by Matthew Wilson
Star Wars: Maul – Lockdown Book Review
Star Wars: Maul – Lockdown is written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Joe Schreiber. This novel is the sixteenth event on the Legends novel timeline. The tale takes place during the Rise of the Empire Era. It takes place 33 years before A New Hope.
SUMMARY
Darth Sidious sends his apprentice Darth Maul, to the prison colony, Cog Hive Seven. In this facility, prisoners are forced to fight each other, largely for gambling purposes. Maul is to seek out an individual known as Iram Radique, a dangerous and mysterious arms dealer, who somehow manages to run his crime ring behind bars.
Maul is given a false identity, a mercenary called Jagganath. He is to find this secretive individual, who no one really knows, and secure a nuclear device to place in the hands of a terrorist organization. The only other order Maul has from Darth Sidious, is to not use the force whatsoever.
Can Maul conquer the enemies placed before him? Will he find Radique? Will he get the weapon? Will he manage without the force? Darth Maul has quite the burden to bear.
CHARACTERS
While there are a ton of characters in this book, I’m only going to talk about one.
Darth Maul: He’s ferocious yet controlled. He’s a superior warrior and tested to the limit, he pretty much doesn’t have one. He is forbidden to use the force and he does a great job without it. I can’t imagine what damage he could do if he was allowed to use it. He’s focused and confident.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
This book is dark and gritty. Like I said about Maul, he’s ferocious and controlled, which is what I hoped he would be. I liked the surprise appearance of Sidious and a certain someone who I won’t mention. Joe Schreiber brings in some gory moments, which is expected in a Schreiber book, he does it so well. The book could be categorized as a horror/thriller.
Honestly, I thought the book was kind of boring. It drags a bit and was a little repetitive. Even though the book felt really long and never ending, I was left irritated with the climax and abrupt ending. I think this story could have wrapped up a little better.
The concept of Cog Hive Seven was pretty neat though. Pitting the prisoners against each other in a gladiatorial fashion was cool.
So, do I recommend that you read Star Wars: Darth Maul – Lockdownt? Well, if you are someone who wants to explore Darth Maul as a character, yes. If you could care less about Darth Maul, no.
RATING
I will give this book a C. It was somewhat repetitive and felt like it took forever to get through.
by Matthew Wilson
Star Wars: Death Troopers, was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Joe Schreiber
This novel is the forty-first event on the Legends novel timeline. This tale takes place during the Rise of the Empire Era. It takes place one year before A New Hope.
SUMMARY: The Purge, an imperial prison barge in route to a detention moon loses engine power. Unlucky for them, they are right next to the imperial Star Destroyer, Vector. The Destroyer’s tractor beam keeps a tight grip on to the prison barge. The crew of the Purge have trouble contacting anyone aboard the Destroyer. After running a bio-scan, they discover only a handful of survivors are on the ship.
A team sets out to investigate and find parts on the Vector, but return with a hacking cough that escalates rapidly into much worse symptoms. Until death consumes them and then… reawaken. Only a handful seem to be immune to the spreading sickness.
In this haunting tale of zombies in space, we follow a few inmates, two young brothers and their father. They fight for survival among other inmates, and zombies.
CHARACTERS: There were just a few characters in the novel, a nice surprise character as well, but I won’t spoil that for you.
Zahara Cody: She’s the doctor aboard the Purge. She’s fed up with her job and is ready to end her service to the Empire. She’s strong willed and determined. I’d say most importantly, she’s trustworthy and intelligent. If I found myself in a space horror, I’d want her on my team.
Trig Longo: He’s just a boy, an inmate along with his brother and father. This kid isn’t annoying. He’s smart because he listens, doesn’t whine or argue. He’s frustrated but he’s curious, which makes since. He’s a kid and they like to learn the hard way.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I absolutely loved this book! It’s a terrifying horror story and it’s Star Wars! The book was surprisingly extremely gruesome and gory! It’s like the show Walking Dead meets Star Wars. A haunting read for sure.
The characters were all written so very well. The surprise character was spot on. The best part was that I didn’t even see it coming when this character was revealed. Joe Schreiber told a great story with a creepy backdrop. Everything was set up really well. Descriptions were detailed, the words became a bloody painted picture in my brain.
