More than one hundred full-length BattleTech or MechWarrior science fiction novels have been published by FASA Corporation, ROC, and later by Catalyst Game Labs. They have been translated into at least fifteen languages. Countless other shorter works of BattleTech fiction have been published in BattleCorps, as novellas, or in BattleTech magazines or in BattleTech tabletop game rule books. These works of fiction take place in the BattleTech universe of the 31st and 32nd centuries. They can be considered space opera and military science fiction.
History FASA published the first BattleTech game set in 1984, and subsequently released a wide range of supplemental books and materials for the series in-house and through licenses (with Roc Books, FanPro, and Activision, for example).
Many BattleTech readers got their first taste of the BattleTech universe with the release of BattleTech-licensed PC games in the 1990's. FASA continued to release books after the PC game release of MechWarrior (1989) with its storyline c.3024-3028 (in the "Late Succession War: Renaissance" period). Many Roc Book releases also appeared to follow the popularity of other BattleTech PC games: More "Clan Invasion" era novels were written after the releases of MechWarrior 2 (1995) and MechWarrior 3 (1999) (both set 3057-3060 during the Clan Invasion), and more "Civil War" era novels were released after MechWarrior 4 (2000) with its storyline in 3062 ("Civil War" era). A loosely-associated MechWarrior six-novel series was also released soon after MechWarrior 3.
FASA ceased producing BattleTech in 2001 and sold the intellectual property (IP) to WizKids. The IP was then split into Classic BattleTech and MechWarrior: Dark Age for a time (from 2002 to 2008). IP holder WizKids was purchased by Topps in 2003, and terminated as a brand in 2008; ever since, the IP to BattleTech (and others) are held directly by Topps. In June 2007, FanPro's license ran out and Catalyst Game Labs (a subsidiary of InMediaRes Productions, LLC) acquired the license to Classic BattleTech in their stead. Catalyst also retained many of the staff members who previously worked for FanPro.
The first official BattleTech novel was William H. Keith's Decision at Thunder Rift (1986) written for FASA. Loren L. Coleman's Endgame (2002), for Roc Books, would be the last canon "Classic" BattleTech novel to be released for the next 13 years, while Roc Books worked on its "MechWarrior: Dark Age" series. Endgame would fix plot lines and character arcs from many previous works.
The story timeline in the FASA & Roc Books novels generally followed along in sequence with the publication dates of the novels. After Endgame, however, Roc Books jumped the timeline ahead to the 32nd-century with its MechWarrior: Dark Age series, beginning with Michael A. Stackpole's Ghost War (2002) and ending with Kevin Killiany's To Ride the Chimera (2008). The 2008 closure of WizKids delayed the release of further novels. Catalyst Game Labs then released its first BattleTech novel, Steven Mohan Jr's. A Bonfire of Worlds (2010), which continued the Dark Age storyline. (A Bonfire of Worlds was in fact initially advertised with a Battletech: Dark Age logo, but a later printed version reverted back to the more traditional BattleTech nomenclature.)
Catalyst Game Labs had received the rights to publish both Classic and Dark Age book lines in June 2007 and had scheduled new works to resume in the fall of 2009. While Catalyst Game Labs' next "Classic" novel, Embers of War, (released after its "Dark Age" novel, A Bonfire of Worlds) was not released until 2015, Catalyst Game Labs had 5 novels total published by February, 2019, and a semi-regular release schedule resuming that year.Amazon.com Profile for Betrayal of IdealsAmazon.com Profile for Forever Faithful Embers of War continued the "Classic BattleTech" timeline from where Endgame left off.
Subsequent publications by Catalyst Game Labs have jumped around in the BattleTech timeline, including novels set much earlier than the "Classic" (Succession Wars, Clan Invasion, Civil War) eras, novels between the "Classic" & "Dark Age" eras, and novels set much farther into the future than the "Dark Age" era. Catalyst Game Labs also issues reprints of the FASA/Roc BattleTech novels as its BattleTech: Legends series and collect BattleCorps short stories and "Novellas" into BattleTech: Anthologies.
Several novellas associated with Kickstarter have also been produced for both the Table Top game Battletech and the turn-based strategy game, titled simply BattleTech, by Harebrained Schemes.
