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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
I loved Rogue One. Alexander Freed does a good job going a little deeper into the characters stories and motivations - such as Jyn, her father. But as someone said, Rogue One is better watched than read.
****As per all of my reviews, I like to preface by saying that I listened to this book in audiobook format. This does indeed slightly skew my rating. I have found that audiobooks, give me a better "relationship" with the characters if done well, but also kills the book for me if narrated poorly. Also due to the nature of listening to the text, names and places may be spelled incorrectly here as I often do not have the physical volume in front of me.
Also, I have written this review in a "rolling updates" style. In that I basically chronicle my reading as I progress. This may make for a jarring and spoilery review so be warned.*****
So in starting this, I'm actually hot off the heels of reading Rebel Rising, which literally ends at the main story of this book begins. So it's a nice seque. Just as with Rebel Rising, the book Rogue One has a sort of task right up front. As stated in my previous review, the movie Rogue One is fantastic. But it lacks depth in one key area, and that's the development of characters. The scope of Rogue One is very very focused. And it seems to need much of the screen time to devote to plot more than characters. Unfortunate in that many of the characters present, come off as a bit flat. Of course this leaves the books and comics open to explore the characters and their backstories further fleshing them out.
From just where I'm at so far, about 30 pages in, it's really made use of this, and Freedman goes really really into the characters here… Already we have a very much expanded upon version of the events of the opening of Rogue One where Krennic and his troops come to Galean and his family. In fact even in this scene alone, it adds so much extra to what was shown in the movie, it feels like the movie was the abridged version of the book. What's funny is that we see this scene in both Rebel Rising and Rogue one, and they both mesh together rather well. We get yet another take at the now sort of decisive scene in which Galean is captured by Krennic, Lyra is killed and Jyn escaped to be rescued later by Saw. The book is indeed following the same scenes of the movie, but are just diving deep into the thoughts of each character. And Listen this is nothing new or unexpected, we all knew by this time, this is how star wars novelizations were going to be. And this one is no different. So far Cassian, who we meet in the 2nd opening of Rogue One, is automatically put onto our "Sketchy as Hell" list in that he kills his informant with little hesitation… And something like that..something that is so very provocative, and different to how we think of our "good guys" in star wars is something that should really be expanded on in a manner of what the character is going through or feeling at that moment. This inner dialogue and struggle is a nightmare to portray on screen, especially since we have literally zero history of the character at this point.
The book is pretty much bouncing through the movie, but it seems a bit off in some area's. In a good way, but this makes me want to go back and now re-watch the film, but there seems to be a decent amount of extra lines, and scenes tossed in. Also, and I hope this changes, but having just read Rebel Rising, the two books seem to portray a different character… Freedman keeps Jyn in line with the much more stoic, quiet, and emotionally cold version that we see on screen….and this makes sense in that its' a film adaptation. But the problem with this is that in the previous book, she's given a bit more…'life'. Also it stands to be said that there's a sort of problem here in regards to events that happen in Rebel Rising, never being brought up in Rogue One. What I mean is, in this book we get a lot of inner monologue and personal reflection from everyone, Jyn included. So, in the previous book Rebel rising, she loses some people that are very very important to her, and it's a sort of big point in her life. The book and her narration make no reference to this even at all.(So far at least)
Likewise, not getting deeper into the book, the 'handoff' between Rebel Rising and this book isn't as smooth as I initially hoped or thought. I can't mark this against the book, but it would have been really nice to get less overlap that has some questionable clashes in events.
I'm liking how Cassian Andor is being portrayed. They make no qualms about labeling him as someone who probably isn't the most morally sound person. Even the Rebellion as a whole is given a much darker, grittier tarnish to it. We see them treat Bohdi Rook with new criminal level hostility. We have these very grimmy and questionable characters that literally look like villains (I'm looking at you Two-Tubes)
Getting into probably my most anticipated portions of the book…the chapters of Orsen Krennic. Unashamedly, I'm a huge Imperial fan, And I've been loving the story and background of Krennic since I saw his early teasers for Rogue One…What I Really like about Krennic is that he's not some super powerful force user, he's not this completely over the top strategist who always happens to have the right trick up his sleeve at the right time. He doesn't have this moustache twirling, grand master plan to rule the entire Galaxy... He literally is just a guy with lofty ambitions, pretty dubious in morality, and holds a grudge. I love how passive aggressive he is around Tarkin, and other Imperials, he comes off as so human to me, it makes him so relatable. It's the same with Governor Pryce. She's ambitious, more of a pro-empire flag waver than Krennic though. I feel as though if Krennic were given the same or better opportunity with the Rebellion, he would seriously think about it… I love these types of characters. Thrawn…to me is the opposite of this, and I know he has been toned down recently in the new EU, which is good. But he still comes across as just too much. Always one step ahead of everyone else…always has this 'trump card' up his sleeve. It turns a character from being down to earth, into one that is more cartoonish and you don't really feel any real connection to.
