
David W. (
rpm44) wrote on 8/16/2008...
I would recommend reading the first 5 or 6 X-wing books first. They give you a good background on the main character.

Candace G. (
Ogre) wrote on 9/29/2006...
It is a perilous time for the New Republic. Just when unity is needed most, mistrust is on the rise. Even the Jedi feel the strain, as rogue elements rebel against Luke's leadership. When alien invaders known as the Yunnan Vong strike without warning, the New Republic is thrown on the defensive. Merciless warriors, the Yunnan Vong glory in torture. Their technology is as strange as it is deadly. Most ominous of all, they are impervious to the Force.
This was one of my favorite Star Wars books, because it didn't focus on the usual characters and was written from the first person. So it was something a little bit different. It's got both humor and action.
The author of the popular Star Wars X-Wing series breaks into hardcover with this lavish novel, which takes place when Han and Leia's twins are about three years old. Corran Horn, a former Corellian police officer turned Rogue Squadron pilot, learns that he has a Jedi inheritance and Force abilities. He also learns that his wife has been kidnapped while trying to infiltrate the operations of the piratical ex-Imperial Admiral Tavira. So it is not without inner conflicts that he goes to the newly established Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, where he encounters both his own limitations and the ghost of the Dark Jedi Exar Kun. At last he decides to return to use his Force powers in his original profession, to rescue his wife and dissolve Admiral Tavira's piratical band. By telling two stories between one set of covers, Stackpole has come up with one of the longest Star Wars novels yet, and also one of the best. Corran Horn is a more complex protagonist than many, formidably competent but with believable limitations. He also provides us with a minor player's perspective on superstars like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo (whom this ex-policeman still thinks of as an ex-criminal). Stackpole adds many engaging details and minor characters of his own to the Star Wars universe and puts his skill at telling a fluid action story on full display here. This novel will play well among the loyal fans and can be enjoyed even by non-fans with a taste for star-faring swashbucklers.