So I was finally able to finish the second volume of the X-Wing series, Wedge’s Gamble. I have not been able to figure out why it is thus titled; maybe because Wedge has to take care which people to trust. The focus of this book is preparation for and execution of Coruscant’s invasion. The Rebels consider this move the key to destroying the Empire, and so does Isard. But, as it turns out, she intends to let her enemies have Coruscant and cripple the previously free-to-move Rebellion with the shackles of a booby-trapped city planet. In the course of this book, both sides play really nasty. In particular, Rogue Squadron is set to infiltrate Coruscant’s lower levels in order to determine the enemy’s defense capabilities, cooperate with local criminals and sabotage whenever possible. Due to some (in)convenient setup, Isard and Loor know precisely what the Rogues are up to which leads to quite a few tight situations. On the other hand, Isard has her people fabricate a virus designed to kill as many non-humans as possible.
I liked this book with respect to its content. Bold as it is by Stackpole to barely let Rogue Squadron fly for the greater part of the book, it works out. Especially the idea to have several groups act independently — because they do not know of the others — has merit. We also read very well done action scenes; Stackpole appears to be strongest at those.
With respect to execution, though, I am dissatisfied. The great idea of independent groups could have been exploited more; what if they counteracted each other unwittingly? As it is, the split had no consequence. Instead, this part is used rather for character development than for story telling for which Stackpole regroups his heroes. Another major point that disturbs me is that all characters seem to talk with the same voice; I would like to feel differences in view points. Horn as main narrative character remains to be both distant from his fellow characters but also from us readers. I am not the overly romantic guy, but his talking about feeling sounds like him explaining his date how to cook noodles with Bacta sauce.
All in all I consider this book a setup book. How will the Rebellion handle Coruscant and all it entails? What will happen to Corran Horn? How will the Celchu issue turn out? These and more questions really make me want to read the next volume, so I think Stackpole wrote a solid if not excellent book.
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