Just Read: Star Wars: Catalyst (A Rogue One Novel); Comic #3: Rebel Jail; The Rebellion; Tales... Vol. 1: Aliens

Release date! (Photo from my daily Instagram Story)

These book reviews will also be featured on my Goodreads page soon.

For my review of the outstanding Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt, Book 2 of the Star Wars: Aftermath trilogy, click here.  Also, check out my link about why I’m reading the new canon Star Wars novels.

Star Wars: Catalyst (A Rogue One novel)

By James Luceno

With the upcoming Star Wars film Rogue One opening in theaters tomorrow (!!), I was looking forward to last month's prequel novel, Catalyst.  I pre-ordered my copy from Amazon to arrive exactly on the release date, November 15.

So, was it worth the wait?  Absolutely… With one caveat:  It’s a slow starter that doesn’t kick into high gear until over 100 pages in.  But when it’s hot, it’s hot.

Taking place between the films Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope, the novel Star Wars: Catalyst provides the tense backstory for this Friday’s Rogue One film about the Rebel Alliance’s brave efforts to steal the plans for the original Death Star.

My summary of the plot:  At this earlier point in the Star Wars saga, the original Death Star is still in the planning stages.  And it’s missing its key component:  A massive super weapon that will be capable of destroying an entire planet (And to Princess Leia’s dismay, we original film trilogy fans know how that’s gonna turn out).  Scientist Galen Erso is researching the power of the Kyber crystals which power the Jedi’s lightsabers.  Imperial mucky muck Orson Krennic wants to weaponize the Kybers’ power to produce a superlaser to mount onto the parabolic focusing dish of the yet-to-be-built Death Star.  In order to one-up Grand Moff “Governor” Tarkin on his own Death Star construction project and also become Emperor Palpatine’s right hand man, Krennic tricks Erso into believing that his research will be used for development of clean, renewable energy.

Honestly, it was initially tough to stick with this book.  Pointless subplots involving side characters like Has Orbit and Saw Gerrera feel like a waste of time.  And it’s front loaded with backstory and sci-fi technical jargon, withholding even the first minor action scene until page 61.  Fortunately, the earlier sections also feature cool bits of insight into the construction of the Death Star, the Jedi’s complex relationship with Kyber crystals, and the effect of the Force on non-Jedi who happen to be “Force sensitive” (A term not used in this book).  Cool stuff for Star Wars fans!

The story really gets cooking after this long opening stretch, as husband and wife Erso and Lyra are seemingly pitted against each other to discover the truth about Krennic’s intentions.  I won’t spoil the tension… Other than to say that this novel finally stops feeling like overstretched short story as it transitions into an effective family-in-jeopardy thriller, with fascinating political implications for the Star Wars universe.

Speculative spoiler for the upcoming Rogue One film:  Given the chronology of the Star Wars timeline, Erso and Lyra’s baby daughter Jyn should be of age when the movie takes place.  I’m avoiding most of the movie trailers, but I’m guessing Jyn will be a key member of the “Rogue” squadron who tries to steal the plans for the Death Star (Maybe even the girl on the movie poster?).  If she’s not, then why the cutesy baby/young girl subplot in this novel?  There’s gotta be a payoff.

Verdict: **** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, *** for non-fans

Star Wars #3: Rebel Jail

 By Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen, and Angel Unzueta

Of the three stories collected in this volume, I found the closing young Ben Kenobi/ Luke Skywalker tale to be the most fun.  Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi is secretly watching after Luke Skywalker on Tatooine as Biggs and Luke’s other kid friends cheer him on as he tries to fly through Beggar’s Canyon.  Ben saves Luke behind the scenes from various scraps, and has a run in with a bitter Uncle Owen who blames Ben for his brother Anakin’s death.

Even the often lame film prequel trilogy gets some thoughtful love from Ben:  “There’s still hope, Master Qui-Gon.  You thought Anakin was the chosen one.  Perhaps in a way, he was.  If his son shows the same abilities, then just maybe…”

The first two stories in this annual collection are also worthwhile.  Story #1 is about the unglamorous life of Rebel spy Eneb Ray in Coruscant, who needs to be a heartless jerk to his “subjects” for fear of blowing his cover if the Imperials discover his true identity.

Story #2, the Rebel Jail title story, is a fun female empowerment yarn set in Sunspot Prison.  Princess Leia, Doctor Aphra, and Sana open up a can of whoop on the villains… just so that Han Solo and Luke Skywalker can show up to cockily “save the day” for the women after the dust settles.  Haha, go patriarchy!

There are plenty of other funny gags.  C-3PO tries his hand at “fisticuffs.” Han plays backseat driver while Luke learns how to fly the Millennium Falcon.  And they actually get to herd some nerfs!  Hilarious stuff.

