Star Wars: The Approaching Storm was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Alan Dean Foster. This novel is set during the Rise of the Empire Era, taking place just before Attack of the Clones, 22 years before A New Hope.
SUMMARY
The world of Anison is at a crossroads. They must chose to remain with the Republic, or fall out to join the growing Separatist movement. If Anison does leave the Republic, many other worlds would be influenced by this action and follow suit. The Jedi Council has sent two teams of Jedi to attempt to keep the leadership of Anison happy, and to win them over in order to keep them from leaving the Republic.
With the arrival of the Jedi, the Separatists hire Soergg the Hutt to interfere with the Jedi mission of keeping the peace. Will the Jedi succeed in keeping Anison with the Republic or will the Republic continue to crumble with the loss of not just Anison… but many other worlds?
OVERALL THOUGHTS
I believe this book started off strong. Foster did a great job bringing in our heroes and giving us some good action moments. However, the story did become a bit of a chore to get through. The story certainly had it’s good moments and was a great concept. Yet, the execution of the story is rather dull and the story drags out so much! The novel could have easily been 100-150 pages less. I feel that a lot of the story was filler material, just fluff to meet a page or word count.
Our main characters are met with obstacle after ridiculous obstacle. We meet several locals on Anison, some were decent, while others were just far too silly to be taken serious.
The villains in the book are pretty dull. The situation/temptation of Anison leaving the Republic is far more interesting than the villains. At one point, Barriss is taken by two of the villainous natives, they are absolutely dumb. How she managed to be taken by these two idiots… is beyond me. However, she is able to open up their minds and cleanse them of their stupidity. They had a bit of a reawakening you could say. I didn’t mind this, because I just couldn’t handle the stupidity of these guys.
The dialogue between the characters is mostly good. I’ve never been a fan of the way many authors make natives or lower intelligent life forms speak so silly, with that typical caveman talk (Me no like you, you dumb dumb). However, the communication between the Jedi is more natural. I found the following quote from Luminara to be a really good line of dialogue when speaking to her padawan. Not only does it apply to just Star Wars or a Lightsaber, but in the real world with real weapons or threats:
“Anyone can handle a weapon. Reason is much more difficult to wield. Remember that, the next time you’re tempted to settle an argument with a lightsaber.”
Luminara and Barriss worked well as a team. They are good Jedi, but they did need saving often by Kenobi and Anakin. It was nice seeing how other Jedi and padawn view not just the relationship between Kenobi and Anakin, as they are a bit of an unusual duo; but how they see Anakin. Anakin has so much potential, but he’s cocky and is always questioning everything. The moments between Barriss and Anakin are all wonderful as well.
So, do I recommend that you read The Approaching Storm? Well, it’s certainly not the best story, but to get an idea on how others view Anakin and Kenobi, yes, read it.
Whisper Down the Lane was written by Clay McLeod Chapman. The book is published by Quirk Books (thanks for sending a copy for review).
Click to watch the review!
SUMMARY: It was the early 80’s, when a criminal case opened the floodgates of paranoia for both parents and children. A young boy, Sean, was pressured by his mother, police, and a physiatrist to spill his guts about the dark things that happened in his classroom. He draws disturbing images of the events and tells of satanic rituals that took place during class. The confession altered the lives of many individuals.
This novel will blow your socks off!
In 2013, a man named Richard believes his past is better off behind him and forgotten. Not a soul he comes in contact with knows of the horrible things he’d been a part of. However, history has a tendency to repeat itself. Events unravel in Richard’s small town; familiar, unwanted memories rise up to haunt him. These events, if they rise up out of the shadows and into the light, will alter Richards life in the worst possible fashion.
CHARACTERS: With this story, I’m only going to mention one character, Richard. Richard is an art teacher at an elementary school. It seems he’s living his best life now; newly married, soon to be an adoptive father, and he has a great job. Richard is a good guy, full of love and dreams. When distant memories swell up within him, his grasp on reality gets fuzzy, and his sanity starts to slip away.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: This book… is intense! While reading this book, I felt physically ill, I felt anger, I had goosebumps, I felt paranoia, and I felt joy! Chapman absolutely blew me away with this story from beginning to end. The story alternates between two timelines, 1983 & 2013. It’s extremely easy to follow.
The characters, setting, and descriptions are written so well. the author did a fantastic job with the characters thoughts, expressing the hopes, fears and everything else going on the characters head, was very clear; making the characters feel like real people. The dialogue is great, the actions and reactions of the characters are organic, nothing felt forced or cheesy.