Anyway back to the book, we get more and more expanded scenes that literally are not in the movie, such as Jyn as a child, with her parents talking to Krennic. Apparently 15 years prior to this, Krennic still wears white… Again something that if you read Catalyst, you get a good sense of… but the real relationship between the Erso's and Krennic is lost in the movie.
I really enjoy how the 'marketplace' is described in Jedha City, Where Jyn first meets the likes of Chirrut Imwe, it's a fantastic moment in the movie, and I really enjoyed this narrated meeting as well. Aside from Krennic, I actually really like the character of Chirrtt as he's such a unique and different type of character. We don't get many characters that know and respect the force but are not actually Jedi. I loved this idea that he's a cultist basically. He and his "bro-seph" Baz, were an unlikely, but likeable pair. Also something that I found that I also really liked and I hope they continue with this…is the correspondence letters (emails?) between Tarkin and Krennic. Again this type of inner politics, behind the scene quabbling between the Imperial officers is just so much fun.
The story moves along we're given new points of view from the likes of Davits Draven who we see a bit of in the movie, but just serves as sort of the commander to give orders to
Cassian. What I like about Draven is that he seems straight laced, but definitely burdened and definitely someone who is going to turn a blind eye to something that may require some…questionable decision. All very interesting… The story goes into some explanation of the death star's destruction of Jedha city. In a sort of surprising amount of detail. we have scenes of a family being vaped, a squad of troopers being taken out etc.. Tarkin and Krennic, as passive aggressive as they are towards each other, exchange the most bitter, back handed compliments to each other. Tarkin who is definitely superior to Krennic, imposes himself into the leadership and basically takes control of the entire Death Star Project.
So far… the book has done a good job in showing us more and more of the different people affected by this.. but Jyn still seems so…emotionless. And that's just so odd because her character should be one of great emotional dynamism. It's not to say she's void of emotion, but she comes off here still, even in the book, as someone displaying emotions…because she has to.
The book begins the series of events that has always sort of raised a question for me. It's the very cool scene of Krennic (all cool scenes in this book/movie revolve around Krennic) arriving on Eadu. The world is a pretty dreary one, but host to an Imperial research facility that is currently the whereabouts of Galen Erso and his team of designers. So on the Rebel side, the location of Erso was tracked here and Cassian was sent in to kill him first and ask questions later. My only problem with this is that w hy would Erso be the on the top of the Rebellion hit list? I get it he's a top mind in the field, but it'd sort of be like trying to assassinate Oppenheimer or Von Braun. You would think that a mission of such would revolve more around the killing of Krennic. But I suppose it could be the destruction of the facility itself that was the true target, which I could see making sense. Either way, the scene is very captivating as it's described through a few different points of view. My favorite thing though is that the rebel squadron sent in to do the bombing would be a force or an attack that we would be routing for and cheering for if it was the plot of the movie itself. So to see this attack by the rebels as sort of something that isn't entirely a good thing makes it very interesting. The result of the attack could be the death of the main characters here, so it's very different in that we have yet again another instance of the rebel side of things not being so clear cut 'good'. It was made with all the best intentions but results in the death of Jyn's father. And speaking of which, this moment between their first meeting is not given the amount of weight it needed… As stated I've just read the prior lead in novel Rebel Rising, and about a year ago, I've read "Catalyst" both go into the Erso's…and especially in Rebel Rising, we have that entire book dedicated to Jyn being estranged from her father, hating him from afar, and now it culminates here in this one scene, and it now feels far more impactful as that I've now seen her journey from being 8 to mid 20's..the entire time having this tension between the two.
