Star Wars: Bloodline
by Claudia Gray (Del Rey, 2016)
With much of the Star Wars expanded universe now rendered non-canonical, Claudia Gray’s novel — a serious backstory to The Force Awakens, focussing on Leia’s political struggles within an ailing New Republic — subtly apprises readers of what is, and is no longer, recognised.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
dir. J J Abrams (2015)
Visually spectacular without being gratuitously effects-driven; introducing new characters played by relative unknowns; stirringly scored; epic but with humour: Star Wars Episode VII is a true spiritual sequel to Episode IV (although not as self-contained and perhaps rehashing too many plot elements).