Star Wars: Battlefront II: Inferno Squad

The title of "Battlefront" on the cover is false advertisement; this is easily the most boring novel of all the new Star Wars books. It's not a poorly written book by any means, but it's certainly not what you would expect as a followup to the action packed Battlefront: Twilight Company. This book is supposed to introduce us to the Empire's most elite special forces unit, and yet in 300+ pages they (minor spoilers ahead) barely manage to take out a tiny Rebel cell of around 10 people (end of minor spoilers). By the end of this book I have no plausible reason to believe that this unit is indeed the bad*** group of soldiers the video game promises. This is a rather disappointing and slow moving introduction to what I hope to be a thrilling campaign.

It was amazing how fast I was able to connect with each of the characters as individual people. The writing of the dialogue felt very natural and believable. My one downside to this is the lack of violence. I was expecting much more action for something setting up an elite special forces crew staring in a FPS video game. The story itself was still very good, but I was really hoping for some Empire vs Rebels sequences, which there really wasn't much of.
Still felt like a star wars story, and still have many memorable moments, just be sure to know what you're getting yourself into with this book.

Although this was a good story it still lacked some of the intrigue associated with the Star Wars universe very little was mentioned of the heroes who helped destroy the Death Star it felt like like some thought this was a different tale, but I haven't played the games so it might be more easily understood if you do.

While providing a look at Battlefront 2’s iconic-or so Electronic Arts would have us believe-cast, I found the book rather bland. It seemed to swing from melancholy to exhilarating, and never seemed to have a clear tone. While it is understandable for characters to empathize, as seen with Stockholm Syndrome, the manner in which it manifests in the book feels as if it is trying to forcefully impart a certain outcome rather than progress naturally.

Having also played the game’s campaign, I am not surprised.

Recommend reading the book before playing the campaign, if you are unfortunate enough to have bought the game.

I'm a huge Star Wars fan. Every time a new book comes out, i get mad at myself because I'll read it in one night. However it took me a few days to even get into this book. It just didn't sit well with me. The story was far fetched in my opinion. I really do wish these Star Wars writers would get military time correct. It's " zero nine hundred" not " oh nine hundred"

a must read for those who want to get to know Inferno Squad and the characters they will get to see in the new Battlefront II campaign. It also provides the unique perspective of seeing the Galactic Civil War from the imperial site (those who are boots on the ground rather than high ranking officers like Thrawn and Tarkin).

I had finished Battlefront Twilight Company and hoped to find an equally good sequel, I was sadly disappointed. I read it through, in hopes of it getting better. It did not. For me, it was one of the most unsatisfying Star Wars I have read. I would not recommend this book.

I was a little surprised to see so many positive reviews for this novel. My guess is that fans are so excited to have this introduction to the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront II game campaign that they may have blinders on.
The book is fairly well written, and entertaining. However, it is also...well..."lazy." I was led to believe the purpose of the book was to provide a canonical background concerning the formation of Inferno Squad, as well as events with the team leading up to the destruction of the second Death Star in Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi. Unfortunately, the book was too short to cover very much. It seemed that, since the author was committed to making this a "canon" story (that is, all the information needed to support aspects of other stories in the Star Wars universe), that she provided us with a storyline where most characters found their start and end within the constraints of the first and last page, thus avoiding any potential conflicts with past or future Star Wars stories. As a result, you could summarize the canonical relevancy of the book in less than a paragraph.
Despite promotions indicating that the Star Wars: Battlefront II campaign starts when the second Death Star explodes, I'm hoping that it will provide the additional background concerning what Inferno Squad was up to leading up to the destruction. I thought the book would provide a lot more of that, but it was just too short, and didn't provide enough information. I guess that's what you get when you commission an author who rolls out books on a conveyor belt - most of which concern Star Trek, not Star Wars. Star Wars fans expect more. A lot more.

No spoilers, I promise...

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's basically a prologue to the campaign mode in Battlefront II. The author does a super job at tying in all elements from Clone Wars, Rogue One, and A New Hope, keeping this book as relevant to the Star Wars universe as possible.

I really wanted to like the characters and was excited to view the perspective of the Empire. Going in with that frame of mind I should have at least thought this book was OK but did not. This was a huge disappointment for me.

There are heroes on both sides, and the Empire needs those heroes in these tumultuous times.

We all know what happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away above Yavin. As a massive attack raged in space around the Death Star, a Rebel pilot flew through the battle station's winding superstructure and destroyed the Empire's most powerful weapon. The Alliance celebrated as jubilation spread to the far corners of the galaxy.

But the destruction of the Death Star didn't just birth a New Hope for the Rebel Alliance, it formed the genesis of the Inferno Squad. And during this violent period of uncertainty and turmoil Inferno Squad set out to fulfill their destiny and bring Order, justice and peace to the galaxy soon at war.

