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A review by horizon_brave
The Last Jedi by Jason Fry
2.0
The humor from the movie is trying to be married with a more serious writing style. It doesn't really work. Characters like Hux, were so steeped in being silly caricatures and butts of oddly timed and awkward jokes, that now in the book, the writer, Fry, tries to make these characters very serious and deep, but then succumbs to the need to use the same comedy that's in the movie. It creates a very very jarring and disconnected feel. In one paragraph we're given an insightful look into Hux's try intellect, and ruthless nature and seriousness…. Then He's made to look like a fool and just a comedic joke in order to stay with the movie's script.
Now it's not to say that Hux has been given such an amazing deep and thought out backstory…he's still pretty much just a power hungry general Imperial, but at least we're given a much meatier version of this. A little inner dialogue goes a long long way. But again it's just all shot to shit when the movie scenes of him play out and he's dragged through the mud constantly.
Great callback and reference to Temin "snap" Wexley from the Aftermath series!
We're given a conflicting "reason" to Rey's inherent powers though. And I feel this was done to have Disney "cover their ass" when it comes to the whole Rey Mary Sue backlash… We're give then explanation in chapter 13, that after Kylo contacts Rey (through Snoke's bridging) that Rey had succumbed to the training and mental abilities that Kylo possessed. "It was as if his training had becomes hers, unlocking and flinging open door after door in her mind". She basically inherited his abilities during this process. This explanation though doesn't seem to work since prior to this she's been shown as having crazy force abilities and know how. …so I'm not sure what the point of adding this in now would accomplish. I like more the idea that the whole living Force thing gave Rey the abilities so it could remain in balance with itself. Basically blasting Rey will ability and raw power to bring the light side back into balance with Kylo's surmounting darker side.
What's interesting is that there are very subtle changes from the movie that don't change the story, but sort of provide a different take on a scene. Such as when Rey is training with Luke's saber, in the movie she cuts this big boulder in half by accident and it tumbles away and falls into the sea. In the book, the reason for this is Luke scared Rey and she accidently cut the rock because of that. I'm a bit surprised as this implies that Rey could have shown that she was more adept than what were shown.
Now, I was really hoping with fingers crossed that I would actually enjoy the Leia Poppins scene and I was really hoping that Fry would be able to spin it and really give that troubled scene a newer take that could convince me that it just wasn't so out of left field. Sadly, even me reading it and with some commentary about what happened, I just couldn't get passed it and the mental imagery already blazed into my mind couldn't be changed. And jeez, Holdo is still a complete waste and needless character honestly. Leia should have been the Holdo character when I really think about it. If Leia was the one to take Poe to task, it would have been MUCH easier to swallow, and it would have given her character a very well written 'out' since the death of Mrs. Fischer. Adding the Holdo character as this "middleman" completely breaks the flow of the novel/movie. It's so very sad that it succumbed to this.
So as we go deeper and more into the "meat and potatoes" of the book/film, it just still feels the same. I was really pleased that we saw such a drastic and different opening scene of Luke sort of dreaming if his life had ended up differently… if that fateful moment of the Tuskan Raiders would have played out in a different fashion, what could have befallen him. And I was hoping we'd get more scenes like that in the book that sort of puts a different spin on how we were seeing the movie. Adding to it and in many ways and giving us a new dimension. Sadly we have not much else after this. It follows the movie a bit too tightly. And thus it just falls into the same pitfalls that the movie does. There are exceptions, and unfortunately they don't really help. The chapters with Rey being brought into the Throne Room of Snoke, they really…really make use of the monologuing. I mean Snoke who I already really could never enjoy or like him as a villain or even just as a character. His design and style is so very bland and unnoteworthy, I just invested no interest in knowing, learning or caring about where the hell he even came from. I have no problem with a sort of "big bad" character, but it has to be something about a villain that appears more real and wanting to know where they came from. Snoke I just never got that. And in this book it's further compounded by the fact that we're given tons of complete moustache twirling diatribe from Snoke and how his plan to seduce Kylo and use him and how everyone around him is far inferior and they have no concept of how to use the force … now that I knew how it was going to end for him, I was really just waiting to Kylo to do the deed already and shut his ass up.
