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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
lighthearted
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:
No
For those who don’t know me, I’m a sequels hater. When I watched The Force Awakens, I’d only recently watched and become a fan of the rest of the saga so, while not *happy* about the fate of Luke, Leia and Han, I both knew what to expect and hadn’t yet formed strong opinions on the whole. I was willing to wait and hopefully be surprised by a consistent story that provided satisfactory explanations about the choices they’d made, even if I didn’t like those choices…
That didn’t happen.
One thing I did like about TFA was the new trio: Rey, Finn and Poe. I thought, even if the story didn’t go well for the old characters I loved, at least they would pass the torch to a new generation of diverse, compelling heroes - a strong female lead, a Black Jedi, a Latino pilot, all of them breaking stereotypes, having more than a few lines and defying expectations…
That didn’t happen either.
But the seeds were there, and this little YA novel is proof of that. It’s comprised of three short stories, each focusing on one of the characters some time before TFA.
We follow Rey as she makes a big discovery in the Jakku desert, a story that highlights her cunning and her mechanic prowess. Then, we see Finn on the path of becoming a great Stormtrooper, until his compassion gets him in trouble. Finally, Poe defies New Republic orders to follow a hunch, and ends up being recruited into the Resistance. All of these stories hint at what we later see in the movie, what makes these characters tick.
It’s not a super deep read, and parts of it were later retconned by the following movies (for the worse, I may add), but it’s a quick and fun book if you’re at all interested in the backstories of the beating heart of the sequel trilogy. And it’s illustrated by Phil Noto, whose art makes me swoon.
That didn’t happen.
One thing I did like about TFA was the new trio: Rey, Finn and Poe. I thought, even if the story didn’t go well for the old characters I loved, at least they would pass the torch to a new generation of diverse, compelling heroes - a strong female lead, a Black Jedi, a Latino pilot, all of them breaking stereotypes, having more than a few lines and defying expectations…
That didn’t happen either.
But the seeds were there, and this little YA novel is proof of that. It’s comprised of three short stories, each focusing on one of the characters some time before TFA.
We follow Rey as she makes a big discovery in the Jakku desert, a story that highlights her cunning and her mechanic prowess. Then, we see Finn on the path of becoming a great Stormtrooper, until his compassion gets him in trouble. Finally, Poe defies New Republic orders to follow a hunch, and ends up being recruited into the Resistance. All of these stories hint at what we later see in the movie, what makes these characters tick.
It’s not a super deep read, and parts of it were later retconned by the following movies (for the worse, I may add), but it’s a quick and fun book if you’re at all interested in the backstories of the beating heart of the sequel trilogy. And it’s illustrated by Phil Noto, whose art makes me swoon.
3.5-Protect these precious babies at all costs.
fun short stories about the force awakens main characters. no information was super vital and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't super thrilling either.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
I’m finding it hard to nail a specific rating for this one, so I’ll go with my gut.
This was a really excellent collection of stories to give us some background for all these characters. Since this was a junior novel, it was also a light, quick read as well. Definitely recommended for little humans and big humans alike who adore the Star Wars world and want to keep exploring it. I just think I’ve been spoiled because I’ve read other books beyond this one already, unfortunately.
I really wish Greg Rucka had been allowed to write three separate books for each character, along this same vein. The length of these stories made each one feel more like a teaser, though Rucka definitely tried to fit as much in as he could! Finn’s section tackles the feeling of other-ness he has among his peers, Rey’s focuses on the intensity of living on Jakku, and Poe’s the passion it takes to really join the Resistance. They were all really fantastic concepts that I just found myself wanting more of each!
The banter in Poe’s section particularly made me laugh multiple times, and really showcased the differences in how he works as a Commander versus Finn with his team. They almost seem to be set up as foils for each other which I did not expect and thought was incredibly interesting. Nonetheless, I lived for Poe’s crew’s interactions with him.
”I love it when he talks like this,” Karé told Iolo. “You always know it’s going to be something good when he talks like this.”
Rey’s section really hammered home a lot of smaller details about what it’s like to grow up alone. She doesn’t understand a family’s bond when she sees it in front of her, why a man would send a younger girl back to a ship (to protect her, as she’s presumably his daughter). She has issues trusting, for good reason, but it also leaves her more developed in the end as she figures out where she sits in a social setting.
Overall, this was really fun, definitely enjoyed, and will be adding it to my Star Wars shelf amid all the others. ✨
(As a side note: Greg Rucka also writes the Lazarus comics which I found interesting because I thought I recognized his name from somewhere!)
This was a really excellent collection of stories to give us some background for all these characters. Since this was a junior novel, it was also a light, quick read as well. Definitely recommended for little humans and big humans alike who adore the Star Wars world and want to keep exploring it. I just think I’ve been spoiled because I’ve read other books beyond this one already, unfortunately.