Inferno Squad is an Imperial special-ops team, trained as both deadly starfighter pilots and elite commandos. Deeply committed to the rule of law, Inferno Squad is an Imperial shield against the chaotic threat represented by the Rebel Alliance. Fearless in the face of sedition, they strike unseen and then fade back into the darkness of deep space.

What I loved about Golden's work is that we see through the lens of the Inferno Squad, namely Iden Versio. A true and true Imperial commander. Though the movies and shows do give us a narrative from a certain point of view, this book shows us that not all heroes are fighting for the liberation of the galaxy: they're fighting for order and security. And as the lines of good and evil are blurred, we start to see that the Rebels are not entirely heroic and the Empire not entirely evil, for even Vader and Sidious believed in peace as a byproduct of control.

The narrative here is superb as it offers is an amazing tale of heroics and sacrifice and duty as we see these Imperial heroes face against the Terrorist Rebellion,
Namely Saw Guerrera's remaining Partisans. If you believe in the Empire and the Inferno Squad, this book is for you!

I was really looking forward to this book after reading Battlefront: Twilight Company. But this book is nothing like it. The plot and characters are not engaging, overall just kinda boring and uninspired.

The book is called Battlefront II, so I went in expecting a sequel to the Battlefront book from a few years back. This is not that in any way.
This is a book called Battlefront that has basically no battles, other than a recap of the Battle of Yavin. It is a book about a covert special forces team. It also suffers quite a bit from who the POV characters are. We have characters that think that the destruction of Alderaan was perfectly justified, but that the destruction of the Death Star was the worst act of terror they had ever heard of. That is a heck of lift to try and get the reader to care about the characters. I'm not sure who could have pulled it off, but unfortunately, Ms. Golden did not.
The book is well written, and there are some interesting moments. But the entire time I read it, I could not get past the fact that the main characters were not anyone I ever want to read about. I've read and enjoyed books that focus on the bad guys. Heck, I've even enjoyed Star Wars books that focus on the bad guys. I think it may be that these guys aren't even cool bad guys - they are just run of the mill people willingly working for the evil Empire. They just do their petty evil, without being major players.

Christie Golden's "Star Wars: Battlefront II: Inferno Squad" follows the titular Imperial strike force as they attempt to secure the Empire in the wake of the events of "Rogue One" and the destruction of the Death Star. The four-person squad, composed of Iden Versio, Gideon Hask, Seyn Marana, and Del Meeko, uses their special skills to infiltrate Moffs and partisans in order to clean house and plug leaks in the Imperial war machine.
Golden, in the style of the best adventure novelists, gives each member of Inferno Squad a well-rounded backstory and special skill. Team leader Versio is the daughter of Admiral Garrick Versio, and struggles to live up to his expectations while working on behalf of the Empire that raised her. In addition to this, she lives with the survivors' guilt and anger of having survived the Death Star's destruction as she was in a TIE fighter chasing Rebels when it detonated. Hask, a childhood friend of Versio's, is an equally accomplished pilot and true believer in the Empire who competes with Versio while trying to find his own path to success. Marana, possessing eidetic memory and a gift for languages, finds herself in the field for the first time and wants to rise to the challenge. Finally, Meeko, a talented engineer, is comfortable wherever he works and gets along with everyone.
Most of the novel focuses on Inferno Squad infiltrating a group calling themselves the Dreamers. The Dreamers are partisans who seek to preserve Saw Gerrera's dream and believe the Rebel Alliance does not work hard enough to overthrow the Empire. The members of this group receive equal treatment, with Golden exploring their backstories and the events that led them to believe they would have more luck throwing in with partisans rather than the organized Rebellion.
Golden's greatest success in this work is humanizing the Imperials and showing how they can both believe in their Empire and make difficult ethical decisions. She further deepens the ambiguity of the "Star Wars" universe by removing the easy distinctions of good and evil with a novel that encourages her readers to empathize with and understand every character's motivation, regardless of political affiliation. This is a must-read among the "Star Wars" tie-in novels and will become a classic of the series! The Barnes & Noble Edition includes a fold-out poster of the main cover as well as a "sketch" variant on the obverse.

Since the re-launch of canon Star Wars novels and the relegation of older novels into "Legends", I've made an effort to keep up with each new novel as it's been released. Some novels have been leaps of faith - authors who are new to me writing books with very little released ahead of time. And then there's Christie Golden's Inferno Squad, which I felt so certain about I pre-ordered as soon as it was announced, and may have stayed up until 3AM to download on it's release date. In other words, I might have a little hype and bias.

