Mechwarrior Dark Age 23 Surrender Your Dreams [Paperback]

Yes, you read the title right, and I'm reviewing MechWarrior: Dark Age #23: Surrender Your Dreams.

I'll get to why this book is actually worthy of an academic review in a bit, but first more on the book itself.

For those who are interested in picking up the MechWarrior books because they've played the collectible figure game or one of the video games out now -- do not start with this book. Go back at least as far as Fortress Republic or before to start, if you want this book to make any sense.

For those who have been with the MechWarrior universe for a while, this is a fantastic book. It is quite different from most MechWarrior books in a variety of ways. Most striking is the use of the postmodernist literary tool of breaking up and re-arranging time, so the author can jump back and forth between the characters and their lives to better tell the story of the character themselves. Chapter titles give a good clue to this and had the author been a literary snob or simply evil, he may have left it at that. Fortunately, he also placed locations and dates (including a reference to the start of Fortress Republic) that allow the reader to keep temporal orientation with the story. Also different from most MechWarrior stories is the focus on politics and strategy more than the tactics of a single battle or set of battles. This allows for the final major difference of plunging the entire MechWarrior universe into one large moral state of grey, as opposed to the usual more black and white outlook prevalent in most of the books in the series. What makes someone a "good guy" or "bad guy" in the MechWarrior usually has been clearer, but this book has turned many prior notions about the MechWarrior universe on its ear. "Morally squishy" is about as good as one gets in this book and to good effect, although redemption is still possible.

If you are at all interested in the MechWarrior universe, you'll want to read this book. Lots of plot lines aren't neatly completed by the end of the book, but there are a few shocking plotlines from the Battletech universe that predated Dark Age that have important new developments. I'd love to tell you more, but it would ruin the surprise....

All of this brings me back to the title with which I started this review. While the plot and writing style are interesting, nothing there breaks new ground. What is interesting is how the series takes plot strands from the Battletech universe (both books and games) that seemed resolved or inconsequential and brings them back to focus in the current series. Thomas Marik is one example of this -- long dead in the universe, one would have expected him to be little more than a footnote in MechWarrior history, a nod for readers that have been with the series for years. Yet, in this book, he becomes a pivotal figure in a new interstellar war. Couple this use of "pop canon," for lack of a better phrase, and note the use of different forms of media (in this case, other books, pencil-and-paper game references, the collectable figures game references, multiple video games on different platforms, the internet, and I've even heard a cartoon was made), you have the basis for an interesting academic review of how stories and mythology are made and told today. One could compare and contrast other similar examples, such as various aspects of the Joss Weadon universe(s).

Overall, and excellent book, but not for newcomers to the Mechwarrior universe and probably a book better suited for adults than other books in the series. 5 stars, with the understanding that it is essentially a pulp sci-fi novel at heart.

I should start by noting that I really, really appreciate the Fortress Republic concept, and I've been thirsty for more of it ever since the last Loren Coleman books last year. So it may not be entirely surprising that I really took to this book, since it is all about the implementation of that plan from the outside.

This book consists of three separate storylines regarding different military missions, connected by a single thread - the Fidelis, an ultra-elite fighting cadre split between the three different forces. Each of the storylines starts in media res, with the Chapters interweaved throughout the book. A framing device, explaining how all of these missions were put together by Damien Redburn, the ex-Exarch, ties them together and gives them a sense of connection that wasn't there in Wolf Hunters.

The writing style is very effective for the first 2/3rds or so, with information revealed early, and the context given later. Sure, it was a bit cheesy, but it helped make the framing device that much stronger - better to see first what the Republic is willing to do to preserve itself, before seeing *why*.

This isn't where I'd start, certainly; I wouldn't recommend this to newcomers to the Battletech/Mechwarrior universe. But for those of us that have been reading for decades now, this is the best book that has come out in a long time.

One of the greatest battletech books since the 90's, It brings back the depth and intrigue of the origional series while pushing the series in a new direction. This has got to be the best book of the Dark Age series that I've read yet, I'd Reccomend this to any Battletech or Mechwarrior fan, and even to plain Sci-Fi Fans interested in checking out the Battletech Universe

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 6 reviews  4.8 out of 5 stars