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An empire in ruins, a book trilogy as well. Chuck Wendig's third and hopefully last part of his AFTERMATH series has left me disappointed, especially after the renewed enthusiasm that came with reading the previous instalment. The promise of an epic full-scale "star war" and many revealed mysteries had enticed me to keep on reading. Well, where's the battle and what are those dark mysteries? EMPIRE'S END gives far too little, far too late. A few loose ends are tied up and there's a nod to Timothy Zahn's novel OUTBOUND FLIGHT, but surely we can all agree that's not enough. Ben Solo, you know, Kylo Ren, is born in this novel, but that doesn't matter much. One of the main characters is Temmin Wexley and he's seen flying an X-Wing in STAR WARS EPISODE VII THE FORCE AWAKENS, played by Heroes' Greg Grunberg. And we learn about that star destroyer Rey scavenges in, i.e. we learn that it was brought down by New Empire forces. Is that even a surprise?
Seriously, if this trilogy is supposed to replace some of the original post-Endor novels, now exiled under the "LEGENDS" banner by Disney, then I have to say no to it. Interestingly enough, I have read some very defensive reviews of this book, with people closely examining many of its so-called 'hints' and 'nods' to Snoke and the New Order. Clearly we just disagree. There's a Hux in this story, who barely matters, and his kid, who matters even less, is the Hux we know from EPISODE VII. Again, not enough. The main story is hardly of any interest and the resolution presented in this book is very much underwhelming.
I'm sorry to say this is my least favourite book of the new canon so far, so disappointing in fact I cannot endorse that you read this entire trilogy. I find it downright boring.
2/5
Interesting book review, even if I don't read the books, I can relate to the movie references, Greg Grunberg character.
This actor seems to follow JJ Abrams around, going back to Alias days.
Thanks. :)
I know him best from HEROES. Funny thing is, Wexley isn't credited to be in the next movie. So at this point it seems he's only in THE FORCE AWAKENS and Marvel's Poe Dameron comic (once or twice, not a pivotal character). So we spend three novels with him and his mom and why? ;-)
I'm now about to read STAR WARS DARK DISCIPLE and I have some pretty high hopes for that one.
Need to read his novels then. Loved his Road to Perdition. Superior to the movie I'd say.
Continuing my journey into the "new canon" books, I have finished reading my seventh Star Wars novel: DARK DISCIPLE. And this isn't just any book. Christie Golden's 2015 adaptation of several unfinished episodes of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS scored very high on my 'wanted' list the minute I learned of its existence. Featuring one of my favourite characters from the television series, former Jedi turned Sith apprentice turned Nightsister Asajj Ventress, DARK DISCIPLE is set between the latter two prequel films in the Star Wars film saga, when Count Dooku and his droid armies are terrorizing the galaxy. Determined to bring the Count down, the Jedi council resorts to a very un-Jedi-like move: a plot to assassinate Dooku. Though Obi-Wan Kenobi is appalled by this strange decision, he is tasked with recruiting the ever-pleasant Jedi Master Quinlan Vos for this job. And he, in turn, must recruit Asajj Ventress, who has her own scores to settle with Dooku. Ventress agrees to join forces with Vos, but insists on training him outside his Jedi skills, having experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to even get close to Dooku. Convinced that allowing a little bit of the Dark Side to seep in is imperative lest Vos stand no chance whatsoever before Dooku, she takes the fearless Jedi to her home planet of Dathomir for some black rituals. And while an unexpected love grows between both force users, inner conflicts, hidden desires and false promises darken the mission at hand; little do they know what tremendous challenges await them as they set out to kill Dooku...
