Rogue Planet (Star Wars)

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It's an unexpected combination: Greg Bear, author of so many ambitiously complex SF novels, writing about the colorful simplicities of the Star Wars universe. But he carries it off well, with a mix of action-adventure and thoughtful world building that entertains while keeping to the spirit of Lucas's saga.

A few years after the events of The Phantom Menace, young Anakin Skywalker is getting restless--sneaking away from Jedi Temple training to gamble his life in a flying game that's much more bizarre and dangerous than the movie's podracing, even before an alien Blood Carver assassin intervenes. Anakin's character is taking shape now:

But above all, he loved winning.

To turn the boy's frustrated energy to useful ends, the Jedi Council has Obi-Wan Kenobi take Anakin to investigate the remote, enigmatic world Zonama Sekot, whose organic technologies produce magnificent spacecraft, and where a Jedi has vanished without a trace. Secretly pursuing them is a battle squadron captained by the weapons designer who has already blueprinted the Death Star and is being double-crossed by his employer Commander Tarkin.

Rogue Planet's action climaxes as the Jedis learn to grow their own spaceship, the Blood Carver strikes, and two heavily armed fleets converge on helpless-seeming Zonama Sekot. Every faction has secret cards up its sleeve--and Anakin's is a very dangerous wild card indeed. There's final victory and heartbreak, but also loose ends (including even stranger, deadlier aliens) that suggest sequels to follow. Bear does a solidly workmanlike job. --David Langford, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

MASTER AND APPRENTICE

The Force is strong in twelve-year-old Anakin Skywalker . . . so strong that the Jedi Council, despite misgivings, entrusted young Obi-Wan Kenobi with the mission of training him to become a Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan? like his slain Master Qui-Gon?believes Anakin may be the chosen one, the Jedi destined to bring balance to the Force. But first Obi-Wan must help his undisciplined apprentice, who still bears the scars of slavery, find his own balance.

Dispatched to the mysterious planet of Zonama Sekot, source of the fastest ships in the galaxy, Obi-Wan and Anakin are swept up in a swirl of deadly intrigue and betrayal. They sense a disturbance in the Force unlike any they have encountered before. It seems there are more secrets on Zonama Sekot than meet the eye. But the search for those secrets will threaten the bond between Obi-Wan and Anakin . . . and bring the troubled young apprentice face-to-face with his deepest fears?and his darkest destiny.

Customer Reviews:

Rogue Novel.......2007-06-19

Generally reviews are on the mark as a whole. I should have followed the trend for this book because the negative leanings are there for a reason. Any Star Wars novel will be read with a critical eye and is certain to have flaws. The weaknesses of "Rogue Planet" are much more profound than the strengths.

While Star Wars novels are far from fine literature, I was immediately aggravated by the structure of the chapters. Many chapter are literally less than a page in length and add little to the story. The story would have flowed better if some of the shorter chapters were combined. In terms of the plot, I found it humorous that certain elements of the story seemed to be similar to other movies. A powerful leader ruling from behind a mask of deception reminded me of "The Wizard of Oz". A planet where everything is alive reminded me of an episode of Star Trek gone horribly wrong.

There are some positive aspects of the story. The theme of Anakin's struggle with fear and anger is developed. Also, the young Anakin character is not nearly as annoying as he is in the movies. "Rogue Planet" also furthers the theme of Qui-Gon Gin being a rebel Jedi and having a negative impact on young Anakin is brought to light.

This is the first Star Wars novel that I really did not like. At times, the pace made it painful to read. A better plot would have also helped to develop the Anakin character. The living planet theme seems terribly out of place as a vehicle for developing Anakin.

Shockingly Great and the details....WOW.......2007-06-13

I purchased the audio cassette because it was cheap. I listened to it and listened again and again. This book is one of the best in the Star Wars series. You wouldn't think it would be, but it is. It takes place on a living planet called Zonoma Sekot (which plays a huge role down the road in the Vong war). The description of the planet and the seeds that make the ships are awesome. Once you get past the oddities of it, it truly is genious. It is different and excellent. Not only do we see the very beginnings of Anakin's turn to the dark side, but we also get confusion and concern from Obi wan and an intro to the future Moff Tarkin and the designer of the first Death Star Seinar. There is even a reference to Darth Sidious. This book is exciting, original and entertaining. It can be had cheap right here on Amazon in any format (though the one penny CD might be your best value). If you love Star Wars, this is one to read or listen to right away

rogue novel.......2007-05-20

This novel has a little action in the beginning, a long boring middle, and a little more action at the end. The middle was mostly composed of great details about the process of growing a living starship. You read that right, living starships. Now, I'm sure Greg Bear is a great sci-fi author. But the problem here is that Star Wars is NOT sci-fi! It is space opera, a very different genre. I feel the whole premise of this story was way out of place in the Star Wars universe. This book also lacked that galactic feel as it concentrated on this one, starship-growing planet.

Another issue is that parts of this story were contradictory to things established in Episode II, like the fact that Jedi are forbidden to get married and have children. The Coda felt tacked on and was also proven untrue by Attack of the Clones anyway. Now we know the TRUE origin of the Death Star project (Geonosians). And Episode II implies that Anakin's slaughter of the Tuskan Camp is the first time he has killed in rage. (It definitely makes more sense that way.)

The only nice touch in this book is that Anakin talks to the spirit of a planet, reminiscent of an earth goddess.

If you like sci-fi, like the idea of growing living starships, don't mind a sci-fi Star Wars story and don't mind all the contradictions to the movies, then you might like this novel. But I think it sucked and I don't recommend this book. The only book worse than this is one is Crystal Star. Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are much more relevant to the film series:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Great Book! Ties the Old Republic to the New Jedi Order! .......2007-01-06

First up, I thought Bear nailed the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin. Kind of a father/son, brother, master/student, rival thing going. It seems that all aspects of their bonds were explored as hinted at in Episode I and A New Hope.

