Star Wars Canon Book Reviews Archives - Page 12 of 13

Star Wars: Aftermath Life Debt Book Review

SPOILER FREE

Aftermath – Life Debt is the 10th novel released in Star Wars canon. It’s the second installment of the Aftermath trilogy and was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Chuck Wendig

Summary: We have a rag tag team of characters that we were introduced to in the first book. The soldier, the pilot, bounty hunter, the imperial, and a droid sidekick. This team works for the New Republic, combing the galaxy for high ranking officials of the empire. Though the Empire suffered a major blow from what we witnessed in Return of the Jedi and read about in the first Aftermath installment, they haven’t completely fallen yet. This team is also tasked with an important mission, to find the missing Han Solo. Han Solo and Chewbacca both went missing on their quest to liberate Kashyyyk from the empires grip.

While the Empire is struggling for control of not just the galaxy but control within itself, Admiral Sloane is on a personal mission to uncover the true identity of the man calling all the shots throughout “her” Empire.

Characters: Only a few new characters are introduced including the high ranking antagonist, Gallius Rax. He somewhat interesting, manipulates those around him to his will. Some may speculate he may actually be Supreme Leader Snoke, I think not. The main characters such as Norra Wexley and SInjir, are okay, I still don’t care about these characters. The pet droid, Bones, hate him! “Roger roger.” Han Solo and Leia, written poorly… too whiney and absent of the voice have in other books and especially the films. I’d say he did a bad job with Mon Mothma, but because we don’t have her much in the films, we don’t know who the character really is, nothing to compare to… so that said, I don’t like Mon Mothma. Not the way she was written, but just as a character in general.

Overall Review: Alright, I hated Aftermath. My expectations were too high for the book. So upon the release of Aftermath Life Debt, I lowered them greatly and accepted the story being told. This book wasn’t my favorite. It wasn’t horrible either. I didn’t connect with the characters of the New Republic, I found Rax and Sloane interesting – I think it’s because Wendig did a better job writing the Empire, the New Republic coverage was tiring. The book has a lot of sexual content, still odd to have in what’s supposed to be a family friendly story. I lost count of how many characters pinched their brow. The writing style is still not my thing, there were a lot of predictable and convenient moments. The end of the book was indeed the best book, not because it was over! But because that’s when it got really interesting. I can’t believe I’m going to say it, but I’m looking forward to January’s release of Aftermath: Empire’s End.

Rating: I give this book a 2.5 out 5

Star Wars: Bloodline Book Review

by Matthew Wilson

SPOILER FREE

Bloodline is the 9th “adult” novel released in the new Star Wars canon. It was written by New York Times Best-Selling Author, Claudia Gray.

After reading Lost Stars, which Claudia Grey also wrote… I really looked forward to this book, and that day has finally arrived!

Summary: This story takes plaice nearly two decades after return of the Jedi. The New Republic is finding itself divided. Two factions have formed, the Centrists – who believe the galactic government should be stronger and have a more powerful military throughout the galaxy. Then there is the Populists, who believe individual planets should retain authority over their own. So we basically have big government ideology versus small government. The book is loaded with politics that change the course of the galaxy.

Leia is getting tired of the banter in the senate, she’d like to retire… that is until the senate is approached with a seemingly serious problem. In the absence of the Empire, a criminal organization is flexing its muscle in the galaxy. You may or may not remember, in the Aftermath novel by Chuck Wendig, Mon Mothma pretty much demilitarized the New Republic. So… not such a good idea Mon. Leia shoves aside her retirement dreams and steps up to investigate the problem. In the senate, during this distraction, a motion is made to create a definitive leader of the New Republic, called the First Senator.

Characters: Claudia Gray does an excellent job introducing us to several new characters and expands slightly on some of the newer worlds. One character with a fascinating backstory and arch is Ransolm Casterfo. Ransolm is a young Centrist who is fascinated by the fallen Empire, he understands why things went wrong, but the idea of what could have been possible, fuels his political aspirations. Leia, a Populist, has never been written better! She’s older, wiser, and a born leader. Another great character would be Greer Sonnel, Leia’s pilot.

