Tag Archives: Mercy Kill

X-Wing: Mercy Kill Out In Paperback Today!

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Mercy Kill CoverAaron Allston’s X-Wing: Mercy Kill is out now in paperback!  If you have yet to pick yourself up a copy, now would be an excellent time to do so.  Even if you’ve already purchased the book in hardcover or ebook format, you could pick yourself up another copy and either use it to help solve the dilemma of ‘do I place Mercy Kill after Fate of the Jedi or with the other X-Wing books?’ by having them in both spots on your bookshelf or by giving it to someone as a gift and getting them hooked on the Wraiths.

If you’re still not convinced of how great this book is, you can check out all three of our reviews.

EU Retrospective: Fate of the Jedi Part 2

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Well.  It’s done.  I’ve finished reading these books and I’m ridiculously relieved to be through with Fate of the Jedi.  To be completely honest, even though there are a lot of things in Legacy of the Force that upset me, I’d rather read a series like that than this one.  I hated the character derailment that some of them were subjected to but I prefer that series as a whole to reading about anything with Abeloth ever again.  No more tentacles please.  There were a lot more high points in that series than this one.  To top it off, I just never felt as invested in these books.  There was both too much and too little going on.  I know that sounds impossible but I don’t know how else to describe it.   Basically, the majority of the series made me do this:

At least there was Mercy Kill waiting for me at the end.  Observe my Wraith Squadron related tears of joy.

Warning: There are some NSFW words on some of these gifs

Vortex
My sentiment about having to read this book again can be summed up in one word: Ugh.

This book is bad.  It’s not Jedi bug sex bad because I didn’t cringe and resort to drinking but it is bad.  I literally just finished it and tossed it down and said “Stupid.  So stupid.”  Was half the galaxy replaced by Skrulls?  Honestly, I’m running out of reasons for why so many people acted the way they did.  Everyone makes bad decisions that in turn make me want to bash my head against a wall.  I can’t even rage like I usually do.  It’s just all so gosh darn frustrating.  We’ll go down the list.

First and foremost is everything involving Kenth Hamner.  I have yet to understand why “The Villainization of Kenth Hamner” had to occur and I think it’s ridiculous.  While I don’t think that he (or anyone in the order really) is looking at the situation from an entirely rational point of view, I also don’t think that anything that happened with his storyline was logical.  I especially disagree with how he dies.

That brings me to point two which is Saba.  I liked Saba when she was originally introduced.  I really did.  I feel like I’m not dealing with entirely the same character anymore.  It’s nice that she doesn’t take any pleasure in killing Kenth but it doesn’t change that she did and the last time I checked?  You don’t reward someone for that by making her the new Grand Master.  Seriously, Cilghal and Corran?  Seriously?  Kyp Durron or Kyle Katarn would’ve been better choices.  I’ll agree about wanting someone who’s more of a warrior in charge but I certainly don’t think that staging a kriffing COUP is going to help things.  There’s general distrust of the Jedi Order because they’re too powerful and act only as they see fit.  Clearly the best way to counter this is to remove the Chief of State from office.  EXCEPT NO.  NO IT IS NOT.

On the other side of the galaxy, we’ve got Skrull!Luke Skywalker.  Everything about this Luke feels wrong.  I don’t know what else to say except that this isn’t the Luke Skywalker we know from the films and previous books.  I’d also really like to know when his storyline went from ‘Retrace Jacen Solo’s Force Odyssey’ to ‘Retrace Luke Skywalker’s Love Life’.  Oh and hey!  We can throw in some Sith while we’re at it.  😐

Fourth, I still don’t get Abeloth.  If I could never read again about her tentacles and giant mouth that eats people or whatever, I’d be happy.  She is ridiculous.  Everything about this storyline is ridiculous and I want it to end.  I’m so done with all of this.

This next one doesn’t anger me as much as it annoys me.  I honestly don’t get the point of including this slave uprising storyline.  I know it gets used more later and does tie into the overarching story but it feels overall like wasted page space to me.  Sorry.