So as the story plays out and this whole complete ass backwards and very just…odd plot about Poe and his mutiny for not knowing the plan, and Holdo's reasons for not telling him, god…it just felt like I was just rewatching the movie at this point and while we get tiny tiny bits that vary from the movie, it's nothing that is in anyway adding or smoothing the poor plot planning of the movie. What's a bit odd as well, and this was a first for me, we're given the POV of BB08 at times. This is the first time I've seen the POV of a droid and even more bizarre a non-verbal one. So… it seemed a bit jarring to read about a droid's semi-sentient state of being.
I think does make an attempt to offer us something different, but just doesn't really do or fix the problems with the movie. And trust me that is in no fault of Jason Fry. I think he did a commendable job for the charge that he had.
So I'm just about finished with the book and my opinion generally hasn't changed that much but I do believe after going back and re-reading Chapter 25… I will admit, the backstory of the 'rise' of the First Order is better than with my first reading. So here's scoop… After the downfall of the Empire, the New Republic was formed…and then suddenly was destroyed. Well apparently the whole really lame "Emperor's contingency" plan story trope has been called out of cold storage and slapped on this new canon. I honestly never liked this idea previously, and I still don't really like it now. The fact that the Emperor would care enough to lay this huge ground work to have the Empire come back from the dead just makes no sense…Literally he spent tons of resources in the unknown regions, secretly making factories and shipyards and funding…Well if you're going to sink all of that money into covertly making ships…then you should have just made the damn things publicly and AVOIDED having the empire collapse to begin with. Couple that with the fact that the Emperor was still unaware of all the things that lurked in the unknown, why on earth would have a contingency plan that relied on it's safety? Well it comes to bit them in the ass, since we're currently at the time of this writing, getting hints that there is indeed a threat that lies out there. So it's then implied that Snoke, gold bathrobes and all, is indeed a force wielder but not really sith or jedi. He seems to just use it as a weapon or power. He feels that Luke Skywalker is the only person left in his way to finally resurrecting the Empire in the form of the First Order. Why he wants this, is just skipped over. I'm left to believe he just wants the empire just for the empire's sake. Big and powerful I suppose. One line that *may* give the slightest bit of reasoning is "For Sidious new that the galaxy's knowledge of the Force had come from those long-abandoned, half legendary star systems and that great truths awaited rediscovery among them" So…I can only take from this that he just wants more knowledge of the Force and it using Imperial/First Order resources to obtain it… Now if I'm not reading into the Star Wars tea leaves and this is indeed the background, then you know what, I'm fine with that. I mean it sort of is a slight step up for him being completely 1 dimensional at least. Doesn't change the fact that he has little to atheistically provide us and either emotionally. But like I said, perhaps he has this sort of desire to learn and harness as much about the Force as possible and simply using the First Order as a means for that. In that case, I think it would have been quite a unique story to tell then of the First Order's lower ranking admirals and what not, to catch wind of this, and turn against him. Perhaps something akin o the movie Valkyrie…big plot and attempt on his life etc.. I'd have been on board for that without a doubt..at least it would provide some ..life to the First Order. The other problem I have with this whole First Order nonsense (besides the completely contrived and cheesy name) is the fact that we're not introduced to anyone really IN the order. The book (credit again to Mr. Fry) that he gives us a few nuggets and POV's of other F.O military and characters. I mean we had Phasma, which I wasn't really on board with especially since it seemed like they wanted to artificially create the "boba fett effect" but…no..just didn't work for me. In the book we're given at least two new characters that I *believe* are only sort of glimpsed in the movie. And at least we have a sliver of character building.
I'm not a fan of the fact that the link between Kylo and Rey is what gave her, the amped up powers. What I was loving about the new canon of the Force that Disney is pushing is this "Dark rises and Light to meet it" idea where the Force itself, (the cosmic force) keeps itself in check. It balances it self out in the shape and manifestation of force sensitives. So Kylo/Snoke were getting too powerful and the balance was becoming undone and thus Rey was 'sparked' to balance it out in the light's favor. The fact that they're not giving us this really cheesy and bad idea of this force skype call is what gave Rey her power completely stomps all over that elegant vision... It's like Disney is TRYING to shoot itself in the foot... They came up with a beautiful idea..and then just completely pull back on it, and retcon their own explanation....
