Though it was only published in 1996 by sci-fi/fantasy author Michael A. Stackpole, X-Wing: Rogue Squadron is hard to find. Come to think of it, all of his Bantam Spectra Star Wars X-Wing novels are. Del Rey, the current forerunner for Star Wars novels, refused to renew the licensing and the best-selling X-Wing novel by Stackpole have since sold out. Synopsis: Join the most elite fighting force in space on a do-or-die mission only the X-Wings would dare! They are sleek, swift, and deadly. They are the X-Wing fighters. And as the struggle rages across the vastness of space, the fearless men and women who pilot them risk both their lives and their machines. Their mission: to defend the Rebel Alliance against a still-powerful and battle-hardened Imperial foe in a last-ditch effort to control the stars! It's very name strikes fear into enemy hearts. So when Rebel hero Wedge Antilles rebuilds the legendary Rogue Squadron, he seeks out only the best--the most skilled, the most daring X-Wing pilots. Through arduous training and dangerous missions, he weeds out the weak from the strong, assembling a group of hard-bitten warriors willing to fight, ready to die. Antilles knows the grim truth: that even with the best X-Wing jockeys in the galaxy, many will not survive their near-suicidal missions. But when Rogue Squadron is ordered to assist in the assault on the heavily fortified Imperial stronghold on Black Moon, even the bravest must wonder if nay at all will survive....
The novel starts off on Folor with Corran Horn training against a simulation of the doomed Redeemer scenario--a mission the Rebel Alliance failed against the Empire--and is the last one standing on the simrun. He won it with help from his astromech droid Whistler, who calculated every wing of TIE Fighters thrown at Corran's partners. Meanwhile, Commander Wedge Antilles meets with Admiral Ackbar about the selection of pilots for Rogue Squadron--which seem to be all about politics and appeasing key member worlds--and the fate of Captain Tycho Celchu. On Coruscant, Imperial Intelligence agent Kirtan Loor oversees the torture of a man named Gil Bastra; Kirtan wants information that will lead him to his old Corellian Security nemesis Corran Horn. Over the next few weeks Corran trains while Kirtan Loor meets with the head of Imperial Intelligence, Ysanne "Iceheart" Isard and helps General Evir Derricote get what he needs for Black Moon base. Ackbar tells Wedge that Rogue Squadron will be made active for the Coruscant campaign. The Rogues head to Talasea and rescue the smuggling vessel Pulsar Skate, captained by Mirax Terrik, the daughter of Booster Terrik and family rival to the Horns. Isard assigns Loor the task of killing Rogue Squadron. A few days on Talasea ends with the death of Lujayne Forge. Rogue Squadron and General Salm's squadrons attack Black Moon and are nearly slaughtered. They retreat and Lt. Judder Page and Corran talk and discover that Black Moon used to be known as Borleias and once had a secret Imperial TIE-Fighter base there. With that knowledge in mind, the pilots try again and succeed, though not before Mirax, having come to view Corran as a friend, and Tycho Celchu break regulation and commandeer a ship to save the pilots. Everyone but Corran makes it out and, during his free fall, Mirax arrives and saves him. With Black Moon taken, and most of Rogue Squadron alive--Andoorni Hui and Peshk Vri'syk died during one of the battles and Bror Jace is presumed dead while on leave, last known bearing: Thyferra--the Alliance makes further preparations for the Coruscant campaign.
This was the first novel to not feature This is the first novel to not feature any of the original heroic trio, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, or Leia Organa.It was also the first tie-in novel for the Star Wars X-wing game--not that the game and the novel have anything in common except X-wings and one of the levels. It was a great novel that captured the spirit of Star Wars as well as provide detail into the space battles. Great characters, scenic battles, and a never-ending supply of nods to Stackpole's Star Wars partners: Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston. Back in the day, they ran the Expanded Universe.
The novel starts off on Folor with Corran Horn training against a simulation of the doomed Redeemer scenario--a mission the Rebel Alliance failed against the Empire--and is the last one standing on the simrun. He won it with help from his astromech droid Whistler, who calculated every wing of TIE Fighters thrown at Corran's partners. Meanwhile, Commander Wedge Antilles meets with Admiral Ackbar about the selection of pilots for Rogue Squadron--which seem to be all about politics and appeasing key member worlds--and the fate of Captain Tycho Celchu. On Coruscant, Imperial Intelligence agent Kirtan Loor oversees the torture of a man named Gil Bastra; Kirtan wants information that will lead him to his old Corellian Security nemesis Corran Horn. Over the next few weeks Corran trains while Kirtan Loor meets with the head of Imperial Intelligence, Ysanne "Iceheart" Isard and helps General Evir Derricote get what he needs for Black Moon base. Ackbar tells Wedge that Rogue Squadron will be made active for the Coruscant campaign. The Rogues head to Talasea and rescue the smuggling vessel Pulsar Skate, captained by Mirax Terrik, the daughter of Booster Terrik and family rival to the Horns. Isard assigns Loor the task of killing Rogue Squadron. A few days on Talasea ends with the death of Lujayne Forge. Rogue Squadron and General Salm's squadrons attack Black Moon and are nearly slaughtered. They retreat and Lt. Judder Page and Corran talk and discover that Black Moon used to be known as Borleias and once had a secret Imperial TIE-Fighter base there. With that knowledge in mind, the pilots try again and succeed, though not before Mirax, having come to view Corran as a friend, and Tycho Celchu break regulation and commandeer a ship to save the pilots. Everyone but Corran makes it out and, during his free fall, Mirax arrives and saves him. With Black Moon taken, and most of Rogue Squadron alive--Andoorni Hui and Peshk Vri'syk died during one of the battles and Bror Jace is presumed dead while on leave, last known bearing: Thyferra--the Alliance makes further preparations for the Coruscant campaign.
This was the first novel to not feature This is the first novel to not feature any of the original heroic trio, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, or Leia Organa.It was also the first tie-in novel for the Star Wars X-wing game--not that the game and the novel have anything in common except X-wings and one of the levels. It was a great novel that captured the spirit of Star Wars as well as provide detail into the space battles. Great characters, scenic battles, and a never-ending supply of nods to Stackpole's Star Wars partners: Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston. Back in the day, they ran the Expanded Universe.
