Part 747: Let's Read Ghost War - Part 6
Lets Read Mechwarrior Dark AgeA Brand New Era, A Brand New Saga!
GHOST WAR
a BattleTech novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
MICHAEL A. STACKPOLE
Part 6
Chapter 13
Victors still here and hes namedropping all the dead people. Stackpole fellates Victors keen intellect and hunger for knowledge then praises his ability to learn as his greatest strength. His and every other human being since the dawn of man. Victor is then described in terms akin to the Borg: given enough time to adapt hell learn the way to beat anyone.
Mason then compares the average citizen to dogs, saying that dogs growl before they bite. Wait, no Stackpole dialogue: first the hackles rise, then the dog growls, then the dog snarls, then the dog bites. Which is patently untrue and the whole point of the stupid analogy is that the people are nervous but if someone is out there egging them on theyll probably turn into murderous cannibal zombies. Or something.
Anyway, we learn that Victor has a special interest in Mason, having:
quote:
recruited me, engineered my education, and guided me to my present role as a Ghost Knight.
Mason presents two theories about why Victor cares: either Mason is Victors everyone I knew and love is dead hobby, or Mason reminds Victor of someone (spoilers: Phelan (Ok, I was just guessing there but on the next page Stackpole spells it out, its Phelan. Mystery solved)).
I can already tell this chapter is going to be insufferable, so of course Victor proves me right by telling Mason how he met Devlin Stone. Blah blah blah hes Uther Pendragon. Mason asks:
quote:
I read one history that suggested you intended to use him as a puppet and take control of the Reformation.
Which would have been remarkably shrewd and potentially politically astute of Victor if it were true. So of course its not. Victor instantly recognized success. Also Devlin Stone was apparently a social Darwinist. But of course Stone murdering his way through the nobility of the former Terran Hegemony worlds was necessary because otherwise society would have collapsed.
Anyway, Victors granddaughter Nessa shows up to save us. Mason sees her as a cousin and manages to avoid describing her in overly-sexual terms, just mildly sexual ones. Progress? She chases Mason out and the chapter ends.
Chapter 14
Mason has a bad dream. OH NO.
Then he has breakfast.
Time for another interminable debriefing, which Mason spends flirting with Janella. In front of their boss. Totally professional. Mason and Janellas direct superior is a woman, so Mason immediately describes her in in terms of her physical attractiveness (shes in her 70s). No, seriously.
quote:
She wore a cream-colored jacket and skirt over dark brown boots, with a royal blue blouse beneath. The outfit complimented her olive skin, a fact made apparent as she smoothed the skirt, then leaned forward.
I havent been keeping track, but I shouldve done a Stackpole Fact counter just to document the number of times Ghost War uses the word fact. My gut says a lot since its a word Stackpole loves to throw around casually.
They chat about the state of the Republic, and that there are clearly two bands at large: the lions and the jackalsthose who caused the disaster and those who are feeding on it. It is confirmed that the HPGs were attacked, so this wasnt some hyperspace disruption. Aerospace fighters, space marines, and etc, and their JumpShips were capable of doing multiple jumps. Three or more. So yeah. Either the Wobbies or ComStar itself, since they were the only ones doing any real hyperspace research.
Chapter 15
The briefing continues. Interminably. So now theyre explaining the new factions for the Mechwarrior: Dark Ages clickygame. Dragons Fury is the Not-Kurita faction in the Republic. Another threat is some fat bureaucrat whose green eyes glowed with intense hatred (lol). Mason continues to be insufferable, so at least theres one constant in this slog of a novel:
quote:
I could never beat Katana Tormark in a sword-fight, but then I knew the best defense against someone with that sort of skill is a 12.5mm sniper rifle at one klick.
Anyway, they dont discuss too many of the other factions (because theyre all stupid and who gives a shit, they were just using two as examples). Oh, and then this bombshell drops:
quote:
The Republic had maintained order and guided progress through economic stimulus and education. Those who opposed The Republic could not participate in the prosperity, and those who made The Republic better were vastly rewarded with money and honors.
So yeah, The Republic doesnt want to fight its own people but needs to keep the Jackals under control. So when Mason asks what the plan is, the response is pretty much: fuck if we know. And then the chapter ends.