I really wish Greg Rucka had been allowed to write three separate books for each character, along this same vein. The length of these stories made each one feel more like a teaser, though Rucka definitely tried to fit as much in as he could! Finn’s section tackles the feeling of other-ness he has among his peers, Rey’s focuses on the intensity of living on Jakku, and Poe’s the passion it takes to really join the Resistance. They were all really fantastic concepts that I just found myself wanting more of each!
The banter in Poe’s section particularly made me laugh multiple times, and really showcased the differences in how he works as a Commander versus Finn with his team. They almost seem to be set up as foils for each other which I did not expect and thought was incredibly interesting. Nonetheless, I lived for Poe’s crew’s interactions with him.
”I love it when he talks like this,” Karé told Iolo. “You always know it’s going to be something good when he talks like this.”
Rey’s section really hammered home a lot of smaller details about what it’s like to grow up alone. She doesn’t understand a family’s bond when she sees it in front of her, why a man would send a younger girl back to a ship (to protect her, as she’s presumably his daughter). She has issues trusting, for good reason, but it also leaves her more developed in the end as she figures out where she sits in a social setting.
Overall, this was really fun, definitely enjoyed, and will be adding it to my Star Wars shelf amid all the others. ✨
(As a side note: Greg Rucka also writes the Lazarus comics which I found interesting because I thought I recognized his name from somewhere!)
This is a short collection of three stories preceeding the events in The Force Awakenes. Each story is devoted to one of the main characters in the Movie: Finn, Rey and Poe. The first two stories don't offer much in terms of character building, however the story of Poe is going to satisfy the constantly growing circle of his huge fans (including me), and give some insight into his past, meeting with Leia, and his relations with the adorable BB-8. It's definitely an interesting reading for all who crave more after watching episode Vii.
We have to be honest. The gap between episode VI and VII isn't small, to say the least. Is this a way for Disney to sell books and Comics that fill this gap? Or will the gap fade away when episode VIII and IX are released?
I don't know, but I can tell you that this book gives a nice look into the lives of our 3 protagonists of 'The Force Awakens'.
The story of Finn:
Don't expect to learn where Finn comes from, or who his parents are. The story starts with Finn training with his team during simulations. They make it look like Finn is a heartless Stormtrooper, until the story progresses. It's fun to learn more about his friends who get a small part in the movie (the Stormtrooper who dies in front of Finn with his bloody hand, and the famous TR-8R).
The story of Rey:
A very emotional chapter. We learn a bit more about her life as a scavenger on Jakku, and her dream to leave the planet. The story centres around the repair of a ship she could use to leave, and her 'friends' who are helling her. It was a bit long, and you kind of already knew how it would end. But nevertheless... The ending grabs you by the throat, and makes you think twice about the fact if you can trust people.
The story of Poe Dameron:
My favourite story of the book. Action-packed and a bit emotional. Poe isn't a soldier of the rebellion yet in the beginning. Of course, after a tragic loss, Poe will meet General Leia and things go into fifth gear. A lot of X-wing Fighter action, and the occasional sassiness of our bad-ass pilot.
The final thing I want to say:
Every story ends perfectly where Episode VII: The Force Awakens begins. What do you want more?!
I don't know, but I can tell you that this book gives a nice look into the lives of our 3 protagonists of 'The Force Awakens'.
The story of Finn:
Don't expect to learn where Finn comes from, or who his parents are. The story starts with Finn training with his team during simulations. They make it look like Finn is a heartless Stormtrooper, until the story progresses. It's fun to learn more about his friends who get a small part in the movie (the Stormtrooper who dies in front of Finn with his bloody hand, and the famous TR-8R).
The story of Rey:
A very emotional chapter. We learn a bit more about her life as a scavenger on Jakku, and her dream to leave the planet. The story centres around the repair of a ship she could use to leave, and her 'friends' who are helling her. It was a bit long, and you kind of already knew how it would end. But nevertheless... The ending grabs you by the throat, and makes you think twice about the fact if you can trust people.
The story of Poe Dameron:
My favourite story of the book. Action-packed and a bit emotional. Poe isn't a soldier of the rebellion yet in the beginning. Of course, after a tragic loss, Poe will meet General Leia and things go into fifth gear. A lot of X-wing Fighter action, and the occasional sassiness of our bad-ass pilot.
The final thing I want to say:
Every story ends perfectly where Episode VII: The Force Awakens begins. What do you want more?!
This was so much fun. Reading about their lives before the force awakens was great and all the stories lead up to the beginning of the film.
hopeful
fast-paced
Fun read. Not a lot of new info here. Finn and Rey are pretty much doing exactly what they are doing at the beginning of Force Awakens. Poe's story goes a little more in depth, giving him more back story.