Book Review for Star Wars Book Club for September: Star Wars: Red Harvest

Book: Star Wars: Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Unlike those other Jedi sidelined to the Agricultural Corps—those whose abilities have not proved up to snuff—Hestizo Trace possesses one extraordinary Force talent: a gift with plants. But suddenly her quiet existence among greenhouse and garden specimens is violently destroyed by the arrival of an emissary from Darth Scabrous, a Sith Lord with a fanatical dream poised to become nightmarish reality. For the rare black orchid that Hestizo has nurtured and bonded with is the final ingredient in an ancient Sith formula—crucial to the Dark Lord's obsession, but with consequences far worse than fatal. Now, spawned by a heretofore unknown virus, the rotting, ravenous dead are rising, driven by a bloodthirsty hunger for all things living—and commanded by a Sith Master who lusts for power and the ultimate prize: immortality...no matter the cost.

Book Review for Star Wars Book Club for January: Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived

Book: Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived (The Old Republic book #2) by Paul S. Kemp

Cover Art and Design by LucasArts

Edition: Paperback

Description:

“Our time has come. For three hundred years we prepared; we grew stronger while you rested in your cradle of power. . . . Now your Republic shall fall.”

A Sith warrior to rival the most sinister of the Order’s Dark Lords, Darth Malgus brought down the Jedi Temple on Coruscant in a brutal assault that shocked the galaxy. But if war crowned him the darkest of Sith heroes, peace will transform him into something far more heinous—something Malgus would never want to be but cannot stop becoming, any more than he can stop the rogue Jedi fast approaching. Her name is Aryn Leneer—and the lone Jedi Knight that Malgus cut down in the fierce battle for the Jedi Temple was her Master. Now she’s going to find out what happened to him, even if it means breaking every rule in the book.

Book Review: Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan

Book: Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan (The Old Republic book #1) by Drew Karpyshyn

Cover Art and Design by LucasArts

Edition: Paperback

Description:

There’s something out there: a juggernaut of evil bearing down to crush the Republic—unless one lone Jedi, shunned and reviled, can stop it.

Hero, traitor, conqueror, villain, savior—the man called Revan has been all of these. He left Coruscant a Jedi, on a mission to defeat the Mandalorians. He returned a Sith disciple, bent on destroying the Republic. The Jedi Council gave Revan his life back, but the price of redemption was the loss of his memories. All that’s left are nightmares—and deep, abiding fear. What happened beyond the Outer Rim that Revan can’t quite remember or entirely forget? One thing he’s certain of: Something dark is plotting to destroy the very existence of the Republic. With no idea how to identify the threat, let alone stop it, Revan may be doomed to fail. For he’s never faced a more powerful and diabolic enemy. But only death can stop him from trying.

Book Review: Star Wars: The Lost Tribe of the Sith

Book: Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith by John Jackson Miller

Cover Art and Design by David Stevenson and Scott Biel

Edition: Paperback

Description:

At last in one volume, the eight original installments of the epic Lost Tribe of the Sith eBook series . . . along with the explosive, never-before-published finale, Pandemonium—more than one hundred pages of new material!

Five thousand years ago. After a Jedi ambush, the Sith mining ship Omen lies wrecked on a remote, unknown planet. Its commander, Yaru Korsin, battles the bloodshed of a mutinous faction led by his own brother. Marooned and facing death, the Sith crew have no choice but to venture into their desolate surroundings. They face any number of brutal challenges—vicious predators, lethal plagues, tribal people who worship vengeful gods—and like true Sith warriors, counter them with the dark side of the Force.

The struggles are just beginning for the proud, uncompromising Sith, driven as they are to rule at all costs. They will vanquish the primitive natives, and they will find their way back to their true destiny as rulers of the galaxy. But as their legacy grows over thousands of years, the Sith ultimately find themselves tested by the most dangerous threat of all: the enemy within.

