“They fall for us, so we may purge the shadow. The mission must succeed.”

INTRO

Middle chapters in storytelling trilogies often shoulder a remarkable burden. The audience has already been introduced to the main characters and conflict, but we know for a fact that we must not receive the answers to all of our questions within the second book or film.

This creates a difficult set of expectations. We must be satisfied with the piece yet intrigued for the finale. We must be reminded of the past yet propelled forward into the future. And throughout all of fiction, the penultimate sequel has found varied amounts of success.

So for this review, I like to think of some of my favorite middle chapters. The Empire Strikes Back. The Last Jedi.

And now...Shadow Fall.

Alexander Freed’s second adventure detailing the exploits of the roguish Alphabet Squadron shines just as brightly as its predecessor and delves into even darker depths that will leave you desperately counting the days until the trilogy’s conclusion next year.

PLOT

Fans of Freed’s previous work in Star Wars know that his tactical sensibilities are pretty unparalleled in the publishing world. The first Alphabet Squadron novel as well as Battlefront: Twilight Company are packed with extensive military discussions and positively epic action scenes that take you through every single decision that changes the course of the battle.

Shadow Fall further refines Freed’s abilities in this sector by creating some of his best action scenes to date and interspersing them with some of the most personal storylines he’s ever written.

This novel begins with our squadron enjoying a time of relative peace. While the notorious Shadow Wing is still at large, the New Republic’s harrowing victory at Pandem Nai has allowed Yrica, Nath, Will, Chass, and Kairos to work on missions that involve a little more recon and a little less planetary destruction. However, this momentary respite is short-lived as General Hera Syndulla and Cairn Adan develop a plan to lure the vicious fighter unit out of the darkness.

A trap is laid, plans go awry, secrets are revealed, and the destruction of the entire unit hangs in the balance before you know it.

As opposed to the multiple locations of the first novel in the series, Shadow Fall focuses its conflict solely in the Cerberon system. This choice does occasionally make the story feel more intimate than Alphabet Squadron, but the multiple worlds within Cerberon are expanded so deliciously that it makes up for the relative lack of geographic variety. However, this expansion can act as a double-edged sword for readers who chose to consume their Star Wars media at a particularly aggressive pace. Shadow Fall is densely packed with plotlines from the point of view of almost every single main character, so you may have to rely on a bit of rereading to catch every facet of the larger narrative.

Shadow Fall’s story also takes the time to further examine the psychological makeup of our heroes as the various segments of the plot unfold. A battle is never just a battle, and a flight is never just a flight. Every military move and biting betrayal that Freed inflicts on his characters inherently reveals something additional about their personality; something unique to this particular saga and something that had me sitting with the story long after I closed the final page.

CHARACTER
“But Soran Keize had never been a true believer in the Empire anyway. He believed in people. His people, mostly.”

Perhaps the most anticipated part of Shadow Fall’s release was the return of its astonishing cast of characters. With Alphabet Squadron, Alexander Freed composed a crew of varied personality types that spoke to all different types of readers. Now, fans not only had their favorite type of ship but also their favorite pilot that was behind the wheel…yoke...you get it.

All of our major players from the first book return vibrantly in this second installment, but rather than spend an extensive amount of time with our favorite squadron as a whole, Freed makes the decision to split them into smaller teams.

At the risk of spoiling major plot points, some team members spend the book surrounded by new allies, others potential foes, and others still are practically absent through the majority of the book’s conflict. This type of division isn’t abnormal in Star Wars storytelling (think of Luke’s Dagobah escapades or Rey’s journey to Ahch-to in their respective middle chapters), but the choice to split off the main cast throughout the book is a bold move nonetheless.

Various members of our team were drawn to different character relationships that were strengthened throughout these respective journeys, but Yrica Quell’s evolution unanimously stood out as a highlight of the book. After ending the first book with the thread of her dark past being leaked to those she trusts most, she spends Shadow Fall trying to hide the truth from discovery but also attempting to answer the much scarier question...has she really changed at all?

Quell’s storyline grips you ravenously every time that she returns to the page, but another remarkable standout in Shadow Fall is our multifaceted antagonist Soran Keize. Unknowingly featured in the first Alphabet Squadron, Keize returns to glory here as the reemerged commander of Shadow Wing. We witness his attempts to return the squadron to its full power as he also wrestles with the new factions of his identity.

How much did his time as Devon alter the course of his life? Does he truly believe in the Empire he has sworn to serve? And at the end of the day...will any of that stop him from completing his mission?

Keize’s narrative throughout Shadow Fall solidifies him as one of the most complex Imperials we’ve ever seen in the Expanded Universe, and the dedication to crafting such a multifaceted antagonist for our squad of broken protagonists seeking meaning of their own is yet another masterful stroke from Freed’s pen.

With the conclusion of the trilogy likely arriving next fall, we can assume that geographical divisions in the squad will be easily reduced, but the emotional canyons formed between them will require far more delicate repairs.

ORIGINALITY

As noted earlier, Alexander Freed’s descriptions of tech, military strategy, and world expansion are relatively unparalleled in Star Wars literature. At no point throughout Shadow Fall do you doubt that he knows the exact specifications of every planet, ship, and weapon that is mentioned on the page, and that familiarity allows the entire story to feel extraordinarily authentic.

When we interviewed Freed on The Living Force Podcast, we asked him about his supreme skill with technical storytelling, and he seemed surprised at our description. Rather than thinking of himself as a technical military writer, he expressed his desire to simply write what the characters are passionate about.

If a soldier spends their entire life around guns, they’ll probably know a lot about them. If a pilot spends their full existence in the confines of a cockpit, their inner monologue will likely reflect that.

And you can see that dedication to detail throughout this book in a number of places from the expansive tactical knowledge of Freed’s very own Twilight Company who features heavily in Shadow Fall to the local population of Troithe that finds themselves allying with Soran Keize and the aces of Shadow Wing. The natural expertise exhibited by these characters opens a doorway through which Freed is able to seed the Star Wars universe with more lore in a way that serves the story, the reader, and the wider galaxy.