As I get farther along here, the disconnect with Jyn is still there…and I really was hoping after 2 books with her as the focus, I'd see some more humanization for her..but seriously, it's like trying to relate to a robot… Also it just strikes me as really odd that for 15 years of her life…she has hated and despised her father, thinking he basically got her mother killed and he turned to the Empire volunteerily. Then..when she finally does encounter him and it's brought to light that Cassian meant to kill him…she throws a fit and lashes out… Even if the ultimate goal was to bring Erso in and question him… would she really be so chummy with him all of a sudden? It seems like forced dramatics…that sort of under cuts 15 years of supposed anger and rage… Making it seem like those 15 years of her feeling that way…were just a complete waste of time, since she just instant forgives him apparently.
The book really has a sort of… gloomy feel to it. Perhaps this is more of an effect of the narration, but the writing as a whole here is just so… dismal. There is so humor in the movie, but it doesn't translate here very well, and the book's extra scenes are also very grim and serious. Not to say they're bad , or not well received, I love the stuff with Krennic, but it really offers little in the way of humor. There's a great scene of General Draven and Mothma exchanging words and idea's. I like how Draven is completely upfront with her. Really shows that the Alliance, will definitely all fighting for the same cause..so very very fractured still, and has some serious trust issues. Varying degree's of how far different members will go to achieve their goal…
The battle of Scariff which is looked upon by many as the high point of the entire movie, definitely has a very grandiose feel to it in the novel. While it doesn't exactly capture the complete jaw dropping awe and scope of the movie version, it gives you a very nice look into just how personal the battle is.
As our characters are taken out one by one, each death feels like a blow… And even though, I still admit that even at the end of me reading 2 books dedicated to Jyn, I still just don't feel as much emotion for her. That being said, a few of the characters here still suffer the same thing… I think it's just the story at this point. While we get MUCH more backstory to all of them… backstory does not necessarily make characters likeable. So in that I will admit I’m a bit disappointed. Even the fan favorite seen of Vader coming in and lighting up that hallway to me doesn't really capture just how horrifying it is in the movie. That being said the climax is indeed climatic Each character is set up to do something and all give their lives to actually accomplish it. The action stays pretty lively and at least for me, you remain engaged, even if the main point of it all becomes a bit muddled. The end of Krennic i'm actually a bit torn on… Like his whole life and character, his death isn't really anything of note, he's shot and left to die from his wound. And this I can't complain about because it's so fitting for him and his lofty goals, it seems like sweet irony for him to be killed in a locked away tower, away from any means of grandiose martyrdom. Thank being said…just from an entertainment and cinematic point of view… it does sort of suck that he's not really given a more impactful death. Also what I was hoping for, but didn't get it, was more of a resolution of the space battle. We never actually know of the fate of the Rebel fleet once the death star nukes Scariff. And in the book I was hoping we'd get a sort of epilogue as to the what happened, who survived, who was killed… if the Empire considered it a victory etc..
All in all it's a good book. Honestly I was expecting a bit more from it though. I may have bought into the hype around this one a bit more…Many people praise this book to be such a step up above the other novelizations. And I"ll say this..it adds many many scenes that are not in the movie. That being said, nothing there is so captivating and moving that it really lives up to the buildup in my mind. The tone of the book is very somber. It's very very far removed from books like Lost Stars, or even the Aftermath trilogy. Those books are very 'high fantasy', swashbuckling, crazy stunts etc.. Rogue One eschews that and gives us a story that shows us what it would feel like and look like for this stuff to happen to non super hero characters. This actually may be what turns some off to the story and movie. It's very low key in terms of the action. Even the ending battle, it's not the same ground battle of Endor here.. No tricks, no super human feats, it's just what each character is capable of…and no more.
The book is a good read, I don't think it's 'required' but it does offer more than the movie, but in equal right, I think the book also isn't able to capture a lot of the moments of cinematic eye candy that we're treated to. And of course in turn the book obviously gives us the moments of inner monologue, character thought process and perspective of multiple characters, so of which aren't even in the movie. I felt like including General Draven was a great addition here…and the Tarkin and Krennic story was very much needed…Give it a read, and enjoy.
