Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.24 AVERAGE
3.24 AVERAGE
I listened to this one - which was probably perfect. The use of present tense through the story made it feel like a radio drama, and the audio make excellent use of that feel. Lots of sound effects, distinct voices, etc.
There was one thing I wish I had a paper copy for, though. I often wanted / needed to flip back a few pages to double check something and that's impossible in audio!
There was one thing I wish I had a paper copy for, though. I often wanted / needed to flip back a few pages to double check something and that's impossible in audio!
Books based on franchises are outside of my wheelhouse normally but I gave this one a shot because I liked the new movie so much AND because I heard there were (finally) gay people in space.
I listened to it in audio, which was probably good for getting over my fear of trying something new, but not great for following action sequences. I'll probably pick up the next one in print - and yes, I definitely plan on picking up the next one!
There are a lot of negative reviews of this out there, and I think a lot of those people that are let down because this doesn't resemble the expanded universe they grew up with. I think it's possible they're looking at those EU books through rose-colored nostalgia glasses, but, who knows. I think more importantly, this book is maybe not for fans of the EU. Maybe it's for people like me - people who like sci-fi but would never have picked up a Star Wars book until the new movie made them want more, who don't mind following new characters as long as they have the same appeal as Leia, Han and Luke - and now, as Rey, Finn and Poe. And I think Norra, Temmin, Jas, and Sinjir have that perfect scrappy team of misfits hook while being unique from the other squads. And I was surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to boardroom scenes play out between the Empire characters, too. The interludes, while a mixed bag, did what they were supposed to, too - zooming out from a few heroes and villains, building the world, showing how a whole galaxy is affected by decades of war.
The only thing that really bothered me was.
Wow ok ALL of that said, I want someone I know to read this so I can talk about the coming out scene because I don't want to spoil it but also... let's say I really like how romance is/isn't handled in this book.
I listened to it in audio, which was probably good for getting over my fear of trying something new, but not great for following action sequences. I'll probably pick up the next one in print - and yes, I definitely plan on picking up the next one!
There are a lot of negative reviews of this out there, and I think a lot of those people that are let down because this doesn't resemble the expanded universe they grew up with. I think it's possible they're looking at those EU books through rose-colored nostalgia glasses, but, who knows. I think more importantly, this book is maybe not for fans of the EU. Maybe it's for people like me - people who like sci-fi but would never have picked up a Star Wars book until the new movie made them want more, who don't mind following new characters as long as they have the same appeal as Leia, Han and Luke - and now, as Rey, Finn and Poe. And I think Norra, Temmin, Jas, and Sinjir have that perfect scrappy team of misfits hook while being unique from the other squads. And I was surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to boardroom scenes play out between the Empire characters, too. The interludes, while a mixed bag, did what they were supposed to, too - zooming out from a few heroes and villains, building the world, showing how a whole galaxy is affected by decades of war.
The only thing that really bothered me was
Spoiler
one too many death fake-outs. I mean, I'm fine with Norra sticking around, but I don't know how seriously I can take it the next time her life is in peril with this book's misleads. I also wish Mr. Bones had stayed down - would have given the story some stakes and made him a loveable martyr instead of placing him at a midpoint between BB-8 and Jar-JarWow ok ALL of that said, I want someone I know to read this so I can talk about the coming out scene because I don't want to spoil it but also... let's say I really like how romance is/isn't handled in this book.
I feel bad about the low review but the vignettes drove me absolutely bonkers in the end. Similarly the prose is pretty basic (presumably because the brief demanded that), and I just wasn’t interested after a while.
My expectations for this book were very high. After wiping out the previous Expanded Universe and creating a brand new canvas for future novels, comics, and video games to explore the Star Wars canon, the anticipation for the first official look at events after Return of the Jedi was understandably high. Does this book meet those expectations? Sadly, no.
I guess the book is a decent story. It draws on a lot of the character types one expects in a Star Wars story, and puts the Rebel heroes in a familiar David and Goliath situation where they have to deal with the Imperial forces as well as criminal warlords. But the biggest problem with this story is that the Rebel Heroes it features are not the Rebel Heroes I wanted to read about. Mild Spoiler Warning: Luke and Leia do not appear in this story, and Han has only a brief interlude chapter (which likely sets up a storyline for the next book in the series). There are Star Wars stories which do not feature "the Big Three," and some of them are really good, but when your book is the first glimpse of the Post-RotJ Star Wars universe, one expects to see familiar faces. And while it's nice to see Wedge Antilles appear in this story, he doesn't get too do any of the cool stuff. I'm interested enough to see these new characters continue to develop in the next books, but so far, none of them are as interesting as the characters in the X-Wing series.