Verdict: **** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, *** for non-fans

Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Rebellion

By John Wagner, Paul Alden, Randy Stradley, Darko Macan, Cam Kennedy, Raul Trevino, David Fabbri, and Dave Gibbons

“Epic” is an overstatement.  While this graphic novel compilation is better than much of the Legends (read: older, non canon stories) material I’ve read, it falls short of the artwork, characterization, and continuity of the new canon stuff.  That being said, I enjoyed reading these earlier conceptions about the events that went down immediately after the film Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope.  And we get more Boba Fett.  Who can argue with that?

The standout by far is In the Shadow of Yavin, an extended comic book series which offers a glimpse behind the scenes of the construction of the second Death Star, above the planet Endor.

And all the Ewoks said… “Yub nub!”

Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, ** for non-fans

Star Wars: Tales froma Galaxy Far, Far Away, Vol. 1: Aliens

by Landry Q. Walker

This one gets an enthusiastic “meh” from me.  While officially canon, it's six short stories featuring side characters from the film Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.  If you like aliens as main characters (I do not), this is your bag.

The main hurdle that these short stories try to overcome is that few of the protagonists are memorable characters from The Force Awakens, even for fans.  It’s also challenging to acquire much investment in these characters, due to the short length of these stories.  Some chapters are barely a single page.

For what it’s worth, the best stories are “All Creatures Great and Small” and the really good “The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku.”  Also, “A Recipe for Death” is notable for a cool fight scene in zero gravity.

As a non sci-fi fan who has loved Star Wars since my childhood, critter stories are a tough sell for me.  But fortunately, the Star Wars universe also has enough mythology and human stories to keep me hooked.

Verdict: ** ½ stars (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, ** for non-fans

Just Read: Rage, A Dance with Dragons, Star Wars: Vader #3, and the Special Power of Restoring Lost Things

The brand new Star Wars novel, Catalyst: A Rogue One Story finally drops tomorrow!  I pre-ordered my copy from Amazon so it would arrive on the release date.  It’s a prequel story to the upcoming film, Star Wars: Rogue One.  I’m unreasonably excited to tear into it, after I'm done leading my next NW Wilderness hike on Thursday!

My world traveling posts, as well as trip reports from the recent hikes and climbs I’ve led, will resume soon.  And the mini-reviews below will also be featured on my Goodreads page at some point.

Rage

By Zygmunt Miloszewski

Translated from Polish, this crime melodrama centers on a justice/rules obsessed prosecutor Teodor Szacki who is investigating a series of grisly murders which may be targeting domestic abusers.  The slow burning “rage” depicted in Szacki’s characterization eventually pays off big time, more cleverly than I expected.  And there are at least two or three truly memorable moments, including a chilling scene involving a mother and infant in peril that haunted me for days (And I was on a Mexico mission trip!).

Other than those standout moments, this novel was a bit slow paced for my taste.  Also, some of the graphic sexual depictions and gruesome CSI-type investigation details seemed a little excessive.

After realizing that this is the final book of a trilogy, I surmised that faithful readers of author Miloszewski would find the conclusion of Szacki’s character arc to be quite dramatic indeed.  The mystery elements of the plot are interesting, yet this novel works best as a character study.

Note: This was a pre-release book, but it’s now available.  I selected this title for free from Amazon’s Prime’s “Kindle First” offerings of August 2016.

Verdict: *** ½ out of *****

A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 5)

By George R. R. Martin

Since I don’t have HBO, I can’t say how this book compares to the latest season of the hugely popular Game of Thrones.  However, this book is a slight improvement over A Feast for Crows, the fourth and previous book in the Song of Ice and Fire high fantasy book series.  It’s set at the same time period of Feast, which means that the events take place immediately after A Storm of Swords, the third book.  The main characters whom were mostly neglected in Feast return to the spotlight here: Tyrion Lanister, Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, Theon Greyjoy/Reek, Stannis Baratheon, and others.

Was it worth the wait?  Not particularly.  We should have been reading about these characters in the fourth book, which spent most of the time in King’s Landing, the Iron Islands, and Dorne.  But it was nice to finally return to the characters at Castle Black, beyond the Wall, and Pentos and Slaver’s Bay across the narrow sea.

Disturbingly misogynist sexual content, meandering prose, and excessive length mar this book just as much as the previous books.  And the wait for the long overdue Book 7, The Winds of Winter, has dragged out for years.  But how could we readers quit the Song of Ice and Fire series now?  We’re so invested in the characters.  George R. R. Martin isn’t on the hook.  We are.

Verdict: *** ½ out of *****

The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things

By Courtney Elizabeth Mauk

Listed under Kindle's “Literature” genre, I expected this pre-release to be a substantive read about coping with grief.  It wasn’t what I anticipated.  However, this tale of a devastated family living in the aftermath of a daughter’s disappearance is an acceptably brief diversion.

