Star Wars: The Old Republic Revan Book Review

Star Wars: The Old Republic – Revan

Star Wars: The Old Republic – Revan, was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Drew Karpyshyn. This novel is the third event on the Legends novel timeline. This tale takes place during the Old Republic Era. This also counts as book one in The Old Republic series. It takes place 3,954 years before A New Hope.

SUMMARY

To keep this spoiler free, a lot of information will be left out. Revan, a Jedi Knight, is tormented by a piece of his life he has no recollection of. He begins his investigation, in an attempt to regain his memories. An opportunity arises when Mandalorian soldier Canderous Ordo advises Revan that the Mandalorians are seeking out an important relic to their culture, Mandalor’s Mask. Because Revan has ties to this relic, he believes it may be a piece of the puzzle in regaining his memories. His investigation will also lead him to the dead world of Nathema, where he crosses paths with Sith Lord, Scourge and Darth Nyriss.

The ruler of another faction in the galaxy, the Sith Emperor, is extremely powerful. He had plans to conquer the Republic and rule the entire galaxy, but first he must overcome the pesky obstacles in his path.

CHARACTERS

I’ve selected my two favorite characters to talk about, some plot points are mentioned but I remain spoiler free.

Scourge: The Sith Lord who was summoned by the Sith Emperor, Vitiate, to find and eliminate the root of the assassination attempts on Dark Council member, Darth Nyris. He’s big, prideful, intimidating, and fierce. Yet, he’s also weak… internally he’s not as confident. He hesitates often, second guessing and rethinking either his actions or words.

Revan: A Jedi Knight who’s been through some crazy stuff. He actually fell to the Dark Side once before but was redeemed. He’s confused and tormented by his past, in that he can’t remember it. It’s known across the galaxy how powerful in the force Revan is. He’s focused and humble, yet confident in himself. [He wears an awesome looking mask too]

OVERALL THOUGHTS

This book is fantastic! It’s pretty epic, as well as a tragedy! Drew Karpyshyn basically wrote two stories and tied them together very well. One story following the protagonist, the other following the antagonist. I was surprised that both of the main characters were extremely interesting. The book is a page turner for sure! It’s thrilling and I didn’t think it was predictable. The story was great, I can’t recall anything cheesy or tacky about it. I really like this novel.

My only negative, which also contains a positive, is the lore. Wow, do we get tons of Jedi and Sith Lore! The positive side, it’s so much material that made my imagination run wild, I wanted more and more! The negative, it’s so much material that we won’t get to read about. I enjoy the history, there’s always going to be history, just a bummer when I can’t read the details.

So, do I recommend that you read Star Wars: The Old Republic – Revan? Heck yes!

RATING

I will give this book an A-. The minus because there are so many pieces and questions I want answers to.

Darth Vader: Imperial Machine Comic Book

by Matthew Wilson

DARTH VADER: IMPERIAL MACHINE COMIC BOOK REVIEW

Marvel’s Darth Vader Dark Lord of the Sith: Imperial Machine Vol. 1 was written by Charles Soule. Art was done by Giuseppe Camuncoli. The story kicks off immediately after Revenge of the Sith.

ISSUE 001

SUMMARY: We start in the med bag where Vader rises from the operating table beside newly crowned Emperor Palpatine. After hearing the devastating news of Padmè, Vader lashes out on rage. He destroys the room with the force, even shoving and holding (with force grip) Darth Sidious.

Vader learns his place with the Emperor rather quickly. He is set on the task of finding a lightsaber. That means, he must hunt down a Jedi, kill them, and take the saber for himself. Once acquired, he must bleed the blade.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Pretty cool first issue. Would have been really cool to see the some of the stuff that happened here, on the big screen. I’m excited to see where this comic takes us with Vader.

Only issue I have with he issue, the set. Something is off with the design of the Emperor.

ISSUE 002

SUMMARY: Out in the mid rim, at the Jedi outpost, clone troopers are following orders by taking inventory and packing up Jedi artifacts. Some are complaining that the job is far too tedious. Those thoughts fled when a ship suddenly approached and blasted arc fighters to bits.

Vader was on the search for a Jedi to slay,so he could take his opponents lightsaber. Too bad for Vader, no Jedi were at the Brighthouse outpost, just some clone troopers. So, Vader just kills them all.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: The issue was ok, nothing too cool. Funny seeing how some of the troops were talking about wanting to be the Emperors Royal Guard. They heard rumors that the clones war time was nearly over. I hope we learn more about that in the series, I can’t recall a place in canon that that has been clarified.