Additionally, Freed tackles one particular facet of Shadow Fall in a way rarely seen in a galaxy far, far away. While droids have been a key part of Star Wars since the first scene in the original film, the introduction of the IT-O, the torture-droid-turned-therapist, in Alphabet Squadron showcased the possibilities found within our favorite synthetic beings in an entirely new way. Shadow Fall builds upon that introduction in a breathtaking and frankly heartbreaking way that will find you questioning how a piece of tortured machinery can possibly bring you to tears.

WRITING

One of the constant highlights of Alexander Freed’s writing is his magnificent battle sequences. Historically, he has excelled in crafting grand militaristic set pieces composed of various phases and moving parts, and Shadow Fall continues that tradition in impressive style.

Throughout Shadow Fall’s numerous air, ground, and space conflicts, Freed leads his audience through the various locations of each individual battlefield to really identify the scope of what’s happening. While this writing style undeniably presents the most information possible, there are points in the book where speedier readers can get lost within the details.

Like a fine whiskey, this writing is best consumed at a leisurely sip rather than an aggressive shot.

When the Alphabet Squadron series was first announced, fans of the classic Legends X-Wing series from Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston simultaneously hoped and feared that Freed’s style of ship combat would take a heavy amount of influence from those tales of Wedge Antilles and Corran Horn. Freed, however, further distances himself from those other fantastic books in Shadow Fall by creating a more intimate atmosphere throughout every sprawling battle.

While we are most certainly aware of the larger chessboard, we rarely find ourselves on the bridge of a command ship or the control center of a planetary base. Instead, Freed constantly plunges us into the cockpits where we are able to experience every decision made by the aces we’ve come to know and love. Not only do we know which triggers they’re pulling and which maneuvers they’re attempting, we also know what’s going on in their hearts as the battles rage on.

Are they excited? Are they scared? Do they feel guilt for the lives they are taking or vengeance for the ones they’ve avenged?

The effortless combination of these psychological issues within the technical description of the combat puts Freed a world apart from other authors of the genre. While the pure density of the wordplay may have readers going back to the top of the page from time to time, the originality and complexity creates a product that is undeniably Freed in the best way.

ENTERTAINMENT

One of the constant praises of the first Alphabet Squadron novel was its ability to balance the gravitas of ship combat with the intimacy of fireside chats and evolutionary character beats. Shadow Fall continues this tradition brilliantly, and the result is a book that is as entertaining a ride as any you’ll find in the Star Wars Canon.

Alexander Freed’s thrilling battle sequences constantly make you feel like you’re in the midst of epic conflict to the point where I felt my heart physically racing during particular sequences, but the adrenaline is perfectly balanced with quieter moments of reflection and growth. The heroes of Alphabet and Shadow Wing alike spend these books tackling questions that will define the rest of their lives, and though the identification and examination of those questions could be a dull break from the excitement of combat, their entertainment value is just as high.

It’s this skillful balance of highs and lows that propel you through Shadow Fall’s story with ease despite its inherent density. At the end of the day, every single character is someone that you are excited to spend time with, and with a book littered with such an expansive cast, that’s no easy feat.

Freed’s decision to split his chapters between so many different points of view could have been a nail in the coffin from the start of the first book. After all, who among us has groaned in other series when a character we particularly dislike interrupts the action of one of our favorites? Luckily, Shadow Fall’s various character plotlines are so varied that each break supplies the reader with a completely different type of experience.

Rarely can you rely on a single book to supply you with so many contrasting scenes and experiences, but that roller coaster of emotions ensures that the Alphabet Squadron trilogy will be remembered as one of the most entertaining Star Wars projects for years to come.

AUDIO

Star Wars audiobooks have long been lauded as the industry standard for music, effects, and overall immersion they provide for the listener. Shadow Fall somehow takes this banner and elevates it even higher.

Because of the amount of ship flight and combat littered throughout the story, the pure volume of sound effects and music is staggering to even consider. What’s even more miraculous? It all fits perfectly.

Listeners of Shadow Fall will swear that they are enmeshed within a fifteen hour film as their headphones transport them above the skies of Troithe and onto the pockmarked surface of the planet. The musical choices, while not solely the traditional John Williams score, evoke the visceral feel of Star Wars so intensely that certain passages are more apt for a hyperactive gym workout than a relaxing afternoon listen.

Fans of Saskia Maarleveld’s magnificent narration of the first Alphabet Squadron may be disappointed to know that the second book in the series has shifted those duties to Carol Monda, a renowned narrator of more than 400 audiobooks. While the shift in voice can be a bit jarring at the start, Monda handles the language with grace and impeccable style. Her voice work is varied and true to character despite her being a bit older than most of the protagonists, and her deep tone is perfect for the dark stakes of the battles she describes.

While consistency in narration throughout a book series can be a sticking point for some folks, fans of the original Alphabet Squadron should feel more than confident in throwing an Audible credit toward Monda and her work on Shadow Fall. If you’ve been wondering how you’re going to fill your time before the next cinematic Star Wars experience in 2022, all you have to do is close your eyes and let this audiobook take you away to our favorite galaxy.

CONCLUSION

Alexander Freed is creating something truly special with the Alphabet Squadron series.

Although we at Youtini absolutely adore the standalone novels that we’ve received over the past few years of Star Wars Canon, there is something undeniably thrilling about the continuation of a series. Shadow Fall’s ability to remind us why we loved the first Alphabet Squadron while also enhancing the stakes of the story at large firmly places this novel in the upper tier of Star Wars literature.

For years, Star Wars books have towed the line between plot focused and character centric novels, but authors like Freed continually show us that the notion of sacrificing one for the other is quickly becoming archaic. Complex tactical plots can and should contain journeys of discovery, doubt, and evolution, and as readers, we are all the richer for their inclusion.