As an aside, it will be interesting to see how the Expanded Universe novels roll out in the next few years. With a 30 year gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, there is a sudden vacuum that fans are desperate to see filled with stories. However, it took the original (Legends) EU about 20 years to develop 30 years of post-RotJ stories. Obviously the temptation will be there to rush ahead and start writing Force Awakens prequels right away... but is there still room for stories about Luke and Han and Leia in the years before Rey and Finn and Poe were even born? I hope so.
I guess the book is a decent story. It draws on a lot of the character types one expects in a Star Wars story, and puts the Rebel heroes in a familiar David and Goliath situation where they have to deal with the Imperial forces as well as criminal warlords. But the biggest problem with this story is that the Rebel Heroes it features are not the Rebel Heroes I wanted to read about. Mild Spoiler Warning: Luke and Leia do not appear in this story, and Han has only a brief interlude chapter (which likely sets up a storyline for the next book in the series). There are Star Wars stories which do not feature "the Big Three," and some of them are really good, but when your book is the first glimpse of the Post-RotJ Star Wars universe, one expects to see familiar faces. And while it's nice to see Wedge Antilles appear in this story, he doesn't get too do any of the cool stuff. I'm interested enough to see these new characters continue to develop in the next books, but so far, none of them are as interesting as the characters in the X-Wing series.
As an aside, it will be interesting to see how the Expanded Universe novels roll out in the next few years. With a 30 year gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, there is a sudden vacuum that fans are desperate to see filled with stories. However, it took the original (Legends) EU about 20 years to develop 30 years of post-RotJ stories. Obviously the temptation will be there to rush ahead and start writing Force Awakens prequels right away... but is there still room for stories about Luke and Han and Leia in the years before Rey and Finn and Poe were even born? I hope so.
Great book! Had me hanging on the edge of my seat the entire time. I can't wait to read the next two in the trilogy.
If you want to find out what happens after the second death star is blown up, then I suppose this would be the book to read. I liked the characters, the story was just compelling enough to get me to finish, but the writing was clunky and distracting at times. It felt rushed and unpolished.
"Aftermath" reminded me of D&D stories where the party characters meet, find they have similar/compatible objectives, join "temporarily" to get their jobs done, and then decide to stay together and go on further adventures. Fanfic of someone's MMO guild starting maybe. They're going to need a healer tho...maybe in the next book?
Speaking of the next book, here are some suggestions:
(1) Don't end every chapter with a fake character death cliffhanger. It really starts losing impact after the first 3 or 4 times.
(2) Imperial admiral control freaks should probably not shrug and use the zen-like colloquialism "it is what it is" every chance they get.
(3) Adding the word "space" in front of another word does not make it sound more science fiction-y. Especially when the word it is preceding is "diapers".
"Aftermath" reminded me of D&D stories where the party characters meet, find they have similar/compatible objectives, join "temporarily" to get their jobs done, and then decide to stay together and go on further adventures. Fanfic of someone's MMO guild starting maybe. They're going to need a healer tho...maybe in the next book?
Speaking of the next book, here are some suggestions:
(1) Don't end every chapter with a fake character death cliffhanger. It really starts losing impact after the first 3 or 4 times.
(2) Imperial admiral control freaks should probably not shrug and use the zen-like colloquialism "it is what it is" every chance they get.
(3) Adding the word "space" in front of another word does not make it sound more science fiction-y. Especially when the word it is preceding is "diapers".
Book Review: Star Wars: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig
Star Wars: Aftermath is written by Chuck Wendig (the Heartland Trilogy), and is one of the many published pieces released that are part of Disney's "Journey to the Force Awakens" campaign. It is book one of a trilogy that takes place after the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. It features some original trilogy characters, but mainly features the introduction of new characters and minor players.
In Aftermath we see the galaxy is welcoming the New Republic, as the Empire gathers at the outer rim planets to begin to strategize how they will deal with their Imperial Remnant. As of this book, the New Republic is fleshing out their forces, and removing Imperial installations from planets as they begin to free Imperial-held worlds. But it is a hard road toward galactic peace for the Rebels. Chancellor Mon Mothma plans to cut the military down drastically after the Imperial forces are taken care of (I personally shuddered at this idea, because that would leave the New Republic wide-open to attack should the Empire reform).
Original trilogy heroes, Wedge Antilles (who refers to Fulcrum at one point) and Grand Admiral Ackbar are using their resources (including a mysterious informant named the Operator) to investigate a reported Imperial presence over the planet of Akiva, in the outer rim. They discover a communications black-out and a impending blockade over Akiva.
