Many will call “The Stand” his masterpiece, or the “Dark Tower” storyline, but Stephen King was at his finest with this story of a writer. King was an alcoholic for much of his life, and, as mentioned in “On Writing,” didn’t realize he was writing about himself as he put down the character of an alcoholic struggling to survive with a family in “The Shining.”

King has toyed with first person narratives, as well as literary fiction. This can best be seen in “Bag of Bones,” another story of a writer, but in this one he lost his wife and begins to see ghosts.

He is so successful, perhaps the most successful writer ever in terms of books sold, that King has appeared to rub off on many talents. No great writer of horror will ever be Stephen King, but many try to emulate him.

King has toyed with haunted house stories (“The Shining”), aliens (“IT”) histories of the horror field (“Danse Macabre”), fantasy heroes (“The Gunslinger”) and evil children (“Children of the Corn”). One wonders where all these stories come from. And how King is able to put out almost a book every year.

When calculating success in fiction, many ponder how much money the author has made. With millions of copies in print, it’s obvious Stephen King has turned a few bucks. But, as stated in “On Writing,” King has never written just for money; that was a plus to him.

Blogvertise: Resource for All Bloggers of the Arts:

As everyone knows, I have been very active the past weeks on my blog. I don't mass email people, instead I write quality reviews and opinions--at least I like to think so. I do put links and always ask for the help of my readers. Even though I am not in this for the money, money allows me to write even more content, buy more reviewable items, and maybe fill up my gas tank. In the spirit of this blog becoming more and more popular, with more posts every day, I have joined up with Blogvertise (blogvertise.com) in order to provide unique adds. This site allows for all kinds of blog types. You simply write a review for a company product and provide links to the site. I intend to use it to get different kinds of material on the site. Thanks for listening.

History can be fun too: From Tripoli to the Revolution

As a would-be historian, I read history books as much as possible. History is a key subject and, while not as popular as novels, can provide for much entertainment. This article will highlight some major histories perhaps you haven’t heard of or read.

George Washington’s War: David Mccullough is widely known for his novel 1776, and the history “Washington’s Crossing” immortalized the battles of Trenton and Princeton. “George Washington’s War” paints a great picture of the American Revolution. It begins at Quebec in 1756, where the British under Wolfe attacked French regular at Quebec led by Malcolm. The two legendary generals might not have known another major war would engulf the Americas twenty years later. The writing here is almost like a novel; the storytelling skills of Robert Leckie are what make it worst. This is definitive history at its best. It’s a big book and one that is always entertaining, even after multiple reads new nuances will take you through it. This is the single best book on the American Revolution.

To The Shores of Tripoli: “To The Shores of Tripoli” was written by A.B.C Whipple, and chronicled the rise of the United States navy and marines at the turn of the 18^th century. The problem was the barbary pirates in the Mediterranean, who many a power just paid off instead of dealing with. Americans refused to pay tributes to the pirates, and it led to a series of battles. It really was engaging history, not quite like a novel, but as detailed as any major history book. For readers of the young republic, this is a winner.

The World Crisis – Winston Churchill won a Pulitzer for his writings in the 1950s. “The World Crisis” was his firsthand story of the First World War. The language Churchill uses is breathtaking. He provides key background on why the war came and his opinions on it. Battles at sea and on land are told in vivid detail. As a key politician, and a member of the admiralty, Churchill had access to much of the information on the war. There is more about the navy than the fighting on the ground, but “The World Crisis” set Churchill up as one of the top historians ever. Since he is considered one of the most important men of the 20^th century, and the beater of the Nazis and Hitler, this provides a good look into a man who struggled throughout his life against other powers.

Editor's Pick: The Last Lion, Alone--A biography of the 2oth century legend

Thjs book is obviously not for the novice reader. William Manchester was one of the more talented biographers of the 20th century, along with Leon Edel. I tried reading this book at a young age and would write down all the words to look up in the dictionary later. Later, I tried again, and the language made sense. I would recommend for the history fan.