Book Review for Star Wars Book Club for July: Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void

Book: Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void by Tim Lebbon

Cover Art by Torstein Nordstrand

Edition: Paperback

Description:

On the planet Tython, the ancient Je’daii order was founded. And at the feet of its wise Masters, Lanoree Brock learned the mysteries and methods of the Force—and found her calling as one of its most powerful disciples. But as strongly as the Force flowed within Lanoree and her parents, it remained absent in her brother, who grew to despise and shun the Je’daii, and whose training in its ancient ways ended in tragedy.

Now, from her solitary life as a Ranger keeping order across the galaxy, Lanoree has been summoned by the Je’daii Council on a matter of utmost urgency. The leader of a fanatical cult, obsessed with traveling beyond the reaches of known space, is bent on opening a cosmic gateway using dreaded dark matter as the key—risking a cataclysmic reaction that will consume the entire star system. But more shocking to Lanoree than even the prospect of total galactic annihilation, is the decision of her Je’daii Masters to task her with the mission of preventing it. Until a staggering revelation makes clear why she was chosen: The brilliant, dangerous madman she must track down and stop at any cost is the brother whose death she has long grieved—and whose life she must now fear.

Book Review for Star Wars Book Club for March: Star Wars: Catalyst

Book: Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno

Cover Design by Scott Biel

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Lauded Star Wars author James Luceno returns to pen an intense tale of ambition and betrayal that sets the stage for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

War is tearing the galaxy apart. For years the Republic and the Separatists have battled across the stars, each building more and more deadly technology in an attempt to win the war. As a member of Chancellor Palpatine’s top secret Death Star project, Orson Krennic is determined to develop a superweapon before the Republic’s enemies can. And an old friend of Krennic’s, the brilliant scientist Galen Erso, could be the key.

Galen’s energy-focused research has captured the attention of both Krennic and his foes, making the scientist a crucial pawn in the galactic conflict. But after Krennic rescues Galen, his wife, Lyra, and their young daughter, Jyn, from Separatist kidnappers, the Erso family is deeply in Krennic’s debt. Krennic then offers Galen an extraordinary opportunity: to continue his scientific studies with every resource put utterly at his disposal. While Galen and Lyra believe that his energy research will be used purely in altruistic ways, Krennic has other plans that will finally make the Death Star a reality. Trapped in their benefactor’s tightening grasp, the Ersos must untangle Krennic’s web of deception to save themselves and the galaxy itself.

Book Review for the Star Wars Book Club for February: Star Wars: Rebel Heist

Book: Star Wars: Rebel Heist (issues #1-4) by Matt Kindt with illustrations by Marco Castiello, ink by Dan Parsons, color by Gabe Eltaeb and letters by Michael Heisler

Cover art by Adam Hughes

Edition: Trade Paperback

Description:

The Rebel Alliance's newest recruits are teamed with its greatest heroes to hatch a plot and pull off a heist right under the noses of the Empire's finest. Can Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca live up to their legends, or will they be found to have feet of clay? Or, is it possible, that their most obvious weaknesses might also be their greatest strengths?

Book Review for the Star Wars Book Club for January: Star Wars Trilogy

Book: Star Wars Trilogy by George Lucas, Donald F. Glut and James Kahn

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Luke Skywalker dreamed of adventures out among the stars and alien worlds. But when he intercepted a message from a beautiful captive princess, he got more than he had bargained for—and that was how the adventure of his life began. . . .

Book Review: Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader

Book: Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader by Ryder Windham

Edition: Digital

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader is a fast-paced and exciting story that gives readers a glimpse into the life of Anakin Skywalker and his later transformation into the Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Although the story includes slight recaps of the Star Wars movies I-VI, there is new information woven throughout. As the story begins, it follows a young Anakin Skywalker and his mother Shmi arriving with other slaves to the planet Tatooine to work for Gardulla the Hut. Anakin and Shmi's ownership changed to Watto, a Toydarian due to Gardulla losing a bet to him.

