Book Review: Honor Harrington: The Shadow of Saganami SPOILERS!

In November 2004, David Weber published the first of a second spin-off to the Honor Harrington series: the Saganami Island series. In it, the next generation of young men and women of the HMS Hexapuma must stop the terrorism striking in the heart of the newly connected Talbott Cluster as their leaders vote to allow the cluster to join the Star Empire of Manticore. The events of this novel occur at the same time as At All Costs. Synopsis: The Star Kingdom of Manticore is once again at war with the Republic of Haven after a stunning sneak attack. The graduating class from Saganami Island, the Royal Manticoran Navy's academy, are going straight from the classroom to the blazing reality of all-out war. Except for the midshipmen assigned to the heavy cruiser HMS Hexapuma, that is. They're being assigned to the Talbott Cluster, an out of the way backwater, far from the battle front. The most they can look forward to is the capture of the occasional pirate cruiser and the boring duty of supporting the Cluster's peaceful integration with the Star Kingdom at the freely expressed will of eighty percent of the Cluster's citizens. With a captain who may have seen too much of war and a station commander who isn't precisely noted for his brilliant and insightful command style, it isn't exactly what the students of Honor Harrington, the "Salamander", expected. But things aren't as simple--or tranquil--as they appear. The "pirates" they encounter aren't what they seem, and the "peaceful integration" they expected turns into something very different. A powerful alliance of corrupt Solarian League bureaucrats and ruthless interstellar corporations is determined to prevent the Cluster's annexation by the Star Kingdom . . . by any means necessary. Pirates, terrorists, genetic slavers, smuggled weapons, long-standing personal hatreds, and a vicious alliance of corporate greed, bureaucratic arrogance, and a corrupt local star nation with a powerful fleet are all coming together, and only Hexapuma, her war-weary captain, and Honor Harrington's students stand in the path. They have only one thing to support and guide them: the tradition of Saganami. The tradition that sometimes a Queen's officer's duty is to face impossible odds . . . and die fighting.

The novel opens with Captain Aivars Terekhov waking up from that nightmare to find he's being assigned HMS Hexapuma with new orders for the quiet Talbott Cluster; he's being asked to ease the annexation through by helping the Manticoran ambassador, Rear Admiral Augustus Khumalo. Midshipwomen and midshipmen on their "snotty cruise"--Helen Zilwicki, Aikawa Kagiyama, Ragnhild Pavletic, Paulo d'Arezzo, Leopold Stottmeister--and Lieutenant Abigail Hearnes, with Commander Ginger Lewis, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Aubrey Wanderman board and head off for the Talbott Cluster. Once they get there, they find the situation unlike anything the reports hinted at. Meanwhile, Mesa's spokesperson for the Talbott Cluster, the illusive Aldona Anisimovna, helps set up--via discreet people--the terrorism network; she also helps Commissioner Lorcan Verrochio of the Solarian League's Office of Frontier Security sabotage the Manticoran talks. Agnes Nordbrandt heads one cell on Kornati, and Stephen Westman leads the Montana Independence Movement. Founder and ex-chairman of the Remembrandt Trade Union Bernardus Van Dort comes back from retirement to play politics, but ends up--in a fury--removing chariwoman Ineka Vaandrager as she helps drag the annexation talks out just for profit. Khumalo would just as soon remove Terekhov from the Talbott Cluster than have a war-weary man help; he demands that Terekhov just patrol and do nothing else. Nordbrandt takes a more aggressive terrorism approach and eliminates people whereas Westman just demolishes vacant and abandoned buildings. Eventually, Van Dort crosses paths with Terekhov and company. He helps Terekhov plead with Westman to bring about a resolution, but Steve won't have it; he uses more aggressive means. Westman also meets Helen and remarks how much she looks like Susanne--the deceased wife of Van Dort and friend to Westman. In the course of Hexapuma's cruises, evidence begins to pile up indicating that the local terrorists are actually (unwitting) pawns of foreign interests, and that the terrorist actions are merely the first step of a larger plan for the Cluster.

