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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
One of, if not the best Star Wars legends books. It's Apocalypse Now meets Star Wars. It explores Mace Windu's background and delves into how the clone wars are changing Jedi and forcing them to question beliefs they've held for millenia. Windu is also forced to reckon with the toll war takes, and this also serves as a social commentary for the war on terror that was just beginning at the time (this was written in 2003).
Stover is an excellent writer-i already loved his revenge of the sith novelization so I was excited to read this. He is at his best getting into the mind of his main character (In this case Windu) and relaying the very real human costs of war.
Stover is an excellent writer-i already loved his revenge of the sith novelization so I was excited to read this. He is at his best getting into the mind of his main character (In this case Windu) and relaying the very real human costs of war.
Pretty solid read. I remember listening to the abridged audiobook when I was a teenager. I’ll say the first half is much better written than the second half. Action scenes, especially towards the end, were chaotic and often hard to follow.
I liked that the author attempted to give Mace a character arc which is something he didn’t have in any of the prequel movies. That fact that he states that he regrets not killing Dooku on Geonosis is more character building for him than anything in the films.
I liked that the author attempted to give Mace a character arc which is something he didn’t have in any of the prequel movies. That fact that he states that he regrets not killing Dooku on Geonosis is more character building for him than anything in the films.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is without a doubt the most brutal piece of Star Wars media I've consumed.
In my readthrough of all EU material post Return of the Jedi, I was recommended to read this prequel era novel before Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor, as apparently there are connections between the two. Before this book I didn't really care for Mace Windu. He's kind of interesting in the films and The Clone Wars, as he's a important showcase of the jedi's arrogance. After reading this, I'm a fan.
I knew that Matthew Stover is regarded very highly amongst the Star Wars community. He has a great style: laying out a scene or expectations with long sentences before hitting the reader with a short, sharp burst of words for impact. I loved it.
This book doesn't read like a typical Star Wars adventure. The story is heavily inspired by Heart of Darkness — Mace is sent to his home planet locked in civil war to find his supposedly insane padawan. Deep, deep in the jungle he must go.
It's important to note that the Clone Wars have just started. Mace is still thinking about events from Attack of the Clones (his thoughts doing more justice to them than the actual films), and the slow realisation across the novel that they've already lost is brilliant. It's probably best that the reader goes in knowing how the films play out. This novel highlights that the Sith don't win after the war is over. They won because there was a war in the first place. The jungle is a microcosm of what the galaxy is about to go through, and it's absolutely harrowing.
The story pulls no punches; this is not a read for kids. I was shocked at how adult not just the themes but the subject matter was. Parasitic wasps, child soldiers, people burning to death, Stover uses these while treading a fine line — Mace sometimes can be a little bit over-the-top with his badassery — but the events themselves feel incredibly grounded. Logistics are thought about and adapted around to such an impressive level. It's a crying shame that this will likely never be adapted to a screen. The only thing to come close to this level of care in the Disney era (so far) is the last four episodes of Clone Wars and Andor.
So the only thing holding this book back for me is the way the action is presented conflicting with the themes. Don't get me wrong, the action is fantastically realised, but if you want to have an anti-war narrative really hit on all cylinders you can't have badass fighting sequences mixed in. I realise that's perhaps asking a bit too much from a Star Wars book. This definitely does the best job it can considering the circumstances. I do recommend it to any fan of the franchise, even if they are only interested in the new canon. There's only really one or two minor things that the new canon has changed which conflict with this story, but they're very easy to ignore. Shatterpoint is worth it.
I'm very impressed with my first Stover Star Wars book, and I look forward to reading the rest of them.
In my readthrough of all EU material post Return of the Jedi, I was recommended to read this prequel era novel before Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor, as apparently there are connections between the two. Before this book I didn't really care for Mace Windu. He's kind of interesting in the films and The Clone Wars, as he's a important showcase of the jedi's arrogance. After reading this, I'm a fan.
I knew that Matthew Stover is regarded very highly amongst the Star Wars community. He has a great style: laying out a scene or expectations with long sentences before hitting the reader with a short, sharp burst of words for impact. I loved it.
This book doesn't read like a typical Star Wars adventure. The story is heavily inspired by Heart of Darkness — Mace is sent to his home planet locked in civil war to find his supposedly insane padawan. Deep, deep in the jungle he must go.
It's important to note that the Clone Wars have just started. Mace is still thinking about events from Attack of the Clones (his thoughts doing more justice to them than the actual films), and the slow realisation across the novel that they've already lost is brilliant. It's probably best that the reader goes in knowing how the films play out. This novel highlights that the Sith don't win after the war is over. They won because there was a war in the first place. The jungle is a microcosm of what the galaxy is about to go through, and it's absolutely harrowing.