Under new ownership things changed a little bit where Watto housed them in a single home at Slave Quarters Row instead of the place being filled with other unfortunate souls. Anakin also worked at Watto's parts dealership buying, selling and repairing tech for the Toydarian. And Shmi was able to make additional income by cleaning computer memory devices. Despite the betting living conditions, the Skywalkers were under no delusion about their lives, it might be better working for Watto than for Gardulla but they knew that they were still slaves.

Anakin's skill with controlling a Podracer had Watto seeing more opportunity to make money gambling on the races. In between working for Watto, racing in Podraces and secretly building his own racer, Ani was repairing a Protocol Droid. But his skills in Podracing came in handy when a small group of strangers arrived at Watto's shop looking for parts for a Naboo starship.

Anakin found out more about the strangers when he invited them to his home in order to wait out a sandstorm. The group included a young human woman named Padmé, a human man a Jedi named Qui-Gon Jinn, a young Gungan man named Jar Jar Binks and an astromech droid R2-D2.

Thanks to Anakin's help in winning the Podrace they were able to get the parts they needed and he was able to gain his freedom. This was bittersweet for Anakin because he was free but the same could not be said for his mother. Despite Qui-Gon's negotiations with Watto, he wasn't able to free her.

Things progressed over the years with Anakin immersed in his Jedi training but at 20 years old something new was changing for him. He found himself falling in love with the former Queen now Senator of Naboo, Padmé Amidala.

There were many forces that were drawing Anakin closer to The Dark Side such as his secret love with Padmé; the death of his mother and his reaction to it; Chancellor Palpatine's "guidance and influence" and the never ending growing darkness within him. Once he completely embraced The Dark Side, he was Anakin no more, he had become Darth Vader.     

By the time the Rebel Alliance was underway, Darth Vader's terrifying reputation precedes him. But Vader and Emperor Palpatine would soon meet their match against the latest group of rebels which included Princess Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C3PO.

This was a good and well-written read and I enjoyed reading the additional scenes that coincide with the movie scenes. And not to mention gaining insight into Anakin/Vader's thoughts throughout the story and during the interlude. As in the movie Return of the Jedi, Anakin's redemption is shown but the story delves a bit more into it. The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader tells a heartbreaking story of one who should have been a hero but became enticed by the very thing he was supposed to fight.

Book Review: Star Wars: The Crystal Star

Book: Star Wars: The Crystal Star by Vonda N. McIntyre

Edition: Paperback

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

Star Wars books are generally hit or miss for me with The Crystal Star falling somewhere right in the middle.

It was told in three rotating yet eventually connecting plots. The story opens with Leia dealing with the realization that her three children, five year old twins Jaina and Jacen and their three year old brother Anakin, had been kidnapped while she had been visiting the small planet Munto Codru. In the process of the kidnapping, Chewbacca had been injured but what hindered Leia's start in looking for her children was that the officials had believed the abduction was a simple yet standard kidnapping with nothing that she should have to worry about, according to officials the children will be returned as soon as the abductors issue a ransom. This is something that happens on this planet fairly often. However, instead of trusting her instincts that something was wrong and this wasn't a typical Munto Codru abduction, she actually listened to the officials and continued her dignitary duties.

Leia was so out of character in this book was beyond laughable. It was as if the writer didn't know anything about Leia which is why I figured her personality was so off. The Leia in this book second guessed herself a lot throughout the story and had a lot of misplaced anger which she initially directed at Chewbacca for not stopping her children's kidnapping. Leia is good is high pressure situations and should not have been painted as unsure or hysterical when she should have taken charge of the situation. If it wasn't for R2-D2 (with assistance from Chewbacca) sort of tricking her to get her aboard her ship, Leia probably would have never left to go in search of her children.

