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sofiabsilva's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Quick read, could have been better. It was a bit like watching a Star Wars trailer at times. Always felt a little predictable and cheesy but it's fine. I liked the ending :)
lrhutchis's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
shmoorgs's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kavinay's review
2.0
There's a lot to like in Shinick's writing but I don't get why he was forced to build a firewall around characters he developed. Turns it into a "clip-show" when the book could have been much more interesting with the present day teenagers.
inkandplasma's review against another edition
4.0
Full review: https://inkandplasma.wordpress.com/2020/03/02/journey-to-star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-novel-review-round-up/
For some reason I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one? I have literally no idea how I got that into my head, but I put it off for a while, before realising my deadline for this post was creeping up on me. And then I read it in one sitting. Because it was really, really good. So. Kudos for being an idiot past-me, we could have read this excellent book ages ago.
This isn't a high-action Star Wars novel, and I actually really loved that. As much as I love wild Star Wars action, it was nice to see what the world would be like for "normal" people living on planets that weren't being torn apart by Jedi or Sith. It was also really refreshing to see a Force sensitive individual who wasn't a Jedi, because they're few and far between in the novels that I've read - and basically non-existent in the movies.
The story doesn't depend on you having read any other Star Wars novels, so it's actually probably a really good intro story for someone who's seen the movies and wants to read more. I started reading them pretty recently, and one of the things I struggled with with the first few Star Wars novels I read was that they'd mention characters and places that I just had absolutely no reference for. Force Collector is about a teenage boy chasing down Jedi artefacts, and as a result he's following the mythos around great Jedi heroes like Kenobi and Skywalker. It touches in on the prequels and original series at points, while also exploring familiar sites amongst new ones.
The first few chapters were... weird. They were kind of like Harry Potter/Star Wars fanfiction, but once I'd settled into who Karr was and what his quest was going to be, I bought into the world. I'm basically just pretending that there wasn't a few weird scenes set in calculus classes and a very American high school. We don't study calculus in secondary schools in the UK so I struggled to imagine them learning it in space.
I also thought the friendship between Karr and Maize would have benefitted from being a longer term friendship. I get the appeal of having our characters meet in the beginning of the book, and introducing Karr and Maize was a great way to explain Karr's Force powers and his relationship with his grandmother. But then they went from zero to 100 in a really weird way. Who runs away with someone they met an hour ago? I think if they'd met at the beginning of the school year, and were tentative friends becoming closer, it would have felt more authentic. I did love their relationship after that point. It was very wholesome, and I loved the way they supported each other and helped each other out.
I really enjoyed Force Collector, and would highly recommend it, especially as a part of the 'Journey to the Rise of Skywalker' series.
For some reason I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one? I have literally no idea how I got that into my head, but I put it off for a while, before realising my deadline for this post was creeping up on me. And then I read it in one sitting. Because it was really, really good. So. Kudos for being an idiot past-me, we could have read this excellent book ages ago.
This isn't a high-action Star Wars novel, and I actually really loved that. As much as I love wild Star Wars action, it was nice to see what the world would be like for "normal" people living on planets that weren't being torn apart by Jedi or Sith. It was also really refreshing to see a Force sensitive individual who wasn't a Jedi, because they're few and far between in the novels that I've read - and basically non-existent in the movies.
The story doesn't depend on you having read any other Star Wars novels, so it's actually probably a really good intro story for someone who's seen the movies and wants to read more. I started reading them pretty recently, and one of the things I struggled with with the first few Star Wars novels I read was that they'd mention characters and places that I just had absolutely no reference for. Force Collector is about a teenage boy chasing down Jedi artefacts, and as a result he's following the mythos around great Jedi heroes like Kenobi and Skywalker. It touches in on the prequels and original series at points, while also exploring familiar sites amongst new ones.
The first few chapters were... weird. They were kind of like Harry Potter/Star Wars fanfiction, but once I'd settled into who Karr was and what his quest was going to be, I bought into the world. I'm basically just pretending that there wasn't a few weird scenes set in calculus classes and a very American high school. We don't study calculus in secondary schools in the UK so I struggled to imagine them learning it in space.
I also thought the friendship between Karr and Maize would have benefitted from being a longer term friendship. I get the appeal of having our characters meet in the beginning of the book, and introducing Karr and Maize was a great way to explain Karr's Force powers and his relationship with his grandmother. But then they went from zero to 100 in a really weird way. Who runs away with someone they met an hour ago? I think if they'd met at the beginning of the school year, and were tentative friends becoming closer, it would have felt more authentic. I did love their relationship after that point. It was very wholesome, and I loved the way they supported each other and helped each other out.
I really enjoyed Force Collector, and would highly recommend it, especially as a part of the 'Journey to the Rise of Skywalker' series.
wanderlustlover's review
4.0
This third book on the path between The Last Jedi and The Rise of the Skywalker was a delightful romp. I love getting into the heads of characters who aren't the main characters we've all seen so much of, and watching them struggle, grow, fail, and triumph. I love the Force Gift displayed in this one and watching our main character struggle to put the pieces together in the right ways.
I know that there are many readers who found this book just "a rehash of all the big moments of this cinematic series," but people tend to forget that the universe of Star Wars doesn't see itself and those moments as big as the fans who have watched it do. I love how this book highlights how much the people on the ground don't know things about the past, about the war, or the war before the war. I love how much it highlights the little people actually know about the Jedi truly, and how tightly those who do keep that knowledge or any physical hints of those times.
I doubt we'll get much more in this specific character's universe, but I would absolutely read it if we did.
I know that there are many readers who found this book just "a rehash of all the big moments of this cinematic series," but people tend to forget that the universe of Star Wars doesn't see itself and those moments as big as the fans who have watched it do. I love how this book highlights how much the people on the ground don't know things about the past, about the war, or the war before the war. I love how much it highlights the little people actually know about the Jedi truly, and how tightly those who do keep that knowledge or any physical hints of those times.
I doubt we'll get much more in this specific character's universe, but I would absolutely read it if we did.
cmgriffin's review
3.0
It felt a little disjointed to me for a lot of the book, but by the end it came together really nicely. I enjoyed seeing a character piecing together things about the world around him and simultaneously dealing with the prospect of becoming an adult, and figuring out what he might want to do with that.
the_fabric_of_words's review
5.0
This is an interesting take on the decades / events after Order 66, and lays the groundwork for understanding how the rest of the universe mis-understands what happens to the Jedi, what they stood for, and why they fell. It's not a shoot-em-up, high-flying space adventure, like many other Star Wars books. In fact, the main character is almost never in any kind of real danger. How he uses his force-sensitivity, however, has interesting implications for the Star Wars universe, in that it implies everyday inanimate objects can collect impressions from the force and hold images from the past for transmission to future generations.
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Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
agreattopdog's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75