Book Review: Star Wars- Battlefront: Twilight Company by Alexander Freed
Welcome, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!
If you are like me and love Star Wars, this has been an amazing year for you. I have loved reading the books released in Disney-Lucasfilm's new canon, and I have found the new streamlined canon to be fun and refreshing. New characters are being introduced and peppered throughout the latest materials. Of interest, we have seen these new characters being present at major battles that we know very well from watching the movies.
But what was the story of those men and women in the trenches? Enter Twilight Company, brave squadron and the backbone of much of Rebellion's ground strikes against the Empire.
Star Wars- Battlefront: Twilight Company by Alexander Freed (Star Wars: the Old Republic) excels at bringing to the forefront the struggles of the Rebellion's many ground troops. Set during and after Episode V, it is a war novel with a galactic twist that is a page-turner from the first chapter until the end. It is filled with many interesting new characters, and even has them face Darth Vader in a chilling (literally) encounter on the planet Hoth during the events of the Empire Strikes Back.
Among these new characters are:
- Hazram Namir- a Twilight Company officer with a violent past that unfolds in chapters that occur in flashbacks. He is the heart of this story, with a fearless approach to his task as soldier of the Rebellion.
- Gadren- a behemoth,
four-armed Besalisk, who is a wall of defense in battle. He has seen many
atrocities committed by the Empire, and works to keep
the Rebellion alive by recruiting soldiers, one of which is Hazram.
- Brand- bounty
hunter, and Twilight Company opperative. She is stealth personified and
the sharpest shooter in the company.
- Thara Nyende- resident
of Sullust and loyal Imperial Stormtrooper, SP-475. She struggles
internally with what sees in battle. Her own loyalties to the Empire and
family are tested as she faces the Resistance Forces on Sullust, led by
Nien Numb.
- Governor Evari
Chalis- a
student of Count Vidian (Star Wars: A New Dawn) and defector from the
Empire with many secrets of the Imperial machine's inner
workings. She is a dangerous element that has been marked for death by her
former employers. And believes that she is being pursued by Darth Vader.
After the extraction of Governor Chalis
from Haidoral Prime, Twilight Company meets on their converted Blockade Runner,
the Thunderstrike, to discuss the information that Chalis has to give to the
Rebellion. According to her, the best way to destroy the Empire is to strike
out at their resources. Through various campaigns on many worlds, Twilight
Company attacks Imperial forces. They are met with resistance by the Star
Destroyer, Herald, and the ruthless, newly appointed agent of Emperor Palpatine,
Prelate Verge. The young agent clashes with the Herald's captain, Tabor
Seitaron, over the importance of their mission, and the often cruel machinations of Verge.
Our first step into the original trilogy comes when Rebel Alliance High
Command requests that Governor Chalis meet with them at their newly
established base on the planet Hoth. Separating from the
Thunderstrike, Namir, Chalis, and several Twilight Company soldiers travel
to Echo Base. There, Namir and his soldiers join the Rebel soldiers as plans
begin to unfold within High Command. But they are unaware that a Probe
Droid has been dispatched by Darth Vader's fleet. They eventually are found and
must evacuate. In the trenches of Echo Base, Twilight Company fight against
the Empire's walkers and Stormtrooper battalions. When Vader lands on the planet Chalis is sure he has
come to retrieve her. Meanwhile the Thunderstrike is attacked by Prelate Verge,
resulting in devastating consequences. After the Hoth, Twilight Company
regroups. They mourn their dead, and begin their final strike against the
Empire's resources: the destruction of the Kuat ship yards (makers of Star Destroyers). The stakes are high as Twilight Company enters into the greatest
battle of their unit's existence.
Alexander Freed is no stranger to Star Wars, having written
novels based in the Old Republic era. His knack for taking video games, and
fully realizing them into novel form is impressive...most impressive. I was
given both sides of the Galactic
War, which laid out an interesting perspective for me when I was experiencing the events from the
Episodes IV and V. The swift and often terrifying encounters with the
Empire shows a Rebellion on the run dealing with the repercussions of
destroying the Death Star. At the end of this book I felt
incredible admiration for Twilight Company due to the author's skill at character development. I was never once bored with this book, and
appreciated the fast-paced story that was filled with excitement.
Star Wars-Battlefront: Twilight Company is a five-star
spectacle that kept me turning pages way past my bedtime! I highly recommend
this novel to not only Star Wars fans, but fans of war novels.
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All written content and top logo (c) Copyright 2015 by Thomas Bahr II
Book cover (c) Copyright 2015 by Disney-Lucasfilm
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