As to where the children were, it was indeed the worse place for them to be in. They had been taken by Hethrir, a former Imperial officer who had plans to restore the fallen Empire. They soon realized they were not the only children that had been taken. Their circumstance immediately became one of cruelty as Hethrir's command was law. Despite Jaina and Jacen dealing with a bleak and depressing world they now lived in, they remained defiant refusing to give in to their current situation. Unlike the other children who were already browbeaten into submission.

Meanwhile, Han, Luke and C-3PO traveled to the Crseih Research Station to investigate a report of lost Jedi. However, meeting their contact Xaverri, who turned out to be an old friend of Han's, the reports were not about lost Jedi but something more disturbing. There is a powerful being named Waru who has amassed a following for his healing abilities.

Luke was also out of character but not as bad as Leia was. I know this is an older book (it was published in 1995 and is no longer considered part of continuity) but there were elements of Luke that were right on point and feel like you're seeing the natural progression to who he eventually becomes in the current Disney owned Star Wars universe.

This wasn't bad but it had a slow start and the ending felt rushed. A lot of time and pages were wasted drawing out all three plots before they merged into one story. A good editor could have reduced this 413 page story by getting rid of some of the redundancy and slow moving scenes. Leia's characterization was by far the worse but it didn't ruin some of the interesting points of the story.

Book Review: Star Wars: Dark Lord

Book: Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars: The Dark Lord Trilogy book #3) by James Luceno

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

All I can say is, wow this was amazing! It's hard to image that this is the same author who wrote that less than stellar Star Wars: Tarkin book. This was so good that I didn't want to put it down, I had to know what was going to happen next.

This story not only focused on Darth Vader's descent into the Dark Side as he becomes more and more accustomed to his new life as a Sith but also on a small group of Jedi who had managed to survive Order 66.

The book opens with Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak, Padawan Olee Starstone and clone troopers as they try to invade a separatist stronghold but just as they were about to succeed at their task, the troopers turn on them. Thanks to some troopers who didn't agree with the Order, the three Jedi were able to get away. However, they were still trapped on the planet with no foreseeable way to leave. Quick thinking from the Jedi had them changing their clothes to those of mercenaries but they were still caught but thankfully the troopers didn't take too much notice and rounded them up with the other mercenaries.

Their small bit of luck was quickly turning into dread when the Emperor's new right hand Darth Vader showed up. His visit brought about the death of one of the Jedi and the clones that allowed them to get away. Luck was still with the remaining Jedi Master and the Padawan but time was running out and they needed to get away fast.

Thanks to help from an unlikely contact, the Jedi were able to evade capture but this set in motion a series of events that will have them trying to stay ahead of Darth Vader. The story also gave some attention to Emperor Palpatine, Bail Organa, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Tarkin, C-3PO and R2-D2.

I really like this story because it was exciting, fast-paced and well written. I thought that all the characters were very well-written and had good development. I like that many of the characters that readers are familiar with were completely in character. You also get to see how Vader was thinking as he let go of his old life as Anakin Skywalker and fully embraced the Dark Side.

The author really did a fantastic job with this story. I'm really glad I lucked up on finding this, I hope in the future I find more Star Wars books that are as good as this one.

Book Review: Star Wars: Lords of the Sith

Book: Star Wars: Lords of the Sith by Paul S. Kemp

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey Spectra: LucasBooks  

Description:

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . .

When the Emperor and his notorious apprentice, Darth Vader, find themselves stranded in the middle of insurgent action on an inhospitable planet, they must rely on each other, the Force, and their own ruthlessness to prevail.

“It appears things are as you suspected, Lord Vader. We are indeed hunted.”

Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, is just a memory. Darth Vader, newly anointed Sith Lord, is ascendant. The Emperor’s chosen apprentice has swiftly proven his loyalty to the dark side. Still, the history of the Sith Order is one of duplicity, betrayal, and acolytes violently usurping their Masters—and the truest measure of Vader’s allegiance has yet to be taken. Until now.

