Review #29: Star Wars: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron

Aaron Allston’s first X-wing book is Wraith Squadron. Set immediately after Michael Stackpole’s Rogue Squadron series, Allston’s story takes a slightly different path. Wedge Antilles is once again the star of the story. This time he decides to organize an X-wing squadron to hunt for Zsinj. His rationale for this squadron is quite simple. Rogue Squadron was a fighter unit that kept drawing commando assignments. This time Wedge wants to organize a commando squadron with flying experience.

The trick is, he wants washouts. Pilots that other units have rejected. Wedge thinks he can whip them into shape and make something very useful out of them. They begin training on Commenor, but shortly after starting, one of Zsinj’s commanders raids the base and forces the Republic forces to flee.

While running away, the Wraiths manage to take a Corellian blockade runner from Zsinj without him knowing. They pose as the crew and work their way closer to Zsinj from within.

The attrition rate is slightly higher than most Star Wars novels, but it keeps in line with Stackpole’s series. Allston, though, is by far funnier than Stackpole ever dreamed of being. Nothing against Michael stackpole, he is a very good author, but his inclination was more toward the technical side while Allston connects the reader to the character through humor.

I chose this book to be reviewed on my birthday because it is truly one of my favorite books. I’ve read it multiple times, and it never gets old. The characters are new, and by that I mean they aren’t retreads of old characters. Allston has truly created original characters within the confines of the Star Wars universe.

Re-readability: 9.99
Final Grade: A+