Review: Star Wars: X-Wing: The Krytos Trap SPOILERS!

In October 1996, revered Star Wars veteran author Michael A. Stackpole completed the third installment in the epic X-Wing saga. This time, Tycho Celchu's on trial for the murder of Corran Horn and only the evidence of a dead man can save him. Synopsis: The Rebels have taken Coruscant. But their problems are far from over. A killer virus called Krytos is wiping out the indigenous population, and a counterrevolution is exploding. At the center of the storm is the highly charged treason trial of Rebel hero Tycho Celchu. While agent provocateurs carry out their acts of terrorism, the fledgling state can be defended only by the blood and courage of the Rogue Squadron. As the X-Wing fighters scramble to save the Rebellion, Corran Horn, given up for dead in Ysanne Isard's inescapable prison, discovers he alone holds the key to freeing Coruscant from the Empire!

The novel opens with Wedge holding a funeral for Corran. Kirtan Loor, on orders from Isard, leads the counterrevolution. The Provisional Council remains unconvinced of Tycho's innocence, despite Wedge's claims. Warlord Zsinj is causing problems near Thyferra, raiding the New Republic's bacta supply lines. Meanwhile Corran Horn is being tested for betrayal; he fails because he refuses to betray his friends so Isard has him placed with the other prisoners--the most notable of which is General Jan Dodonna, who was captured just after the Battle for Yavin IV (A New Hope) when Vader invaded. Also there is General Evir Derricote, imprisoned for his failure at Borleias. The trial starts and things don't look good for Tycho; Halla Ettyk treats all of Rogue Squadron like they're threats while Nawara Ven insists on proper protocol for questioning the witnesses. Fliry Vorru corners Kirtan and proposes and alliance which Kirtan agrees to. Despite Wedge's attempt to help, the case for Tycho being innocent goes awry. More doubt is placed on him than before. Admiral Ackbar sends Rogue Squadron on a mission to orbital tide-locked Ryloth, while the trial is put on a temporary hold.

Vorru orders Kirtan to target a school of innocent civilian kids; Kirtan cautiously agrees, but is wary of Vorru. Meanwhile, Wedge and the Rogues arrive on Ryloth and Wedge is greeted by Cazne'olan, someone he met a couple years back (X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Battleground: Tatooine a comic done by Stackpole during the almighty rein of Dark Horse comics in the 1990s). Corran tells Dodonna and Urlor Sette that he plans on escaping Lusankya. Twi'lek warrior Tal'dira challenges Wedge to fight like a warrior--Tal'dira chooses the merchant Koh'shak to fight Wedge--but he refuses and points out the gifts he brought were meant for warriors; Tal'dira applauds Wedge for his honor. Corran, despite Derricote's attempt to kill him, manages to escape Lusankya; Derricote ends up dead thanks to Dodonna whom Corran promises to come back and rescue. Back at the trial, Nawara heavily questions Quarren New Republic Intelligence agent Tsillin Wel about the amount of credits the Empire paid into Tycho; they learn that Tycho is of middling importance to them, as was Crix Madine, both of whom had six accounts by the Empire, though neither were aware of them. Nawara speculates that this draws attention to the point of Tycho being innocent, but neither he nor Tycho fully believe things can be easily won.

The Rogues manage to destroy one of Zsinj's war ships above the graveyard of Alderaan. Wedge suspects foul play and orders Nawara back to Coruscant via a long route to Tatooine. Kirtan Loor overcomes his deeds and turns himself into Nawara Ven, saying he has evidence to clear Tycho. Corran somehow wishes for the stormtroopers searching for Derricote to go away and they do. He learns that Tycho wasn't of use to Isard, and neither was Madine; the true spy for Isard shocks Corran. Iella Wessiri goes to bring Kirtan Loor to the trial. Vorru warns Borsk Fey'lya about an attack on a bacta storage cell in one of his (Vorru's) sectors. The Rogues are sent to deal with it. Corran ends up in a desolate museum where holograms of deceased Jedi are set up. Corran learns that his father, Hal Horn was an apprentice to Neeja Halcyon. Stormtroopers invade and Corran takes Neeja's lightsaber and fights his way out. One their way to the trial, Nawara, Kirtan, and Iella are ambushed by Diric Wessiri--Iella's husband. Diric kills Loor thinking he's Derricote; Iella asks him why and Diric, dying, responds "Lusankya." During the fight above the bacta station, a portion of the mountains break loose and a Super Star Destroyer bursts out, the IFF transponder reading Lusankya. Tycho, distraught, demands to represent himself; Emtry and Whistler point out that there is one witness left--Corran bursts into the courtroom and informs them about Tycho's innocence and that the traitor is none other than Erisi Dlarit. Erisi and Vorru flee with Isard on Lusankya. The Rogues are ordered to pursue Zsinj, even though evidence suggests Isard's going to take over the bacta cartels on Thyferra. The Rogues, except for Pash Cracken, resign and leave; Pash retakes command of Cracken's Flight Group.