Inferno Squad did not disappoint. Golden delivers the most well developed imperial characters I've seen since Claudia Gray's Lost Stars. Like that novel, Golden leverages these multifaceted characters to create a story with real moral ambiguity and emotional strain. By slowly building tension and shifting the language and perspective of the reader, Golden delivers a novel that's hard to put down.

Let's talk about characters. All too often, imperials are cast as automatons or indifferent killers hungry for power (e.g., Thrawn, Tarkin, and Count Vidian). These villains (or protagonists!) accept that they will commit or permit atrocities, and consider it a necessary part of their path to greatness. Inferno Squad introduces us to a different kind of Imperial. The members of Inferno are true believers in the Imperial cause, but they are neither indifferent nor power hungry (well, maybe a little). These Imperials want to win, but they also want to do the right thing. As readers, we are shown the humanity of these Imperials - their hopes, their fears, their secret guilt. I've seen other reviewers remark on the strangeness of rooting for the Empire, but the reality is that you find yourself rooting for Iden and her squad, not the Empire as a whole.

After letting the reader get acquainted with Inferno Squad, Golden introduces tension by treating the partisans with the same respect and depth she grants Inferno. In a few short chapters, they transform from space terrorists to survivors, families, and lost souls trying to do good in the world. The partisans become characters you care about, and as a reader it becomes difficult to root against them. As stakes increase, the moral complexity and emotional intensity of the story increase exponentially. Questions that would be easy to answer at the beginning of the book (should the murder of children be stopped?) become much more difficult to resolve. When characters are forced to act, the results become powerful story telling.

Aside from excellent writing and plot craftsmanship, Inferno Squad does a good job linking back to the rest of the Star Wars universe. We see strong connections to the Clone Wars, Rogue One, and Beth Revis' Rebel Rising. While I had anticipated a more strategic novel, perhaps like Alexander Freed's Battlefront, I was in no way disappointed by Inferno Squad's excursion.

Inferno Squad is one of the best of the new Star Wars canon novels, and should go on every fan's reading list.

I hate leaving negative reviews, and I almost always rate a book as a 4 or 5 star when I finish it, because it means I enjoyed it enough to complete. I had high hopes for this as Dark Disciple take pre-equsting material and formats it into a snappy, entertaining read. (Also, wort mentioning Battlefront: Twilight Company by Alexander Freed was such a surprise joy.) A lot about Inferno Squad just didn't work for me - a large part of this is the way the Empire is portrayed. Some may love it - and, honestly that makes me happy for them. Some might say this is a "nuanced look into morale ambiguity of...whatever and whatnot." I just did not see it that way. I felt a lot of complex issues where over simplified. At many points the story felt rushed, as if there was a more complicated, psychological book the author had in her - but for some reason or another it never quite manifested. Again - I think some will read this and enjoy these Empire "good guys" who believe the Universe is stronger with order and that the Rebel terrorists have gone too far and need to be eradicated.

However, as I've already said, for me personally, it just didn't mesh up well. Beyond the book, I have a hard time with some of the new Star Wars grey area. Part of me misses the days that the Storm Troopers were (assumed to be) clones, the empire was a ham of a evil organization. I miss the blatant species-ism, I miss the brutality, I miss how easy it was to root for the good guys. (And I know much of that is still there! It's just there a little...less and that is paired with the fact that there are so many stories making up the human faces that make up the Empire. Lost Stars, Elite Squad, Inferno Squad, even characters like Eli from Thrawn.) Like many of you, I like that we are getting more complicated stories and a stronger canon where causality is a touchtone feature - that means that not everything will be my favorite. But the idea of rooting for Inferno Squadron, rooting for parts of the Empire, just didn't fit for me here.

I'm excited to read more from Christie Golden, but I will not be recommending this read.

This is review is pretty much going to get into the weeds of Star Wars fandom, because today I am reviewing Star Wars: Battlefront II: Inferno Squad. This novel is a Star Wars novel, that is also a tie-in with the Battlefront II video game....and I think I already lost a lot of you! But, that's okay. Full disclosure, I have not played any of the second Battlefront game, but I know that the story mode in that game is centered around Iden Versio, who is the heroine of this novel. I believe this book is supposed to take place before that game, and it kinda of sewed the seeds for Iden to eventually question the Empire she loves so dear. Don't quote me on that, because again I don't like FPS games so I haven't actually played it.

