A Call to Arms
by Loren Coleman
MechWarrior: Dark Age (#2), BattleTech Novel Reading Order (66), BattleTech (DE) (MechWarrior: Dark Age — MWDA 02), BattleTech (CAT36201)
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A UNIVERSE GONE DARK...Months have passed since the interplanetary communications net was destroyed, isolating planets across the Republic of the Sphere and beyond. Achernar is one of the few worlds that still possesses a working Hyperpulse Generator Station, a device that enables communications across the galaxy—and a highly sought-after prize for the splintering factions of the Republic...
After failing to qualify as an active MechWarrior, Raul Ortega finds solace in the Republic's show more military reserves on Archenar, and dreams of the day he might know the adventure and glory of real combat. The planet's Republic-loyal forces are supported by a loose alliance with the Swordsworn, a faction pledged to House Davion—whose leaders have an agenda all their own.
When the planet falls under siege by yet another splinter group, the Steel Wolves, who are intent on capturing the HPG station, Raul is called up to active duty. But when the Swordsworn desert Archenar in its time of need, Raul discovers there's little honor in the subtle schemes of treachery and the brutal realities of war...
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Member Reviews
Where Ghost War served to introduce readers new and old to the current state of the BattleTech universe, A Call to Arms dives straight in, letting readers follow and try to catch their breath.
This approach mostly works, with Stackpole having set up much of the background for the reader in Ghost War. But some elements of BattleTech—mainly the Clans—went untouched in the prior book, and here Coleman uses them without much of an introduction.
But while A Call to Arms may be slightly confusing to a first-time reader, that's no obstacle to someone familiar with the universe. The book remained just as good as it did when I was a first-time reader; better, perhaps, now that I've seen the fates of some of these characters 20+ books down the show more line.
A Call to Arms, despite the name, is far more than a book of combat scenes. (If you want that, try Endgame.) Instead, Coleman spends much of the time developing the characters and the relationships between them. While the lines between "good guys" and "bad guys" and "worse guys" are fairly clearly drawn, he still takes the time to explore them and their motivations in depth. Even though it's hard to sympathize with Erik Sandoval-Groell and Star Colonel Torrent, it's no secret why they're acting the way they are.
A Call to Arms was a fun book to come back to, seeing just how much it sets up for other authors to play with down the line. While there's not much here for someone not interested in the BattleTech universe, it's definitely an interesting and essential book for someone who is. show less
This approach mostly works, with Stackpole having set up much of the background for the reader in Ghost War. But some elements of BattleTech—mainly the Clans—went untouched in the prior book, and here Coleman uses them without much of an introduction.
But while A Call to Arms may be slightly confusing to a first-time reader, that's no obstacle to someone familiar with the universe. The book remained just as good as it did when I was a first-time reader; better, perhaps, now that I've seen the fates of some of these characters 20+ books down the show more line.
A Call to Arms, despite the name, is far more than a book of combat scenes. (If you want that, try Endgame.) Instead, Coleman spends much of the time developing the characters and the relationships between them. While the lines between "good guys" and "bad guys" and "worse guys" are fairly clearly drawn, he still takes the time to explore them and their motivations in depth. Even though it's hard to sympathize with Erik Sandoval-Groell and Star Colonel Torrent, it's no secret why they're acting the way they are.
A Call to Arms was a fun book to come back to, seeing just how much it sets up for other authors to play with down the line. While there's not much here for someone not interested in the BattleTech universe, it's definitely an interesting and essential book for someone who is. show less
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Author Information
24+ Works 1,716 Members
Series
MechWarrior: Dark Age
30 works (#2)
BattleTech Novel Reading Order
101 works (66)
BattleTech (DE)
62 works (MechWarrior: Dark Age — MWDA 02)
BattleTech
123 works (CAT36201)
Belongs to Publisher Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- A Call to Arms
- Original title
- A Call to Arms
- Alternate titles
- MechWarrior Dark Age: A Call to Arms
- Original publication date
- 2003-02-04
- People/Characters
- Raul Ortega; Erik Sandoval-Groell (Swordsworn); Torrent (Star Colonel, Steel Wolves); Nikola Demos (Star Captain, Steel Wolves); Yulri (Star Commander, Steel Wolves); Jessica Searcy (show all 39); Michael Eus; Isaac Blaire (Colonel, Achernar Militia); Tassa Kay (MechWarrior - Nom de plume of Anastasia Kerensky); Laren Mehta (Star Captain, Steel Wolves); Kyle Powers (Knight-Errant, The Republic of the Sphere); Janella Lakewood (Knight of the Sphere, Republic of the Sphere); Charal DePriest; Devlin Stone; Aaron Sandoval; Carl Rossiter; Brion Stempres; Palos Montgomery; Kal Radick; Damien Redburn; Thule Nygren; Aleksandr Kerensky; Nicholas Kerensky; Katya Kerensky; Colton Fetladral; Laren Mehta; Michael Eus; Phillip Mendosa; Tancred Sandoval; Yvonne Steiner-Davion; Rudy Maks; Susan Haider; Rachel Grimheald; Gregory Cox; Katana Tormark; Jacob Bannson; Evan Kell; Hanson Doles; Anastasia Kerensky
- Important places
- Achernar (Prefecture IV, The Republic of the Sphere); DropShip Lupus (Steel Wolf); Solaris VII (Lyran Commonwealth); Tikonov (Republic of the Sphere); Tigress (Republic of the Sphere); Rio (Republic of the Sphere) (show all 20); Yangtze (Republic of the Sphere); Ronel (Republic of the Sphere); Mara (Republic of the Sphere); Denebola (Republic of the Sphere); Terra (Republic of the Sphere); Dieron (Republic of the Sphere); Schedar (Republic of the Sphere); Markab (Republic of the Sphere); Al Na'ir (Republic of the Sphere); Genoa (Republic of the Sphere); Addicks (Republic of the Sphere); Liao (Republic of the Sphere); Ankaa (Republic of the Sphere); Caselton (Republic of the Sphere)
- Important events
- Gray Monday (Blackout)
- Dedication
- For Janna Silverstein,
who immersed herself in the BattleTech universe and helped to make a good book better. - First words
- Sporadic artillery crumped along Raul Ortega’s rearward flank: twenty-pounders.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)“That is good,” Lady Janella Lakewood said. “Because I’m not certain how much time The Republic has.”
- Publisher's editor
- Silverstein, Janna
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 130
- Popularity
- 251,930
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.32)
- Languages
- English, German, Hungarian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 3
