Scan barcode
lemcclain8's review against another edition
4.0
Zorii is a completely mysterious character in episode 9 but there’s a lot to be desired with her and Poe’s relationship, so this book was really cool for that reason. We see into Poe’s past and his affiliation with the spice runners. It’s thankfully more content to try and make the sequels a tiny bit better.
hackedbyawriter's review against another edition
3.0
I liked how Poe and Kes’s relationship was portrayed here. (I cant believe he has the same daddy issues as me) and the end with Leia made me cry.
I never liked the Spice Runner plot in TROS bc of the racial undertones and it was so unnecessary since we already had a solid backstory for him but the whole Zorii and Poe thing made me hate it even more… their relationship was toxic and what she did to him near the end (spoiler: she beats the shit out of him bc he tries to leave) constitutes intimate partner violence no two ways about it.
I never liked the Spice Runner plot in TROS bc of the racial undertones and it was so unnecessary since we already had a solid backstory for him but the whole Zorii and Poe thing made me hate it even more… their relationship was toxic and what she did to him near the end (spoiler: she beats the shit out of him bc he tries to leave) constitutes intimate partner violence no two ways about it.
lacrimaeignis's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
When I saw this book, I was so excited for it and I really wanted to love it as it follows Resistance Pilot Poe Dameron when he is a teenager. Poe was one of my favorite characters in the sequel trilogy (which I do genuinely enjoy and love but recognize that as a trilogy it is a hot mess but that’s a different conversation) so I was definitely intrigued by this book. It covers the random plotline in Rise of Skywalker where we learn that Poe was a Spice Runner for a time and when he met Zorii Bliss. The idea interested me especially because the fact that Poe was a Spice Runner seemed to come out of nowhere in the films and wasn’t really expanded upon. I was also interested because I thought Zorii in the film was a compelling character with a potentially intriguing story but she was given so little screen time and other than being a love interest for Poe seemed to have no characterization. So I thought this book would be a fun read to learn more about Poe’s past and Zorii as a character.
Unfortunately, like the sequel trilogy, the book seems to not really understand Poe’s characterization. In the beginning of the book and at the end, Poe felt like Poe - rebellious but with a hero complex and a love and talent for flying. However, throughout the entire middle portion of the book, there was nothing about the character presented that made him feel like Poe Dameron. In fact, he fell very flat as a character. Now, it could be that the intent with this was because it was a time in Poe’s life where he is learning who he wants to be as a person. And perhaps he fell flat because he was never suited for the role he tried to force himself into. But it was still disappointing.
Zorii also fell pretty flat as a character until near the end but she at least knew what path she wanted to take and continued to follow that path throughout the book. But like in the movie, the “romance” plotline felt very forced and she and Poe had zero chemistry as a couple (yes I know this is geared towards a younger audience but other than Poe thinking Zorii was pretty, there was really nothing leading towards a romantic relationship - no inner monologues, no flirtation, etc. They came across more as siblings or best friends than romantic interests) despite the fact that both characters claim their relationship felt natural and right. They did have a good friendship though and worked well together. Zorii’s backstory was interesting but the “mystery” of who she is was stretched on for far too long.
My biggest issue with the book was the terrible pacing and that the story was presented in a way that takes you out of the scenes. At some point the story stops being told in a straight linear format. What I mean by that is the chapter will start off in the middle of some random action sequence that seems to come out of nowhere. Then rather abruptly will have Poe, or another character thinking about/remembering the events that led up to that moment so we get a flashback of a few hours previously to explain why they’re in the situation they are in. But then the character will be startled by blaster fire or some such thing and realize they need to stop reminiscing and pay attention to what is actually happening. If this had happened just once, that would’ve been fine but it kept happening chapter after chapter for a good portion of the book. It was frustrating to read this again and again and it made the story difficult to follow. When this happened, I found myself not really caring about the characters or the story and I found it a chore to get through. There were many times that I found myself spacing out and not paying attention because of this.
There were also many plot holes and plot lines that were just dropped ( one minor but decently important character is left dying and we never learn if that character actually survived or not; I ended up looking up said character and according to the Star Wars wiki this character survives but it would have been nice to know the outcome in the book ) or weren’t expanded upon. Some things were unnecessarily repeated due to the way the story is presented (there is even a chapter break/cliffhanger that is used twice in a row only a few pages from each other) which was also a bit frustrating. The side characters - particularly Zeva, Babu Frik, Kes, L’ulo, and Eevee - felt more fleshed out than our two main characters and one of those is a droid.
