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Reading and Writing Book Reviews Blood of Kerensky Vol. 1, 2, and 3
Reading and Writing Book Reviews Blood of Kerensky Vol. 1, 2, and 3
| Blood of Kerensky Vol. 1, 2, and 3 |
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| Friday, 12 February 2010 01:35 |
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by Michael A. Stackpole I am a huge fan of Stackpole’s X-Wing series, so I was a little more than disappointed when I could not even finish the first book in his Warrior Trilogy, Stackpole’s first entry into the Battletech franchise. Stackpole’s earlier works are just not as exciting I guess. Years later I am once again reading classic Battletech and many fans suggested that I start from the Blood of Kerensky trilogy. After reading just a few excerpts I was sucked in. The trilogy truly was a thrilling read from start to finish. Stackpole does an amazing job of juggling multiple character perspectives and simultaneous events. I really felt like I was reading about an epic conflict with so many different situations, yet I never lost track of what was going on or got buried under info dumps. While this is the trilogy’s greatest strength, I also feel it is one of its weaknesses. There is so much going on that it was obvious that Stackpole got selective with what scenes to leave in. This was particularly frustrating as there was so much more I wanted to know. This demerit reaches its peak in Volume Three: Lost Destiny. The epic battle I was waiting for since the first book felt skimmed over. Stackpole only went into detail on a few skirmishes. The other final confrontations also felt watered down, but the conclusion was very satisfying regardless and I did not see it coming. I got to give Stackpole praise for putting in some excellent twists throughout the trilogy. I also felt Stackpole’s character was a bit weak in this trilogy. Most of the characters had certain aspects of their personality greatly exaggerated, making them feel one dimensional at times. By the time he acknowledged some gray area I was already annoyed with several characters. Their changes seemed sudden and contrived. Luckily the protagonist, Phelen Kell, was a major exception and I was anxious the whole time to learn his fate. Victor Davion on the other hand annoyed the hell out of me. This is by far the most frustrating aspect of the overall story. The lack of gray area takes away some of the realism and makes the plot feel a bit lighthearted. I love the large amount of dialogue, but there were times when I felt it was unnecessary. A lot of characters’ problems were worked out internally and presented as italicized text. The problem here was that different characters seemed to work things out in the exact same way, which helped to weaken the character development. Victor’s whining was particularly bad and I ended up skipping over large chunks of his dialogue. Condensing these portions would have really helped the character development and the overall enjoyment of the books. The attention to detail was excellent. Stackpole goes pretty far in depth but I never feel like he gives too much. In every scene I had a great sense of where I was and how the characters felt about it. The detail was great during the action too. I love Stackpole’s liberal use of gore. Some say less is more but I say more blood more fun! My only gripes were when Stackpole used some incorrect firearm terminology and some firearm technology that would be impossible. Some simple research would have solved that problem, though he is no where near as bad as Robert Ludlum when it comes to guns. The ‘mech battles are what draws everyone into the Battletech series. Here Stackpole does a fantastic job of displaying what these machines are capable of. Battles are nail biting intense and he does not just cover ‘mech battles either. A considerable amount of time is spent on tank battles, a car chase, classic shootouts, and one of my favorite battles was told from the perspective of an Elemental. The only thing that bothered me about the battles was that I had no sense of how much ammunition the characters had or when their ‘mech were close to overheating. Heat regulation is a huge deal in Battletech, but the only mention of it in this trilogy was when the cockpit got hotter. Perhaps with all the technical detail already present Stackpole felt this to be too minor of a detail. Overall this was a great read, but it’s great mainly for the plot, action, and a really likable protagonist. Character development can feel contrived and at times it even leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It stands well above the Warrior trilogy; however its semi-lightheartedness and missing gray areas could easily turn off some readers who are looking for a more believable sci-fi. I highly recommend these books to anyone looking for Battletech or a really good action or sci-fi story.
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| Last Updated on Friday, 12 February 2010 23:20 |