The setting was described perfectly. I feel like I’ve been to the town described in the book. Now that I’m a father of three kids, the things that happen in this book are an all new layer of horror. The book raised my anxiety, I legitimately felt horrified by this story. The end of the book just about blew my socks off, it’s soooo good! I can’t wait to see what Chapman has in store for his next book.
The book does have some legitimate life lessons:
Tell the Truth
Don’t force a narrative
Don’t forget the past
Kindness goes a long way
Do I recommend you purchase Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman? I most certainly do!
RATING: I give this novel an A+, I was very pleased with this intense horror novel!
Casino Royale, the first James Bond novel was written by Ian Fleming
SUMMARY: A high stakes game will be played at the Casino Royale in France. Le Chiffre, the financial paymaster of a USSR intelligence organization has been mishandling the agency’s funds. He sought to build his own wealth by investing the organizations money on brothels… which failed. He’s desperate to pull out of debt and clean up his mistakes, by gambling at the Casino Royale. If Le Chiffre fails, he knows the organization he works for, Smersh, will kill him.
The Secret Intelligence Service of a England has sent a double O agent, James Bond, (a good gambler) to face off against Le Chiffre. The goal is to have the enemy lose at the tables. With this victory, the funds of Smersh will be limited, and in turn they will kill off Le Chiffre.
Does Bond pull off a win at the Casino? Will Le Chiffre uncover Bonds identity?
CHARACTERS: With this first book 007 book, I’m going to mention James Bond and Le Chiffre.
James Boned: He’s 007, a double O agent of the SIS, Secret Intelligence Service of England. He takes his job very seriously, it’s a mater of life or death in the occupation as spy. He’s a splendid gambler. He takes risks, unintentionally he lets his guard down, making him vulnerable. He’s a heavy smoker and a womanizer. He is Bond, James Bond.
Le Chiffre: The financial paymaster of a French workman’s union, controlled by a Russian organization known as Smersh. He’s a crumby man with a wild lifestyle. He isn’t in the the best of shape, when it comes to both finances and health. He’s got two loyal body guards and evil side to him.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I was absolutely thrilled with Casino Royale. I never really thought I’d read a James Bond novel, but some friends of mine are always raving about the spy 007. My first exposure to James Bond was the Nintendo 64 game, Goldeneye. I absolutely loved it. I still consider one of the best games ever made. In 2020, I watched the first film, Dr. No, and enjoyed it. So, I picked up Casino Royale and read it in just a few days.
Ian Fleming wrote a fantastic story. At first, I was thinking… how is this book going to be interesting at all? I don’t know anything about gambling, I’ve never really explored spy type books… Yet, I was glued to the pages! I gasped at a few parts, smiled and even sat bolt upright. The tension throughout the book was high. It held my attention and kept the pages turning.
James Bond went through a lot in this story, (the guy smokes nonstop, at one point it says he lit his 70th cigarette of the day). I believe through his ignorance he learned quite a bit about life and how the line between good and evil could shift from hard edged to blurry. The organizations set up are fascinating as well. The villains were vile and written so very well. Smersh, a Russian organization that hunts down traitors and loose ends, is cold and brutal. Some interaction with the group was handled perfectly in the story. This book was a loads of fun to read!
Star Wars: Victory’s Price was written by New York Times Best Selling Author, Alexander Freed. It was published by Del Rey.
Victory’s Price concludes the Alphabet Squadron trilogy.
SUMMARY: After the events that took place in the Cerberon System, the New Republic has the 204th Imperial Unit Shadow Wing mostly on the run playing defense. Between each run in, the 204th strikes its judgment on select Imperial holdouts in the galaxy. Operation Cinder phase II, has begun. The New Republic, specifically the group lead by General Syndulla, is to put an end to the 204th. The mission gets tricky, as it appears there is a mole within Syndulla’s New Republic ship, as well as one within the 204th!
Victory’s Price is a fast paced nail-biting conclusion to the Alphabet Squadron trilogy.
Many twists and turns entangle the opposing sides, all the way up to the epic, final battle of the Republic and the Empire – over the sands of Jakku.
CHARACTERS: The cast of characters is great, I’m only picking two to discuss.
Wyl Lark: He’s been commanding the squadron, and he’s still homesick. He doesn’t have the fight in him anymore. He want’s the war to end and just go home already. His relationship with his unit is on the rocks, but they still have a bond that holds them together, even by the weakest thread. Whyl is the one character that actually made me feel anger and bitter. Alexander Freed’s writing is just too good.