Finally, who thought this Barabel nest thing was a good idea especially when it comes to ending a book?  No, don’t answer that.  It was rhetorical.  On a scale from 1-10, this ranks an 8 on the Unnecessary Scale.

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Tosche Station Radio #30: The Next Generation

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Tosche-Station.net writers Emily and Bria join the hosts this week for an in-depth roundtable discussion of X-Wing: Mercy Kill!

We kick off the show with some housekeeping. Wormie’s Works will be moving off the podcast and onto the blog as a regular Friday feature. Meanwhile on the blog itself, we’re having Cosplay Week by Bria. She’s highlighting some of the best costumes spotted at Dragon*Con and Celebration VI. So far we’ve seen Mary Poppins, the Hapan Queens, Darth Talon and Cade Skywalker, as well as the all-new Captain Marvel. We also introduced the gender-swapped Wraith Squadron with a bonus appearance by Aaron Allston.

In Fixer’s Flash this week, Nanci’s been busy watching Captain America: The First Avenger and getting into Avatar: The Last Airbender (FINALLY). Brian finished up Marvel’s Siege comic arc and is reading through War of the Seasons by all-around awesome human being Janine Spendlove. Emily is up to her eyeballs in her dissertation, but has found time to watch the brilliant Slings and Arrows television series. Bria’s found time between costuming to get into a decent vampire novel.

Deak’s Dirt starts with news of a survey sent out to Celebration VI attendees that asks where you’d like to see a future Celebration held at. Brian and Nanci are still in favor of Orlando. Emily is very excited about the title of the new Star Trek film. The hosts implore readers to pre-order Pablo Hidalgo’s Essential Reader’s Companion for a mere $20. Meanwhile, Bria’s thrilled that Joss Whedon is coming back to television with a S.H.I.E.L.D series.

This week’s Camie’s Concerns looks into X-Wing: Mercy Kill by Aaron Allston, the first entry in that series in thirteen years. This spoiler-filled roundtable discussion dives into the plot and setting before spending the bulk of the time discussing the returning characters and new additions to the franchise.

Wrapping up the show, the hosts field questions in our Ask us Anything segment.

Tosche Station Radio is the official podcast of Tosche-Station.net and a part of the Solo Sound network. If you like what you hear, please leave a review on the iTunes Music Store or the Zune Marketplace. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Nanci and Brian are the co-founders and writers of Tosche-Station.net. You can find Nanci on Twitter with the handle @Nancipants and you can find Brian with @LaneWinree.

Aaron Allston’s Celebration VI and Dragon*Con Schedule

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Expanded Universe author Aaron Allston has updated his appearance schedule to note just where he’s going to be at both Celebration VI and Dragon*Con. As we’ve said before on the blog and the podcast, Allston is a fantastic guest to sit down and listen to. If you’ve got a chance to see one of his panels or writing workshops, you owe it to yourself to do so. 

