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3.24 AVERAGE
3.24 AVERAGE
I should start off my saying that I've LOVED the Star Wars Expanded Universe since I was in high school and had read well over 60 of the books. I totally understand the sting of losing all of that (especially Timothy Zahn's wonderful Heir to The Empire trilogy), but if I'm honest with myself, the Legacy of The Force series and Fate of The Jedi series really left something to be desired (as in they were cumbersome and seemed set on making things "unfun") and APPARENTLY not everyone loved the New Jedi Order series as much as I did. I guess my point is that, while it does sting, their decision to make a new canon sort of makes sense to me.
So, this book, right? I absolutely loved it. Star Wars: Aftermath, as indicated by it's title, is really more about how the galaxy reacted to the death of the emperor and the destruction of Death Star II (and thus the huge shift in power between the Alliance and the Empire). The story is told in a way that focuses on a main group of people who were all affected rather profoundly by the war in one way or another, but also includes occasional interludes that don't really affect the main cast, but depict the galaxy in an interesting way. The main story is pretty simple (which is actually a relief after the weirdness of FoTJ and Crucible), but it still has a very strong star-warsy feeling to it that I really enjoyed.
I only have a few real misgivings with the book. The biggest one is that it clearly is meant to set up for the rest of the trilogy. That's alright in the long run, but for now it's a bother because I have no idea when the next one comes out! My other big issue is that Chuck Wendig, who I love, has a certain "voice" in his writing. Typically it just means things feel more active and exciting, but in the early part of the book he went a little far with it and it just ends up feeling really halt-y. It clears up pretty quickly, but it definitely gave me concern at first.
Beyond that, there were a couple interludes that didn't grab me and ended up just feeling unnecessary (the Cloud City one, for instance), but none of these problems stopped me from loving the book. The only thing I can think to say that I haven't is that, while this book is post-RoTJ, it's about 30-40 years before The Force Awakens, so it doesn't really answer/spoil anything for the new movie.
So, this book, right? I absolutely loved it. Star Wars: Aftermath, as indicated by it's title, is really more about how the galaxy reacted to the death of the emperor and the destruction of Death Star II (and thus the huge shift in power between the Alliance and the Empire). The story is told in a way that focuses on a main group of people who were all affected rather profoundly by the war in one way or another, but also includes occasional interludes that don't really affect the main cast, but depict the galaxy in an interesting way. The main story is pretty simple (which is actually a relief after the weirdness of FoTJ and Crucible), but it still has a very strong star-warsy feeling to it that I really enjoyed.
I only have a few real misgivings with the book. The biggest one is that it clearly is meant to set up for the rest of the trilogy. That's alright in the long run, but for now it's a bother because I have no idea when the next one comes out! My other big issue is that Chuck Wendig, who I love, has a certain "voice" in his writing. Typically it just means things feel more active and exciting, but in the early part of the book he went a little far with it and it just ends up feeling really halt-y. It clears up pretty quickly, but it definitely gave me concern at first.
Beyond that, there were a couple interludes that didn't grab me and ended up just feeling unnecessary (the Cloud City one, for instance), but none of these problems stopped me from loving the book. The only thing I can think to say that I haven't is that, while this book is post-RoTJ, it's about 30-40 years before The Force Awakens, so it doesn't really answer/spoil anything for the new movie.
I don't think I'll be reading any Star Wars books that don't involve Jedi. It was just... not that interesting.
Biggest problems with this book are:
- So many interludes. Every other chapter has an interlude that doesn't connect to the story at all. Some of them are ok, but most of them just feel like filler text to make the book longer.
- Too many characters. Having a lot of characters isn't a bad thing, but Wendig didn't develop many of that characters and introduced new characters way too late into the story.
- "Quick-Step". Wendig just uses weird phrases like "she did a quick-step to the door." It's just distracting. Just say "She quickly steps to the door." Quick-step is not a thing that anybody has ever said. I understand what it means, but it just feels like an unnecessary phrase.
- Every thing had to have a Star Wars adjective. It couldn't just be a deck of cards. It had to be a deck of Looteenia holovid cards. It felt like he was just adding things to the Star Wars universe for the sake of added to it, and not because it added to the story.
