Difference between revisions of "The Mercenary Life"
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| − | {{otheruses|the anthology of short stories|the post Campaign "mission"|The Mercenary Life (MW5)}} | + | {{otheruses|the anthology of short stories|the post ''MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries'' Campaign "mission"|The Mercenary Life (MW5)}} |
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| − | '''''The Mercenary Life''''' is a digital and Print on Demand anthology of the short stories of the '' | + | '''''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 and the genesis of the [[Nik's Cavaliers]] [[mercenary unit]]. |
''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. | ''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. | ||
| Line 57: | Line 57: | ||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
| − | *Sarna. | + | * Purportedly published by [[MechaPub Inc]], the stories of ''MechWarrior 5: Origins'' were originally released individually on the MW5 website every three days from 18 November 2019 to 10 December 2019, before being combined in an electronic omnibus collection on 12 December 2019, two days after the launch of game. |
| + | * Released as promotional material for the ''MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries'' game, it was believed in 2019 that the stories of ''MechWarrior 5: Origins'' were also derived from [[Piranha Games]]' license to BattleTech video games instead of the (distinct) "mainline" BattleTech license held by Catalyst Game Labs, rendering the stories [[Apocryphal]] on Sarna. When later discussing their background, Bills' indicated though seeking to fulfil a role as promotion for the game, his intention was to develop a new mercenary unit as an introduction to the BattleTech universe with fiction more closely aligned to the mainline tabletop universe that other recent [[MechWarrior (video games)|''MechWarrior'' video games]]. This intention was made clear when the resulting series of novella received a [[canon]] "re-release" in ''The Mercenary Life'' anthology effectively unchanged, though this does not automatically extend to the events that occur exclusively in ''MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries''. | ||
| + | *The "Back Cover" blurb has extensive errors, with incorrect last names for each of the characters, though they are pipped correctly above, as well as misattributing Chloe Reed's unit at the time as the Hsien Hotheads when in fact in the stories she was attached to the [[Blackhearts]]. | ||
| + | *Sarna.net merits multiple mentions in the chapter postscripts being cited as part of the author's research process. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Covers == | ||
| + | <gallery> | ||
| + | MW5 Origins cover.jpg|''MechWarrior 5: Origins'' omnibus cover | ||
| + | </gallery> | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
Revision as of 19:18, 1 May 2021
- This article is about the anthology of short stories. For the post MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries 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 and the genesis of the Nik's Cavaliers mercenary unit.
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
Notes
- Purportedly published by MechaPub Inc, the stories of MechWarrior 5: Origins were originally released individually on the MW5 website every three days from 18 November 2019 to 10 December 2019, before being combined in an electronic omnibus collection on 12 December 2019, two days after the launch of game.
- Released as promotional material for the MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries game, it was believed in 2019 that the stories of MechWarrior 5: Origins were also derived from Piranha Games' license to BattleTech video games instead of the (distinct) "mainline" BattleTech license held by Catalyst Game Labs, rendering the stories Apocryphal on Sarna. When later discussing their background, Bills' indicated though seeking to fulfil a role as promotion for the game, his intention was to develop a new mercenary unit as an introduction to the BattleTech universe with fiction more closely aligned to the mainline tabletop universe that other recent MechWarrior video games. This intention was made clear when the resulting series of novella received a canon "re-release" in The Mercenary Life anthology effectively unchanged, though this does not automatically extend to the events that occur exclusively in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries.
- The "Back Cover" blurb has extensive errors, with incorrect last names for each of the characters, though they are pipped correctly above, as well as misattributing Chloe Reed's unit at the time as the Hsien Hotheads when in fact in the stories she was attached to the Blackhearts.
- Sarna.net merits multiple mentions in the chapter postscripts being cited as part of the author's research process.
Covers
MechWarrior 5: Origins omnibus cover
External Links
- MechWarrior 5: Origins Download link on MW5 website