Victory’s Price - Book Review

“No one wants the Chadawan people dead, Wyl Lark. No one except an Emperor long gone and a handful of his devotees. That’s why Cinder is a tragedy, not war.”

Why do we fight? Does it even matter what side we are on? Are there truly any winners in war? Throughout the course of his compelling trilogy, Alexander Freed has challenged readers with questions such as these. Victory’s Price blurs the lines between friend and foe, honour and disgrace, winners and losers. Star Wars fans might already know the final outcome of the war between the Empire and the New Republic, but readers will eagerly fly through these pages with their heartstrings bared for characters on both sides of the battlefield. Freed accomplishes what few authors can in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy. Any capable writer can create beloved protagonists, but it takes incredible skill to create an equally relatable antagonist. Whilst Shadow Wing may be at fault for the dreaded Operation: Cinder (which was first introduced in Battlefront II), this skilled and deadly TIE Fighter squadron has transformed beyond a one dimensional villain. Readers will find themselves torn between the established heroes and villains; asking themselves what is victory’s price?

In contrast to Freed’s previous two novels, Alphabet Squadron and Shadow Fall, the pacing of Victory’s Price was nearing light-speed. Arguably, there was a lot of ground to cover following Shadow Fall as many of the central characters had separated in order to complete individualized journeys and tasks. Despite this, the story never felt rushed and each character arc was written with justice. It is only through Freed’s brilliant characterization that poignant themes surrounding war, belonging, loss and even hope are effectively addressed. A sense of belonging is defined as the human emotional need to be accepted within a group. Freed throughout the course of his three novels and a series of interwoven plots demonstrates the challenges and obstacles that threaten our innate need for belonging. The initial coming together of Alphabet Squadron followed by their separation in Shadow Fall and finally their ultimate challenge in Victory’s Price demonstrates the complex nature of love, friendship and found family. The realistic and often less than ideal situations discussed in Freed’s novel in regard to characterization is what makes his work stand out amongst other Star Wars writers; akin to real life the outcome of each situation and relationship is unpredictable.

Despite the serious tone of all three novels in the trilogy, Freed still manages to include beautifully witty prose, especially through his use of dialogue. Both Nath Tensent and the lovable Wyl Lark provide a plethora of memorable moments over the course of the series, with Wyl truly coming into his own as he matures and gains independence as the novels progress. Similarly, the somewhat aggressive banter between the rest of the squadron reminds readers that even in the darkest of times, there is always room for laughter. After all, Star Wars has taught us that “Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you see it, you’ll never make it through the night”. Ultimately, Freed’s writing reflects this sentiment perfectly; while he explores dark themes, readers are never left without that glimmer of hope and sunlight.

Victory’s Price is an epic conclusion to one of the most anticipated Star Wars series in recent years. Strap in and prepare yourselves for moments of joy, adrenaline, heartbreak and excitement as you fly alongside the pilots of Alphabet Squadron for one final ride.