Aaron Allston
A master of military sci-fi and game worlds, he gave Star Wars its most lovable squadron of misfit pilots.
1960–2014 (age 54)·American science fiction writer and game designer·Birthday: December 8·Baby Boomers
Biography
Aaron Allston’s career was a bridge between the tabletop and the bookshelf. He cut his teeth in the 1980s designing intricate worlds for role-playing games, most notably helping to shape the Dungeons & Dragons setting of Mystara with a focus on political intrigue that felt refreshingly adult. This knack for ensemble casts and tactical detail perfectly prepared him for his leap into the Star Wars universe. While many authors focused on Jedi and Skywalkers, Allston found his niche with the pilots of Wraith Squadron, a band of talented rejects and specialists. His novels, like 'Wraith Squadron' and 'Starfighters of Adumar,' were celebrated for their sharp wit, complex characters, and the genuine camaraderie of soldiers under pressure. He brought a wry, human touch to a galaxy far, far away, influencing a generation of Expanded Universe storytelling until his death in 2014. His legacy is one of clever world-building and characters who felt like friends.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Aaron was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aaron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Aaron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2014Died at 54
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Co-designed key parts of the Dungeons & Dragons game world Mystara, emphasizing political realms.
- Authored the popular 'Wraith Squadron' series within the Star Wars X-Wing novels, creating a beloved cast of misfit pilots.
- Wrote two pivotal novels in the massive Star Wars: New Jedi Order series, 'Rebel Dream' and 'Rebel Stand.'
- His game design work included supplements for Champions and other RPGs, known for their detailed settings.
Did You Know?
Before his writing career, he worked as a typesetter and technical writer.
He was a frequent and popular guest at science fiction and gaming conventions.
The character Garik 'Face' Loran in his Wraith Squadron books is a former child actor, showcasing Allston's love for unusual backgrounds.
He wrote a novelization for the video game 'Wing Commander: Prophecy.'
“I try to write the sort of book I’d like to read.”