I think it's really hard to have a book focused on the Imperials, because we are supposed to hate them and think they are evil. I think it also makes us realize that not everyone in The Empire was straight up evil. A lot of people believed in The Empire because of all the destruction they saw in The Clone Wars. I think a lot of people, Like Iden, really believed that what The Empire was doing would unite the universe. Just because there is an evil dictator behind the scenes, doesn't mean that every Imperial was bad. Although they do make a lot of excuses, so I am not saying the Imperials are not a fault, I just find it interesting to read the stories about the Imperials and why they never question The Empire. There's a scene where Iden is playing along like she is defecting, but in reality she is just going to go undercover. She says publicly about how yeah it was terrible that so many people died on the Death Star, but The Empire blew up an entire planet of innocent people. People that may not have had anything to do with The Rebellion. While at the time Iden doesn't really agree with this, and she thinks The Empire is justified in what they do, I think it really made a lot of Imperial think, "Hey, wait a second, are we the good guys?" I think it also subconsciously sewed doubt into Iden.

I definitely think that Christie Golden "gets" writing Star Wars books. She also wrote a Clone Wars tie-in novel that I loved called Dark Disciple. She understands how to weave all the new "lore" into the books so simply that it just works. I liked that in this novel it enforces the idea that the Death Star creator purposefully sabotaged the project. It has some great references to Rogue One, and it's own tie in novel Rebel Rising. There is also a character in this novel that you might know if you were a fan of The Clone Wars cartoon. As an uber fan of The Star Wars books adding these references made me giddy, but I don't think you miss anything if you haven't read these other things or haven't experienced The Clone Wars. I totally didn't get the reference at first and had to look it up, so it's a hidden gem.

I was really hesitant about doing the audiobook for this one, because I have never really listened to anything the Janina Gavankar has done. She might be familiar to you if you watched The League (she played Shiva, the person, not the trophy) but that was literally the only thing I have ever saw her in. She does the voiceover and motion cap for the Battlefront II game, so it makes complete sense for her to narrate this book. She pretty much IS Iden, so I think that was cool. I was just unsure what her range was going to be like, but color me surprised! I think she did a really good job with all the different characters and different accents. I definitely think I enjoy Star Wars audiobooks more than regular audiobooks because they do use sounds effects and music that I think are more engaging as a listener. I know other audiobook listeners hate this, but I love it!

I will say that because I listened to this on audio, I think I liked it more than if I read this. The plot of the novel is pretty basic and predictable, so some readers might not be all the interested in it. It was pretty clear where this story was going to go, so while I did enjoy this novel there wasn't that much depth to meat of the story. I still think it was a solid book, especially if you are interesting in characters backstory, and I don't think you need to have played the Battlefront games to enjoy this one.

The best lies have a grain of truth in them.

This takes place after ANH and has nothing to do with the first <i>Battlefront</i> novel (and, therefore I assume, game).
And that's okay.
Additionally, it reads less like a game than the first did.

This novel proves that Golden is a great writer, when it comes to OCs. I did not like much of her work in Legends, with already-established characters, and thus am trepidatious towards her now-canonical work. I'm glad I read this though because it is one of the better canon novels.

In fact, this could be a Legends piece of work, aside from a few newer things like planets and a Bespin Breeze. But those could easily be inserted in a One Canon. It's fantastic.

Iden Versio, Gideon Hask, Del Meeko, and Seyn Marana are chosen for a mission that forces them to go after any who remain of Saw Guerra's partisans. They wind up infiltrating a band called the Dreamers.
Some are more extreme than Rebels, hence why they're partisans.
And some, like Staven, have taken Saw's actions to heart and are true extremists.
Staven terrifies me by the end.
Azen fills me with utter rage.

I think it's hilarious that the Imperials once found Saw's Partisans to be a joke, because that's how I feel too.

Seyn is likely my favorite of the Imperials. She's like an Imperial Winter. It makes the book more intriguing.
Dahna is my favorite Partisan.

The undercover mission of double-agent is intense. We see the inner workings of the Partisans and even another aspect of the Empire.
The two groups are much more similar than they initially realize. Than even I realize. The Partisans are certainly not "Rebels" in the Mothma sense.

Jeosyn is an interesting planet.

I love the sub-moral about what beings are willing to do - especially for joy - when they are FREE to do so. When they CAN do it, and aren't forced to. It's beautiful.

The end is emotionally powerful.

Battlefront II: Inferno Squad is written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Christie Golden. This story takes place after the events of A New Hope.

SUMMARY: Inferno Squad is an elite group of imperials who were placed together to weed out "bad eggs" in the Empire. It was all sparked after the discovery, that a scientist was ultimately responsible for creating the very weakness that caused the Death Star to be a vulnerable target. Therefore, the Empire needs to clean house, and that's exactly what Iden Versio and her team will do.

The team is tasked with a new mission, to infiltrate the extremist rebel group, known as the Dreamers. This cell has direct ties to Saw Gererra's Partisan group. With their elite minds, they devise a risky plan to be naturally adopted into the cell. If successful, they will put an end to the rebels and save the lives of the Empire.

