Blaine Pardoe élabore des récits qui traversent des genres variés, de la science-fiction captivante et de la non-fiction militaire méticuleuse aux récits de crimes réels captivants et aux contes paranormaux spéculatifs. Son écriture se caractérise par une plongée profonde dans les motivations des personnages et les complexités des événements, qu'ils soient réels ou imaginaires. Pardoe excelle à déterrer les courants sous-jacents qui façonnent le comportement humain et les trajectoires historiques. Sa reconnaissance internationale et ses traductions en six langues soulignent l'attrait universel de sa narration et la profondeur de son exploration.
Frederick Zinn's innovative techniques revolutionized the search for missing airmen in action. His methodology not only focused on locating the remains of pilots but also included the groundbreaking practice of imprinting all aircraft parts with a uniform serial number. This approach ensured that if a wreck was found, the crew could be accurately identified, leaving a lasting impact on military operations and the resolution of families seeking closure.
On December 21 1916, a sailing ship slipped out of the river Weser in Northern Germany. Her captain had false papers & a young sailor with a blond wig to pose as his wife. This is an account of Felix von Luckner, the Imperial German Navy raider set upon the high seas of WWII to sink Britain's vital wartime supply ships.
Major Loren Jaffray is a soldier's soldier, a hardened professional who made his reputation with the Capellan Confederation's legendary Death Commandos. Now serving as an officer in the Northwind Highlanders, Loren longs to prove his loyalty to his new comrades. And he's getting that chance - the Draconis Combine is hiring his regiment to take on a mission unlike any before it.The ruthless Clan Smoke Jaguar emulate the savagery of their feline namesake with lethal accuracy. Nobody knows this better than the samurai of the Draconis Combine, who fought to the death to save their very home world. Now Loren's crack highlanders will be the instrument of the Combine's vengeance, striking into the Deep Periphery to crush one of the Jaguars' supply centers on a distant world called Wayside V. But the young, confident major is in for a very nasty surprise - and unless he makes a brilliant change in plans, Wayside V will be soaked in Scots blood...
VICTORY AT ANY COST...Jump into your BattleMech cockpit, fire up your fusion engine, and charge into the fray with two BattleTech novellas from Philip A. Lee and bestselling writer Blaine Lee Pardoe.A Splinter of Hope: Violent expansion of the Capellan Confederation and the Draconis Combine has cost recently crowned First Prince Julian Davion both his mentor and countless Federated Suns worlds. To rally his people, he funnels the fires of justice into an ambitious yet risky campaign to retake a vital system: New Syrtis, the occupied capital of the Capellan March. However, the Capellan people have fought dearly for their prize and will do anything in their power to hold onto it. Will Julian's gamble preserve the future of the Federated Suns, or is the invasion doomed before it even begins?The Anvil: Khan Malvina Hazen of Clan Jade Falcon is known throughout the Inner Sphere as a merciless, bloodthirsty tyrant. The next target for her scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners tactics is the Lyran Commonwealth world of Coventry: a persistent stain on the Jade Falcons' history. But not all Falcons follow Malvina's lead. Ordered to take Coventry at any cost, Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu wishes to see her Clan victorious, but no victory is worth the Jade Falcons losing their very soul. To stand up to tyranny and find an honorable path forward for her Clan, she must balance the razor's edge between duty and honor-or die trying.
The story delves into a tragic event in Marshall, Michigan, on August 18, 1967, when Nola Puyear was killed in an explosion while working at the Tasty Cafe. Through in-depth interviews with prosecutors, police, and witnesses, the narrative uncovers the ensuing investigation that revealed the hidden, darker aspects of the town and its residents. This exploration not only highlights the impact of a shocking incident but also examines the complexities of small-town life in the wake of tragedy.
With these words Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao dispatched Death Commando Loren Jaffrey to the planet Northwind. His mission: to single handedly destroy the elite Northwind Highlanders, the mercenaries who abandoned the Capellans in their hour of need thirty years before. As the grandson of famous Highlander warriors, Jaffray is the perfect instrument to exact Sun-Tzu's revenge. He can win the mercenaries' trust, then divide the Highlanders from within to ignite a war for control of their homeworld. But Prince Victor Davion is not about to give up this key planet without a struggle. And now, while Northwind and the rest of the Sarna March erupt in war, Loren must wage his own personal battle - one between honor and duty. A battle that can only be fought alone.
Harley Rassor is a simple farm boy in a complex techno-universe - more than happy to work the land of planet Slewis with his father. His restless older brother left to join the elite merc corps, Able's Aces... and paid with his life. Now, Harley's father want him to join the fight - and learn what happened to his brother. What he learns is that the Aces are in turmoil. His instructor - tough-as-nails Lieutenant Livia Hawke - also happens to be his brother's ex-lover. Rumors of suspected payoffs and setups are commonplace. And the entire unit is in danger of being disbanded. Then pirates launch a devastating raid on the Rim Collection's resources, sparking an all-out fight that will put the Aces in the thick of battle - and reveal to Harley that there are worse things in war than death...
Angela Bekker is a rising star in the Ghost Bear Clan. Devoted to duty and honor, relentless in the pursuit of flawless victory - a prime example of Clan excellence in mind and body. So when she receives orders to form a new Trinary from scratch, she jumps at the chance to have her own command. Especially since they are to be stationed on the planet Toffen at the leading edge of Ghost Bear space. But what is an honor for some is an opportunity to strike for others. Led by the bloodthirsty Dirk Radick, forces of Clan Wolf launch an assault to take the valuable planet from the inexperienced troops. But the hunters soon become the hunted, as the Stalking Bears live up to their name. Only when the smoke clears does Angela realize that great honor comes at a great price - one that she may not be willing to pay...
Colonel Felix Blucher's orders from the Archon were simple enough: quash the Davion Loyalist uprising on Thorin. But Blucher never planned on facing the fearless Archer Christifori, local militia leader and decorated MechWarrior in the Clan Wars. As tensions rise between Blucher's Lyran Alliance and the Davion Loyalist population, Archer is torn between obedience to the Archon or allegiance to his people. But when Blucher's forces go too far, Archer takes up the Loyalist cause and becomes commander of the rebel army. The final confrontation looms and the rebels face long odds - but it takes more than 'Mechs to win Thorin's freedom. It takes a hero...
The Civil War rages on, with deposed Prince Victor Steiner-Davion's forces bloodied from the recent defeats inflicted by his sister, Katrina. Worse still, Clan Jade Falcon has seized the opportunity to launch a determined offensive into the Lyran Alliance, destroying forces on both sides of the conflict.But Prince Victor has formed a daring plan of his own - hold the Falcons in check on the worlds they have already conquered and unleash a massive force under Major General Archer Christifori deep inside Clan space with the mission to cut the Falcon offensive off at its core.To succeed, Victor and Archer must convince one of Katrina's most loyal warriors - Leftenant General Adam Steiner - to join the fight. But how can either side trust the enemy they have sworn to kill?