Anakin was great. He's definitely in that transition state between a boy and a Jedi. He misses his mother while still mastering becoming a Jedi Knight. Most intriguing of all is getting to see the first hints of Darth Vader emerging in his mind. It was also interesting to see how the Jedi Council treated him after their rather cold reception in Episode I.

Bear also did a great job with some of the new aliens. They are definitely strange and otherworldly, as you'd hope for. They also play upon the "symbiosis" themes that George Lucas loves so much.

As you know, Tarkin is one of the major bad guys in this book. It was truly a treat to finally see him in action outside of A New Hope. I've always wanted to know more about Tarkin, and Bear delivers. He's cold, ruthless, and overconfident just as Peter Cusing portrayed him.

Final Thoughts: I love the fact this novel ties the Prequel Era, A New Hope era, and the Post-Return of the Jedi Era all together. There's a subtle tie in with the New Jedi Order series that will suprise you. This is a must read for true Star Wars fans!!

rogue planet.......2006-11-20

quickly-growing anakin and maturing master obi-wan are sent to a mysterious planet to investigate both the amazing ships suddenly being constructed there and the disappearance of a previous knight. unbeknownst to the council, however, are the nefarious plans of one wilhuff tarkin, intent on taking the secrets of the ship-builders regardless of the cost.
this is an enjoyable entry in the reasonably unexplored era between 'the phantom menace' and 'attack of the clones'. while the middle of the book reads as very episodic, with the chapters strictly alternating between two plotlines, everything comes together for an exciting climax. the look at raith seinar is interesting, and the characterisation of tarkin is perfect. if you have not read the 'new jedi order' series, this book contains many fascinating surprises; unfortunately, i have read the series, so all i could do was sit back and be told what i already knew. one or two mentions suffer due to age (such as thracia cho-leem, jedi knight's many husbands), but overall 'rogue planet' is a great entry to the 'star wars' universe.

Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

A pleasing transition piece...

Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 1
Haden Blackman , Michael Stackpole , Mike Baron , Various , Tomas Giorello , and Allen Nunis
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593075723

Book Description

The greatest starfighters of the Rebel Alliance become the defenders of a New Republic in this massive collection of stories featuring Wedge Antilles, hero of the Battle of Endor, and his team of ace pilots known throughout the galaxy as Rogue Squadron! Meet the Rogues for the first time and learn the fate of the galaxy immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi as the Rebellion's best pilots battle remnants of the Empire wherever its ugly agenda of fear and domination appears. Along with the critically-acclaimed X-Wing Rogue Squadron: The Phantom Affair, this jam-packed volume contains tons of material never before collected! This volume contains never before collected material, including Star Wars X-Wing Rogue Leader #1-3, Star Wars X-Wing Rogue Squadron: The Rebel Opposition #1-4, Star Wars X-Wing Rogue Squadron: The Phantom Affair #1-4, and Star Wars Handbook: X-Wing Rogue Squadron.

Customer Reviews:

A pleasing transition piece..........2006-07-13

...from The Truce at Bakura (the fairly tame EU novel by Kathy Tyers) to the X-wing novels (written by Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston).

In it, we can see the formation of the the infamous Rogues as a mix of both Classic Trilogy, Novel, and Comic characters all with their various back-stories (some of which are thin, some quite fleshed out and continuous) and the like.

While the adventures are formulaic and a tad predictable (as are MOST space operas), they're still fun and in keeping with the pace and flow you could find in movies.

Look for tie-ins to the novels and both the Classic Trilogy and the Prequels, but basically just sit back and enjoy tame, but comfortable series of storytelling.

Red Star Rogue: The Untold Story of a Soviet Submarine's Nuclear Strike Attempt on the U.S.

Average customer rating:

Red Star Rogue
Red Star Rogue Belongs on the Bad Fiction Shelf
Astonishing
Good, but I'm not quite buying it
Pass the Nuts please!

Red Star Rogue: The Untold Story of a Soviet Submarine's Nuclear Strike Attempt on the U.S.
Kenneth Sewell , and Clint Richmond
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743261127
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Download Description

"One of the great secrets of the Cold War, hidden for decades, is revealed at last. Early in 1968 a nuclear-armed Soviet submarine sank in the waters off Hawaii, hundreds of miles closer to American shores than it should have been. Compelling evidence, assembled here for the first time, strongly suggests that the sub, K-129, sank while attempting to fire a nuclear missile, most likely at the naval base at Pearl Harbor. We now know that the Soviets had lost track of the sub; it had become a rogue. While the Soviets searched in vain for the boat, U.S. intelligence was able to pinpoint the site of the disaster. The new Nixon administration launched a clandestine, half-billion-dollar project to recover the sunken K-129. Contrary to years of deliberately misleading reports, the recovery operation was a great success. With the recovery of the sub, it became clear that the rogue was attempting to mimic a Chinese submarine, almost certainly with the intention of provoking a war between the U.S. and China. This was a carefully planned operation that, had it succeeded, would have had devastating consequences. During the successful recovery effort, the U.S. forged new relationships with the USSR and China. Could the information gleaned from the sunken sub have been a decisive factor shaping the new policies of détente between the Americans and the Soviets, and opening China to the West? And who in the USSR could have planned such a bold and potentially catastrophic operation? Red Star Rogue reads like something straight out of a Tom Clancy novel, but it is all true. Today our greatest fear is that terrorists may someday acquire a nuclear weapon and use it against us. In fact, they have already tried. "

Customer Reviews:

Red Star Rogue.......2007-10-01

This book accurately relates parts of history that have remained a mystery for years. There is some speculation, however, the author is very convincing and has done his homework. I throughly enjoyed reading this book.