The ending was appropriate for the story and for transitioning into the next step in Poe’s life. But it felt rather rushed. Rather than feeling satisfied with the end, it left me with more questions about certain characters/plot points in the novel than I got resolutions for. I feel like if the final chapter had been longer or there had been one more chapter or an epilogue than it would have been resolved better.
As someone who genuinely enjoys everything in the Star Wars universe, even if I might not agree with some of the plot choices, I did enjoy this novel well enough. All in all, it was interesting enough to keep me reading and the overall idea was good. I was excited to learn more about Kijimi and the Spice Runners and it was refreshing to see bits of the Star Wars universe without Jedi making an appearance. I did enjoy the side characters and there were a couple of times that the pacing was done well enough that I couldn’t put the book down. But overall I felt that it needed to be more fleshed out and needed to be presented in a better storytelling format. If you enjoy Poe Dameron and the sequel trilogy in any capacity then I would say to at least give this book a try. At the very least, it fills in some of the gaps in his backstory and gives a deeper look into parts of the Star Wars universe.
Unfortunately, like the sequel trilogy, the book seems to not really understand Poe’s characterization. In the beginning of the book and at the end, Poe felt like Poe - rebellious but with a hero complex and a love and talent for flying. However, throughout the entire middle portion of the book, there was nothing about the character presented that made him feel like Poe Dameron. In fact, he fell very flat as a character. Now, it could be that the intent with this was because it was a time in Poe’s life where he is learning who he wants to be as a person. And perhaps he fell flat because he was never suited for the role he tried to force himself into. But it was still disappointing.
Zorii also fell pretty flat as a character until near the end but she at least knew what path she wanted to take and continued to follow that path throughout the book. But like in the movie, the “romance” plotline felt very forced and she and Poe had zero chemistry as a couple (yes I know this is geared towards a younger audience but other than Poe thinking Zorii was pretty, there was really nothing leading towards a romantic relationship - no inner monologues, no flirtation, etc. They came across more as siblings or best friends than romantic interests) despite the fact that both characters claim their relationship felt natural and right. They did have a good friendship though and worked well together. Zorii’s backstory was interesting but the “mystery” of who she is was stretched on for far too long.
My biggest issue with the book was the terrible pacing and that the story was presented in a way that takes you out of the scenes. At some point the story stops being told in a straight linear format. What I mean by that is the chapter will start off in the middle of some random action sequence that seems to come out of nowhere. Then rather abruptly will have Poe, or another character thinking about/remembering the events that led up to that moment so we get a flashback of a few hours previously to explain why they’re in the situation they are in. But then the character will be startled by blaster fire or some such thing and realize they need to stop reminiscing and pay attention to what is actually happening. If this had happened just once, that would’ve been fine but it kept happening chapter after chapter for a good portion of the book. It was frustrating to read this again and again and it made the story difficult to follow. When this happened, I found myself not really caring about the characters or the story and I found it a chore to get through. There were many times that I found myself spacing out and not paying attention because of this.
There were also many plot holes and plot lines that were just dropped (
The ending was appropriate for the story and for transitioning into the next step in Poe’s life. But it felt rather rushed. Rather than feeling satisfied with the end, it left me with more questions about certain characters/plot points in the novel than I got resolutions for. I feel like if the final chapter had been longer or there had been one more chapter or an epilogue than it would have been resolved better.
As someone who genuinely enjoys everything in the Star Wars universe, even if I might not agree with some of the plot choices, I did enjoy this novel well enough. All in all, it was interesting enough to keep me reading and the overall idea was good. I was excited to learn more about Kijimi and the Spice Runners and it was refreshing to see bits of the Star Wars universe without Jedi making an appearance. I did enjoy the side characters and there were a couple of times that the pacing was done well enough that I couldn’t put the book down. But overall I felt that it needed to be more fleshed out and needed to be presented in a better storytelling format. If you enjoy Poe Dameron and the sequel trilogy in any capacity then I would say to at least give this book a try. At the very least, it fills in some of the gaps in his backstory and gives a deeper look into parts of the Star Wars universe.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Trafficking, and Violence
amberunmasked's review against another edition
5.0
This review is a courtesy provided by NetGalley.