The story pulls no punches; this is not a read for kids. I was shocked at how adult not just the themes but the subject matter was. Parasitic wasps, child soldiers, people burning to death, Stover uses these while treading a fine line — Mace sometimes can be a little bit over-the-top with his badassery — but the events themselves feel incredibly grounded. Logistics are thought about and adapted around to such an impressive level. It's a crying shame that this will likely never be adapted to a screen. The only thing to come close to this level of care in the Disney era (so far) is the last four episodes of Clone Wars and Andor.
So the only thing holding this book back for me is the way the action is presented conflicting with the themes. Don't get me wrong, the action is fantastically realised, but if you want to have an anti-war narrative really hit on all cylinders you can't have badass fighting sequences mixed in. I realise that's perhaps asking a bit too much from a Star Wars book. This definitely does the best job it can considering the circumstances. I do recommend it to any fan of the franchise, even if they are only interested in the new canon. There's only really one or two minor things that the new canon has changed which conflict with this story, but they're very easy to ignore. Shatterpoint is worth it.
I'm very impressed with my first Stover Star Wars book, and I look forward to reading the rest of them.
Matthew Stover deserves his spot near the top of the Star Wars writer pantheon but I do think his prose can get overly flowery - and I'm not entirely convinced he writes women that well.
Even so, Shatterpoint is a unique franchise entry, as Mace Windu is pulled away from the Clone Wars into the unimaginable horrors occurring on his homeworld. His post-Geonosis crisis of faith only gets worse and he's forced to finally come to terms with the role of the Jedi as a whole.
One of the only times Mace felt like a fully realized character. I'd go as far to say Stover is one of the only writers with any real sympathy or understanding for him. Here, Mace's overly stern, robotic tendencies masks a deeply empathetic man who constantly grapples with his choices. His treatment of Anakin is totally reframed, as the two have more in common than perhaps either realize.
In the spirit of that, the book gleefully rejects the usual tone and feel of Star Wars in a surprisingly non-metaphorical, graphic depiction of colonialism. That does lead to some issues, as Mace's insistent defense of "civilization" feel weak or even immoral as he faces its greatest injustices - both in and out of universe. The first person perspective makes it hard for me to judge how much of this is Stover's perspective and how much is Mace's - who as - the book convincingly shows - failed to recognize certain unfortunate truths.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Even so, Shatterpoint is a unique franchise entry, as Mace Windu is pulled away from the Clone Wars into the unimaginable horrors occurring on his homeworld. His post-Geonosis crisis of faith only gets worse and he's forced to finally come to terms with the role of the Jedi as a whole.
One of the only times Mace felt like a fully realized character. I'd go as far to say Stover is one of the only writers with any real sympathy or understanding for him. Here, Mace's overly stern, robotic tendencies masks a deeply empathetic man who constantly grapples with his choices. His treatment of Anakin is totally reframed, as the two have more in common than perhaps either realize.
In the spirit of that, the book gleefully rejects the usual tone and feel of Star Wars in a surprisingly non-metaphorical, graphic depiction of colonialism. That does lead to some issues, as Mace's insistent defense of "civilization" feel weak or even immoral as he faces its greatest injustices - both in and out of universe. The first person perspective makes it hard for me to judge how much of this is Stover's perspective and how much is Mace's - who as - the book convincingly shows - failed to recognize certain unfortunate truths.
3.5 out of 5 stars
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, War
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would rate this slightly below Stover's novelization of Revenge of the Sith. So really I would rate this 4.5-4.9. Without spoiling anything, going into this book you should know that it is not the normal Star Wars journey you're expecting. Stover likes to explore gray areas between the Jedi and the Sith, the light and the dark. Which makes him the perfect author to explore Mace Windu. The planet that Mace largely spends his time on is largely a forest that features metal eating fungi and rapid growth.
This threw me off at first because it felt more like Star Wars meets the Vietnam War. It was bit of a culture shock but it grew on me and I appreciated the breath of fresh air into the franchise.
I also enjoyed the primary villain in this book. I enjoy a good villain who is more than evil for evil's sake. Really, he is an anti-villain if you will. He also works great with opposite Mace Windu. I'd definitely read this book again, just not as often as I would re-read Revenge of the Sith. Stoover is clearly talented and I enjoy this look into the Star Wars universe and morality alike.
This threw me off at first because it felt more like Star Wars meets the Vietnam War. It was bit of a culture shock but it grew on me and I appreciated the breath of fresh air into the franchise.
I also enjoyed the primary villain in this book. I enjoy a good villain who is more than evil for evil's sake. Really, he is an anti-villain if you will. He also works great with opposite Mace Windu. I'd definitely read this book again, just not as often as I would re-read Revenge of the Sith. Stoover is clearly talented and I enjoy this look into the Star Wars universe and morality alike.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
It can't fit into canon due to some THINGS, but it's a real great character study and I liked it very much.