The storyline (which isn’t the focal point anyway) is somewhat engaging, the characters draw sympathy, and theological matters are occasionally addressed.  The book’s most effective hook is illustrating how unbearable it would be to live through the disappearance of a daughter/sister.

Note: This was a pre-release book, but it’s now available.  I selected this title for free from Amazon’s Prime’s “Kindle First” offerings of September 2016.

Verdict: *** out of *****

Star Wars: Darth Vader,Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War (Canon comic)

By Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca, Leinil Andrews, and Kaare Andrews

For my recent review of the outstanding Life Debt (Book 2 of the Star Wars: Aftermath trilogy), click here.  Also, check out my earlier post about why I’m reading the new canon Star Wars novels.

Taking place between the films Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the dramatic continuity of the previously excellent Darth Vader graphic novel series makes no sense.  No spoilers here, but did that thrilling, revelatory moment with Boba Fett in Volume 1 never happen?

That’s a relevant gripe, making this feel more like a standalone story than a continuation of Darth Vader’s character arc.  His relationship with Grand Admiral Tagge still provides dramatic tension, though, especially with the added conflict of Dr. Cylo being assigned to make Vader look bad.  Unfortunately, as with previous volumes, Vader’s ludicrously sadistic droid Triple Zero and blastomech BT-1 (the Tobey Maguire/Spiderman 3-esque bad-guy versions of C-3PO and R2-D2) are too silly to bear.  For that matter, MOST of the supporting characters are drastically less intriguing than Vader himself.

As a fan of the new Star Wars canon, I’m reluctant to say that I also noticed a potential contradiction between Vader #3’s account of the remains of Leia’s home planet Aldaraan and the account given in the latest Star Wars novel, Life Debt: Aftermath #2.  But I REALLY want to believe that Disney’s Story Group has a firm grasp on the continuity of the new Star Wars canon.  Don’t let me down, guys!

On the bright side, Darth Vader #3 is not boring.  But let’s hope that Vader doesn’t continue to be a co-star in his own Star Wars spin-off comic series.

Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, ** for non-fans

Just read: Star Wars: Before the Awakening, PLUS... Star Wars canon comics roundup!

Breaking news:  The all-new Star Wars novel Aftermath: Life Debt was finally released today, and it arrived in my mailbox this afternoon!  But this week’s mini-reviews are all either of Star Wars graphic novels or two of the “junior” literature that I’ve read to my kids Lena and Levi.  I’m taking a short break from my usual theology and outdoor skills books.

 

See February’s post about why I’m reading the new canon Star Wars novels (link), in which I also explain the difference between new Star Wars canon and non-canon (now called "Legends") material from the old Extended Universe.  All titles below are officially classified as new Star Wars canon, unless specified otherwise as non-canon, or "Legends."

The mini-reviews below will also be featured on my Goodreads page soon.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens- Rey’s Story

By Elizabeth Schaefer

Although slightly over my 4 year-old’s head, this sanitized junior novelization of Star Wars- Episode VII: The Force Awakens is told entirely from Rey’s point of view.  It tells less, not more, than what is shown in the film.  I suppose this could be a useful entry point into the Star Wars universe for young readers, or for ADHD people who struggled to follow along with the actual film.

Verdict: *** ½ (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, *** for non-fans

Star Wars: Before the Awakening

By Greg Rucca

Much more useful than “Rey’s Story,” this still wouldn’t qualify as necessary Star Wars reading, either.  But it's a worthwhile prequel anthology to The Force Awakens film, featuring the three backstories of Finn (FN-2187), Rey, and Poe Dameron.

1. Finn’s backstory was the most interesting, revealing not only the Stormtroopers’ elimination-style tactical training, but also the compassion and selflessness in Finn that would continue to arouse the suspicion of Captain Phasma in Episode VII.  His loyalty to the Empire as a Stormtrooper would ultimately be tested as Phasma gives him “one last chance…to decide his fate.”  The events in this story provide the precedent for Finn refraining from murdering the villagers in the opening scene of The Force Awakens film.
2. Rey’s backstory provides little information that isn’t already implied by the film.  It’s just one of her scavenger missions on Jakku, with a double-cross thrown in for good measure.  Some surface level religious info on the Teedo’s belief in their god R’iia is briefly mentioned.
3. Poe Dameron’s backstory is notable for both introducing BB-8 as his X-wing’s astromech, as well as establishing his legacy as being the child of two Rebel Alliance fighters who fought against the second Death Star in the Battle of Endor before settling in a colony on Yavin 4 (Poe’s parents’ story is reportedly told in a canon book that isn’t yet available at my public library).