Christie Golden's dense but energetic writing provided a much-needed refuelling for me after the somewhat daunting task of sitting through Chuck Wendig's overall disappointing AFTERMATH trilogy. At last we get some well-written action scenes including a lot of Force using and exciting lightsaber duels. The story moves with every turned page; filler material is almost absent. And nearly all the characters in this book are known to us, including Ventress, Vos, Kenobi, Windu, Yoda, Dooku, Skywalker and many more. Even Padmé, Palpatine and young Boba Fett make an appearance, albeit a brief one. In under 400 pages, Christie Golden achieves more spectacle, tension, character development and romance than Wendig in almost four times as much text. Golden understands the craft of writing a condense but highly amusing fan pleaser. Fun fact, the stories on which this book is based were written by George Lucas' adopted daughter Katie.
My timing couldn't have been better. Having just finished watching all six seasons of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS, now was the moment to cauterise the wounds of the series's sudden cancellation by reading about Ventress' destiny in a well-written book. Hard to put down, DARK DISCIPLE has been an indulgence. Arguably the best new canon Star Wars book I've read so far, it's one I'm not going to archive just yet; in fact I may want to re-read it very soon, just to mentally replay what could have been the next couple of episodes in the television series. For those who, like me, have been captivated by Ventress and her Clone Wars adventures, this book comes with close to the highest of a Star Wars geek's recommends.
4.5/5
Just learned that Pentagon is the biggest business in the world, employing six million people.
Has it achieved charity status yet?
Everything's run as either a business or a charity now, or both. Even churches.
Is that the one with Neo-Nazis in it?
I got it recently myself. I think that's the one.
Good. Happy reading!
It's truly amazing how fast the character of Ahsoka Tano has managed to steal our hearts. She took a false start with the STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS film. There she was introduced as 'Snips' by Anakin; and in turn she called him 'Sky-guy'. I was not amused. But the subsequent television episodes allowed her to mature fast, almost to the point where she became even more popular than Anakin, Obi-Wan and the rest of the Jedi combined. She was re-introduced in STAR WARS: REBELS and given one hell of a confrontation with Vader in one of the best episodes of the series. Ahsoka had left a sour first impression but gained our trust and eventually our love.
Something had been plaguing us though. How come she's never mentioned, not even once, in REVENGE OF THE SITH? Well, for starters, because that film was made several years before the CLONE WARS series. Then again, where was she when Obi-Wan and Anakin fought to the death on Mustafar? When the series was cancelled and Ahsoka's future was left uncertain, a lot of head scratching ensued. And that's where the books come in.
Much like the future of Ventress was further explored in DARK DISCIPLE, the book I reviewed last time, AHSOKA got her own book to find the missing dots and connect them. E. K. Johnston wrote the young adult novel that would bridge the gap between the Clone Wars and the first sparks of rebellion. We learn about Ahsoka's life as a fugitive; a life which, at first, seems without interesting objectives for the former padawan learner. However, things will change when she's obliged to use the Force and immediately draws the attention of a post-Order 66 galaxy. The Empire preps its Inquisitors, dark Force using sniffling dogs in the service of Vader, to hunt her down, while Bail Organa, Leia's stepfather, tries to bring Ahsoka to Alderaan for a secret meeting. Without her lightsabers and the training of a Jedi Master, Ahsoka has to re-prioritize her actions and decide if she's to remain undercover or if she's going to play an active part in the new rebellion...
Clearly this book was written for 14 year olds. The prose is enjoyable but simple, the story easy to follow and careful about to growing too dark. I raced through this book in under three hours and English isn't even my native language. So AHSOKA really is skewing very young. That said, there's more than enough fan service in the book to make every generation of Star Wars fans happy. Charming cameo appearances and some of Ahsoka's well-known tricks allow for a good time. Obviously the effort is meaningless if you haven't watched the animated television series in which Ahsoka plays a part. But if you have, and if you enjoy them, this book is practically mandatory reading, if only for the few bits and pieces that fill the post-Order 66 vacuum for her character.
3.5/5
I knew I'd read a couple in my teens (the property of my father) but couldn't remember them very well. I certainly read at least one of the Major Maxim spy novels; I should have another go at them, if I can find copies.
I'm glad to see you enjoyed it! I'm currently in the middle of it and I'm really enjoying it. The writing is good and I'm looking forward to Christie Golden's next Star Wars book, Inferno Squad. I'm going to do my best to keep up with the new Star Wars canon and I'm starting with Dark Disciple.