CHARACTERS: As always I like to briefly mention a character or two. For this novel, I'll mention three.

Iden Versio, a military child from Vardos, now grown, she's a senior lieutenant in the Empire. She's smart, that's why she holds such high rank and climbing, for a young woman. Iden is loyal and hard edged. She won't hesitate to complete her task.

Gideon Hask, He's an imperial, part of Inferno Squad. He's a good friend of Iden. In the past, they challenged each other to excel, to become the best of the best. Gideon's roll within the the Dreamers is pivotal to their success, instilling doubt within the cell.

Staven, He's a Dreamer, determined to bring drown the Empire. He's aggressive, fueled by the passion of the loved ones lost. His quest for justice against the Empire is cruel and extreme. Is tactics would be seen as vile to both the Rebel Alliance and the Empire.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Wow... this book is a must read. Christie Golden, just knocked it out of the park! The book is a tie in to (as of this review) the upcoming Battlefront II video game. Inferno Squad sets the new bar in Star Wars literature. It's so captivating... so surprising! This novel is Star Wars meets Donnie Brasco, or Star Wars meets The Departed.

Why is this novel so short? I want more, there were some time jumps that could have been fleshed out. The characters were outstanding, the chemistry between them, outstanding. I was so invested in the story and the characters. This novel made my heart race. I haven't stayed up late to read in a long time... I was up past midnight reading this treasure.

Thank you DelRey and Christie Golden for putting this story out. I honestly didn't expect that much. I've learned to tame my expectations with the books. We'd get one good book, followed by some mediocre books, a stinker, and then another decent read. This is top notch! This is top notch! I highly recommend you pick up this book. It'll keep your blood pumping and keep you on the edge of you seat. 

Battlefront II - Inferno Squad sets the new bar in Star Wars literature. Wow! So captivating, so surprising!

Rating: I give this book a 5 of 5

Yesterday the thrilling prequel novel to Battlefront II was released. You don't have to be familiar with the first game or any other novels/comics to read this, just the films (including Rogue One).

NO SPOILERS; After the destruction of the Death Star, the Empire is in disarray and an elite squad of Imperial agents is assembled to prevent any disasters like the Battle of Yavin from happening again. Leading them is Iden Versio, a TIE pilot and daughter of an Imperial admiral, she'll be the main character of the Battlefront II campaign.
This novel is largely centered around Inferno Squad attempting to infiltrate what remains of Saw's Partisans to retrieve extremely sensitive information. The characters are all fleshed out, and the story is entirely told from the Imperial point of view. A clever blend of terrorism, action, espionage, and moral ambiguity amidst galactic conflict makes this novel well worth reading. However there's light torture and acts of extreme terror, but it isn't overly graphic. Golden is a great writer and you can tell she knows her Star Wars.

Do you have to read this to play Battlefront II? No, but undoubtedly it'll help you appreciate the campaign more. This is well worth checking out.

Inferno Squad is not your typical video game tie-in novel. It’s not crammed with action and it doesn’t play out like levels with boss fights at the end. Instead it focuses on characters, relationships and the thin line between the Empire and radical rebel groups like Saw Gerrara’s partisans. This story is the fire that forge’s Inferno Squad, but it’s not the battle many readers will be expecting.

The main character in the story is Iden Versio. She’s a true blood Imperial, a believer of the cause, and a by the book soldier. The novel quickly introduces us to her with the Battle of Yavin and the destruction of the first Death Star. Shortly thereafter, her father, Admiral Versio, puts together Inferno Squad as a means to fight back against the Rebellion, but more importantly, the corruption in the Empire. This was an aspect I was not expecting. Rather than going on commando raids to take out key Rebel targets, Inferno Squad cleans up intelligence leaks and turncoats. Whether it’s a dirty moff threatening high ranking officers with damaging intel or a mole feeding information to a Rebel cell, Inferno Squad gets sent to take care of business. The side effect is that missions typically don’t require a lot of blaster fire.

After a couple missions, the book slows down and focuses on just one. The target is a group called the Dreamers, and they’re the cobbled together remnants of Saw Gerrera’s partisans. Unfortunately none of them are the characters from Rogue One. Instead, these are partisans that were off planet at the time. Inferno Squad’s mission is to infiltrate the group, identify how they are receiving classified Imperial information, and tie-up all the loose ends.

