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A review by gabriel2710
Dark Tide I: Onslaught by Michael A. Stackpole
3.0
Another novel done!
This one was up and down for me.
Sometimes, Stackpole writes exciting action pieces with brilliant characterisation. Then sometimes, I find myself a little bored and skimming through a chapter, and finding certain moments odd.
For some context, I have zero interest in the spaceships, dogfighting, speeder stuff of Star Wars! Probably because I have an absolute lack of interest in cars, bikes, planes, or pretty much any vehicle in real life. I feel the same about Star Wars.
When first getting into these novels, I brushed off the X-Wing series as a little series for kids or something. I heard a lot of good things over time, and a month or two ago, I tried to listen to the audiobook of Rogue Squadron narrated by Marc Thompson.
And I just couldn’t finish it.
Then I tried I, Jedi, and continued to like Corran as I did with the audiobook, but just found it retelling a story I already like, and I couldn’t be bothered to finish it.
So it’s safe to say I’m hardly a big Stackpole fan, or the biggest fan of Corran. But I do really like him.
I do think Stackpole seems to treat him as like a self-insert. He views him as really perfect, and it often feels like Corran is just so great and friends with everyone (even Mara!) and it does rub me the wrong way a bit. But then I like him too?
I gained incredible respect for Stackpole when Corran sacrificed himself. I loved his sacrifice. I adored it. Then it was a fake out. What? Are you kidding me? That was so good. I was really, really annoyed by that. So annoyed. I thought it was so bold, and so impressive to have killed off your own beloved character like that, I was thinking, “Holy shit. This guy has balls.” Then it was a dumb fake out. Come on…
But then… he just GOT the original trilogy characters. It was a shame to have Han pretty much out of the book. However, Leia was so good, Luke and Mara were maybe at their best here(?), Lando was really solid, and Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin just get better and better.
This novel is fucking brutal. The whole final battle around Dantooine is so violent and horrific at times, and it is so hopeless! The idea that the Yuuzhan Vong are still just testing them, that this is nothing yet, is fucking terrifying.
There were some incredible moments in this novel. Luke and Mara had so many lovely romantic moments that warmed my heart like a stereotypical young teenage girl with a crush (I’m pathetic for Luke x Mara)!
Luke taking Jacen’s lightsaber, and using two sabers to fight three Yuuzhan Vong warriors was amazing. The fight was written really well, so gripping and entertaining, and just such a cool moment. Man I LOVE Luke!
So basically… it’s a mixed bag. I love so many parts, find many boring, and there is a major element I disliked. But the good outweighs the bad. By far.
7.5/10
This one was up and down for me.
Sometimes, Stackpole writes exciting action pieces with brilliant characterisation. Then sometimes, I find myself a little bored and skimming through a chapter, and finding certain moments odd.
For some context, I have zero interest in the spaceships, dogfighting, speeder stuff of Star Wars! Probably because I have an absolute lack of interest in cars, bikes, planes, or pretty much any vehicle in real life. I feel the same about Star Wars.
When first getting into these novels, I brushed off the X-Wing series as a little series for kids or something. I heard a lot of good things over time, and a month or two ago, I tried to listen to the audiobook of Rogue Squadron narrated by Marc Thompson.
And I just couldn’t finish it.
Then I tried I, Jedi, and continued to like Corran as I did with the audiobook, but just found it retelling a story I already like, and I couldn’t be bothered to finish it.
So it’s safe to say I’m hardly a big Stackpole fan, or the biggest fan of Corran. But I do really like him.
I do think Stackpole seems to treat him as like a self-insert. He views him as really perfect, and it often feels like Corran is just so great and friends with everyone (even Mara!) and it does rub me the wrong way a bit. But then I like him too?
I gained incredible respect for Stackpole when Corran sacrificed himself. I loved his sacrifice. I adored it. Then it was a fake out. What? Are you kidding me? That was so good. I was really, really annoyed by that. So annoyed. I thought it was so bold, and so impressive to have killed off your own beloved character like that, I was thinking, “Holy shit. This guy has balls.” Then it was a dumb fake out. Come on…
But then… he just GOT the original trilogy characters. It was a shame to have Han pretty much out of the book. However, Leia was so good, Luke and Mara were maybe at their best here(?), Lando was really solid, and Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin just get better and better.
This novel is fucking brutal. The whole final battle around Dantooine is so violent and horrific at times, and it is so hopeless! The idea that the Yuuzhan Vong are still just testing them, that this is nothing yet, is fucking terrifying.
There were some incredible moments in this novel. Luke and Mara had so many lovely romantic moments that warmed my heart like a stereotypical young teenage girl with a crush (I’m pathetic for Luke x Mara)!
Luke taking Jacen’s lightsaber, and using two sabers to fight three Yuuzhan Vong warriors was amazing. The fight was written really well, so gripping and entertaining, and just such a cool moment. Man I LOVE Luke!
So basically… it’s a mixed bag. I love so many parts, find many boring, and there is a major element I disliked. But the good outweighs the bad. By far.
7.5/10