Warrior: Riposte

by Michael A. Stackpole

This is the second installment of the Warrior Trilogy for Battletech. These were Mr. Stackpole's first novelsset in the Battletech universe. It begins with Myndo Waterly, Precenter of Dieron being called before the First Circuit of Comstar. It was discovered that she leaked information that Melissa Steiner, Archon-Designate of the Lyran Commonwealth was traveling on the space liner Silver Eagle and was caputred by House Kurita Commandos. Her idenity was unknown to the Kurita soliders and she was reascued by the mercenary Kell Hounds. The leader of the Hound, Patrick Kell was killed in the fighting. All this took place at the end of Warrior: Engarde, the first novel in the series.

As a result of Patrick's death, Morgan Kell, borther and founder of the Kell Hounds comes out of a self imposed exile to lead the Hounds into battle again against Kurita's newest unit: the Genyosha. This unit is lead by Yorinaga Kurita, the man Morgan fought to a stand still 12 years before. He was the reason Morgan went into exile. The Hounds broke apart after Morgan left, and gathered back toghter on his return.

In the mean time, Hanse Davion held the wedding on Terra, at the Comstar compund at Hilton Head. Attending the wedding was the leaders of the five Successor States, Maximilian Laio, Janios Marik, Katrina Steiner, and Takashi Kurita. All were present during a reception before the wedding. Present also was Morgan Kell, Justian Xiang (son of Quintus Allard, director of Davion intelligence) Dan Allard (brother of Justian), Yorinaga Kurita, Michael Haske-Davion (brother-in-law the Hanse), and a late arrival Jamie Wolf of Wolf's Dragoons. It is during the reception, Jamie tells Takashi of the sacrifice of one of his officers during the battle on Misery. But that is another story, told in the novel Wolves On The Border.

After the reception, Akria Brahe, son of Yoinaga does some exploring and finds the Mechs of the Comguards in an underground bunker. He is discovered by Comstar guards and is saved by Morgan, Jamie and his father. They agree not to tell of the find until later. As the wedding feast takes place, Hanse announces to everyone assembled, that he is, as a wedding present for his bride, Melissa, starting the 4th Sucession War. Each person atteneding the wedding feast has a plate whit a world on it. It is the target of the invasion launched at the time of the wedding. The Davion troops, bulstered by several Mercenary companies are successful in the first several waves of the invasion. The book ends with Max Laio ordering Justian to exicute Michael Haske-Davion, who had fled to Laio's holdings, for lying to him.

Once again, Mr. Stackpole delivers a very good book. I suggest it as a must read for any Battletech fan. With the reprints being done, all new Battletech players and general Sci-Fi fans can now see how the Fourth Succession war started. The next book in the series is due out in November. Keep them comming Mr. Stackpole.