Nice scene and dialogue of Leia and Poe about how Leia was on Crait back when she was a young girl. (Poe humorously chides, 'oh so before the hyperdrive was invented?). This plays nicely with one of the Star Wars comics that actually details Leia's journey to Crait. She explains the reasoning for the old abandoned base being there.
The book to me only really provides two key and very well liked moments...the first chapter with Luke, and the tiny bit of backstory of Snoke in chapter 25. (and maybe the scene with Leia explaining to Poe that she had visited Crait prior to her return at the end).
Verrrry interesting final chapter though, we're given the only P.o.V from the Caretakers on the island of Ach-to. After the battle of Crait, and Luke has gone, we get a chapter of the caretakers simply shrugging off his disappearance. They begin to clean up after him and rebuild the hut with all of the Jedi artifacts… One of the lines in the book before the very end is:
"…The apprentice had left aboard her skyboat, with her two companions, while the Master had simply vanished, his robes discovered on the ledge above the sea…Much work remained to be done. There was a hut to rebuild, a fallen lightning rod to restore its roof-a strike had just destroyed the library in the ancient uneti stump after all- and the other damage done by the careless neice. There were steps to mend, and creeping moss to clear. It would be winter soon when the Lanais and any new visitors would be dependent on salted fish dried kelp, and thala-sirien milk gathered during the kindly days that were green and growing… She directed another daughter to take his weapon, his start compass and his strange other gear to the repository where it would join other items gathered over the generations… Alcida-Auka didn't know if the next Outsider ould come during her time, or her daughter's or not until the tenure of a matron yet unborn. But another would come, and find all in order…"
This sounds verrry planned and deliberately placed here. Honestly this passage could lead to some very major implications. The fact that Luke's gear AND previous jedi tokens have all been kept there..is VERY telling.. Think they could be setting the stage for future comers and trainee's of the force. Perhaps Luke wasn't the first Jedi to go to Ach-to to train or seal himself off. They seemed awfully comfortable with him and his powers. Likewise after he disappears, they rebuild the hut, and get the place "ready" for the next being to come by… this opens the door to many many possibilities...Reading too much into the Star Wars tea leaves? Anyway this is a book I could read, I can accept it for what it has, but it has very little in terms of new takes on the movie. I was really hoping Fry would bring a ton of new scenes, and view points. Which...it has some, but it just wasn't really enough to change my perspective on my view of TLJ...
Now it's not to say that Hux has been given such an amazing deep and thought out backstory…he's still pretty much just a power hungry general Imperial, but at least we're given a much meatier version of this. A little inner dialogue goes a long long way. But again it's just all shot to shit when the movie scenes of him play out and he's dragged through the mud constantly.
Great callback and reference to Temin "snap" Wexley from the Aftermath series!
We're given a conflicting "reason" to Rey's inherent powers though. And I feel this was done to have Disney "cover their ass" when it comes to the whole Rey Mary Sue backlash… We're give then explanation in chapter 13, that after Kylo contacts Rey (through Snoke's bridging) that Rey had succumbed to the training and mental abilities that Kylo possessed. "It was as if his training had becomes hers, unlocking and flinging open door after door in her mind". She basically inherited his abilities during this process. This explanation though doesn't seem to work since prior to this she's been shown as having crazy force abilities and know how. …so I'm not sure what the point of adding this in now would accomplish. I like more the idea that the whole living Force thing gave Rey the abilities so it could remain in balance with itself. Basically blasting Rey will ability and raw power to bring the light side back into balance with Kylo's surmounting darker side.
What's interesting is that there are very subtle changes from the movie that don't change the story, but sort of provide a different take on a scene. Such as when Rey is training with Luke's saber, in the movie she cuts this big boulder in half by accident and it tumbles away and falls into the sea. In the book, the reason for this is Luke scared Rey and she accidently cut the rock because of that. I'm a bit surprised as this implies that Rey could have shown that she was more adept than what were shown.
