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crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
1.0
"What have you done with *Fill-in-the-Blank*?"
Luke Skywalker feels that he no longer can feel the Force the same way and decides to leave and search out a life of hermitude, like Obi-Wan and Yoda. However, a woman penetrates his fortress, with stories of his mother. Luke ventures out to find out more.
Meanwhile...
Lando is bored stiff and goes to Admiral Drayson, chief of Alpha Blue, for an interesting mission. Lando then gathers a team of Lobot, C-3PO, and R2-D2 to investigate a mysterious "ghost" ship.
Meanwhile...
Leia Organa Solo attempts to make an alliance with Viceroy Nil Spaar, Leader of the Duskan League and a Yevethan. But things turn for the worse very, very quickly...
I Liked:
Although not fond of how Lando aquires his mission, I do like the mission in general. In fact, I wish it had been divorced from this novel completely (because I've read the series, I know it has little to no import on the main story) and made into its own novel, like in the days of the Han Solo Adventures by Brian Daley.
Han and Leia again appear as good parents, and I can't tell you how happy I am for that. Han even goes so far as to take an "easy" assignment so he can stay on Coruscant with his kids (with a further tie-in to the events of The Crystal Star--I love it when authors do tie-ins!!).
Han and Luke have a conversation about why Yoda and Obi-Wan became hermits (all of it retconned by this point). I thought Luke's discoveries or thoughts were interesting, and they did cast new light on Yoda and Obi-Wan (and the old Jedi Order in general).
I Didn't Like:
There are three stories here. One I don't mind, but has no bearing on the main story. One is okay (particularly by the end of this book, I found), but it hinges on Leia acting wildly out of character. The last is horrific and makes me want to sharped my teeth on a blackboard.
Firstly, the characters. The ones that stand out particularly horrible are Leia and Luke. Leia loses all sense and military keenness, giving valuable intel to a non-ally, Nil Spaar. She then refuses to listen to her counselors, including Admiral Ackbar. Now, I could understand if she wouldn't listen to a young counselor, but Ackbar?! He's got a lot of sense and she's worked with him for years! Is she really so hard up with a tenuous alliance with the Yevetha that she will put her opinon over his at all odds? What happened to her common sense? Or, as Han put it best: "Who was that person and what have you done with Leia?"
As for Luke, I could go on for years. What man creates an order then leaves it a mere two years later? How could he be so powerful to create a fortress from scratch and yet need to be a hermit? Why would he leave his siste when she needed him most, only to return to dig her for more information on his mother? Why the big hurry to find his mother now? Why isn't HE helping with this crisis?
As you can see, the characters tie in very, very closely to the plots. Lando has to act like a super-spy to penetrate Admiral Drayson's uber secret office. I didn't know there was training for that at Smuggler's Academy! Was that "How to Penetrate an Uber Secret Office 101"? And much of the Yevethan conflict could have been averted had Leia got her head out of her you-know-what and started using her brain instead of her hippie waving peace flag. As for Luke, bah, he's a lost cause. I have no idea why he was included in here. It seems like everyone wants to make him super strong in the Force yet a wuss at the same time (bowing to the whims of Akanah, who has to be the worst girlfriend he has ever had).
Speaking of Akanah, can you spell "Annoying"? Well, that's how you spell Akanah! I thought Callista was bad, no, Akanah is worse! She whines about Luke using the Force to protect them from people who try to kill them, bursts in on his sanctuary and lies about his mother (no secret to those of us who have seen the prequels). What is it with Luke and hooking up with these whiny women? Get a grip, Luke! You're a Jedi Master!
And about the title: "Before the Storm" could not be more apt. The action only happens at the very, very end and only is briefly seen. Now, if this were a long series, like the New Jedi Order, then this book would have worked perfectly. But for a trilogy? Uh, not so much.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Perhaps a d*** or h*** once in a while.
Luke travels with Akanah (and I'm sure there is some "Woohoo-ing" going on in the interim).
People die in the conflict, but it's only the beginning so you don't see much.
Overall:
With a fresh view in mind, I can easily say that this book is still bad. Characters don't act like themselves. Two plot threads don't have anything to do with the main one. And while the political machinations are interesting and Lando's plot is kinda interesting, do I really want to read through yet another bad Luke plot to get to it or read Leia ignoring everyone she cares about? The answer is: Not really.
Luke Skywalker feels that he no longer can feel the Force the same way and decides to leave and search out a life of hermitude, like Obi-Wan and Yoda. However, a woman penetrates his fortress, with stories of his mother. Luke ventures out to find out more.
Meanwhile...
Lando is bored stiff and goes to Admiral Drayson, chief of Alpha Blue, for an interesting mission. Lando then gathers a team of Lobot, C-3PO, and R2-D2 to investigate a mysterious "ghost" ship.
Meanwhile...
