Freebirth (novel)

This article is about the novel. For the children by natural childbirth in Clan society, see Freeborn.


Freebirth.jpg
Freebirth
Product information
Type Novel
Author Robert Thurston
Pages 304
Cover Artwork Bruce Jensen
Publication information
Publisher Roc Books
First published 01 February 1998
ISBN-10 0451456653
ISBN-13 978-0451456656
Content
Era Clan Invasion era
Timeline 3058 – 3059
18 June, 30589 May, 3059
Series Twilight of the Clans
Preceded by The Hunters
Followed by Sword and Fire

Freebirth, by Robert Thurston, is the fourth book in the Twilight of the Clans series.

The novel was made available on BattleCorps on 26 March 2010 as a PDF file (text only, without cover, pictures, or any other interior artwork except for the usual BattleCorps frame graphics). The PDF copy includes a disclaimer stating that it was created from a pre-final edition text that might differ from the printed version and that canon-wise, the print edition trumps the PDF edition.

From the back cover[edit]

“ "Dispatch Horse to the planet Huntress!" The orders to investigate the secret experiment being done by the Falcons on the Smoke Jaguar homeworld came down from the Jade Falcon Khan herself. But does the covert mission require the natural bravery of a freeborn warrior—or do Horse's genetically engineered comrades consider him expendable?

The perilous trek is dead-ended by a crash landing—right into a Smoke Jaguar trap. His 'Mech confiscated, his DropShip down, his Trinary imprisoned, Horse is duty bound to the enemy Jaguars—and closer to the core of the strange secrets of the Falcon stronghold than he ever imagined. For the Clan, the consequences could be explosive. For Horse, they could be fatal...

”

Summary[edit]

This novel picks up after the Events of Malicious Intent, and Exodus Road. It focuses on the ongoing Saga of Mechwarrior Horse, with some early set up for Mechwarrior Johanna, and Mechwarrior Diana.

After Mechwarrior Johanna picks another fight with young Jade Falcons, where she gets one killed accidentally, She and Horse are called before Khan Marthe Pryde. Johanna is "Punished" by having to take Diana to the home worlds and train her for a blood name competition.

Horse is seperated from them both, and sent to Check on the Falcon research station "Falcon Eyrie" on Huntress, due to ongoing suspicions of scientist schemes. He is given command of a trinary, and told to meet up with the Khan on Huntress, but that all his work is to be kept a secret.

Meanwhile on Huntress Galaxy Commander Rousel Howell is taking over the planetary Garrison. This is the Same Howel who in Exodus Road had been friends with Mechwarrior Trent. The same Howell who was tricked into believing he had killed his friend Trent as part of Trents escape to the inner sphere with the Exodus Road information. Howell throughout the novel is having problems dealing with the guilt of his actions, and his perceived failures of his clan to act honorably towards its members. He has taken to wild swings of mood between anger and melancholy and begins to drink heavily.

The Smoke Jaguars shoot down the dropship carrying Horse to the Falcon Eyrie. At which time Howell claims the dropship mechs and the mechwarriors. He decrees Horse's all freebirth trinary to be prisoners unworthy of clan membership, but takes a special interest in Horse.

Over the course of the novel, Howel attempts to brainwash Horse with torture and constant tales of Jaguare superiority. This eventually leads to Horse killing a variety of Smoke Jaguar warriors in trials, and eventually being made a warrior again.

During his imprisonment Horse meets a Solahma Mechwarrior from the Eyrie who regularly spies on the Jaguars. She convinces him that if he plays along with the Jaguars, she will find a way to free him and his trinary.

There combined adventures during the novel, includes discovery of illicit genetic research at both the Eyrie, and in the Jaguar Genetics compound, which includes Jade Falcon DNA being in the Jaguar genetics labs.

Eventually the Eyrie Solahma mount a raid on Howel during one of his inspections of planetary facilities, and make a challenge for Mechwarrior Horse. This challenge is made more interesting by Howell bidding the use of Mechwarrior Horse in the trial, essentially forcing him to contest his own freedom. Further to this, the only mechs available to the Solahma are experimental Land Air Mechs (LAMs), A Stinger and a Phoenix Hawk.

The Jade Falcons prevail, although the LAMs are destroyed. The novel closes Horses story with a summary of the follow up raid to free the rest of the trinary, and recapture some mechs.

The ending sets up the following novel where the invasion of huntress will begin, with Howell considering the work he has done to prepare the planet to defend itself against any threats from other clans.

Featured characters[edit]

Featured places[edit]

Featured BattleTech[edit]

BattleMechs[edit]

Foreign-Language Editions[edit]

German[edit]

A German edition, translated by Reinhold H. Mai, was published by Heyne in 1999 as Freigeburt (ISBN 9783453140042).[1] This was republished as an EPUB by Ulisses Spiele in 2021 as BattleTech Legenden 41 : Freigeburt (ISBN 9783963318078).[2]

Hungarian[edit]

A Hungarian edition, translated by Novák Gábor, was published by Beholder in 2003 as Szabadszülött.[3]

Spanish[edit]

A Spanish edition, translated by Jaime de Marcos Andreu, was published by Timun Mas in 1999 as El orgullo del halcón.

Covers[edit]

  • Original 1998 cover. Art by Bruce Jensen.

  • 1999 German edition.

  • 2021 German edition (reprint).

  • 2003 Hungarian edition.

  • Spanish edition.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for Freigeburt
  2. ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for BattleTech Legenden 41 : Freigeburt
  3. ↑ Beholder product page for Szabadszülött

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