Do I recommend you pick up Star Wars Death Troopers? I sure do! It would be great to start reading this around Halloween!
RATING: I give this book a B+ While it was awesome, there was still a little cheese… what horror story doesn’t?
by Matthew Wilson
World of Warcraft: The Last Guardian was written by Jeff Grubb.
SUMMARY: Long ago, Azeroth was protected from outside forces by the Guardian of Tirisfal. The guardian was a mage, keeping watch over the world, insuring that the burning legion (demonic forces), could do no harm. Sargeras, the dark titan, leader of the Burning Legion, is unrelenting in his campaign to rule the worlds in the universe. After his successful takeover of Draenor in the previous novel, Rise of the Horde, he turns to Azeroth in an attempt to capture it. Throughout Azeroth, Orc numbers have been rising, villages pillaged, farms destroyed, and people slaughtered. The portal used to link Azeroth to Draenor remains undiscovered by warriors of the Stormwind kingdom, they’re busy defending themselves.
An organization known as the Kirin Tor, an order of mages, users of magic, have been deteriorating as the rise in demonic forces have crept over the land.
The Guardian of Tirisfal has always been hesitant to take on an apprentice, until Kahdgar comes to his door.
CHARACTERS: In the world of Azeroth we are met with many new characters, but I haven chosen two to talk about.
Kahdgar: He’s a young man who wields mage powers learned from the Kirin Tor. He is sent to the Guardian with hopes of becoming an apprentice. He’s patient, yet desperate for knowledge. Kahdgar is eager to see visions of either the past or the future within the Guardians tower. He’s a fast learner and skilled at problem solving.
Medivh: He’s the Guardian of Tirisfal, the most powerful mage in all of Azeroth. This power was inherited by his mother Aegwynn, who held on to the roll of Guardian for an extremely unnaturally long time. Medivh is strict, but can also have a sense of humor. He is very mysterious, as he would often disappear from his tower at random and would reappear at his leisure. His odd and inconsistent behavior is confusing for the young Kahdgar.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this novel, but I have to be honest… it’s not the greatest. The story was fantastic and the plot was executed well. Dialogue wasn’t so smooth. I found story beats getting a little rough towards the last half of the book when the character Garona was introduced. She is half orc and half human, sent to spy and gather info on the Guardian for the orcs. The banter between Garona and Kahdgar was not organic.
A lot of the same words were used within a sentence or paragraph, it made some of the story sound cheaper (if that makes any sense?) a thesaurus would have come in handy for sure. These hiccups with the writing didn’t take away from the story, just the way it was hashed out. Had the book gone through another editor or another set of eyes, I think some of these issues would have been fixed.
Do I recommend that you read World of Warcraft: The Last Guardian? Yes, a great continuation of the Warcraft story from Rise of the Horde
RATING: I will give this novel a B.
by Matthew Wilson
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Black Spire was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Delilah S. Dawson. She also wrote the novel, Phasma. Galaxy’s Edge – Black Spire is a tie-in novel to Disney’s Star Wars theme park, Galaxy’s Edge. Delilah S Dawson tells a wonderful adventure story that takes hope to the furthest reaches of the galaxy.
SUMMARY: This tale takes place after the events of The Last Jedi. After the resistance suffered a terrible blow when the First Order reduced their numbers in a cat and mouse chase, through hyperspace. The small fleet desperately needs to increase its headcount along with a place to set up camp.
General Leia calls on Resistance spy Vi Moradi, who recently, just barely escaped with her life, along with a dying First Order Captain, from the clutches of the First Order. Moradi is to head to the planet Batuu, on the furthest reaches of known space, to set up a resistance base and recruit Resistance soldiers. She won’t go alone on this mission, her new partner is her former foe… Archex, formally known as Captain Cardinal.
Follow Resistance spy, Vi Moradi, as she goes on a wild escapade to find hope a home in the furthest reaches of the galaxy.
The mission falls flat when Moradi’s ship crashes on Batuu, on the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost. While Vi and Archex are unconscious and their droid wrecked to bits, their ship is raided and all their goods, including their long-range communication equipment, is stolen. Now Vi Moradi has to figure out a way to get back their lost supplies, recruit to her cause, and contact General Leia.
Oh… and figure out a way to work with the local gangster and fight against the First Order!