Now, I was really hoping with fingers crossed that I would actually enjoy the Leia Poppins scene and I was really hoping that Fry would be able to spin it and really give that troubled scene a newer take that could convince me that it just wasn't so out of left field. Sadly, even me reading it and with some commentary about what happened, I just couldn't get passed it and the mental imagery already blazed into my mind couldn't be changed. And jeez, Holdo is still a complete waste and needless character honestly. Leia should have been the Holdo character when I really think about it. If Leia was the one to take Poe to task, it would have been MUCH easier to swallow, and it would have given her character a very well written 'out' since the death of Mrs. Fischer. Adding the Holdo character as this "middleman" completely breaks the flow of the novel/movie. It's so very sad that it succumbed to this.
So as we go deeper and more into the "meat and potatoes" of the book/film, it just still feels the same. I was really pleased that we saw such a drastic and different opening scene of Luke sort of dreaming if his life had ended up differently… if that fateful moment of the Tuskan Raiders would have played out in a different fashion, what could have befallen him. And I was hoping we'd get more scenes like that in the book that sort of puts a different spin on how we were seeing the movie. Adding to it and in many ways and giving us a new dimension. Sadly we have not much else after this. It follows the movie a bit too tightly. And thus it just falls into the same pitfalls that the movie does. There are exceptions, and unfortunately they don't really help. The chapters with Rey being brought into the Throne Room of Snoke, they really…really make use of the monologuing. I mean Snoke who I already really could never enjoy or like him as a villain or even just as a character. His design and style is so very bland and unnoteworthy, I just invested no interest in knowing, learning or caring about where the hell he even came from. I have no problem with a sort of "big bad" character, but it has to be something about a villain that appears more real and wanting to know where they came from. Snoke I just never got that. And in this book it's further compounded by the fact that we're given tons of complete moustache twirling diatribe from Snoke and how his plan to seduce Kylo and use him and how everyone around him is far inferior and they have no concept of how to use the force … now that I knew how it was going to end for him, I was really just waiting to Kylo to do the deed already and shut his ass up.
So as the story plays out and this whole complete ass backwards and very just…odd plot about Poe and his mutiny for not knowing the plan, and Holdo's reasons for not telling him, god…it just felt like I was just rewatching the movie at this point and while we get tiny tiny bits that vary from the movie, it's nothing that is in anyway adding or smoothing the poor plot planning of the movie. What's a bit odd as well, and this was a first for me, we're given the POV of BB08 at times. This is the first time I've seen the POV of a droid and even more bizarre a non-verbal one. So… it seemed a bit jarring to read about a droid's semi-sentient state of being.
I think does make an attempt to offer us something different, but just doesn't really do or fix the problems with the movie. And trust me that is in no fault of Jason Fry. I think he did a commendable job for the charge that he had.
So I'm just about finished with the book and my opinion generally hasn't changed that much but I do believe after going back and re-reading Chapter 25… I will admit, the backstory of the 'rise' of the First Order is better than with my first reading. So here's scoop… After the downfall of the Empire, the New Republic was formed…and then suddenly was destroyed. Well apparently the whole really lame "Emperor's contingency" plan story trope has been called out of cold storage and slapped on this new canon. I honestly never liked this idea previously, and I still don't really like it now. The fact that the Emperor would care enough to lay this huge ground work to have the Empire come back from the dead just makes no sense…Literally he spent tons of resources in the unknown regions, secretly making factories and shipyards and funding…Well if you're going to sink all of that money into covertly making ships…then you should have just made the damn things publicly and AVOIDED having the empire collapse to begin with. Couple that with the fact that the Emperor was still unaware of all the things that lurked in the unknown, why on earth would have a contingency plan that relied on it's safety? Well it comes to bit them in the ass, since we're currently at the time of this writing, getting hints that there is indeed a threat that lies out there. So it's then implied that Snoke, gold bathrobes and all, is indeed a force wielder but not really sith or jedi. He seems to just use it as a weapon or power. He feels that Luke Skywalker is the only person left in his way to finally resurrecting the Empire in the form of the First Order. Why he wants this, is just skipped over. I'm left to believe he just wants the empire just for the empire's sake. Big and powerful I suppose. One line that *may* give the slightest bit of reasoning is "For Sidious new that the galaxy's knowledge of the Force had come from those long-abandoned, half legendary star systems and that great truths awaited rediscovery among them" So…I can only take from this that he just wants more knowledge of the Force and it using Imperial/First Order resources to obtain it… Now if I'm not reading into the Star Wars tea leaves and this is indeed the background, then you know what, I'm fine with that. I mean it sort of is a slight step up for him being completely 1 dimensional at least. Doesn't change the fact that he has little to atheistically provide us and either emotionally. But like I said, perhaps he has this sort of desire to learn and harness as much about the Force as possible and simply using the First Order as a means for that. In that case, I think it would have been quite a unique story to tell then of the First Order's lower ranking admirals and what not, to catch wind of this, and turn against him. Perhaps something akin o the movie Valkyrie…big plot and attempt on his life etc.. I'd have been on board for that without a doubt..at least it would provide some ..life to the First Order. The other problem I have with this whole First Order nonsense (besides the completely contrived and cheesy name) is the fact that we're not introduced to anyone really IN the order. The book (credit again to Mr. Fry) that he gives us a few nuggets and POV's of other F.O military and characters. I mean we had Phasma, which I wasn't really on board with especially since it seemed like they wanted to artificially create the "boba fett effect" but…no..just didn't work for me. In the book we're given at least two new characters that I *believe* are only sort of glimpsed in the movie. And at least we have a sliver of character building.
