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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
This is a great showcase for Luke, Leia, Chewie, & Vader with a great new villain in Prince Xizor set between Episodes V & VI.
I remember being disappointed that Dash Rendar, the new good guy, wasn't featured more for having been the protagonist of the video game of the same name.
2017 SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE RE-READ
Actually my previous review based on my memory of this book I ready 20+ years ago is pretty accurate. We jump around a lot through the Galaxy (apparently tracking events of the game somewhat). The core characters ring true, Vader is fleshed out, Xizor is an effective and interesting villain, if a bit over-done. And WTF was the author doing with Dash Rendar? Total strike-out there.
This is not a 5 star book. It's probably 3 stars, maybe 4 stars if you're really into Star Wars. Maybe it gets that 5th star because I remember being 13 years old and pedaling my bike over to Kennedy's supermarket, and buying this book for $5.99 from the wire rack next to the liquor section and fucking loving getting MORE Star Wars. That's a nostalgia 5 star rating.
I remember being disappointed that Dash Rendar, the new good guy, wasn't featured more for having been the protagonist of the video game of the same name.
2017 SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE RE-READ
Actually my previous review based on my memory of this book I ready 20+ years ago is pretty accurate. We jump around a lot through the Galaxy (apparently tracking events of the game somewhat). The core characters ring true, Vader is fleshed out, Xizor is an effective and interesting villain, if a bit over-done. And WTF was the author doing with Dash Rendar? Total strike-out there.
This is not a 5 star book. It's probably 3 stars, maybe 4 stars if you're really into Star Wars. Maybe it gets that 5th star because I remember being 13 years old and pedaling my bike over to Kennedy's supermarket, and buying this book for $5.99 from the wire rack next to the liquor section and fucking loving getting MORE Star Wars. That's a nostalgia 5 star rating.
Entretenido relato situado entre los episodios 5 y 6 de Star Wars. Se lee de un tirón y es muy aceptable en conjunto, a pesar de algunos errores e inverosimilitudes en el relato, pero esto es SW, no le pediremos peras al olmo :)
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A quick and interesting read from the Star Wars universe. Some of the characters behaviors aren’t totally in-line with how I envision them to regularly behave (Emperor and Vader), but that also may be because of the voice acting was a bit lacking as opposed to the other Star Wars books. (I listened to it on audible).
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Yeah, that’s the problem with our opposition – they keep thinking nobody could possibly be as stupid as we are. Fools ‘em every time.”
Shadows of the Empire bridges the gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Released in 1996, it was part of a huge multi-project event, getting a video game, soundtrack and more!
This was my second time reading Shadows. It’s strange coming back to this book because I had really mixed feelings the first time and didn’t really care for it. I remember there being a lot more Luke and Vader parts to this book. They are what this book meant to me but picking it up again, I was sad to discover there are less than I recalled. The few that are here though are stellar. Luke wants to believe so bad that Vader was lying when he told him that he was his father, while knowing it to be the truth. And now Luke has a new fear to overcome of the dark side creeping ever closer to him due to his parentage. Vader reflecting on Luke being his son and what that means for him is also excellent, how convinced he is that he can get Luke to fall to the dark side.
On the positive side of things, Prince Xizor trying to seduce Leia was far shorter than I remembered. It’s such a weird side-plot that is completely unnecessary and just makes me cringe. I liked watching Vader and Xizor go against each other in politics and trying to gain the Emperor’s favor.
There are important moments to the movie scenes in this book. Like actually getting to see how and why the Bothans received the data for the second Death Star. It’s in this book that you discover how Leia got the bounty hunter disguise she uses in Jabba’s Palace. We also get to see Luke make his lightsaber since the scene was cut from Episode VI.
I don’t know how to describe this book. It adds important things to the Star Wars galaxy and there were a lot of good concepts contained here, like showing how Luke went from training to be a Jedi in Episode V, to a confident Jedi Knight in Episode VI. I just think they could have been made into an even better story than what is here.