On Ryloth, a planet crucial to the growing Empire as a source of slave labor and the narcotic known as “spice,” an aggressive resistance movement has arisen, led by Cham Syndulla, an idealistic freedom fighter, and Isval, a vengeful former slave. But Emperor Palpatine means to control the embattled world and its precious resources—by political power or firepower—and he will be neither intimidated nor denied. Accompanied by his merciless disciple, Darth Vader, he sets out on a rare personal mission to ensure his will is done.

For Syndulla and Isval, it’s the opportunity to strike at the very heart of the ruthless dictatorship sweeping the galaxy. And for the Emperor and Darth Vader, Ryloth becomes more than just a matter of putting down an insurrection: When an ambush sends them crashing to the planet’s surface, where inhospitable terrain and an army of resistance fighters await them, they will find their relationship tested as never before. With only their lightsabers, the dark side of the Force, and each other to depend on, the two Sith must decide if the brutal bond they share will make them victorious allies or lethal adversaries.


Rating: 1 star (Did Not Finish)

Review:

This was so boring that I couldn't finish reading it. Yes, there was some action but the story was dull and slow moving. The characters have zero personality and are just one step above cardboard with their voices being stilted and choppy. I found it hard to connect with this story, there was nothing that was interesting about it.

Lords of the Sith felt as if I was reading a poorly written screenplay instead of a fully formed story. It's very generic and dumbed down.

The story opens with Darth Vader taking down a band of rebels who have stolen one of the Empire's ships which contains weapons. The ship had been planning to rendezvous with another rebel ship that is being lead by Cham Syndulla.

Once Vader was successful at his task he was back on Coruscant with the Emperor with plans to visit Ryloth to make sure everything will be handled according to plan. With the rebel group causing trouble for the Empire, the Emperor and Vader will be there to ascertain the situation and to draw the rebels out.

The rebels think this is their chance to take out the Empire. That's about as far as I got because I really couldn't take the writing anymore. This just wasn't a very good read for me but I do love the cover art, that's amazing.

Book Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Crash Course

Book: Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Crash Course by Henry Gilroy and Gary Scheppke with illustrations by The Fillbach Brothers (Matt and Shawn) and color by Ronda Pattison

Description:

The search for a separatist spy leads Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, to the Mon Gazza system, where one of the biggest Podraces in the galaxy is about to begin. The Jedi must enter the races to uncover the secrets of a spy network that they believe is much larger than just a single agent and his contract. With Ahsoka as the racer, and Anakin, Artoo-Detoo, and the Clone Commander Rex as her pit crew, things seem to be well in hand for a successful mission -- but Ahsoka's never driven a Podracer before...

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

I thought the story was pretty good. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Padawan Ahsoka Tano along with Captain Rex and R2-D2 attempt to follow a traitor who has stolen Republic secrets with plans to give them to the Separatist.

The Republic group were not able to quickly acquire the stolen information and they found themselves having to go undercover by having Ahsoka enter a Podrace to see if they can find out who the traitor passed the information to.

This was a fast paced story that had Ahsoka trusting her instincts especially when she disagrees with Anakin about another racer and whether or not he is involved with the Separatist.

The artwork was okay but the story was certainly the better of the two. The authors did a good job with keeping the characters in characters which can be hard with some of these media tie-in books but the dialogue and everything else felt just like you were watching an episode of Star Wars: The Clone War.

Book Review: Star Wars: Tarkin

Book: Star Wars: Tarkin by James Luceno

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Rating: 2 stars

Review:

This had a very interesting start with the author giving the reader background information about Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin (some believable and some not) and how he transformed into a person that is highly regarded by the Emperor. The story also gave the reader a view into the mind of the Emperor and how he works as well as how Darth Vader commands.