Celebration VI

  • Friday 10:30 am-11:30 am, Behind the Scenes Stage (W414 ABCD): What’s Coming From Del Rey.
    “Acclaimed Star Wars authors Aaron Allston, Troy Denning, Drew Karpyshyn, James Luceno, and Timothy Zahn join Shelly Shapiro of Del Rey and Jennifer Heddle of Lucasfilm to reveal what’s coming next in best-selling Star Wars fiction.”
  • Friday 2:30 pm-3:30 pm, Star Wars University (W300):
    Laying Down Tracks: A Different Way to Write Your Novel.
    “Most people writing their first few novels start with an outline, or just a sense of how the early chapters should progress, and then write straight through to the end. But that’s not necessarily the best method for all novelists. In this seminar,New York Times bestselling author Aaron Allston (X-Wing: Mercy Kill) discusses an alternate method of novel writing intended to capitalize on each writer’s individual strengths and passions. This method helps bypass some causes of writer’s block, invokes ‘flow state’ writing, and prevents the sort of discouragement that can kill a novel. If you’ve ever wondered whether the standard novel-writing methods are holding you back, come to ‘Laying Down Tracks.'”
  • Friday 6:00 pm-7:00 pm, Barnes & Noble Booth (Booth #129):
    Signing. Aaron Allston, Troy Denning.
  • Saturday 3:00 pm-4:00 pm, Barnes & Noble Booth (Booth #129):
    Signing. Aaron Allston, Troy Denning.
  • Sunday, 11:00 am, Del Rey Booth (Booth #910):
    Del Rey 2012 Star Wars Sampler Signing.
    Drew Karpyshyn, Timothy Zahn, James Luceno, Aaron Allston, Troy Denning, John Jackson Miller.
Dragon*Con
  • Friday 2:30 pm-3:30 pm, Seminar 4:
    Talk to Me: Dialogue.
    “Aaron Allston discusses the art of writing dialogue — to improve characterization, to influence the reader’s responses, and to deliver the emotional wallop your story needs.”
    Room: Hanover A-B (Hyatt). Additional seminar charge will apply.
  • Friday 4:00 pm-5:00 pm, Seminar 5:
    Description.
    “Have your descriptive passages become blocks of text that stop your story cold? Aaron Allston discusses techniques to transform those passages into memorable experience that propel your story to its conclusion.”
    Room: Hanover A-B (Hyatt). Additional seminar charge will apply.
  • Friday 5:30 pm-6:30 pm:
    Meet Your Favorite Star Wars Authors.
    “Have a burning question for your favorite authors? They’ll be here to talk to you!” Panelists TBA.
    Room: A706 (Marriott)
  • Saturday 1:00 pm-2:00 pm, Seminar 8:
    Ruining Your Career Before It Gets Started.
    “Aaron Allston walks you through the minefield of deadly career-killers, including query letters that spell doom, research practices that murder a writer’s reputation, ‘everyone knows’ fallacies that lead novices and even experienced writers into quicksand, and fan interactions that are pure poison.”
    Room: Hanover A-B (Hyatt). Additional seminar charge will apply.
  • Saturday 2:30 pm-3:30 pm, Seminar 9:
    Style and Mood.
    “Aaron Allston talks about establishing and sustaining the tone of a novel — how to switch from technique to technique, like a pitcher switching from a curve ball to a fastball, in order to make the readers experience exactly what you want them to.”
    Room: Hanover A-B (Hyatt). Additional seminar charge will apply.
  • Saturday 5:30 pm-6:30 pm:
    Masculinity in Star Wars.
    “Vader, Han Solo, Luke, Lando — just what does it all mean, and where was the Maker going with chivalry, patriarchy, and the definition of masculinity?” Panelists TBA.
    Room: A706 (Marriott)
  • Sunday 11:30 am-12:30 pm:
    Literature of Gaming.
    “The world of gaming has provided a grounding for a number of books. We’ll discuss what makes it popular and writing for a preconceived world.” Panelists TBA.
    Room: Greenbriar (Hyatt)
  • Sunday 2:30 pm-3:30 pm, Seminar 14:
    Unclogging Your Plot.
    “Aaron Allston describes the Thirteen Deadly Sins that can grind your novel’s plot to a halt — how to detect them, understand them, and bulldoze them out of your way.”
    Room: Hanover A-B (Hyatt). Additional seminar charge will apply.
  • Sunday 4:00 pm-5:00 pm, Seminar 15:
    Showing Off Your Manuscript.
    “Aaron Allston discusses ways to put your fiction before the eyes of others, including advance readers, workshoppers, editors, and agents. We’ll also talk about the hazards of showing off your manuscript, including submission mistakes, hurtful reviews, and loss of creative energy.”
    Room: Hanover A-B. Additional seminar charge will apply.
  • Monday 2:30 pm-3:30 pm:
    Discussion of Mercy Kill with Aaron Allston.
    “Just what the title says — Allston discusses his latest Star Wars novel, the long-awaited continuation of the X-Wing series, released August 7.”
    Room: A706 (Marriott)

If you’re going to be at Dragon*Con, I strongly encourage you to attend both the Expanded Universe multi-author panel as well as the Mercy Kill panel. 

