Book Review: Star Wars: X-Wing: Wedge's Gamble SPOILERS!

In 1996, author Michael A. Stackpole returned to pen a second Star Wars X-Wing novel. This time, the Battle for Coruscant is the deciding blow against Imperial Forces as Rogue Squadron takes center stage ont eh metropolis world. Synopsis: Sleek, swift, and deadly, they are the X-wing fighters. And as the battle against the Empire rages across the vastness of space, the pilots risk both their lives and their machines for the cause of the Rebel Alliance. Now they must embark on a dangerous espionage mission, braving betrayal and death on the Imperial homeworld to smash the power of a ruthless foe! It is the evil heart of a battered and reeling Empire: Coruscant, the giant city-world from whose massive towers the Imperial High Command directs the war. The Rebels will invade this mighty citadel in a daring move to bring the Empire to its knees. But first Wedge Antilles and his X-wing pilots must infiltrate Coruscant to gain vital intelligence information. Capture means death, or worse--enslavement by the vicious leader known as "Iceheart," Ysanne Isard, now Emperor in all but name. And one of Rogue Squadron's own is already her slave, a traitor hidden behind a mask of innocence, working to betray both colleagues and the Rebellion itself.

The novel opens with Corran Horn and two Y-Wing bombers of Champion Squadron as they battle Imperial TIE-Fighters and the freighter Vengeance Derra IV above Borleias. The Imperials are a scouting team from Warlord Zsinj as he assesses the New Republic's forward base in the push for Coruscant. The Imperials lose and Vengeance flees. Cmdr. Wedge Antilles welcomes Capt. Aril Nunb and Lt. Pash Cracken to Rogue Squadron. Corran's suspicious of Tycho Celchu, believing him to be a spy for Ysanne "Iceheart" Isard when he was captured and imprisoned on Lusankya. The Rogues and the Katarn Commandos, led by Lt. Judder Page, break some high risk prisoners out of Kessel to aid in the taking of Coruscant: mainly Black Sun members such as Zekka Thyne, Fliry Vorru, and others, including Inyri Forge, sister of recently deceased Lujayne Forge. The Rogues are told, in groups of two, about the Coruscant campaign. Corran's paired up with Erisi Dlarit. On Coruscant, Kirtan Loor and General Evir Derricote concoct the Krytos virus and figure out how best to distribute it so that when the New Republic takes Coruscant, the aliens all die. Kirtan wants to do so without harming every species to encourage the dissident aliens to join the fledgling Galactic Empire. Gavin Darklighter, Nawara Ven, Rhysati Ynr, and Aril Nunb learn from the Bothan Asyr Sei'lar and her friends that Imperials are capturing aliens for unknown reasons. The Imps raid the place where Asyr and her friends are about to kill Gavin for being a bigot. Gavin saves Asyr from death but Aril Nunb is captured. Everyone regroups and Thyne's wounded. Corran voices his suspicion about Tycho, but Wedge tells him to leave it. Loor threatens Derricote over the fate of all Sullustans. The Imps storm Rogue Squadron's hide-hole and Thyne dies, but not before revealing to Corran that he and a Rogue Squadron member betrayed them to the Imperials. Corran suspects Tycho even further. Tycho arrives and tells Wedge that they have 48 hours to take out Coruscant's shields. The shields fall and the Battle for Coruscant begins. During the battle, Corran is shot down. The battle ends and Tycho is arrested for Corran's murder. In Lusankya, Isard taunts Corran about breaking him like she did Tycho.

One of the best X-Wing novels by Stackpole. It vividly details that entire operation to take Coruscant away from Imperial forces. A great read for anyone interested in the X-Wing series and ship fighting and stealth operations in general.

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. 

Upcoming book reviews

Okay, sorry, but that last list I made was way too long with too many books. From here on out, I'm just sticking with the series I've started.

Confirmed:
Honor Harrington (from In Enemy Hands on up, including the Saganami duology and Torch Slaves duology) by David Weber with Eric Flint [This will take a while to do, so bear with me]
The Old Republic: Annihilation by Drew Karpyshyn [It comes out soon, that's all I know]
Halo: The Thursday War by Karen Traviss [haven't visited Barnes and Noble yet this month]
Halo: Cryptum by Greg Bear [I will get around to it in about three weeks or so]
Halo: Primordium by Greg Bear [when my library gets it]

Star Wars X-Wing series (from Wedge's Gamble on up) by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston [can do from home, but they're all in different boxes, so please be patient. I'm also loaning them to a friend, so it will take a while]

Possibilities:
The Vorkosigan Saga (from Brothers In Arms upward) by Lois McMaster Bujold. Was going to do this, but the local library no longer has Brothers or Mirror Dance or Memory.
The Wess'har series by Karen Traviss
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (broken into two parts) by JRR Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (broken into two parts) by JRR Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (broken into two parts) by JRR Tolkien

I will try and post regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the future, but if Life takes a different turn, then I may be forced to change the posting schedule. I'll let you all know in advance if I can.