Also, I have written this review in a "rolling updates" style. In that I basically chronicle my reading as I progress. This may make for a jarring and spoilery review so be warned.*****
So in starting this, I'm actually hot off the heels of reading Rebel Rising, which literally ends at the main story of this book begins. So it's a nice seque. Just as with Rebel Rising, the book Rogue One has a sort of task right up front. As stated in my previous review, the movie Rogue One is fantastic. But it lacks depth in one key area, and that's the development of characters. The scope of Rogue One is very very focused. And it seems to need much of the screen time to devote to plot more than characters. Unfortunate in that many of the characters present, come off as a bit flat. Of course this leaves the books and comics open to explore the characters and their backstories further fleshing them out.
From just where I'm at so far, about 30 pages in, it's really made use of this, and Freedman goes really really into the characters here… Already we have a very much expanded upon version of the events of the opening of Rogue One where Krennic and his troops come to Galean and his family. In fact even in this scene alone, it adds so much extra to what was shown in the movie, it feels like the movie was the abridged version of the book. What's funny is that we see this scene in both Rebel Rising and Rogue one, and they both mesh together rather well. We get yet another take at the now sort of decisive scene in which Galean is captured by Krennic, Lyra is killed and Jyn escaped to be rescued later by Saw. The book is indeed following the same scenes of the movie, but are just diving deep into the thoughts of each character. And Listen this is nothing new or unexpected, we all knew by this time, this is how star wars novelizations were going to be. And this one is no different. So far Cassian, who we meet in the 2nd opening of Rogue One, is automatically put onto our "Sketchy as Hell" list in that he kills his informant with little hesitation… And something like that..something that is so very provocative, and different to how we think of our "good guys" in star wars is something that should really be expanded on in a manner of what the character is going through or feeling at that moment. This inner dialogue and struggle is a nightmare to portray on screen, especially since we have literally zero history of the character at this point.
The book is pretty much bouncing through the movie, but it seems a bit off in some area's. In a good way, but this makes me want to go back and now re-watch the film, but there seems to be a decent amount of extra lines, and scenes tossed in. Also, and I hope this changes, but having just read Rebel Rising, the two books seem to portray a different character… Freedman keeps Jyn in line with the much more stoic, quiet, and emotionally cold version that we see on screen….and this makes sense in that its' a film adaptation. But the problem with this is that in the previous book, she's given a bit more…'life'. Also it stands to be said that there's a sort of problem here in regards to events that happen in Rebel Rising, never being brought up in Rogue One. What I mean is, in this book we get a lot of inner monologue and personal reflection from everyone, Jyn included. So, in the previous book Rebel rising, she loses some people that are very very important to her, and it's a sort of big point in her life. The book and her narration make no reference to this even at all.(So far at least)
Likewise, not getting deeper into the book, the 'handoff' between Rebel Rising and this book isn't as smooth as I initially hoped or thought. I can't mark this against the book, but it would have been really nice to get less overlap that has some questionable clashes in events.
I'm liking how Cassian Andor is being portrayed. They make no qualms about labeling him as someone who probably isn't the most morally sound person. Even the Rebellion as a whole is given a much darker, grittier tarnish to it. We see them treat Bohdi Rook with new criminal level hostility. We have these very grimmy and questionable characters that literally look like villains (I'm looking at you Two-Tubes)
Getting into probably my most anticipated portions of the book…the chapters of Orsen Krennic. Unashamedly, I'm a huge Imperial fan, And I've been loving the story and background of Krennic since I saw his early teasers for Rogue One…What I Really like about Krennic is that he's not some super powerful force user, he's not this completely over the top strategist who always happens to have the right trick up his sleeve at the right time. He doesn't have this moustache twirling, grand master plan to rule the entire Galaxy... He literally is just a guy with lofty ambitions, pretty dubious in morality, and holds a grudge. I love how passive aggressive he is around Tarkin, and other Imperials, he comes off as so human to me, it makes him so relatable. It's the same with Governor Pryce. She's ambitious, more of a pro-empire flag waver than Krennic though. I feel as though if Krennic were given the same or better opportunity with the Rebellion, he would seriously think about it… I love these types of characters. Thrawn…to me is the opposite of this, and I know he has been toned down recently in the new EU, which is good. But he still comes across as just too much. Always one step ahead of everyone else…always has this 'trump card' up his sleeve. It turns a character from being down to earth, into one that is more cartoonish and you don't really feel any real connection to.