As we begin this adventure, Wedge is sent to Akiva to see if the reports are true. But unfortunately he is captured by the Empire, losing his link to Akbar. But what the New Republic does not realize is that the Imperials are meeting on Akiva in a summit to discuss strengthening their grip on the galaxy. Among the Imperials meeting is fan-favorite Admiral Rea Sloane (Star Wars: Rebels, New Dawn) in her first post-Return of the Jedi appearance. She has come a long way over the years, and commands a vast fleet that her Imperial constituents wish to take from her.
We are introduced to New Republic pilot, Norra Wexley. She has left the Rebel forces to return to her home planet of Akiva to retrieve her teenage son, Temmin, whom she has not seen for several years. She has been looking for her husband that was taken by the Empire many years prior. With her search coming up empty, she travels to reunite with her son after her bravery in the Battle of Endor as a Rebel pilot.
Temmin has been raised in part by his aunt and her wife. But as he grew older he began to convert his family home into a shop where he sells parts and electronics. Temmin is smart, brave, and reckless at times, but always manages to think his way out of danger. Among his triumphant creations is "Mr. Bones", a Separatist modified-B1 Battle Droid from the Clone Wars that he has programmed to be his bodyguard. And yes, the droid says, "Roger, Roger" and "I have a bad feeling about this".
Meanwhile in a seedy bar on Akiva we are introduced to Sinjir Rath Velus, a former Imperial Loyalty Officer who apparently defected from the Imperials after the Battle of Endor. He is untrustworthy, a drunk, and is somewhat annoying on his own. But as he allies himself with other characters, he began to grow on me. I almost did not like this character, but he worked out as the book went along.
Then we have a Zabrakian bounty hunter by the name of Jas Imari. She is the niece of the bounty hunter, Sugi from the Clone Wars animated television series. She is very clever and a crack-shot. I really liked this character. She had an acid-tongue and took nothing from no one. Some of the stunts she pulls off in this book are quite amazing.
Jom Barrel, a New Republic special ops soldier, plays a big role in Admiral Ackbar's plans. He is fearless, fast, and as the book goes along, a huge thorn in the Empire's side. His appearances are brief, but he holds quite an impact on the storyline.
And lastly, there is Yupe Tashu. A creepy man with much love for the Sith who is also an Imperial torturer, and a member of Emperor Palpatine's inner circle. He is definitely one that floats under the radar in the narrative. But when he spoke, I received chills. He is not a nice man and believes that the Dark Side always prevails. He suggests that the remaining Imperial forces head to distant space to search for the outposts that Emperor Palpatine had begun constructing in his pursuit of furthering his knowledge of the Dark Side.
The aforementioned characters I just described were the only characters that stood out to me in this book. Each has movie potential, and could possibly be in the Force Awakens film. The remaining characters are vast and some were unmemorable. They congested the story with very little to offer.
There are Interludes that did attempt to give us the galaxy's response to the New Republic's victory, but they did not always hold my attention when they were constantly interrupting the main narrative. Out of all of them only four stood out to me:
The return of Dengar.
The appearance of the Acolytes of the Beyond, who apparently are searching for Darth Vader's lightsaber (This is possibly the beginnings of the Knights of Ren from Episode Seven).
We find out that the Wookie planet of Kashyyk is still under Imperial occupation.
There is a curious story that takes place on Tatooine were Jawas have in their possession armor from a certain bounty hunter. And the remains of Jabba's sail barge litter their parts bins.
This novel is filled with action-packed sequences, daring escapes, and a grand space battle. Many readers have said that they were highly disappointed in the story. I would like to address their points versus my understanding of the story.
"The book did not prominently feature the main characters of the original trilogy." -That is what the movies are for. This novel introduces many new characters that are laying the down the path-work of the New Republic and the First Order.
"The book is boring and not action-packed enough." -The narrative does slow down during the Imperial summit. But if you have patience and read on, you will be thrown into a lot of adventure and narrow escapes. There are speeder bike chases, space battles, monsters, and many exhilarating moments. Plus there is an appearance of a mysterious Admiral that is calling for a new power to rule the galaxy (this could be the one who starts the First Order that is featured in the Force Awakens).
"The story is disjointed and not cohesive." - I agree with this only because of the Interludes. They broke the narrative at times in the middle of key moments in the main story. And while they did offer tidbits of information on how the galaxy was accepting the New Republic, they only lasted about two to three pages at best.
