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A review by crystalstarrlight
Iron Fist by Aaron Allston
4.0
Bringing down Warlord Zsinj
Wedge Antilles and the Wraiths continue their charade as pirates to get closer to Warlord Zsinj and take him down.
NOTE: Based on audiobook and novel.
I Liked:
Last book had a lot of point of views and/or character moments from Kell Tainer and Tyria. This time, we get pov’s from a new set of the Wraiths (such as Face and Lara Notsil). I liked this because we get to learn more about the “lesser” members, we don’t get bored with the same characters, and we get to grow attached to all the Wraiths.
One thing Allston is brilliant at is humor. The Ewok joke makes a return; the antics of the Wraiths can be hilarious. I like a light-hearted approach to something that could be so heavy.
Under Allston, Warlord Zsinj isn’t your stereotypical power-hungry, maniacal, wild Imperial junkie. I mean, he still somewhat resides in the Imperial stereotype, but I could actually believe that he was a menace.
I Didn’t Like:
I am beginning to come to the conclusion that the audiobooks of the X-Wing series are badly done. Half the time, I have no clue what is going on; it seems they cut and read random scenes from the book (for instance, what is the point of Runt’s dancing hall scene?). Keeping track of the characters is nearly impossible and the story gets lost behind the dogfights.
But by far the most groan worthy moment was “Lara Notsil”’s character arc. Here we have yet another supposedly “highly trained”, 15-year veteran Imperial Intelligence agent that spends a day with the Wraiths and suddenly leaves the Empire because of the “addictive” sense of “belonging” to the Wraiths. Oh, please! The tacked on “parent’s mysterious treason” (she hadn’t thought of that fifteen years ago?), the lack of build-up to her leaving (she changes her mind literally in one scene with no hints earlier), and the hokey one time “Oh, Warlord Zsinj had these men die dishonorably” line (geez, haven’t YOU done some dishonorable deeds?) made me totally disinterested in the whole character and even the whole book.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Star Wars or minor da** & he**.
Tyria and Kell are a couple. There are a few others too.
Dogfights, betrayals, subterfuge, and one of the Wraiths dies.
Overall:
If you’ve been keeping up with the X-Wing series, I would definitely recommend you continue. I had issues with this book, more than the others in the series, but I had to wonder: was it me? Was it the audiobook? Or was it actually the book? So, while instinct wants me to hit it with a three, I will assign a 3.5 rounded to 4, partly to allow for the audiobook’s faults and partly in memory of the good predecessors.
Wedge Antilles and the Wraiths continue their charade as pirates to get closer to Warlord Zsinj and take him down.
NOTE: Based on audiobook and novel.
I Liked:
Last book had a lot of point of views and/or character moments from Kell Tainer and Tyria. This time, we get pov’s from a new set of the Wraiths (such as Face and Lara Notsil). I liked this because we get to learn more about the “lesser” members, we don’t get bored with the same characters, and we get to grow attached to all the Wraiths.
One thing Allston is brilliant at is humor. The Ewok joke makes a return; the antics of the Wraiths can be hilarious. I like a light-hearted approach to something that could be so heavy.
Under Allston, Warlord Zsinj isn’t your stereotypical power-hungry, maniacal, wild Imperial junkie. I mean, he still somewhat resides in the Imperial stereotype, but I could actually believe that he was a menace.
I Didn’t Like:
I am beginning to come to the conclusion that the audiobooks of the X-Wing series are badly done. Half the time, I have no clue what is going on; it seems they cut and read random scenes from the book (for instance, what is the point of Runt’s dancing hall scene?). Keeping track of the characters is nearly impossible and the story gets lost behind the dogfights.
But by far the most groan worthy moment was “Lara Notsil”’s character arc. Here we have yet another supposedly “highly trained”, 15-year veteran Imperial Intelligence agent that spends a day with the Wraiths and suddenly leaves the Empire because of the “addictive” sense of “belonging” to the Wraiths. Oh, please! The tacked on “parent’s mysterious treason” (she hadn’t thought of that fifteen years ago?), the lack of build-up to her leaving (she changes her mind literally in one scene with no hints earlier), and the hokey one time “Oh, Warlord Zsinj had these men die dishonorably” line (geez, haven’t YOU done some dishonorable deeds?) made me totally disinterested in the whole character and even the whole book.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Star Wars or minor da** & he**.
Tyria and Kell are a couple. There are a few others too.
Dogfights, betrayals, subterfuge, and one of the Wraiths dies.
Overall:
If you’ve been keeping up with the X-Wing series, I would definitely recommend you continue. I had issues with this book, more than the others in the series, but I had to wonder: was it me? Was it the audiobook? Or was it actually the book? So, while instinct wants me to hit it with a three, I will assign a 3.5 rounded to 4, partly to allow for the audiobook’s faults and partly in memory of the good predecessors.