Michael Stackpole may have a talent for intrigues and fast action,but Robert Charette is the better author.His novel is very well written and its got atmosphere,depth and realism. "Heir.." describes the life of Theodore Kurita as son of the Coordinator of the Draconis Combine. The novel provides you with an in-depth look at the inner workings,the philosophy and the life in House Kuritas realm and its still the best source for anyone interested in the Draconis Combine, especially for Battletech Game Masters. In addition to that,it covers the time from Theodores birth til the 3040s,and so it gives you an overview of the Inner Sphere history of the whole era too.You should note that this book is also the only source in novel-form for the war of 3039,a very interesting chapter in the history of struggling between the houses Davion and Kurita.