The Mercenary Life
Sarna News
- This article is about the anthology of short stories. For the post Campaign "mission", see The Mercenary Life (MW5).
| The Mercenary Life | |
|---|---|
| Product information | |
| Type | Anthology |
| Author | Randall N. Bills |
| Development | Philip A. Lee (editor) |
| Pages | 322 |
| Cover Artwork | Tan Ho Sim |
| Interior Artwork | David Allen Kerber |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Catalyst Game Labs |
| First published | 13 April 2021 |
| MSRP | $3.99 |
| Content | |
| Era | Succession War era |
| Timeline | 5 December 2991 - 27 May 3014 |
The Mercenary Life is a digital and Print on Demand anthology of the short stories of the MechWarrior 5: Origins digital novella series penned by Randall N. Bills, originally offered as a free tie-in product supporting the MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries computer game; the individual stories narrate the backgrounds of important characters from the game.
The Mercenary Life features a new introduction by Bills describing the production of the series as a whole as well as postscripts delving into detail about that respective chapter. Additionally a ninth exclusive story directly bridging the end of MechWarrior 5: Origins and the immediate start of the game is included.
From the back cover
| “ | A COST IS ALWAYS PAID...
Nikolai Reed is a trader on a Lyran JumpShip plying the space lanes... Chloe Mason is a hot-shot tech with the Hsien Hotheads mercenaries... Leaving the Northwind Highlanders, MechWarrior Ryana Nikol fills a billet with the Eridani Light Horse... Disparate lives, but a unified dream that will bring them all together on a fateful course that will span decades, cover hundreds of light years, and involve love, friendship, and loss across a dozen worlds. Each will pay a price along the way, as a cost always comes due. The Mercenary Life anthology is a compilation of stories written by Randall N. Bills. Including tales from several different characters as they cross paths, and the dream to found a new mercenary command is born. Their unique lives showcase the struggles and trials of the men and women who take up the mercenary mantle from a variety of angles, all bound around that central vision. The first eight stories of this anthology were originally posted for free alongside the release of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, acting as the origin stories for the mercenary command within that computer game. This is the first time they have been compiled into a single volume to allow for a Print on Demand physical copy. Additionally, an all-new ninth story has been added — The Sun Will Rise — along with postscripts for every story that gives the reader insight into how stories are crafted within a shared universe between tabletop, computer games, and fiction that spans more than thirty years and tens of millions of words. |
” |
Stories
- The Calm of the Void
- Vision's Hunger
- Endless War
- Contested Dreams
- Dissimulate Wanderer
- Knives in the Dark
- A Skein of Schemes
- Obligation's Forge
- The Sun Will Rise
External Links
- MechWarrior 5: Origins Download link on MW5 website