Battlefront: Twilight Company (Star Wars)

I only recently started reading some of the new Star Wars books and was cautious that they would be geared more towards young adults than a more mature audience. My first two reads, Tarkin and Sith Lords, were great and gave me a lot of hope for where Disney was going to allow authors to take the story. On that premise I bought Twilight Company despite being hesitant that the reviews made it sound very cliché and needless to say it was. To be fair I do have a military background so I may be a little harsher on these types of books but my opinion is that if there wasn’t a star wars label on this it would not be rated nearly as high
I almost didn’t make it out of the first chapter as the number of cliché characters the author decides to throw at you off the bat was a huge turn off. You have the gritty Sergeant who doesn’t give a damn about the cause, only the people under him, the gentle giant, a huge alien who despises killing, the scrappy new person, recently recruited scrawny yet inexplicably tough, and distant rogue who keeps her agenda and feelings to herself but is incredibly dangerous. I pressed on since I had already spent the money and while there were some high moments, on a whole I found the storyline to be unimaginative and the characters to be very bland. The book itself is told from three perspectives, a unit of rebel mobile infantry, a female imperial storm trooper and an imperial star destroyer captain who works with an appointee of the emperor. The rebel perspective introduces you to a host of people but I never cared much for any of them and the author puts very little effort into fleshing anyone out aside from the main character. Most seem to be introduced to be a named person to be killed off later. The main character is also bland though the author dives into his background which is one of the few interesting parts, mostly due to the dynamics of his home world. The missions themselves are pretty unexciting, I’ve read much more interesting battle sequences in various other books. Here the author puts very little effort into the actual battles until the end which is done very poorly and makes it clear he is out of his league on this subject. In addition the author makes the imperials come across as incompetent and doesn’t stick to the star wars script of storm troopers being an elite force. At one point the rebels attack an imperial cargo ship which happens to have a storm trooper contingent on it. This would be like putting Marines on every cargo ship the US sends out (which we don’t do). Just struck me as lazy writing.
The imperial stormtrooper perspective had potential but while the character constantly professes her love for the job, the author doesn’t show any reason why any reasonable person would want to be an imperial troop. Every aspect he shows of storm trooper life sounds miserable so her love of the job seems forced and more lazy and unimaginative writing.
The last perspective between an imperial officer and a protégé of the emperor had the most potential as it showed two very conflicting characters (officer with a military background vs a fanatic) but instead literally nothing interesting between the two happens.
This book may appeal to a younger crowd but more mature audiences should probably stay away. I would highly recommend Tarkin or Sith Lords as a much better alternative if you are looking to get your Star Wars fix. This book is also very long and the premise of a book told from the average rebel or imperial soldier is so promising that you will stay with it in hopes that it gets better which it never does.

Of all the "new canon" books, this is the least of them. It is as disappointing as the game it was supposedly inspired by. It's not the worst Star Wars book, but Shatterpoint is only just beneath it.

Good action. Keeps you interested. Way better than Aftermath. If you liked the Republic Commando series you will like this. I wish they had Karen Traviss write this but Alexander Freed did good. It would make a good series to continue.

We’ve read about the Jedi, the Sith, Stormtroopers, and X-Wing pilots. Plots have had betrayal, explosions, victory, and even romance. Battlefront: Twilight Company adds a story that has been conspicuously lacking from the ever-expanding Star Wars universe–Rebel soldiers fleshing out the gritty underbelly of the Galactic Civil War.

In addition to filling in a crucial gap in the mythology, Twilight Company excels at characterization. When a new Star Wars book ventures into the frontier of telling a new story with an all-new cast of characters, it does not have the luxury of easing the readers into the plot through beloved film characters. Freed pulls off the task with ease. He successfully adds compelling female characters and the occasional alien Rebel. But strongest of all is the protagonist, Namir. He is, with the exception of Rae Sloane, the most relatable and interesting character to emerge from the new corpus of Star Wars literature.

With a clean slate of novels comes an excellent opportunity to explore new territory such as a war story without Jedi or film-familiar characters. Twilight Company is a great, but not perfect, example of how to do this well. It’s also a fantastic example of how incredible a video game tie-in novel can be when in the hands of a capable author.

Is it among the best Star Wars books on the market? Maybe not. It’s not perfect. It could have benefited from more of the opposition’s viewpoint, such as more scenes developing the female stormtrooper who gets a few chapters. At times, it feels like you’re being introduced to lots of different video game environments, hopping from planet to planet for battles. This being said, Twilight’s weaknesses do not come close to outweighing its strengths.

This novel is for you if you enjoy the new Battlefront game, if you like sci-fi military fiction, or if you’re a Star Wars fan who would like to know more about the nuts and bolts of war between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire.

(Full disclosure: I received a review edition from the publisher.)

This so far has been the best effort to date under the Disney Regime via Lucas Books....

BUT....it is too predictable and has too much in common with the Knight Errrant Story.
Battle Group...CHECK.
recruites via worlds for new replacesments...CHECK
suffers hellacious casualties via their battles....CHECK.

oinly differences....in Knight Errant it is a Mercenary group....
and in this story it is a quasi independent infantry group fighting under the rebellion .

replace the errant jedi with the ex-imperial governor and you have the same similar story.

execept this Time you have the Jedi with the shiny stick missing.

This books is not like the Battlefront game at all (especially considering that the game has no story mode). This book takes what you know about Star Wars and implements it into a classic war story. A group of Rebels go through the gritty parts of war during the Galactic Civil War to fight off the Empire. But it's not that simple. Each character in the book fights for a different reason. No one's views are cut and dry. Some don't even know what they're fighting for. The face of the Rebellion looks "good," but many "bad" people fight in it.

Star Wars Battlefront: Twilight Company is the seventh novel released in the new offical canon. It’s written by Alexander Freed, who’s written many short stories including Star Wars: The Old Republic, Blood of the Empire. Battlefront: Twilight Company is Mr. Freed’s first novel. This tale takes place after A New Hope and during The Empire Strikes Back era.

Summary: We gear up and delve into the wars of Star Wars! in this tale we follow Twilight Company on its campaign through the wins and the loses, taking on the Empire at every corner in the galaxy. An imperial governor surrenders to Twilight Company, with means to defect from the Empire. Now, with her knowledge, she helps lead the Company on a mission to cripple the Empire. However, trust isn’t an easy thing to come by when the enemy is now giving orders.

Characters: We step away from our familiar characters in this book, and it’s truly a breath of fresh air. Our main characters, even the side characters, are written extremely well. Each given a personality you won’t forget. I say it’s a garanntee you’ll find one of the characters to relate to. I don’t want to explain anything about them because they each have their arch that’s worth reading. Namir, Gadren, and Roach are a few of my favorites.

Overall Review: Alexander Freed’s first novel is outstanding! A real gem in the new canon. Now, I’m not a big gamer but I’ve heard Battlefront game wasn’t the best, I’m pretty certain if the game had a campaign mode based on this book, you’d have the game of the year! I have my fingers crossed we get more Battlefront stories and that we definitely get more writing from Alexander Freed!