ISSUE 003

SUMMARY: Vader has discovered the location of a former Jedi, one who has taken the Barash vow. Master Infil’a, he’s located in the Mid-Rim on the River Moon of Al’doleem. He keeps his mind and skills sharp, meditating and practicing his fighting skills with a training droid.

Vader crash lands his ship after Infil’a launches metallic objects at the spacecraft. Vader leaves the ship to his droid, so he may find and fight the Barash Jedi.

They meet. And what happens next is crazy.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: This issue was intense and crazy. Infil’a is a beast! I like that he’s been keeping his skills up. I’m somewhat surprised by Vader’s incompetence… then again, he just went through a ton of crap and probably hasn’t fully adjusted to his suit and robotic limbs.

This issue takes his series to the next level. Vader has a hefty challenge ahead of him.

ISSUE 004

SUMMARY: After Vader’s assumed defeat, Infil’a goes out of seclusion and into the city where his Jedi starship has been kept in storage. His plan is to seek out Vader’s master and destroy him. As Infil’a waits for tune-ups to be made before he can leave, he senses Vader again. Stunned, he leaves the hanger to find Vader atop a river dam, looking down on the city below.

Round two begins. Vader unleashes his rage, making the dam faulty… and the city drowns.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Dang, Vader’s mechanical skills save him. Love how he makes his comeback. He had no mercy! Didn’t see him killing an entire city’s population, that was shocking. He was successful in obtaining a lightsaber, I really hope we get to see him bleed the blade. I’d rather see something like that in a film, but I’ll take it in a comic!

ISSUE 005

SUMMARY: Vader gets back to his ship and is given the next mission in his quest to the dark side. Return to Mustafar and absorb the darkness and pain. He must twist the force energy within the kyber crystal of his fallen enemies lightsaber…make it bleed. This is how the Sith turn their blade, red.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: This was quick issue with few words. I really enjoyed it. We have Vader doubting his role! He has a vision of what’s to come, depending on the path he chooses. I loved the image when Vader returns to Palpatine and how he handles the Royal Imperial guards.

ISSUE 006

SUMMARY: Darth Vader is in the Med Bay, soaking a bacta tank, when Palpatine tells him he needs to modify his suit to his own liking. Vader does, and is then sent to stop an intruder at the Jedi temple! Turns out this intruder was a set up by Palpatine. An introduction to the Grand Inquisitor. The Inquisitors are another tool of the Sith master, used to hunt and destroy the remaining Jedi.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: I’m guessing Vader’s suit was torn to shreds the first few issues was because the droids that made it didn’t do a good job. With Vader’s tinkering, making improvements, I’m also guessing that’s why we probably won’t see another seriously damaged Vader suit.

I don’t like the Inquisitors. It doesn’t seem traditional or smart for the Sith to create a team of warriors with force sensitivity and skills with a lightsaber. I’d be worried they’d turn on me!

This issue wraps the first arch in the Vader series Imperial Machine.

So do I recommend that you read the Star Wars: Darth Vader – Imperial Machine? Yes. It was pretty awesome seeing what exactly happened after Lord Vader was placed in the black suit.

RATING: I give the Imperial Machine arc an A.

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi Into the Void Book Review

by Matthew Wilson

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi – Into the Void

A Legends Expanded Universe Book Review

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi – Into the Void, was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Tim Lebbon.

This novel is the first event on the Legends novel timeline. This tale begins the first era of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Before the Republic Era. It takes place 25,793 years before A New Hope.