Leia Organa Solo attempts to make an alliance with Viceroy Nil Spaar, Leader of the Duskan League and a Yevethan. But things turn for the worse very, very quickly...
I Liked:
Although not fond of how Lando aquires his mission, I do like the mission in general. In fact, I wish it had been divorced from this novel completely (because I've read the series, I know it has little to no import on the main story) and made into its own novel, like in the days of the Han Solo Adventures by Brian Daley.
Han and Leia again appear as good parents, and I can't tell you how happy I am for that. Han even goes so far as to take an "easy" assignment so he can stay on Coruscant with his kids (with a further tie-in to the events of The Crystal Star--I love it when authors do tie-ins!!).
Han and Luke have a conversation about why Yoda and Obi-Wan became hermits (all of it retconned by this point). I thought Luke's discoveries or thoughts were interesting, and they did cast new light on Yoda and Obi-Wan (and the old Jedi Order in general).
I Didn't Like:
There are three stories here. One I don't mind, but has no bearing on the main story. One is okay (particularly by the end of this book, I found), but it hinges on Leia acting wildly out of character. The last is horrific and makes me want to sharped my teeth on a blackboard.
Firstly, the characters. The ones that stand out particularly horrible are Leia and Luke. Leia loses all sense and military keenness, giving valuable intel to a non-ally, Nil Spaar. She then refuses to listen to her counselors, including Admiral Ackbar. Now, I could understand if she wouldn't listen to a young counselor, but Ackbar?! He's got a lot of sense and she's worked with him for years! Is she really so hard up with a tenuous alliance with the Yevetha that she will put her opinon over his at all odds? What happened to her common sense? Or, as Han put it best: "Who was that person and what have you done with Leia?"
As for Luke, I could go on for years. What man creates an order then leaves it a mere two years later? How could he be so powerful to create a fortress from scratch and yet need to be a hermit? Why would he leave his siste when she needed him most, only to return to dig her for more information on his mother? Why the big hurry to find his mother now? Why isn't HE helping with this crisis?
As you can see, the characters tie in very, very closely to the plots. Lando has to act like a super-spy to penetrate Admiral Drayson's uber secret office. I didn't know there was training for that at Smuggler's Academy! Was that "How to Penetrate an Uber Secret Office 101"? And much of the Yevethan conflict could have been averted had Leia got her head out of her you-know-what and started using her brain instead of her hippie waving peace flag. As for Luke, bah, he's a lost cause. I have no idea why he was included in here. It seems like everyone wants to make him super strong in the Force yet a wuss at the same time (bowing to the whims of Akanah, who has to be the worst girlfriend he has ever had).
Speaking of Akanah, can you spell "Annoying"? Well, that's how you spell Akanah! I thought Callista was bad, no, Akanah is worse! She whines about Luke using the Force to protect them from people who try to kill them, bursts in on his sanctuary and lies about his mother (no secret to those of us who have seen the prequels). What is it with Luke and hooking up with these whiny women? Get a grip, Luke! You're a Jedi Master!
And about the title: "Before the Storm" could not be more apt. The action only happens at the very, very end and only is briefly seen. Now, if this were a long series, like the New Jedi Order, then this book would have worked perfectly. But for a trilogy? Uh, not so much.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Perhaps a d*** or h*** once in a while.
Luke travels with Akanah (and I'm sure there is some "Woohoo-ing" going on in the interim).
People die in the conflict, but it's only the beginning so you don't see much.
Overall:
With a fresh view in mind, I can easily say that this book is still bad. Characters don't act like themselves. Two plot threads don't have anything to do with the main one. And while the political machinations are interesting and Lando's plot is kinda interesting, do I really want to read through yet another bad Luke plot to get to it or read Leia ignoring everyone she cares about? The answer is: Not really.
wesleyboy's review against another edition
4.0
A solid Star Wars book. Gets a bit bogged down in specifics of the political drama, and the parallel storylines are hard to keep track of at points, but all in all a fun day’s read.
petealdin's review against another edition
5.0
Grr. Goodreads deleted my first well-written review, so I'll just top and tail it.
Brilliant writing by Kube-McDowell. Rivals if not exceeds Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. Political intrigue, character development, interwoven narratives, droids, space battles, a lightsaber, aliens...what's not to love?
Brilliant writing by Kube-McDowell. Rivals if not exceeds Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. Political intrigue, character development, interwoven narratives, droids, space battles, a lightsaber, aliens...what's not to love?
fdr_girl's review against another edition
3.0
Bland, the plots were picked up and dropped for half the book (particularly Luke and Lando) Leia was written very out of character and Han seemed to serve little purpose. Any action that took place was in the last 20 pages and it took me reading the last chapter twice to actually take it in. There are far better books in the EU to read, wouldn't recommend starting here.
twilliamson's review against another edition
5.0
Star Wars is an action adventure serial. It isn't complicated, it isn't necessarily profound, and while Lucas may originally have intended it as a coded criticism of American imperialism and expansion, the series itself has not often taken aim at greater symbolic or thematic relevance. It's a franchise that sells toys and merchandise and entertains. That's part of its charm, part of the feature.