Upcoming this week: First negative novel review on A Reader's Eye, Gallipoli Film Review, and some thoughts on Battlestar Galactica. Please check back when you get a chance. All inquiries can be sent to jfmalewitz at gmail dot com.

Napoleon and the Hundred Days By Stephen Coote

Reviewed By Jacob Malewitz

Writer A Writer's Eye,
A Reader's Eye
The Comic Book Bin
Associated Content
This Is By

Da Capo Press, 2007. Pp. 308.

Napoleon and the Hundred Days is an English styled narrative written with an immediacy and excellent judgment by an author familiar with both sides during the Napoleonic wars. Coote finds his own way to immortalize men like Napoleon and Wellington.

The story of Napoleon’s last days in power, from Elba to Waterloo, has been told many times, and is a hard narrative to bring fresh light on. Yet Coote is able to bring together the facts, while at the same time embroiling readers in the true characters of the time.

Hundred Days celebrates the genius that is Napoleon.

Coote is far from afraid to critique the legendary general for all the major mistakes he made. He has his own signature style; the way he formulates his sentences and comes to conclusions is noteworthy.

The story begins with Charles Maurice de Talleygrand, President of the Provisional Government after Napoleon’s exile. Talleygrand isn’t a key figure in the story, more a means for the text to begin. When he finds out that Napoleon escaped his exile on the island of Elba it sets the stage for the final hundred days of power for Napoleon.

A brief interlude on Napoleon’s actions since his early years is then written. At an early age Napoleon showed a talent on the battlefield. A highlight of the text said it best, “His astonishing quickness of thought was equaled by a strategic intelligence that could always see a battle on a whole and by a memory so retentive that he would recall every detail of the disposition of his men and the terrain through which they were passing.”

Still, Napoleon was a man from the lower classes and, no matter how gifted, would never realize his dream under the Bourbon kings of France. The French Revolution came and things changed. The central problem was that, when the revolution occurred, the other powers of Europe were each terrified of it spreading, destroying all the monarchies. Even with this, a million Frenchman joined the army, and would pose a problem for even the combined might of the allies.

Though, without Napoleon the Republic might never have lasted very long. Even when he was emperor, early on he had to be a master in every battle or risk losing all he gained. Napoleon couldn’t be everywhere and since he was a good judge of men, his seconds were able to achieve some success.

Nationalism was beginning to spread throughout the countries of Europe, not just in France. It would continue to escalate until the First World War. It could be summed up by the words of the German philosopher Herder: “Let us follow our own path, let all men speak well or ill of our nation, our literature, our language.”

Napoleon wasn’t a random occurrence, as the text relates, instead he was a good judge of men and the national sentiment of the French people.

After years of ruling the battlefield, Napoleon was finally defeated in 1814, and soon after, sent to Elba. Coote brings in information rarely told in other texts, as it would defame the master Napoleon. Napoleon, soon after his exile, attempted suicide unsuccessfully. Yet, “he believed he could move the world by the resolve of his own will.” Napoleon’s attempted suicide didn’t take this away from him.

After leaving Elba, and effectively retaking France with six hundred soldiers, Napoleon met his fate at his final battle of Waterloo, where his judge of the battlefield appeared exhausted as he just couldn’t call upon the resolve to win anymore.

Coote tells all these details quickly, and it is easy to get lost amongst the words. He does make some minor mistakes in the text in terms of choosing information. Napoleon’s greatest battle, Austerlitz, is given one short paragraph. The majority of the battles are given little weight in words, while things like the economic blockade of Britain are thoroughly analyzed. Choices had to be made and, perhaps, these things had been analyzed enough by other writers.

Coote incorporates what is known about Napoleon into a text worthy to note. Things would never be the same in the military world after Napoleon, and Coote gives him his due respect.

The bibliography and notes aren’t as extensive as usual histories, which suits a book written more like a novel than a history.

Napoleon and the Hundred Days is a worthy addition to military history.