I swear, it seems like a lot was given away, but a lot wasn't mentioned either. It's hard to sum down a 355 page novel where things are constantly happening and most of Stackpole's plot points from the series are wrapped up here. Nevertheless, The Krytos Trap is one of the best of the Star Wars Expanded Universe novels that deftly weaves starfighter battles with political intrigue and a dash of what the galaxy far, far away's court system is like. I'll be back soon with the conclusion to Stackpole's four-part X-Wing story soon in Star Wars: X-Wing: The Bacta War.

Book Review: Honor Harrington: In Enemy Hands SPOILERS!

In 1997, David Weber returned with another thrilling novel set in his Honorverse. This time, Honor's captured by the enemy and her only hope of rescue lies in a dicey bit of betrayal from a friend and that not all Peeps are evil. Synopsis: Honor Harrington's career has its ups and downs. She's survived ship-to-ship battles, assassins, political vendettas, and duels. She's been shot at, shot down, and just plain shot, had starships blown out from under her, and made personal enemies who will stop at nothing to ruin her, and somehow she's survived it all. But this time she's really in trouble. The People's Republic of Haven has finally found an admiral who can win battles, and Honor's orders take her straight into an ambush. Outnumbered, outgunned, and unable to run, she has just two options: see the people under her command die in a hopeless, futile battle... or surrender them-and herself-to the People's Republic of Haven. There can only be one choice, and at least the People's Navy promises to treat their prisoners honorably. But the Navy is overruled by the political authorities, and Honor finds herself bound for a prison planet aptly named "Hell" ... and her scheduled execution. Put into solitary confinement, separated from her officers and her treecat Nimitz, and subjected to systematic humiliation by her jailers, Honor's future has become both bleak and short. Yet bad as things look, they're about to get worse ... for the People's Republic of Haven.

The novel opens with Cordelia Ransom arguing with Oscar Saint-Just and Rob Pierre about letting Esther McQueen have a seat on the Committee. Honor Harrington, accompanied by her armsmen and part of Nimitz's clan, land on Grayson and later talk shop with Hamish Alexander. Citizen Admiral Thomas Theisman, Citizen Commander Warner Caslet, and Commissioner Denis LePic also talk shop on the borders of the Haven Republic. Honor, on board HMS Prince Adrien--with Alistair McKeon--head out to protect cargo ships going to the Adler system. Ester McQueen begins  to settle into her role and use it as a way to pull a coup. Meanwhile, Citizen Rear Admiral Lester Tourville plans to take the fight to the Adler system. Cordellia Ransom arrives at Barnett system to oversee Theisman and tells him she plans to dispense with the Deneb Accords--something Theisman happens to value. At Clairmont, Vice Admiral of the Red Dame Madeleine Sorbanne received word that Tourville's taken Adler and nothing can save Honor's two ships. At Adler, and after a short fight, Honor orders McKeon to surrender.

Tourville dispatches a message to Theisman, unaware that Ransom is there. Theisman, Caslet, LePic, and Ransom arrive to take Honor prisoner and have her killed to some trumped up charges for the incident at Basilisk (HH1:OBS). Ransom orders Nimitz killed but Citizen Lieutenant Shannon Foraker lies  by saying that if Nimitz dies, then so does honor which Dr. Fritz Montoya corroborates. It's a lie that everyone but Ransom and her goons knows is a lie. Ransom takes the senior officers and Honor, with Caslet to the Cerberus system to execute Honor. Faking to switch sides, Senior Chief Petty Officer Horace Harkness sabotages Ransom's ship and rescues the officers and Caslet and Honor. During the fight to escape, armsman Jamie Candless sacrifices himself to ensure Honor gerts away. Harkness, as they flee in a damaged pinnace, has a second pinnace bring up its impeller wedge in the hangar, which destroys Ransom's ship and Ransom. Tourville, on his own ship, erases the records of what happened, stating that Honor deserved better than to be disintegrated in Ransom's ship. In the epilogue, Honor, with destroyed implants and missing an arm, wakes up on Hades with Harkness, Tremaine, McKeon, Caslet, Fritz, Nimitz, LaFollet and a few dozen others, saying that the Peeps are outnumbered here.