"The author does nothing to bridge the gap between Return of the Jedi and the Force Awakens. This was a big bate and switch!" - I totally disagree. This story introduces some excellent beginnings of not only the First Order, but also the Knights of Ren. There are clues given to the reader in almost every chapter.
"There is nothing at stake in this book to make us worry about the characters." - Again, I disagree. I guess the readers saying this did not catch that the Empire has another super-weapon at their disposal. Or that if Akiva was occupied by the Empire, their grip on the galaxy was increased by another planet.
I will not lie and say I did not have issues getting through this book. But I will say that after sticking to my reading and finishing this book I was very satisfied at the outcome. And I will be excited to see what becomes of these new characters as the new books are released.
It was revealed at New York Comic Con on Twitter by Chuck Wendig and Del Rey that the next two books in this trilogy will be Life Debt (2016) and Empire's End (2017).
Photo from Chuck Wendig's Twitter page.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Give it a chance. Use the Force. Let it guide your patience.
Because there is always room to read,
Xepherus3
At Twitter at: https://twitter.com/XepherusStudios
At Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/XepherusStudios
All written content (c) 2015 by Thomas Bahr II
Star Wars: Aftermath is written by Chuck Wendig (the Heartland Trilogy), and is one of the many published pieces released that are part of Disney's "Journey to the Force Awakens" campaign. It is book one of a trilogy that takes place after the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. It features some original trilogy characters, but mainly features the introduction of new characters and minor players.
In Aftermath we see the galaxy is welcoming the New Republic, as the Empire gathers at the outer rim planets to begin to strategize how they will deal with their Imperial Remnant. As of this book, the New Republic is fleshing out their forces, and removing Imperial installations from planets as they begin to free Imperial-held worlds. But it is a hard road toward galactic peace for the Rebels. Chancellor Mon Mothma plans to cut the military down drastically after the Imperial forces are taken care of (I personally shuddered at this idea, because that would leave the New Republic wide-open to attack should the Empire reform).
Original trilogy heroes, Wedge Antilles (who refers to Fulcrum at one point) and Grand Admiral Ackbar are using their resources (including a mysterious informant named the Operator) to investigate a reported Imperial presence over the planet of Akiva, in the outer rim. They discover a communications black-out and a impending blockade over Akiva.
As we begin this adventure, Wedge is sent to Akiva to see if the reports are true. But unfortunately he is captured by the Empire, losing his link to Akbar. But what the New Republic does not realize is that the Imperials are meeting on Akiva in a summit to discuss strengthening their grip on the galaxy. Among the Imperials meeting is fan-favorite Admiral Rea Sloane (Star Wars: Rebels, New Dawn) in her first post-Return of the Jedi appearance. She has come a long way over the years, and commands a vast fleet that her Imperial constituents wish to take from her.
We are introduced to New Republic pilot, Norra Wexley. She has left the Rebel forces to return to her home planet of Akiva to retrieve her teenage son, Temmin, whom she has not seen for several years. She has been looking for her husband that was taken by the Empire many years prior. With her search coming up empty, she travels to reunite with her son after her bravery in the Battle of Endor as a Rebel pilot.
Temmin has been raised in part by his aunt and her wife. But as he grew older he began to convert his family home into a shop where he sells parts and electronics. Temmin is smart, brave, and reckless at times, but always manages to think his way out of danger. Among his triumphant creations is "Mr. Bones", a Separatist modified-B1 Battle Droid from the Clone Wars that he has programmed to be his bodyguard. And yes, the droid says, "Roger, Roger" and "I have a bad feeling about this".
Meanwhile in a seedy bar on Akiva we are introduced to Sinjir Rath Velus, a former Imperial Loyalty Officer who apparently defected from the Imperials after the Battle of Endor. He is untrustworthy, a drunk, and is somewhat annoying on his own. But as he allies himself with other characters, he began to grow on me. I almost did not like this character, but he worked out as the book went along.
Then we have a Zabrakian bounty hunter by the name of Jas Imari. She is the niece of the bounty hunter, Sugi from the Clone Wars animated television series. She is very clever and a crack-shot. I really liked this character. She had an acid-tongue and took nothing from no one. Some of the stunts she pulls off in this book are quite amazing.
Jom Barrel, a New Republic special ops soldier, plays a big role in Admiral Ackbar's plans. He is fearless, fast, and as the book goes along, a huge thorn in the Empire's side. His appearances are brief, but he holds quite an impact on the storyline.
And lastly, there is Yupe Tashu. A creepy man with much love for the Sith who is also an Imperial torturer, and a member of Emperor Palpatine's inner circle. He is definitely one that floats under the radar in the narrative. But when he spoke, I received chills. He is not a nice man and believes that the Dark Side always prevails. He suggests that the remaining Imperial forces head to distant space to search for the outposts that Emperor Palpatine had begun constructing in his pursuit of furthering his knowledge of the Dark Side.
