Allston's new effort, released soon after Stackpole's #8, takes place after the events of "I, Jedi" and "Jedi Academy Trilogy" [JA3]. It starts by fulfilling Corran Horn's prophecy in "IJ" - Qui Xux and Wedge break up.

But before he can mourn/celebrate, Wedge has a new mission. A new star-system called Adumar has been discovered in the "Uncharted Regions", and his special skills are needed to convince the Adumar Government to join the New Republic. The Adumarians are obsessed with pilots, and as the highest-ranking and most high-profile serving pilot in the NR [hey, he has 2 Death Stars painted on his "kill" score!] Wedge is the man for the job! Tycho, Hobbie and Janson are called in to be his wing-men, in effect.

There are numerous problems with the plan, however. Local politics are a lot more complex than Wedge expected, and there is the ever-present threat from the Empire. Like the NR, the Imps lack the resources for a full-scale invasion - they instead send a rival team of fighter aces.

This book is a breath of fresh air after the return of Corran Horn in "Isard's Revenge" - now we get characters who are flawed and human instead of Stackpole's elitist Paragons of Virtue (tm). Allston is the Harry Harrison to Stackpole's Robert Anson Heinlein.

We are shown yet more of the Republic's imperialism - and finally there is a hint at the vicious undercurrents that motivate the NR. Wedge and his friends are now little more than pawns to me used and sacrificed at the whim of unknown bureaucrats and selfish politicians. To be fair, they are pawns by choice; many others [Lando, Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, etc] chose to live their own lives - Wedge chose to continue the prosecution of a war that should have ended at Endor!

Rating: 85%

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