Anyway back to the book, we get more and more expanded scenes that literally are not in the movie, such as Jyn as a child, with her parents talking to Krennic. Apparently 15 years prior to this, Krennic still wears white… Again something that if you read Catalyst, you get a good sense of… but the real relationship between the Erso's and Krennic is lost in the movie.
I really enjoy how the 'marketplace' is described in Jedha City, Where Jyn first meets the likes of Chirrut Imwe, it's a fantastic moment in the movie, and I really enjoyed this narrated meeting as well. Aside from Krennic, I actually really like the character of Chirrtt as he's such a unique and different type of character. We don't get many characters that know and respect the force but are not actually Jedi. I loved this idea that he's a cultist basically. He and his "bro-seph" Baz, were an unlikely, but likeable pair. Also something that I found that I also really liked and I hope they continue with this…is the correspondence letters (emails?) between Tarkin and Krennic. Again this type of inner politics, behind the scene quabbling between the Imperial officers is just so much fun.
The story moves along we're given new points of view from the likes of Davits Draven who we see a bit of in the movie, but just serves as sort of the commander to give orders to
Cassian. What I like about Draven is that he seems straight laced, but definitely burdened and definitely someone who is going to turn a blind eye to something that may require some…questionable decision. All very interesting… The story goes into some explanation of the death star's destruction of Jedha city. In a sort of surprising amount of detail. we have scenes of a family being vaped, a squad of troopers being taken out etc.. Tarkin and Krennic, as passive aggressive as they are towards each other, exchange the most bitter, back handed compliments to each other. Tarkin who is definitely superior to Krennic, imposes himself into the leadership and basically takes control of the entire Death Star Project.
So far… the book has done a good job in showing us more and more of the different people affected by this.. but Jyn still seems so…emotionless. And that's just so odd because her character should be one of great emotional dynamism. It's not to say she's void of emotion, but she comes off here still, even in the book, as someone displaying emotions…because she has to.
The book begins the series of events that has always sort of raised a question for me. It's the very cool scene of Krennic (all cool scenes in this book/movie revolve around Krennic) arriving on Eadu. The world is a pretty dreary one, but host to an Imperial research facility that is currently the whereabouts of Galen Erso and his team of designers. So on the Rebel side, the location of Erso was tracked here and Cassian was sent in to kill him first and ask questions later. My only problem with this is that w hy would Erso be the on the top of the Rebellion hit list? I get it he's a top mind in the field, but it'd sort of be like trying to assassinate Oppenheimer or Von Braun. You would think that a mission of such would revolve more around the killing of Krennic. But I suppose it could be the destruction of the facility itself that was the true target, which I could see making sense. Either way, the scene is very captivating as it's described through a few different points of view. My favorite thing though is that the rebel squadron sent in to do the bombing would be a force or an attack that we would be routing for and cheering for if it was the plot of the movie itself. So to see this attack by the rebels as sort of something that isn't entirely a good thing makes it very interesting. The result of the attack could be the death of the main characters here, so it's very different in that we have yet again another instance of the rebel side of things not being so clear cut 'good'. It was made with all the best intentions but results in the death of Jyn's father. And speaking of which, this moment between their first meeting is not given the amount of weight it needed… As stated I've just read the prior lead in novel Rebel Rising, and about a year ago, I've read "Catalyst" both go into the Erso's…and especially in Rebel Rising, we have that entire book dedicated to Jyn being estranged from her father, hating him from afar, and now it culminates here in this one scene, and it now feels far more impactful as that I've now seen her journey from being 8 to mid 20's..the entire time having this tension between the two.
As I get farther along here, the disconnect with Jyn is still there…and I really was hoping after 2 books with her as the focus, I'd see some more humanization for her..but seriously, it's like trying to relate to a robot… Also it just strikes me as really odd that for 15 years of her life…she has hated and despised her father, thinking he basically got her mother killed and he turned to the Empire volunteerily. Then..when she finally does encounter him and it's brought to light that Cassian meant to kill him…she throws a fit and lashes out… Even if the ultimate goal was to bring Erso in and question him… would she really be so chummy with him all of a sudden? It seems like forced dramatics…that sort of under cuts 15 years of supposed anger and rage… Making it seem like those 15 years of her feeling that way…were just a complete waste of time, since she just instant forgives him apparently.
