The Krytos Trap is the third book in the X-wing series, and my favorite of Michael A. Stackpole's entries into the series. The New Republic rejoice over taking Coruscant, but mourn the loss of Corran Horn, believed to have died in its taking. But the troubles of the New Republic are far from over as many of the nonhumans on Coruscant come down with the Krytos virus, a gift from the planet's last ruler, Ysanne Isard. This and the controversial trial of Tycho Celchu, believed guilty of treason by some and innocent by others, including Rogue Squadron, threaten to tear the fragile New Republic apart. Not helping matters is Kirtan Loor, who has been targeting bacta centers and sowing terror and confusion with every operation he conducts. And lets not forget Corran Horn, who is far from dead but a prisoner in the notorious Lusankya...
Unlike the previous two X-wing books, this one is more drama than action. Instead of concentrating on superb dogfights or covert operations, this book seems to center more on the characters themselves. Not to say that the dogfighting is nonexistent or that there are no action scenes, but they are now just a part of the story instead of being the major focus. Instead of having those things being the only things more or less happening in the book, however, more time is devoted to other things, such as defining parameters of a fledgling government and fighting a war against disease and terror (a much more difficult war, if you ask me). Some of the battles waged in this book are not physical in nature, but psychological. All factors that make it my favorite Stackpole X-wing novel.
For the remainder of this review, I want to look at three different aspects: Tycho's trial, Corran's time on the Lusankya, and Corran's discovery in the closed off Jedi Museum. I also wish to examine Kirtan Loor. Although plenty of other things happened in this book, these elements are what come to mind when I think of this book.
I admit right now that I have not read all of the Bantam Star Wars books, but to my knowledge, Tycho's trial is the only example of an actual trial in the entire line. I found all of the proceedings interesting, not only the actual calling of witnesses, but also what goes on behind the scenes. I realize that there are movies and television shows in which we get to see these very things, but it is not often that science fiction takes the time to show a trial in this much depth. It also helps to illustrate the New Republic, as the trial is very closely connected with politics and the status of the new government.
Another thing I enjoyed about this trial is how we get to see both sides here. It would have been so easy just to show it from Nawara's view, or to make Halla Ettyk an attorney only out to fry the defendant because it would further her career. Instead, she is portrayed as someone who would like to win, but is willing to lose as long as justice has truly been done. By doing this, the reader can not only like her, but find it easier to see the other side, the side where Tycho is guilty and must not be allowed to escape justice.
And then there is a place where justice will never be done. This is the very place Corran spends much of the book. Unlike Corran, when I read the first few scenes where Isard has him in the TIE simulator pitted against X-wings, I figured she was trying to turn him to her side. What she was doing here was the first step in a process designed to turn him into someone willing to shoot down his own friends. It was somewhat freaky reading the descriptions of Isard's ministrations to him, which consists of pretty much any scene he is in until she dumps him into the prison.
After reading this section a few times, I came away from it with a slightly different reaction than I had had originally. It's a reaction that some might be raising their eyebrows at, and it's probably going to reveal my ignorance on the subject, but I can't help having it anyway. Everytime I read this section, I think, "Okay, she didn't turn him after the first two times of throwing him into this simulation. But surely she could have done it had she tried harder and used a different approach?"
As I revealed above, I don't know a lot on this subject. I actually even tried to research this somewhat, but maybe I'm not looking in the right places because I couldn't find much on it. I know that Stackpole does know a few things on this. But I can't help looking at Ysanne Isard's history. This woman has a reputation for manufacturing agents that work only for her, regardless of their original loyalties. She is well versed in narco-interrogation, torture, and brainwashing techniques. One could conclude that she is an expert in this field. But yet, judging from all the people that are languishing in the prison complex itself, her failure rate is higher than we are originally led to believe.
Is this because she really isn't as good as her reputation claims she is? Or is it because that, despite her best efforts, these men are truly capable of resisting her? I'm sure it's intended to be taken as the latter, but a part of me wonders if she is really as good as she claims to be. It seems she didn't put that much effort into turning Corran, giving up after only two attempts. Instead of simply being able to applaud Tycho, Corran, and the others in the Lusankya complex for persevering despite overwhelming odds, I instead am left with the impression that Isard's reputation may be somewhat overexaggerated and/or she didn't put a lot of effort into turning people. It's almost like if it isn't easy right away to turn a person, she just automatically throws them into the prison.
This, however, is the only real nitpick I have with the entire book. I don't have a problem with the rest of the Corran/Isard scenes, and the prison escape was intriguing and well-thought out. I never guessed the Lusankya was a Super Star Destroyer with reversed gravity in part of it, or that it was under Coruscant (yes, I was almost as shocked as Wedge when it burst up out of the ground). And this leads me to my favorite part of the entire book.