Red Star Rogue Belongs on the Bad Fiction Shelf.......2007-09-08

As another reviewer, William F. Twist, states, authors Kenneth Sewell and Clint Richmond claimed the acoustic signatures of the Soviet diesel submarine, K-129, recorded by a PERMIT Class submarine in 1968 were processed by land-based Cray supercomputers when the first such computer was not completed until 1976,

In 1968, the year K-129 sank, and for several years thereafter, any recordings of Soviet submarines made by US submarines would have been sent to the Naval Scientific and Techincal Intelligence Center (NAVSTIC) in Building 52 on the grounds of the US Naval Observatory in Washington, DC. Then, as now, such detection events were analyzed by Intelligence Research Specialists with near photographic memories. Computers were not then, nor are they now, used to evaluate such data. (This may come as a shock to those who believe computers are capable of solving almost all complex analytical problems.) As head of the Branch within NAVSTIC responsible for the analysis of all such data, I can state categorically that no K-129 acoustic signature information was received from any US submarine in 1968.

This, and other egregious errors documented by Twist, indicate Sewell and Richmond engaged in the complete fabrication of events to support their conspiracy theory and sell the book.

Sadly, this has become common practice by those who must be called "hack journalists." The motive: sell books to the technically uniformed and conspiracy gullible public. A more recent example is Ed Offley's book, SCORPION DOWN, which propounds unfounded conspiracy theories and ignores the pressure-collapsed condition of the wreckage on the bottom and the complete absence of any damage consistent with a torpedo attack.

SCORPION was lost because of an onboard problem the crew could not overcome before the submarine sank to collapse depth. The Soviets were miles away minding their own business. Sewell's next book, "All HANDS DOWN: The True Story of the Soviet Attack on the USS SCORPION," due out 15 April 2008, will doubtless follow the same conspiracy story line although we can expect a few new fabrications to convince the buying public that Sewell's book is "better" than Offley's. We can also expect other hack journalists to provide back-of-the-dust-jacket reviews praising Sewell's effort as "a daring expose that reveals what the US Navy has for decades kept hidden" or some such drivel. This is a neat - but not very nice - reciprocal (quid pro quo) arrangement among such journalists: "You endorse my book and I'll endorse yours." This leaves the prospective buyer without an objective assessment of such books until they are critically reviewed - and their technical weaknesses exposed - in limited distribution publications such as NAVY TIMES or the US NAVAL INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS.

Astonishing.......2007-06-15

Although much of the data was not declassified until recently, one can certainly see where authors such as Tom Clancy have found their inspiration. This is a riveting true story. Regardless of your opinions of the author's conclusions, the facts and details are endlessly fascinating. To know the story of Red Star Rogue is to understand better the dynamics of the Cold War.

Good, but I'm not quite buying it.......2007-06-11

There have been a lot of quibbles about details in the various reviews, most of them are missing the fundamental point: If it wasn't an attempted rogue launch, what was it?

On the other hand, I don't buy the notion that the missile was destroyed by a fail-safe. There's one problem with that notion: Why was somebody outside at launch? I can't imagine that that would be survivable. I think it's much more likely something went wrong preparing to launch.

Addressing various gripes:

I don't think disagreements about exactly where it sunk matter because the CIA has an incentive to hide it's true location.

As for the guy who said there would be nothing to salvage if the nuke went off--it's only the high explosive that seems to have gone off. If you simply fire one of the detonators the warhead will be blown to bits but will *NOT* produce a nuclear yield. All the detonators must be fired at *EXACTLY* the right instant for it to make a mushroom cloud.

As for China not having such missiles--they did. The Gulf I the Russians sold them. They didn't have h-bombs to put on them but we had no conclusive evidence they didn't have them, either.

Pass the Nuts please!.......2007-05-22

I claim to know almost nothing about subs, being an old grunt myself. But I have read Cotten Collier's "A Matter of Risk" which covered the Project Jennifer and was written in the 1980's by a member of the Project Staff.

His claims jive with Craven's as to the status of the sub on the ocean floor (broken in two), the parts recovered and the fact the recovered section of boat broke in two while being lifed off the floor and the Conning Tower was lost. One missile also fell out of its tube to the floor.

Also at least one torpedo with a atomic warhead was recovered. As Collier's Brother was part of the crew that took the sub apart screw by screw, I'd take his version over.

I'd say that the "story" would make much more sense if he included Space Aliens, Di-Lithium Crystals, and a few cute kittens for the "human intrest" value.

I sincely hope the writers go back on their Meds before they write another book.

If you want a book thats more believable, buy "The Book of the Subgenius" here. I'd beleive in J.R. "Bob" Dobbs before I'd believe these guys!

Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

Star Wars Omnibus
The continuing adventures of Rogue Squadron are well worth a look

Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 2
Michael A. Stackpole , Jan Strnad , Ryder Windham , John Nadeau , Gary Erskine , and Jordi Ensign
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593076193

Book Description

As the Empire withers away and the New Republic grows, one team of ace starfighters takes on the most critical missions to ensure freedom in a galaxy long oppressed - Rogue Squadron! Collecting X-Wing Rogue Squadron #9-20, this mammoth volume includes "Battleground Tatooine," "The Warrior Princess" and "Requiem for a Rogue." Whether it's keeping a massive weapons cache out of the hands of Jabba the Hutt's would-be successors, brokering peace on a planet racked by civil war, or rescuing a downed cruiser from the jaws of an ancient evil, no task is too treacherous for the heroes of Rogue Squadron!

Customer Reviews:

Star Wars Omnibus.......2007-09-21

The book was good and complete. All that would be expected. Less than 5 stars as the book binding is already breaking down.

The continuing adventures of Rogue Squadron are well worth a look.......2006-12-05

Star Wars Omnibus: X-wing Rogue Squadron Volume Two compiles several multi-issue arcs of the Dark Horse comic book saga in one handy volume. The premise of the omnibus books is to give Dark Horse a way to present novel-length stories in a single collection and also to provide a home for single issues or short stories that might otherwise be forgotten. The book includes three four-issue story arcs, along with a single issue one-off. The presentation of the omnibus is very attractive and clean, with a lot of content packed between the covers.

