Aaron Allston does a terrific job of carrying on the series with these three Wraith Squadron books. If you liked the first books, you won't be missing anything in this one.The premise is that Wedge Antilles, after experiencing the success of the commando like operations of a pro fighter squadron, decides to take the idea further, by making a squadron designed to specialize in commando missions, but also be thoroughly trained in flying. The source of pilots? Washouts and rejects, who can only manage one last chance to get into a squadron.The main difference between these and other X-Wing books is the characters. Rogue Squadron isn't here, except for Wedge, and you get to meet a bunch of new people, who are even more off-beat than the Rogues. Aaron Allston brings excellent humor, that you can't help but love the books for.The central plot, revolving around a campaign against Warlord Zsinj, is really great, and Zsinj is well developed.Don't be afraid of the new squadron and new author. Everything awesome from the first books are there, and you won't be disappointed.Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No4 of 4 people found the following review helpfulThe M*A*S*H of Star Wars!By The Daphne Blue Strat on July 9, 2004Format: Mass Market PaperbackI won't bother to compare this book to the Stackpole cycle, except to say that it blows it away in every category.This book is, to quote a previous reviewer, "a novel about people in war, not just war", which is how so many Star Wars novels strike me. In all of the novels from Zahn's Thrawn trilogy to Stackpole's Rogue Squadron cycle, I have never been so attatched to the characters as I am in Allston's Wraith Squadron trilogy.Overall, the best comparison I can give is to say that Allston's trilogy is like the M*A*S*H of Star Wars; the characters have life, depth, and personality, with conflicts and friendships forming every step of the way. They aren't superhuman, invincible and emotionally distant like so many other characters. Again, this is "a novel about people in war, not just war", and as such WILL make you laugh, cry, and occasionally cheer out loud.Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No3 of 3 people found the following review helpfulExciting and funny. A must-read for X-wing fans.By A Customer on December 9, 1998Format: Mass Market PaperbackIn the original four books from the X-Wing series we got a fresh story with completely new characters to whom we soon felt attached. Wraith Squadron continues that tradition by presenting us an unusual group of upstarts who have to battle their own personal problems at the same time they help in the fight against the Empire, proving their true worth. Being a silly guy myself, I especially loved the duo of Ton Phanan and Face. Don't overlook this book, you'll find yourself laughing and maybe even feeling a knot forming in your throat as you enjoy this story.Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes NoSee all 157 customer reviews (newest first)Write a customer reviewAd feedbackCustomer ImagesMost Recent Customer ReviewsAaron Allston's "Wraith Squadron" is actually a nice change of pace...The 5th book in the X-Wing series, Aaron Allston's "Wraith Squadron" is actually a nice change of pace from what has been a rather dull run of stories lately. Read morePublished 3 months ago by Paul L.A GiftThis was a gift from my husband's Christmas Wish List. I don't know the specifics of this book, but I do know that he keeps asking for the next book in the series, which to me,... Read morePublished 6 months ago by RebebaFive StarsA++Published 6 months ago by Aly F.Wraith Squadron - the Rogues have serious competition!I was prepared to not like this book. In fact, I put off reading it for 15 years or so. I tore through the first four titles in the X-Wing series of novels when they came out,... Read morePublished 9 months ago by Skip WileyFour StarsRally enjoy the X-Wings series books!Published 9 months ago by Jason H Reddennot the best X-Wing bookIt was alright. The new characters were good, but the author tried too hard to interject humor in the story. Read morePublished 10 months ago by mikeThey're not bad at what they doThe Wraiths are a hard-luck outfit. They're not bad at what they do, but they've botched some of their chances in life and wound up at their last chance. Read morePublished 11 months ago by Read A BookIt's an X-wing bookIt was a fun read. I hope you understand that it is not deep literature. I'm glad I read it. It continues the spirit of the other X-wing books.Published 12 months ago by Douglas L. RoordaGreat bookAlthough different than the rest of the x-wing series (sense it's written by another author) the book is an amazing example early of starwars litature.Published 20 months ago by Reed I KaliherFantasticAs a long time Star Wars fan, I have truly enjoyed the unique perspective this series offers. You need to read this series today!Published 22 months ago by Zachary WelbornSearch Customer Reviews