NOTE: I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley for reviewing purposes! All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way

Perhaps the key to writing a good Star Wars novel post-Disney buyout is not making one of the film characters the central character of the novel. This might be my biggest takeaway from Battlefront: Twilight Company (Star Wars). Whereas recent novels set in the GFFA were weak in prose, characterization and plot, these indictments can’t be tossed at Battlefront: Twilight Company.

Indeed, it’s been a while since I can say I truly enjoyed a Star Wars novel. The characters were interesting, compelling, fairly original in concept and not one-dimensional.

However, I do have one critique of a central character in this book – that of Former Imperial Governor Chalis. I didn’t think Alexander Freed did a good job setting up when and how Chalis acquired such detailed intelligence on the inner workings of the Empire. Yes, one would expect someone in such an exalted position to know more than the average Stormtrooper, but it seemed to me that Chalis had almost a genius, or idiot savant knowledge of Imperial operational details. In some sense, Chalis would have to be a veritable font of key information since the McGuffin setting the story was her capture by Twilight Company, and the Empire’s subsequent efforts to apprehend her. Still, there was a whiff of “too good to be true” about Chalis’s seemingly never ending supply of important logistical and practical intelligence about the inner working of the Empire.

The pace was brisk without feeling hurried, and we never got bogged down in too much unnecessary trivialities (I’m looking at you “Jedi Trial” and your mind-numbing catalog of war material).
Another thing I felt the author successfully captured was the sense that war IS hell. Casualties are a fact of war, and Alexander Freed doesn’t sugarcoat this. Deaths are prevalent, but those deaths felt organic, rather than merely serving as plot devices. Still, with that said, even with some prominent deaths, by book’s end, I felt there weren’t enough of them. It didn’t entirely ring true that more characters were alive than not – and emerged largely unscathed - given all the battles that occurred in the novel. More than anything, I truly felt like I was reading about a company of soldiers, each with their own strengths that fused into a cohesive unit. Reading this novel reminded me somewhat of the excellent HBO series “Band of Brothers” (which itself was adapted from the eponymous book).

It’s only starting in Chapter 25 (after the events on Hoth) that the writing suffers. Freed seems to blitzkrieg through ensuing Operation Ringbreaker. The pace and storytelling is harried and cursory. Operational details are sacrificed in favor of a little bit of psychological profile into the current state of mind of the main protagonists. It just felt jarring after the care Alexander Freed took in the preceding chapters to lay the groundwork for battles to come, and in describing the action which then ensued. If this was all done in anticipation of the battle on Sullust, I felt the author would have been better served to just mention the preceding battles in passing, rather than make nominal attempts at portraying them in the first place.

Still, the writing picks up and is back on sure footing beginning with Sullust. I think my favorite parts of the book are the moments of self-reflection. The novel is slightly tilted in favor of the Rebel Alliance, but we get to know a couple of Imperial characters (SP-475 aka Thara Nyende and Captain Tabor Seitaron) so overall, the effect of the novel is more nuanced than just “Rebels – good, Empire – bad”. Former Governor Everi Chalis is also more complex a character than the reader might expect at first read. She’s not all good or all bad, but a mixture of both. It’s not too often we get a Star Wars novel with a (somewhat) balanced portrayal of both sides of the conflict, so for me, this was a refreshing read.

Battlefront was an enjoyable read and well written. The only issue I had with the novel was the unnatural amount of female characters in every feasible role, but I don't hold this against the author. Ms. Kennedy is all out for girl power in the new canon and I'm sure "the mouse" leered a lot over Mr. Freed's shoulder while writing. Females are now integral to the definitive outcomes of IV, V, VI but were uncannily AWOL during every battle and briefing in the movies. Even Vader's assault on Echo Base is now "ostensibly" due to locating a female Imperial Governor. Continuity is diminishing. I get that Star Wars could use more diversity, but man: have some restraints. Let us warm up a little before absolute game changing things and coming across as being too preachy about what "you consider" being culturally correct..... Mouse. And furthermore, if Daisy Ridley is supposedly the epitome of "girl power," kicking every villain's bottom and negative stereotype to high noon in The Force Awakens, she might want to delete the social media video of her balled up in bed, finger patting her lips, and bawling like a .... like a .... um, while watching the new trailer. I don't know how I'd feel if I saw Linda Hamilton doing the same prior to the release of T2. Ok, diatribe complete. I'll hunker down and wait for Wendig's rainbow comet.

They are really pushing this new Battlefront video game. And why not? Both 1 and 2 were adored and continue to be played by gamers all over the world. As a way to tie in with the game and the upcoming movie, the powers-that-be decided to roll out a novel tie-in.

This is not your typical Star Wars book. When I think of typical Star Wars, I think of the big hitters: Luke, Han, Leia. I think of lightsabers, I think of space battles, and droids.

This book felt more like the Battle: Los Angeles movie. It was gritty and put you right inside what it must feel like to be part of the ground forces. You know those troopers who get decimated in The Battle of Hoth? They all had stories and families and lives so this book is an exploration into that sort of story.

When the "superstars" of Star Wars pop in, it's very distant and rare. This isn't supposed to be a main-line story but more of a supplemental tale. Something to get you excited about the characters you'll play or destroy in the game.

Characters will be fleshed out and narratives will be written. Hopefully you'll feel invested in their lives. But if not, this is still a nice whet-your-appetite novel in the Star Wars universe.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by LucasBooks.

This is more of a 4.6 star and I can't justify giving it only 4 stars. Of all the adult books in the new canon, this is the best (especially because some of the others I've read were scheduled to be printed before the move to Disney, so they're a mix of Legends and NEU).

Twilight Company is the Rebel Alliance's 61st Mobil Infantry. They first moved into Imperial territory to gain help from more worlds, but began a Mid-Rim retreat in order to save those they've already helped. In all of their missions, they try to recruit more members for the Alliance.
(It has a very Wraith Squadron feel, since most of the action is related to ground battles. Even those in space though are with ships other than X-Wings, which provides a unique feel compared to most other SW novels I've read). It's definitely not as funny as the Allston/Stackpole novels though

It is very interesting to look at the nitty gritty part of the Rebels - those fighting elsewhere and working towards an Alliance beyond the political spectrum. Twilight has funeral rituals which are sobering and yet beautiful, in a way. A few members though don't know about the Jedi or have heard of Darth Vader outside the squadron, which is weird for me to think of.

The main character is Namir. Freed does a great job linking Namir's past to the present without it being confusing or overly done. He also has a deep understanding of the power of names and identities...and sometimes that power is great while other times it is nonexistent.
My only confusion related to time frames stated at the start of each chapter, which were clarified/explained as I read on.

