Reviews

From a Certain Point of View by Elizabeth Schaefer

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justplainbecca's review against another edition

4.0

Like any short story collection, this one has its peaks and valleys and I was feeling a solid 3 stars for most of it, but you know what? It ends on a high note and I like the overall conceit (stories of background characters set during the events of Episode IV), structure, and tone, so 4 stars it is. This collection is closer in tone to Rogue One than Return of the Jedi. Several of the stories are about Alderaan, for example. I don't ever feel, when watching A New Hope, that I really get the emotional impact of the DESTRUCTION OF AN ENTIRE PLANET, but you sure do get that poignancy here. It's often a very sad, but ultimately hopeful (see what I did there?) book.

Some favorites: The Sith of Datawork by Ken Liu (ah, bureaucracy); Not for Nothing by Mur Lafferty; Born in the Storm by Daniel Jose Older; Laina by Wil Wheaton (possibly the saddest freaking one of the bunch); The Trigger by Kieron Gillen; The Angle by Charles Soule (She-Hulk writer does Landon Calrissian--there was basically no way I wouldn't like this one); and Whills by Tom Angleberger.

hirvimaki's review against another edition

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3.0

A very nice collection of short stories, some grand, some bland. I enjoy a good view from a different perspective (eg, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead) and it is fun to get to peek into the side hallways and crannies of Hoth. I cannot say you won't be disappointed - because some of the shorts are duds - but there are enough good ones to charm most SW fans.

angibiesti's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

bookschaosnart's review against another edition

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4.0

A wonderful addition to the star wars universe

I really liked the different perspectives offered as alternative views to A New Hope. Some of these are even what I had kinda thought they might be thinking and others were even better. It opens up the universe way beyond the Skywalker family and that is a wonderful thing.