This may shock some friends, but Poe Dameron Free Fall is the first Star Wars novel I've ever read. I haven't even ready any of the comics. I did a rewatch of the newest trilogy movies as I was reading this book and it was such a great idea. They feel like a fresh version of the original three, but that's not what I'm here to discuss.
After Rise of Skywalker came out, I saw my Twitter feed fill up with many angry fans. They had various things to vocalize, but the main thread was that the PoC characters weren't treated fairly. When it came specifically to Poe Dameron, people were furious about the insinuation that the only Latino man was a drug dealer. For whatever reason, smuggling anything else is fine, but not "spice." It's not my lane, so I probably retweeted other voices that made more sense on the subject. I was curious to see what a YA novelization about Poe would bring to the table especially considering author Alex Segura is Hispanic and representation matters.
To clarify: that means this reviewer is white. Also to be transparent, Alex Segura and I have been in the same anthology (Protectors volume 2).
Nowhere in Free Fall does it refer to any human ethnicity; it's a distant galaxy far, far away in a different time so what we think of as race or ethnicity may not even exist. Alien species are described well for those like myself who don't have the Star Wars universe memorized. Also, give a shout out for Gen Tri, they are a non-conforming, non-binary gendered character. A Pau'an, a Klatooinian, and Twi'lek walk into a bar...
Like human ethnicities, there is no mention that "spice" is actually a drug. Readers only know it's an illegal substance and that it's run by smugglers like the Spice Runners of Kijimi, the most powerful of the star-crossing crime families. But, readers aren't stupid and we know that spice is supposed to be code for something like IRL cocaine or meth or what-have-you.
Poe Dameron is sixteen through this story; sometimes to referred to as a boy, sometimes as a man. It begins with Poe living with his father Kes Dameron on Yavin 4. Here readers will see the teen angst of Poe who feels stifled and trapped. His parents, Kes and Shara Bey fought in the Rebellion with General Leia Organa (there's a glimpse of Leia at the end while she's still a Senator and it's a beautiful moment). Before she died, Shara Bey taught young Poe everything about piloting spacecrafts. Naturally that gives him the drive to be in space and explore. As a young foolish person, Poe doesn't care how it happens. If his father won't allow him to enlist between the wars, then he'll take whatever comes his way to get off Yavin 4.
Poe's emotions feel genuine and real. Throughout the story, readers will see him question himself, his closest friend, and all authority figures. Being sixteen in this other galaxy places Poe and Zorii at the brink of adulthood. They're expected to be adults in many ways, especially Zorii. Kes would rather keep Poe in childhood a little bit longer for his emotions to mature. Zorii is far more independent and knows how to survive compared to Poe. When they meet in a bar and he finds out her crew needs a pilot, he goes all in without knowing a thing about them. They aren't just a small crew of thieves -- again something Poe would be cool with just like Han Solo; they are part of the massive organization called the Spice Runners of Kijimi.
After a couple of life-threatening jobs, Poe, Zorii, Marinda Gan, Tomasso, Vigilich, and Gen Tri head to Kijimi. I think you can tell by the foreshadowing that not all of them will make it to their destination. The challenges and battles along the way are intense. One such battle is against a Zabrak named Ledesmar. She sounds every bit as mesmerizing as other Star Wars baddies. Ledesmar is described as as: "a tall Zabrak woman draped in a flowing red cloak, her pale forehead framed by smallish horns above and around it. Designs decorated her face and visible skin. She weilded a long spearlike weapon with blades on each end." Ledesmar was so interesting, she could have been the "boss" villain at the end, but wait, it does build up from here.
There's something about Zorii. Something special. The couple of people who know won't tell Poe, including Zorii despite their intimate relationship. I won't spoil it here. She's more than Poe's first love. She's called an asset of unimaginable importance.