Kairos: She’s always been the odd one, the mysterious female with something going on internally. She’s unique, the mystery continues with Kairos. She’s a hunter, which makes her an excellent tracker.
The desperation for victory or death drives the plot!
Yrica Quell: All I’ll say in this review, is that she surprised me.
Chass Na Chadic: She’s a wild one, after her wild adventure in the Cerberon system, she’s left scarred and emotionally on edge. She’s a bad A, with an attitude, and shows no fear of anyone or anything. She’s my favorite character in this trilogy.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I liked this book. It was mostly everything I was hoping it would be. The last time we saw these characters, they were all put in really tough and surprising situations. That element continues as many of the cast goes through extreme changes and adjustments. By the time the story concludes, I found some of the character arcs satisfying, while some were left open or just a tad too awkward.
Alexander Freed’s writing is outstanding. The novel feels more than just sci-fi/fantasy – it feels real. From the dialogue to the descriptions, every moment was fleshed out nicely. The way Freed creates characters and what he puts them through is just incredible. The war has changed people, there’s no easy walk in the park for anyone, the hero’s suffer. The desperation for victory or death drives the plot!
The book read quickly, not one moment did I feel I was wasting my precious time or drift off from boredom. I was glued to the pages all the way to end! The only negative I have to say, is there is one moment in the end that feels like a “check the box, gotta include that thing” in the story, it came across unnatural and as an afterthought. However, Overall – Victory’s Price is a fast paced nail-biting conclusion to the Alphabet Squadron trilogy. Freed’s brilliance and storytelling ability is just, next level.
Star Wars: Into the Dark was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Claudia Gray. This is the first YA novel within for the High Republic Era.
SUMMARY: Jedi apprentice Reath Silas is to report to his master on the Starlight Beacon, to work out in the outer rim frontier. He has no interest in such a thing, he’d rather stay on Coruscant and work in the archives. As he and a few other Jedi hitch a ride on hired ship, the vessel, they have to pull out of hyperspace as a galactic emergency unfolds.
An old space station is nearby, the vessel makes its way to the space station, along with a few other ships in the area. They will have to stay there until hyperspace is once again safe to travel. While in the station, a darkness is discovered. The Jedi take it upon themselves to remove the darkness, but with a strange twist, the actions taken lead to a new disorderly Jedi, an odd discovery, and frustration.
CHARACTERS: I’m picking two random characters to talk about.
Cohmac Vitas – He’s a Jedi Master, long ago he went on a mission that didn’t go as plan. The mishaps of that mission have a long lasting effect on him. He also has a hard time with the rules of the Jedi Order. The training the Jedi receive to have a lack of emotion and attachment, make him angry.
Affie Hollow – She works for the Byne guild, on board the ship called, the vessel. She lost her parents a long time ago, but was taken in by the leader of the guild. So, some day, Affie would take control of the guild. She finds something unusual on the space station which leads to the discover of shady business going on within the guild.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: This book, was actually pretty disappointing. Every single time I open a Star Wars book, I have high hopes and expect excellent storytelling. I really want to enjoy the book I’m spending all my time on. Claudia Gray normally tells fantastic stories in Star Wars, sadly, this is the exception.
Reading Into the Dark was a chore! The magic of Gray’s storytelling was absent. The characters were bland, the villains were awful (as in unintentionally comical), and the story was absolutely boring. There was a secondary story being told in the book about a past mission by a few of the main characters. It was pointless and a waste of ink. Many parts of the story seem to just skip around details. Descriptions were lacking, but for the most part, dialogue wasn’t too bad.
The High Republic main villains are the Nihil. This book does have the Nihil, which come across as an afterthought without any sort of intimidation or disturbing factor. The other villains in the book, the Drengir, look creepy if you’ve seen the art. They are dumb in this story. If you’ve seen the film/musical of Little Shop of Horrors… you’ve seen the villains. (Yes, the plant villains speak basic.)
Many aspects of the story had potential had they been altered slightly. The twist that unfolds was disappointing and frustrating.
RATING: I give Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark an F. I did not expect this to happen with a Claudia Gray book… I’m sad.
Do I recommend you pick up and read Star Wars: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray? To get the bigger picture on what’s taking place throughout the galaxy during the High Republic, yes. If it your just slightly interested in this era, no.