There is a female trooper on Sullust whose uncle is helping the natives. She's not trusted by them, especially since the Empire is trying to keep the Rebellion away from the planet. Having a female stormtrooper is a very neat change of pace; even knowing the Imperials only segregated against non-humans, it was rare to read of females in the trooper uniform and not just acting 'behind the scenes' so to speak.

I was constantly interested to know why a former Imperial governor, Chalis, fears Vader and what her secrets are. She and Prelate Verge were annoying at first but grew more interesting as the story went on.

It's sad to hear that the Empire doesn't offer counseling for their troopers.

My biggest holdup was seeing the word "calculus" written. It didn't jar me out of the 'verse like other Earth words do, but I reread the section it was in a few times with a muddled mind, trying to figure out why something felt strange.

This relatively young member of the brand new Disney Star Wars Canon is yet another strong and hugely entertaining romp through that exciting but dangerous galaxy we all know and love like no other. Full of strong and dominant characters, this war epic sits right up there with the great war novels of science fiction history. In my opinion, the greatest Star Wars book of all time is SHATTERPOINT by Matthew Stover. This one is worthy to be placed on the same shelf, heck, even *right_beside_it* but SHATTERPOINT is a classic and remains the greatest. BATTLEFRONT comes damn close, though.

The book really comes alive in your hands when Vader appears at around the half way mark, when he takes a strong dislike to one of the story's main characters. In fact, that is putting things midly. I thought my kindle was going to *melt* when the great man in black appeared and the writer’s mastery of the Star Wars universe is so good that the excitement levels (and my blood pressure) haven’t dropped since.

The language the book uses, too, is sophisticated, and we take a look at KL923 as an example:

’Tabor stared at the prelate as he parsed the knot of verbiage...

Old favourites from the original trilogy make an appearance, and I am not just talking about sentient characters, here, either. The story re-visits Hoth at one point and of course that means we get to play with those funky ATAT’s. The book contains sub-plots, too, even though they don't really become apparent until you approach the seventy five percent mark. But strike they do, and volumes of emotional depth are suddently added to the reader’s awareness, and of course it all contributes to the enjoyment of the story.

The story starts off brilliantly and doesn’t really let up. Characters that are introduced at the start (obviously) may or may not be who (or what) you assume them to be, but that all enhances the book’s intrigue. There is a plethora of good guys in BATTLEFRONT, but as you would expect in a book focusing strongly on the action and dangers of war, some live and some die but they all fought for the same cause. Towards the book’s finale, the pace slows down a little and the reader has the chance to think. The story telling spotlight shines for a few heartbeats on a 'senior' player with the bad guys but when his true nature and identity is revealed, your heart is bound to break in his favour, just like mine did. Other bad guys around him feel the same way, too, which just goes to show that the all conquering and legendary force contains, controls and distributes the flow of compassion to both sides in this conflict and it might turn out to be a valuable piece of information to store in your memory banks for future reference.

So in summary, BATTLEFRONT is an excellent read and it doubles as an excellent introduction to the story telling abilities of Alexander Freed.

hello all
let me say that I don't normally buy game to book adaptations but then a friend suggested this to me and I tried it ad I was not disappointed. This is a good book and while it takes place during the Original saga between ep 5 and 6 it is still a good book. This is a book about brotherhood, honor, about maing hard choices in a time of war and about knowing what you are fighting for and when to fight. This books shows how one unit within the rebel alliance deals with loos and orders from above but after Hoth instead of running like the rest of the rebel alliance decided to fight back and in the process learn about why they fight but also the true scope of their enemy. the book features perspectives from both sides of the conflict and you see different points of view of the war but the majority of the book is shown from the rebel alliance side of the war and how twilight company fights. Also even though the book says battlefront, their is very little connecting it to the game.This was a good book that focuses on the unseen part of the war where we usually see fight between Starfighters, jedi, sith and star destoryers in this book we see the fight of the infantryman just trying to survive against incredible odds to bring back peace to the galaxy.

Twilight Company is an odd book. While set in the Star Wars universe, and even set during the time frame of the actual movies, it rarely feels like it belongs there. Rather, it reads more like a book about (space) marines with most of the trials and tribulations that come with that genre. This does not make it a bad book for any means, just an unexpected one.

The plot follows the Twilight Company, one of the many rebel battalions fighting against the Empire. The main POV is through the eyes of a gruff sergeant, originally from a backwater planet of low tech and his subsequent rise to leadership. During the story we see the rebels go from offensive to an effective rout (as per ‘Empire Strikes Back’). As with many of the modern Star Wars books both the rebels and the Empire are given more shades of gray and this gives the story a more realistic view. We have a secondary POV of a young stormtrooper servicing the Empire, becoming more disillusioned with her job but the author never paints the empire as a pure glob of evil – most who serve are serving the established rule and believe they are doing the right thing. We have a token mustache twirling Evil Dude to remind us why the Empire acts like it does, but the people under him are just people.

My personal peeve with most Star Wars books is that they make the universe feel tiny. We visit the same planets and the same characters keep popping up. In movies it is understandable as no budget allows for an infinite amount of new planets but it is inexcusable in books. This books does the thing right and while not every planet is new, there is a sufficient amount and the whole war is given sufficient scale to fit a battle over a galaxy. Perhaps even too much – the rebels here are an army of millions, which does not quite match what we see in the movies (though cleverly explained by stating that in all the key elements in the movies what we see is just a small section of the rebel army, not its entirety).

The characterization is not the best and it’s a bit hard to get invested into any of them, though we do not really have any offensive characters either. Perhaps the biggest loss of the book is that the story seems to meander along rather aimlessly, and even the end seems to mostly fizzle away. While it does match the main characters confusion on exactly what he should do and what is the overall rebel plan, but it does not make the story a compelling read.

This book is a welcome change to recent Star Wars novels, leaning more towards military scifi than heroic swashbuckling. In fact, the book it most reminded me of was Rogue Squadron, except that it has an infantry perspective rather than a fighter pilot/covert ops one. That's quite a compliment. While the focus is very much on a single lead character it is in many ways the story of a unit and their experience of the galactic civil war. This is Twilight Company, an elite ground unit whose constant deployment in hard-fought battles is taking its toll. As an infantry unit they fight through numerous land battles during the Rebels retreat rimward in the prelude to Empire Strikes Back. There are no epic heroes, no Jedi, no larger-than-life warriors, just ordinary men and women pushed too far. It's a step closer to what I suspect Rogue One will be like, and if the film is anything like the book it'll do well.

This book is obviously a tie in with the new Battlefront game, as can be seen from the title. Video game tie ins don't generally bode well, but in this case (perhaps because the game has no campaign mode) it manages to tell an interesting story while still having elements that will undoubtedly appear in Battlefront. Several of the worlds will appear in the game, including Hoth and Sullust, and they do a good deal of planet hopping. In fact, I have to give this book credit for giving us the first recreation of the battle of Hoth that doesn't feel forced and fanservicey. Our heroes have a reason to be there and their presence has consequences. This is not a book where everyone survives. People suffer and people die. Even people you like. It's a war novel and as such bears the marks of comradeship and tragedy that you'll find in many a war memoir.

