This epic trilogy was the first glimpse fans got of the state of the galaxy after the fall of the Emperor. Aftermath focuses on Temmin Wexley, his Rebel mother Nora, his demented battle droid Mister Bones, bounty hunter Jas Emari, soldier Jom Barrell, and intelligence officer Sinjir Rath Velus. The crew defends the Wexleys' home planet of Akiva from Imperial invasion, assists Han and Chewie in the liberation of Kashyyyk, and deals the Empire its final blow at the decisive Battle of Jakku. The series brings in fan-favorite Admiral Rae Sloane as she seeks to uncover the identity and agenda of the mysterious Imperial leader Gallius Rax, whose less-than-forthcoming scheming might leave the Empire—if not the entire galaxy—in danger.
The best thing about Aftermath is that Wendig establishes an all-new cast of characters—you don't have to have read any other Star Wars books in order to dive in! Wendig writes in a 3rd-person-present writing style that can be jarring if you're used to the Legends-style of Star Wars writing, but is rewarding in making the events of his books seem more urgent and immediate. If book 1 isn't quite doing it for you, keep going into Life Debt—absolutely one of the very best Star Wars books ever written as it brings Han and Chewie into the action as Temmin's crew fights for the liberation of Kashyyyk. Finally, the series culminates in a truly epic finale with Empire's End, which depicts the galaxy-altering Battle of Jakku!
Aftermath is a great series to tackle if you're looking for more of the Canon story after Return of the Jedi, setting the stage for the Sequel Trilogy.
It's wonderful from a character-driven storytelling perspective; Wendig develops delightfully diverse and entertaining characters. From a female Zabrak bounty hunter with trust issues, to a former Imperial interrogator who's developed an over dependence on Correlian whiskey after the brutal things he's done, to the war-hardened Nora Wexley who's just trying to be a good mom and can't help but try to save the galaxy, Wendig excels in his character creation. On top of that, he knocks it out of the park when he takes a turn with the legacy characters like Han, Chewie, Leia, and Mon Mothma.
It's a series that'll make you both make you laugh and bite your nails like no other. Finally, Aftermath might be for you if you're craving a lengthy trilogy to get invested into, which has been a rarity in Canon.