- One of the reasons I read this book is because I heard that there was an LGBT main character. There is... I feel like the reveal was such a let down. The characters sexuality doesn't play into the story, which isn't a bad thing. It's just a characteristic of one person, like hair or eye color. Like in real life, being gay doesn't define your personality. My main problem with the reveal is that the other character suddenly seems so different. It's revealed that a character is gay, and then the other character in the scene is suddenly a Vulcan, not understanding emotions. It was just very strange to read.
- At times it felt like Wendig wrote this book hoping it would turned into a movie. Like, it was first a screen play, and then he made it into a novel.
- So many bad things happen to the protagonists that are immediately solved in their favor, mostly out of just being lucky.
It just wasn't a very fun book to read. And so many god damn interludes!
Biggest problems with this book are:
- So many interludes. Every other chapter has an interlude that doesn't connect to the story at all. Some of them are ok, but most of them just feel like filler text to make the book longer.
- Too many characters. Having a lot of characters isn't a bad thing, but Wendig didn't develop many of that characters and introduced new characters way too late into the story.
- "Quick-Step". Wendig just uses weird phrases like "she did a quick-step to the door." It's just distracting. Just say "She quickly steps to the door." Quick-step is not a thing that anybody has ever said. I understand what it means, but it just feels like an unnecessary phrase.
- Every thing had to have a Star Wars adjective. It couldn't just be a deck of cards. It had to be a deck of Looteenia holovid cards. It felt like he was just adding things to the Star Wars universe for the sake of added to it, and not because it added to the story.
- One of the reasons I read this book is because I heard that there was an LGBT main character. There is... I feel like the reveal was such a let down. The characters sexuality doesn't play into the story, which isn't a bad thing. It's just a characteristic of one person, like hair or eye color. Like in real life, being gay doesn't define your personality. My main problem with the reveal is that the other character suddenly seems so different. It's revealed that a character is gay, and then the other character in the scene is suddenly a Vulcan, not understanding emotions. It was just very strange to read.
- At times it felt like Wendig wrote this book hoping it would turned into a movie. Like, it was first a screen play, and then he made it into a novel.
- So many bad things happen to the protagonists that are immediately solved in their favor, mostly out of just being lucky.
It just wasn't a very fun book to read. And so many god damn interludes!
More of a 2.5 out of 5
Loved Temmin, loved the idea of the ICF, very much loved the lower stakes and the bickering between the imperial remnants but I felt it sort of bypassed me a bit.
I actually enjoyed the writing style, it felt very different and pacy.
Loved Temmin, loved the idea of the ICF, very much loved the lower stakes and the bickering between the imperial remnants but I felt it sort of bypassed me a bit.
I actually enjoyed the writing style, it felt very different and pacy.
It took me a little bit to get into this book, partially because it started just a little slow, and partially because I listened to the audio book and it took me some time to get used to the sound effects. I ended up really enjoying it, though, and I especially loved Sinjir
I reserved this from the library hoping to get some canonical Star Wars goodness that would set me up to be more informed then the rest of the crowd at opening night for The Force Awakens next month.
What I got instead was a pretty generic ho-hum sci-fi story loosely draped in the Star Wars trappings with some minor characters like Wedge Antilles thrown in for taste. Oh, and a generic Han Solo cameo.
It was probably my fault for not looking at the description more closely. But seriously, when you wipe out all the Extended Universe canon in a grand sweeping gesture, it seems to me anyway that the first piece of fiction you contract to step into the breach should be great.
And it was clear pretty early on that this just doesn't rise to that level.
What I got instead was a pretty generic ho-hum sci-fi story loosely draped in the Star Wars trappings with some minor characters like Wedge Antilles thrown in for taste. Oh, and a generic Han Solo cameo.
It was probably my fault for not looking at the description more closely. But seriously, when you wipe out all the Extended Universe canon in a grand sweeping gesture, it seems to me anyway that the first piece of fiction you contract to step into the breach should be great.
And it was clear pretty early on that this just doesn't rise to that level.
5/5 Stars
Let me start by saying that I love Star Wars. I love it all, even the prequels that at moments were truly awful. Surprisingly though I have read very few books from the expanded canon. With the build up to The Force Awakens and the release of even more stories, I thought it was time I changed that. Star Wars Aftermath picks up after the Battle of Endor and its main focus is what is happening on the planet Akiva.