Next year will bring the undoubtedly epic conclusion of the Alphabet Squadron series, and once you finish the final page of Shadow Fall, I can guarantee you’ll be counting down the days until we’re able to jump into these cockpits one last time.

For more info about Shadow Fall, check out our exclusive interview with Alexander Freed on The Living Force, visit our Official Book Profile where you can find additional staff comments, user reviews, and affiliate links to order the book directly and help Youtini out in the process.

The story started off slow and it felt hard to get through since I hadn’t remembered much about the main characters after a year

What happens when you bring together five New Republic pilots who all fly different starfighters and put them under the command of an Intelligence officer and also one of the Rebellions best generals? You get Alphabet Squadron. And then, if you’re really lucky, you get three whole books about them! Thankfully, we are indeed really lucky or at least much luckier than the Alphabet Squadron crew.

Out today, Shadow Fall by Alexander Freed is the follow up to last year’s Alphabet Squadron and the second book in a planned trilogy about these ragtag pilots fighting a war against a dying Empire. Although they’re fresh off their victory at Pandem Nai, they’re still no closer to tracking down and destroying what’s left of the Empire’s Shadow Wing. Even worse (if your name is Yrica Quell), they also don’t know that Major Soran Keize has returned to the Empire and Shadow Wing. The solution? Alphabet Squadron, along with parts of the 61st Mobile Infantry, are going to set a trap in Cerberon. It’s risk but if it works, the job will finally be done. If it doesn’t, things could get far worse than any of them have anticipated.

If you loved Alphabet Squadron, you’ll likely also love Shadow Fall and the reverse is true as well. The thing about the Alphabet Squadron books is that they are not easy reads. This isn’t an insult or a criticism but rather a statement of fact. Freed’s books, more than anyone else’s, have a distinct feel to them as they delve into the trauma of war and something like that should not be an easy read. Shadow Fall, like Alphabet Squadron before it, is not a book readers will likely be able to breeze through in a single sitting. Between its subject matter and its prose, Shadow Fall demands your entire attention and perhaps also quietly encourages you to take breaks here and there for a soothing cup of tea.

Shadow Fall is very much a middle story in a trilogy. Whereas the first book brought the ragtag team of traitors and survivors together, this second book scatters them all back to the winds. It’s a move that feels all the more painful because they weren’t quite yet a tightly bonded group even though Yrica had made an effort, particularly with her squadron tattoo. Some of the individual bonds, such as the one between Wyl and Nath, are certainly there but the all trusting, all encompassing one between all five? Not quite. It is tenuous at best and the events of Shadow Fall test it more than anything ever has.

It’s difficult to really go into the excellent character work that Freed does in this book without dipping in spoiler territory but Wyl Lark definitely stands out this time around to the point where it’s a bit surprising that he’s not on the cover instead of Chass. By the end of the book, he’s no longer the same sweet boy from Polyneus who learned to fly on sur-avkas we first met in the previous book. He’s also forced to step up in this book in ways he hasn’t been made to do before. Leadership is a good skill to have but at what cost? War leaves more scars than physical ones and Wyl isn’t getting out unscathed.

As one might expect, Shadow Fall also ties into the ever-increasing number of stories set in this one year timeframe and to characters Star Wars book fans might already be familiar with. Of particular note is the numerous mentions of Vanguard Squadron, aka the squadron recently revealed in the trailer and gameplay footage for the forthcoming Star Wars Squadrons video game that is due out in October. There are noticeable points in the book’s narrative that seem to have been made with the game in mind so it’ll be fascinating to see how they tie together come fall. There are also a few other familiar faces that might show up but saying precisely who would ruin the surprise.

Shadow Fall is a book that makes you work for it and that also breaks your heart but it’s worth it. This is a side of Star Wars that we don’t always see and it is without a doubt, a story worth telling. Just, perhaps, consider having that aforementioned cup of tea on hand and maybe a stuffed ewok or lothcat nearby to hug in case of emergency.

Thank you to Del Rey for providing an early copy of the book for review purposes.

In Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron, author Alexander Freed introduced a disparate group of characters brought together and teamed up for a common purpose — To find the deadly Imperial Remnant TIE fighter threat known as Shadow Wing. (You can read my review of Alphabet Squadron here.) In the second book of the Alphabet Squadron trilogy, Star Wars Shadow Fall: An Alphabet Squadron Novel, the fight against Shadow Wing continues.

After the Battle of Pandam Nai, the action shifts to the planet Troithe. New Republic forces have devised a plan to lure Shadow Wing into a trap in the hopes of defeating them once and for all, but things don’t go to plan, and the members of Alphabet Squadron are faced with challenges from within. Challenges that could pull them apart.

One thing that sets Shadow Fall apart from its predecessor is the time it devotes to exploring select characters, allowing us a chance to know them and what drives them in a way we couldn’t in Alphabet Squadron. For the pilots of Alphabet Squadron, the mission was the thing and the action drove the story. In Shadow Fall, the mood is more introspective. That’s the word that stuck with me most during my reading.

Shadow Fall largely follows Yrica Quell, Chass na Chaddic, with Wyl Lark and Nath Tensent to lesser degrees. On the Imperial side, there’s Major Soran Keize, Yrica’s former commander and mentor.

Imperial defector Yrica Quell is still haunted by her involvement with the late Emperor’s contingency plan, Operation Cinder, and the death and destruction that followed. She fears what will happen if her new team discovers the truth about her. Is there really a place for her in the New Republic?

Chass na Chaddic (featured on the book cover, as Quell was on Alphabet Squadron) isn’t sure about who she is or where she really belongs. We find out about her childhood, which was a difficult one, but we also find out her inspiration is the heroic Jyn Erso, which gives us an indication of the type of person she aspires to be.