Overall Review: Gray was able give me goosebumps on several occasions with this book. There are moments when something was brought up that we had already known about from the previous films. However, the emotion expressed within and from a different perspective, makes it seem likes it’s the first time we hear about it! Like I mentioned in the summary, the book is political and I know some folks would turn their nose at that. You don’t want to do that… this is the type of Star Wars I like to read, there are consequences to be paid in full by the actions of the senate. Here’s a negative – the action came off a little weak and rushed. Some issues weren’t so much predictable, but a little too convenient. Yet, the book is loaded with story, with character, emotion, and the direction brings us closer to The Force Awakens than any other book has. Star Wars Bloodline gets two thumbs up from me.

Rating: I give this book a 4 out of 5

Star Wars: Battlefront Twilight Company Book Review

by Matthew Wilson

SPOILER FREE

Star Wars Battlefront: Twilight Company is the seventh novel released in the new offical canon. It’s written by Alexander Freed, who’s written many short stories including Star Wars: The Old Republic, Blood of the Empire. Battlefront: Twilight Company is Mr. Freed’s first novel. This tale takes place after A New Hope and during The Empire Strikes Back era.

Summary: We gear up and delve into the wars of Star Wars! in this tale we follow Twilight Company on its campaign through the wins and the loses, taking on the Empire at every corner in the galaxy. An imperial governor surrenders to Twilight Company, with means to defect from the Empire. Now, with her knowledge, she helps lead the Company on a mission to cripple the Empire. However, trust isn’t an easy thing to come by when the enemy is now giving orders.

Characters: We step away from our familiar characters in this book, and it’s truly a breath of fresh air. Our main characters, even the side characters, are written extremely well. Each given a personality you won’t forget. I say it’s a garanntee you’ll find one of the characters to relate to. I don’t want to explain anything about them because they each have their arch that’s worth reading. Namir, Gadren, and Roach are a few of my favorites.

Overall Review: Alexander Freed’s first novel is outstanding! A real gem in the new canon. Now, I’m not a big gamer but I’ve heard Battlefront game wasn’t the best, I’m pretty certain if the game had a campaign mode based on this book, you’d have the game of the year! I have my fingers crossed we get more Battlefront stories and that we definitely get more writing from Alexander Freed!

I give this book a 5 out of 5

Star Wars: Lost Stars Book Review

by Matthew Wilson

SPOILER FREE

Lost Stars is the first Young Adult novel released in the new Star Wars canon. It was written by New York Times Best-Selling Author, Claudia Gray.

After reading Lost Stars… I’m really looking forward to Claudia Gray’s next book!

Summary: Lost Stars starts off with our two main characters, Therin and Ciena as eight year old children. They watch as the Empire makes its first appearance on Jelucan to declare the planet as part of the Galactic Empire. Tarkin’s inspiring speech gives hope to the poor and security for the wealthy. The children are in awe and hope that one day they may serve the great Empire, as pilots.

Over the years our main characters become best friends, they study and practice flying together, preparing for the day they’ll have a shot at applying for the Imperial Academy. The day comes when Therin and Ciena are welcomed into the Empire, and through those years, their friendship goes through trials but the love they have for each other, flourishes.

The events unfolding in A New Hope have now crossed into Lost Stars. We celebrated with the rebellion when the Death Star blew up, now we get to see the affects the destruction has caused through different eyes. One character eventually sees the “true” colors of the Empire, and must get as far away from it as possible. While the other character, must stay true to their honor. They can no longer be with each other, but it doesn’t mean they can’t love each other.

Characters: Claudia Gray does an excellent job introducing us to two new characters and a planet we’ve never heard of. Both Therin and Ciena are from this new planet, Jelucan. Jelucan is a beautiful world with grey skies, valleys, and a mountainous terrain – reminiscent of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Our lead male character, Therin, comes from a wealthy family that lives in the mountains. Our female lead, Ciena, is from a poor family that lives in the Valley. We have plenty of side characters, written just as well as our leads, everyone in this book feels like a real individual.

Overall Review: Lost Stars is now my favorite Star Wars book. Although the original trilogy ties into the tale, it works perfect. The dialogue is great; it doesn’t fall flat at any time. The love story works, it feels organic and it’s not a total cheesefest. Plenty of other Star Wars books in the new canon and in Legends have love stories, Lost Stars gets it right. The book begins before the events of A New Hope and by the end of it; we’re on our journey to The Force Awakens.