They then stumble across the Silesian privateer Marianne, which is in the process of delivering weapons to Westman. About to be boarded, and realizing that the penalty for piracy is death, one of the privateers panics and destroys the boarding pinnace, killing seventeen of Terekhov's crew, including Midshipwoman Pavletic. The surviving crew of the privateer, after being decimated by the Manticorans' deadly response, throws themselves on their mercy, and gives up the majority of the OFS's plan to occupy the Cluster. Helen withdraws from helping out with Westman; Van Dort, and the local president and marshal convince Westman to give up; he does when he learns that Mesa was helping his operation and disbands his group under amnesty. After dealing with the local terrorist groups by either force or reason, Captain Terekhov and Hexapuma assemble an ad hoc "squadron" with other Manticoran ships in a mission to prevent the next step of the conspirators' plan: the service entry of a fleet of powerful ex-Solarian battlecruisers which have been transferred to Monica, a Frontier Security proxy system, to be used against Manticore. After dropping into the system, Terekhov demands the surrender of the local fleet until Manticore can validate the cruisers' authenticity, and that they're sovereign of Monica and not the OFS. Playing for time, the Monican Navy manages to lure the Manticoran squadron into weapons range. In the following Battle of Monica, half of Terekhov's squadron is destroyed or crippled, though the Monican Navy is almost completely wiped out. Terekhov then threatens to nuke the remaining Monican military infrastructure, thus buying enough time for relief forces led by Rear Admiral Augustus Khumalo to arrive. After being relieved, and with the formal annexation of the Cluster well under way, Terekhov and Hexapuma return to the Manticore System, and are given a heroes welcome by the Home Fleet and Queen Elizabeth III.

 All in all, a great addition to the saga that sets up the next generation of heroes before Honor's child takes the mantle. Worth reading for the saga. Great characterization, fantastic plotting, and wonderful world-building create yet another stunning piece to the Honor Harrington series.

Book Review: Star Wars: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron SPOILERS!

In February 1998, writer Aaron Allston joined the Bantam Spectra ring of Expanded Universe authors to bring you the first of many one-dimensional books, and surprisingly remains a fan favorite among certain fans. Synopsis: It is Wedge Antille's boldest creation: a covert-action unit of X-Wing fighters, its pilots drawn from the dregs of other units, castoffs, and rejects given one last chance. But before the new pilots can complete their training, the squadron's base is attacked by former Imperial Admiral Trigit, and Wraith Squadron is forced to swing into action--taking over an Imperial warship and impersonating its crew. The mission: to gain vital intelligence about Trigit's secret weapons, to sabotage the admiral's plans, and to lure him into an Alliance trap. But the high-stakes gamble pits Wraith Squadron's ragtag renegades against the Empire's most brilliant master of guile and deception. Are they up to the challenge? If not, the penalty is instant death.

The novel opens with Rogue Squadron returning from the Battle of Thyferra and heralded as heroes on Coruscant. Above Gravan Seven, Lieutenant Myn Donos becomes the lone survivor of Talon Squadron during the battle. Days later, Wedge proposes starting a new X-Wing unit to Admiral Ackbar; Ackbar refuses, but strikes a bet with Wedge--if Antilles can get the squadron up and running, he can stay a commander, but if he loses, he becomes a general. Wedge actively seeks to stop this, but seeing that Ackbar's serious, he agrees. After weeks of selection and training, the new squadron is formed; it consists of Commander Wedge Antilles, Lieutenant Wes Janson, Lieutenant Myn Donos, holo-actor Garik "Face" Loran, demolitions expert and former Katarn Commando Kell Tainer, gifted mathematical Gammorrean Voort "Piggy" saBinring, Antarian Ranger Tyria Sarkin, Hohass "Runt" Ekwesh, Falynn Sandskimmer, Eurrsk "Grinder" Thri'ag, Jesmin Ackbar, and doctor Ton Phanan. It turns out that General Han Solo is given the command of the teams that will hunt for Warlord Zsinj, but Wraith Squadron isn't fully active yet.