Meanwhile, Wyl Lark is testing out his leadership qualities with Alphabet Squadron, with Nath Tensent providing his support — but ready to act if Wyl makes the wrong choices for the team.

Soran Keize (the mysterious Devon from Alphabet Squadron) lost faith in the Empire after Operation Cinder, but he enjoys his current command of Shadow Wing and is bent on revenge against Alphabet Squadron — and General Hera Syndulla.

While I appreciated the closer examinations of these characters, I was looking for more about my personal standouts from book one, namely Nath Tensent and Kairos. Both are present, but sidelined a bit while focus shifts to Quell, na Chaddic, and Keize. I’m hoping the third book provides a deeper look. Although in the case of the enigmatic Kairos, maybe less is more? At any rate, the character knowledge gained in Shadow Fall will be valuable going forward.

There’s a good amount of action in Shadow Fall, but it does take a backseat to the further development of the aforementioned characters. That makes the pacing somewhat slower than I was expecting given the fairly breakneck speed of Alphabet Squadron. Looking at my review for that book, I noted I wasn’t necessarily a big fan of reading space battles. I found in this book I actually missed them! Funny how that happens.

Alexander Freed is a fine author, no question, and Shadow Fall advances the story of Alphabet Squadron in deliberate and important ways. Including an unexpected stunner to close out the book. For that reason, I’m definitely on the tenterhooks for the third installment.

I also listened to the unabridged audio presentation for Shadow Fall, read by Carol Monda. I’m still rather new to audiobooks, but I’d become accustomed to Marc Thompson’s narration of the Star Wars audios I have experienced recently. So listening to someone new took a little getting used to, although I’m sure audiobook veterans won’t have the same issue. I just need to broaden my audio horizons a bit more. It’s not really a reflection on Monda’s narration.

I never had the chance to listen to the audio for Alphabet Squadron, so I can’t speak to the musical cues used in that production. In Shadow Fall however, the use of music from Star Wars was pretty sparse. The music employed feels more atmospheric, and is used more to build tension in certain situations. It’s an interesting choice that left me feeling a little disconnected from that overall Star Wars-y feel, if that makes sense.

All that said, the audio quality, sound effects, and the narration combined to make an enjoyable experience.

The characters first introduced by Alexander Freed in Alphabet Squadron continue to be worthy additions to canon with Shadow Fall. While Jedi and Sith have primarily been the focus of Star Wars, we see more and more that you don’t necessarily need a direct connection to the Force to be a force in the galaxy.

My ratings for the book and audiobook: 3.5/5

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Penguin Random House Audio for providing a copies of this book and audiobook for review purposes.

– Spoiler Review –

The second book in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy, Shadow Wing, written again by Alexander Freed, is another excellent entry, capitalizing on all of the first book’s strengths and finding ways to improve and expand. It’s one of those rare sequels that rises above the first, like Empire after A New Hope!

There were outright and visible terrors to face in the first novel, especially with the fiery conclusion, but Shadow Fall takes things far more introspective than the first’s already deep dive, with its own focused battle that takes its toll in unique ways for each character. After the devastation of Pandem Nai, our lovable but damaged Alphabet Squadron is both haunted by their previous encounter with Shadow Wing and still ready to continue the fight. Alphabet is searching for Shadow while on the offensive, taking over the planet Troithe alongside General Hera Syndulla’s battle group, and decides to set a trap for them. Yrica Quell has become comfortable with Caern Adan and her squadron, but the possibility the truth of her Operation Cinder involvement could come out hangs over all her interactions. Chass Na Chadic realizes her desire to go out in a blaze of glory like Jyn Erso is foolish considering the current climate of the New Republic no longer being the underdog, but is thankfully still playing her crazy music. Wyl Lark has taken Pandem Nai’s destruction to heart the most, though the partnership he’s sure he fostered with Shadow Wing to prevent the worst of it leaves him hoping a peaceful end is still attainable. Nath Tensent’s debts are paid and his vengeance achieved, leaving him wondering why he’s still with Alphabet. Caern is still eager as ever to find Shadow Wing, hoping to prove the importance of intelligence victories over military ones, a viewpoint I agreed with after the first book, as it probably could’ve prevented or lessened the growth of the First Order. And Kairos, well, she’s still as mysterious and silent as ever. It didn’t take long into reading SF when I realized how much I forgotten my love for these battered, damaged, but lovable pilots and characters, which SF exponentially grows my love for them again.

Alphabet Squadron Shadow Fall Full CoverAs is customary in the middle part of a trilogy, writer Alexander Freed splits up Alphabet, though he takes maximum advantage of it, providing some truly wonderful adventures and introspective journeys that build on all the character work from the first book and pushes everyone on even more intriguing and exciting paths for the final book. What makes these journeys and struggles so powerful in Shadow Fall is how natural they feel for both the story and the characters, as nothing feels contrived to bring them to new and strange places, as it all fits into the larger galaxy’s events, and each situation uniquely challenges the one stuck in it. Quell and Adan’s (and IT-O’s) odyssey is my favorite of the book, producing not only its best chapter (18), but also one of the best chapters in recent Star Wars novels, which even lived up to the hype I was seeing online about it. Quell has been one of the most complex protagonists in SW writing and the way she confronts herself, and the likes of IT-0 and Adan, lead to some profound revelations for her, those around her, and keep her as interesting and compelling as she was in the first book, if not even more so. I’m not sure how to feel about her final decision in the book, or really any of hers to be honest, but the fact I want to hold back judgment and see what happens next shows how sympathetically and compellingly written she has been; she is a war criminal, after all, but I can’t help but want to read how she reckons with that. The scenes with her and Ito, the former torture droid turned therapist, are highlights of the book for me, especially in Chapter 18, while Quell and Adan’s scenes, favorites from the first book, only get better. Chass’ own solo troubles, which tie into and twist into her own past with her mother and a cult, cement her as my favorite member of Alphabet and offers another new and interesting way to view the greater conflict of the galaxy, a specialty of Freed’s; I just barely enjoyed Quell’s part more than Chass’.