I'm not a fan of the fact that the link between Kylo and Rey is what gave her, the amped up powers. What I was loving about the new canon of the Force that Disney is pushing is this "Dark rises and Light to meet it" idea where the Force itself, (the cosmic force) keeps itself in check. It balances it self out in the shape and manifestation of force sensitives. So Kylo/Snoke were getting too powerful and the balance was becoming undone and thus Rey was 'sparked' to balance it out in the light's favor. The fact that they're not giving us this really cheesy and bad idea of this force skype call is what gave Rey her power completely stomps all over that elegant vision... It's like Disney is TRYING to shoot itself in the foot... They came up with a beautiful idea..and then just completely pull back on it, and retcon their own explanation....
Nice scene and dialogue of Leia and Poe about how Leia was on Crait back when she was a young girl. (Poe humorously chides, 'oh so before the hyperdrive was invented?). This plays nicely with one of the Star Wars comics that actually details Leia's journey to Crait. She explains the reasoning for the old abandoned base being there.
The book to me only really provides two key and very well liked moments...the first chapter with Luke, and the tiny bit of backstory of Snoke in chapter 25. (and maybe the scene with Leia explaining to Poe that she had visited Crait prior to her return at the end).
Verrrry interesting final chapter though, we're given the only P.o.V from the Caretakers on the island of Ach-to. After the battle of Crait, and Luke has gone, we get a chapter of the caretakers simply shrugging off his disappearance. They begin to clean up after him and rebuild the hut with all of the Jedi artifacts… One of the lines in the book before the very end is:
"…The apprentice had left aboard her skyboat, with her two companions, while the Master had simply vanished, his robes discovered on the ledge above the sea…Much work remained to be done. There was a hut to rebuild, a fallen lightning rod to restore its roof-a strike had just destroyed the library in the ancient uneti stump after all- and the other damage done by the careless neice. There were steps to mend, and creeping moss to clear. It would be winter soon when the Lanais and any new visitors would be dependent on salted fish dried kelp, and thala-sirien milk gathered during the kindly days that were green and growing… She directed another daughter to take his weapon, his start compass and his strange other gear to the repository where it would join other items gathered over the generations… Alcida-Auka didn't know if the next Outsider ould come during her time, or her daughter's or not until the tenure of a matron yet unborn. But another would come, and find all in order…"
This sounds verrry planned and deliberately placed here. Honestly this passage could lead to some very major implications. The fact that Luke's gear AND previous jedi tokens have all been kept there..is VERY telling.. Think they could be setting the stage for future comers and trainee's of the force. Perhaps Luke wasn't the first Jedi to go to Ach-to to train or seal himself off. They seemed awfully comfortable with him and his powers. Likewise after he disappears, they rebuild the hut, and get the place "ready" for the next being to come by… this opens the door to many many possibilities...Reading too much into the Star Wars tea leaves? Anyway this is a book I could read, I can accept it for what it has, but it has very little in terms of new takes on the movie. I was really hoping Fry would bring a ton of new scenes, and view points. Which...it has some, but it just wasn't really enough to change my perspective on my view of TLJ...