Yes, I need to collect more of these myself.
HEIR TO THE EMPIRE
Having read eight novels in the new Star Wars canon, and finding myself under the spell of Grand Admiral Thrawn as seen in STAR WARS REBELS, I felt compelled to return to some of the most iconic Star Wars novels ever published: Timothy Zahn's Thrawn adventures. Now cast away under the 'Legends' label, Zahn's books remain immensely popular, to the point even that many fans will recommend them as the best Star Wars EU ever put to print. And let's face it, Grand Admiral Thrawn is without a doubt one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars universe never to have been featured in the lave-action films so far.
Published in 1991, HEIR TO THE EMPIRE picks up five years after Endor. Leia and Han are expecting twins, Luke spends a lot of time training his sister in the ways of the Force, and the New Republic seems to be going strong under the leadership of the likes of Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar. But the imperial remnants have not yet given up and Grand Admiral Thrawn, one of the few non-humans ever to have gained Palpatine's trust, has engineered a bold plan to fight back. Meanwhile, Mara Jade, a young woman in the service of smuggler Talon Karrde, is about to meet Luke Skywalker for the first time, and she wants nothing more than to kill him.
Zahn knows Star Wars, so much is clear. His story is littered with familiar characters, whereas many new canon books bring them in only modest supplies. He drops some of the better known catch phrases here and there and refers to specific scenes from the original trilogy with an almost religious fervour. His prose is so much more enjoyable than most of what I have so far read in the new canon books; and even though he packs his text so much more densely, this stuff reads like a bullet. Those who have been keeping track of how I feel about new canon books like A NEW DAWN and DARK DISCIPLE know that I'm not by any means a hater of the Disney "reboot" of all things post Endor, but I must confess that Zahn's first Thrawn book transcends everything I've read so far. It's so much more Star-Warsian; it feels so much closer to home. One practically hears John Williams' scores while reading Zahn's prose!
I'm so glad I've read this book and even more so, that I have several more of his Thrawn books (including a recently published new canon one) to dive into. The best Star Wars book I've read so far!
5/5
I was a fanatic of the Continuation Bond of John Gardner and Raymond Benson in those days. Well not much had changed there!
THE STRANGE THEORY OF LIGHT AND MATTER
Richard P. Feynman (1918 - 1988) was at least as inspiring a storyteller as he was a gifted physicist. Those who've had the honour of hearing one or several of his lectures on quantum physics speak with the highest form of admiration for this brilliant scientist. Just ask Lawrence Krauss. Feynman's four lectures on quantum electrodynamics--discussing the interactions between photons and electrons--adequately demonstrate his talent for popularising science without vulgarising it; for taking complex stuff and clarifying it without destroying facts or truth.
While many discoveries have been made since the publication of this book, including the discovery of the top quark and the higgs boson, Feynman's 32 year old text cannot be omitted from any quantum physicist's library. I myself may not be a quantum physicist in any formal capacity, but during my days in engineering school I developed a special interest in quantum physics and have been doing a lot of reading (and teaching) on the subject since. Naturally not a day goes by without me paying at least some effort to expanding my knowledge. (A scientist cannot permit himself the tragic erosion of the mind through laziness.) And so today, mister Feynman has received an honourable place amidst JLA comics and Star Wars EU.
With over 150 pages of Feynman's charismatic explanations of quantum electrodynamics, QED was well worth my time. Some knowledge of quantum physics is helpful but not mandatory; after all, as the Chinese-American physicist Anthony Zee mentions in his introduction to the book, the purpose of quantum physics is not to be understood, at least not in a conventional sense. Its counter-intuitive nature is evident to anyone who has ever learned or read a thing or two about it. Perhaps that explains why I ultimately gravitate towards it the way I do--which is funny because gravity and quantum physics have so far defied all our attempts to unify them.
A great book for those interested in quantum physics!