Difference between revisions of "The Founding of the Clans"

m
(16 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{InfoBoxProduct
 
{{InfoBoxProduct
 
| image              = FoundingoftheClansad.JPG
 
| image              = FoundingoftheClansad.JPG
| name                = The Founding of the Clans (advertisment)
+
| name                = The Founding of the Clans (advertisement downloadable from BattleCorps website)
| type                = Novel trilogy (unfinished)
+
| type                = Novel trilogy
 
| author              = [[Randall N. Bills]]
 
| author              = [[Randall N. Bills]]
 
| development        =  
 
| development        =  
Line 10: Line 10:
 
| interiorart        =  
 
| interiorart        =  
 
| illustrations      =  
 
| illustrations      =  
| publisher          = [[FanPro]] (German novels)<br />[[BattleCorps]]
+
| publisher          = [[FanPro]] (German novels)<br />[[BattleCorps]]<br />[[CGL]]
 
| productioncode      =  
 
| productioncode      =  
| year                = 2004 (Germany)<br />2007 (BattleCorps)
+
| year                = 2004 (FanPro)<br />2007 (BattleCorps)<br />2021-2022 (CGL)
 
| ISBN10              =  
 
| ISBN10              =  
 
| ISBN13              =  
 
| ISBN13              =  
Line 20: Line 20:
 
| agency              =
 
| agency              =
 
| universedate        =
 
| universedate        =
| timeline            = 5 November [[2784]] - 9 June [[2815]] (unfinished)
+
| timeline            = 5 November [[2784]] - 9 June [[2815]]
 
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
 
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
 
| series              =  
 
| series              =  
Line 26: Line 26:
 
| followedby          =  
 
| followedby          =  
 
}}
 
}}
'''''The Founding of the Clans''''' is a (projected) trilogy of novels by [[Randall N. Bills]]. He wrote only the first two books though; the third part has not been written to date.
+
'''''The Founding of the Clans''''' is a trilogy of [[BattleTech]] novels by [[Randall N. Bills]], who began writing the books when he was the [[BattleTech Line Developer]] at [[FASA]]. Centering on [[Aleksandr Kerensky]]'s younger son [[Andery Kerensky]] (brother of [[Nicholas Kerensky]], who is considered the "father" of the [[Clans]]), the series describes [[Operation EXODUS]], the [[Pentagon Civil War]], and the creation and early history of the [[Clan]] society ([[Operation KLONDIKE]]).
  
Centering on [[Andery Kerensky]], [[Aleksandr Kerensky]]'s younger son (and brother of [[Nicholas Kerensky]], who is considered the "father" of the Clans), the series describes [[Operation Exodus]], the [[Pentagon Civil War]], and the creation of the [[Clan]] society.
+
==Publication history==
 +
The books are notable for their complicated publication history: After having written the first two books, Bills found that FASA unexpectedly ceased active operations in 2001, and [[Roc Books]] voiced no interest in publishing more novels in the [[BattleTech]] line which looked as if it was going to be discontinued. Meanwhile, the license was transferred to [[WizKids]] for their [[MechWarrior: Dark Age]] game which was set in the setting's future, with its own, distinct game and novel line. The manuscripts for the ''Founding of the Clans'' trilogy thus remained unpublished, for a time at least.
  
Although completed, the books were not initially published in their original language.<br />It has been speculated that this may have been because of [[FASA]] ceasing active operations in 2001, handing over the [[BattleTech]] IP to [[Wizkids]] who subsequently granted the license to [[FanPro]]. FanPro began to publish a line of entirely new BattleTech print novels in German from 2004 onwards, including translations of the first two ''Founding of the Clans'' novels in 2004 and 2006, respectively (and also the German translation of ''[[Fall from Grace]]'' which had also been a previously unpublished engish-language manuscript), but ceased further publications after a disagreement with [[InMediaRes]]/[[Catalyst Game Labs]] over the rights in 2008.
+
[[Fantasy Productions]], the German BattleTech license holder, subsequently acquired the license to what was now dubbed "[[Classic BattleTech]]". They started a line of entirely [[FanPro Novels|new, original BattleTech print novels in German]] from 2004 onward. As part of that line, the first two ''Founding of the Clans'' novels were translated and published in 2004 and 2006, respectively—before they were published in English.
  
The first ''Founding of the Clans'' novel was later published as a serial via [[BattleCorps]]; the second remains unpublished in English so far. The third was never written:
+
In 2007, the original English-language edition of the first novel was published in electronic form through [[BattleCorps]] as a serial, without a cover.
 +
 
 +
Over the course of the [[2019 Clan Invasion crowdfunding campaign|2019 crowdfunding campaign]] for the [[BattleTech: Clan Invasion]] boxed set, completion and publication of the full trilog was offered as a stretch goal. The stretch goal was met. However, [[Catalyst Game Labs]] didn't simply republish the existing manuscripts. In the two decades since they had been written originally, much detail had been added to the BattleTech timeline and Bills also felt he was a better writer now, so he decided to revise the manuscripts and expand them with additional interludes to create authoritative versions of the first two books, both of which were published in 2021; the third book had to be written from scratch and was published in July of 2022.
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
!width="140"|German novel cover
 
