View source for Threads of Ambition

{{InfoBoxProduct
| image               = Threads of Ambition.jpg
| name                = 
| type                = Novel
| author              = [[Loren L. Coleman]]
| development         = 
| primarywriting      = 
| pages               = 267
| cover               = [[Bruce Jensen]]
| interiorart         = 
| illustrations       = 
| publisher           = [[Roc Books]]
| productioncode      = LE5744
| year                = 01 May 1999
| ISBN10              = 0451457447
| ISBN13              = 978-0451457448
| MSRP                = 
| content             = 
| era                 = [[Civil War era]]
| timeline            = 25 June [[3060]] - 1 July [[3061]]<br>(3 March 3060 prologue)
| series              = [[The Capellan Solution (series)|The Capellan Solution]] 
| precededby          = none
| followedby          = [[The Killing Fields]]
}}
'''''Threads of Ambition''''', by [[Loren L. Coleman]], is the first book in [[The Capellan Solution (series)|The Capellan Solution]] duology. It covers the beginning of the [[Capellan-St. Ives War]].

{{BCNovel|on 7 November 2010}}
== From the Back Cover ==
{{quote|''[[Sun-Tzu Liao]] is the [[First Lord]] of the resurrected [[Star League]]. In the last year of his reign, he decides to milk his power for every ounce of benefit for himself. His dream to rebuild his [[Capellan Confederation]] at any cost is about to become a reality. His first victim: his own aunt, [[Candace Liao]], who deserted the Confederation in the [[Fourth Succession War]], taking the [[St. Ives Compact]] with her.''

''Answering Sun-Tzu's call to battle is [[Warrior House Hiritsu]], always ready to serve, and the [[Hustaing Warriors]], who will do what is necessary to get the job done. As border skirmishes between [[BattleMech]]s turn bloody, military units rally to Candance Liao's call to hold the line. Both sides are unyielding in this hard-fought war. And as Capellan fights Capellan, the high price of glory will be paid in full...''}}