The four stories are as follows:

"Rogue Squadron Special" - This story is the one issue tale and it takes place a few weeks after the Battle of Endor. Wedge and the Rogues liberate the planet Tandankin from Imperial oppression, but are dismayed to find the citizens criticizing their methods and the collateral damage caused by the battle. Fortunately, Luke Skywalker is still a member of Rogue Squadron and he steps forward to explain to the mob why exactly Wedge Antilles is such a great guy. It's a fun walkthrough of Wedge's movie highlights and also establishes him as the fearless leader we are to follow in the upcoming comics.

"Battleground: Tatooine" - An Alliance agent is on Tatooine investigating the struggles of local warlords to take control of the planet and their possible Imperial connections. Rogue Squadron is sent to assist her in any way required. This story was terrific: action-packed, lively, varied, and with an interesting mystery at its core. Bib Fortuna makes an intriguing appearance in a drastically altered form (inspired by a short story in the book Tales from Jabba's Palace), and we take an exciting side trip to the Twi'lek homeworld Ryloth.

"Warrior Princess" - Rogue Squadron receives surprising news: one of their pilots, Plourr, is actually a princess on the planet Eiattu! The team sets off to the politically-divided planet to try and help Plourr reclaim her heritage and fix the broken government. This story features a terrifically unsettling panel of Darth Vader playing with toy TIE fighters and X-wings with a psychotic child member of the royal family. The plot overall is solid but fairly predictable.

"Requiem for a Rogue" - A Bothan passenger liner has gone missing and Rogue Squadron sets off to find out. They succeed, but all is not as it seems on the fourth planet of the Malrev system. This story drops an interesting Sith aspect into what are usually more military-focused plotlines with the Rogue Squadron series. The villains are fairly cheesy but the sacrifice required by the pilots at the tale's climax is affecting.

This omnibus provide excellent value and is a nice long read for those of us who don't fancy collecting individual issues of comics. I'm looking forward to reading Volume Three sometime in the near future.

Rogue Squadron (Star Wars: X-Wing Series, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

very good story
Ace starfighter squadron lead by Wedge
Read it on the beach
An enjoyable read about one of my favorite characters
Entertaining as an audiobook - pure escapist fun!

Rogue Squadron (Star Wars: X-Wing Series, Book 1)
Michael A. Stackpole
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0553568019
Release Date: 1996-01-01

Customer Reviews:

very good story.......2007-06-24

This is the first of a 4-part quadrilogy (which makes up the first half of the X-Wing mini-series) about the adventures of Rogue Squadron, the creme-de-la-creme of the Star Wars fighter pilots. Very highly recommended.

The Rogue Squadron quadrilogy consists of:
Rogue Squadron
Wedge's Gamble
The Krytos Trap
The Bacta War

Ace starfighter squadron lead by Wedge.......2007-05-26

I understand that this series was capitalizing on the popularity of a computer game, but it would have been better if it didn't have the title of "X-Wing."

That minor beef aside, the first 4 books of this series form a tetralogy. For post-Return of the Jedi novels that are not about Luke, Han and Leia, these books are not bad.

As for the best novels from the era of the movie saga, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Read it on the beach.......2007-03-27

There's not much thought provocation in this book but when has Star Wars ever been considered deep? It's fun and you can put it down and pick it up without forgetting what's going on. Don't expect a whole lot of witty dialogue or unseen plot twists. Just lasers blasting and bad guys gettin' what for!

An enjoyable read about one of my favorite characters.......2007-03-03

X-Wing Rogue Squadron takes place about 5 years after the battle for Endor (Return of the Jedi) and Wedge Antilles is trying to re-build Rogue Squadron. On the plus side, Wedge wants to have the best pilots in the Rebellion in his squadron. On the minus side, politicians want his squadron to have good pilots, but from planets the Rebellion wants to lure. As usual the politicians win! After building Rogue Squadron (with controversy) Wedge leads them out to disrupt the Empire. However, one of his pilots is hunted by the Empire; also, the Empire wants to crush the fledgling Rogue Squadron so that it doesn't become a symbol for the Rebellion.

While this seems like a lot of stuff, it's really not as much as it seems. Mr. Stackpole did a good job presenting story. The story is a little predictable, it fits the Star Wars line very nicely (actually Mr. Stackpole does a nice job expanding the Star Wars universe, better than some might have), and most importantly it expands a character that I loved in the movies, Wedge! The combat sequences are nice. I found it interesting that Mr. Stackpole has the X-Wings using proton torpedoes in an anti-fighter role (hmmm... in the Star Wars movie my feeling was that they were much more so than an anti-fighter weapon but this is his story line). Some of the characters are a little shallow, but I was also happy with several new characters (Captain Celchu and Lieutenant Horn). Given everything, I'm impressed and will continue to read this series. A solid 4 star book!

Entertaining as an audiobook - pure escapist fun!.......2006-12-06

Lucas does it right!

Lucas includes a soundtrack of that great Star Wars music in the background of the story as it is being read. So, the book starts off with the famed Star Wars Main Theme. The battle scenes use music from the battle scenes in the movies. But, to make it even better, special effects noises are used as well - X-Wing lasers, thrusters, TIE fighters go screaming past, even R-2 units (the R-2 unit sound effects come from the back speakers while it is in the X-Wing - totally appropriate!).

All of this was great because it overcame a lackluster reading by Henry Thomas. In addition, the story was not terribly complicated and the characters were not all of that well-developed. However, that is to be expected when it is the first of a rather lengty series and these are not meant to be at the same level as the movies, with their overtones and themes of the seductive power of evil, personal redemption, hope and so on.

So, I give this one a B+.

Average customer rating:

Red Star Rogue Belongs on the Bad Fiction Shelf
interesting but hardly believable
Interesting Story But Long on Speculation
Interesting . . . but is it true?
Factually challenged, to say the least.