The aforementioned characters I just described were the only characters that stood out to me in this book. Each has movie potential, and could possibly be in the Force Awakens film. The remaining characters are vast and some were unmemorable. They congested the story with very little to offer.
There are Interludes that did attempt to give us the galaxy's response to the New Republic's victory, but they did not always hold my attention when they were constantly interrupting the main narrative. Out of all of them only four stood out to me:
The return of Dengar.
The appearance of the Acolytes of the Beyond, who apparently are searching for Darth Vader's lightsaber (This is possibly the beginnings of the Knights of Ren from Episode Seven).
We find out that the Wookie planet of Kashyyk is still under Imperial occupation.
There is a curious story that takes place on Tatooine were Jawas have in their possession armor from a certain bounty hunter. And the remains of Jabba's sail barge litter their parts bins.
This novel is filled with action-packed sequences, daring escapes, and a grand space battle. Many readers have said that they were highly disappointed in the story. I would like to address their points versus my understanding of the story.
"The book did not prominently feature the main characters of the original trilogy." -That is what the movies are for. This novel introduces many new characters that are laying the down the path-work of the New Republic and the First Order.
"The book is boring and not action-packed enough." -The narrative does slow down during the Imperial summit. But if you have patience and read on, you will be thrown into a lot of adventure and narrow escapes. There are speeder bike chases, space battles, monsters, and many exhilarating moments. Plus there is an appearance of a mysterious Admiral that is calling for a new power to rule the galaxy (this could be the one who starts the First Order that is featured in the Force Awakens).
"The story is disjointed and not cohesive." - I agree with this only because of the Interludes. They broke the narrative at times in the middle of key moments in the main story. And while they did offer tidbits of information on how the galaxy was accepting the New Republic, they only lasted about two to three pages at best.
"The author does nothing to bridge the gap between Return of the Jedi and the Force Awakens. This was a big bate and switch!" - I totally disagree. This story introduces some excellent beginnings of not only the First Order, but also the Knights of Ren. There are clues given to the reader in almost every chapter.
"There is nothing at stake in this book to make us worry about the characters." - Again, I disagree. I guess the readers saying this did not catch that the Empire has another super-weapon at their disposal. Or that if Akiva was occupied by the Empire, their grip on the galaxy was increased by another planet.
I will not lie and say I did not have issues getting through this book. But I will say that after sticking to my reading and finishing this book I was very satisfied at the outcome. And I will be excited to see what becomes of these new characters as the new books are released.
It was revealed at New York Comic Con on Twitter by Chuck Wendig and Del Rey that the next two books in this trilogy will be Life Debt (2016) and Empire's End (2017).
Photo from Chuck Wendig's Twitter page.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Give it a chance. Use the Force. Let it guide your patience.
Because there is always room to read,
Xepherus3
At Twitter at: https://twitter.com/XepherusStudios
At Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/XepherusStudios
All written content (c) 2015 by Thomas Bahr II
A fun foray into the world of Star Wars past the events of episode VI. Action-packed, funny and heartfelt. Can only hope the movie brings some of these qualities along.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I only gave this one star because there was no option to give it none. Disney are going to have to try much, much harder, and if this is the jumping off point of the new canon, expect fans to give up on it in droves. Of all the Star wars expanded universe novels I've read, this has to be the most boring. There is no sign of Luke or Leia and a token couple of paragraphs on Chewie and Han (frankly sounding nothing like Han). The featured characters are ones that even by the end of the book, I dont care about. I hope to god they don't show up in the next volume.
Speaking as a gay reviewer, the inclusion of gay characters is both ham-fisted and really unnecessary. Sure, its great we have a Lesbian couple, but of course, they're married, we can only be included if we ape hetero norms.
Disappointing on so many levels, primary of which is the tone of language used, so out of sync with how a Star wars novel should feel, especially one dealing with events and a timeline so close to the trilogy. The author seems to have no grasp of the language or tone of either the film series or previous novels.
Speaking as a gay reviewer, the inclusion of gay characters is both ham-fisted and really unnecessary. Sure, its great we have a Lesbian couple, but of course, they're married, we can only be included if we ape hetero norms.
Disappointing on so many levels, primary of which is the tone of language used, so out of sync with how a Star wars novel should feel, especially one dealing with events and a timeline so close to the trilogy. The author seems to have no grasp of the language or tone of either the film series or previous novels.