CHARACTER: From a line up of new characters and a few familiar, I’m mentioning two… slightly familiar.
Vi Moradi: Vi is a horrible spy. She wears a jacket with the resistance logo, and has her hair dyed with blue… when you’re a spy, you should blend in to your surroundings, don’t have logos on or near you. She talks too much, telling people she just meets that her mission is to recruit folks to the resistance She’s reckless, careless in fact. However, she’s put into a rough situation and manages to pull through.
Archex: He’s a wounded warrior, on the mend from a life-threatening poison. He’s seen, first hand, how the First Order can be. After the crash landing on Batuu, Archex feels helpless and he can’t stand it. The toll on his battle with Phasma has done serious permanent damage to his body. He can hardly do any physical activity for the resistance, which makes him feel more like a burden than a contributor. He’s loyalty to the Resistance is unclear, making it difficult to trust him.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: Delilah S. Dawson delivers a fun, action-packed, high-stakes adventure! In my overall review section, I give my honest opinion. This novel is mostly easy to read, but for me, there are a few parts that I feel drag a little. Yet, the plot is simple, making the adventure feel like an enjoyable classic.
I had a hard time taking Vi Moradi serious. Her sarcasm at odd times and cockiness was a little much. If she’s one of the best in the Resistance, then yeah, the Resistance is in serious trouble. I didn’t like how this spy was so outspoken and flamboyant about who she was and what she was doing on the planet. Most of the other characters in the story were well written. Archex/Captain Cardinal was an interesting choice of character to bring back. I don’t know if bringing him back (pretty much from the dead) was really necessary. However, Archex does have a pretty cool moment in the book that might make you pump your fist in the air.
The dialogue isn’t too bad. Sometimes I think the sprinkled sarcasm from Vi Moradi (as mentioned before) was off putting. The Batuuan cultural greetings are a nice touch, making Batuu feel like a real place.
Dawson’s writing style in this novel was pretty straight forward, telling a linear story without cutting to past events. The book is good advertisement for Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge theme park, and it does fit in nicely with the overall Star Wars story, progressing events forward. Some of the writing was a little choppy, making the final climax come off like an 80’s or 90’s action movie. It was quick wrap up to a story that could have been a little shorter to build up to the final climax. Meaning, two opposing sides somehow knowingly expecting an event at specific time.A few story points felt a little repetitive, some events being too similar to each other multiple times… cut have cut some of that out.
There are a few teases and call backs that raise a few questions and stir excitement. Overall the book was pretty good despite the few dull and overly exaggerated moments.
Do I recommend that you read Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Black Spire by Delilah S. Dawson? Sure, especially if you have plans to visit Galaxy’s
RATING: I give this book B.
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by Matthew Wilson
Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town Novel Review
Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town was written by Adam Christopher. This novel bounces between a prequel era, long before events of the show, and moments just before season three.
SUMMARY: In this Stranger Things novel we get a glimpse at the relationship between Eleven and James Hopper. It takes place between the events of Season two and three. Eleven wants to know more about Hopper and his past as the duo is snowed in to their cabin. The novel flashes back to the 70s when Hopper was a homicide detective in NYC. A possible serial killer is prowling the streets. Hopper and his parter begin their investigation until it’s taken away by the FBI.
The story explodes with historical knowledge of our beloved Sheriff, of Hawkins Indiana. In this story you’ll witness how Hopper was involved in uncovering a sinister plot by a cult, who may… or may not summon the devil himself.
CHARACTER: Out of the few characters to talk about, I chose to briefly discuss the most important, James Hopper. He was a Family man, who really loved his wife and daughter. He’s also a Vietnam veteran. His choice to move to NYC from his hometown of Hawkins Indiana, was motivated by his desire for action. Once he came home from Vietnam, small town Hawkins just wasn’t “exciting” enough.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this novel. It was captivating and really held my attention. It’s a thrilling and suspenseful tale of crime. Its a great backstory piece for Hopper, it’s story points and details don’t lean on the events that happen on the Netflix series, and that’s great. Dialogue was good, and all the characters were written well.
Do I recommend that you read Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town? Well, if you like Stranger Things, yes. If you don’t like Stranger Things, I still think you’d enjoy it, it’s a great crime novel.
RATING: I will give this book a B+
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