Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig

Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Emperor is dead, and the remnants of his former Empire are in retreat. As the New Republic fights to restore a lasting peace to the galaxy, some dare to imagine new beginnings and new destinies. For Han Solo, that means settling his last outstanding debt, by helping Chewbacca liberate the Wookiee’s homeworld of Kashyyyk.

Meanwhile, Norra Wexley and her band of Imperial hunters pursue Grand Admiral Rae Sloane and the Empire’s remaining leadership across the galaxy. Even as more and more officers are brought to justice, Sloane continues to elude the New Republic, and Norra fears Sloane may be searching for a means to save the crumbling Empire from oblivion. But the hunt for Sloane is cut short when Norra receives an urgent request from Princess Leia Organa. The attempt to liberate Kashyyyk has carried Han Solo, Chewbacca, and a band of smugglers into an ambush—resulting in Chewie’s capture and Han’s disappearance.

Breaking away from their official mission and racing toward Kashyyyk, Norra and her crew prepare for any challenge that stands between them and their missing comrades. But they can’t anticipate the true depth of the danger that awaits them—or the ruthlessness of the enemy drawing them into his crosshairs.

Life Debt is the second book in the Aftermath trilogy written by Chuck Wendig. This is a better story than the first, without a doubt and if you are a fan of Star Wars then this trilogy is a must read.

However, with that being said, I still find the main characters hard to connect with (as I find many irritable or just unlikeable). I felt disappointed as I started the book and found the characters in a situation almost identical to one they found themselves in in the first novel (this thankfully resolved itself quickly). I also felt that the characters did not develop sufficiently, their relationships and personalities (but again, this could just be me). I was always led to believe that the second part of a trilogy contained the darker of the material, and I was hoping this would mean one of the main characters being killed off, and although the writer seemed to play with that idea at one point, he ultimately decides against it.

There are several good parts to this book, the first being the role of classic characters, Han, Leia and Chewbacca feature heavily in the last third of the book. The twist, although fairly obvious, provided some good and much needed action sequences. The mystery around Gallius Rax is the most intriguing part of the plot, and I personally always enjoy the imperial stories more anyway. Once again, the story expands the galaxy, describing new creatures, food, recreational activities, whilst showing how the New Republic operates and functions, ultimately immersing you in the world and making it feel that little bit more real.

The Aftermath trilogy is an important series in the new Star Wars canon and so, a must read. However, I have found the first two slow reads and the awkward interludes and present tense only make the books harder to read (in my opinion). The highlight of the trilogy so far, is undoubtedly the creation of Gallius Rax and the Emperor’s plan for him.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.