The book does have rather a problem though, and it's tied in with the structure. The book starts off strong and it ends strong but everything from the third or fourth chapter up through a little ways past Hoth feels purposeless and disjointed. I'm tempted to blame this on an EA directive to show as many planets as possible but I suspect it's just inexperience. Our lead character, Namir, is about as hard-bitten and cynical as you can get. He cares for his team but he has no particular loyalty to the Rebellion beyond gratitude for getting him off his home planet. None of this is wrong for a character, but it's handled poorly from a storytelling standpoint. We're not aware what his motivation is until halfway through the book, and by the time you realize just how emotionally uninvolved and flawed he is it's almost too late. None of the missions have any purpose because he doesn't care to know why they fight, not because they're pointless. The Rebellion comes across as self-righteous blowhards because he's flawed not because they are. The sheer meaninglessness of events is due to his perception, not reality. Once you and he start to realize that the book becomes good again, but it takes too long to get to that point and there isn't enough signposting before this to indicate his character journey. So you just have to read on in the hope it will get better. Because it does.

Having said all that, the characters as a whole are very good and well-defined. The book is very focused around Namir, but even minor background characters have personality. I particularly liked the Imperial viewpoint, though it wasn't really developed as much as it could have been. The battle scenes are described viscerally and they seem tactically sensible. It feels like a much more conventional war than we see in the films, but at the same time there's enough mention of the fact that these soldiers are underarmed and isolated for it to seem Rebely.

All in all it was an excellent read after it reached a certain point. If anyone starts the book and finds themselves uninvolved I strongly recommend they keep reading because it does get better. The flawed structuring is the only reason I didn't rate the book five stars. Fans of military scifi should find themselves highly entertained here, and even regular military fiction readers might appreciate a different viewpoint. And for those who just want a good Star Wars novel: don't worry, it still has that in spades. But it brings something new to the table, and that alone makes it worth checking out.

Star Wars is taking over the world and Star Wars Battlefront is perhaps the most anticipated video game of the year. Twilight Company is written as a tie in novel to help promote the new game, but never fear. Alexander Freed’s debut novel stands on its own as a worthy addition to the new Star Wars canon.

The heart of this story surrounds Hazram Namir and his fellow Twilight Company soldiers. While the cast of supporting characters is strong, this is undoubtedly Namir’s story. Freed builds his main character with the perfect balance of backstory and character growth. In a story that is packed with intense battle sequences and fascinating glimpses into the “wars” side of Star Wars, Namir’s character journey stands out and keeps the pages turning.

There are gripping battled sequences throughout, but readers will especially love Freed’s handling of Hoth and Sullust. Yes, these are locations from the game, but nothing about these scenes feels manufactured for promotional purposes. Original Trilogy fans will love the events and surprise interactions on Hoth and will immediately want to revisit The Empire Strikes Back after reading. Freed also has a few more delightful surprises up his sleeve as the story continues and the past and future connections effectively propel the story forward.

While there is much to celebrate here, one Stormtrooper side story seemed to fall flat. The glimpses of this character were intriguing, but there needed to be more development and backstory for a bigger payoff in the end. All in all, a minor flaw in an otherwise gripping Star Wars novel.

For fans who are disappointed in the new Star Wars canon, Twilight Company just might be the novel that brings them back. Let’s hope Freed will be back with more engaging stories from the front lines of Star Wars.

Review copy sent from publisher.

This book follows a handful of members of the Twilight Company in the Rebel Alliance, focusing mostly on Namir. It focuses on how it is on the front lines and no one in the story is safe. The story goes to several worlds including a few we know of. A lot of the story shows how the company dealt with being separated from the fleet after the defeat at Hoth. Later on Nien Numb makes an appearance while the company is on Sullust. I liked the characters, especially Namir, Gadren (one of the most senior members of the company), and Chalis (an ex-Imperial governor who helps the company after she is captured). I haven't played the game so I can't speak to how it ties in with it.

I received a e-copy of this book through NetGalley with the understanding that I would publish are review on my blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google + pages along with NetGalley, the store and Goodreads. I do not go into great detail on the book as I do not want to spoil it for future readers.

I requested this book as I am an avid Science Fiction reader and Star Wars Fan. I have read several of the various Star War books and I am looking forward to the upcoming new Star Wars movie. This is the first book by Alexander Freed that I have read.

I have to admit that I was a little leary about requesting a copy of this book as other ones based on Star War games have not been of the same quality as other books in the collections. In the end, I was glad I did.

The book started out slowly, but then picked up and was hard to put down. The characters are well developed and engaging and the author gives the reader a good sense on what they are thinking and their reactions to specific events. These take place shortly after the battle on Hoth.
If the author continues the storyline with another book I will definitely get it to read. I recommend this book for any fan of the Star War series.

Twilight Company excels at what it was designed to do. This shows the battles in a way we haven't seen before in Star Wars. Rather than following the story of jedi in a large war like the movies do, or watching the battle from the Rebel HQ with Leia, we truly get to see what it's like to be in the trenches of a real "star war". The novel is fast paced and suspenseful. The characters are rich and complex, creating many meaningful moments for the reader. That is especially important when reading this type of novel as very few battles in history ever manage to completely avoid casualties, and if you're not invested in your characters the stakes aren't the same.

The warriors fighting for Twilight Company are NOT invincible, and that translates into terrific action. There is genuine concern created if the people you are reading about will live or die. A battle between Superman and steel knife is no fun to read about since you know what the outcome will be. Nobody has the Force or any "superpowers" that can save them when the going gets tough. These characters are written to be real human beings at risk in a real conflict. The depth to the conflict is fathomable and the consequences feel very real for these characters.

If you want to read a story that puts you on the front lines on the battlefield, this is the book you've been looking for. Twilight Company is action packed and tense, and very well written. I would recommend this for anyone to read (other than perhaps the youngest of readers if you don't think they're old enough for a battle.)

Twilight Company was a blast. It was action-packed, boots-on-the-ground Star Wars action the likes of which you rarely see. Instead of focusing on the Jedi vs Sith conflicts, this one hammered home the methods, heroism and failures of the Rebel Alliance's forward troops. This book proves that Star Wars does indeed work without big roles for lightsabers, and more focus on the wars.

To get one thing out of the way: Ignore the Battlefront logo on the cover. The only thing this novel shares with EA's Battlefield reskin is that both take you to various different locations, many of which are shared between both. You'll even see the Battle of Hoth, and more successfully than in the game at that. If the thought of a game tie-in novel turns you off (I know it almost did for me!), scratch all those thoughts and go in fresh.