This mission drags on a bit, and if you’re not prepared for it, it’s a real slow burn. But it does have a pay off. Rather than action and suspenseful missions, it focuses on what happens when Imperials go undercover and are forced to bond with Rebel terrorists. On one hand, they find qualities that they like in these people. But burgeoning friendships are curbed by the reality that these people are radicalized killers devoted to their cause. The members of Inferno Squad have to walk that line between true friendship and staying focused on the mission. These people are the enemy. You can’t love the enemy…can you? But beyond that, it also causes the reader to raise questions with just who the people in the Empire are. By making Imperials the main characters, if forces the reader to view them as the heroes of the story. The thin line between the Empire and the partisans is further complicated by the different people on both sides. Some characters are more likable than others, and some are more bloodthirsty than others. Good and bad isn’t parsed out based on sides, but spread around for all to deal with.

The slower nature of the book hurts the story a little. It’s not your typical Star Wars adventure. But it is an interesting story if you give it the time to work. As relationships build up, the dynamics of the situation get volatile, and that’s where the suspense comes in. However, it is a long game and a story that requires a little patience and lots of character bonding. It took a while, but I enjoyed the story overall and I give it a four out of five. It’ll definitely help give you a better idea of who Iden Versio and her squad mates are heading into Star Wars Battlefront II.

This book surprised me - in a good way. I don't play Battlefront, and don't plan on playing Battlefront 2, but I am a Star Wars fan, so I thought I'd give it a try. In addition to not playing Battlefront, I was a little hesitant about this story line knowing the main character was on the side of the empire. I didn't know how I'd feel about a book that made the empire look like the heroes and the rebels looking like the villains. That being said, I was very impressed with how Christie Golden wrote this. It was clear that Iden (sorry if I'm spelling that wrong - I finished the book a few weeks ago and don't have my copy with me right now) truly believed in the empire and fighting for it meant everything to her, but Christie did such a good job of weaving in thoughts of confusion that Iden had when she oberved loving families on the rebel side. I felt sorry for her and admired her at the same time. You get the sense she was deprived of an upbringing with a close loving family and raised to believe the empire is what holds the world together, and so she fights for it with all that she is. She would be an amazing hero if on the side of the rebel alliance! I really liked how Christie showed you what happened, didn't just explain it to you. I felt like I was there with the characters, figuring things out about them as I went along, which added a great richness to the story. I cared about these characters, and was hoping for some of them to decide to switch sides - I won't say if they did or not....you'll have to read the book! I found myself surprised more than once at plot developments, and feeling for Iden and what she was going through, and honestly not knowing what decisions these characters were going to make. This was not a predictable story. This was a surprisingly good book, when you consider it was to introduce the story line of a video game. Even if you don't play Battlefront, I recommend it. Well done, Christie! Thanks for the great story!

This book was SO dull it boggles the mind. I give it 2 stars only because the first 200 pages are so boring and poorly written that when it inevitably became better (but not by much) I almost enjoyed it. This feels like a rushed cash grab that seems to hurt the characters it portrays rather than tell us more about them. Also, while Inferno Squad does deal in ground assault and infiltration, they are primarily TIE Fighter pilots and this book gave us almost zero flying and what was there was really uninspiring. How do you make space combat so boring...
Over all this book falls prey to telling you about things and not showing. An early warning sign of how badly this book errs in this way would be...

Spoilers!

The book opens with Iden Versio surviving the battle of Yavin and escaping the destruction of the first death star. Despite being alone in a TIE fighter with no hyper drive capability and the only planet she can reach is only inhabited by the rebel headquarters, she swears to make it back to Imperial space alive and the first chapter ends. To my horror, the second chapter opens with her father finding out she's alive in a bacta tank on courscant and TELLS us the reader about the exciting sounding sequence of how she crash landed her ship behind enemy lines, killed her way through some rebels wothout raising alarms and stole a ship, against all odds, making it safely back to Imperial Space. Instead of giving us a chapter or two about this harrowing ordeal that could help introduce us to Iden, we're just TOLD she does this stuff and the book moves on. Unforgiveable, especially in a SW book.

The rest of the book is uninspired and pedantic. So many important moments happen off page that it is staggering that this was acceptable to publish. Such potential squandered.

Just got this on Audible, and I’m very, very pleased so far. I love it when novels or stories show a perspective that we don’t get in the films. This starts off right in the middle of the Battle Of Yavin (when the original Death Star was destroyed). The story is mainly from the perspective of the female protagonist, Iden Versio. She is a tie fighter pilot and all around general badass. It fills in some of the details we don’t get in the films because the films are concerned, primarily, with the “good guy’s” perspective. What we get here is the perspective from an Imperial where the Rebels are viewed as terrorists - which one can understand when you take into account what the Rebellion was and did. Anyhow, if you are more than a casual fan of a Starving Wars, you can’t go wrong with this book. I’m only about seven chapters in, but based on what I’ve listened to so far (again, I have it on Audible), you can’t go wrong. Christie Golden is a fantastic writer, and I’ve been a fan of hers since I read her Ravenloft novel Vampire Of The Mists. She knocks it out of the park with Inferno Squad

I have to be honest. The writing was good. The plot was full of holes and nonsensical. The missions made no sense and the plans made illogical. I think the author is talented but I cannot overstate how disappointed I was in this book. Just don't.