Red Star Rogue: The Untold Story of a Soviet Submarine's Nuclear Strike Attempt on the U.S.
Kenneth Sewell , and Clint Richmond
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416527338

Book Description

March 7, 1968: Several hundred miles northwest of Hawaii, the nuclear-armed K-129 surfaces and then sinks; all of its crewmen and officers perish at sea. Who was commanding the rogue Russian sub? What was its target? How did it infiltrate American waters undetected? Navy veteran Kenneth Sewell, drawing from newly declassified documents and extensive confidential interviews, exposes the stunning truth behind an operation calculated to provoke war between the U.S. and China -- a nightmare scenario averted by only seconds. In full, authoritative detail, Red Star Rogue illuminates this history-shaping event -- and rings with chilling relevance in light of today's terrorist threat.

Customer Reviews:

Red Star Rogue Belongs on the Bad Fiction Shelf.......2007-09-07

interesting but hardly believable.......2007-05-20

Many reviews have already summarized the theme of this book, so I will
not repeat. I think the story is interesting, but there are just too many
things in this book which is suspicious that one can hardly believe it.

One point I would like to put forward is the following: the author claim
that the missile launch and sunk of the boat took place at an exact
integer longitude and latitude. He said that this is to trick
the US to believe it is from a Chinese sub, which could only launch missiles from such exact positions. This hardly believable. There is not
anything special about exact longitude or latitude. Missile launch can
easily be made from any longitude and latitude, it requires no more complicated math than a simple interpolation table, and is much simpler than navigating the submarine itself.

Interesting Story But Long on Speculation.......2007-05-06

RED STAR ROGUE is an interesting account about a supposed rogue Soviet submarine that allegedly attempted a nuclear strike against Honolulu in 1968. The authors, lacking specific, corroborating information, engage in a considerable amount of speculation. Moreover, they cannot make a point or present a fact without repeating it at least once--usually within a couple of pages--causing this reader to lose patience. Remove the speculation and the repetition and you would have more of a pamphlet than a book. Nonethless, this book, despite its sensationalist tone, appears to be the most well researched account of this incident publicly available.

Interesting . . . but is it true?.......2007-04-18

I have a hard time making up my mind on this one...

Either RSR is a bunch of paranoid nonsense or its one of the most facinating episodes from the Cold War. I really don't have the expertise to know whether the authors claims are accurate or not; the "facts" are connected with a lot of assumptions and conjecture; still, the story does seem to have a ring of truth to it.

Did a rogue Soviet submarine attempt to nuke Pearl Harbor and frame China? It seems possible but I suppose we'll never really know. Even so, the mere possibility that it could be true makes RSR a compelling read.

Factually challenged, to say the least........2007-02-12

First, I want to say that I really, really wanted to like this book. I really did. But there were so many factual problems with it, that I can't take it seriously.

First and foremost, the author mentions on several pages that the explosion aboard K-129 was monitored by a US early warning satellite. The problem with this is that according to "Guardians, Strategic Reconnaissance Satellites" by Curtis Peebles (Presidio Press, 1987. ISBN 0-89141-284-0), a comprehensive work on intelligence satellites from the beginning until 1985, there were no early warning satellites in operation in March 1968, when K-129 went down. The low orbit MIDAS follow-up program was cancelled in 1966 (due to problems with coverage and false alarms), and Project 949, its geosynchronous replacement, wasn't launched until August of 1968. So, it couldn't have been been monitored, because we didn't have the capability at the time K-129 sank.

Also, Sewell claims that the sailing was timed to prevent it from being detected by photoreconaissance satellites, but again we run into an issue: At the time, *ALL* US photorecon satellites were 'film return' types. In other words, they imaged what they saw directly on to film, and when they were done they returned that film back to Earth to be developed and interpreted. After they ejected the film, they were essentially useless. Referring back to "Guardians" again, we find that the Russians didn't have to try very hard to evade them: Launch 1968-5 was on January 18th, and had a lifetime of 17 days. That put the return back on February 5th. K-129 sailed on February 24th. The next US launch wasn't until March 13th, almost a week after K-129 sank.

Also, the author claims that K-129 was followed by a Permit class submarine, and that this sub recorded the acoustical signature for later processing on land-based Cray supercomputers. Remember, this is 1968. Seymour Cray didn't found Cray Research until 1972, and the first Cray-1 wasn't completed until 1976. Now, I have no doubt that the boat could have been followed, and its signature recorded for processing back on land, but if the author makes a mistake like this (and the aforementioned ones), how can you trust the other claims?

There are other problems as well.

I find it completely plausible that we wanted to raise the boat for examination of the missiles, especially the warheads, and to get the code materials. Now, it is true that the code machine and settings would have been old. Those not familiar with the story of how the British broke the German naval Enigma back in WWII would wonder how 5 year old code materials could be of help in breaking new codes. First, because K-129 was a strategic nuclear asset, it is likely that it had the best code machine the Russians could produce. That means that likely it was still in use at the time of the attempt to raise it. Even if it was not, it would allow us to decode the material from the time of the sinking (provided the codebooks containing the settings for the machine had been preserved - a pretty likely scenario). That would give us insight into the communications of the Soviet Navy with its ballistic missile submarines. Because military messages tend to be pretty strictly formatted, and those formats don't change greatly over the years, that would give those in the NSA working on the then current Soviet codes probable texts to use as 'cribs' to help them decode Soviet naval communications.

This book reminds me of a book I read a long time ago about the Face on Mars. All speculation, and very little actual factual information. I was sorely disappointed, because I was hoping that over the years new light would have been shed on the sinking and subsequent recovery of at least part of the K-129. Unfortunately, this book ain't it. Instead of shining a light, this book obscures the actual incident in supposition, speculation, and outright misrepresentations of the facts.

Section 31: Rogue (Star Trek The Next Generation)

Average customer rating:

Complex storyline, fully engaging
Old Friends Paint the Tapestry Again
Excellent story, excellent writing.
Good
Good Book

Section 31: Rogue (Star Trek The Next Generation)
Andy Mangels , and Michael A. Martin
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0671774778
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Book Description

They are the self-appointed protectors of the Federation. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, answerable to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group committed to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.