SUMMARY: The Je’daii council on Tython has called upon Ranger Je’daii, Lanoree Brock, to take on a dangerous mission. She’s tasked with hunting down an individual who has intentions of following through on event that could possibly destroy the Tython system. It turns out that this individual is Dalien Brock, her own bother. It comes as a shock to her because, well… he’s supposed to be dead. Now it’s up to Lanoree to find her brother and put an end to his madness, even if she has to make his death a reality. CHARACTERS: The two characters I’d like to talk about are brother and sister, the protagonist and antagonist of the novel. Dalien Brock: He’s angry and irritated at the thought of the force. He’s a dreamer, a star gazer, always looking to the stars and wondering about his people’s past. When he was a child, those around him could see how distant he was from the force. With age brought madness, he wants to go beyond the Tython system, but in a way that puts all life… in danger. Lanoree Brock: She’s a Je’daii Ranger. She’s a bit of an odd one. She calls her ship home, it lacks comfort, which was pointed out by her “partner” on this mission. She loves her brother and doesn’t want to see him on such a dark and destructive path. She can’t help but constantly recall their childhood. OVERALL THOUGHTS: This book was ok. It wasn’t that good but it wasn’t that bad… just ok. I expected something completely different. With a title like Dawn of the Jedi, I was thinking this was going to be the discovery of the force or how the Jedi came to be. I was wrong. It’s just some random detective-like story with stakes that didn’t come across as legitimate. Heck, if the threat was potentially so devastating, why would the Je’daii only send one member to take out the threat? Oh, and take on this sidekick that can’t be trusted… what? So strange. This is ancient times is Star Wars and it didn’t really feel like it. How much had technology changed in the 25,000 years? Since the story is so old, shouldn’t this be more like a fantasy? Maybe like, some religious folk trekking across some planet, discovering the force, or even creating the Jedi order!? The chemistry between some of the characters was decent, like our antagonist and protagonist. But Tre Sana, Lanoree’s partner (for some reason) was strange and wasn’t very consistent with his personality. I enjoyed the flashbacks (there’s a lot… half the book), but the structure of the story can be confusing. Do I recommend you pick Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void? Not really. This novel took place 25,000+ years before A New Hope, but it does that ancient. RATING: Moving forward I have abandoned my previous rating scale of 1 to 5. Now, I’ll be rating by the old school grading scale, A through F. I give this book a D. It had some good things, but the stakes didn’t seem legit. Not a great novel to kick off the Legends timeline.

Phasma Comic Book Review

by Matthew Wilson

CAPTAIN PHASMA COMIC BOOK REVIEW

The Marvel Phasma Trade Paperback takes place after The Force Awakens. The writer was Kelly Thompson, Letters by VC’s Clayton Cowles, and the artist was Marco Checchetto.

PART I

SUMMARY: With only six minutes remaining until Starkiller Base is fully charged, Captain Phasma breaks free of the garbage shoot she was tossed in to. She heads strait to a computer terminal and deletes the data records of her betrayal, the evidence that she was the one who lowered the defensive shields.

She does a quick search to see if anyone had possibly seen that she was the one responsible… Phasma finds that Lieutenant Sol Rivas had logged into the system.

Phasma begins her hunt for Rivas, as she actually begins an eye witness record of the final events of Starkiller Base.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Wow I have lost all respect for Phasma. I never really had any for her in the first place. She’s a rough character with a crazy past. She’ll do anything to get ahead… to win. I don’t know why I’m so shocked by her cowardice and outright betrayal of the first order. She’s actually falsifying the records to clear her as the subject who lowered the defensive shield.

The art in this book is very nice. It’s cool seeing the Starkiller Base destruction in a comic. I also like how the comic starts where we end the First Orders appearance in The Force Awakens. In the film we just saw the Resistance.

PART II

SUMMARY: Phasma escapes Starkiller Base with TIE-pilot TN-3465. His ship had issues and can’t fire. A BB unit is on board, it was attempting to repair the ship before Phasma ordered the take off. They follow Sol Rivas to the planet, Luprora.

Once there, Phasma finds that Rivas has left his TIE. There’s evidence in her tracking that there was a scuffle involving Rivas. She will not assume he’s dead. She needs to see his lifeless body.

There are natives on the planet. Phasma and TN-3465 find an empty hut with clothing. And change, to disguise themselves. They meet with the natives and learn about them and learn that there are dangerous creatures called the R’ora… they may have taken Lieutenant Rivas.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Phasma was pretty lucky TN-3465 had some issues with her TIE-Fighter, otherwise she would have been doomed on Starkiller Base. This issue wasn’t that great. I understand and like the idea that Captain Phasma needs to take out the Lieutenant, but when we get into the whole giant monster thing… it gets lame.

The people think Phasma was sent by the gods to help them… Not a fan of this issue, now Phasma is to become a monster slayer?

PART III

SUMMARY: In this issue, Captain Phasma and TN-3465 abandon their undercover garb and put their First Order uniforms back on. They are taken to a ship that was used by the natives a long time ago, a ship that got them to the planet Luprora. She comes up with a plan to turn the ship into a weapon against the giant sea monsters, who are an obstacle in her way of reaching Rivas.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Don’t like it. Don’t like how this is going. Why would giant sea monsters want Rivas? Neat that they used the ship as an electrical weapon to kill the monsters. There was a weird flashback/memory form Phasma, seemed out of character, especially when she calls her pilot Siv. Siv was a character from the Phasma novel. The story is getting weird, and the timeframe is a bit confusing too.

