MERCY KILL

The Star Wars expanded universe continues to grow, as Allston (Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Conviction, 2011, etc.) supplies the 10th book in the Star Wars: X-Wing series and the first since Allston’s Starfighters of Adumar (1999).

The new novel centers on the now-decommissioned Wraith Squadron, a misfit group of highly-skilled fighters founded by Rebel Alliance pilot Wedge Antilles (a minor character from the original Star Wars film trilogy). Many years after the Wraiths’ last mission, former commander Garik “Face” Loran is getting members of the old team back together—including Gamorrean math whiz Voort saBinring and human tactical expert Bhindi Drayson—for a new, off-the-grid mission: to go after Alliance general Stavin Thaal, suspected of being part of a conspiracy to overthrow the Alliance. The team—including new members, such as Antilles’ daughter Myri and a Yuuzhan Vong named Scut—organizes a mission to draw their target out. But the situation with the general turns out to be more complicated than it first appears. Allston does an excellent job moving the action along and skillfully juggles the many colorful alien and human characters with ease. This latest novel follows on the events of the recently completed nine-book Fate of the Jedi saga, for which Allston also wrote three installments. Though it will please fans of previous entries in the X-Wing series, this entry (save for a few scenes) takes place years after those books and features several new characters, effectively functioning as a stand-alone work. As such, it provides a rare entry point for newbies to the Star Wars expanded universe. It also leaves the door open for further Dirty Dozen-esque Wraith Squadron adventures.

A fine addition to the ongoing Star Wars saga.