The Bookwyrm's Review of Star Dragon 13 by Michael Ender

Author: Michael Ender
 
Publisher: Self Published, Available through Amazon
 
Release Date: January 15, 2017

Length : 33 pages  


In a future where humanity has reached the stars, but is ruled by a totalitarian government, The Legions have to fight the war with their alien neighbors, a helium breathing race who are interested in the same real estate.

 On an explration mission, when Star Dragon 13 and her fellow fighter ships are deployed, an enemy battleship appears out of nowhere, and their mother ship leaves and the other 12 Star Dragons are destroyed. The captain of 13, a stealth Prototype, Commits suicide per SOP, anthough he doesnt destroy the ship as he should have with his suicide by explosive. This leaves 1st officer Adrianna Archa in charge of the 4 person crew. She tags the location of  the Battleship and they remain in stealth mode. 

What follows is a harrowing journey trying to determine what really happened, and what their mission really was. You find that Adrianna was sold to the Legion by her family, and that is not uncommon. They must make decisions that could lead to their death either way, either by enemy action or by Legion Command if they failed to understand their mission properly. The story ends with some wild action,  a battle for the battleship using the unique technology of their prototype Star Dragon and heading back to the Legion for either a medal or a firing squad. 

The story had lots of twists in its short length, and did a good job of fleshing out the various characters. The author did an admirable job of creating a fleshed out universe in this short a story, and I hope to see a full length novel based on these characters soon, since I think it is an engaging universe that has lots more stories left in it.