The book really has a sort of… gloomy feel to it. Perhaps this is more of an effect of the narration, but the writing as a whole here is just so… dismal. There is so humor in the movie, but it doesn't translate here very well, and the book's extra scenes are also very grim and serious. Not to say they're bad , or not well received, I love the stuff with Krennic, but it really offers little in the way of humor. There's a great scene of General Draven and Mothma exchanging words and idea's. I like how Draven is completely upfront with her. Really shows that the Alliance, will definitely all fighting for the same cause..so very very fractured still, and has some serious trust issues. Varying degree's of how far different members will go to achieve their goal…
The battle of Scariff which is looked upon by many as the high point of the entire movie, definitely has a very grandiose feel to it in the novel. While it doesn't exactly capture the complete jaw dropping awe and scope of the movie version, it gives you a very nice look into just how personal the battle is.
As our characters are taken out one by one, each death feels like a blow… And even though, I still admit that even at the end of me reading 2 books dedicated to Jyn, I still just don't feel as much emotion for her. That being said, a few of the characters here still suffer the same thing… I think it's just the story at this point. While we get MUCH more backstory to all of them… backstory does not necessarily make characters likeable. So in that I will admit I’m a bit disappointed. Even the fan favorite seen of Vader coming in and lighting up that hallway to me doesn't really capture just how horrifying it is in the movie. That being said the climax is indeed climatic Each character is set up to do something and all give their lives to actually accomplish it. The action stays pretty lively and at least for me, you remain engaged, even if the main point of it all becomes a bit muddled. The end of Krennic i'm actually a bit torn on… Like his whole life and character, his death isn't really anything of note, he's shot and left to die from his wound. And this I can't complain about because it's so fitting for him and his lofty goals, it seems like sweet irony for him to be killed in a locked away tower, away from any means of grandiose martyrdom. Thank being said…just from an entertainment and cinematic point of view… it does sort of suck that he's not really given a more impactful death. Also what I was hoping for, but didn't get it, was more of a resolution of the space battle. We never actually know of the fate of the Rebel fleet once the death star nukes Scariff. And in the book I was hoping we'd get a sort of epilogue as to the what happened, who survived, who was killed… if the Empire considered it a victory etc..
All in all it's a good book. Honestly I was expecting a bit more from it though. I may have bought into the hype around this one a bit more…Many people praise this book to be such a step up above the other novelizations. And I"ll say this..it adds many many scenes that are not in the movie. That being said, nothing there is so captivating and moving that it really lives up to the buildup in my mind. The tone of the book is very somber. It's very very far removed from books like Lost Stars, or even the Aftermath trilogy. Those books are very 'high fantasy', swashbuckling, crazy stunts etc.. Rogue One eschews that and gives us a story that shows us what it would feel like and look like for this stuff to happen to non super hero characters. This actually may be what turns some off to the story and movie. It's very low key in terms of the action. Even the ending battle, it's not the same ground battle of Endor here.. No tricks, no super human feats, it's just what each character is capable of…and no more.
The book is a good read, I don't think it's 'required' but it does offer more than the movie, but in equal right, I think the book also isn't able to capture a lot of the moments of cinematic eye candy that we're treated to. And of course in turn the book obviously gives us the moments of inner monologue, character thought process and perspective of multiple characters, so of which aren't even in the movie. I felt like including General Draven was a great addition here…and the Tarkin and Krennic story was very much needed…Give it a read, and enjoy.
I enjoyed this. All the problems I have with this story centre around idiot decisions the screenwriters made.
Problems: 1) Transforming Jyn's mother, Lyra, from an intelligent, woman in "Rogue One: Catalyst" into a brainless, stupid and disposable lamp in this story . This should not have surprised me, but I keep hoping screenwriters will treat women in general and mothers specifically, with respect. Lyra gets shoved off-story almost immediately, and Jyn doesn't think about her again.
2) Jyn spends the whole story wrestling with her relationship with Galen. There's a lot internal dialogue/angst about him in Jyn's head. Problem is, she barely had a relationship with him when the story opens and she's separated from him for many years. Why is so much time wasted in the story on this? Surely Jyn has more facets than just "daddy!"