During the next set of training, the squadron gets a name: Wraith Squadron from one of the commando-pilots. Shortly afterward, the training base at Folor is attacked by Admiral Apwar Trigit. All squadrons flee, but Wraith Squadron, though fleeing, decides to strike back. During this, it turns out that Wes killed Kell's father early on in the Rebellion because Kell's father was going to give away their position to the Empire via his panicking. Kell bears a grudge against Wes for that, but Wedge attempts to defuse it. Though Kell works well with the squadron, he still harbors anger at Wes. On the shuttle Narra, Kell and squadron mechanic Cubber Daine, send out a distress signal to Imperial Captain Darillian's ship, Night Crawler. Aboard the jury-rigged ship Lunatic, Piggy boards Night Crawler and neutralizes the hangar bay, which allows Wraith Squadron to board it. Piggy captures the bridge; Grinder takes a look and happily announces to Wedge that the Imperials left everything intact and didn't get a signal off; Piggy also killed Darillian. After visiting a number of worlds, Night Crawler faces off against more Imperials and Myn's droid Shiner and Jesmin Ackbar die--Jesmin because Kell's unable to reach her in time.

Myn goes into a near coma. When Wes covers for Myn, Kell finally realizes that Wes isn't a monster and forgives him for the imaginations of a child. Face, Kell, Tyria, and Falynn help Myn recover from his coma and convince him that the failure at Garvan Seven wasn't his fault and that his former squadron would want him to live. Wedge asks New Republic Captain Choday Hrakness to help them out by filling out Night Crawler with a complete crew, commanded by Hrakness himself, but under direct command of Wedge; Hrakness agrees and Night Crawler appears to work for Zsinj while secretly having some of Zsinj's borderline worlds unknowingly joining the New Republic. Wraith Squadron gets a holocom from Trigit who demands to know what they've been up to--he believes them to still be Imperial officers under the complete command of the deceased Captain Darillian--but Face manages to convince him to drop the subject. Trigit says he can't wait to see them at the rendezvous point. At the rendezvous point, Trigit points out that Night Crawler has been upgraded and has picked up a shuttle.

Imperial Lieutenant Gara Petothel warns Trigit that their secret weapon has been neutralized by the New Republic at Talasea and Trigit orders a change of course. Hrakness catches on and orders the crew to open fire on Provocateur and  Constrictor's engines, leaving the ships unable to escape. Implacable gets a shot off to the bridge of Night Crawler and Hrakness ends up spaced. Implacable gets away, much to Rogue Squadron, General Edor Crispin, and Wraith Squadron's disappointment. Face, Tyria, and Kell get promotions while the sole surviving member of Night Crawler's crew, Imperial Lieutenant Atril Tabanne is promoted to Captain in the New Republic Fleet. Kell receives the Kalidor Crescent for excellent piloting skills and bravery; Kell doesn't want it because he failed to save Jesmin's life, but Tyria berates him for being an idiot. Later, Night Crawler rendezvous with Trigit and Zsinj; Zsinj sends them out to eliminate Rogue Squadron--Trigit boasts that he'll do to Rogue Squadron what he did to Talon Squadron: annihilation. At Ession, the climax comes to a head between Wraith Squadron and Night Crawler.

Gara warns Trigit that it might be a Rogue Squadron trap. The Katarn Commandos, led by Lieutenant Judder Page, sabotage the Imperial reinforcements from Ession, and because of this Trigit tells Gara that if they (Trigit, Gara, and Implacable) survive, they're going renegade. During the fight, Kell loses it and attempts to flee, but he sees Tyria getting swarmed by TIE Fighters and rushes back to rescue her. Falynn and Grinder enter the Star Destroy to blow out its reactor as well as to severely cripple Implacable from the inside. General Crispin, commanding the A-Wing group Blue Squadron, arrives to lend a hand, as does Rogue Squadron. Trigit arms the Star Destroyer for self destruction, but Gara stops it just to save 35,000 people's lives, then she orders the crew to abandon ship. Grinder's X-Wing explodes during the attempt to escape the falling Implacable. Falynn dies as Impacable crashes into Ession's moon. Baron Soontir Fel--former Imperial ace pilot of the 181st Imperial Fighter Group, and Rogue Squadron pilot--orders the rest of the crew of Implacable to surrender, including the pilots; Wedge wonders when Fel went back to the Empire and why he's only an observer to Trigit. Crespin eliminates Trigit's wingmen while Myn blows Trigit up. Days later, Admiral Ackbar tells Kell that he's grateful that Kell attempted to save his niece's life. Ackbar finds Wedge and reminds him that the three month bet isn't up and despite Wraith Squadron's first victory, Wedge might have to accept that promotion.

