Soran Keize has returned to the tip of Shadow Wing’s spear. Operation Cinder, the terrifying protocol of planetary extermination that began in the twilight of the Imperial era, burns throughout the galaxy. Shadow Wing is no longer wounded prey fleeing the hunters of the New Republic. With its leader, its strength has returned, and its Star Destroyers and TIE squadrons lurk in the darkness between stars, carrying out the fallen Emperor’s final edict of destruction—as well as another, stranger mission, one Keize has championed not for the dying Empire, but for its loyal soldiers.
Alphabet Squadron’s ships are as ramshackle and damaged as their spirits, but they’ve always had one another. Now, as they face the might of Keize’s reborn juggernaut, they aren’t sure they even have that. How do you catch a shadow? How do you kill it? And when you’re finally victorious, who pays the price?
The ALPHABET SQUADRON trilogy has kind of messed up my usual trilogy vibe and I’m a little shook up.
Nine times out of ten, I tend to prefer the first book in a trilogy. It just often seems to work out that way, or I’m somehow predisposed towards loving the first part of any given story.
So I fucking loved the first ALPHABET SQUADRON book, for sure. But then for one reason or another, SHADOW FALL (book two) fell a little flat for me.
Which just felt so odd, and is definitely part of the reason I put off reading the final book, VICTORY’S PRICE.
And I’m just sitting here like…blown away. Because this book was fucking outstanding in every way. It’s easily my favorite in the trilogy, and it’s also making me want to revisit these books sometime in the near future & see if maybe my head was just in a weird place when I read SHADOW FALL.
These books all lean very heavily into military sci-fi, which is something I really enjoy. There’s a level of sheer giddiness/geekiness when it comes to the ins & outs of the various starfighters in these books that’s pretty unparalleled in the rest of the new canon Star Wars books.
But none of this has ever come at the expense of the character development, and oof…what an amazing cast of characters Freed has created for these books.
The journey that Yrica Quell goes on over the course of this trilogy is just fucking epic. There were moments where I wasn’t totally sure what “side” of things she was truly on, because Freed is sneaky about how he wrote this character. There are aspects of Quell’s personality that aren’t uncovered until well into this third & final book. She’s the messed-up heart and soul of Alphabet Squadron and I love her.
VICTORY’S PRICE also really leans into Wyl Lark’s story a whole lot, and watching him slowly change & evolve into something of a pacifist is fascinating. Wyl has gone through hell & back several times over, and I just adore him.
Chass na Chadic is really wrestling with things in this book, her time in that wacky cult seeming to impact her in some unexpected ways. For sure the angriest member of Alphabet Squadron, Chass was the character I’ve always been rooting for the hardest. I’ll never shake the images of her flying her B-wing into battle, blasting heavy music & just fucking up TIE fighters.
This is just THE BEST ragtag group of characters in Star Wars: Quell, Wyl, Chass, Nath, and Kairos.
Like, I need those names on one of those black shirts with the names in white letters, that’s how fucking dynamic this group really is.
Oh.
OH!
There’s also wayyyyy more Hera Syndulla in VICTORY’S PRICE than in the first two books, which is such a treat. I’ve always said she’s my favorite pilot in all of Star Wars, and it’s wonderful catching up with her at this stage.
This book was such a wild ride. The space battles between Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Wing should be the stuff of legend for Star Wars readers…truly edge-of-your-seat stuff here. This is a gritty, raw story…these characters are worn down, exhausted, and trying to remember what they are even fighting for. Who they are fighting for. Oof.
I’m reading so many great Star Wars books lately & feeling like I’m constantly having to mentally reshuffle my Top Five (or Ten) Star Wars Books list and welp…here I am again. Because VICTORY’S PRICE is a fucking perfect send-off to this amazing cast of characters, and easily one of the most emotional & thrilling Star Wars books I’ve read.
I just…loved this one so stupid much.
May the Force be with you!
Grimdark Dad 