VERY good book. Did kind of seem to drag but compensated with some good twists. Showed the dangers of infiltrating and becoming friends with the enemy. Good prelude to the Battlefront 2 game. Would definitely recommend to Star Wars fans.

Not a fan of this one. Just doesn't feel Star Wars to me. Do not like the writing and the main character is just "too good" at what she does and the author tried to make her better than any other Star Wars character. Felt rushed and made no sense in some parts. The audiobook is bad as well the narrator makes every man sound like they are on their death beds or have a huge overbite.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a good follow up to Rogue One, showing the Imperial reaction to the destruction of the Death Star. It introduces new characters, but they are developed well. What I enjoyed about this book is that the Imperial protagonists approach their mission, with loyalty to the Empire. We are used to looking at SW from the rebellion side, so this is a new twist but well done. Christie Golden keeps the tactics consistent with what we would expect from the Empire. This sets many moral quandaries in how both Inferno Squad and their rebel antagonists act in the book. I found this very thought provoking.

The title says it all. I enjoyed the Clone Wars and Rogue One connections and I adored half the characters and despised half of the others. Then switched tallies on which I yearn for and which I now look down upon. Christie Golden wanted this book to have grays everywhere, to challenge the reader at every chapter, and she succeeded in all regards. For every carefully crafted personality that I love to hate there's one that I hate to love.
The double agent spy thriller kept me reading with grandiose suspense and mystery without any desire to keep the book down for long periods of time. It goes down a path of grays, not Dark Side or Light Side, and dispels all previous notions I had forJoseph Campbell's "hero's journey" when considering it came from the Empire's side of "the best of the best".
This novel can be spoiled, but it needs to be perused to believe my previous statements has any credibility. To believe that this fictional galaxy and its organizations that I thought I knew like the back of my hand could shatter all concepts I have on good vs evil that makes up every great Star Wars story - now that's a marvelous, momentous achievement!

This was a fun story focusing on the Imperial Inferno Squad, who were tasked with eliminating the remnant of Saw Gererra's Partisan extremists after the city of Jedha was destroyed. The first half kind of dragged and was almost like a high school drama, but the rest was an exciting story of espionage and how one can come to sympathize with your enemy. There is also a satisfying Easter egg at the end of the story about one of the characters in The Clone Wars TV show.

I enjoyed this book. I beat Battlefront II a few months ago. This book gives a lot more depth to the characters. It also serves as a way to bridge many mediums of Star Wars stories. Events depicted in film, television, and video games are all mixed in this adventure. Iden is easily one of my favorite Imperial characters. I hope more Inferno Squad stories will be told in the coming years.

Overall this is a pretty solid Star Wars book that gives more insight into how the Empire reacted to the attack on Scarif and the destruction of the Death Star. Both the book and video give intrigue into Imperial society, but don't stay with it, and develop it long enough for the reader, eventually retreating back to familiar territory. The middle act slows down quite a bit but the third act is great.

This is a great book! The author does an incredible job of throwing you deep into the universe of Star Wars. Christie Golden allows the reader to go into the mind of a young girl that has grown up with the single purpose of fighting and dying (if necessary) for the Empire. Iden Versio joins the cast of great Star Wars characters with a new outlook on her role in the galaxy. The supporting characters are multi-dimensional and possess unique skills that form this elite Imperial squad as they snuff out the enemies of the Empire!

This book is gripping from the first scene to the very last. It brings a true humanity to both the Imperials and Saw Gerrera's Partisans. If you're looking forward to the video game, you should definitely start with this book!

This book is for all star wars fans who like to see the side of the Empire. Each member of Inferno Squad is interesting and unique. The whole book had me invested in the story. You must read this before you play the game though. This book actually made me love the "bad guys"!

While I originally considered this novel to be an ad for battlefront 2, I was quickly proven wrong as the narrative ended up being completely engaging. Definitely on my top 5 canon novels list. The reason it's not a 5 star is because at times the writing had some odd word choices in it, and there was a couple of lines of unrealistic dialogue. But this was pretty rare and for the most part the writing was solid.

It surprised me in being more directed towards drama and personal development than action (not that they are mutually exclusive). It's definitely one of the the better new canon novels, and continues the mantra of grey-area morality in the Galactic Civil War.

Especially recommended if you are looking forward to the single-player campaign in Battlefront II (2017).