The next character that helps craft Poe into the kind of man we meet later in Rise of Skywalker, is the droid EV-6B6 or Eevee for short. In Skywalker, fans got to see Poe's bond with BB-8. It was just as vital as Luke Skywalker's friendship with R2D2. In Free Fall, Poe begins with a lot of hesitation and bias against droids. He doesn't trust them at all. Eevee is cheerful to the point where she's frequently annoying the other crew members. She only becomes part of their crew after the battle with Ledesmar. She's driven to help others and chooses the spice runners as friends because her masters (other thieves in the Pyke organization) have died and Ledesmar "wasn't very nice" to her. She has no one left from her ship/home. Ledesmar stole the ship from the Pyke crew and destroyed all of them except some droids. EV-6B6 has her own thought processing and beliefs. She makes her own choices even after it seems Poe is her adoptive new master. If something goes against her morals, she rejects it. Her relationship with Poe is earned and mutual. Because of EV-6B6, readers also get to meet Babu Frik, another character on Kijimi from Rise of Skywalker.
The New Republic is much stronger than fans see in Rise of Skywalker where it pretty much doesn't exist anymore. There's a young leader who has a personal vendetta against the Spice Runners of Kijimi. Selena Trune is more driven than Zorii and Poe put together. Sela Trune is an officer for the New Republic Security Bureau and she will not let anyone - not even direct orders from superiors - keep her from going after Zeva, the Spice Runners' mysterious leader.
The biggest character breakthrough is Zorii Wynn, a sixteen-year-old human who was forced to grow up faster than Poe. Sometimes she's referred to as a girl; sometimes a woman. She's as mature as a woman twice her age. She's been ferociously trained for hand-to-hand combat and space battle though she didn't know how to fly a ship until Poe teaches her. She's torn between love and her call to duty. Like many Star Wars characters, Zorii is seemingly locked into her destiny and it's a deeply tumultuous inner struggle for her to make her own choices and feel like she's doing the right thing. Free Fall is legitimately just as much Zorii's story as it is Poe's. If anything, it proves that she deserves her own book or movie.
In the final act, readers get their first real look at Zeva, the ruler of the vast network of murderers, thieves, and smugglers called the Spice Runners of Kijimi. She's a commander with skills for leading all these disconnected bands of criminals and making them a cohesive force feared by all. So feared, that the New Republic looks the other way if she's conducting business on a place like Kijimi and off their radar. Sela Trune is the only one who is willing to go after her directly no matter where she is. Zeva is such a legend that some people don't believe she exists, but that won't stop Sela Trune.
The ending battle is one of chaos between a variety of villains, Sela Trune, and a more self-aware Poe Dameron. Poe and Zorii continue to surprise each other right to the very end. They've switched demeanor on each other more times than I watched the gif of Poe and Finn hugging.
In a nutshell, fans who were troubled by Poe being a spice runner will not be let down by Free Fall. He knows Shara Bey and Kes Dameron raised him better than that. At sixteen, his mission is about finding a direction in life and that's what exactly what happens at the end after the dust settles on the fight with Zeva.
"Criminals are a cowardly, superstitious lot. But you know that," Zorii said.
I have to know if this quote by Zorii is a reference to the Batman Beyond episode where Terry and Bruce are watching Batman: The Musical and the lyrics say criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot.
Rating: 5 stars
Action and character evolution the way you wanted it.
This may shock some friends, but Poe Dameron Free Fall is the first Star Wars novel I've ever read. I haven't even ready any of the comics. I did a rewatch of the newest trilogy movies as I was reading this book and it was such a great idea. They feel like a fresh version of the original three, but that's not what I'm here to discuss.
After Rise of Skywalker came out, I saw my Twitter feed fill up with many angry fans. They had various things to vocalize, but the main thread was that the PoC characters weren't treated fairly. When it came specifically to Poe Dameron, people were furious about the insinuation that the only Latino man was a drug dealer. For whatever reason, smuggling anything else is fine, but not "spice." It's not my lane, so I probably retweeted other voices that made more sense on the subject. I was curious to see what a YA novelization about Poe would bring to the table especially considering author Alex Segura is Hispanic and representation matters.
To clarify: that means this reviewer is white. Also to be transparent, Alex Segura and I have been in the same anthology (Protectors volume 2).