All in all, a flat, stale, one-dimensional novel with gratuitous overused "humor" that's hardly worth reading. Believe me, it's worse than Piers Anthony's puns.

Up next: Honor Harrington: Shadow of Saganami by David Weber.

Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy III: The Last Command SPOILERS!

As an apology for lack of book reviews, I send this out today: 1st January 2014, American Pacific Time

On May 1993, Timothy Zahn finished the final book of the best-selling Star Wars saga: The Last Command. This time, Thrawn and the Empire press the advantage, but can Luke and company stop insane Jedi Master C'baoth and Thrawn before the New Republic is doomed? Synopsis: The embattled Republic reels from the attacks of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has marshaled the remnants of the Imperial forces and driven the Rebels back with an abominable technology recovered from the Emperor's secret fortress: clone soldiers. As Thrawn mounts his final siege, Han and Chewbacca struggle to form a coalition of smugglers for a last-ditch attack against the Empire, while Leia holds the Alliance together and prepares for the birth of her Jedi twins. Overwhelmed by the ships and clones at Thrawn's command, the Republic has one last hope--sending a small force, led by Luke Skywalker, into the very stronghold that houses Thrawn's terrible cloning machines. There a final danger awats, as the Dark Jedi C'baoth directs the battle against the Rebels and builds his strength to finish what he had already started: the destruction of Luke Skywalker.

The novel opens with Thrawn's fleet, under the Force-precise timing of C'baoth, launches attacks on dozens of worlds, but this plan goes wrong when C'baoth recalls forces to capture and pursue Leia. Thrawn is angered by this; C'baoth uses the Force to force Captain Gilad Pellaeon to prepare the Mount Tantiss facility for his arrival. Luke finds Talon Karrde and informs him that Mara is recovering well and asks for help in the fight against Thrawn; Talon again states that he intends to remain neutral. Mara recovers and is placed in house arrest in the Imperial Palace, but when Imperials attack Coruscant, Mara breaks out and prevents Leia's newly born children--Jacen and Jaina--from being taken captive. Thrawn has thrown asteroids into the orbit of Coruscant, preventing anyone from leaving or entering the planet. However, Ghent figures out that most of the asteroids are holograms and the Republic is able to remove the correct ones without further incident. General Garm bel Iblis leads the attack against Thrawn and the entire outcome rests on the shipyards of Bilbringi. Meanwhile, Talon gathers all the head smugglers and attempts to form an alliance, but set backs occur that are blamed on Talon. Nigel Ferris, eventually and by accident, reveals that he was working for Thrawn and the smugglers join together to help the fledgling New Republic fight Thrawn. Luke, Han, Chewie, Leia, and Mara--with a company of Noghri commandos--infiltrate the planet Wayland and sneak into Mount Tantiss. Delta Source, the illusive informant of Thrawn's, is uncovered by Ghent and is revealed to be a set of trees that record everything its holocams pick up. During the Battle of Bilbringi, Thrawn starts to overpower the New Republic, but the Smuggler's Alliance comes in and helps stave off the impending assault. Lando, Han, and Chewie destroy the Spaarti cloning tanks while the others fight C'baoth. Thrawn's bodyguard, Rukh, kills Thrawn for crimes against the Noghro people and flees. Pellaeon orders a full retreat. During the duel with C'baoth, Luke and Leia are separated from Mara as she battles Luuke, a clone of Luke. She defeats him and kills C'baoth, then they all escape on board the Millennium Falcon as Mount Tantiss explodes. Back on Coruscant, Luke and Mara talk about the future.

All in all, a decent novel that finished the much-beloved EU trilogy by Timothy Zahn. Also, sorry for the late post. Thought I'd programmed this to submit earlier, but you tend to forget things during the busy holiday season. I will hyperlink later.