BattleTech Fiction Review: Riptides (Spoiler Free)

 Hey everybody, we’re back with another fiction review. We’ve got another in the Mercenary Tales collection, Riptides by Randall N. Billis. This is a novella, and a pretty good read, (I finished it in about an hour, but i’m a quick reader). It also ties into the Mercenaries Kickstarter release. This is #1 in the series, (we’ve covered #3 back here) and if math works out, we might try and grab #2 for next week.   

Summary 

Long have the Sea Foxes used their mercantile capacities to better their clan’s fortunes. Risks lead to great rewards and the Foxes navigate the markets of the Inner Sphere, looking for new and interesting ways to make themselves economically (and thus materially) more powerful. Our story begins with two of their leaders discussing the future. The desire to rise higher drives both of them, and one of those leaders smells Blood in the Water.  

While the Invasion of Terra begins, the Sea Foxes are providing material support for Alaric’s campaign, and even have some ships close enough to watch the campaign begin. At the same time, the Illician Lancers, a Mercenary unit with traditions that bind it to Terra and one of the finest commands in House Davion’s employ find themselves at a crossroads.  

The Lancers have languished in sub optimal positions guarding multiple worlds around the Federated Suns. They are unpleased with the state of affairs, but the future is uncertain for all of them. The Foxes make a bold stab at a new venture for the Clans, and both the Illician Lancers and Clan Sea Fox find their fortunes tied together in a most exquisitely interesting enterprise.  

My Thoughts

If you’d told me that the Sea Foxes would be getting involved in the business of mercenaries, i would have laughed. It’s so…unclanlike as to be ludicrous. However, Randall weaves a tale that is both believable, and something that feels like the start of a bold new era. The Sea Foxes are depicted as very educated gamblers. They run the numbers and take their best shot at turning fortune to their favor.  

The Lancers come off as the honorable mercenaries theyve been since their earliest depictions in the fiction. They’re caught in an untenable situation, between the displeasure of their employer and their legacy of service. The tension between these two points is the lever of the decisions that will shape the Era.  

I have always enjoyed Randall’s work, and this is a reminder of everything i like about it .It’s a look at a new adventure in the IlClan era, and i need to read more of these novellas.  

Overall: 

Not your average Battletech story, but the stories around the conflict are always extremely satisfying 

Rating:

 5 Stars.   

You can pick this up off of Catalyst Game Labs here, or at your local book store (Amazon is local to everyone if you believe hard enough)