Nowhere in Free Fall does it refer to any human ethnicity; it's a distant galaxy far, far away in a different time so what we think of as race or ethnicity may not even exist. Alien species are described well for those like myself who don't have the Star Wars universe memorized. Also, give a shout out for Gen Tri, they are a non-conforming, non-binary gendered character. A Pau'an, a Klatooinian, and Twi'lek walk into a bar...
Like human ethnicities, there is no mention that "spice" is actually a drug. Readers only know it's an illegal substance and that it's run by smugglers like the Spice Runners of Kijimi, the most powerful of the star-crossing crime families. But, readers aren't stupid and we know that spice is supposed to be code for something like IRL cocaine or meth or what-have-you.
Poe Dameron is sixteen through this story; sometimes to referred to as a boy, sometimes as a man. It begins with Poe living with his father Kes Dameron on Yavin 4. Here readers will see the teen angst of Poe who feels stifled and trapped. His parents, Kes and Shara Bey fought in the Rebellion with General Leia Organa (there's a glimpse of Leia at the end while she's still a Senator and it's a beautiful moment). Before she died, Shara Bey taught young Poe everything about piloting spacecrafts. Naturally that gives him the drive to be in space and explore. As a young foolish person, Poe doesn't care how it happens. If his father won't allow him to enlist between the wars, then he'll take whatever comes his way to get off Yavin 4.
Poe's emotions feel genuine and real. Throughout the story, readers will see him question himself, his closest friend, and all authority figures. Being sixteen in this other galaxy places Poe and Zorii at the brink of adulthood. They're expected to be adults in many ways, especially Zorii. Kes would rather keep Poe in childhood a little bit longer for his emotions to mature. Zorii is far more independent and knows how to survive compared to Poe. When they meet in a bar and he finds out her crew needs a pilot, he goes all in without knowing a thing about them. They aren't just a small crew of thieves -- again something Poe would be cool with just like Han Solo; they are part of the massive organization called the Spice Runners of Kijimi.
After a couple of life-threatening jobs, Poe, Zorii, Marinda Gan, Tomasso, Vigilich, and Gen Tri head to Kijimi. I think you can tell by the foreshadowing that not all of them will make it to their destination. The challenges and battles along the way are intense. One such battle is against a Zabrak named Ledesmar. She sounds every bit as mesmerizing as other Star Wars baddies. Ledesmar is described as as: "a tall Zabrak woman draped in a flowing red cloak, her pale forehead framed by smallish horns above and around it. Designs decorated her face and visible skin. She weilded a long spearlike weapon with blades on each end." Ledesmar was so interesting, she could have been the "boss" villain at the end, but wait, it does build up from here.
There's something about Zorii. Something special. The couple of people who know won't tell Poe, including Zorii despite their intimate relationship. I won't spoil it here. She's more than Poe's first love. She's called an asset of unimaginable importance.
The next character that helps craft Poe into the kind of man we meet later in Rise of Skywalker, is the droid EV-6B6 or Eevee for short. In Skywalker, fans got to see Poe's bond with BB-8. It was just as vital as Luke Skywalker's friendship with R2D2. In Free Fall, Poe begins with a lot of hesitation and bias against droids. He doesn't trust them at all. Eevee is cheerful to the point where she's frequently annoying the other crew members. She only becomes part of their crew after the battle with Ledesmar. She's driven to help others and chooses the spice runners as friends because her masters (other thieves in the Pyke organization) have died and Ledesmar "wasn't very nice" to her. She has no one left from her ship/home. Ledesmar stole the ship from the Pyke crew and destroyed all of them except some droids. EV-6B6 has her own thought processing and beliefs. She makes her own choices even after it seems Poe is her adoptive new master. If something goes against her morals, she rejects it. Her relationship with Poe is earned and mutual. Because of EV-6B6, readers also get to meet Babu Frik, another character on Kijimi from Rise of Skywalker.
The New Republic is much stronger than fans see in Rise of Skywalker where it pretty much doesn't exist anymore. There's a young leader who has a personal vendetta against the Spice Runners of Kijimi. Selena Trune is more driven than Zorii and Poe put together. Sela Trune is an officer for the New Republic Security Bureau and she will not let anyone - not even direct orders from superiors - keep her from going after Zeva, the Spice Runners' mysterious leader.