The novel focuses on the Rebel Alliance's Twilight Company, a vanguard fighting force, now turned into a glorified rearguard during the retreat of other regiments. It presents us with a diverse cast featuring ex-bounty hunters, mercenaries, aliens and even teenagers and defecting imperials.
Our primary protagonist is, without a doubt, Hazram Namir, mercenary-turned-rebel, just not really because he's in it for his comrades in arms, not the lofty goals of the Rebellion's leadership. He has the ability, but not the faith, and, while generally respected, seems like the odd one out.
This leads him to connect more and more with defecting imperial governor Chalis, who joins and supports Twilight Company in her own manipulative way - resulting in an intriguing, ambiguous relationship between the two that lasts throughout almost the entire book and gives a different spin on the evils of the Empire and the righteous actions of the rebels.

As Namir gets more and more involved in the decision-making for Twilight Company's future, and governor Chalis offers the rebel leaders extensive inside information on the Empire's inner workings and infrastructure, things get ever more murky and Twilight Company becomes a priority target for the imperial antagonists. These come in the form of Prelate Verge, an ambitious, Palpatine-worshipping youth, and Tabor Seitaron, a veteran captain returned to duty alongside Verge. The two hunt Twilight Company to eliminate Chalis, but cause quite some chaos for the Rebellion as a whole.
I found Seitaron to be almost sympathetic; he seemed to be dismayed at being pulled back from his almost-retirement and comfortable teaching career at the academy, and still had qualms about extreme measures, whereas Verge was despicable by design. It was a cool pairing for the antagonist slot.

But the stars of it all are Twilight Company's soldiers, and the entire company itself. While Namir is the character we can connect with the easiest, seeing flashes of his way to become a rebel and following his rise through the ranks, his struggles and relationships, the rest of his squad and beyond added so much color and genuine humanity to the book, it was a pleasure to read, if not for the tragedies engulfing the group.
Early in the novel, Namir and co recruit a teenage girl for the rebels, who claims the name 'Roach' for herself, and, while a rookie, earns her keep alongside Namir's veterans. I found Roach to be among my favorite characters in the book, adding some humor and life to the downward spiral of the Rebellion. The Besalisk-alien Gadren, ever the believer and positive sod, balances the more cynical outlooks of Namir and others, and the ex-bounty hunter Brand adds a layer of professionalism and stealth to the group, often offering judgement to Namir.

The cast expands further out from Namir's own squad, of course, up to the higher echelons of the company, and I thought that things worked exceptionally well, all considered. Twilight Company felt like a coherent force with its own bonds, its hounds, and brotherhood despite their differences. They're loyal to one another and to the cause, resulting in plenty of dramatic scenes and tragic events. Alexander Freed really hit a homerun with making this book more about the grounded battles and real people within the war machine than the more esoteric aspects of the setting.

The individual missions of Twilight Company are just as diverse as the cast - taking you to jungle planets, mining colonies, or even boarding actions and, most notably maybe, the Battle of Hoth. The latter was a blast, and offered an entirely different experience than what we've seen before through the movies. We're in for a bunch of cameos and twists, and I felt that, if Freed had chosen to, this could have been easily the climax of the entire book. But instead it kept going for just as long again after this disastrous battle for the Rebel Alliance.
Things take a nosedive here, for all involved. We know that from the movies, of course, but it is something else entirely to actually see the affected troops and get a new perspective on Vader's hunt for the boy Skywalker and the senior staff of the rebellion. There's even glimpses of Snowspeeders ensnaring AT-ATs!

Looking back at it a couple of weeks after having read this, I still have a vivid memory of key scenes from the book, and the characters involved. It really is a top candidate for my favorite Canon novel I've read so far. It brings the familiar Original Trilogy setting to its pages while offering a fresh new spin, with plenty of intriguing characters coming and going. I'd love to read more about Namir and Chalis before long, and loved reading more about events that had an obvious impact on the victories of the Rebel Alliance in the movies while happening off-screen.

Twilight Company demonstrates the spirit of the Rebel Alliance, the inherent hope, the attrition, the desperation, but also the life and tragic martyrdom, to the point where I didn't want to put the book down. The plot is so packed of exciting content, I thought I got more out of it than I paid for.
It was amazing to see some more ambiguity introduced to the Rebel Alliance vs Galactic Empire dynamic, seeing even a regular Stormtrooper's perspective on the rebel terrorists in the process.
Freed manages to get you thinking about the moral grey areas the rebels have to dip into to achieve freedom from the Empire, and does so with expertly written characters.
The novel lives by its characters, and I'm pleased to say that Alexander Freed nailed them. From their actions in the mess halls to their battlefield heroics, or the funeral rites within the company, the cast felt alive and satisfying.

If you're a bit tired of lightsaber fights and want to see something different set during the Original Trilogy, then this is probably the book you're looking for.

Set roughly around (and interweaving) the Empire Strikes Back timeline, this book exposes the lives of a rebel force know as Twilight company. There are no light sabers or force powers, but rather a gritty story of how the Rebels fought the Empire. The pacing was great and only at times did chapters end on cliffhangers (something I sometimes loathe). There are a few loose ends which would make for a nice sequel, but in most regards it’s a tightly packed story. I enjoyed it and look forward to the second (I believe a prequel) in the series.

One gets swept up into the the action of Battlefront: Twilight Company swiftly. This Star Wars war story follows Twilight Company, a company known for its survival. The main action stretches before Empire Strikes Back and even includes a passage during the Battle of Hoth, with some fun cameos. The real stars are those that the author, Alexander M Freed, has created. The story paints a vivid picture of what life was like for the forces in the trenches during the Galactic Civil War. We see how the Rebel Alliance operates at the ground levels and with middle management. Also, we are given some delicious characters on the side of the Empire, from mad young captains to the seasoned veteran commanders to on the ground stormtroopers. The personal stories are beautifully woven together and reach an amazing climax with a huge battle that will have you on the edge of your seat. Well written, incredibly engaging, even thought-provoking, this is a top tier Star Wars novel.

I have this book in audio and just could not get through it. This is a first. I have read or listened to every Star Wars book but just could not finish this one. I kept waiting to for something to occur which would hook me but it never did. I didn't care about the characters and after being half way through I knew I would not miss anything in the Canon if I didn't finish this book. Oddly I did enjoy the other Star Wars book based on a game "Battlefront II: Inferno Squad. .

I have always been a Star Wars film fan, but this novel launched me into uber-fandom and set me on course to read my way across the Star Wars galaxy. Battlefront: Twilight Company is part of the Star Wars canon, meaning what happens inside its covers has been etched into Star Wars history. It also means you won't find any characters or subplots that contradict the Star Wars story line you know so well and love.

The main story in Battlefront: Twilight Company is set at around the same time as Empire Strikes Back, so readers will be thrilled to see some film-favorite characters make appearances. But it takes more than a handful of heroes to win a war -- however skilled in flying, fighting, and Force-wielding they might be -- and this book introduces new characters who fight their own battles against the Empire.