The story is much less intense than the previous Battlefront book. I was excited to learn about the soldiers of Inferno Squadron, but as the book ended I had in fact learned very little. The audio book reading was not well published. There was a real lack of character differentiation and the overall voice acting was sub par compared to similar star wars productions. The story holds up well enough, IMO the real story was withheld for the video game.

This is yet another book on the new Star Wars universe that is just a money grab. Gone are the days when the books actually relate to the universe, have lasting effects, and actually tie into the universe (Heir to the Jedi, The Thrawn Trilogy). Phasma was one of the worst offenders taking place entirely on a backwater world that was written so loosely the only thing that ties it into the Star Wars universe is the title. This book is exactly the same. It's about one mission, on one planet, with one other alien outside of humans. This entire book could be in a completely different sci-fi universe and it would fit in perfectly. The book reads like the author knew nothing about star wars and just took the money and wrote a vague and generic semi-scifi book, used the terms "empire" and "droids" and slapped star wars on the front. Plus calling the rebels "Dreamers"? Come on, enough with the SJW bull. You won't miss anything by skipping this book.

Wish it was longer! I've never been so attached to a novel such as this, and it offers an amazing POV from the Imperial's side. Written and formulated extremely well, Inferno Squad will hype you up for the game's campaign this fall. Last point to say, the novel is not a useless filler as it adds plenty more to the Star Wars lore.

An excellent book that looks into the dealings of one of the Empire's elite teams. Definitely worth a read if you are a star wars fan, you will not be disappointed. I'm looking forward to the next installment and will definitely pick it up.

Interesting and tense character driven story deftly told. The Star Wars universe is alive, apparent, intact, and examined from the other side of the war. Christie Golden is a master storyteller with a gift for "the feels." She does not disappoint.

A masterpiece that takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster ride! Golden paints a complex picture of the Empire, introducing us to the morally ambiguous members of its elite INFERNO SQUAD, and pulls no punches!

I found it convoluted and unreadable. I typically take a crack at every star wars book that comes out. I like Golden's other work but found this to kind of stumble over itself as she had to lay out a storyline inside the framework of another video game story that frankly, isn't that great to begin with.

I wouldn't ever place this at or near the top of the new or old cannon. This is probably only for people that are fiending for the video game to come out.

"Looked forward to it, I'm not even going to finish"
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
I realize that this is a game novel, but I'm betting they're counting on graphics to sell this game instead of the storyline. By chapter 16, I was saying to myself, when is this going to be over? As far as making it a better experience? Rewrite, have an actual plot.

What was most disappointing about Christie Golden’s story?
Very descriptive of female characters, too descriptive. Less about their attire, hair, makeup and relationships. It's Star "Wars", not Star Fashion show.

Would you be willing to try another one of Janina Gavankar’s performances?
Not likely. Marc Thompson and Jonathan Davis have set the bar pretty high. Sorry, but I judge other performances to theirs. She tries, but it's hard to discern from one characters voice to another.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Pure disappointment.

Any additional comments?
Not as bad as wendigs work.

Description claims to take place during the aftermath of Rogue One, which is inaccurate. It starts during the Battle of Yavin during the end of Episode IV. Other than that, it's a rather solid book, thus far.

This novel is a tie in to the new Battlefront 2 game, and it focuses on an Imperial team that was assembled after the destruction of the Death Star called Inferno Squad. The lead of this novel is a loyal Imperial soldier, named Iden Versio, who is the daughter of an Imperial admiral. We learn the usual backstory of some family tension, her parents were not together long. Her mother was artistic, while her father was a traditional military man and she followed in his footsteps. We are given a bit of insight into her background throughout the novel. Unfortunately for me, this was very predictable, with few surprises. While the team was adequately introduced and described, I never felt like I really got to know them. The team was charged with infiltrating a terrorist group loosely connected with Saw Guerra's former resistance group. Saw's tactics had been an ongoing issue with the rebel alliance, since they don't care for the extreme measures taken. The Dreamers group Inferno Squad does infiltrate believes in extreme tactics. There are a number of moral quandaries the team unexpectedly encounters during the mission, including targeted innocents, possible friendships and betrayals on both sides, not to mention who the mysterious mentor is. The mission part of the book dragged a great deal and the introduction of an archeological discovery was a bit much. I had high hopes for this novel and was disappointed by the amount of filler. It took forever to get going and the ending was rather abrupt. This is the second new Canon novel by a female author I've read and I've found both lacking a bit. Jude Watson, who wrote the excellent Jedi Quest series, is far better at characterization and plot, even though they are youth novels. The audiobook was a good production, the narration was good, but the male voices often sounded odd, while the female voices were fine. Accents seem to come and go as well.