At the risk of sounding ignorant, I’ll just throw this out there:  There’s a line when Poe replies to General Leia Organa’s comment about flyboys being all the same with, “Some of us are fly girls.”  Although he’s probably referencing Captain Kun or Arana, my mind kept bouncing back to those internet rumors about Poe’s sexual orientation.  Moving on…

The ending of Before the Awakening perfectly sets up the opening of The Force Awakens film with a mission to find Lor San Tekka and/or Luke Skywalker:  Our only hope.  Nice touch.

Verdict: **** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, *** for non-fans

And now, for the comic books...  In my April blog post which reviewed Star Wars novels Aftermath, Darth Plagueis, and Dark Disciple, I also reviewed the Star Wars Omnibus: Quinlan Vos comics collection (It’s now classified as “Legends,” the official term for non-canon, old Extended Universe literature).  Here are a few other Star Wars graphic novels that I’ve checked out from the Beaverton library recently, sorted by descending order of interest (Best to worst):

Star Wars: Volume 1: Skywalker Strikes

by Jason Aaron, John Cassaday, and Laura Martin

Pure gold.  THIS is the comic book to read for fans of the original Star Wars film trilogy.  The fun tone, the action, the humor, the artwork, the storyline (set immediately after the destruction of the Death Star in Episode IV: A New Hope), and, most importantly… the beloved classic characters all come alive in this premiere issue.  Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, R2-D2, C3PO, and even Darth Vader are on hand to kick off this series the right way.  The old gang is back together, and this feels almost EXACTLY like an unreleased classic Star Wars movie that we never saw.

Buy this immediately!

Verdict: ***** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, **** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Volume 1: Vader

By Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

Chronologically, this tale runs somewhat parallel to Star Wars: Volume 1, told from Darth Vader’s perspective.   The actual crossover moment riffs on the brilliant climactic image (which I won’t spoil here) from that other comic that I reviewed above.  Chilling, and effective.

There are so many never-before-seen things in here for Darth Vader fans:  Vader is consumed in his quest to find out who is son is (And we find out exactly how it happens…Not revealed in a movie, but right here in a canon comic book!).  Vader restrains himself while being constantly belittled by Emperor Palpatine, his superior (ha!) Tagge, and the middle man clerk who was sent to replace him (Things can’t end well for that guy).  Vader is forced to negotiate with a Hutt.  Vader is made to look incompetent for letting Luke Skywalker destroy the Death Star.  Vader fights Luke in person.  And most touchingly, we get to see rare flashbacks of Anakin's life before and after becoming Vader:  Kissing Padme on Geonosis and other moments, his personal tragedy on Tatooine, Palpatine’s deception, and a general sense of longing for those memories of being Anakin Skywalker.

Boba Fett and a wookie bounty hunter are the standout supporting players.  But Doctor Aphra, ludicrously sadistic C-3PO lookalike Triple Zero, and BT the assassin astromech are a bit too strange to fully appreciate, though they don’t detract from this powerful story.

The rich artwork, strong opening, flashbacks from both film trilogies, and continuity with Star Wars: Volume 1 make this essential reading for any Star Wars fan.

Freaking buy this book.

Verdict: ***** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, **** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars Vol. 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon

By Jason Aaron, Stuart Immonen, and Simone Bianchi

While watching the old and new film trilogies, have you ever wondered how Obi Wan Kenobi stopped being a Jedi Knight and General Kenobi to simply become “Ben”?  The Book I portion of this graphic novel fills in the gaps between Episode III and Episode IV using Obi Wan’s newly discovered journal as a plot device.  In his journal, we discover why he has hung up his lightsaber, even to the point of neglecting to help a poor moisture farmer who is being shaken down by Jabba the Hutt’s cronies.  The first book of this collection has it all:  A pint sized Luke Skywalker, Jedi mind tricks, and dreamily gazing up at Tatooine’s twin suns with a glimmer of hope.

Book II and the rest of this graphic novel continues the story from Star Wars: Volume I.  Sana Solo claims to be Han Solo’s wife and tries to bring him home, and Luke’s blue lightsaber is stolen by Grakkus the Hutt’s henchmen.  Highlights include Grakkus the Hutt’s efforts to open a Jedi holocron containing the teachings of Master Phin-Law Wo of the Jedi temple on Vrogas, an aerial dogfight between Sana, Han, and Leia vs. an imperial destroyer and X Wing fighters, and Luke Skywalker fighting Kongo the Disemboweler in the staged “Last Stand of the Jedi.”

Fun, and worth reading.

Verdict: **** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, *** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol. 2: Shadows and Secrets

By Kieron Gillen

In this decent follow-up to Vol. 1: Vader, Darth Vader returns to his home planet Tatooine to visit Luke’s homestead.  Vader then gets mixed up in a plot to recover a shipment of the Son-Tuul Pride’s fortunes that was highjacked by the Plasma Devils en route to an Imperial vault in Anthan Prime.