I loved the new characters introduced in Aftermath. Each of them was unique, diverse, complex. It gave the story more weight and connecting with them was a highlight. I loved the dynamic between Temmin and Norra Wexley, Mister Bones, Jas Emeru, and Sinjir Rath Velus. A rebel, a boy, a battle droid, a bounty hunter, and an imperial defector teaming up was so cool. Even the opposition, especially Admiral Rae Sloane, were relatable and brought depth to the Empire.
Little interludes are spaced out throughout Aftermath highlighting other people and worlds. We discover the formation of the New Republic, the government established by the Rebel Alliance, to rise up in the wake of the empire. Discover Mon Mothma's new leadership position, look in on Admiral Ackbar's commands. Han and Chewie even make an appearance switching gears from an alliance mission to something more off the books.
Overall I really loved Star Wars Aftermath by Chuck Wendig. It was the perfect mix of old and new characters, an intriguing storyline, and the right amount of action and adventure. Wendig's writing was outstanding, shining across the whole galaxy. His worldbuilding was exceptional bringing to life unexplored places. There are big things on the horizon and I cannot wait to keep reading. I would absolutely recommend this novel especially if you love Star Wars.
Full review here: http://wp.me/p6xfg7-bM
Let me start by saying that I love Star Wars. I love it all, even the prequels that at moments were truly awful. Surprisingly though I have read very few books from the expanded canon. With the build up to The Force Awakens and the release of even more stories, I thought it was time I changed that. Star Wars Aftermath picks up after the Battle of Endor and its main focus is what is happening on the planet Akiva.
I loved the new characters introduced in Aftermath. Each of them was unique, diverse, complex. It gave the story more weight and connecting with them was a highlight. I loved the dynamic between Temmin and Norra Wexley, Mister Bones, Jas Emeru, and Sinjir Rath Velus. A rebel, a boy, a battle droid, a bounty hunter, and an imperial defector teaming up was so cool. Even the opposition, especially Admiral Rae Sloane, were relatable and brought depth to the Empire.
Little interludes are spaced out throughout Aftermath highlighting other people and worlds. We discover the formation of the New Republic, the government established by the Rebel Alliance, to rise up in the wake of the empire. Discover Mon Mothma's new leadership position, look in on Admiral Ackbar's commands. Han and Chewie even make an appearance switching gears from an alliance mission to something more off the books.
Overall I really loved Star Wars Aftermath by Chuck Wendig. It was the perfect mix of old and new characters, an intriguing storyline, and the right amount of action and adventure. Wendig's writing was outstanding, shining across the whole galaxy. His worldbuilding was exceptional bringing to life unexplored places. There are big things on the horizon and I cannot wait to keep reading. I would absolutely recommend this novel especially if you love Star Wars.
Full review here: http://wp.me/p6xfg7-bM
One day GoodReads will give us half-stars and I will rejoice. A solid 3.5 stars. Very enjoyable, though I found the constantly shifting POVs occasionally disjointed. Overall, it was just the sort of thing I wanted to read with all my Force Awakens excitement.
So, I'm not a great Star Wars fan. I've only really watched the movies (yes, the prequels too!) and tried to read one book (Kenobi, and I failed).
However, I am a huge fan of Chuck Wendig, though I'll have to admit I wasn't really going to read this one, it being Star Wars and all (sorry, Chuck!). But then some Sad Puppies went on a rampage over minor things that occur in this book and I decided that yes, I have to read it after all.
Boy, am I glad I did!
This is one of the best books I've read in quite a while, it's fun, exciting, breathtaking and above all, it doesn't bore me at any point in all the four hundred pages.
And now I can't wait for the next two in the series.
Chuck, you may just have made me a convert to Star Wars with this one. <3
However, I am a huge fan of Chuck Wendig, though I'll have to admit I wasn't really going to read this one, it being Star Wars and all (sorry, Chuck!). But then some Sad Puppies went on a rampage over minor things that occur in this book and I decided that yes, I have to read it after all.
Boy, am I glad I did!
This is one of the best books I've read in quite a while, it's fun, exciting, breathtaking and above all, it doesn't bore me at any point in all the four hundred pages.
And now I can't wait for the next two in the series.
Chuck, you may just have made me a convert to Star Wars with this one. <3
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great setting and concept. I would have enjoyed it more if I was more familiar with the Star Wars Universe post-Battle of Endor.