Too bad the story didn't stick with Tarkin instead of turning into an annoying and far fetched cat and mouse game with Tarkin and Vader trying to track down a small crew of hijackers who had stolen Tarkin's prized cruiser the Carrion Spike. The thieves were using the ship to attack various Imperial outposts. It's hard to believe that both Vader and Tarkin were both outsmarted and were constantly one step behind the crew. Vader and Tarkin are supposed to be the best of the worst and this story made a fool out some of the most feared villains around.

As I said before the beginning was interesting and possibly well on it's way to giving the reader a great story about a very bad and evil group of men (the Emperor, Tarkin and Darth Vader) but as the story went on it became really, really boring. I find it hard to believe that at one point in the story the Emperor would care whether Tarkin and Vader would get along. As long as they are doing everything he says I can't possibly think he would care if they worked well with each other or not.

Something I did like was that the story included information from Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. But what I didn't like was that the story also focused on the crew who stole the ship, I didn't really care about their point of view because it didn't tell me anything and all it did was take away from the story.

This was a very lackluster book that failed to show why Tarkin is one of most feared men in the Empire. The writing suffered from a lot of telling the reader stuff instead of showing them. I found the characters out of character and with many of the characters voices all sounding the same. Nothing really set them apart.

As a Star Wars fan I failed to see what the purpose of this book was, because it certainly wasn't an exciting fantasy adventure that gave the reader a look at the Empire through the eyes of Tarkin. In the end, Tarkin was not a good read.

Book Review: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Book: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (Origami Yoda book #1) by Tom Angleberger

Source: Library

Description:

IT TAKES THE WISDOM OF YODA TO SURVIVED THE SIXTH GRADE

Meet Dwight, a sixth-grade oddball. Dwight does a lot of weird things, like wearing the same T-shirt for a month or telling people to call him "Captain Dwight." This is embarrassing, particularly for Tommy, who sits with him at lunch every day.

But Dwight does one cool thing. He makes origami. One day he makes an origami finger puppet of Yoda. And that's when things get mysterious. Origami Yoda can predict the future and suggest the best way to deal with a tricky situation. His advice actually works, and soon most of the sixth grade is lining up with questions.

Tommy wants to know how Origami Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. Is Yoda tapping into the Force? It's crucial that Tommy figure out the mystery before he takes Yoda's advice about something VERY IMPORTANT that has to do with a girl.

This is Tommy's case file of his investigation into "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda."


Rating: 3 stars

Review:

It took me a little over an hour to read this book, it was cute and funny.

In this book, a group of sixth graders start asking for advice from an origami Yoda who was made by one of the class outsiders Dwight. It's an understatement to say that Dwight is a little weird but for some reason origami Yoda is giving out good advice. The story is told through several re-told stories as a case file where different kids described their interactions with Yoda and the advice he gave them.

The narrator of the case file is Tommy who created the file because he wanted to know if origami Yoda was real or not? Could all of the advice that just so happened to turn out to be correct mean that Yoda is real or is all of this just some strange coincidence.

Things start to get a little crazy and zany when another boy (Tommy, the class frienemy) created his own origami Yoda just to prove a point that Dwight's Yoda is nothing more than a crappy piece of paper and that his advice was better. However, to prove who has the best Yoda the decision was based on a question that centered around the school dance.

This was a funny book that is perfect for middle grade readers and anyone who might want a laugh.

Book Review: Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves

Book: Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves (Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion book #2) by James S. A. Corey

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

"Honor Among Thieves" takes place some time after the movie "A New Hope", I thought this was good but I felt like it could have been much better especially with the way Han Solo was portrayed sometimes as an incompetent goon. I also didn't like that Chewbacca took a back seat in this story so it could focus more on newly created character Scarlet Hark who I found to be really annoying and bossy (yeah, I know Leia is bossy but she's likeable). She was also way too perfect and it was annoying because she was this perfect spy who can do just about anything.

This was a fun read but I felt like Scarlet may have gotten too much focus especially since this was mainly supposed to be about Han Solo. I guess what annoyed me was how Scarlet treated Han as if he was at her beck and call and was pretty much an idiot. She was basically calling all the shots and Han was just there to follow along. But I did like how Han finally showed up Scarlet while a portion of the group were walking through the jungle. What I did enjoy was the banter between Han and Leia, the author had a good feel of the voices and personalities for those two characters.