This was the moment I had been waiting for. Corran finally discovers his heritage! I had been eagerly anticipating it because I'd known he was Force-sensitive before I started reading the series. I'd read the blurb on the back of I, Jedi, thought it sounded intriguing, but then realized I should read the X-wing books first so I would know more about the main character in I, Jedi. I kind of wish now I could have first read the series without knowing a thing about Corran, just to see if the revelation would have been a surprise or if I would've been able to pick up all the hints in the series and guessed he might be Force-sensitive.
The first few times I read this book, I was merely excited at this point, but now when I read it, I find how Corran reacts to this discovery just as interesting as the actual revelation itself. Here he is, in the Jedi Museum, when he discovers the exact same medallion he himself owns, only with its eyes gouged out. He accidentally triggers a hologram to play, revealing the identity of the man in the medallion, then turns into a static hologram of the man with a boy that is said to be his apprentice.
This is the beginning of what I find fascinating about the entire rest of the book when it comes to Corran and his heritage. At first, he says the boy is his father and starts adding up the evidence to support the fact that his father might have undergone Jedi training as a child, including how he came to be in possession of his medallion. Then, all of a sudden, he does an abrupt 180 and denies that the boy is his father. Even later, when Luke comes to him and tells him that Nejaa Halcyon is his grandfather, Corran does everything in his power to deny it.
Yes, some of this is logical. He grew up believing that his grandfather was Rostek Horn, a man he loves and respects. Anyone would have problems believing that what he had grown up believing was completely wrong. But think about it. For about thirty seconds or so, he is absolutely positive that the boy in the holo is his father. There is no doubt in his mind. He even can see hints of himself in this boy. He starts to piece things together from his childhood and what he knows of his father to support how it could be his father in that holo. Then, within the next minute or so, he convinces himself that he had to have looked at it wrong, that the boy is not his father. He can't get the hologram to play again, and then he gets distracted from thinking about it due to his encounter with the stormtroopers, but even after that and before talking with Luke, we get the impression he has not thought on it again. He has apparently made up his mind that the boy was not his father, and that is that. We are given no indication that he is even thinking about it anymore, let alone planning to investigate it.
Then there is the scene before this when he is hiding in the cabinets and uses the Force to convince the stormtrooper that the cabinet is empty. He knows there is no way the stormtrooper could have missed him, but is able to rationalize why this occured. Nothing wrong with this at the time, but not once does this scene come back to his mind after seeing a boy he believes for at least a few seconds is his father as a Jedi apprentice. If it were me, I'd at least have to wonder about it, but for some reason he doesn't. Certain conclusions about Corran's psyche can be drawn from the .
Corran Horn has been fascinating since his first appearance, but it is Kirtan Loor that becomes interesting in The Krytos Trap. Loor has developed somewhat in the last two books, but it is in here that we really get to know the character. Kirtan Loor puts a different face on evil than we have seen yet in the X-wing series. Before, evil has always been blatantly obvious and overt, with examples such as planetary destruction, plagues designed to annihilate entire species, torture, and just being downright cruel. I think the most revealing aspect of his character is revealed in a discussion he has with Fliry Vorru, and what happens after the discussion.
At one point, Fliry Vorru wants Loor to blow up a school. Loor wants to know why. Loor balks upon finding out there is no military or political reason for the target, but that Vorru wants the school taken out simply to create terror and cause problems for the NR. We are then taken into Loor's thoughts about this. He knows that hitting a school full of innocent children is wrong, and feels uncomfortable at the reasons Vorru wants to annihilate the school. Whether Loor realizes it or not, this is a turning point for him. If he is truly against destroying the school, this is the point he should have asked the NR for sanctuary. Instead, he agrees to Vorru's demands and only seeks sanctuary when it benefits Loor personally. If Kirtan Loor had not fully crossed the line before, he truly and irrevocably does so here.
It is scenes and characterizations like these that make this my favorite Stackpole X-wing book. The Krytos Trap may not have all the exciting dogfights and action sequences that are featured in its predecessors, but in my mind these are more than made up for with a greater focus on drama and characterization. This statement, however, is subjective. I personally happen to prefer books that put a greater emphasis on these two elements than on straight action/adventure, although I don't mind action/adventure. Overall, those who are reading the series strictly for the view from an X-wing cockpit might be somewhat disappointed, but anyone who already likes the characters from the first two books and/or likes a little more drama than action in their science fiction should like The Krytos Trap.
Reviewed October 7, 2001 by Kelly M. Grosskreutz.
Back to the Book Reviews page.