There are some interesting relationship dynamics involving Vader and his uneasy alliance with boldly defiant Imperial traitor Aphra, as well as the tension between Vader and his hyper-critical superiors: Grand General Tagge, Tulon, and even Vader’s replacement, Inspector Thanoth.  There are also some introspective moments when Vader realizes that he was duped by Obi Wan, who hid Luke on Tatooine because it was the one place he would never return to.  The ending sets up Vader Down, which will apparently feature Vader pursuing Luke to Vrogas Vas.

Verdict: **** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, *** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Lando

By Charles Soule and Alex Maleev

Suave ladies’ man Lando Calrissian was a memorable supporting character in the films Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and I was happy to read this admittedly inconsequential Star Wars spin-off story.  Lando teams up with his buddy Lobot (Lando’s silent, bald cyclops partner from the films) to clear his debt with gangster Papa Toren by stealing a yacht from an Imperial shipyard.  Improbably, the yacht turns out to be Emperor Palpatine’s pleasure craft, containing a priceless collection of Sith artifacts.

Nothing is essential to Star Wars canon here, but I enjoyed this book more than most readers I've talked to.  The highlights are not only Lando revealing his life-long “bluff” (I won’t spoil it), but also seeing the Emperor’s red-robed guards in action, fighting Aleskin and Paval, a.k.a. the Twins.  The relationship between Lando and Lobot also features some nice elements of friendship and sacrifice... Setting the stage for a redemptive character arc for Lando that foreshadows a use of his charisma for good, rather than living for himself.

A note about homosexual characters: To contradict myself in a previous blog post, I'll point out that Star Wars: Lando is also notable for having the first same sex relationship (that I know of) in the new official canon Star Wars universe.  Not 100% sure, though.  In my review of Star Wars: Afermath earlier this year, I incorrectly asserted that distinction to the first Aftermath novel.

Oh, and did I mention that my opening day copy of Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt arrived in the mail today?

Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, ** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Chewbacca

By Gerry Duggan

Though I’m a sucker for reading about any of the main characters from the original Star Wars film trilogy, this book is silly.  Chewbacca doesn’t talk, Zarro the sidekick tomboy character is annoying, and the plot is very minor.  In spite of Chewbacca trying to save Zarro’s planet from being subjugated to the Empire by Imperial henchman Jaum…the stakes are still pretty low in this story.

Fun moments include Chewbacca playing Sabacc and various characters riffing on “There is a saying about wookies…” jokes.  And it’s irresistably goofy to read Chewbacca’s gutteral screams spelled out as “HRAARAH!”  and “WHRAARAAAH WRAHAAAHG.”  It doesn’t help, though, that “WHAAARA WHRA!” is uncannily reminiscent of “Wah Wuh.”

Hey Chewie, use your words!

Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, ** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars Ewoks: Shadows of Endor  (Lengends/ non-canon)

By Zack Giallongo

This non-canon Ewok tale was a surprise find, and fun to read to my kids.  Set before the film Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the stormtrooper occupation of Endor has begun.  The Ewoks are trying to save the Dulok tribe from the toothy monster Griagh, and energy from the mystical “Sunstar” may be the key to victory.

Though a bit too scary and dark for my kids, they enjoyed seeing their beloved furry Ewoks from ROTJ and the “Ewok Adventures” 80s TV movies come to life in this short story. And fans of the Return of the Jedi film will have HUGE grins (at least I did) when they read the final panels of this book.  That epilogue alone makes this worth a library lend, for us original film trilogy junkies.

Verdict: *** 1/2 (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, * (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vol. 1: Commencement 

(Legends/ non-canon)

By John Jackson Miller

For fans of the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (I briefly dabbled in the Playstation 2 port for Android, on my Note 4 phone), this story takes place in the vastly popular Old Republic era.  Jedi Padawan Zayne Carrick is framed by his Jedi masters for the brutal slaughter of his Jedi-in-training peers.  Zayne goes on the lam on the planet Taris to find out why, in this non-canon action/mystery.  Zayne is a cool character, and the plot was definitely intriguing enough to make me want to continue reading what he discovers in Volume 2.

But eh, it’s not canon anyway.  So I'll pass on Vol. 2.

Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, ** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: The Original Trilogy- A Graphic Novel

By Alessandro Ferrari

It feels like a money grab to release a straightforward retelling of the original Star Wars film trilogy, with so-so artwork.  George Lucas’ special editions of the films are represented here:   For example, the Wampa gets his close-up, and Greedo shoots first.

The worst offense is that the events of the films are intact, but the humor and charm of these films are mostly either missing or lost in translation.  Also, not to belabor the artwork, but the characters look like lame Mad Magazine versions of the real life actors.  This is particularly disappointing in light of the top notch artwork and humor of the Star Wars and Darth Vader comic series reviewed above.  On that note, the cartoonish rendering of Darth Vader couldn’t be less menacing.  It’s less reminiscent of Darth Vader and more like Dark Helmet.