The squadron of misfit pilotsWedge Antilles has a new idea: take all the pilots that are a hair's breadth away from being kicked out of the Alliance and regroup the best and most talented into a commando-type squadron. Thus is born Wraith Squadron, with newcomers Kell, Tyria, and "Piggy".NOTE: Based on audiobook and novel.I Liked:It would be all too easy to stick in a rut, keep having Rogue Squadron do the same 'ol. But Aaron Allston (understandably) wants to branch out, explore something new. So he has Wedge and Wes Jansen (another SW minor character alumni) start up what will be Wraith Squadron. The concept is interesting, and the characters are pretty different from the pilots in Rogue Squadron.Probably my favorite character is "Face" Lorn. He is amusing, I love how he was a child star, and yet at the same time, conflicted. Donos is also another interesting character, a man who was the only survivor of his squadron. His breakdown felt very realistic.While Rogue got to tear down Coruscant and Isard, Wraith gets to attack Zsinj. It's a fairly interesting story. My favorite part, though, was when the Wraiths went undercover to penetrate the planet. That was amusing!Speaking of amusing, I think there is far more humor in Allston's X-Wing books than in Stackpole's (and far less "hammy" writing).I Didn't Like:Some of the characters never really connected to me. Kell felt like a weak Luke/Corran/fill*in*the*blank pilot. Tyria is yet another Force-Sensitive pilot. When one character (who didn't make the cut) was said to be from Tatooine, I groaned. For being such an out-of-the-way world, it sure does have a lot of people to send Core-ward.Another thing that plagued the book was the fact it was another "first" novel. We have to be introduced to all the characters, all the scenarios, all the training we've already done before.Lastly, I found myself struggling to figure out where the story was going. I don't know if that's because I listened on audiobook, but I kept hearing all these battles and wondering where the story was going, what was the whole point.Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:Da** & he** creep in.A few of the pilots couple up.Space battles, of course, dogfights, and the like. Typical Star Wars affair.Overall:Allston does a decent job pulling off a new Squadron and continuing the series. And since it's a first book, setting up the characters, I expect subsequent books to be stronger. Ultimately, it was enjoyable, the characters were, for the most part, different, and the missions were unique. A worthwhile read.
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I've read most of the Star Wars expanded universe novels, some were great, others good, and some of them not so much. But this books remains one of my favorites.First, let me start this review by explaining that I'm not writing it after reading it for the first time. I've literally read it a hundred times; that's how much I love it.Aaron Allston is one of my favorite authors who contributed to the Star Wars universe and I think this was his first novel in this universe. Coming after Michael Stackpole's Rogue Squadron Serie was no easy task but Allston really did a great job and created a story that I think was even better than that of Rogue Squadron.What's not to like ? The story keeps close to the original SW spirit : a squadron fighting against the imperial threat with some less than adequate means but a lots of imagination. It's really a nice break from some other novels that stick to the "new bad bad Sith comes out from nowhere" to be redeamed by "selfless mighty but nice" Jedi. So the squadron novel thing isn't new but where Stackpole really focused on Corran (who once again turns to be a Jedi), Wraith Squadron gives us 12 very different personnalities to follow, and trust me you will never be bored with them! This is one of the funniest SW book written (the funniest being also written by Aaron Allston).Want yet an added benefit ? It's good to work your memory! Reading the ebook version, I found myself often jogging my memory to associate the right flight number to its pilot. In the paper version, I had added it to the dramatis personae page, not so easy with an e-reader. Well my memory need all the work it can get :D !
—Dewlanna
Aaron Allston joins as the second writer of the X-Wing series... a very welcome addition.Wraith Squadron almost feels like a reboot (yes, in the middle of the series). It's as if Allston was like, "Okay, that was cool, Mr. Stackpole, but this is where X-Wing should've gone."And he's right.Every single thing about this book is improved from the first four books in the series. The biggest, most welcome difference is in the characters. Everyone feels much more real and fleshed out. In fact, near the beginning, there's a passage that blatantly points out the major problem with the first four books: what makes for a good story--relatable heroes with flaws, and their growth as people.Kell makes for a great main character. He's unsure about himself, a little angsty (but not too much), and deals with pressure in a very realistic manner (not very well). On the other hand, he's very relatable and likeable. There's a bit of romance once again, but this one feels so much more developed than (view spoiler)[Corran/Mirax (hide spoiler)]
—Daniel
Much better. A solid 4.Better characterization, better conflict, better connection between reader and story than the original X-Wing books.Given the constraints of fan fiction, Wraith Squadron would be a decent stand-alone space opera. Oh, there are the obligatory cameos by SW heavies and all the constraints of the SW universe, but that's why these books were written, not to please the greater universe of SF readers.Good job.(The low-tech nature of the SW universe bothers me. That an Imperial star destroyer would require a crew of 35,000 argues for non-automation/computer-aid on many functions. The other curious aspect of that universe is the apparent static state of its technology. Nothing seems to be developed or improved--despite the occasional comment about old-designs--over hundreds of years. Assumedly some of this orthodoxy is imposed to keep the stories consistent, but so much seems to be rooted in 1970s earth technology, which of course was the basis upon which Lucas wrote the original Star Wars.)
—Ron
