Horror has come to the Star Wars universe!!  Granted during the Original Trilogy era ordinary citizens are supposed to be scared of the big bad Empire.  But what happens when the Empire creates something even more frightening?   

Death Troopers doesn’t start with a bang or a huge lightsaber duel.  It starts off by introducing us to fear in the Star Wars universe.  An era where hope is hard to find and every day seems bleak.  Joe Schreiber shows us why the Empire is feared across the galaxy and he shows us that the galaxy at large isn’t even safe for children.

Kale and Trig Longo are prisoners aboard the prison barge Purge.  Their life is hard and dangerous.  They try to follow in their father’s footsteps and make deals with other prisoners to make money.  Kale and Trig’s lives are about to be completely overturned in a nefarious Imperial plot.

Dr. Cody Zahara is an Imperial doctor who treats the prisoners on Purge.  Most of them are trying to buy time to stay out of their cells.  Dr. Zahara takes care of the prisoners very well, enough that the other Imperials believes she is sweet on them.  Dr. Zahara doesn’t fit in with her Imperial counterparts, she’s too compassionate, too caring.  Completely unprepared for the upcoming events.

Jareth Sartoris is the captain of the guard for the Purge and he is Imperial through and through.  No compassion, no regard for any life beyond his own, and a cold blooded murderer.  Satoris will be tested beyond his expectations.

Han Solo and Chewbacca.  We all know Han and Chewie and so does Joe Schreiber.  Perfectly portrayed in a daring swashbucling type role that was crafted for these two characters all the way back in theaters in 1977.

Death Troopers brings all these characters together and throws them into a nightmare.  Each character finds out that there is no safety net in the galaxy.  No hidden door that will make everything normal again.  What they will find is a unique Imperial project called Blackwing.  A project that creates an almost perfect soldier for the Empire.  If you don’t mind fighting amongst the dead.  Zombies have invaded the Star Wars universe and Joe Schreiber fits them in perfectly.

The zombies are sometimes nameless villians.  Sometimes they are characters that our band of survivors know and that’s when things get interesting for them.  A father returns from the dead.  A gangster returns to torment Trig once again.  Stormtroopers with broken and battered armor rush our heroes with wanton abandon. 

Death Troopers hits on all the right notes.  You’re scared when you should be scared.  You’re relieved when the heroes are relieved.  But for me this book did something else.  It created the Blackwing Project.  From the very outset it intrigued me.  Did Vader order its creation?  The Emperor?  An ambitious Imperial bio-weapon that I really hope continues to be used and explored within the Star Wars universe.

For me Death Troopers delivered.  Joe Schreiber has a great handle on my favorite galaxy far far away and I eagerly await his next Star Wars horror novel.