Six months before their ultimate battle against the Borg for the fate of Earth, Captain Jean-Luc Piccard and the crew of the USS Enterprise™ face a very different kind of crisis. A world in turmoil becomes the focal point of conspiracies and betrayal as an unexpected reunion brings with it startling revelations. Old friends become bitter enemies and one young officer reaches a crossroad when he's forced to choose between the greater good of the Federation and the ideals for which it stands.

NO LAW. NO CONSCIENCE. NO STOPPING THEM.

Download Description

Six months before the events depicted in the film "Star Trek: First Contact", Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the "Enterprise" crew face a world in turmoil as an unexpected reunion brings with it startling revelations. One young officer reaches a crossroad when he's forced to choose between the greater good of the Federation and the ideals for which it stands.

Customer Reviews:

Complex storyline, fully engaging.......2007-07-13

I found this to be one of the best Star Trek books I have read. The storyline was fairly complex, with several plots running simultaneously. I found that I cared about the characters.

The parts about diplomacy were well developed, and the relationships between the characters became important. Hawk's relationship with his husband was tastefully done, it was nowhere near the most important aspect of the book. The bulk of his involvement with his husband was a long conversation with him about what to do with a dilemma his job presented him-- not exactly racy material.

That said, if you're really uncomfortable with the concept of two men being married, I guess this book isn't for you. But if you're cool with that, this is a great book.

Old Friends Paint the Tapestry Again.......2006-11-05

Rogue

Review By Roger D. Noriega

No Law. No Conscience. No Stopping Them.

This story takes place in the Next Generation time frame, a few days after the events of Star Trek: First Contact. Captain Jean Luc Picard is aboard the Enterprise, supervising her repair, taking stock and going over the post-action report with his first officer William T. Riker. While reviewing the crew list, they come to a name that stands out among the dead: Lt. Sean Liam Hawk. "Such a loss. So enthusiastic and passionate" are Picard's thoughts on this one particular Lieutenant. Everyone reaches a crossroads, if he lives long enough. Six months ago, Lt. Hawk reached his.

The Chiaros system: found deep in the Gemenis Gulf. The only habitable star system in this desolate sector of space. Three empty sectors of space and the Romulans are interested in wresting this star system from the hands of the Federation. Chiaros IV has applied for membership into the Federation and the U.S.S. Slayton is there to be on hand while the historic vote of this proud race takes place. While a shuttle is dispatched with several senior members aboard, Captain Burdick suddenly discovers a massive sub-space wave distortion wave front headed in all directions, 8 astronomical units in diameter. She orders the Slayton to investigate and in nearing the anomaly, the Slayton is crippled. Before repairs can be made, the Slayton is destroyed with all hands aboard. The Federation starship veered too close to someone and something . . . the mystery begins.

Captain Picard and the Enterprise are ordered to the Chiaros System with Ambassador Tabor and Picard's old academy friend: (now an Admiral) Marta Batanides. Turns out that (now a Commander) Cortin Zweller was aboard the Slayton and Admiral Batanides wants to mount a rescue operation to find her missing ship and classmate. During the journey, Ambassador Tabor finds a possible candidate to Section 31 - Lt. Hawk.

"I will let you in on a little secret, Sean. Starfleet knows that mistakes can be made. Are made. They've known it since the beginning. It's why the founders of Starfleet created a secret bureau, an elite group whose job is to provide for the organization's best interests."
"You mean Starfleet Intelligence? They are hardly a secret."
"No, not S.I. The group I'm talking about is known as Section 31."
"I've never heard of it."
"Most people haven't. I doubt even your Captain Picard, as wise and knowledgeable as he is, is aware of the group, even though it was part of Starfleet's original charter two hundred years ago. Section 31 exists to identify anything that might threaten the Federation-and then deals with it, efficiently and quietly."

Upon arrival to Chiaros IV, wreckage of the Slayton is found, but the shuttle dispatched from the aforementioned ship isn't located. Picard and crew make contact with both sides of a brewing conflict, one that is the legitimate ruling government, the other, a rebel band of insurgents fighting with Federation phasers! An ambush ensues and many important people die and or taken prisoner. Public sentiment is not good and the upcoming election may turn against the Federation.

The Romulans are the logical choice for the populace since the chosen side (The Federation) is supplying weapons to the rebels. Evens are further complicated by the presence of a space anomaly that is protected by a Romulan Cloaking Device of staggering size. Hawk believes it could be a Dyson Sphere, but a probe sent in provides no answers. Captain Picard is unwilling to risk his ship without definite answers. None are forthcoming and a traitor to the Federation sells-out his countrymen while the traitor to the planet turns out to be the key to the secret hidden behind the cloaking device.

This book wins praise across the board. Too bad this book wasn't turned into Star Trek X. Section 31 defends the Federation from harm but who or what protects Section 31? We learn serious lessons about knowledge, faith and making deals with the devil. Who makes the decisions to sacrifice something for the greater good? I cannot, in good conscious give up anymore in this story, but let me tell you, this one should not be missed. The story is just short of being epic, but it is clearly one that should have been told on the big screen.

Excellent story, excellent writing........2006-09-03

This book gives us an very insightful look into Secton 31, their motivations, their methods, and their rationalizations for what they do. It also gives us a fine frame story in which to place their actions, one that would have been worthy of a fine TV episode. The characterizations are handled superbly, the pacing and dialogue are all that could be hoped for, the other nuts and bolts of the writing are all without blemish. This book is highly recommended.

Good.......2006-08-06

I'm glad this Star Trek novel has a gay character, and some of the web-based fan films have gays. Too bad the movies and TV shows aren't as enlightened as Star Trek strives to be, or they would go beyond just the occasonal gay undertone. This is a good novel and has a lot of action for Star Trek fans.