Locus Magazine: Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Readers Unite

Locus Magazine is the best non-fiction speculative fiction related magazine around. For those of you who are put off by reading fiction from magazines like Asimov’s Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction, Locus is the best choice. Fiction can get old at times, and essays and interviews provide a means to enjoy reading again.

Locus isn’t perfect, but what really makes it work is the interviews that are in each magazine and how they are handled. Instead of the basic Q&A format, the writers are offered something more akin to a personal essay, which can involve opinions on the field and the work they have done, set over the course of several pages. Notable authors include Naomi Novik, John Varley, and Dan Simmons. Also, notable editors write about their experiences in the field, from TOR to Roc.

The interviews with authors and editors can be very engaging, and it gives you a taste for their writing or style so you can decide whether enjoy it or not. Some authors or editors will have a plethora of adjectives or exclamation points, which can be oft-putting to some readers.

Others provide key points on the writing business. Take Ginjer Buchanan, who, in issue 552 of Locus, wrote that Roc and Ace (two major publishers) rarely offer huge advances, usually about $5,000, but the books stay in print. Books staying in print are important, as Buchanan states, because more money can be made off of royalties.

Each interview begins with a few paragraphs of biography for the writer for readers unfamiliar with their works.

News on the speculative fiction world is given in each issue. This compromises major events like award shows with full photo spreads to books bought and sold.

Recent deaths are covered as well, like the death of notable publisher Jim Baen and author Jack Williamson. Essays are often written by authors who knew the deceased to celebrate their lives.

Recent publications and book sales are mentioned, too. This provides a resource for aspiring authors to see what agents often make book sales and what types of books are being sold in the market currently.

Each issue has book and magazine reviews. Works from Neil Gaiman to Jay Lake are reviewed. Magazines reviewed include Asimov’s, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and smaller magazines like Interzone.

Lastly, Locus isn’t afraid to take chances artistically with the magazine. Take Allen Steele’s interview in issue 552, which had question marks dotted across the page, not in a way that detracts from the look, it is done in a more becoming style.

Most readers won’t be interested in every part of the Locus magazine. The reviews of short fiction or notes on books bought and sold could be boring for some. But for any aspiring author the interviews are a great resource.

For a glimpse into the speculative fiction world, Locus Magazine is a good choice.

Beginning A New Blog on Comics

I just started a new blog focusing on comic books. I found many of my readers enjoyed reading my comic book reviews, including writing books. I posted a review of the first volume of Sandman along with an essay I wrote for Associated Content called The 50 Cent Comic Book Bin. I hope collectors and readers find it interesting.
The Comic Bin

Jacob Malewitz
A Writer's Eye

Reading For Yourself: Words Become the Muse

B y Jacob Malewitz
Writer A Writer's Eye
Writer Associated Content

The intent of this essay is to show how reading can be just as helpful in maintaining sanity during a lifetime as writing. In my personal experiences, as a writer, as a student, as a worker in menial jobs (writing not included), I've found that reading can help me maintain a healthy outlook on life.

I wrote an article for Associated Content on finding the right book for the mood. What I didn't expound upon was the simple idea that writing can help with perspective on life, not just the mood.

Reading something like Virginia Woolf when you should be reading Stephen King is a hard proposition. Stephen King is good any day of the week, that's what makes him so successful. Woolf is powerful in her way with words, the way she puts ideas together, but isn't a writer whose works can be read any day of the week.

Before I even thought of myself as a writer, I was an avid reader. Then I became a writer and found I wanted to take everything I learned in reading, and apply it to my writing. I would write reviews of books and, recently, considered essays. This is all fine, there is much that can be done with a good book, but the joy of reading was lost. Sometimes it's okay to read a book and then move on to another without thinking twice of making something out of it.

Few books alone will change your life. Add in a series of books, of time spent, and one begins to understand the power that is in words. It is far more useful to read a book than watch a rerun of Seinfeld. Do you want to do nothing? TV is a prime source for doing nothing, but books can provide for the fire of the mind better than any rerun can.