Wyl and Nath, surviving together with what little is left of the NR’s forces after Shadow’s assault, make for an absolute great duo, only enhancing both characters for me from their first appearance. These two work so well together, from Wyl inspiring Nath to try caring again and stick around, to Nath pushing Wyl to lead and see how his choices to negotiate with the enemy could haunt him even more than fighting them now, make me hope the final book ensures they aren’t far from one another; however, the ending seems to point towards them being split up, but I’ve got to hold out hope! While Kairos doesn’t feature too much in the novel, some of the mystery that literally and figuratively wraps around her is lifted and I’m even more intrigued to learn more about her now! Here’s hoping she comes to the forefront in the final novel. Altogether, these personal journeys and character arcs make Shadow Fall such a blast to read, keeping the characters in focus as the war grinds on around them, while also offering a sobering and raw way to see the effects of the war as well.

One of my biggest concerns coming out of the ending of the first book was if the threat represented by Shadow Wing was enough to warrant a whole trilogy; sure, I wanted a trilogy for Alphabet alone, but was their enemy worth all this trouble? What only added to the concern was the reveal the mysterious character Devon was Quell’s mentor, Soran Keize, but I didn’t quite understand how he’d change anything after “Grandmother” Nuress. Thankfully, Soran and the remnants of Shadow Wing made good on being a worthy threat, one even General Hera Syndulla wants to see vanquished by the end. With Soran, I quite enjoyed his POV, as he’s willing to admit his shortcomings, is calm and patient with his plans, but also unsure of his path ahead, wondering which of his choices were right in the past and which are right about the future of his pilots. His interactions with Troithe’s acting Governor, Fara Yadeez, are real highlights of his sections. And Shadow, from messing with Lark’s willingness to chat to purposefully crashing capital ships into a shield so they can get past it, are deadly and efficient; we still don’t get much time with their pilots, though it increases a tad in SF, especially with Lt. Seedia, whose expanded role I enjoyed. With the timeline of the trilogy bumping up against the Aftermath Trilogy, I’ll be curious to see how gaining the resources of Grand Admiral Rae Sloane’s contingent, despite her only offering a small bit of help, will do to make them even harder to take down in the final book. Could it take us up to Jakku…or even past it? Only time will tell!

Here are a few other things:

    Light on spoilers, there’s an interview with Alexander Freed over at the official site’s blog!
    The way Freed writes dog fighting/space battles is excellent, either giving just the right amount of detail or focusing on other parts since the actual minute-to-minute doesn’t matter as much as what’s happening to a character. My favorite part might be what Quell does to try to mess up Shadow Wing’s opening assault on Troithe.
    As I mentioned earlier, Hera Syndulla is back and gets just as much spotlight as the first book, maybe a tad more. There are some real killer lines from her, ones that evoke some big tears due to the implications from what happened in Star Wars Rebels, to ones full of sage of advice for someone like Quell. I appreciate her commitment to the Shadow Wing destruction cause and I’m happy she’ll continue to have a supporting role in the trilogy! However, this continues to make me question: where is Jacen Syndulla?! These books don’t have to answer it, but it makes my desire for an answer grow with every installment. I’m also excited Rae Sloane, one of my first favorites from the new canon, getting increased mentions and even being included towards the end; Soran’s thoughts on her were rather spot-on, from what we all know of her already, and I appreciated someone in-universe understanding the greatness that is RAE SLOANE.
    The first book had a comic miniseries tie-in called TIE Fighter, but beyond a few cameos, the two didn’t crossover. One of the main characters of the comic gets a few scenes in Shadow Fall, Lt. Broosh, but that’s the last remnants of their connection. However, the crossovers and tie-ins aren’t over, though I feel like Shadow Fall’s is already more fruitful and interesting than Alphabet Squadron’s: Hera leaves Troithe for a while, taking Vanguard Squadron with her on a special, secret mission. This is the part of the single-player campaign of the upcoming video game, Squadrons! A few characters and even a ship get name dropped in SF, and I’m hoping one part towards the end is a playable moment in the game! This crossover already feels better thought out than the previous because of how natural it felt and the importance of their mission (Ironic sidenote: the ship mentioned is incorrectly classified in the book. Easy fix later on though!)
    The Jedi temple retreat in the first book was a beautiful and memorable scene and now a Sith observatory takes center stage for the book’s finest chapter. Its placement and part in the story made sense, considering how they played into Palpatine’s Contingency plan. What I loved most was how there’s no waxing poetic about whether it’s right or wrong to use it, as there’s no Force users involved; it’s just a means to an end. I’m curious if we’ll have any more Sith or Jedi artifacts in involved with the finale.
    I liked the backstory and world-building of Troithe, though its connections and prominence in the past make me wonder if we’ll see it in the upcoming The High Republic books!
    We haven’t had many black holes to deal with in Star Wars canon, so I really loved how it was basically the center of the system of planets, and how Freed described it and used it within the story in minor, but intriguing ways.
    There’s a mynock mention in Chapter 16! We’re moving up in the world.
    It’s been quite fortuitous to be playing through The Last of Us Part II on PS4 while reading Shadow Fall, as the thematic connections have increased my enjoyment of each piece of media. Both ask readers or players to consider the violent actions of their respective characters, both offer a window into the what’s considered the enemy of their heroes, and both do it with considerable nuance and masterwork storytelling. I haven’t finished TLOUII quite yet, but considering the first is something I love more than even most movies or books, I’m already enjoying this one as much which should tell you enough about the experience.

Shadow Fall builds on the excellence of the first book, avoiding many pitfalls of a middle novel in a trilogy, to send us towards what is sure to be a truly memorable and unforgettable finale…I just don’t want there to be an end since I enjoy these characters so much!