Good Book.......2006-04-24

If I don't know who Riker is sleeping with, why do I need to know who Hawk is with? I agree that the gay parts were not necessary. If the author wanted to make Hawk gay, he should have left it at "they have their own quarters" part.

That is the reason I gave the book 4/5. The book is very good as far as the plot is concerned and the writer is extremelly competant. He keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. The characters are well handled, especially Chairman Koval. The only bad thing is that you don't know what some of the characters look like as there are insufficient descriptions of some secondary characters.

It's worth the read.

Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 3

Average customer rating:

Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 3
Michael A. Stackpole , John Nadeau , Steve Crespo , Jim Hall , and Others
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593077769

Book Description

The galaxy's greatest starfighters take flight once more in a mission to reclaim the galactic capital Coruscant from the Empire! Whether this becomes the New Republic's finest hour or its darkest defeat lies squarely on the shoulders of Wedge Antilles and his team of ace X-Wing pilots-Rogue Squadron! In full-color on high-quality paper for an unbeatable price, this massive volume contains issues #21-35 of X-Wing Rogue Squadron, encompassing "In the Empire's Service," "The Making of Baron Fel," "Family Ties," "Masquerade," and "Mandatory Retirement."

Average customer rating:

Red Star Rogue Belongs on the Bad Fiction Shelf
Red Star Rogue, not a novel
Conspiracy Theory #1003
Now in paperback
A conspiracy that makes no sense

Red Star Rogue: The Untold Story of a Soviet Submarine's Nuclear Strike Attempt on the U.S.

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000HEW0OS

Customer Reviews:

Red Star Rogue Belongs on the Bad Fiction Shelf.......2007-09-09

Red Star Rogue, not a novel.......2007-01-10

If one is looking for a "Tom Clancy" spy novel, Red Star Rogue is not that. It has some good escapade type areas, but it is written more as a fact-based bit of history. For me, it was extremely interesting because at the time this event happened I and my family were living in Pearl City, HI with a direct view of Pearl harbor. Had the plan succeeded, neither I nor any of my descendants would be here. That's scary! Also, I worked for the Navy and was somewhat familiar with some "strange" underwater systems and capabilities. Because of this familiarity with submarines, weapons, and operations, the book brought back many memories. I highly recommend the book to anyone that has interests in any of these areas.

Conspiracy Theory #1003.......2007-01-03

An interesting story if you don't forget it is pure fiction. A half-dozen factual statements mixed with hundreds of half-baked explainations do not make a true story.

Unfortunately, the 94 men who died aboard the Soviet submarine K-129 cannot refute the author's theory and the true story wouldn't sell many books.

Now in paperback .......2006-12-24

Red Star Rogue sure got my full attention and I couldn't put the book down. The book says the author, Kenneth R. Sewell, is a nuclear engineer and a U.S. Navy veteran who spent five years aboard the USS Parche, a fast attack submarine that was the Navy's most decorated ship." This New York Times best seller is a five star read, especially if you like Tom Clancy books. Seems to me tha all the Captain had to do to make the missle fail safe work is tell the wrong code to the plotters.

A conspiracy that makes no sense.......2006-11-07

This much is known: In 1968, a Soviet missile submarine sank somewhere in the North Pacific, and six years later the Glomar Explorer showed up in Hawaii to try to salvage it from three miles down.
The rest is speculation, more or less well informed. Kenneth Sewell, a former Navy nuclear engineer, offers a version that has a small squad of hardcore Stalinists taking over the submarine and trying to launch a megaton-yield bomb at Pearl Harbor.
In this version, the Soviets make the launch "look like" a Chinese attack, expecting that the United States will blow China off the map, saving Russian Communism from its internal flaws and greatest external foe.
Maybe. But if so, it could not possibly have happened the way Sewell thinks.
Sewell believes that a cabal, probably in the KGB (state security service), schemed to return the U.S.S.R. to strict Stalinism, eliminate Maoism and weaken the United States. Supposedly, they figured the United States would pause long enough to pursue an investigation that must have lasted days or weeks before responding with its own nuclear counterattack.
This makes no sense in common or garden variety thinking, and makes even less sense in the warped logic of the national security state.
It's certainly conceivable that the Kremlin housed hardliners who thought a little nuclear war would solve their problems. The Pentagon did.
The Air Force Chief of Staff, Curtis LeMay, for example, spent his years as head of the Strategic Air Command trying to bully and harass the Soviets into some act that would call for "massive retaliation."
Though LeMay was gone by 1968, other, less visible LeMays were still around.
Since these maniacs were in favor of a first strike to eliminate the evil of Communism, it is inconceivable that, had there been an atomic attack from any known or unknown enemy, they would not have advocated covering all bets and seizing the opportunity to remove Communism once and for all. They had already tried that in 1962, when LeMay's enthusiasm for atomic warfare required him to be wrestled to the floor by cooler heads.
The men in the Kremlin understood this, even if Sewell doesn't.
That does not mean a Soviet sub didn't try to launch on Pearl Harbor. Sewell thinks a fail-safe device that the plotters did not know about set off the conventional explosives that trigger a nuclear blast and sank the sub.
Could be, although more likely it was just another in the long history of ordinary sub accidents. Sewell's bid for status as a careful and critical analyst is called into question by his inability to leave out any speculation, even the looniest. If he had wanted to be taken seriously, he'd have done better to have left out the several pages he devotes to the "extrasensory perceptions of doom" felt at the time by the wife of one of the submariners.

Blood and Honor (Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Volume 7)

Average customer rating:

Try To Resist Cutting Off The Last Third With Scissors....
Baron Soontir Fel could be explored more
A sequel that equals
Improved artwork for this Baron Fel story
Baron Fel revealed

Blood and Honor (Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Volume 7)
Michael A. Stackpole , Steve Crespo , Jim Hall , and Gary Marti
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569713871

Book Description

Baron Soontir Fel, the greatest fighter ace of the Empire, has been captured by the Rebel Alliance. But from the shadowed recesses of a Rebel interrogation chamber, Fel tells a story of the deception and corruption beneath the Empire`s orderly surface... and sets the stage for his own defection to the Rebellion. This collection concludes the events set in motion in X-Wing Rogue Squadron: In the Empire`s Service.