All in all, a very decent novel with enough action and world-building to satisfy any number of sci-fi lovers. Weber continues to show his masterful characterizations with any character no matter how great of small. A wonderful addition to the Honorverse. 

Book Review: Honor Harrington: Field of Dishonor SPOILERS!

Published in October 1994 by Baen Books, author David Weber returns to his ever-popular military science fiction universe in the Honor Harrington series and weaves a tale of politics, honor, and intrigue in Field of Dishonor. Synopsis: Honor betrayed. The People's Republic of Haven's sneak attack on the Kingdom of Manticore has failed. The Peeps are in disarray, their leaders fighting for power in a bloody revolution, and the Royal Manticoran Navy stands victorious. But Manticore has domestic problems of their own, and success can be more treacherous than defeat for Honor Harrington. Now, trapped at the core of a political crisis she never sought, betrayed by an old and vicious enemy she'd thought vanquished forever, she stands alone. She must fight for justice on a battlefield she never trained for in a private war that offers just two choices: death...or a "victory" that can end only in dishonor and the loss of all she loves.

The novel opens with the Manticoran Judge Advocate General Board reviewing the final moments of the Battle of Hancock Station and arrives at the decision that Pavel Young needs to be tried in a court-martial. Baron High Ridge demands answers for this from Admiral of the Green Hamish Alexander (a.k.a. White Haven) and Duke Cromarty, who refuses to change their positions, so High Ridge threatens to have the Conservative Association oppose the war with Haven. On HMS Nike, Honor delivers Young to Manticore for his trial. It's overseen by Adml. White Haven, Capt Thor Simengaard, Commodore Lemaitre, Adml. Thedosia Kuzak, Adml. Sonja Hemphill, and RAdml. Rexford Jurgens. Pavel's father, Lord Dimitri Young--the current Earl of North Hollow--works hard to try and free his son of "injustice." Young is declared guilty of violating Articles 23 and 26 of the Articles of War, exposing units of the task force to severe damage, and casualties, but is dismissed of the two things that would've had him in front of a firing squad: the 4th and 5th charges as Hamish and company are unable to reach a verdict. In short, Pavel Young is stripped of all "rank, rights, privileges, and prerogatives as a Captain in the Royal Manticoran Navy and dishonorably dismissed from the Service as unfit to wear the Queen's uniform, judgement to be executed in three days."*

At this announcement, Dimitri dies of a heart attack and High Ridge petitions to get Pavel Young instated as the current Earl North Hollow, giving him a seat on the Lords, something Honor is uneasy with. Repairs on the Nike are ongoing and Honor is assigned to Task Force Four under command of Adml. Hamish Alexander and he has her go to oversee her Steading on Grayson. After a few weeks, Honor learns that her lover, Paul Tankersley, was killed by the assassin and former member of the Manticoran Marines Denver Summervale. Summervale killed Paul on Young's command as revenge against Harrington. Honor returns to Manticore and challenges Summervale to a duel--something that Summervale always wins in--and kills him. She badgers the Lords into giving her her seat--something long overdue since The Honor of the Queen--and challenges Young to a duel. White Haven orders Honor not to follow through--which is an illegal order and they both know it--but Honor does go through with it. She kills Young after he cowardly disobeys the dueling rules and wounds Honor. In response, Honor is exiled from Manticore, at least until the current political anger is gone. In the end, Honor leaves for Grayson, intending to stay there during her exile.

All in all, a great read and, though somewhat heavy in politics, is a rather satisfying conclusion to the Honor-Pavel tension. It seemed as though Weber knew that if he kept Pavel alive for any more books, the readers would've left the series because the tension would've gotten old.

*page 119 of the mass market paperback version