The biggest character breakthrough is Zorii Wynn, a sixteen-year-old human who was forced to grow up faster than Poe. Sometimes she's referred to as a girl; sometimes a woman. She's as mature as a woman twice her age. She's been ferociously trained for hand-to-hand combat and space battle though she didn't know how to fly a ship until Poe teaches her. She's torn between love and her call to duty. Like many Star Wars characters, Zorii is seemingly locked into her destiny and it's a deeply tumultuous inner struggle for her to make her own choices and feel like she's doing the right thing. Free Fall is legitimately just as much Zorii's story as it is Poe's. If anything, it proves that she deserves her own book or movie.
In the final act, readers get their first real look at Zeva, the ruler of the vast network of murderers, thieves, and smugglers called the Spice Runners of Kijimi. She's a commander with skills for leading all these disconnected bands of criminals and making them a cohesive force feared by all. So feared, that the New Republic looks the other way if she's conducting business on a place like Kijimi and off their radar. Sela Trune is the only one who is willing to go after her directly no matter where she is. Zeva is such a legend that some people don't believe she exists, but that won't stop Sela Trune.
The ending battle is one of chaos between a variety of villains, Sela Trune, and a more self-aware Poe Dameron. Poe and Zorii continue to surprise each other right to the very end. They've switched demeanor on each other more times than I watched the gif of Poe and Finn hugging.
In a nutshell, fans who were troubled by Poe being a spice runner will not be let down by Free Fall. He knows Shara Bey and Kes Dameron raised him better than that. At sixteen, his mission is about finding a direction in life and that's what exactly what happens at the end after the dust settles on the fight with Zeva.
"Criminals are a cowardly, superstitious lot. But you know that," Zorii said.
I have to know if this quote by Zorii is a reference to the Batman Beyond episode where Terry and Bruce are watching Batman: The Musical and the lyrics say criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot.
Rating: 5 stars
Action and character evolution the way you wanted it.
eltropenguin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gingerreader99's review against another edition
4.0
I was surprisingly pleased by this entry into Canon. It added depth to Poe's character and explained his motivations in the Sequel trilogy. It was also enjoyable to discover more of the seedy underground of the Outer Rim territories in the Post-ROTJ New Republic, something we get Inklings of in the Mandolorian but this book added some scope. On top of that Star Wars continues its tradition of creating YA entries that don't feel like YA entries at the end of the day. Really the only thing young about this novel is the age of the main characters but their experiences and the rest of the content is far from childish, at some moments it's quite gruesome and dark. I'm going to say 4 stars for now but part of means leans to 4.5.
jdalton's review against another edition
5.0
A huge thank you to Disney for an advanced copy of this book to read through NetGalley.
This book was a lot of fun to read. It was an adventure from the start. Alex Segura did a fantastic job of sharing what young Poe Dameron was like and what led him to join the likes of the Spice Runners of Kijimi.
If you wanted to know more about him as well as about Zorii Bliss (and of course see more of our favorite droid smith Babu Frik), then this book is for you.
To see my more in depth review, check it out on my blog here: https://www.fandomfamily.com/star-wars-poe-dameron-free-fall-review/
This book was a lot of fun to read. It was an adventure from the start. Alex Segura did a fantastic job of sharing what young Poe Dameron was like and what led him to join the likes of the Spice Runners of Kijimi.
If you wanted to know more about him as well as about Zorii Bliss (and of course see more of our favorite droid smith Babu Frik), then this book is for you.
To see my more in depth review, check it out on my blog here: https://www.fandomfamily.com/star-wars-poe-dameron-free-fall-review/
girlreading's review against another edition
3.0
A fun, if not somewhat underwhelming, space crime back story for everyone's favourite Star Wars character (why we didn't get more Poe action in The Last Jedi, I will never understand).
braddington's review against another edition
2.0
Poe Dameron: Free Fall takes us back in time to a much younger and vulnerable Poe, still reeling from the loss of his mother while searching within himself for that same adventurous spirit. Free Fall is meant to fill in the gaps of Poe's spice-running past, as revealed in The Rise of Skywalker, and while I think it certainly shows us those events, it falls just short of actually uncovering just how much this experience shaped Poe into the Resistance leader we know him as today.