== Plot summary ==
{{No plot}}
==Featured characters==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Major]] [[Cassandra Allard-Liao]]
* [[Duke of St. Ives]] [[Justin Allard]] (mentioned)
* [[Duke of St. Ives]] [[Kai Allard-Liao]] (mentioned)
* [[Kuan-Yin Allard-Liao]] (mentioned)
* [[Stefan Amaris|Stefan Amaris, the Usurper]] (mentioned)
* Lord [[Colonel]] [[Marcus Baxter]] of [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry]]
* MechWarrior [[Birkmeyer]] of the [[Blackwind Lancers]] (mentioned)
* [[Primus of ComStar|Primus]] [[Jerome Blake]] (mentioned)
* [[Protector of the Realm]] [[Jeffrey Calderon]] (mentioned)
* [[Colonel]] [[Neil Campbell]] of the [[Royal Black Watch Regiment|Black Watch]]
* ''[[Lieutenant_Colonel#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Zhong-sha]]'' [[Usa Cappuccio]] of the [[6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry|6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry (Hustaing Warriors)]]
* [[Danai Centrella]] (mentioned)
* [[Magestrix of the Magistracy of Canopus|Magestrix]] [[Emma Centrella]] (mentioned)
* [[Naomi Centrella]] (mentioned)
* MechWarrior [[Lo Chang]] of the [[Hustaing Warriors]]
* Infantryman [[Mikhail Chess]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* Cadet [[Trahn Choya]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* Lance Leader [[Raven Clearwater (Warrior House Hiritsu)|Raven Clearwater]], Warrior House Hiritsu
* [[First Prince of the Federated Suns|First Prince]] [[Hanse Davion|Hanse "The Fox" Davion]] (mentioned)
* [[Lieutenant_General#Armed_Forces_of_the_Federated_Suns|Leftenant General]] [[Simone Devon]]
* ''[[Colonel#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Sang-shao]]'' [[Ni Tehn Dho]] of the [[6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry|6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry (Hustaing Warriors)]]
* [[Captain]] [[Warner Doles (Blackwind Lancers)|Warner Doles]] of the [[Blackwind Lancers]]
* ''[[Captain#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Sang-wei]]'' [[Danny Evans]] of the [[6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry|6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry (Hustaing Warriors)]]
* ''[[Captain#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Sang-wei]]'' [[Hugh Feng]] of the [[6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry|6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry (Hustaing Warriors)]]
* [[Arena Gladiator]] [[Jamie Ferrero]] (mentioned)
* Cadet [[Maurice Fitzgerald|Maurice "Fitz" Fitzgerald]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* [[Lieutenant]] [[Frakes (St. Ives)|Frakes]] of the [[2nd St. Ives Lancers]]
* [[Arena Gladiator]] [[Garrett (Blackstar Stables)|Garrett]] of [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] (mentioned)
* ''[[Captain#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Sang-wei]]'' [[Jerry Gossett]] of the [[2nd Confederation Reserve Cavalry]]
* [[Sherryl Halas]] (mentioned) 
* [[Marshal of the Armies]] [[Morgan Hasek-Davion]] (mentioned)
* ''[[Colonel#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Sang-shao]]'' [[Michael Hyung-Tsei]] of the [[Death Commandos]] 
* Company Leader [[Jason James]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* Infantry Commander [[Sebastian Jessup]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* MechWarrior [[Jolles]] of the [[Blackwind Lancers]] (mentioned)
* MechWarrior [[Shen Kei]] of the [[6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry|6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry (Hustaing Warriors)]]
* [[Commanding General of the Star League Defense Force|General]] [[Aleksandr Kerensky]] (mentioned)
* [[Lance Corporal]] [[Chi Kung]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* [[Keeper of the Family Honor]] [[Omiko Kurita|Omiko "Omi" Kurita]] (mentioned)
* [[Coordinator of Worlds|Coordinator]] [[Theodore Kurita (31st c.)|Theodore Kurita]] (mentioned)
* Cadet [[Cameron Lee]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* [[Duke of St. Ives|Duchess of St. Ives]] [[Candace Liao]] 
* [[President of the Liao Republic]] [[Elias Liao|Elias Jung Liao]] (mentioned)
* [[Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation|Chancellor]] [[Jasmine Liao (25th c.)|Jasmine Liao]] (mentioned)
* [[Kali Liao]]
* [[Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation|Chancellor]] [[Maximilian Liao]] (mentioned)
* [[Mandrinn of Capella|Mandrinn]] [[Tormano Liao]] (mentioned)
* [[Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation|Chancellor]] & [[First Lord of the Star League|First Lord]] [[Sun-Tzu Liao]]
* [[Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation|Chancellor]] [[Romano Liao]] (mentioned)
* [[Elected Prince of the Free Rasalhague Republic|Prince]] [[Haakon Magnusson]] (mentioned)
* [[President of the New Colony Region]] [[Sherman Maltin]] (mentioned)
* [[Lance Sergeant]] [[Mangh]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* ''[[Colonel#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Sang-shao]]'' [[Ju-Lei Marshigama]] of [[Marshigama's Legionnaires]] (mentioned)
* [[Duchess]] [[Isis Marik]] 
* [[Janos Halas|Janos Marik III (Janos Halas)]] (mentioned)
* [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Raymond Li Tran]] of [[Rubinsky's Light Horse]] of [[Khorsakhov's Cossacks]]
* [[Captain-General of the Free Worlds League]] [[Thomas Marik]] (mentioned)
* [[Captain#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Commander]] [[Nevarr]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* House Master [[Ty Wu Non]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* [[Colonel]] [[Leonid Perrin]] of the [[Blackwind Lancers]]
* Sub Commander [[Pherr]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard (mentioned)
* Cadet [[Freya Restecht]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* [[Lance Sergeant]] [[Erik Richards]] of the [[Blackwind Lancers]]
* [[Colonel]] [[Marko Rubinsky]] of [[Rubinsky's Light Horse]] of [[Khorsakhov's Cossacks]]
* [[Captain]] [[Tamas Rubinsky]] of [[Rubinsky's Light Horse]] of [[Khorsakhov's Cossacks]]
* ''[[Gao-shiao-zhang]]'' [[Ion Rush]] of [[Warrior House Imarra]]
* [[Captain]] [[Julius Scavros]] of the [[2nd St. Ives Lancers]]
* [[Colonel#Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces|Senior Colonel]] [[Caroline Seng]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]]
* [[Director of the Maskirovka]] [[Tsen Shang]] (mentioned)
* [[Karen Simmons]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* Cadet [[Danielle Singh]] of the [[St. Ives Compact]] Home Guard
* [[Major]] [[Trisha Smithson]] of the [[Blackwind Lancers]]
* [[Arthur Steiner-Davion]] (mentioned)
* [[Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth|Archon]] [[Katherine Steiner-Davion|Katherine "Katrina" Steiner-Davion]] 
* [[First Prince|Prince]] [[Victor Ian Steiner-Davion]] (mentioned)
* [[Yvonne Steiner-Davion]] (mentioned)
* Company Leader [[Aris Sung]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* [[Wan (Warrior House Hiristu)|Wan]], Captain of the [[Dainwu]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]] 
* [[Director of the Maskirovka]] [[Sasha Wanli]]
* Infantryman [[Li Wynn]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* Representative [[Jonathan Xiam-hu]]
* House Master [[Virginia York]] of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]] (mentioned)
* ''[[Capellan_Confederation_Armed_Forces#Strategic_Military_Director|Sang-jiang-jun]]'' [[Talon Zahn]]
{{div col end}}

