Product Description: Wraith Squadron: they are the Rebel Alliance's ultimate strike force. Sleek, swift, and deadly, they are the first in battle, the last line of defense. Now they must find and destroy a wily enemy more powerful than the Empire itself.
Their covert mission has been a success. The enemy has been vanquished. Or so they thought. The Super Star Destroyer Iron Fist somehow escaped destruction and with it the New Republic's greatest threat, the infamous warlord Zsinj. To defeat him, Wraith Squadron must join a combat task force led by the only man crafty enough to beat Zsinj at his own game: Han Solo.
But Zsinj knows the X-wing fighters' indomitable courage is both their greatest strength--and their greatest weakness. For even against the most overwhelming odds, the Rebels will fight to the death. And that will leave Zsinj the galaxy's unchallenged master!
Amazon.com Review: This is a fast-moving and exciting installment in the X-wing series, the third by Aaron Allston. Once again, Wedge Antilles, "Face" Loran, and the other pilots of Rogue and Wraith squadrons are up against the Warlord Zsinj, who this time is trying to foment mistrust and fear between the human and non-human allies of the New Republic. A series of assassinations by Twi'leks and Gotals has led to the Provisional Council withdrawing all members of these races from active duty. Wedge suspects the aliens have been brainwashed, but it won't be easy to prove.
To defeat Zsinj, the Rogues must destroy his flagship--the super star destroyer Iron Fist--but first they have to persuade Zsinj to risk it in battle. In an attempt to draw him into the open, they mock up a copy of the Millennium Falcon and use it to attack Zsinj's many business interests.
Featuring a guest appearance by General Han Solo, this is a well-written addition to the X-wing series. Allston develops excellent camaraderie between the pilots as they play elaborate practical jokes on one another between missions. And there are plenty of missions, with at least half a dozen set-piece engagements, some in space, some planetside, all described in loving and convincing detail. --Elizabeth Sourbut
Very addicting I don't want to give anything away. But to give you an idea of how good it was I read the entire book within one sitting. I highly recommend this book and the X-Wing series as a whole!
Wraith Squadron strikes again Solo Command is the seventh book in the X-wing series and the third one by Aaron Allston after four by Michael Stackpole. In Mr. Allston's books, we travel primarily with Wraith Squadron, a group of highly capable, but possibly not yet well trained, pilots put together by Wedge Antilles with the specific goal of finding and destroying Warlord Zsinj and his ship Iron Fist. The members of Wraith Squadron are a mixed band representing a multitude of different skills. Each one also appears to have been somewhat of a misfit along the way. Additional characters play major roles in this tale. Flight Officer Lara Notsil is a woman with a hidden background, varying loyalties along with a multitude of names and identities with appropriate backgrounds to match. Rogue Squadron also gets to help out in this book. It's good to have them back.
General Han Solo has been leading the efforts to find and deal with Warlord Zsing. However, all efforts so far have failed to flush out Zsing in an attempt to win a final battle. So after hearing a joking suggestion from a pilot in Wraith Squadron, Solo agrees to the construction of a fake Milennium Falcon that will be flown on various missions. The hope is that Zsing will be unable to resist a possible opportunity to capture his nemesis Han Solo. Along the way, we are also introduced to a nefarious plan of Zing's to biomedically transform various sentients into vessels who will perform specific attacks upon receipt of a codeword. A major battle takes place on Saffalore at a Binring Biomedical facility where Piggy of Wraith Squadron underwent a biological transformation.
The plot of this book wanders aimlessly a few times, but the conclusion and the various battles taking place during the wandering make up for it. Wraith Squadron is an interesting band of unusual pliots, and their adventures are well worth reading.
Good Except for the Ending I really like Allston's style better than Stackpole (the other author in this series). However, I really hated the ending. Once again the bad guy gets away, and the clever Rogues and Wraiths seem to completely miss all the obvious clues as to how he did it. They were so smart up to this point and then the suddenly all go brain dead?
It's time to deal with this Zsinj fellow Solo Command is the seventh book in the excellent Star Wars: X-wing series and the third by author Aaron Allston. In this entry, Wraith Squadron continues to pursue Warlord Zsinj and his fearsome Super Star Destroyer Iron Fist. Helping the Wraiths out are their teammates in Rogue Squadron and several other fighter groups, all under the able command of General Han Solo. Han has been pursuing Zsinj fruitlessly for months on end, and he is anxious to end this battle and return to Coruscant and Princess Leia. However, every time he manages to engage Zsinj in battle Zsinj simply slips through his fingers.
In light of this, a new plan is developed. Evidence shows Zsinj has been tracking the activities of the Millennium Falcon closely and making plans based on its movements. The New Republic task force develops a copy of the Falcon, the cleverly named Millennium Falsehood. The Falsehood begins moving from system, seemingly to stir up pro-New Republic sentiments and local rebellions against the Imperial remnants, but in reality attempting to draw Zsinj out for a final confrontation.
As in the last two books, Allston's greatest strength is his characterizations. The pilots are easily differentiated and the reader quickly comes to care for them. Particularly moving in Solo Command is the relationship between former Imperial spy Lara Notsil and tormented pilot Myn Donos. Lara's relationship with her astromech Tonin and their plot involving the mouse droids on the Iron Fist are priceless. Allston also further deepens Piggy's story as we visit a Binring Biomedical facility on Saffalore where he was biologically altered, and we meet several other sentients in the book's climax who have undergone similar traumatic transformations.
Similarly to the sixth book, Iron Fist, I found the plot of this volume to be a bit disjointed and unfocused. Also comparable to every book in this series, the various disparate plot pieces eventually lead to a spectacular conclusion. Zsinj is forced to employ every tactic in his arsenal in an attempt to save Iron Fist and retain his grip on power. I found Zsinj in these three X-wing books by Allston to be an entertaining break from the typical Star Wars villain. He comes across as weaker and really, nicer than what I'm accustomed to. I wouldn't rank him as one of the most engaging antagonists of the Expanded Universe but he does present a nice contrast to Grand Admiral Thrawn, Admiral Daala, Ysanne Isard, and others of their ilk.
I thoroughly enjoyed Solo Command. Allston's three entries in the series thus far feel more standalone than Stackpole's earlier four, and where that may mean the plots have less focus, it also gives Allston ample room to provide the reader with some very memorable characters to root for. There is plenty of humor scattered throughout this book and overall it is a highly entertaining read.
Solo vs. Zsinj The wraiths and Rogues, under the command of General Han Solo, go after the warlord Zsinj and his super star destroyer Iron Fist. This book is a nice mix of action, emotional turmoil, and hilarious hijinks. Wraith squadron has proved itself to have just as good as characters as Rogue squadron, if not better, simply because of all the flaws in their personalities.
This book does a great job of incorporating all the story lines and finishing off the three book cycle. Highly suggested for all star wars fans.
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