I never thought I'd never utter the following words in ANY context, but… Skip the book, and watch the films instead.

Verdict: ** 1/2 (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, * (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi: Golden Age of the Sith

(Legends/ non-canon)

By Kevin J. Anderson, Dario Carrasco

Apart from the distinction of being the most chronologically ancient story in Star Wars’ old Extended Universe (read: non-canon “Legends”), there’s not much reason to read this.  It takes place 5,000 years before Luke Skywalker fought in the Battle of Yavin, against the first Death Star.  Yes, it’s mildly interesting to see how the Sign of the Sith is received.  And more intriguing is a non-canon flashback to an even earlier era, when the Sith and the Jedi were both “mighty Jedi of the Republic, brothers of the Force.”

Oh, and I got a kick out of the line, “I’ve got a good feeling about this one!”  Just don’t apply that sentiment to your expectations for this book.

Verdict: ** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, * (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi: The Collection

(Legends/ non-canon)

By Tom Veitch

Dark Horse Comics made some great stuff, but this silly rubbish is an embarrassment to Star Wars fans everywhere.  It may have been passable in the era before Disney took over and insisted on quality control, but it’s an atrocity by today’s standards of Star Wars canon.  Why did I even bother finishing this nonsense before returning it to the library?  Sadomasochism.

Verdict:  Lamer than the notorious Star Wars Christmas TV special

* (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, * (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

So sad.  But let’s end on a happy note.  Here’s a list of Lena and Levi’s top three Star Wars children’s books I've read to them over the past few months:

3.  Star Wars Rebels: Ezra’s Wookie Storybook

2.  Star Wars Clone Wars: Meet Ahsoka Tano

1.  Star Wars: The Force Awakens read-along-storybook

Now, if you'll excuse me... I need to get some rest before I binge-read Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt tomorrow.  But I don't have a problem.  I swear.  I can quit Star Wars any time.

Just read: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, A Clash of Kings, and Star Wars novels: Aftermath, Dark Disciple, and Darth Plagueis

See last month’s post about why I’m reading the new canon Star Wars novels (link).  I’m taking a short break from my usual theology and outdoor skills books.  The min-reviews below will also be featured on my Goodreads page soon.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

by Seth Grahame-Smith, Jane Austin, Tony Lee, and Cliff Richards

Stay with me here:  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a graphic novel adaption of a zombified bestseller spoof/tribute novel of Jane Austin’s romance classic Pride and Prejudice, which has also recently been adapted as a horror/comedy film.  The story itself is essentially an abridged version of Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice,” with zombie references thrown in at every possible opportunity.  Britain is overrun by zombies, Lizzy, Jane, and Lydia are zombie slayers, etc.  The artwork is not great. The concept is occasionally amusing, though I’m unsure whether Jane Austin fans will be laughing, recoiling, or ambivalent.  I have not seen the 2015 film adaption, nor do I plan to.

Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars)

A Clash of Kings (Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)

by George R. R. Martin

My friends are constantly tweeting about HBO’s Game of Thrones TV series.  For those of us who don’t subscribe to HBO, reading library copies of George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire high fantasy book series may be the closest we’ll get to seeing what all the fuss is about.  Like Book 1, Game of Thrones, this one is a rough read.  Brutal violence, ludicrously lusty behavior, and general unpleasantness must be waded through to appreciate the rich storyline.

And what a story.  Martin’s ability to weave together so many complex characters, motivations, and separate plot threads is unparalleled.  Sadly, I’m hooked.

 Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars)

Here are a few Star Wars novels I’ve read recently, sorted by descending order of interest:

Star Wars: Aftermath

by Chuck Wendig

There are two reasons that Aftermath is #1 on this month’s Star Wars list, and neither quality nor broad appeal are necessarily either of them.

1. It's the first Star Wars book that I’ve ever read.  That’s right… Although I’ve been a Star Wars fan since I was a little kid, I’ve never read a Star Wars novel prior to 2016.
2. It's the first “canon” Star Wars story to take place in the time period after the film Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and before Episode VII: The Force Awakens.  Of course, this distinction was a LOT more buzzworthy before The Force Awakens was released in December 2015, which dispelled a few of the mysteries surrounding that era of Star Wars history.

For the two reasons above, I admittedly was so excited to read Aftermath that I was not examining it critically.  As such, I was able to overlook Wendig’s unconventional writing style that so many other readers loathed.  It’s written in present tense, from a third person point of view.  The prose didn’t flow as smoothly as the next Star Wars novel I would read, Dark Disciple (mini review below).

However, this story of the New Republic’s uprising was engrossing enough to warrant a read for Star Wars fans looking for Easter eggs that tie in to the story of The Force Awakens film [SPOILER: The “Taris” interlude has a potential origin story for the Knights of Ren.  Kubaz sells a red lightsaber which allegedly belonged to Darth Vader to three strangers, who claim they plan to destroy it].  As in the Taris mini-story referenced in the spoiler above, there are also several short, hit-or-miss “Interlude” segments that feature concurrent events from other locations around the Star Wars galaxy.