This is not to say TV should be underrated, or pushed to the side, it has a purpose, like all things. In my estimation reading a good book can provide a more therapeutic process of thoughts than staring at a screen ever will.

It can go to extremes: sometimes books are just wasting time like anything else. Whether it is miracle cures or how to lose fifty pounds, books are far from exempt from being junk. I just think they can push you toward a more enlightening form of thinking.

Want a challenge? Want to remember more of the books you read? That is all about putting in the mental work of reading slower. Reading to fast can be fun, and some books call for it, but even if you have a stack of books to get through learning things as you read is better than storming through for entertainment.

In my experience as a writer, books give me hope. I can read Stephen King, L.E. Modesitt Jr., or maybe Paul Auster, and find in the words a reason to continue, to understand the human condition in a unique way. Books are all about creating moods within the reader. It is my hope that when you read your next book you enjoy it more than the last, which is the eternal hope of all people who want to feel better after finishing a good book.

Beginning of an Epic Fantasy Series, "A Kind of Peace"

Review by Jacob Malewitz

Writer Associated Content

Writer A Writer’s Eye With Jacob Malewitz

A Kind of Peace by Andy Boot

In the land of Inan, war has been waged for centuries. At the beginning of “A Kind of Peace,” from the series “Dreams of Inan,” the nations of the land have finally made peace. Can it hold? What will the people, so used to war, do?

The story moves to the characters populating the world to help, in a way, answer those questions.

The main character is Simeon, a warrior of Bethel. and he finds himself being a soldier with no place to fight. Another character tells him, “You’re the best suited. A good warrior and a man who can handle the situation with tact and discretion.”

Simeon is assigned to guard a mage. He runs into a series of incidents after one guard is killed. The mage, Ramus-Bey, is an older character, and begins to watch out for Simeon as they travel through many dangers.

In one scene, Simeon spots a mysterious creature outside the castle and investigates. Simeon comes close enough to the creature, close enough to watch it kill another person. He is surprised that, later, the mage he is assigned to protect seems afraid.

The core conflict early in the story is between Simeon and the mage he protects. The mage seems disturbed by the protection Simeon has been ordered to do. Ramus-Bey offers the warrior of Bethel little but disdain. This conflict changes over the course of the story. The mage offers Simeon respect after he puts his life on the line.

The mages of Inan have the power to turn the lands to dust, but have trouble against direct assault, as their age shows. Simeon finds he is more important in protecting the mage than he originally thought.

Overall, the writing of this novel, which opens the “Dreams of Inan” series, can be surprising in its depth. It isn’t perfect, but is very entertaining in its depictions of characters and action scenes. Andy Boot has a winner with “A Kind of Peace,” because he lets the characters move the story.

Abaddon books, the publisher of several fascinating speculative fiction series like “Dreams of Inan”, is hosting a new wave of British literature with its line. “Dreams of Inan” should just be the beginning of successful storytelling in the future from this publisher. Expect more reviews of Abaddon books in the future. You can always read more articles by me here.

Ruse Enter the Detective: A graphic novel adventure from the Crossgen Universe

By Jacob Malewitz

Writer Associated Content

Writer A Writer’s Eye With Jacob Malewitz

(A Note: Crossgen, the publisher of this graphic novel and dozens of others, is now out of business. However, Disney owns the rights and Checker Publishing is putting out new editions of many of the top series, including Scion and Sigil. These are great comics, and I plan on reviewing many over the next months.)

Simon Ackard is a mysterious man who solves mysteries. The opening of “Ruse,” a Crossgen graphic novel, immediately reveals Ackard’s nature as a Sherlock Holmes type of detective. From the opening pages, his detective skills are at work. Someone was killed, and Simon points out the man who did it—the killer then dashes away from the scene and tries to kill another person.

Emma, a seductive woman who works with Simon, has special powers which are revealed in the scene following the killer’s attempted escape. The killer is captured, in a sense.