Rating: I give this book a 5 out of 5

Star Wars: Aftermath Book Review

by Matthew Wilson

SPOILER FREE

Star Wars Aftermath, the sixth book released in the new Star Wars Canon. Aftermath is written by Author Chuck Wendig. The story takes place after the battle of Endor and the destruction of the second Death Star. Spoiler alert, this book does not follow our core characters. What happens to Luke, Han, Leia, and Lando? Only one of these names gets dropped in this tale and the usage is very lame.

Summary: Aftermath, Although the emperor and his right hand man Vader are dead, the Empire is still with us, though they have been scattered to the outer rim. We discover this as our favorite rebel pilot Wedge Antilles stumbles across a few Star Destroyers outside the planet, Akiva. The New Republic is quickly established. Chuck Wendig doesn’t go into detail at all about the formation of the Republic other than the fact that Mon Mothma is acting as Chancellor. She wants to cut the military by 90% because she doesn’t like war. Yet, the war isn’t over, right there in the prelude it reads …the war is just beginning.

The remaining top dogs of the empire have set up a meeting on the planet to discuss the future of the Empire. Right off the bat things get shaky, Wedge is captured by the imperials, therefore the search begins and the introduction of a few new characters.

Characters: Nora Wexley is a rebel pilot suffering PTSD. She was actually flying inside the second Death Star as it was exploding. She comes home to Akiva, to her son, Temmin Wexley. Temmin is a bit of a stubborn brat, who’s pissed at his mother for abandoning him to his lesbian aunts, who unfortunately, couldn’t raise him. Yes, Nora left her son to join the rebel alliance. Temmin has a pet/friend droid that just so happens to be a B-1 Battle Droid… yes… those annoying droids from the Clone Wars. (Roger Roger). Well, the boy is in trouble by some local gangster, Surat.

We meet Jas, a bounty hunter. She attempts to collect her bounty, an imperial officer, and discovers that in fact several officers have come together in one location. Well, she runs into some bad luck. Eventually, she gets caught up with Surat.

We meet Sinjir, a former imperial loyalty officer. He’s hopping bars drawing himself in liquor. He wants to get off Akiva, so he seeks out a pilot. Well, long story short, he also gets caught up with Surat.

Eventually they escape the grasp of Surat and meet with Nora. They decide to work together as a team and help Jas take out the imperial targets. It gets a little messy and strange, the plan devised by Nora and the bounty hunter is disrupted and the imperials flee with our hero’s held captive. But! the New Republic comes to the rescue.

Overall Review: The present tense writing style isn’t good for a tale that takes place “A long time ago” in a galaxy far far away. There are interludes every few chapters, a short story about something else going on in the galaxy. It’s a distraction from the boring story he’s trying to tell. The diversity in the book comes off forced, it doesn’t read natural at all. Chuck Wendig just wants to let us know that there are plenty of gays in the Star Wars universe. One weird thing, Wendig substitutes the “F word” with “frag.” In this book, there was absolutely nothing at stake.

I give this book a 1 out of 5

Star Wars: Dark Disciple Book Review

by Matthew Wilson

SPOILER FREE

Star Wars Dark Disciple, the fifth book released in the new Star Wars canon. Dark Disciple is written by New York Times Bestselling Author Christie Golden. This tale takes place after Attack of the Clones and during the Clone Wars. Dark Disciple starts off nice; the first chapter is well written and is indeed a page tuner… then the rest of the book follows. Minor Spoilers (not the ending) are below. The Clone Wars is an era in Star Wars that I could care less about. I was hoping this book would make me enjoy a small part of the era.

Summary: In this book, Count Dooku is doing what he does, which is cause problems. Many beings die because of him as he trudges through the galaxy with his battle droids. Well, the Jedi council, instead of getting a good number of Jedi to seek him out and put him down… select one Jedi in secret (Quinlan Vos), to somehow team up with Asajj Ventress and assassinate Dooku.

