I’m in a bit of a weird place with Shadow Fall, the second book in Alexander Freed’s Alphabet Squadron trilogy. I’m enjoying the era, the characters, and the plot that’s unfolding. Still, that book was quite a slog get through for me, and I think that I finally know why.

Freed’s Star Wars novels are more militaristic science fiction while my preference remains the space opera side of Star Wars. There’s nothing wrong with Freed’s writing or this book, but it just took a while for me to get through it.

Shadow Fall follows the mercurial Alphabet Squadron as they continue their hunt for the Empire’s (well, what’s left of it) Shadow Wing. And, while due to… circumstances… we don’t get a full space battle between the two sides, the lengthy end battle serves as a mega-springboard for one of the galaxy’s newest heroes in Wyl Lark.

While the first book was very broad-but-shallow in character work, Fall goes all-in on everyone except the ever-mysterious Kairos. We do, however, get to know how Kairos and Caern Adarn met and developed a strong bond.

Coming into this book, I still felt like I was leaning towards Yrica Quell being the hero of this story, and despite her apparent defection, she may very well come through for Alphabet Squadron in the end.

Overall, like I said, I really liked this book even though I felt it was a slog to get through at times. I’m still not quite sure what the problem was.

(Originally written January 2021)