This is the usual heady mix of action, politics and imagination Star Wars fans know and love. Mr. Zahn has written seven other novels in this popular series and knows his stuff, while wisely remembering that all is not black and white. Normally we are used to storm troopers being the villains, but the five in this tale are disgusted with the things the Empire makes them do, so they want out. Mara Jade too has her own agenda, but this too seems to be on the side of law and order rather than corruption. We aren’t introduced in depth to any new species, and this is not a story replete with lush descriptions of new worlds and alien cultures, but instead there is a teasing story as we try and guess who is behind it all and why. All in all it is a polished piece of writing that presses most of the right buttons even if it does not yield up anything new about the Star Wars universe.