This was my first Star Wars novel, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I have now read many, many others, but this stands as one of my favorites. The characters are interesting, the plot is quick and action-packed, and I was left hungry for more when it was over. Readers from young adults on up will love this story. The novel, I'm told, is based on the video game by the same name. I'm not a gamer myself, but my teenage sons play the game. You certainly do not have to experience the game to understand or enjoy the book. A quick, fun read.

This book is a welcome change to recent Star Wars novels, leaning more towards military scifi than heroic swashbuckling. In fact, the book it most reminded me of was Rogue Squadron, except that it has an infantry perspective rather than a fighter pilot/covert ops one. That's quite a compliment. While the focus is very much on a single lead character it is in many ways the story of a unit and their experience of the galactic civil war. This is Twilight Company, an elite ground unit whose constant deployment in hard-fought battles is taking its toll. As an infantry unit they fight through numerous land battles during the Rebels retreat rimward in the prelude to Empire Strikes Back. There are no epic heroes, no Jedi, no larger-than-life warriors, just ordinary men and women pushed too far. It's a step closer to what I suspect Rogue One will be like, and if the film is anything like the book it'll do well.

This book is obviously a tie in with the new Battlefront game, as can be seen from the title. Video game tie ins don't generally bode well, but in this case (perhaps because the game has no campaign mode) it manages to tell an interesting story while still having elements that will undoubtedly appear in Battlefront. Several of the worlds will appear in the game, including Hoth and Sullust, and they do a good deal of planet hopping. In fact, I have to give this book credit for giving us the first recreation of the battle of Hoth that doesn't feel forced and fanservicey. Our heroes have a reason to be there and their presence has consequences. This is not a book where everyone survives. People suffer and people die. Even people you like. It's a war novel and as such bears the marks of comradeship and tragedy that you'll find in many a war memoir.

The book does have rather a problem though, and it's tied in with the structure. The book starts off strong and it ends strong but everything from the third or fourth chapter up through a little ways past Hoth feels purposeless and disjointed. I'm tempted to blame this on an EA directive to show as many planets as possible but I suspect it's just inexperience. Our lead character, Namir, is about as hard-bitten and cynical as you can get. He cares for his team but he has no particular loyalty to the Rebellion beyond gratitude for getting him off his home planet. None of this is wrong for a character, but it's handled poorly from a storytelling standpoint. We're not aware what his motivation is until halfway through the book, and by the time you realize just how emotionally uninvolved and flawed he is it's almost too late. None of the missions have any purpose because he doesn't care to know why they fight, not because they're pointless. The Rebellion comes across as self-righteous blowhards because he's flawed not because they are. The sheer meaninglessness of events is due to his perception, not reality. Once you and he start to realize that the book becomes good again, but it takes too long to get to that point and there isn't enough signposting before this to indicate his character journey. So you just have to read on in the hope it will get better. Because it does.

Having said all that, the characters as a whole are very good and well-defined. The book is very focused around Namir, but even minor background characters have personality. I particularly liked the Imperial viewpoint, though it wasn't really developed as much as it could have been. The battle scenes are described viscerally and they seem tactically sensible. It feels like a much more conventional war than we see in the films, but at the same time there's enough mention of the fact that these soldiers are underarmed and isolated for it to seem Rebely.

All in all it was an excellent read after it reached a certain point. If anyone starts the book and finds themselves uninvolved I strongly recommend they keep reading because it does get better. The flawed structuring is the only reason I didn't rate the book five stars. Fans of military scifi should find themselves highly entertained here, and even regular military fiction readers might appreciate a different viewpoint. And for those who just want a good Star Wars novel: don't worry, it still has that in spades. But it brings something new to the table, and that alone makes it worth checking out.

Star Wars Battlefront: Twilight Company was a really fun, fast paced book. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Star Wars and is enjoying the new canon. I'm someone who hardly read SW novels before Disney acquired Lucasfilm and am now working hard at reading everything new in the official current canon. As something of a newcomer to the SW extended universe, I found a lot to enjoy in Twilight Company.

While the book is billed as an action heavy installment, the highlight for me was the characters introduced. (Don't worry though, the book is very action orientated--extremely well written battle sequences make up most of the book.) Our main protagonist, Namir, is a cynical warrior who joined the Rebels three years prior to the start of the novel. He's a cynical sergeant, and his cynical mindset really grounds the book. Seeing the Rebels encroached in ground warfare could be harrowing, so Namir lends the right tone to all of the proceedings. Also introduced is Governor Chalis, an Imperial defector, whose character is a lot of fun. She and Namir share a really unique dynamic.

Alexander Freed really makes you care about the characters he's created--much of the soldiers of Twilight Company are fully realized individuals, and several deaths carry weight. His action scenes, as I mentioned, are superb, and they'd have to be for a book carrying the Battlefront title. All in all, I really liked the book, and was glad I bought it.

So what's keeping me from giving it five full stars? Well, it has to do with the payoff involved in a subplot regarding a stormtrooper. Certain chapters are given to SP-475, a female stormtrooper on Sullust who fully believes in the good of the Empire. There's a lot of merit in what Freed is attempting to do with her chapters, but ultimately this is a case of too little material impacting the effectiveness of it. When SP-475's straying finally does meet up with Twilight Company's, it's ultimately very anticlimactic and disappointing. If anything, I'd love a sequel fully from her perspective. After all, in the Battlefront video game, don't you get to play as both the Empire and the Rebels?

Another thing I didn't like was the primary villain of the novel, Prelate Verge. He's an eccentric rising star in the Empire. SW usually has the best villains, but this one fell flat for me. Speaking of villains, mu favorite moment of the novel involved a truly horrifying cameo from Darth Vader. Freed has fun with the character during his brief scene.

All in all, Twilight Company is a really good book, with minor issues. As a debut novel from Freed, it's an excellent first outing. I greatly look forward to whatever he writes next.

I've read all of the "New Cannon" books that have been released so far and this is one of the best. It's a very different type of Star Wars book but it's a welcome addition to my shelf. The book mainly follows a character named Namir who is part of the Twilight Company and tells his story as well as the story of Twilight's mission. Most of the characters are developed well (with the exception, I think, of a Storm Trooper the story moves to at different points) and you get a feeling for what it is like to be part of the Rebellion on the ground.

I enjoyed this book just a bit less than Lost Stars but more than Dark Disciple. Much better pacing and dialogue than Tarkin. Closer in style (character and dialogue) to A New Dawn. And, obviously, very different from Aftermath.

Glad I bought it. Glad I read it.

My favorite Star Wars book yet! This is totally different from any I've read.
That said, if you want another Skywalker-type, look elsewhere. There's no overpowerful, super-hero jedi in this book. (I can't say it's "down-to-earth" of course.) This is about a space-faring infantry group where people of different backgrounds come together to be a team, if not a family. Personal struggles are as much of a conflict as ground battles; good people continuously die; and common people are unknown heroes! This book is at least as much about the characters as the events, and may be the most "realistic" Star Wars book out there. (I can't believe I just referred to a Sci-Fi book as realistic!)
There is also a minor, but cool tie-in with the original trilogy. (The cover art is a spoiler.)