== Featured places ==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Brighton]] (mentioned)
* [[Capricorn]] (mentioned)
* [[Denbar]]
* [[Detroit]] (mentioned)
* [[Gei-Fu]]
* [[Harloc]]
* [[Hustaing]]
* [[Indicass]]
* [[Kaifeng]] (mentioned)
* [[Milos]]
* [[Nashuar]]
* [[Necromo]] (mentioned)
* [[Purvo]] (mentioned)
* [[Relevow]]
* [[Sarna]]
* [[Sian]]
* [[St. Ives]]
* [[St. Loris]] 
* [[Tikonov]] (mentioned)
* [[Vestallas]] (mentioned)
* [[Wei]] (mentioned)
{{div col end}}

==Featured BattleTech==
==='Mechs===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[Apollo (BattleMech)|Apollo]]''
* ''[[Battle Hawk]]''
* ''[[Blackjack (BattleMech)|Blackjack]]'' (BJ-1, BJ-2 & BJ-3 (mentioned))
* ''[[Nova (Black Hawk)]]''-B
* ''[[Blackjack (OmniMech)]]''
* ''[[Catapult]]''
* ''[[Cataphract]]''
* ''[[Centurion (BattleMech)|Centurion]]''
* ''[[Cestus]]''
* ''[[Cicada]]''
* CLNT-2-3U ''[[Clint]]''
* ''[[Commando]]''
* ''[[Cossack (BattleMech)|Cossack]]''
* ''[[Crusader]]''
* ''[[Fire Moth (Dasher)]]''
* ''[[Emperor]]'' (mentioned)
* ''[[Enforcer]]''
* ''[[Gallowglas]]''
* ''[[Grasshopper]]''
* ''[[Hammer (BattleMech)|Hammer]]''
* ''[[Hunchback]]''
* ''[[Huron Warrior]]''
* ''[[Hussar]]''
* ''[[JagerMech]]''
* ''[[Jenner]]''
* ''[[Timber Wolf (Mad Cat)]]'' (mentioned)
* ''[[Marshal (BattleMech)|Marshal]]''
* ''[[Mercury (BattleMech)|Mercury]]''
* ''[[Night Hawk]]''
* ''[[Orion]]''
* ''[[Ostscout]]''
* ''[[Phoenix Hawk]]''
* ''[[Raven]]''
* ''[[Rifleman]]''
* ''[[Snake]]''
* ''[[Spector]]''
* ''[[Stealth]]''
* ''[[Striker (BattleMech)|Striker]]''
* ''[[Thunder (BattleMech)|Thunder]]''
* ''[[Tempest]]''
* ''[[UrbanMech]]''
* ''[[Victor]]''
* ''[[Vindicator]]''
* ''[[War Dog]]''
* ''[[Wasp]]''
* ''[[Whitworth]]''
* ''[[Wraith]]''
* ''[[Yu Huang]]''
{{div col end}}