As a huge fan of the original Star Wars film trilogy, there were many elements that floated my boat:

• The climactic events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi were recalled from the new characters’ POV:  Norra had flown with her squadron inside the Death Star to destroy it, bounty hunter Jas Emari had targeted a wounded Princess Leia from a tree on Endor, and Sinjir Rath Velus (who randomly comes out of the closet as a homosexual for no apparent reason, plot-wise) had been hiding in the Endorian bushes as the Ewoks celebrated the Rebel Aliance’s victory.
• B-list fan favorites from the films such as Admiral “It’s a trap!” Ackbar, Wedge Antilles, and Mon Mothma play crucial roles in the story. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Lando Calrissian are mentioned and even appear in holographic form (in Leia’s case).  Even Boba Fett is referenced [Spoiler: It’s revealed that Boba’s suit may still exist and can be worn by anyone… so who exactly WAS that who got swallowed by the Sarlacc in Return of the Jedi?]
•  Characters mock some of the sillier elements of the Star Wars film prequel trilogy era (fanboy points for the hilarious smack talking of George Lucas’ lame “Roger roger” battle droids).
• Most excitingly… [Minor spoiler- Han Solo and Chewbacca get their own interlude, setting up a Solo adventure (pun intended) to free the Wookies of Kashyyyk]

·         [7/28/16 Update:  After reading Aftermath: Life Debt, I learned I was dead wrong about the following, which I originally included as a speculative "bonus spoiler"]:  Could Admiral Rae Sloane’s mysterious boss at the very, very end of the novel be the legendary (these Star Wars EU puns keep getting worse) Grand Admiral Thrawn from the enduringly popular but now non-canon Thrawn book trilogy?  Just a theory.

Verdict:  **** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, *** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Dark Disciple

by Christie Golden

Dark Disciple, the second Star Wars canon novel I’ve ever read, was a pleasant surprise.  Prior to reading, very little of what I knew about this book appealed to me: The cartoonish cover, the Clone Wars TV show reject origins, etc.  But THIS is the book I should’ve read as an introduction to Star Wars lit.

Golden’s writing style is engaging, and she invites readers to truly empathize with the budding romantic relationship between the rebellious Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos and former evil foe/Nightsister/assassin Asajj Ventress.  Even non-Star Wars fans may find themselves caring about the fate of these two.

The storyline pairs unlikely duo Vos and Ventress in a secret mission by the Jedi Council (Obi Wan, Yoda, and the rest) to assassinate Ventress’ former master, Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus.  Most readers have seen Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and already know whether or not Count Dooku survives the assassination attempt.  However, there is still plenty of excitement and suspense surrounding the action set pieces.  Characters’ meditations on the potential power of Jedis leveraging the Dark Side of the Force to save the lives of millions blur the line between good and evil in interesting ways. And the will they or won’t they? developments provide a nice emotional grounding to the plot.

There are a couple of gaping plot holes that are necessary to maintain continuity with the films (no specific spoilers… but let’s just say that our two flawed heroes go out of their way to NOT accomplish a couple of key objectives, with at least two memorably flimsy excuses spelled out).  These illogical but necessary concessions to Star Wars canon barely diminish the storyline at all.

Highly recommended, albeit unexpectedly.

Verdict: ***** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, **** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars Omnibus: Quinlan Vos: Jedi in Darkness

After reading Star Wars: Dark Disciple, I checked out this Quinlan Vos graphic novel compilation for a little more background on this complicated and morally flexible Jedi Knight.  There are some very cool revelations about Order 66 (Palpatine’s largely successful plan to slaughter of the Jedi in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith).  Other than that, this collection is mostly for Quinlan Vos completists.  And it’s “Legends” now, not canon.

Verdict:  *** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, ** (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis

by James Luceno

The non-canon (I’m pretty sure this novel is now downgraded to “Legends” status) Darth Plagueis novel provides a deeper backstory for the tale that Palpatine tells Anakin Skywalker in 3^rd person about his former Sith master in the film Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.  As dry as George Lucas’ scripts for the film prequels were, hearing this story told onscreen via straight up exposition was somehow more intriguing than reading this often boring book.

The prologue starts out in fascinating fashion as we learn about the fate of Darth Plagueis’ master, Darth Tenebrous.  Disappointingly, the momentum screeches to halt by Chapter 2.  And later, when the spotlight switches to Palpatine, the proceedings devolve even further to become mired in the political superfluity that made the prequel film trilogy so dull.

