Tag: Star Wars

Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron

Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron

by Alexander Freed (Century, 2019)

Freed_Alphabet Squadron

Inevitably fans will judge this against the Rogue Squadron books (now Star Wars Legends), and many will find it wanting. Rogue Squadron offered escapism, pure and simple. Alphabet Squadron is serious-minded and morose, and notably lacking in wisecracking adventure heroes. Both work.

 

 

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

dir. J. J. Abrams (2019)

Abrams_Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars was trailblazing in its use of special effects. Fittingly, this final instalment in the trilogy of trilogies sees a return to visual pioneering, its currency begetting not mindless action scenes but rather moody end-of-days backdrops and crackling, red-sulphurous Sith imagery.

 

 

Star Wars: Last Shot

Star Wars: Last Shot

by Daniel José Older (Del Rey, 2018); audiobook read by Marc Thompson with Daniel José Older & January LaVoy (Random House, 2018)

Older_Last Shot

The audiobook reading of Last Shot gives fervent and overly dramatic voice to everyday situations. This exposes not only the mundaneness of Older’s writing but also the more general propensity (Star Wars house style?) for self-indulgent character moments and laboriously scripted banter.

 

 

Star Wars: Aftermath

Star Wars: Aftermath

by Chuck Wendig (Century, 2015)

Wendig_Aftermath

Wendig writes informally but in a manner somehow not out of keeping with the original Star Wars films. The story, though broken by a series of semi-relevant, mostly unrelated vignettes (‘interludes’), kicks along nicely. Bones, the deranged battle droid, is a highlight.

 

 

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Solo: A Star Wars Story

dir. Ron Howard (2018)

Howard_Solo

Origin stories are inherently problematic. Star Wars fans already know how Han Solo turns out, while his younger self is unlikely to equal the original (in characterisation or portrayal). Nevertheless, Solo presents a coherent narrative and does about as well as possible.

 

 

Star Wars: Tarkin

Star Wars: Tarkin

by James Luceno (Del Rey, 2014)

Luceno_Tarkin

A relatively slim Star Wars volume, sketching out Tarkin’s formative years in flashback while teaming him up with Vader for a runabout battle of wits against anti-Imperial dissidents. Luceno provides constructive character development for Tarkin, Vader and the Emperor pre Episode IV.

 

 

Derelict Space Sheep