    + Doubling down on the characters’ complexities
    + Characters split up make for truly entertaining journeys and character pieces, especially Quell’s
    + Soran and making Shadow Wing a worthy trilogy enemy
    + Ends with so much potential for the final book to explore

In typical Star Wars fashion, "Shadow Fall" fits right into the darker-middle-chapter mold that so often splits up our heroes, sends them on a journey of self-discovery, and leaves the audience questioning whatever shocking change in the status quo our heroes endure by the end. Right when we think Alphabet Squad has formed some sense of cohesion in Shadow's predecessor, Freed takes the trilogy in a new direction and executes it flawlessly. 

Shadow Fall isn't a book about war, which could turn away apprehensive readers, but rather a story about relationships between unlikely allies and longtime foes in the context of war. This is what sets the novel, and its trilogy, apart from many other Star Wars books I've read. I've come to understand and care for these characters just as I would for any of our heroes on the big screen. Everything in Freed's post-ROTJ galaxy is described with such great sense of detail and delicacy that make you want to live in this universe (as long as you have a trusty pilot by your side). At the same time, everything Shadow Fall stands for aligns with and adds to the repertoire of what Star Wars can be. 

The book begs one core question: what happens when we dwell on our mistakes rather than search for a way to move forward and grow beyond our misgivings? To some extent, the entirety of Alphabet Squadron faces this central question to varying degrees, and it's a question that is aligned with redemption and atonement, two concepts which are the lifeblood of the franchise. Shadow Fall challenges us to look at our own choices, as they relate to the characters, to ensure we don't venture down those same dangerous paths. 

Aside from a more meta-level perspective, Shadow Fall is chock-full of exciting moments that will make you throw out your arm from fist-pumping the air or make you question your understanding of the Cosmic Force. It's also not lacking in its moments of sadness and despair, realities of war that Freed has not shied away from throughout his Star Wars work. If you're looking for the next best trilogy since Chuck Wendig's "Aftermath" series, Shadow Fall has proven that Freed's "Alphabet" story is the one.

The wait until 2021 for the final book in this series won't be easy, but, knowing there will be an inevitable goodbye to this cast of characters, I'm willing to ride out the wait as long as I can.

Anyone who’s read an Alexander Freed Star Wars novel has some idea of how Shadow Fall is going to go. We expect a gritty, realistic look at war with some hefty emotional pain for the characters (and the readers!). Underscoring that expectation, Del Rey promoted this second book in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy with the phrase “victory has a price”. It certainly does.

Shadow Fall continues the action from the first book in the trilogy, beginning in medias res with a campaign to take a single Deep Core star system from the remnants of the Empire in order to bait Alphabet Squadron’s nemesis, Shadow Wing. The bulk of the action takes place on the urban world of Troithe, something like Coruscant’s forgotten sibling. The conflict is narrow and intense, and allows us to focus on our core cast of characters who were introduced in the past novel: the members of Alphabet Squadron, and their antagonists in Shadow Wing.

The fighting in this book isn’t pretty. What our characters go through – and have to do in order to win – is not pretty. Victory has a price, and this applies to the heroes as much as the villains. If they want to win, they’ll have to do things that they’d scarcely imagined doing in the earlier days of the war. Don’t expect a fun pilot romp interspersed with tragedy the way an Aaron Allston X-wing novel might make us laugh and cry. There is precious little laughter in this book – which isn’t to say that it’s all darkness and tragedy. But it is definitely intense, and our characters go through hell – and it’s partly a hell of their own making.

That’s the real strength of this book. It’s not just a deromanticized version of Star Wars action and a look at the cost of war. It’s a story about how the traumas of war – both external/military and internal/personal – change people, and what they do when confronted with those traumas. Shadow Fall isn’t an easy read – I had to take my time with it – but it’s worth the investment of time and emotional/mental energy.

Shadow Fall is the second novel in the Alphabet Trilogy by Alexander Freed. It follows the exploits of a rag tag squad of New Republic starfighter pilots as they try to take down the elite Imperial unit known as Shadow Wing. Most of the action takes place in the Cerberon system on a rundown cityscape planet called Troithe. There’s lots of character focus, some great action, twists and turns, and overall, it’s a perfect follow-up to the first book.

Throughout the book, the story does a balancing act of following the pilots of Alphabet Squadron and also following Shadow Wing’s Major Keize (who went by Devon in the first book). By showing both sides, it creates an interesting conflict of interests. On one hand, you’re rooting for Alphabet Squadron. On the other, you can completely see where Keize is coming from and you can sympathize with him. At times, I found myself wanting Keize to succeed and was torn when the two sides were in direct competition. The very fact that Freed is able to create such deep characters that can cause you to sympathize with both sides is a huge accomplishment. Keize was already developed in the first book, so the journey of his character arc in this one makes him even more compelling.

Of course Keize isn’t the only character of interest. Each of the members of Alphabet Squadron get their own character arcs which twist and turn throughout the story. Kairos, due to her not speaking much, gets the short end of the stick and still remains rather mysterious. Caern Adan, the Balosar intelligence agent, also doesn’t get as much of an arc since he’s in a leadership position with the squad. However, Wyl, Chass, Nath and Yrica get lots of attention and storytime. The events in this story push all of them to new boundaries which helps keep all of them intriguing. Plus, there’s some nice moments with Hera Syndulla sprinkled in here and there and some cameos from the soldiers of the 61st Mobile Infantry Company that showed up in Alexander Freed’s first Star Wars novel Twilight Company.

Most of the story takes place in the Cerberon system as the New Republic Forces try to take all the planets back from Imperial holdouts. There’s some fights in space and a lot of action on the ground. Meanwhile, Shadow Wing makes some attacks and searches for direction. Ultimately their path leads to Cerberon and the two forces duke it out. Freed invests a lot of time with Keize on the Imperial side, and all of the pilots in Alphabet Squadron in order built up the suspense for the conflict. The action keeps you guessing on who will win, and the development of the characters may have you wondering who you want to win.