But a few authors have tried to make it about more than just entertainment, and while I can't say all of these stories have been successful, Before the Storm presents a powerful political thriller that seeks to take Star Wars beyond the action adventure serial into a cogent exploration of the use and abuse of power.
Central to the conflict of Star Wars is the fight of the underdog Rebel Alliance against the fascist Galactic Empire, and the franchise's novels in the '90s struggled to figure out exactly what to do with the saga at the conclusion of Return of the Jedi, in which the Empire's figureheads are finally defeated. Zahn introduced a new rival, Anderson tried his hand at creating a new existential threat to the New Republic, and a handful of other authors have made their attempt at creating a galactic-sized threat worthy of succeeding Vader and the Emperor. While none of these stories should be faulted for their attempts at giving us new, charismatic antagonists, I don't think any of these stories have gone beyond playing around with stock archetypes. The closest narrative I can think of to really getting to the thematic heart of Star Wars was Ambush at Corellia by Roger MacBride Allen, which began to explore compelling ideas about racism and fascism but fell apart after two lackluster sequels that didn't seem at all interesting in the ideas first introduced by the trilogy.
But Before the Storm is interested in exploring problems of power and how it is ultimately utilized, providing interesting antagonists to the main cast of the series while simultaneously using those antagonists to explore meaningful questions about how easily corruptible power can become. As Luke struggles with his relationship to the Force and how he can use such power ethically, Leia is put to the test diplomatically as she tries to reckon with how political power can be amassed and then abused for personal gain. Both mirroring stories are great character showcases, and the book adds a depth of realism to what is otherwise stock space fantasy. It offers complex situations with problems that present genuine difficulty for the characters to resolve--and it's only through their exploration of moral duty that they can find their way through to a solution (that isn't offered by this book, but promised by its sequels).
Before the Storm sets up a fantastic new adventure for the main cast of Star Wars with meaningful and original conflict with convincing stakes for the characters. This is a book of political intrigue and questions the ethics of power, even if that power is wielded by characters we know to be in the moral right. It's a phenomenal setup for Star Wars, and I absolutely believe this is among the best of what '90s Star Wars has to offer.
But a few authors have tried to make it about more than just entertainment, and while I can't say all of these stories have been successful, Before the Storm presents a powerful political thriller that seeks to take Star Wars beyond the action adventure serial into a cogent exploration of the use and abuse of power.
Central to the conflict of Star Wars is the fight of the underdog Rebel Alliance against the fascist Galactic Empire, and the franchise's novels in the '90s struggled to figure out exactly what to do with the saga at the conclusion of Return of the Jedi, in which the Empire's figureheads are finally defeated. Zahn introduced a new rival, Anderson tried his hand at creating a new existential threat to the New Republic, and a handful of other authors have made their attempt at creating a galactic-sized threat worthy of succeeding Vader and the Emperor. While none of these stories should be faulted for their attempts at giving us new, charismatic antagonists, I don't think any of these stories have gone beyond playing around with stock archetypes. The closest narrative I can think of to really getting to the thematic heart of Star Wars was Ambush at Corellia by Roger MacBride Allen, which began to explore compelling ideas about racism and fascism but fell apart after two lackluster sequels that didn't seem at all interesting in the ideas first introduced by the trilogy.
But Before the Storm is interested in exploring problems of power and how it is ultimately utilized, providing interesting antagonists to the main cast of the series while simultaneously using those antagonists to explore meaningful questions about how easily corruptible power can become. As Luke struggles with his relationship to the Force and how he can use such power ethically, Leia is put to the test diplomatically as she tries to reckon with how political power can be amassed and then abused for personal gain. Both mirroring stories are great character showcases, and the book adds a depth of realism to what is otherwise stock space fantasy. It offers complex situations with problems that present genuine difficulty for the characters to resolve--and it's only through their exploration of moral duty that they can find their way through to a solution (that isn't offered by this book, but promised by its sequels).
Before the Storm sets up a fantastic new adventure for the main cast of Star Wars with meaningful and original conflict with convincing stakes for the characters. This is a book of political intrigue and questions the ethics of power, even if that power is wielded by characters we know to be in the moral right. It's a phenomenal setup for Star Wars, and I absolutely believe this is among the best of what '90s Star Wars has to offer.
juliaisreadingg's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
maddiee's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
odinh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Fantastic addition to the Star Wars universe. Darker than true Star Wars, and therefore less space opera than Zhan's work, but executed with flawless skill that makes it a great piece of science fiction in its own right.