This book was a lot of fun. Xizor makes an excellent villain and the power struggle between him and Vader was gripping. The villains take center stage in this story. Dash Rendar is another excellent new character who does a good job of playing the scoundrel while Han is absent. Some of the stakes were lowered because this takes place between the last two Star Wars movies so we already know who survives. It took me a little bit to get into but by the end I was glued to the pages.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An enjoyable older Star Wars book. Definitely in the style I like. It’s just action action action with not too much character development. Some newer books just take themselves way too seriously and don’t accomplish the action part well. The story got a little icky though with the main villain using his power to try and sexually assault Leia. It was entirely unnecessary. I know this happens in literature and like it’s not always considered a problematic plot point but this wasn’t done in any meaningful way. They could have demonstrated how evil he was in any other number of ways.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
Best Star Wars book!
True, I haven't read many, but this is the best.
I didn't care for Luke until after reading this book.
True, I haven't read many, but this is the best.
I didn't care for Luke until after reading this book.
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was good, but not great. Set between Episodes 5 and 6, this book ties together both films perfectly, and shows us basically everything that happened in that time gap. The gang is focused on rescuing Han from Boba Fett, while Luke is also enhancing his Jedi skills, learning to build his own lightsaber and practicing what he has previously been taught.
I really enjoyed Luke’s arc in this book, as I’ve always found the progression in his skill and confidence to be quite steep from Episode 5 to 6, but this ties the two versions of Luke together well, showing how dedicated he was in this time gap.
Most of the books I’ve read from this universe have been set before or after the OT, so to have a book set within the films was a nice change, and it really feels like one of the films put on a page.
With the other protagonists, they were written okay. Leia was good, but could’ve been better. Lando could’ve been used a lot better, and Dash Rendar was just so obviously a stand-in for Han. C-3PO and R2D2 were hilariously argumentative as always.
The main problem I had with this book was the villain. Prince Xizor is set up to be a very powerful, intelligent being who is the leader of one of the greatest criminal organisations in the galaxy. I liked the idea of him wanting to basically uproot and replace the Empire by lending huge favours to the Emperor, and I enjoyed his rivalry with Vader. What disappointed me with Xizor was his execution through most of the books I’ve read, especially in his conflict with Leia. For a lot of the books I’ve read, I just imagined him as a bargain bin Thrawn, if Thrawn was a massive pervert. I don’t think I’ve ever actually pulled a face of disgust while reading a book until I read some of Xizor’s inner monologues.
Overall a nice bridge for between the two films, could’ve been better, but could’ve definitely been much worse.
I really enjoyed Luke’s arc in this book, as I’ve always found the progression in his skill and confidence to be quite steep from Episode 5 to 6, but this ties the two versions of Luke together well, showing how dedicated he was in this time gap.
Most of the books I’ve read from this universe have been set before or after the OT, so to have a book set within the films was a nice change, and it really feels like one of the films put on a page.
With the other protagonists, they were written okay. Leia was good, but could’ve been better. Lando could’ve been used a lot better, and Dash Rendar was just so obviously a stand-in for Han. C-3PO and R2D2 were hilariously argumentative as always.
The main problem I had with this book was the villain. Prince Xizor is set up to be a very powerful, intelligent being who is the leader of one of the greatest criminal organisations in the galaxy. I liked the idea of him wanting to basically uproot and replace the Empire by lending huge favours to the Emperor, and I enjoyed his rivalry with Vader. What disappointed me with Xizor was his execution through most of the books I’ve read, especially in his conflict with Leia. For a lot of the books I’ve read, I just imagined him as a bargain bin Thrawn, if Thrawn was a massive pervert. I don’t think I’ve ever actually pulled a face of disgust while reading a book until I read some of Xizor’s inner monologues.
Overall a nice bridge for between the two films, could’ve been better, but could’ve definitely been much worse.