I came into this book already having some issues with Poe's problematic spice-running history (and the optics around it). For me, the story did a good job initially of painting a more complete picture of Poe's family. It's evident that Shara's death is an open wound that never quite healed for Poe, one that is often reopened while butting heads with the overbearing Kes Dameron, who's afraid his son will follow those same pitfalls that took his wife. The opening scene where Poe flies his mom's A-Wing is fairly emotional, and I almost began to relate to Poe in his longing of a past that can never be reclaimed. These familial aspects had some promise in those beginning pages on Yavin 4 and I was hoping we would get more of that throughout the rest of the story, but it quickly became a sort of secondary storyline behind the logistics of spice running. Even though Poe is in his most angsty teenage phase, I questioned some of his choices thereafter, and by the novel's end, I didn't feel there was a satisfying conclusion with (or mention of) Poe's father.
Poe's time with the spice runners quickly fell into a noticeably mundane pattern: start a mission, get betrayed, escape. Poe would then question his decision to join the spice runners. It became a bit repetitive, and I kept waiting for Poe to have the decisive "I messed up" lightbulb moment. We gain a lot of insight into Poe's relationship with Zorii Bliss, but it falls just short of being fully convincing. Both characters complement each other well during the high-stakes sequences but it ends there, feeling less authentic (and a bit problematic and hyper-masculine) during the quieter moments.
This book contained quite a bit of exposition and had several time jumps that I think could have been explored more thoroughly, such as by fleshing out Kes's experience, as opposed to Sela Trune (whom was a nice addition to the New Republic) or further exploring Poe and Zorri's dynamic. There were also a few action sequences that were enjoyable, such as the final battle. Author Alex Segura illustrates a galaxy in a state of complete disarray following the destruction of the Empire, and I have always enjoyed learning more about the overall political climate between factions and governments.
For those who enjoyed the Rise of Skywalker, this book could serve as an entertaining supplemental story. But if you're hoping for more of a psychoanalysis of Poe and how he deals with and overcomes his early childhood trauma, this isn't the book for you. Overall, I would not recommend this book, and would suggest watching a spoiler re-cap to catch up on what you may have missed.
I came into this book already having some issues with Poe's problematic spice-running history (and the optics around it). For me, the story did a good job initially of painting a more complete picture of Poe's family. It's evident that Shara's death is an open wound that never quite healed for Poe, one that is often reopened while butting heads with the overbearing Kes Dameron, who's afraid his son will follow those same pitfalls that took his wife. The opening scene where Poe flies his mom's A-Wing is fairly emotional, and I almost began to relate to Poe in his longing of a past that can never be reclaimed. These familial aspects had some promise in those beginning pages on Yavin 4 and I was hoping we would get more of that throughout the rest of the story, but it quickly became a sort of secondary storyline behind the logistics of spice running. Even though Poe is in his most angsty teenage phase, I questioned some of his choices thereafter, and by the novel's end, I didn't feel there was a satisfying conclusion with (or mention of) Poe's father.
Poe's time with the spice runners quickly fell into a noticeably mundane pattern: start a mission, get betrayed, escape. Poe would then question his decision to join the spice runners. It became a bit repetitive, and I kept waiting for Poe to have the decisive "I messed up" lightbulb moment. We gain a lot of insight into Poe's relationship with Zorii Bliss, but it falls just short of being fully convincing. Both characters complement each other well during the high-stakes sequences but it ends there, feeling less authentic (and a bit problematic and hyper-masculine) during the quieter moments.
This book contained quite a bit of exposition and had several time jumps that I think could have been explored more thoroughly, such as by fleshing out Kes's experience, as opposed to Sela Trune (whom was a nice addition to the New Republic) or further exploring Poe and Zorri's dynamic. There were also a few action sequences that were enjoyable, such as the final battle. Author Alex Segura illustrates a galaxy in a state of complete disarray following the destruction of the Empire, and I have always enjoyed learning more about the overall political climate between factions and governments.
For those who enjoyed the Rise of Skywalker, this book could serve as an entertaining supplemental story. But if you're hoping for more of a psychoanalysis of Poe and how he deals with and overcomes his early childhood trauma, this isn't the book for you. Overall, I would not recommend this book, and would suggest watching a spoiler re-cap to catch up on what you may have missed.
darthkitty23's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5