Classic BattleTech novels 1989-2003 The following novels occur during what was referred to the "Classic BattleTech" era, which includes the 31st century and preceding centuries. Also, additional eras have been added, broadening the term. The Classic reference was dropped after the ownership change and rebranding occurred. TitleAuthorChronologyPublishedISBNSynopsisDecision at Thunder RiftWilliam H. Keith Jr.c.3024 era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceJune 1986 (FASA)September 1992 (Roc Books)Saga of the Gray Death Legion #1. Book one of The Saga of the Gray Death Legion. Grayson Death Carlyle is the young son of the commander of Carlyle's Commandos, a mercenary unit employed by the Lyran Commonwealth. When the Commandos are destroyed in a sneak attack on the planet Trell I, Grayson must help the people of Trell repel the invading forces while trying to live up to his father's legacy and slay the one who killed him.The Sword and the DaggerArdath Mayharc.3025 era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceApril 1987 (FASA)Ardan Sortek discovers a plot to replace Hanse Davion, First Prince of the Federated Suns, with a double under the control of Maximilian Liao, Chancellor of the rival Capellan Confederation.Mercenary's StarWilliam H. Keith Jr.c.3026 (1 October 3025 - 30 August 3026)
era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceJune 1987 (FASA)November 1992 (Roc Books)Saga of the Gray Death Legion #2. Book two of The Saga of the Gray Death Legion. The fledgling Gray Death Legion, formed in the fighting on Trell I, takes on their first assignment: train the inhabitants of Verthandi to fight their Draconis Combine overlords.The Price of GloryWilliam H. Keith Jr.c.3028 (early 3028)
era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceOctober 1987 (FASA)January 1993 (Roc Books)Saga of the Gray Death Legion #3. Book three of The Saga of the Gray Death Legion. Grayson, now leader of the Legion, accepts a contract to work for the Free Worlds League, but falls prey to a double cross and is unjustly accused of a terrible crime because he finds a cache and a Pre-Successions War Star League base. He has to figure out how to survive the double cross for himself and the men under his command.Warrior: En GardeMichael A. Stackpolec.3027 (1 June 3022 - 10 June 3027)
era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceJune 1988 (FASA)April 1998 (Roc Books)Warrior #1. Book one of The Warrior Trilogy. Justin Xiang Allard is exiled from the Federated Suns and makes his way to Solaris VII where he pledges himself to the service of the Capellan Confederation. Melissa Steiner, heir to the throne of the Lyran Commonwealth, is kidnapped and Daniel Allard and the Kell Hounds mercenary unit mount a rescue.Warrior: RiposteMichael A. Stackpolec.3029 (15 July 3027 - 14 February 3029)
era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceAugust 1988 (FASA)June 1998 (Roc Books)Warrior #2. Book two of The Warrior Trilogy. Tensions surround the marriage of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner on Terra, culminating in the onset of the Fourth Succession War. Morgan Kell, co-founder of the Kell Hounds mercenary unit, is recalled from his self-imposed exile to lead the group into war.Wolves on the BorderRobert N. Charrettec.3028 (14 September 3021 - 17 August 3028)
era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceMarch 1988 (FASA)May 1996 (Roc Books)Wolf's Dragoons, a high-profile mercenary unit in the employ of the Draconis Combine, becomes the target of a plot by a devious warlord to permanently secure their services. The unit's friend and Combine liaison Minobu Tetsuhara is caught between duty and friendship as war looms.Warrior: CoupéMichael A. Stackpolec.3029 (27 February 3029 - 15 December 3029)
era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceApril 1989 (FASA)November 1998 (Roc Books)Warrior #3. Book three of The Warrior Trilogy. The Fourth Succession War continues and Justin Allard, now a high-ranking member of Capellan intelligence, tries to repel Davion invaders and deal with a possible spy. Morgan Kell and his Kell Hounds approach a showdown with Yorinaga Kurita. Heir to the DragonRobert N. Charrettec.3040 (3 February 3004 - 18 June 3040)
era: Succession Wars
period: Late Succession War - RenaissanceAugust 1989 (FASA) September 1996 (Roc Books)During the tumult of the Fourth Succession War and the War of 3039, Theodore Kurita, ambitious son of the conservative Draconis Combine Coordinator, navigates treachery in the court and dangers on the battlefield.Lethal HeritageMichael A. Stackpolec.3051 (19 May 3049 - 12 January 3051)
era: Clan InvasionSeptember 1989 (FASA) September 1995 (Roc Books)Blood of Kerensky #1. Book one of The Blood of Kerensky Trilogy. A new generation of characters makes its debut in this series. Victor Steiner-Davion, heir to the throne of the Federated Commonwealth, is fresh from the academy and posted to the back end of nowhere. Kai Allard-Liao, son of the great Justin Xiang Allard and Candace Liao, fears he can never live up to the tremendous legacy of his parents. Shin Yodama is a yakuza soldier in the army of the Draconis Combine, assigned to safeguard the grandson of Coordinator Takashi Kurita. Phelan Kell has followed in his father Morgan's footsteps and serves in the mercenary Kell Hounds. All four of these young men must face dangers both internal and external when a mysterious invader from beyond the Periphery threatens everything they know and love.Blood LegacyMichael A. Stackpolec.3052 (31 January 3051 - 17 March 3052)
era: Clan InvasionDecember 1990 (FASA)November 1995 (Roc Books)Blood of Kerensky #2. Book two of The Blood of Kerensky Trilogy. The Clans have been stopped temporarily through the sacrifice of a young pilot. Jaime Wolf, commander of the mysterious and elite Wolf's Dragoons mercenary unit, takes the opportunity to reveal the origin of this new menace: they are the descendants of the Star League Defense Force, which left the Inner Sphere over two hundred years ago after the collapse of the League. The Dragoons, themselves former Clanners, intend to train the heirs of the Successor States to fight and defeat the Clans, if old prejudices and hatreds don't tear the Inner Sphere apart first. The first real test of this new-found sense of cooperation is the defense of Luthien, capital world of the Draconis Combine. But just what is the ultimate objective of the Clans?Lost DestinyMichael A. Stackpolec.3052 (5 January 3052 - 20 June 3052)
era: Clan InvasionSeptember 1991December 1995Blood of Kerensky #3. Book three of The Blood of Kerensky Trilogy. The man once known as Phelan Kell has risen through the ranks in Clan Wolf and now stands to win a coveted Bloodname, the highest honor the Clans can bestow. Kai Allard-Liao is missing and presumed dead in the wake of a Clan Jade Falcon attack. Victor Steiner-Davion must mount a rescue of a man who once would have been considered his mortal enemy: Hohiro Kurita. And behind it all, ComStar lurks, ready to betray their Clan allies for the chance to fulfill their destiny as the saviors of humanity.Way of the ClansRobert Thurstonc.3035 (3030's)
era: Succession Wars