===Vehicles===
* [[Blizzard (Combat Vehicle)|Blizzard Hover Transport]]
* [[Centipede|Centipede Scout Car]]
* [[Harasser|Harasser Missile Platform]]
* [[Hetzer|Hetzer Wheeled Assault Gun]]
* [[J. Edgar]]
* [[Manticore|Manticore Heavy Tank]]
* [[Ontos|Ontos Heavy Tank]]
* [[Pegasus Scout Hover Tank|Pegasus scout hovercraft]]
* [[Savannah Master]] (mentioned)
* [[SRM Carrier]]

===Spacecraft===
* ''[[Invader]]''-class JumpShip
* unknown class JumpShip ''[[Tao-te]]'' of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* unknown class JumpShip ''[[Celestial Walker]]'' of the [[Capellan Confederation]]
* ''[[Lung Wang]]''-class [[DropShip]] ''[[Pearl of True Wisdom]]''
* ''[[Overlord]]''-class DropShip ''[[Dainwu]]'' of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]]
* ''[[Union]]''-class DropShip ''[[Lao-tzu]]'' of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]] 
* unknown ''[[Condor (DropShip class)]]''-class DropShip of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]] 
* unknown ''[[Overlord]]''-class DropShip 
* unknown ''[[Union]]''-class DropShip of [[Warrior House Hiritsu]] 

===Infantry===
* [[Achileus|Achileus light battle armor]]

<!--==Notes==-->

==Foreign-Language Editions==
===German=== 
A German edition, translated by [[Reinhold H. Mai]], was published by [[Heyne]] in 2000 as ''Gefährlicher Ehrgeiz'' (ISBN 9783453156708).<ref>Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for [https://d-nb.info/959626670 ''Gefährlicher Ehrgeiz'']</ref>

===Hungarian===
A Hungarian edition, translated by Novák Gábor, was published by [[Beholder]] in 2006 as ''A becsvágy hálójában''.<ref>Beholder product page for [http://beholder.hu/?m=bolt&cikk=7940 ''A becsvágy hálójában'']</ref>

===Russian===
A Russian edition, translated by E. Samokhina, was published by [[Дрофа]] (Drofa) in 2003 as ''Нити амбиций'' (ISBN 5710769339) as part of a series produced in collaboration with [[Армада-пресс]] (Armada-Press). <ref> Science Fiction Lab Book description for [http://fantlab.ru/edition39974 Нити амбиций]</ref> <ref> National Library of Russia description for [https://webservices.nlr.ru/util/?method=recordFormat&vid=07NLR_VU1&sysid=000445546&format=037&base=NLR01 Нити амбиций]</ref>  

== Covers ==
<gallery>
Threads of Ambition.jpg|Original 1999 cover. Art by [[Bruce Jensen]]
Gefaehrlicher Ehrgeiz.jpg|2000 German edition.
Image:A becsvágy hálójában - Kapellán megoldás - 2006.jpg|2006 Hungarian edition.
Image:Нити амбиций.jpg|2003 Russian edition.
</gallery>

=References=
<references/>


[[Category:Novels]]
[[Category:Classic BattleTech novels]]
[[Category:BattleCorps publications]]
[[Category:Works by Loren L. Coleman]]
[[Category:German Editions]]
[[Category:Hungarian Editions]]
[[Category:Russian Editions]]