Twilight Company is a solid book. It confronts the stark reality of war while maintaining the optimism and hope of Star Wars. In many ways, it is a Star Wars version of Heinlein's Starship Troopers. The novel follows an army grunt through a galaxy-spanning war as he rises through the ranks to lead a celebrated unit while simultaneously exploring the greater motivations and philosophy behind war. The turning point in the protagonist's arc comes when he realizes that the one's reason for fighting a war must shape how that war is fought. In typical Star Wars fashion, he realizes that the reason Twilight Company fights is to make the galaxy a better place. This changes the course of the war for Twilight Company and brings to a close the character's emotional arc.

The war that Twilight Company fights is brutal, ugly, and desperate. These soldiers don't see the big picture - they get dropped on a planet, fight for a while, and get picked up. Their battle is fought one meter at a time, boots on ground. We are shown how disparate the elements of the Rebel Alliance truly are. Most of Twilight never sees Hoth, only hearing about it from those few who were there. the Battle of Hoth wasn't the assembled rebellion, it was a gathering of leaders and strategists planning the war. Losing so many of them in Darth Vader's attack was a crushing defeat for the rebellion.

This is the Star Wars novel I never knew I always wanted. This is the Star Wars novel for anyone and everyone who ever read Glen Cooke's The Black Company and wondered what it would be like if Croaker and the Lady and everyone one else were kicking around the galaxy far, far away. This is the Star Wars novel for anyone who ever played Star Wars The Old Republic and found themselves enjoying the Imperial Agent storyline more than any of the other classes. And yes, this is the Star Wars novel for anyone who plays Star Wars: Battlefront and wants a little more story to give background to all the running and gunning on Hoth, Tatooine, Yavin and Jakku. If none of those things describe you or pique your interest then I'm not sure we have anything left to talk about, I need to get on Twitter and beg DICE to adapt this book into a single player campaign for Battlefront so that the game is as worthwhile as this book.

Battlefront: Twilight Company
By: Alexander Freed
3 stars and a seal of Meh
Review by: Brennan Palm

Hey look, I found the Star Wars Battlefront campaign we never got, and it’s just like the multiplayer, a bland reskin of a better book that just ended up being meh. I will give this book credit were it deserves it in that it’s better than Battlefront the game, but still it’s meh at best.
Battlefront: Twilight Company is a book dealing with the life of the everyday soldier in the Star Wars universe. It attempts to be new and refreshing even though there must be a hundred books just like it, on top of the multi-million dollar game that it’s based on. More specifically it’s a story about Twilight Company, a group of grognard rebel veterans who are led by Sergeant Namir, a former mercenary and receive assistance from an imperial turncoat governor called Everi Chalis, with information from the governor they then lead a strike into the very heart of the Imperial war machine.
The two main characters, Namir and Chalis, particularly Namir, are well done three dimensional characters. However the books two villains, are not well done. Captain Tabor Seitaron and Prelate Verge tasked with killing Chalis, seem rather mismatched and they appear tacked on at the last minute. In my mind just making the villain the Empire as a whole would have been a much better decision. The end of the book is weak compared to the rather strong beginning, which featured some great set piece battles and interesting sequences. Part of the endings failure is due to our heroes making a string of “out of character” choices and poor tactical decisions. On top of that, at least for me, there was a constant bad taste in my mouth like I was reading fan fiction.
In short when you make a book about the life of the average soldier like Black Hawk Down or American Sniper, placing it in the Star Wars universe doesn’t make it a new thing, it’s just the old thing but in Star Wars. Besides that good main characters, bad villains, meh supporting characters, strong beginning, and weak ending.

Full reviews available at:[...]

A decent Star Wars read, but nothing spectacular. This book took me what feels like ages to read, something that doesn't often occur when I pick up a SW novel. I didn't feel too very attached to or intrigued by any of the characters until maybe the very ending. I found myself lost quite a bit and having to stop for a moment to remember what had happened before in the book. Recommended for the Star Wars completist, nu-canon fans, and casual fans alike.

With the release of the new Battlefield game, they also pumped out a book to probably try and increase the hype. The plot follows around a group of infantry grunts fighting for the alliance during the time of the Battle of Hoth. Although the primary characters were mentioned and/or made brief cameo appearances, most of the Jedi/Sith stuff remained far far away.

The story was all about a group of soldiers as they work to complete missions/tasks to fight the Empire. As a standalone story, I've read better in the Star Wars world to be honest. Even at the end I didn't feel any connection to any of the characters, even the primary. There just wasn't enough character development although there were attempts; nothing really stuck. Additionally the author would build up to a battle scene just to end it with a one paragraph summary vs. a play-by-play sequence. I didn't like that at all; and this occurred on numerous occasions and the story didn't flow very well because of it. I would rate this book definitely below par.

And to think I almost bypassed this book without a second thought. This has easily one of better Star Wars novels ever. Mostly this comes through in the little things for me, but Freed also does a couple huge things well.

The characters are all well rounded and generally not just taken from background solider cliches. In this regard Twilight Company is absolutely the spiritual successor to the X-Wing series of books in the old EU. A band of rebels who you can really get to know and love. I only hope there will continue to be books in this series that give more focus to the other characters.

The plot of this book was pretty solid too. No McGuffins to search after as is way too common in Star Wars novels. Not only was my interest highly sustained by the main plot, but there were several plots that kicked the stakes up a few notches.

I went into this book with super low expectations for a few reasons.

1. It was based off of the Star Wars Battlefront game. I immediately figured it would be a lame, half-assed tie in.
2. Having read Lost Stars (decent) and Aftermath (terrible imo), the bar was already extremely low compared to the now "Legends" writing.
3. In a war fought in space with starfighters and starships, how important could an infantry group really be?

Let me say I was blown away by how wrong my preconceived notions were in this case. The main character is well written and very easy to relate to. The villain is a little under-developed in my opinion, but the story really isn't "his story" so it's ok. The one gripe I had was the few "interlude" sections that weren't completely clear until toward the end who they were about. I think making that clearer earlier would have helped me get into those sections a bit more.

This book is very different than the other Star Wars books released this year and very different than the game with the same name. That said, I totally loved this book. I found my self enraptured in the world created through the grime filled descriptions. it gives off the same feeling as non fiction war books, with all the joys of a space opera. The book is rather long, but I appreciate that because it actually gave me time to get to know the characters and enjoy their world for a few weeks. I wish they would use these characters and story for a new battlefront game and create a sequel to this book with some of the same characters.

My favorite part is that the book covers an entire campaign rather than one or two battles. There are several separate actions in the book, all of which are geared toward a specific strategic objective. Some of the encounters are hardly detailed at all, some are short firefights, and then there is a satisfying battle to end the book.

