Grave Covenant
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Grave Covenant | |
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Product information | |
Type | Novel |
Author | Michael A. Stackpole |
Pages | 324 |
Cover Artwork | Roger Loveless |
Publication information | |
Publisher | Roc Books |
Product code | LE5613 |
First published | 01 September 1997 |
ISBN-10 | 0451456130 |
ISBN-13 | 978-0451456137 |
Content | |
Era | Clan Invasion era |
Timeline | 30 September 3058 - 1 September 3059 |
Series | Twilight of the Clans |
Preceded by | Exodus Road |
Followed by | The Hunters |
Grave Covenant, by Michael A. Stackpole, is the second book in the Twilight of the Clans series.
The novel was made available on BattleCorps on 26 July 2010 as a PDF file (text only, without cover, pictures, or any other interior artwork except for the usual BattleCorps frame graphics). The PDF copy includes a disclaimer stating that it was created from a pre-final edition text that might differ from the printed version and that canon-wise, the print edition trumps the PDF edition.
Contents
From the back cover[edit]
“ | Possessing precious secret information that will lead them down the Exodus Road, the Inner Sphere Successor States can now meet the Clans on their own terms... and behind enemy lines. The Herculean task of amassing enough power means re-establishing the legendary Star League—a union of Successor States and their BattleMechs led by Victor Steiner-Davion. But with the deadly game of politics make the Successor Lords wary of alliance, and Victor's Machiavellian sister, Katrina Steiner, hatching more vicious plots to further her own agendas, the war against the Clans may only be a distraction from the real danger... | ” |
Summary[edit]
This novel has three major sections.
The longest section is the follow up to the novel "Malicious Intent" and covers the political intrigues of the "Whitting Conference" on Tharkad. Tharkad has all the major house powers conspiring against each other to achieve their varied ends while nominally creating the Second Star League and planning a counter offensive to the clans.
Some of the major early plot points are the relationship between Victor and Omi Kurita, and the work of Katherine Steiner Davion to counter Victor Davion, while courting Favor with Sun-Tzu Liao and Thomas Marik.
There is also some very early foreshadowing with the relationship between Isis Marik and Victor Davion.
A lot of the major decisions about the Twilight of the clans are made at this conference, including the decision to focus on a single clan for extermination, the decision to make it the Smoke Jaguars and the decision to put Focht and Victor in charge of the operation.
Late in the planning ComStar reveals the Exodus Road, and it is decided to send a force to hit Huntress at the same time the general invasion of the Jaguars is performed.
It is also revealed that the Nova Cats have been conspiring with the Draconis Combine, to join the Second Star League.
One of the interesting sub plots on Tharkad is Sun-Tzu's bid to be the first First Lord of the Second Star League. This ends up working, when Victor backs the plan to spite Katherine.
On Strana Mechty, the clans are plotting the election of the next IlKhan, and the Wolves and the Falcons are working together to set the Smoke Jaguars up to fail as the IlKhan.
The next section of the novel is something of a short interlude. It covers the introduction of Victor Davion to the Kurita Family, on Luthien, and peaks with Victor saving Omi from assassins, while being severely injured.
The final portion of the novel covers snippets from the various battle of Operation Bulldog. This portion contains some major character combat, including fighting by Victor in his Daishi alongside a Penetrator taking down a star. It has a major scene of the major Clan Wolf players, Phelan, Ranna, and Ragmussan in a Gladiator, Warhawk and Ice Ferret against a trio of Jaguars in single combat.
The results of the campaign against the clans is seen on Strana Mechty, as the Wolves and Falcons conspire to ensure that the Jaguars receive no support from other clans.
The book closes out with the war going so well for the Inner Sphere that the Jaguars begin to flee the Inner Sphere, causing Victor to realise that Task Force Serpent is likely to be overwhelmed with all the returning units on Huntress, and deciding to mount a second expedition to Huntress to reinforce them.
In trying to talk Victor out of this path, Focht reveals he is in fact Frederick Steiner, while trying to convince Victor not to go, as he expects Katherine to take advantage of his absence to destroy the new unity of the Inner Sphere.
Featured characters[edit]
- Marshal Ann Adelmana of the Davion Heavy Guards
- Elemental Adrienne of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Colonel Daniel Allard of the Kell Hounds
- Duke of St. Ives Justin Allard (mentioned)
- Duke of St. Ives Kai Allard-Liao
- Kuan-Yin Allard-Liao (mentioned)
- Stefan Amaris (mentioned)
- Melissa Allard-Liao (mentioned)
- Tai-sho Narimasa Asano
- Primus Jerome Blake (mentioned)
- Star Captain Vulcan Bowen of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Marshal Sharon Bryan
- saKhan Lucien Carns of Clan Nova Cat
- saKhan Vandervahn Chistu of Clan Jade Falcon (mentioned)
- saKhan Samantha Clees of Clan Jade Falcon
- Anderson Cox (mentioned)
- Jerrard "Jerry" Cranston (Galen Cox)
- Khan Elias Crichell of Clan Jade Falcon (mentioned)
- Agent Curaitis
- First Prince Hanse "The Fox" Davion
- First Prince Ian Davion (mentioned)
- Duchess of New Syrtis Marie Davion-St. Claire (mentioned)
- Star Colonel Olivia Drummond of Clan Nova Cat
- Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht of ComStar
- Star Captain Jeremiah Furey of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Elemental Grace of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Grand Duke of Oriente Christopher Halas (mentioned)
- Sherryl Halas
- Kommandant Allyn Hasek (mentioned)
- George Hasek jr.