The story had Han Solo and Chewbacca going out to an Empire controlled planet to pick up Scarlet Hark, a rebel spy who had been stationed there to find out information. However, before Han and Chewbacca could locate the spy they were ambushed by a former friend Baasen who was planning on taking them back to Jabba for a nice reward.

But after a very daring escape, Han (minus Chewie who was back at their ship) was on the trail of the spy so he could find her and quickly leave. Once he found her the plan of immediate departure was changed so that Han and Scarlet could try to retrieve some important information from the Empire. The information told of a legendary device that if the Empire could acquire it will gain them control over hyperspace travel.

Things took another turn when Scarlet realized that the information that they needed was going to be taken to the summit which is were Leia was. But before Han, Chewie and Scarlet could leave the space system they had to get away from Empire ships as well as from Baasen.

Once the trio got to the summit they had to track down the guy who had the information but that didn't quite work out they way they wanted it to but they did get the information they needed. And with Empire ships quickly approaching, Han, Leia, Chewie, Scarlet and Baasen had to make a fast getaway along with the other attendees from the summit.

To get to the device the group wound up regrouping with Luke who with several other Rebellion flyers had been stuck out in the Seymarti system with no way to return thanks to the hyperspace device.

My annoyances aside, I really did enjoy this and it felt like a good addition to the Star Wars universe. I still wish there was more of Luke in this, he was reduced to being nothing more than pilot guy with a few one-liners.

So, in the end this is a good story but it put too much focus on new character Scarlet Hark and turned Han, Chewie and Luke into secondary characters. Well at least Leia wasn't turned into a damsel-in-distress.

Book 10 Review for my Library Read-a-thon: The Star Wars Trilogy

Book: The Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV, V & VI) by George Lucas, Donald F. Glut and James Kahn

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Reading this was like watching the movies but with additional scenes. This was awesome!! The book included the first three original stories of the Star Wars saga: A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

I loved reading this book because these stories were a fun and quick read. I enjoyed going on Luke Skywalker's journey from farm boy to hero, Princess Leia Organa's dignified yet fierce fight for freedom, Han Solo's change from a selfish scoundrel to being a member of the team and Lando Calrissian went from being another scoundrel to becoming a respected member of the rebels. Not to mention Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2 and the Ewoks as key members of the team.

I thought this was simply amazing. These action packed stories had me rooting for them as they battled the Empire. Although there were a few differences from the stories to the movies, they were minor such as Yoda being described as blue. But something I found interesting was the version of A New Hope I was reading, was the original story published in 1977 which was an earlier version of the script and was written by George Lucas. The other two stories were written each by Mr. Glut and Mr. Kahn based on stories by Mr. Lucas.

This is a pretty good collection of stories. I enjoyed it so much that I would like to buy a copy of this for my own library. I could see re-reading these stories again in the near future.

Book Review: Star Wars The Clone Wars: Wild Space

Book: Star Wars The Clone Wars: Wild Space by Karen Miller

Source: Library

Rating: 2 stars (because the story started to drag half way through the book)

Review:

This was much better than the other Star Wars: The Clone Wars book I read. I found the beginning to be really interesting, especially when we got a better understanding of how Padme and Anakin hid their relationship from everyone. But there were also things that I did not like about it, such as it started to get annoying with the never ending arguing between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Senator Bail Organa throughout the remainder of the book. There were also scenes that felt like they went on for far too long that did nothing but drag the book down.

The book begins where the Star Wars: Attack of the Clones movie left off, the story focused on Anakin Skywalker dealing with his injury and Padme Amidala's feelings for Anakin. Although the beginning was interesting, it actually had absolutely nothing to do with the main story of this book.