This was a book I was waiting for Lucas arts to add to the new canon, and after the disappointing release of the accompanying game, I'm glad I had this to fall back to. It tells the gritty story of the war against the Empire following the destruction of the Death Star from the perspective of the Rebels. I really felt for these characters and their losses, especially at the end. After reading this and seeing "Rogue One" the other day I want more stories like this to be added to the Star Wars universe. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good war story.

I gave it three because of the Hoth stuff, which should have been more, it just doesn't feel like Star Wars, it feels like Sci fi mixed with Star Wars. It's not bad, just not great, especially when so many great books don't count anymore. Maybe wait for paperback? Hey give it a try, a lot of people liked it.

Slow moving to start, it's a struggle getting invested in these new characters early on. Once the setting shifts to Hoth, things begin to slowly pick up, and a strong closing act saves this book from a 1-star review. Everi Chalis steals the show and is one of the stronger original new-canon characters.

A really great sci-fi book. You don't even need to know anything about Star Wars to enjoy this book. It also would make a good introduction into the Star Wars universe if you know little to nothing about the galaxy far, far away.

The characters are well-constructed. The story is put together very well. And unlike many books that are a part of a larger universe, BATTLEFRONT doesn't have any cheesy, cringe-worthy moments. It's a good story that was enjoyable to read.

Being a huge Star Wars fan i was very excited to get this book. Within the first 20 pages i was hooked and wanted to keep going and not stop. Great characters and a solid story that is a very unique one to say the least. But what makes this a good book is taking something as familiar as Star Wars and putting us in the shoes of an everyday solider and seeing what the war was like from their point of view. Very good story i would highly recommend it to any star wars fan.

I am torn on reviewing this book as it definitely one of the better new canon books released so far. The story and narrative are fresh and invigorating from the start, but much like the main character, seems torn and loses its way a bit through the second half. Oddly the high point of the book for me was an encounter with Vader and not the final battle which was rather sluggish and wasn't too clear on what it's purpose was.

Unlike other star wars novels, telling the gritty and bloody battlefield story of the rebellion from the view of the soldiers in the field on both side, as well as the realities of the civilians caught in the middle.

Not good. One of the first problems is it dos not feel like star wars. The second is the character development is thin and boring. I ended up not caring about any of the main characters enough to keep them strait in my head. In short it just did not feel like it was in the star wars universe.

Being forced to read crappy book in high school pretty much turned me off to reading. I haven't really picked up a book/novel since about 2003 when I graduated high school. I saw this book walking by an aisle at a store & picked it up, read some excerpts & decided to dive in. This book single handily brought me back into the book-reading galaxy. Suspenseful & action packed from the beginning. I'm about 50 pages away from finishing & looking forward to see how it ultimately ends!

An amazing book. It felt a little like watching Band of Brothers in a Star Wars setting. The war wasn't glorified and the Rebellion was showed from the perspective of the soldiers. It shows that even in the Star Wars universe which previously often showed a Good(Rebels) Vs Bad(Empire), not everything is black and white.

Very well written. The characters seemed like real people, with different personalities and motivations. Writing from both the Rebel and Imperial was interesting. The ending felt a little anti-climatic.

One gets swept up into the the action of Battlefront: Twilight Company swiftly. This Star Wars war story follows Twilight Company, a company known for its survival. The main action stretches before Empire Strikes Back and even includes a passage during the Battle of Hoth, with some fun cameos. The real stars are those that the author, Alexander M Freed, has created. The story paints a vivid picture of what life was like for the forces in the trenches during the Galactic Civil War. We see how the Rebel Alliance operates at the ground levels and with middle management. Also, we are given some delicious characters on the side of the Empire, from mad young captains to the seasoned veteran commanders to on the ground stormtroopers. The personal stories are beautifully woven together and reach an amazing climax with a huge battle that will have you on the edge of your seat. Well written, incredibly engaging, even thought-provoking, this is a top tier Star Wars novel.

This is an amazing book. I am left wanting more. I have read several star wars books and this one is up with the best. Being positioned as just a run-of-the-mill soldier in the battles intermixed with the gritty nature of guerrilla war fare with an overarching plot. Tops!

This is the first book in the new Canon that I cannot finish. It has horribly underdeveloped characters that fall flat. The ONLY interesting segment is the part with Vader on Hoth. There are great books that cover soldiers day to day lives like Red Badge of Courage and All Quiet on the Western Front. There are wonderful anthologies of soldiers' letters and journals from war. This doesn't seem to get close to that. Every character is a video game character and doesn't develop from there. Unlike Lost Stars (the best new Canon book thus far IMO) and the other new Canon novels, this adds nothing significant to the overall Star Wars story. I could have skipped this book and been just fine in my knowledge of the Star Wars universe.

I purchased this book recently and am enjoying it fully. I read books along with the audiobook to have full immersion while reading. This book is a delight to read as well. The characters are unique, their attitudes are relatable, and the settings are very "Star Wars."

Disappointed that there is a lack of FLIGHT STICK support. The overall interface is clunky. Graphics are amazing, but not what I was expecting. Hate that I MUST be connected to the Internet to play - so much for killing Stormtroopers while on vacation. :/

I bought the Audible version of this book. I would leave a review on their site, but i've returned it and can't seem to find a link to make one there.

So, I wanted to like it, I really did. I LOVE Star Wars and I've listened to and/or read other Star Wars books that i've loved, but this one, I just couldn't get into it at all. I had to restart it from the beginning 3 times because I kept losing focus. The narrator didn't do it any favors with his semi-monotone voice. I couldn't even tell you any of the characters, or even what the first few chapters were even about, that's how bored I was. I eventually gave up about 1/3 way through and returned it to audible.

This book presents a view of the Rebellion supposedly little seen, a company of grunts doing the dirty work fighting the Empire. It's a gritty book, filled with unlikable characters and the lead character doesn't believe in the Rebellion to begin with, he's a soldier doing his duty. There are a couple of cameos, but this is the story of Twilight Company itself. There is an additional arc about a crafty Imperial governor, who in my opinion was the most interesting character in the book.

It took me forever it seems to read this book. It's slow,
dull and the plot moves at a glacial pace. It's my least favorite canon book. While this book touches upon the rebels escape from Hoth, I have issues with the lack of leadership from Alliance high command. Much of it is non existent and Twilight Company has to follow it's own path. Even in the show Rebels, both Mon Mothma and Bail Organa were actively involved with rebel strategy and I sincerely doubt that they would've let Twilight Company falter. I've read Battlefront Inferno Squad, showing the fight from the Imperial side and it offered a much greater bond with the characters. To be honest, I just never felt a bond with anyone in this book. Very disappointing since the author is a Star Wars veteran who did a fantastic job on Rogue One, used to write for the KOTOR game and created one of my favorite characters. Unless you just want to read every book, you can wait on this one. Jonathan Davis did a wonderful job on the audiobook.