Soon after this episode, an establishing shot of the city of Partington. Here, Simon and Emma work their detective skills.

Emma Bishop works with Simon Archard, it is revealed, and Archard is considered to be the best detective in the world. One would think Archard would be the complete focus of this mystery comic, but Emma is the co-protagonist of the story, as well as the narrator.

While stories do not always entertain with some Crossgen titles (which can be seen in the slowness of the initial titles of Crossgen comics), the storytelling abilities of Mark Waid is evident from the outset of this title. And the artwork is astounding—a norm in Crossgen comics. The pages and panels are seamless witrh the plot. The characters themselves are revealing in just how they look, each being a piece making “Ruse” a quality graphic novel.

The land of “Ruse” is interesting in that it fits in with the historical drama mindset. As in many detective dramas, action is consistent in this story. However, “Ruse” is not a clichéd action story with nothing furthering the tale, because of Waid’s characterization.

The story is soon propelled into the powers who are playing behind the scenes. Someone is working on the outside of what appears to be just another drug bust. A woman appears as Simon is discovering how the drugs were being transported. And this woman is interested in the powers that Emma—the coprotagonist—has. Emma finds this villainess intends to steal the power Emma desires to keep a secret.

The conflicts in this detective tale are subtle. In the end, the publishers of Crossgen had a different take on the powers that there heroes would have. The characters that populate “Ruse” each show the right details—the scientific type, the angry, and even cops sick of working with high-minded detectives. This story should entertain not only Crossgen fans but all comic fans. There is a reason “Ruse” was nominated for five Eisner Awards (the major awards of comics), and it point to the greatest success of the now defunct Crossgen Comics company.

OTHER TOP CROSSGEN STORIES

Batman The Long Halloween: Classic tale created by a classic team of writer/artist

By Jacob Malewitz

Writer Associated Content

Writer A Writer’s Eye With Jacob Malewitz

“Everything around me is a lie,” says Bruce Wayne in the opening monologue of one of the best stories every told in the Batman mythos.

Loeb, now known for being producer on the hit “Heroes” TV show, pens one of his first comic book masterpieces with “The Long Halloween.” This is the Gotham seen in “Batman: Year One,” where mobsters are strong, Bruce Wayne and Batman young, and enough insane or sane villains to keep the reader turning the pages with enthusiasm.

This is crime noir—there is the conflict with the gangster Carmine Falcone,

Here, Harvey Dent is a young district attorney trying to clean up Gotham, before he turns into Two-Face, a signature Batman villain.

There is also Jim Gordon, a captain in the Gotham PD, who will soon move up in the world and become commissioner. But now he is a maverick of sorts who works with a cape wearing super hero to try and do the things he cannot.

The main enemy early in “The Long Halloween” is Falcone, who Batman wants to crack down on. Falcone is also an enemy of Dent, who sees countless murders going unsolved when he knows the crime lord is guilty.

The real mystery does work itself in quickly. The first of the Holiday murders—this one a murder of Falcone’s nephew.

The murders build up, and the mystery thickens. Harvey Dent, always pushing for justice, teams up with Batman, and it comes close to costing him his life.

Dent plays a game with his enemies when he fakes his own death. But the Holiday killings continue, and the evidence leads to a villain famous in Batman comics—the Joker. Artist Tim Sale creates the perfect image of an insane man who practices his insanity in the most deadly of ways. However, someone else is involved with the killings. Other villains appear—like The Riddler and Scarecrow—but more and more Batman thinks this is not a costumed killer, which makes the comic book ever more important because it moves away from just super-hero-drama.

Mysteries abound in “The Long Halloween.” Who is the Holiday killer?

The old story that a Loeb comic book can be read faster than most is true in the case of this graphic novel. But Loeb has a mastery of the narrative. Though his writing is sparse, it moves perfectly with the tension and suspense of the story.

The artwork of Time Sale achieves a perfect synthesis of comic book and crime noir. This does not have the splash pages used to show the artwork; instead, they are used rarely and only to further the story and plot.