As a follow-up to Alphabet Squadron, this book does a great job of not just keeping the readers’ interest, but increasing it. The situations the characters go through builds up the suspense, and their choices keep you on the edge of your seat wondering which way the odds will turn. The battles are chaotic and unpredictable as aces on both sides constantly change the momentum of the war. Best of all, it leads up to the final book with just the right hook to keep you wanting more. With great characters, an excellent story, and enjoyable twists, Shadow Fall earns high marks as one of the best books in the Star Wars canon. I give it a five out of five.

I thoroughly enjoyed how character focused Shadow Fall is, and I loved exploring what makes the main characters tick! The pilots of Alphabet squadron are tested on a personal level, and shocking changes are made that will make the end of the series even more thrilling. Shadow Fall is full of unexpected twists, turns, and evasive maneuvers that will leave you craving more.

Alexander Freed reunites the Alphabet Squadron for a chaos-filled second act.

Alexander Freed’s Alphabet Squadron trilogy is posed to be one of the best Star Wars series in the new era of Star Wars publishing. Shadow Fall packs a punch — Freed delivers adrenaline-fueled intrigue and manages to pull on the heartstrings of the rebellion. The novel is a high-octane race to the last page, delivering a final line that was truly jaw-dropping.  

If you were a fan of Michael A. Stackpole’s Star Wars: X-Wing series, which was retired with the rest of the Star Wars expanded universe, or anxiously waiting for the release of EA’s Star Wars: Squadrons — Alphabet Squadron is the perfect answer for you. 

Freed is a natural at creating compelling narratives amidst the backdrop of an uncertain time within the galaxy. His characters are messy, layered, and complex individuals working through life-or-death situations as they soar through the battlefield among the stars. Yrica Quell, in particular, ranks among my favorite characters in the Star Wars novelization universe. Her secrets are brought to a head in Shadow Fall and cast their own shadow over the future of the Alphabet Squadron. 

Shadow Fall is filled with subtle homages to characters like Kanan Jarrus, Jyn Erso, and Luke Skywalker. Freed captures the side effects of war for the rebellion; deftly touching on the compartmentalizing that comes with grief and loss — an emotion that even the readers will have to grapple with as a beloved character is lost to the fray. Some of the best moments in the novel come from the quiet moments where the Alphabet Squadron unwind after risky encounters with the Empire. The characters feel as real as any that we have seen in live-action or animated series. 

If you’ve ever been on the ledge about getting into reading Star Wars novels, Alphabet Squadron should be your start point. Freed has left a definitive mark on the Star Wars universe and I hope that one day we see the Alphabet Squadron brought to life in other mediums. 

Your Money Geek thanks Del Rey Publishing & NetGallery for providing us with a free copy for review. Pick up your own copy of Star Wars: Shadow Fall today!

Alexander Freed once again knocks it out of the park with the second installment of the "Alphabet Squadron" trilogy. 

In this darker middle chapter, the heroes of Alphabet Squadron are tested like never before, both individually and as a team. Between losing battles and isolation, the members of Alphabet Squadron must confront themselves and each other if they want to succeed. 

In finishing this book, I am speechless. Freed's precise and detailed writing gives the reader a deep understanding of not only the worlds that Alphabet Squadron and their foes Shadow Wing inhabit, but also of the inner workings of each of the main characters. I feel like I know how each one of them thinks and what makes them tick. I know what their weaknesses are and how they will be exploited. These characters are messy and full of depth; I'd argue they're some of the most interesting in all of Star Wars. 

My favorite dynamic in this installment is between Nath and Wyl. Where Nath is hardened, Wyl is still hopeful. Their interactions are incredibly interesting and important to the dynamic of the team, and are developed well in this book!

There are multiple moments in this book where I gasped out loud or swore in shock. I absolutely cannot wait to be talking about these moments with the Star Wars community! While the pace of this book is still on the slower side, as it was with "Alphabet Squadron," it's not a slog by any means. The narrative is packed with meaningful moments and intentional foreshadowing. There are many interesting connections to other canon ideas, places, and people that work to make this world feel real. 

I am SO looking forward to seeing how this trilogy concludes, and I have many thoughts on where the third installment may go! If you're a Star Wars fan, this is a book and series you can't miss.

Author Alexander Freed continues to establish himself as one of the best (if not the absolute best) writers contributing to the current Star Wars canon with his new novel Star Wars: Shadow Fall, the sequel to last year’s also-excellent Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron from Del Rey Books and Lucasfilm Publishing.

Star Wars: Shadow Fall – An Alphabet Squadron Novel picks up where the previous entry left off, with Lieutenant Yrica Quell and her ragtag band of New Republic Intelligence pilots still attempting to track down and capture the members of the elite Imperial splinter group Shadow Wing in the wake of the Battle of Endor.

Quell and her superiors Agent Caern Adan and General Hera Syndulla are engaged with a mission to retake the planet of Troithe in the Cerberon system from an Imperial remnant when they concoct a plan to mislead and then trap Shadow Wing using Troithe as bait. Freed (also writer of the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization and Star Wars: Battlefront – Twilight Company) remains skilled at conveying the sheer unpredictability of war, and has things go wrong almost immediately for both sides. With Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Wing both stranded planetside without reinforcements, can either of them find a way to gain the upper hand?