 

Brian’s ‘X-Wing: Mercy Kill’ Review

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I admit it. I have never been this nervous about an Expanded Universe novel. By know I suspect you’re all aware that the X-Wing books hold a special place in my heart. I’ve long appreciated the kinds of stories that series told and the types of characters used within them.  I hoped that this book would be a return to those kinds of novels. Thankfully, after reading it I firmly believe Aaron Allston succeeded on that front and succeeded in ways I couldn’t have imagined before picking the book up.

Mercy Kill is a unique book in its construction and tone, one that legitimately can be called a spy thriller. Imagine taking the feel of Mission Impossible and the lore of the Star Wars universe and combining the two. The result is a book that’s easily the most fun I’ve had with an Expanded Universe novel in thirteen years.  The plot revolves around finding evidence of treachery by one of the Galactic Alliance’s most powerful military figures. To find that proof, Face Loran has to rebuild Wraith Squadron and send them off on an adventure.

I could go on at length about how much I enjoyed the twists and turns, but to do so would be to completely spoil a large chunk of what makes this book work. Instead, I feel it’s more important to dive into the characters of this tale. Aaron Allston has long been known for his work at crafting characters and allowing them to dictate the story rather than shoehorning characters into plot. Mercy Kill is no different. They are the backbone of this novel and the primary reason it’s so effective as an Expanded Universe story.

The characters (and potential spoilers) loom below the cut!

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Mercy Kill Review Roundup From Around the Blogosphere

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The reviews are in, and it looks like Mercy Kill is faring very well with readers around the blogosphere. We’ve gathered up some of the reviews and impressions from various Expanded Universe fansites and personalities. As always, venture into the reviews at your own risk if you haven’t read the book yet! If you’ve got a review you’d like us to add to this list, feel free to leave a comment in this post.

So. Have you picked up your copy of Mercy Kill yet?

X-Wing: Mercy Kill Review (No Spoilers)

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It’s been thirteen long years but Expanded Universe readers can finally get their hands on a brand new X-Wing novel and wow is this book worth the wait.  Mercy Kill helps put the fun back into the galaxy far far away and does so with a typical Allston flourish.

Mercy Kill is set after Fate of the Jedi in a galaxy where Wraith Squadron hasn’t existed for a few years.  But there’s a general who’s clearly been up to no good and that calls for Face Loran to reassemble the Wraiths to take care of business.

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X-wing: Mercy Kill Review (Spoilers!)

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Me and my brand new shiny copy of Mercy Kill

I haven’t been to a bookstore after a Star Wars book on the day it was released in years.

Today, I was cursing myself for not knowing that the bookstore had new hours and was open an hour earlier than I thought originally, because I wanted Mercy Kill as soon as I could get it in my grubby little hands. If, for some reason, you have not gotten your copy yet…go get it. Right now. This is the best Star Wars book to come out in years.

And now, I’ve read it. This review is not so much a review as it is me squealing about various parts of the book. There are spoilers behind the jump, so fair warning.

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PSA: Drop What You’re Doing Right Now And Go Buy Mercy Kill

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It’s Tuesday.

Do you know where your copy of X-Wing: Mercy Kill is?

Is it in your possession? On a UPS truck to your doorstep? If it’s not, stop what you are doing. Log off of your computer, turn off your phone, and get yourself to the nearest bookstore and purchase the first X-Wing novel in thirteen years. If you’ve got a Kindle, buy your copy here. Nook, here.

If you’ve got any interest in the series, the author, or the book at all, go get yourself a copy. We’ve talked about this on the blog and the podcast before, but we’re at a rather critical juncture in Expanded Universe publishing. How well Mercy Kill sells now could very well determine whether or not we get more books like this moving forward. A solid showing in its first week of sales could mean a continued run of X-Wing novels and books from Aaron Allston.

The majority of the early reviews so far have been positive. From all accounts this is the sort of fun and grand adventure the Expanded Universe has been missing for years. Let’s make sure we don’t have to wait another thirteen years between X-Wing books, go buy Mercy Kill now.