What I liked: Getting to know the other team members' feelings and backgrounds, especially Chirrut, Baize and K2S0. And when Jyn wasn't angst'ing over Galen, it was good to learn a bit of her backstory and what made her so stoic.
Problems: 1) Transforming Jyn's mother, Lyra, from an intelligent, woman in "Rogue One: Catalyst" into a brainless, stupid and disposable lamp in this story . This should not have surprised me, but I keep hoping screenwriters will treat women in general and mothers specifically, with respect. Lyra gets shoved off-story almost immediately, and Jyn doesn't think about her again.
2) Jyn spends the whole story wrestling with her relationship with Galen. There's a lot internal dialogue/angst about him in Jyn's head. Problem is, she barely had a relationship with him when the story opens and she's separated from him for many years. Why is so much time wasted in the story on this? Surely Jyn has more facets than just "daddy!"
What I liked: Getting to know the other team members' feelings and backgrounds, especially Chirrut, Baize and K2S0. And when Jyn wasn't angst'ing over Galen, it was good to learn a bit of her backstory and what made her so stoic.
ok at this point it is just getting comedic how tragic my review process has been. i’ve spent TWENTY minutes on TWO separate reviews and BOTH GOT DELETED i am so upset. so instead of my epic reviews that served as the predecessors to this one, i’m just going to say this:
i like star wars fine enough. i love some of the movies. i love star wars rebels for some reason. i love rogue one. but, above all things in the star wars universe, and above many things in this life as a whole, i LOVE cassian andor. i have loved cassian andor since the day i was thirteen and left the half-full 1:20 pm showing of rogue one (in my local regal which is now an apartment complex), where i sat in the front row for some reason, marched out to my mom’s honda civic, climbed into the back seat and searched “rogue one” on wattpad. i then proceeded to read every single rogue one fanfiction that had been published to the app in the week since the film’s release. why did i do this? because i simply just love cassian andor. i have kept that love for cassian andor since. i mean, i wasn’t reading rogue one fanfiction in the back of my mom’s honda civic every day for the last six years, but that’s why i’m here. sometimes, a girl needs to be silly. sometimes, being silly is reading the novelization of rogue one.
my only criticism for this book is that there were too many pov’s. i only cared to read the stuff from the actual team or mon’s pov. everyone else (especially krennic) just annoyed me. i understand the plot just fine without a step-by-step rundown of what the rebel base is serving for dinner and how many ships the empire built last week. anyways this was pretty good & stream andor on disney+
i like star wars fine enough. i love some of the movies. i love star wars rebels for some reason. i love rogue one. but, above all things in the star wars universe, and above many things in this life as a whole, i LOVE cassian andor. i have loved cassian andor since the day i was thirteen and left the half-full 1:20 pm showing of rogue one (in my local regal which is now an apartment complex), where i sat in the front row for some reason, marched out to my mom’s honda civic, climbed into the back seat and searched “rogue one” on wattpad. i then proceeded to read every single rogue one fanfiction that had been published to the app in the week since the film’s release. why did i do this? because i simply just love cassian andor. i have kept that love for cassian andor since. i mean, i wasn’t reading rogue one fanfiction in the back of my mom’s honda civic every day for the last six years, but that’s why i’m here. sometimes, a girl needs to be silly. sometimes, being silly is reading the novelization of rogue one.
my only criticism for this book is that there were too many pov’s. i only cared to read the stuff from the actual team or mon’s pov. everyone else (especially krennic) just annoyed me. i understand the plot just fine without a step-by-step rundown of what the rebel base is serving for dinner and how many ships the empire built last week. anyways this was pretty good & stream andor on disney+
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
Loved the movie and I still have to say... the book is better. Enjoyed this so much. Listened to the audiobook, and it's great. Made me feel more part of the world fighting the alongside with the other rebels.
This book deserves six stars. I listened to it as an audiobook, which included music and sound effects. It was fantastic. A great retelling of my favourite Star Wars adventure, even if I did cry several times.
Saw the movie earlier in the week and loved it. The book adds depth to the characters and adds unseen details to the plot - communications between Death Star engineers and command, the motivations of Rebellion generals, and a little background to the main characters.
The only SW novelization I've ever read (a friend lent it to me). Rogue One is my *absolute* favorite SW movie and I enjoyed seeing the story in a new way, but overall I think I prefer the movie. That ending though? *cries* perfection.