The main story focused on Senator Bail Organa finding out about a possible Sith attack on the Jedi from one of his secret informants. He along with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi were there to meet up with Organa's contact to see if the information were true.

The information had the two going to a very distant Sith planet to investigate further. Throughout their travels either in space or when they were traipsing across the Sith planet the constant bickering was dragging the book down. The author didn't need to keep this up, as the readers we got it, those two clashed. They are both on the side of justice but just don't agree with the end results.

I found some of the portrayals of the characters to be rather bad. For instance, if the author's goal was for me to dislike Senator Bail Organa then she did an awesome job. I found his character to be snobbish and childish. It got tiring reading the constant disagreement between the Senator and Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Senator was written as extremely confrontational, arrogant and a jerk. In the movies and animated series, Senator Orana was portrayed as someone who was very passionate about fighting for the good of the Republic but without the arrogance that was shown throughout this book. Where was the intelligent compassionate character we saw in the movie? It also seemed weird that he was so angry towards Obi-Wan Kenobi and the rest of the Jedi, it seem as if he was more against them than in favor of them. I was glad the author fixed this by the end of the book other wise it would mar with what happens in Revenge of the Sith.

I also didn't like how cruel Anakin was towards Ahsoka, as well as the way Senator Padme Amidala was shown in certain scenes as nothing more than a scheming woman trying to hold on to Anakin Skywalker.

However, the portrayals I did like were: Masters Yoda and Mace Windu and Chancellor Palpatine. The way they were portrayed, you got to see how they thought and felt about the ongoing war which brought a lot to their scenes. I enjoyed reading some of Obi-Wan's portrayal but he was also a bit out of character as well being a broken man in this.

I am really sorry this wasn't as good as I had hoped but I'm still going to continue to read more books from the Star Wars series whenever I get a chance. I'm sure there are good ones, I just have to find them. Also, the cover is very misleading, there was barely a mention of a clone in this.

Book Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Book: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (The Clone Wars #1) by Karen Traviss

Source: Library

Rating: 2 stars

Review:

You know the old saying "the book is better than the movie", that's usually true. However, in this case, the movie is much better than the book. I was disappointed with this book, the story felt a little dull and it didn't feel that exciting especially with the battle scenes. I was expecting more depth but instead all I read was a rather drawn out boring book.

Another thing I was disappointed with was that so many good parts of the movie were left out of the book, such as the scene in which Senator Amidala went to speak with Ziro the Hutt then stumbled upon Ziro's involvement with the abduction of his nephew. Another amazing scene that was removed was Ahsoka's intense fight against Dooku's MagnaGuards on her way to return Jabba's son to him. Both of those scenes added to the ending and without them it felt rather disjointed.

I felt like the author didn't really understand the characters she was writing about. Most of them felt out of character. The author's voice and characterizations for these characters didn't match up to what we were shown. I find it unbelievable that Asajj Ventress would care that a spy droid she was using had been destroyed. Even R2-D2 was out of character and I find that hard to believe that anyone could mess up R2. I also didn't find Anakin and Ahsoka's characterizations that interesting either. I will admit I did find some of Anakin's internal monologue interesting you got to see some of his turmoil about the war, his feeling about his wife and his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders.

The characterizations that I did like were Chancellor Palpatine and Captain Rex and the soldiers. With the Chancellor you got to read his internal monologue as he gloated over his superiority towards the Jedi. Now with the Captain and the soldiers we got to see how the soldiers were dealing with the war and how they felt in general. It was nice reading more about them.

Something else I found really annoying throughout this book was the constant anti-Jedi/anti-republic sentiment. There was just too much of it. She has written this story as if all the Jedi were evil and corrupt without showing otherwise. She doesn't do a good job of showing a balance between the Republic/Separatist views.

Reading this made me want to rewatch the animated movie again just to wipe this horrible version from my brain. I'm really glad I checked this out from the library instead of buying it, because I would have wanted my money back.