Customer Reviews:

Try To Resist Cutting Off The Last Third With Scissors...........2004-11-16

That's my review, that title. This TPB makes me want to hunt down the first 2 of the individual issues comprising it. The last third makes me want to hunt down whoever was responsible.

What is the deal with it being printed all the way down into the crease? I don't like bending out the spines of my books. Do I have to do that in order to see all of some panels? Will it then fall apart?

Baron Soontir Fel could be explored more.......2004-01-27

This story takes off from Rogue Squadron No. 6, "In The Empire's Service". In Rogue No. 6, Baron Fel was introduced as the best pilot in the Imperial Navy, commanding the 181st Squadron and have teached the best pilot in the Rebel Alliance, most of them joined the Rogue Squadron. At the end of "In The Empire's Service", Baron Fel was captured, interrogated, and revealed himself to be married to the sister of one of the Rogue's Pilot.

"Blood and Honor" itself is a compilation of "The Making of Baron Fel" and "Family Ties", both pubulished by Dark Horse Comics. In the beginning of "Blood and Honor", Baron Fel told his life story, from his boyhood to his capture. Next, he defect to the Rebellion in return to them securing his family. So, the half part of "Blood and Honor" is about several Rogue Squadron pilots trying to save Fel's Family.

The story of Baron Fel itself is intriguing, since it deals with a military man who ideologically support the Empire, fight for the Empire, but gradually become disillusioned and eventually lose his loyalty.

Baron Fel's story could be more exciting, too bad they doesn't go into much detail on some part of his life. For example, how Baron Fel become disillusioned. Exactly what that makes him decided to joined the Rebellion? They don't covered much detail here. There aren't even a dilemma involved. I would like to read Baron Fel's musing on the thought of defection and reflections on his gradual disloyalty, on how become disillusioned. I believe this is the most important part. Some parts that are not covered are his academy days. What makes him a valedictorian, for example? And what did he do with fellow student Han Solo?

"Family Ties" isn't much too interesting. Perhaps it would be more interesting if Baron Fel's story is made into 3 parts that explore more on Baron Fel's decision to defect, while Family Ties could be shortened into 1 part.

A sequel that equals.......2003-09-30

Following right after In the Empire's Service, Blood and Honor is a comic where interstellar actions takes a temporary backseat for this character-driven tale. From the depths of a debriefing room, now in enemy custody, captured Imperial fighter ace Soontir Fel regales his background---a story of deceit, integrity, romance and inevitability. Dived into two parts---The Making of Baron Fel, and Family Ties---this is one comic that is surprisingly empathic for readers.

The art quality is not the shocking excellence of modern fare, but its elegant simplicity conveys all it needs to and more. Frames are uncluttered with extraneous graphics and colouring adds enough three-dimensional texture to curry assent. Dialogue is handled just as well; both tone and wording are perfectly in keeping with a dignified Imperial naval officer.

Fel recounts his career with an abundance of character cameos from the Star Wars universe. This was an excellent idea, simply because comics are visual books, providing the reader with a rare look of how some people actually look. Many of these guest appearances were names the reader knows but may never have seen in art, like General Derricote, Syal Antilles, Thrawn and Hal Horn.

Palpatine, Tarkin, Isard, Vader and Turr Phennir also cameoed, along with other names from past Rogue Squadron comics. One downside to this fun was Fel's acquaintance with so many of them.

The second half of the trade paperback was Family Ties, where Wedge sends three Rogues to Corellia to safeguard Fel's family from Imperial retaliation over his suspected defection. The art here was not as good as the first half, with frames looking too light in detail. The dialogue, however, is vintage Stackpole. And with three new names for show---Corran, Iella and the bumbling Loor---you could almost imagine it was one of his X-wing books!

It was great to see how Corran and Iella look like, though Loor doesn't have his infamous Tarkin resemblance. Now that Plourr has her hair back, and enough of it, she just looks great. Wondering where Hobbie's "bug bite" comment came from in the X-wing book Starfighters of Adumar, you now know. Just a small discrepancy: CorSec uniforms were green-black, not orange here. The ending here, unfortunately, was just too rushed. An extra page of Corran in his emerald X-wing would have made the difference.

But that notwithstanding, Blood and Honor is one comic you cannot go without for serious readers in the Rogue Squadron series.

Improved artwork for this Baron Fel story.......2003-07-27

This is Vol 6 of the X-Wing saga, and the 2nd of 2 TPB's about Baron fel. Stackpole does the entire story here and we get a new art team of crespo Hall and Johnson with 4 ink and color people.

The pencil work has very few lazy artist panels and only a 2 sections where the ink and coloring fell off so I give the art team a 3.8. Who ever did the pencils in last 25% of the book was a 4plus.

This is a comic, I usually emphasis the visual elements in my grading. But this is the second half of the story of Baron Soontir Fel, the greatest fighter ace of the empire, and for a short time a Rogue, and the guy the Wedges sister marries. This comic is about the story and you will like the story. It is a strong plus that the artwork here is about average.

Baron Fel revealed.......2001-08-16

When Baron Soontir Fel, the greatest pilot of the Imperial forces, is captured by the Rebels, he tells all in the confines of an interrogation cell to Wedge Antilles, the greatest pilot of the Rebellion - also his brother-in-law.

Stackpole brilliantly shows the past carrer of Fel in the Imperial Navy, how he met Syal Antilles, Wedge's sister, and how it comes to be that Fel defects to the Rebels.

The story falls short in the cofusing final third, however. Not much happens and what does happen is very jumbled and not thought through. Then again, Stackpole isn't exactly the Master of the Hidden Plot. But it is well worth its cost in dollars in the first two-thirds; after all, I bought it.

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