Main Event

Main Event
Novel by James D. Long
Main Event.jpg
First Publication
PublishedMay 1993
PublisherRoc Books
Illustrator(s)
Pages340
ISBN0-451-45245-3, 978-0-451-45245-0
MSRP$4.99
PICLE5245
Chronology
EraClan Invasion era
Timeline23 April 3054 — 11 August 3055
Series
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— 		  Arrright.svg
D.R.T.

Main Event is a novel by Jim Long that was first published in print by Roc Books in May 1993. It was later republished in EPUB format by Catalyst Game Labs as a BattleTech Legends title in March 2016.

The book contains the origin story of the Black Thorns mercenary unit.

From the Back Cover[edit]

BATTLES FOR A BATTLEMECH

Dispossessed in the battle of Tukayyid, former Com Guard soldier Jeremiah Rose wants nothing more than to strike back at the Clans who destroyed his 'Mech and his career. Dreams of swift vengeance turn to nightmares when every effort he makes to rejoin the fight to protect the citizens of the Inner Sphere is rejected.

Forced to win a new BattleMech by fighting on the game world of Solaris VII, Rose recruits other soldiers from the arenas to create a new mercenary unit and take his grudge back to the invaders.

Unfortunately, Rose is long on battle experience and desperately short on business skills. Turning a band of mismatched MechWarriors into an elite fighting unit becomes harder than he imagined when Rose is forced to fight his fellow MechWarriors in order to fight the Clans.

Plot Summary[edit]

Jeremiah Rose fought on Tukayyid, left ComStar, went back to Northwind to petition for formation of a new Northwind Highlanders 'Mech unit to fight the Clans, but was rejected. Goes to Solaris VII to get a 'Mech. Pilots a Shadow Hawk for Carstairs Stables. Upgrades to a CGR-3K Charger, recruits several team members to go to Outreach. They win a practice match against Wolf's Dragoons by forfeit.

The newly formed Black Thorns accept a garrison contract from the planetary council of Borghese to protect the world against Clan Jade Falcon raids that may cross the Tukayyid Line. The Thorns are double-crossed by a faction that wants to peacefully turn the planet over to the Jade Falcons believing that doing so will save lives. Ultimately, the Black Thorns defeat the Clan forces as they fight their way into a ComStar HPG; get a message off to Federated Commonwealth officials and drive off the Clanners.

Featured Characters[edit]

Featured Units[edit]

Featured Places[edit]

Featured BattleTech[edit]

BattleMechs[edit]

Vehicles[edit]

DropShips[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • The short story in the 1991 Update Flyer By Any Other Name... by the same author is largely an abbreviated and altered version of Chapters 10 through 12 of this novel - Rose's disabling of O'Shea, his meeting with Carstairs and Esmeralda, and the duel itself. The fact it predates the release of Main Event indicates it actually be the prototype or that the story was expanded to become the novel.
  • According to court documents (see unseen lawsuits#FASA III) FASA claimed that this novel was published in May of 1994. This seems to be in error: The novel's sequel, with a higher numbering by the publisher, was published in March 1994 and online bookstores unanimously claim Main Event was published in May 1993.

Foreign-Language Editions[edit]

German[edit]

A German edition, translated by Reinhold H. Mai, was published by Heyne in 1994 as Stahlgladiatoren (ISBN 9783453072817).[1] The book had several printings, including a third printing in 1995 under the same ISBN.[2] This was also republished as an EPUB by Ulisses Spiele in 2017 as BattleTech Legenden 19 : Stahlgladiatoren (ISBN 9783957526700).[3]

Russian[edit]

A Russian edition, translated by N. Kugerovskaya and E. Zvyagin, was published by Армада (Armada) in 1996 as Основное событие (ISBN 576320123X).[4][5] A reprint was published in 2002 as Точка отсчета (ISBN 5309003770) by Армада-пресс (Armada-Press) as part of a different series produced in collaboration with Дрофа (Drofa).[6][7]

Covers[edit]

  • 1993 original cover. Art by Boris Vallejo.
    1993 original cover. Art by Boris Vallejo.
  • 2016 reprint cover. Art by John Zeleznik.
    2016 reprint cover. Art by John Zeleznik.
  • 2022 reprint cover. Art by Pablo Aschei.
    2022 reprint cover. Art by Pablo Aschei.
  • 1994 German edition cover. Art by Boris Vallejo.
    1994 German edition cover. Art by Boris Vallejo.
  • 2017 German edition reprint cover.
    2017 German edition reprint cover.
  • 1996 Russian edition cover.
    1996 Russian edition cover.
  • 2002 Russian edition reprint cover.
    2002 Russian edition reprint cover.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for first printing of Stahlgladiatoren
  2. ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for third printing of Stahlgladiatoren
  3. ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for BattleTech Legenden 19 : Stahlgladiatoren
  4. ↑ Science Fiction Lab Book description for Основное событие
  5. ↑ National Library of Russia description for Основное событие
  6. ↑ Science Fiction Lab Book description for Точка отсчета
  7. ↑ National Library of Russia description for Точка отсчета

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