Saturday, March 19, 2011

STAR WARS: Death Troopers

Title: Star Wars: Death Troopers
Author: Joe Schreiber
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: October 2010
Genre: Science Fiction/Horror
Pages: 304

Okay, so we have already established that I am a bit of a Star Wars fan. When the book line for Star Wars started I was like a kid in a candy store. But after a while, I became disillusioned with the series. I guess the saying is true, "Too much of a good thing is bad....."

Then in October of last year, I noticed a new Star Wars book out. On the cover was chains with hooks on the end. On one of the hooks was a Stormtrooper helmet, with the hook through the eye and blood on the helmet. Someone has finally brought horror to the Star Wars universe. Not the darkness that is known for the dark side of the force, but actual out and out horror, and in this case in the form of zombies.

The Imperial prison barge, Purge, filled with five hundred prisoners of the Empire is adrift in space. For some unknown reason, their engines have failed. Hope comes in the form of an abandoned Star Destroyer. The captain of the prison barge brings two teams of soldiers and engineers aboard the destroyer to look for parts to fix their engines. Along with the parts, the boarding team brings back a deadly virus that kills all but six on board the Purge. The six remaining survivors think the worst is behind them. That is until the dead start walking, and they are very very hungry.

Now it may seem that zombies are being over done, and in some respects I might just agree with you. But in this case, it works, and works well, especially when how the zombies came to be is explained. The explanation that is given is something you can actually see happening in the near future, which amps up the horror factor that much more. Throw in two well known heroes from the Star Wars universe and you get a book that grabs you by the throat and squeezes until the very last page.

4 out of 5 stars for predictability and shortness
Re-readable factor of 3 out of 5

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