Shadow Fall smartly borrows from The Empire Strikes Back— perhaps not coincidentally celebrating its 40th anniversary this year– by leaning into the middle-chapter darkness, separating and/or pairing off its main cast on divergent (and all equally captivating) adventures, all building toward a cliffhanger ending that will leave fans chomping at the bit to read the third installment in this promised Alphabet Squadron trilogy. We accompany the appealingly unpolished pilots Wyl Lark, Chass na Chadic, Nath Tensent, and Kairos as they infiltrate enemy territory, stumble into local cult activity, and generally fight to further the New Republic cause on Troithe and its surrounding planetoids. There’s also an extended side-quest interlude wherein Quell, Adan, and reprogrammed Imperial interrogation droid IT-O encounter an intriguingly enigmatic relic from the more mystical side of Star Wars’ vast and (mostly) unexplored past.

The villainous Soran Keize, leader of Shadow Wing (AKA the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing), proves to be a fascinating foil for our heroes in Alphabet Squadron, and Freed goes a long way to differentiate him from other notable Imperial officers in the expanded Star Wars canon. Keize is almost entirely self-serving and has no real allegiance to the Empire other than the quest for his own survival, in addition to the forces directly under his command. He’s not depicted as a tireless military genius and brilliant strategist like Grand Admiral Thrawn, but merely as a pragmatist willing to do anything so that he and his underlings will live to see another day. For that reason he stands out and becomes relatable as someone simply using his influence as a means to a personal end rather than furthering the galaxy-dominating cause championed by the late Emperor Palpatine.

Speaking of Palpatine, there’s a minor presence known as a Messenger or Sentinel Droid (established in other relatively recent stories like Star Wars: Shattered Empire and Star Wars: Aftermath – Empire’s End) that has evolved into an eerie specter haunting Keize, almost as a metaphor for the now-deceased emperor’s ghost– or the ghost of the Empire itself. Those kinds of details and character intricacies are a big part of what makes Star Wars: Shadow Fall – An Alphabet Squadron novel such a fun and engaging read, but on top of all that Alexander Freed is also supremely talented at writing action. The story’s space and ground battles immediately recall the breakneck editing and white-knuckle thrill of numerous sequences from the original Star Wars trilogy.

It all adds up to another high-water mark for Lucasfilm Publishing’s recent output and a reminder to follow Alexander Freed’s career wherever it may lead him. I predict he will eventually create enduring fictional universes of his own, but for the time being I’ll be happy to see him supplying quality content for the ever-growing Star Wars galaxy.

Star Wars: Shadow Fall – An Alphabet Squadron Novel will become available on Tuesday, June 23 wherever books are sold, and it is available right now for pre-order.

Star Wars: Shadow Fall was written by New York Times Best Selling author, Alexander Freed. Shadow Fall is book two in the Alphabet Squadron Series.

SUMMARY: The Imperial remnants are scattered across the galaxy still fighting against the newly formed republic, desperately holding strong to it’s territories. In this novel, the story focuses primarily in the Cerberon system over the planet Troithe. New Republic forces including Alphabet Squadron, fight against the imperials to take hold of the capital. A plan is devised to lure Shadow Wing, the deadly TIE Fighter unit out into the open. Shadow Wing had gone silent since the last major event from book one, the battle at Pandem Nai.

Once the TIE unit shows itself to Alphabet Squadron and the rest of the New Repbulic forces, the war over Troithe intensifies. Will Alphabet Squadron hold strong and put an end to Shadow Wing? Will Shadow Wing once again commit mass genocide on another innocent planet? You’ll have to get the book and read for yourself to know the outcome of this page turner!

CHARACTERS: The cast of characters from Alphabet Squadron continue on in this novel. In my review of book one, I spoke briefly on Yrica Quell & Wyl Lark. Now, I will mention Chass na Chadic and Soran Keize

Chass na Chadic: She was inspired by Jyn Erso, a real hero, not a myth or a legend. Chass is aggressive and sometimes a little moody. She seems lost, like she doesn’t know who she truly is, who she’s meant to be or become. She’s defiant and doesn’t get along with the others too well. She tunes out the others others by cranking up music in her cockpit. Her childhood was rough, but the things she’s learned from that time in her life, help her through a difficult and somewhat odd event in the current battle.

Soran Keize: Major Soran Keize, holds the empire in disdain after Operation Cinder. His eyes were opened to just how dark the Emperor truly was. The Empire wasn’t a just government with it best interests aimed at protecting and serving the people of the galaxy. It was all about power. His love of the Empire died, his loyalty to Shadow Wing remains, and his hunger for revenge against Alphabet Squadron is fierce.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Alexander Freed proves once again that he is an A-list author. Formation of the New Republic isn’t easy at all! I love that we get to see how fierce and powerful the imperial remnants still are, of course they would be, this tale does take place before the Battle of Jakku. The Empire was massive, the battle didn’t end with Endor, like some military troops may have thought. You can feel the desperation of the soldiers and pilots. The war isn’t over but the desire for the fighting to stop is great. The tension is extremely high in this story. Emotions the characters go through bleed from the pages! Many moments will raise your anxiety and keep you glued to the book.

You’ll burn through these pages so fast it’ll likely ignite a fire!

It’s a wonderful, deeper character study for a few of the characters. In the previous novel they had a more mysterious edge, their backgrounds weren’t explored. In this novel, we explore the past of a certain character that helps drive the plot forward. The story progresses by jumping from one character’s perspective to the next. It’s quite simple to follow for a war story that has so much going on. Freed is one of those authors that understands character development and how to make each character unique. The dialogue was great! Tension, guilt, surprise, anger, etc. were written so well.

War at its worst, Diversity at its best. There’s a character everyone can relate to!

I was pleasantly surprised by certain outcomes in the story. My skin prickled with chills multiple times. Rarely do I audibly react to things that happen in a book. This book summoned two audible gasps and wide eyed “wow” reaction. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Alphabet Squadron, the first book in this trilogy… Shadow Fall opened my mind to appreciate the first book a little more. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I can’t recall finishing a book while having chills and an drooping jaw from surprise.

So, do I recommend that you read Star Wars: Shadow Fall? Yes! I wasn’t a big fan of the first book, but this second installment was outstanding!

RATING: I will give this book an A+