PART IV

SUMMARY: So the giant monsters are dead, but now there are several smaller ones. A fight ensues and the people of Luprora join in. Phasma and TN-3645 leave the fight and search for Lieutenant Rivas. They find him in a tower, held as a prisoner. Phasma faces him alone, and tries to get him to confess to the crime, she committed. Phasma kills him, and ties up all the loose ends. She leaves Luprora alone, leaving the natives to die by the hands of the R’ora

OVERALL THOUGHTS: this issue was better. I think it got back to who Phasma was… a selfish jerk. It makes her a good villain really, one that you just can’t get behind. This issue, the overall all story, stays true to the character of Captain Phasma. Although I didn’t enjoy half of the overall comic series, the last issue made me forgive the midsole part… kind of.

Do I recommend that you read the Star Wars: Captain Phasma Comic series? No.

RATING: I give the Captain Phasma Comic series a C-.

Star Wars: On The Front Lines

by Matthew Wilson

Star Wars: On The Front Lines

Star Wars: On The Front Lines was written by Daniel Wallace. It was published by Titan Books. This reference book acts as history book, exploring the most essential battles in the galaxy. From the front lines of war at the battle of Naboo, to the the vast wastelands of Jakku we get a neat summary of what exactly happened. The book gets into the details; what caused the conflict? where did the battle take place? who was there? We even get eye witness accounts from opposing sides, giving their take on the battle. The art within is neatly done. We get visuals on the weaponry used, the soldiers armor, and a look at the key players in each conflict. This is a cool book to keep around when you want to look back at the battles in Star Wars. A nice reference book to dive directly into what happened and why it happened. Do I recommend you pick up Star Wars: On The Front Lines? Yes. Especially if you’re a collector.

Kong Skull Island Novelization Review

by Matthew Wilson

Kong: Skull Island

A Novelization Review

Kong Skull Island, a novelization review! The novelization was written by Tim Lebbon, the film was directed by Jordan Roberts.

SUMMARY: Bill Randel, an agent with Monarch, has reason to believe that an uncharted island in the Pacific is the key to proving his hollow earth theory. He also believes this Island is a hot-spot for incredible lifeforms to exist. Randel manages to persuade his military contact to gather a team of soldiers who just finished their fight in Vietnam, to assist in his exploration of Skull Island. A few other select individuals are brought on the team such as an British special forces guy and a photographer.

Once the team reaches the island, plans and lives quickly fall apart. Kong, a giant gorilla, tramples the uninvited guests in his territory. We follow the team, now on the run for their lives, desperately trying to reach the extraction zone.

CHARACTERS: I’d like to mention two characters. We do see them in the film quite a bit. However, we don’t actually get to know them due to the films poor character development. That’s where this book shines, the development of characters.

Bill Randel: In his youth, he was bullied and ridiculed for his wild and crazy theories. Even as an adult he’s looked at as a weirdo: the earth, hollow… it does sound crazy. Randel gets the opportunity to prove his theory as fact as he’s approved to go on the mission of a lifetime. Though he is thrilled in the results of his finds, he’s heart broken by all the lives lost on his mission.

James Conrad: Conrad was sought out for his impressive tracking/survivalist skills. He’s a former English special forces soldier who remains haunted by a failed mission from his past.. He likes to make a solid plan, not act on assumptions or make rash decisions. Conrad is definitely someone you’d want on your team.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed reading this novelization. It dove deep into characters and told a great story. In the film there’s a lot missing. The book fills in a lot of gaps and explores much more.

This book is better than the film. The only thing you can’t get in the book is the awesome visual effects. It’s too bad really, that the film didn’t go as deep into everything like the novelization.

I’ve heard that a film may be on the horizon, staring Kong and Godzilla! I haven’t read the novelization of Godzilla yet, but I’d like too. Most importantly, I hope the Kong/Godzilla story is as rich as this novelization.

Do I recommend you read Kong: Skull Island? Yes! Read this book before watching or rewatching the film.

RATING: I give this book a 3.5 of 5

Thanks for checking out the Kong Skull Island Novelization Review!