!width="140"|German novel cover
 
!width="140"|German title
 
!width="140"|German title
 +
!width="140"|English novel cover
 
!width="140"|English title
 
!width="140"|English title
 
|-valign="top"
 
|-valign="top"
 
|[[Image:ClangründerAbkehrCover.jpg|left|140px|Clangründer: Abkehr]]
 
|[[Image:ClangründerAbkehrCover.jpg|left|140px|Clangründer: Abkehr]]
|''[[Clangründer: Abkehr]]'' (''"Clan Founders: Breakaway"'')<br />FanPro, 2004
+
|''[[Clangründer: Abkehr]]'' (''"Clan Founders: Breakaway"'')
|''[[Fall from Glory]]''<br />BattleCorps, 2007)
+
 
 +
FanPro, 2004
 +
|[[Image:Fall from Glory (cover).png|left|140px|Fall from Glory]]
 +
|''[[Fall from Glory]]''
 +
 
 +
BattleCorps, 2007 (original edition)
 +
 
 +
CGL, 2021 (revised, authoritative edition)
 
|-valign="top"
 
|-valign="top"
 
|[[Image:ClangründerTraumCover.jpg|left|140px|Clangründer: Traum]]
 
|[[Image:ClangründerTraumCover.jpg|left|140px|Clangründer: Traum]]
|''[[Clangründer: Traum]]'' (''"Clan Founders: Dream"'')<br />FanPro, 2006
+
|''[[Clangründer: Traum]]'' (''"Clan Founders: Dream"'')
|''[[Visions of Rebirth]]'', announced but unpublished so far
+
 
 +
FanPro, 2006
 +
|[[Image:Visions of Rebirth (cover).png|left|140px|Visions of Rebirth]]
 +
|''[[Visions of Rebirth]]''
 +
 
 +
CGL, 2021
 
|-valign="top"
 
|-valign="top"
 
|n/a
 
|n/a
|''Clangründer: Bande'' (''"Clan Founders: Bonds"'')<br />announced but unpublished so far
+
|''Clangründer: Bande'' (''"Clan Founders: Bonds"'')
|''[[Forging of Blood]]'', announced but unpublished so far
+
 
 +
(announced but never published)
 +
|[[Image:Land of Dreams cover.png|left|140px|Land of Dreams]]
 +
|''[[Land of Dreams]]''
 +
 
 +
(Previously announced as ''Forging of Blood'')
 +
 
 +
CGL, 2022
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
==External links==
 +
* http://www.battlecorps.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=4926 BattleCorps forum announcement with download link for ad flyer (defunct site)
 +
* http://www.battlecorps.com/community/download.php?id=355 Download link for ad flyer (defunct site)
 +
 +
[[Category:Product Groups|Founding of the Clans, The]]

Revision as of 15:58, 9 January 2023

FoundingoftheClansad.JPG
The Founding of the Clans (advertisement downloadable from BattleCorps website)
Product information
Type Novel trilogy
Author Randall N. Bills
Publication information
Publisher FanPro (German novels)
BattleCorps
CGL
First published 2004 (FanPro)
2007 (BattleCorps)
2021-2022 (CGL)
Content
Era Star League era, Succession Wars era
Timeline 5 November 2784 - 9 June 2815

The Founding of the Clans is a trilogy of BattleTech novels by Randall N. Bills, who began writing the books when he was the BattleTech Line Developer at FASA. Centering on Aleksandr Kerensky's younger son Andery Kerensky (brother of Nicholas Kerensky, who is considered the "father" of the Clans), the series describes Operation EXODUS, the Pentagon Civil War, and the creation and early history of the Clan society (Operation KLONDIKE).

Publication history

The books are notable for their complicated publication history: After having written the first two books, Bills found that FASA unexpectedly ceased active operations in 2001, and Roc Books voiced no interest in publishing more novels in the BattleTech line which looked as if it was going to be discontinued. Meanwhile, the license was transferred to WizKids for their MechWarrior: Dark Age game which was set in the setting's future, with its own, distinct game and novel line. The manuscripts for the Founding of the Clans trilogy thus remained unpublished, for a time at least.

Fantasy Productions, the German BattleTech license holder, subsequently acquired the license to what was now dubbed "Classic BattleTech". They started a line of entirely new, original BattleTech print novels in German from 2004 onward. As part of that line, the first two Founding of the Clans novels were translated and published in 2004 and 2006, respectively—before they were published in English.

In 2007, the original English-language edition of the first novel was published in electronic form through BattleCorps as a serial, without a cover.

Over the course of the 2019 crowdfunding campaign for the BattleTech: Clan Invasion boxed set, completion and publication of the full trilog was offered as a stretch goal. The stretch goal was met. However, Catalyst Game Labs didn't simply republish the existing manuscripts. In the two decades since they had been written originally, much detail had been added to the BattleTech timeline and Bills also felt he was a better writer now, so he decided to revise the manuscripts and expand them with additional interludes to create authoritative versions of the first two books, both of which were published in 2021; the third book had to be written from scratch and was published in July of 2022.

German novel cover German title English novel cover English title
Clangründer: Abkehr
Clangründer: Abkehr ("Clan Founders: Breakaway")

FanPro, 2004

Fall from Glory
Fall from Glory

BattleCorps, 2007 (original edition)

CGL, 2021 (revised, authoritative edition)

Clangründer: Traum
Clangründer: Traum ("Clan Founders: Dream")

FanPro, 2006

Visions of Rebirth
Visions of Rebirth

CGL, 2021

n/a Clangründer: Bande ("Clan Founders: Bonds")

(announced but never published)

Land of Dreams
Land of Dreams

(Previously announced as Forging of Blood)

CGL, 2022

External links