In the end, this is a mystery that even Alfred Hitchcock would have admired. Tim Sale and Jeph Loeb create a work that, if you are unaware of, you are in for a surprise.

Battletech: Deconstructing A Legendary Series of Novels

Battletech Deconstructed: A Short Guide to the Hit Series of Novels
By Jacob Malewitz, read more articles by me on Associated Content, a great site for literary sleuths.



Battletech is a hit series of science fiction stories told over many mediums. While the Battletech universe has expanded in the past to video games (Mechwarrior), animated series (1st Somerset Strikers by Saban Entertainment) and even plans for a movie. This short guide will focus on the universe created by the Battletech novels.

The Battletech universe owes much of its original designs to animes like Macross and Robotech, and later science fiction influences in Warhammer 40k. There have even been discussions on the similarities between Battletech and Star Wars.

In short, Battletech is a universe set in the future against the backdrop of near constant war between humans. The main fighter in all the battles is a mech, which is a huge machine built like a tank but with flexibility and appearance close to that of a person. The mechs range in size from 20 tons to 100 tons, though some construction and farming mechs are even smaller. What the x-wing fighter is to Star Wars the mech is to the Battletech universe.

Mechs dominate the stories of Battletech mainly due to the Ares convention, which was a law enacted to place restrictions on things like nuclear bombs. This led to increased development of mechs because the machines were considered more humane. If the Ares convention hadn't been enacted, perhaps mechs would not have been considered as important.

At the same time, a league of warriors who could fight for profit, mercenaries, were born again. These mercenaries provided the backbone of many galactic empires forces, and fought often. Many novels in the universe are devoted to chronicling top mercenary groups like Wolf’s Dragoons and the Eridani Light Horse.

Most of what happens in the Battletech universe is in the Inner Sphere—a series of worlds within the scope of colonized human planets. There are no aliens in Battletech, which makes it different from series like Warhammer 40k, Robotech, and Star Wars. Many fans have stated that the series could be superior if aliens played a part in it like these stories.

The main conflicts addressed in Battletech novels are between houses within the Inner Sphere and a group of war-like clans who reside outside the Inner Sphere. The houses in the Battletech universe include the Davion house, Steiner, Liao, Kurita, and Marik. The clans who fight against these houses include the Jade Falcon Clan, Ghost Bear clan, and Nova Cat clan, and over a dozen others.

The majority of the early novels in the Battletech universe, including “The Saga of the Gray Death Legion,” were before the arrival of the warring clans. Top writers penned many of these, including Michael A. Stackpole, a regular writer in both Star Wars novels and Battletech novels.

The clans arrived in the “Blood of Kerensky” trilogy written by Michael A. Stackpole (who also wrote earlier novels in the universe). This is perhaps a good point for those unfamiliar with the Battletech universe to begin. All you need to know is this: For centuries the houses have been at war, but the old Star League army, descendants of a general Kerensky and those who fought with him, has returned to take back the Inner Sphere from the warring houses. These are the clans, and they intend to conquer the whole of the Inner Sphere.

The early novels in the Battletech universe are hard to come by even on Ebay. The first published novels set in this universe were the “Saga of The Gray Death Legion,” which alludes to a mercenary outfit serving in the Inner Sphere.

The current novels being published in the Battletech universe are called “Mechwarrior Dark Age.” After the clans were pushed back, rogue agents destroyed communication equipment across the Inner Sphere, leading to a "Dark Age" of sorts where communications between worlds was very hard.

The first Dark Age novel was “Ghost War.” The Dark Age novels are set almost a hundred years into the future of the Clan Invasion time, and are not as popular with fans as the earlier novels.

Battletech is a rewarding science fiction series to read. It doesn't even take all this knowledge to enjoy it, but this should be a start on the road to being a fan of the hit series of novels.

I would suggest buying a few classic novels to start out. Some fans say the newer Dark Ages series is boring, but there is a vast selection.

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