On the plus side, there are appearances by Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, Count Dooku, and Sifo-Dyas.  And Star Wars fans can get their fill of Sith history dating back to the Old Republic, the dismantling of Darth Bane’s “Rule of Two,” a cool lightsaber fight with Darth Venamis, and occasionally cool insight on the nature of the Dark Side of the Force.  Whether or not this “Legends” novel’s worthwhile contributions to Star Wars lore will be preserved in an upcoming canon novel or film remains to be seen.

Verdict: *** (Out of 5 stars) for Star Wars fans, * (Out of 5 stars) for non-fans

Just read- Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Happy 2016, friends!  The much delayed continuation of our Belgium Travelogue will resume soon.  As usual, it's been difficult for me to stay indoors.

I blame the ski slopes, mountain peaks, and the trails.

This spoiler-free and plot-free review of “Hunger Games: Mockingjay” will also be featured on my Goodreads page soon.

After reading a book or book series, I rarely get around to watching any movie adaption it spawns.  The film rarely measures up to the book anyway.  I may make an exception with the Hunger Games series, though.  The immense popularity of Suzanne Collins’ Katniss Everdeen trilogy drew me to this saga, and the first two books lived up to the hype.

“Mockingjay,” the last and bleakest of the Hunger Games trilogy, is enjoyable but also a bit of a letdown.  The end game of the character arcs are disappointing across the board.  Katniss devolves from the fiercely independent heroine of the Hunger Games to a self-absorbed, depressed, and drug dependent pawn of opposing political systems.  Other main characters whom readers have invested in throughout the trilogy are given abrupt sendoffs (i.e., gruesome and often meaningless deaths, unceremonial dismissals, etc.) that almost seem tacked on as afterthoughts.  Even the outcome of the requisite Young Adult love triangle seems inconsistent with the characters’ journeys which preceded it.

I'm all for realism in storytelling... But the guarded hope of books #1 and #2 is replaced by a dreary tone of despair, with few glimpses of optimism for the human condition.

Neither of the two sequels (the second book being “Catching Fire”) could possibly live up to the female empowerment and engrossing originality of the “Hunger Games” series opener.   That being said, “Mockingjay” provides an exciting, if not completely satisfying, conclusion.

Coming next on Garth’s Blog…

A look at the latest Tony Kriz book—

Aloof: Figuring Out Life with a God Who Hides

Just read: The Garden of Stones, by Mark T. Barnes

This book review will also be shared to my new Goodreads page.

Disclosure: This book was a free selection from the Samsung Book Deals monthly offerings for my Note 4 phone.

Consider this review the Conan O'Brien's Clueless Gamer segment of fantasy book reviews.  The sci-fi/fantasy literature genre is foreign to me.  My only exposure to this genre since high school has been limited to the Dune series and multiple rereads of the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, and Chronicles of Narnia.  The Harry Potter series is still on my list.  With those exceptions, I'm a newbie.

Fantasy readers will presumably enjoy the “Echoes of Empires” trilogy, but opening book The Garden of Stones is not the best jumping off point for readers who are still trying to get into the genre.  Well written for what it is, author Mark T. Barnes drops you right in the middle of a complex, unfamiliar world with no introduction or context within reality.  In a recent interview, George Lucas described dropping this exact same tactic onto “Star Wars” audiences back in 1977 (and I use a sci-fi analogy only to the extent that Lucas’ universe building is reminiscent of that of fantasy literature).  In those films, or at least in the original trilogy, any viewer could enjoy the adventure regardless of the depth of their engagement with the Star Wars universe.

The difference is that the Star Wars universe was populated with characters who were both human and relatable to non-genre fans.   In contrast, while reading “The Garden of Stones” I found myself racing to the helpful Cast of Characters appendix quite frequently just to distinguish the names, races, political feuds, wars, and confusing historical eras that were essential to following the narrative.

On that note, it IS possible to enjoy this book without a full grasp of its complex backstory, political intrigue, and small army of oddly-named characters.  The action is thrilling (if a bit gory), the pacing is reasonably brisk, and… as morbid as this sounds… it eventually becomes easier to keep everything straight when major characters begin to get killed off to simplify the “cast.”

Barnes is a talented and creative story teller for fantasy genre fans to enjoy.  But I will probably not be continuing the “Echoes of Empire” saga with Book 2: The Obsidian Heart.  If I DO decide in the future to download Books 2 and 3 for Kindle, it would only be because of the hard work I put into sorting out many of the saga’s complexities.   Some payoff for my efforts is at least little tempting.

Although, if I EVER read another one of those endless references to a fantasy character taking a drink from his or her “bowl of wine...”

Bonus for Garth's Blog readers:

Kathy encouraged me to reveal the real reason that I picked out "Garden of Stones":  As a sleep aid, to incorporate into my bedtime routine.  I didn't have the heart to mention this in my Goodreads review, for fear of crushing Mark T. Barnes' spirit.  But it worked.