- March Lord of the Capellan March Michael Hasek-Davion (mentioned)
- Marshal & Duke of New Syrtis Morgan Hasek-Davion
- David Hanau (mentioned)
- Khan Ian Hawker of Clan Diamond Shark
- Tech Jammer of the 10th Lyran Guards
- Francesca Jenkins
- Frances Jeschke
- Tommy Jeschke (mentioned)
- Kommandant Wendy Karner of the Davion Heavy Guards
- Caitlin Kell of the Kell Hounds (mentioned)
- Grand Duke of Arc-Royal Morgan Kell
- Khan Phelan Kell of Clan Wolf-in-Exile
- General Aleksandr Kerensky (mentioned)
- Khan Natasha Kerensky of Clan Wolf (mentioned)
- ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky of Clan Wolf (mentioned)
- Star Colonel Ranna Kerensky of Clan Wolf-in-Exile
- ilKhan Ulric Kerensky of Clan Wolf (mentioned)
- Sang-shao Wu Kang Kuo of Harloc Raiders
- Hohiro Kurita
- Minoru Kurita
- Keeper of the Family Honor Omi Kurita (mentioned)
- Keeper of the Family Honor Omiko "Omi" Kurita
- Shada Kurita (mentioned)
- Coordinator Takashi Kurita
- Tai-shu Tomoe Kurita
- Doctor Deirdre Lear
- David Lear
- Khan Severen Leroux of Clan Nova Cat
- Duchess of St. Ives Candace Liao
- Kali Liao
- Chancellor Maximilian Liao (mentioned)
- Mandrinn Tormano Liao
- Duke of Donegal Arthur Luvon (mentioned)
- Prince Haakon Magnusson
- Ragnar (Magnusson) of Clan Wolf-in-Exile
- Director of MIIO Alexi Mallory (mentioned)
- Duchess Isis Marik
- Captain-General Janos Marik (mentioned)
- Joshua Marik (mentioned)
- Duchess of Oceana Sophina Marik (mentioned)
- Captain-General Thomas Marik
- Sir Colonel Paul Masters of the Knights of the Inner Sphere
- Tai-sa Angus McTeague of the 3rd Proserpina Hussars
- Star Colonel Logan Moon of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Ted Mooraine of the Davion Heavy Guards
- Primus Sharilar Mori (mentioned)
- Sven Newmark
- Tai-sa Katherine Oltion of the 6th Ghost Regiment
- Khan Lincoln Osis of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Loremaster Kael Pershaw of Clan Jade Falcon
- Kommandant Doctor Michael Pondsmith
- Khan Marthy Pryde of Clan Jade Falcon
- saKhan Marialle Radick of Clan Wolf
- Leftenant Renard "Renny" Sanderlin of the 10th Lyran Guards
- Baron of Robinson Tancred Sandoval
- ilKhan Leo Showers of Clan Smoke Jaguar (mentioned)
- Duchess of New Syrtis Kym Sorenson-Hasek
- Archon Alessandro Steiner (mentioned)
- Arthur Steiner-Davion (mentioned)
- Archon Katherine "Katrina" Steiner-Davion
- Archon Katrina Steiner (mentioned)
- Archon Melissa Steiner-Davion (mentioned)
- General of the Armies Nondi Steiner
- Peter Steiner-Davion (mentioned)
- Duke Ryan Steiner (mentioned)
- Yvonne Steiner-Davion (mentioned)
- Archon-Prince Victor Ian Steiner-Davion
- Khan Asa Taney of Clan Ice Hellion
- Star Captain Trent of Clan Smoke Jaguar (Bloodhouse Howell) (mentioned)
- Elemental Trevor of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Leftenant General Caradoc "Doc" Trevena
- Sho-sho Shin Yodama
- Major Salome Ward (mentioned)
- Khan Vladimir Ward of Clan Wolf
- Primus Myndo Waterly (mentioned)
- Doctor Wilson (mentioned)
- Khan Perigard Zalman of Clan Steel Viper
Featured places[edit]
- Alyina (mentioned)
- Arc-Royal (mentioned)
- Asgard
- Bjarred
- Coventry (mentioned)
- Huntress (mentioned)
- Kiamba (mentioned)
- Labrea
- Luthien
- New Avalon (mentioned)
- New Exford
- Northwind (mentioned)
- Nykvarn (mentioned)
- Marik
- Matamoras
- Outreach (mentioned)
- Port Arthur
- Schuyler
- Strana Mechty
- Teniente (mentioned)
- Tharkad
- Turtle Bay (mentioned)
- Twycross (mentioned)
- Warlock (mentioned)
- Wolcott
Featured BattleTech Equipment[edit]
BattleMechs[edit]
DropShips[edit]
- Barbarossa
- Unknown Leopard-class
- Lobo Negro
JumpShips[edit]
Vehicles[edit]
Foreign-Language Editions[edit]
German[edit]
A German edition, translated by Reinhold H. Mai, was published by Heyne in 1998 as Heimatwelten (ISBN 9783453133426).[1] This was republished as an EPUB by Ulisses Spiele in 2021 as BattleTech Legenden 39 : Heimatwelten (ISBN 9783963317255).[2]
Hungarian[edit]
A Hungarian edition, translated by Novák Gábor, was published by Beholder in 2002 as Kényszerszövetség.[3]
Russian[edit]
A Russian edition, translated by M. Levin, was published by Дрофа (Drofa) in 2002 as Возрождение Завета (ISBN 5710763489) as part of a series produced in collaboration with Армада-пресс (Armada-Press). [4] [5]
Spanish[edit]
A Spanish edition, translated by Jaime de Marcos Andreu, was published by Timun Mas in 1999 as Pacto mortal.
Covers[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for Heimatwelten
- ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for BattleTech Legenden 39 : Heimatwelten
- ↑ Beholder product page for Kényszerszövetség
- ↑ Science Fiction Lab Book description for Возрождение Завета
- ↑ National Library of Russia description for Возрождение Завета