Isard's Revenge: Star Wars Legends (Rogue Squadron)

Michael A. Stackpole returns as author of the eighth book in the X-Wing series, taking over again after three novels from Aaron Allston. Wedge Antilles has transferred back from Wraith to Rogue Squadron, and many of the characters from Stackpole's first four books reappear, including Ysanne Isard, the villain of Book 4, The Bacta War.

Now that Grand Admiral Thrawn is dead, the New Republic wants to go after the warlords and decides to make an example of Krennel, who murdered a whole family in his rise to power. But Krennel has an unexpected ally: the treacherous Isard, whom the Rogues thought they had killed, is now plotting their downfall. She uses New Republic prisoners, with whom Rogue pilot Corran Horn was held for a while, as bait. The plot twists and turns, sometimes confusingly, as Krennel, Isard, and the Rogues try to outguess one another.

As ever in the X-Wing books, there are plenty of space battles, with Wedge Antilles, now promoted to general, leading the way. Meanwhile, the aversion Imperials feel toward nonhumans and the tensions between the various species making up the New Republic provide a couple of subplots that make this a thoughtful, action-packed installment in the series. --Liz Sourbut, Amazon.co.uk