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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2015
After the terrible "A New Dawn" and stopping half way through "Heir To The Jedi" I felt alarmed at where Disney is taking the expanded universe! If this was any indication of the quality for new SW series I would very quickly abandon it. However, after reading the LOTS I can sit back in relief and enjoy the prospect of what's in store for us!
This title is a solid entry into the SW canon with competent writing style, believable characters, solid action, and a heartfelt story! The novel doesn't offer anything particularly innovative but is build on a strong foundation with most of its elements working well together.
STORY: Paul Kemp tells an engaging "war time" story set before Ep. IV that fits the Star Wars lore. It touches on the themes integral to a SW experience: the fight against the oppressor, courage in face of insurmountable odds, friendship and betrayal. The plot leaves a mark on the SW universe and shows us a glimpse into what the first acts of rebellion look like! The rebel characters and their motivations are well established and never felt "contrived" to steer the plot in the desired direction. Everything evolves naturally and follows established logic. (CLONE WARS fans prepare to see some familiar faces!)
Unfortunately I can't say the same about our Sith Lords. There's never a lot of Vader and Palpatine and when they show up, you perceive them through a third person. But it's not the main issue. The problem comes with characterization. On occasion Kemp does an admirable job presenting the villains but more often than not their dialogues and actions are out of tune with the films. The dynamic between the master and apprentice is not fleshed out and the verbal exchange is not convincing either. The writer resorts to "popular lines" the Emperor says in OT and Vader communicates with the grace of a 10yo. slave boy stuck in a menacing body armor.
I can say with all honesty the story shortcomings felt minor and didn't diminish the entertainment value of the book.
ACTION: It's been a while since I've read EU novel with a well paced, gritty, effectively narrated space combat and it's the highlight in this novel. I won't spoil it much but suffice to say I felt the impact of every detonation and the urgency of the mission. When it comes to ground combat there are a few interesting moments as well. One set piece at the very end made me say to myself: "That's what I'd like to see in ROGUE ONE."
The only issues I have, and it's arguably a matter of taste, is our Sith Lords in action. The things Vader and especially Palpatine are capable of are overly exaggerated. Vader is the "black knight" in armor with magic at his hand. He didn't need to blur past the troopers with super speed and jump two floors down to be menacing in my opinion. Palpatine is a serpent who's venom is masterful plotting and manipulation. His flying around with a saber is as ridiculous here as it was in ROTS. I'll leave that to your judgement, I suspect some will enjoy it way more than me.
Overall I enjoyed it. It won't blow minds with bold new ideas or extravagant prose but does everything it sets out to do, mostly. The story has a meaning and heart and I'm happy to say it's a worthy addition to any SW reader's collection!
This title is a solid entry into the SW canon with competent writing style, believable characters, solid action, and a heartfelt story! The novel doesn't offer anything particularly innovative but is build on a strong foundation with most of its elements working well together.
STORY: Paul Kemp tells an engaging "war time" story set before Ep. IV that fits the Star Wars lore. It touches on the themes integral to a SW experience: the fight against the oppressor, courage in face of insurmountable odds, friendship and betrayal. The plot leaves a mark on the SW universe and shows us a glimpse into what the first acts of rebellion look like! The rebel characters and their motivations are well established and never felt "contrived" to steer the plot in the desired direction. Everything evolves naturally and follows established logic. (CLONE WARS fans prepare to see some familiar faces!)
Unfortunately I can't say the same about our Sith Lords. There's never a lot of Vader and Palpatine and when they show up, you perceive them through a third person. But it's not the main issue. The problem comes with characterization. On occasion Kemp does an admirable job presenting the villains but more often than not their dialogues and actions are out of tune with the films. The dynamic between the master and apprentice is not fleshed out and the verbal exchange is not convincing either. The writer resorts to "popular lines" the Emperor says in OT and Vader communicates with the grace of a 10yo. slave boy stuck in a menacing body armor.
I can say with all honesty the story shortcomings felt minor and didn't diminish the entertainment value of the book.
ACTION: It's been a while since I've read EU novel with a well paced, gritty, effectively narrated space combat and it's the highlight in this novel. I won't spoil it much but suffice to say I felt the impact of every detonation and the urgency of the mission. When it comes to ground combat there are a few interesting moments as well. One set piece at the very end made me say to myself: "That's what I'd like to see in ROGUE ONE."
The only issues I have, and it's arguably a matter of taste, is our Sith Lords in action. The things Vader and especially Palpatine are capable of are overly exaggerated. Vader is the "black knight" in armor with magic at his hand. He didn't need to blur past the troopers with super speed and jump two floors down to be menacing in my opinion. Palpatine is a serpent who's venom is masterful plotting and manipulation. His flying around with a saber is as ridiculous here as it was in ROTS. I'll leave that to your judgement, I suspect some will enjoy it way more than me.
Overall I enjoyed it. It won't blow minds with bold new ideas or extravagant prose but does everything it sets out to do, mostly. The story has a meaning and heart and I'm happy to say it's a worthy addition to any SW reader's collection!
