Lit What's the best X-Wing novel?

and why?

I've picked up most of the others considered classics, but I've never read an X-Wing novel. Heard they are great, but I'm ony interested in getting the best.

 

Most of them don't really stand alone. Starfighters of Adumar does.

EDIT. And it's funny.

 

You can maybe skip Isards revenge. The rest are all either great, or highly tied in.

 

It depends on what you want. If you want hard military sci-fi, Stackpole's opening trilogy (Rogue Squadron, Wedge's Gambit and The Krytos Trap) are fantastic. If you want more character based stuff with an added emphasis on humor, Allston's trio (Wraith Squadron, Iron Fist, Solo Command) is the better option. If you're just looking for the single pick of the litter without having to read any of the others, Starfighters of Adumar encapsulates the series under Allston's direction well. None of Stackpole's books really stand alone except for maybe the first one, Rogue Squadron; they behave more like a TV series where each installment builds on the next and if you try to jump into the middle you'll probably get lost or miss out on a lot. SoA stands on its own because the circle of characters and scope of the novel itself is kept relatively tight to give each character a greater emphasis. That and it's pretty good, too.

 

Solo Command. However, the X-wing novels are not really standalones like the Clone Wars novels. The first four by Stackpole really have to be read together, and the next three by Allston reallly have to be read together, as the overarching plots weave through a series of books, and aren't self-contained.

Mercy Kill, Isard's Revenge, and Starfighters of Adumar can maybe be called stand-alones, but they reference a lot of the previous books, and I don't think would be very fun to read as singular novels.

I still say Solo Command is my favorite, as it has a lot of intrigue, a satisfying wrap-up to the hunt for Zsinj, and some interesting callbacks to other plotpoints in the series.

 

Read them all in order. That's the only way to go.

That being said, The Krytos Trap is the best one.

 

I prefer Allston's over Stackpole's, but it depends on what sort of writing you prefer.

 

Starfighters of Adumar.

1) It's stand-alone, which sounds like what you're after.

2) It has the most reduced cast of any X-wing novel, bringing it down from a squadron to just Wedge and his three oldest teammates (all from the movies, albeit in blink-and-you'll-miss-them roles. And it's the first time Wedge has really had a story all to himself).

3) It is HILARIOUS. Widely considered the funniest book in the Expanded Universe.

 

Starfighters of Adumar or Solo Command.

 

Agree with Force Smuggler, Star Fighters is the best with Solo Command a 2nd

 

While Wraith Squadron is the introduction to the first three novels about the Wraiths it works well as a stand-alone book (and at the end of it its major antagonist is dead), so if you don't want to read the whole series, I suggest you try this one. Maybe it will serve as an appetizer for more.

I don't understand the hype about SoA. I tried to read it a few weeks ago, but reading it put me to sleep. It dragged on and on and on ... .

 

Starfighters of Adumar is an amazing book. Alston nails the characters and the setting perfectly.

Wraith Squadron, and the three book arc it kicks off, are fantastic as well.

The Rogue Squadron arc (the first four books) are not as good but the first two do a lot of EU world building.

Isards Revenge isn't great.

Mercy Kill I've not read because I'm still deluding myself about my ability to go through the EU in chronological order

 

Iron Fist... giant space battles, pirates, humor, Zsinj and Melvar at their best, plus the heros get to play lots of dress up.

 

Personally I like the first nine x-wing novels and think Stackpole and Allston are both really good authors. I tried reading Mercy Kill and had trouble getting into it.

 

Mercy Kill- I forgot about that one. I don't really count it as part of the series. Allston does good character work as usual, but it's really dragged down by being set amongst the rubble of LotF and FotJ.

 

The first three Stackpole novels are entertaining despite the author's prose flaws. For ranking purposes I'll say Rogue Squadron because I prefer the fighter pilot aesthetic. The Bacta War is a let down as an ending. In Starfighters of Adumar and Mercy Kill Allston seems somewhat aware of his limitations as a writer. Not great, but I can tell he's trying. The Wraith novels? Too mawkish and hesitant for me.

 

Guys, this thread should be tied into the existing X-wing thread. In addition, we don't allow favorites threads.

http://boards.theforce.net/threads/cynically-reliving-the-x-wing-series.50017429/page-14

--Adm. Nick