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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
How unfortunate that the tie in to my fav SW movie is now my least fav book. I spent the whole book hating Galen and Lyra, plus painting Jyn as a brat was not a good look.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book, but it isn't great, either. None of the characters are really that likable (relatable, perhaps, but not entirely likable), the timescale is inconsistent and hard to follow at times, and naming a smuggler-with-a-heart-of-gold character Has just shows a lack of originality. That said, I really did enjoy the characterizations (this book is definitely NOT a plot book) and the general flow. As a physicist by training, some of the finer points of Galen's research as described by the book were really intriguing and the loving descriptions of math and science made my heart happy.
On a potentially weird note, I know we are supposed to be happy about Galen's pacifism, but it feels like privilege to me. Galen never understands the need for violent resistance because he never actually suffers, and it shows.
Overall, I liked the book, but it doesn't feel like one I will be re-visiting much.
On a potentially weird note, I know we are supposed to be happy about Galen's pacifism, but it feels like privilege to me. Galen never understands the need for violent resistance because he never actually suffers, and it shows.
Overall, I liked the book, but it doesn't feel like one I will be re-visiting much.
adventurous
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
FINALLY after one month of wrestling with this book, I am done. This was an unnecessary hard read and, though I love these characters and the new insight into Krennic we got, I was incredibly bored. Also, some of the imagery used (especially around Lyra) was so painfully obvious to have been written by a man 😠The idea and the plot are not bad but the execution is and that's tragic, really.
challenging
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ugh
ugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhh
I finished this by sheer force of will alone but oh my gosh
my gosh
It was annoying and boring and I wanted to like it, really I did, but it was awful.
Things that got really grating:
- Lyra and the force and the Mysticnesssss of it all
- Tarkin & Krennic - "we must bring order to the galaxy" 5 minutes later: INFIGHT! INFIGHT!
- oooooh Jyn doesn't like Krennic foreshadowing oooooOooOOohhjhhh
- Galen the mad scientist (not that he shouldn't be that way it just annoyed me because everything annoyed me at that point)
-
- (again I liked it, but really the creative team should have their titles revoked for choosing the most overused plot in early Empire history)
- I was never sure why I should really care about Has' sideplots. I think they could have been abbreviated.
- various side characters who get introduced and then dropped, never heard from again.
rant over. I wish I had liked it more.
ugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhh
I finished this by sheer force of will alone but oh my gosh
my gosh
It was annoying and boring and I wanted to like it, really I did, but it was awful.
Things that got really grating:
- Lyra and the force and the Mysticnesssss of it all
- Tarkin & Krennic - "we must bring order to the galaxy" 5 minutes later: INFIGHT! INFIGHT!
- oooooh Jyn doesn't like Krennic foreshadowing oooooOooOOohhjhhh
- Galen the mad scientist (not that he shouldn't be that way it just annoyed me because everything annoyed me at that point)
-
Spoiler
Has Obitt the smuggler-turned-righteous-rebel WOW THAT'S ORIGINAL-
Spoiler
As original as Rogue One's plot- I was never sure why I should really care about Has' sideplots. I think they could have been abbreviated.
- various side characters who get introduced and then dropped, never heard from again.
Spoiler
The Empire should hire this author to Disappear people because he's good at itrant over. I wish I had liked it more.
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Strong character development:
Yes
The Republic and the Separatists have been battling each other in a galactic war. No one is spared as each side scrambles to gain the edge against their enemy. Working for the Empire, Orson Krennic is working on a top secret project--a planet killer. But while he throws every available resource at his command into the project he realizes there is one thing he is missing--his old friend Galen Erso.
Erso had been the science wunderkind in class, and his current focus on energy is making both sides sweat--whomever lands Erso's attention will have the edge. Krennic rescues Erso and his family from Separatists, Galen realizes he is in debt to his old friend. Krennic puts Galen immediately in charge of continuing his beloved scientific pursuits. Lyra (Galen's wife and mother of their child, Jyn) is immediately on edge. Things Krennic is telling them and what she's hearing from other sources is different. And while the Erso family wants to believe the best in their old friend, Krennic, but as things start adding up, their ideal of the research being used to protect the Galaxy may NOT be the case.
With the Republic and its agents following and controlling their every move, can they even leave?
Who would read this: Star wars fans, rogue one fans, people who want to know how the death star came about (not a spoiler if you see the cover as you do above!)
Time to Read: it was months, but once i finally got past the first 50 pages, it took about 4 hours.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Funny Story: It took me the better part of three months to read this--I even attempted to read it before I saw rogue one, but it didn't happen.
Final thoughts: As much as i have told people they should really see/read rogue one, catalyst was the perfect book to read before or shortly after seeing Rogue one.
Erso had been the science wunderkind in class, and his current focus on energy is making both sides sweat--whomever lands Erso's attention will have the edge. Krennic rescues Erso and his family from Separatists, Galen realizes he is in debt to his old friend. Krennic puts Galen immediately in charge of continuing his beloved scientific pursuits. Lyra (Galen's wife and mother of their child, Jyn) is immediately on edge. Things Krennic is telling them and what she's hearing from other sources is different. And while the Erso family wants to believe the best in their old friend, Krennic, but as things start adding up, their ideal of the research being used to protect the Galaxy may NOT be the case.
With the Republic and its agents following and controlling their every move, can they even leave?
Who would read this: Star wars fans, rogue one fans, people who want to know how the death star came about (not a spoiler if you see the cover as you do above!)
Time to Read: it was months, but once i finally got past the first 50 pages, it took about 4 hours.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Funny Story: It took me the better part of three months to read this--I even attempted to read it before I saw rogue one, but it didn't happen.
Final thoughts: As much as i have told people they should really see/read rogue one, catalyst was the perfect book to read before or shortly after seeing Rogue one.
Ultimately a super interesting and juicy story, but I didn't feel as if I got more out of this compared to say, reading the plot outline online. I missed some of the immersion and emotion that some of the other books were able to do, whereas I felt this one was more "matter of fact".
Lyra is pretty awesome though, and little Jyn is super cute!
Lyra is pretty awesome though, and little Jyn is super cute!