The Review of Characters and Story: We have multiple encounters with the Jedi Council so I’d like to start off with the most outspoken members. The voice of Yoda is hard to capture, from the little amount of Filoni’s television series I have seen, Yoda’s voice was done incorrectly. It is way too choppy and irritating, so it was disappointing that Golden does a fine job of imitating Filoni’s Yoda… it just doesn’t work, it isn’t Yoda. The other council member worth mentioning is Mace Windu. Windu, basically comes off pissed the entire book. He’s the short tempered, irrational thinker of the council, although he’s the only one in this book that seems to “get it.” Kenobi… I’ll get to Kenobi a bit later. Quinlan Vos, a fun loving Jedi that visits 1313 in Coruscant, which is the shady underworld of the planet. He meets up with the infamous young bounty hunter Boba Fett… and that took me out of the book for a moment. Of course it would be Boba Fett, he’s like 1 of 12 bounty hunters in the galaxy. He needed help seeking Ventress and eventually finds out where she is. (By chapter 12 I realized that Vos is an alcoholic, this guy is throwing back drinks all the time!) When Vos meets up with Ventress, there are a few subtle and unnecessary sexual references that didn’t need to be there. Ventress comes off as this hard edged scoundrel that works alone, she takes nothing from nobody… but she evolves into a whole other character really fast. This is one of those minor spoilers: Ventress must train Vos in the ways of the dark side because it’s apparently the only way Dooku can be defeated. There are some fantastic moments in this book for sure, but the story just makes no since to me. Why does it take someone steeped in the dark side of the force to take down Dooku? Why is Dooku so powerful? Why won’t the Jedi just hunt him down and get rid of him instead of sending in two force users to assassinate him? When there is confrontation between Vos and Dooku, why do we have to hear the same old material that should be left alone to the films!? Dooku says “Join me!” and Vos echoes Luke Skywalker with, “I’ll never join you!” In this little duel, Ventress is distracted with a little dual of her own and when she makes her way back to where she needs to be, discovers that Vos has been captured. Boba Fett and his gang of familiar Bounty Hunters make another appearance, this time assisting Ventress on a rescue mission to get Vos back from the Count. This whole chapter was a waste of my time. Once again, I don’t understand why Dooku is made out to be this unstoppable force. The more I read in the book the more I disliked it, and beyond that, it makes me dislike Filoni and the irritating Clone Wars series! ANAKIN DOESN’T HAVE AN APPRENTICE!

Bigger Spoiler Alert HERE: Vos slips… no, he falls to the Dark Side. Ventress discovered this when she went to the rescue. She becomes depressed and talks with Kenobi about what’s happened. In turn, Kenobi reports the devastating news alongside Ventress to the Jedi Council. The Council appreciating Ventress’s humbleness to come forward, and in exchange for helping retrieve Vos, her slate will be wiped clean of all offenses in her past. It’s interesting that a force user can drift between light and dark and have a clean slate if they come back to the light. What about all those lives they had ended in the past? No punishment.

Kenobi: Kenobi has his own little section here because this is the most odd and disappointing character in the book. This portrayal of Kenobi is by far the worst written I’ve ever read. I can’t tell you how he acts in the Clone Wars television series, but in this book he is oblivious and childish. Kenobi is the biggest liberal on paper. In his eyes, a dark force user is not guilty of the heinous murders and various other crimes they’ve committed; they are in fact… victims themselves. Shut… Up… Kenobi argued each time execution was ordered by the council for Vos and Dooku, when did he argue with Yoda when he was sent to execute Anakin Skywalker?!?!?! He didn’t, because he isn’t a coward or a baby. According to this book, if Kenobi was ordered to execute Hitler, he would refuse. Back to the Story Review: It’s amazing how many times a lightsaber blade was held just inches away from an enemy’s neck. Dooku could have been killed a number of times in this book. Toward the end of Dark Disciple, I wanted to give up; I can’t stress enough about how annoyed I am with the writing of these characters, especially Kenobi. There is so much with Ventress and Vos that was good and there was so much that was outright nonsense. The last chapter in my opinion was cheesy, laughable, and ridiculous.

That’s my review for Star Wars Dark Disciple by Christie Golden. I give this book 2 out of 5

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