gjv's review against another edition
4.0
Red Harvest basically boils down to a zombie story set in the Star Wars universe, but regardless, I rather enjoyed it. The zombie Sith were quite scary, and the author did not hold back on the visceral gore. My only complaint was that he introduced so many characters with relatively little purpose to the story, other than to turn them into zombies, that we didn't really get a chance to know Hestizo, the main character. The only reason I was rooting for her to escape alive by the end of the book is because she was the only one left! Still, this was good and scary, great for reading this close to Halloween. :)
carlysgrowingtbr's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the audiobook of Red Harvest and I found it to be interesting if not a little slow to get started.
Given my intense love for all stories involving zombies and necromancy, I fully expected to devour this story. However, it was a little slow to start and light on the character development for me. I found I knew nothing about the characters that made me care about them in any real way. The involvment of botany in relation to the story also kinda wasn't my jam.
I did enjoy the grim wintery atmosphere the book was set in and the gruesome and gorey aspect of the writing.
Overall a decent story with a few let downs that I still recommend as a decently fun read for star wars lovers.
Given my intense love for all stories involving zombies and necromancy, I fully expected to devour this story. However, it was a little slow to start and light on the character development for me. I found I knew nothing about the characters that made me care about them in any real way. The involvment of botany in relation to the story also kinda wasn't my jam.
I did enjoy the grim wintery atmosphere the book was set in and the gruesome and gorey aspect of the writing.
Overall a decent story with a few let downs that I still recommend as a decently fun read for star wars lovers.
hstapp's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't really enjoying this book at the beginning. It's a bit of a slow starter I guess.
I really love the idea of non-combative Jedi. Jedi who are just like. I really like plants. I want to help plants grow. I'm a jedi Botanist.
I really enjoyed this book through the later chapters. I'm uncertain of what the point was of some characters, and their setups. But that's okay. I wouldn't say that the story is super horrifying, unless you're a flower. But it was certainly gruesome, but in away I could ignore and just enjoy the tension of it.
I really love the idea of non-combative Jedi. Jedi who are just like. I really like plants. I want to help plants grow. I'm a jedi Botanist.
I really enjoyed this book through the later chapters. I'm uncertain of what the point was of some characters, and their setups. But that's okay. I wouldn't say that the story is super horrifying, unless you're a flower. But it was certainly gruesome, but in away I could ignore and just enjoy the tension of it.
lorelei2186's review against another edition
2.0
Seeing as this is a prequel to Death Troopers, comparing them feels appropriate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Death Troopers. It was fun, yet also terrifying. The setting alone evoked feelings of claustrophobia, disgust, and dread. It dealt with serious themes like sexual harassment, systemic oppression, corruption in the prison system, and toxic masculinity. The zombies were scary, sure, and the book definitely took its time letting you fester in the fear of the unknown, but the true horror was the rampant harassment Dr. Cody faced, the disgusting "us vs. them" mentality of the guards as they dehumanized the prisoners, and the fact that the worst monsters in life are just people. People like the sociopathic guard who beat a prisoner to death because he could, but was also damn good at his job, cared about keeping his men safe, and experienced the same fears and wants and needs as the rest of us. There were some obvious issues and straight up stupid plot elements (Han being like "oh no the ship in dead space with artificial gravity might go belly up and then we'll all be upside down" as if that's something that could ever happen when the ship has fucking ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY), but it was still a good time despite the author occasionally forgetting how basic physics works. Or forgetting that "bemused" and "amused" are not synonymous. In short, Death Troopers was better than it had any right to be, and it may be one of my favourite Star Wars books.
Anyway, in Red Harvest, a decapitated zombie yeets its severed head at the man who attacked it. The head then bites him and he ends up turning. The zombie said "parry this, you fucking casual. Ya ya YEET"
That tells you basically all you need to know. It was funny. It was gratuitously bloody. However, it lacked the drip and pizzazz that Death Troopers had. I didn't care when the Sith students all died and turned because they were all unrepentantly evil. Darth Scabarous (don't even get me started on that name) was giving us absolutely nothing as a villain. Hestizo was an alright protagonist, but she didn't really have any development, unlike Dr. Cody in Death Troopers. The only character I felt anything for was the Murakami orchid itself. Characters kept being introduced, then killed in a hilarious display of violence and gore. The setting felt too open and ultimately unrelatable. A filthy, corrupt prison immediately evokes a sense of claustrophobia and disgust. A Sith academy felt more like Hogwarts but for kids who torture animals for fun. Add all of that to some blatant continuity errors, and I just could not get into this one.
It was a passably fun read, but ultimately nothing special. If you want to read a fun zombie horror that is surprisingly good (despite a few issues), just read Death Troopers. Red Harvest isn't worth your time.
I thoroughly enjoyed Death Troopers. It was fun, yet also terrifying. The setting alone evoked feelings of claustrophobia, disgust, and dread. It dealt with serious themes like sexual harassment, systemic oppression, corruption in the prison system, and toxic masculinity. The zombies were scary, sure, and the book definitely took its time letting you fester in the fear of the unknown, but the true horror was the rampant harassment Dr. Cody faced, the disgusting "us vs. them" mentality of the guards as they dehumanized the prisoners, and the fact that the worst monsters in life are just people. People like the sociopathic guard who beat a prisoner to death because he could, but was also damn good at his job, cared about keeping his men safe, and experienced the same fears and wants and needs as the rest of us. There were some obvious issues and straight up stupid plot elements (Han being like "oh no the ship in dead space with artificial gravity might go belly up and then we'll all be upside down" as if that's something that could ever happen when the ship has fucking ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY), but it was still a good time despite the author occasionally forgetting how basic physics works. Or forgetting that "bemused" and "amused" are not synonymous. In short, Death Troopers was better than it had any right to be, and it may be one of my favourite Star Wars books.
Anyway, in Red Harvest, a decapitated zombie yeets its severed head at the man who attacked it. The head then bites him and he ends up turning. The zombie said "parry this, you fucking casual. Ya ya YEET"
That tells you basically all you need to know. It was funny. It was gratuitously bloody. However, it lacked the drip and pizzazz that Death Troopers had. I didn't care when the Sith students all died and turned because they were all unrepentantly evil. Darth Scabarous (don't even get me started on that name) was giving us absolutely nothing as a villain. Hestizo was an alright protagonist, but she didn't really have any development, unlike Dr. Cody in Death Troopers. The only character I felt anything for was the Murakami orchid itself. Characters kept being introduced, then killed in a hilarious display of violence and gore. The setting felt too open and ultimately unrelatable. A filthy, corrupt prison immediately evokes a sense of claustrophobia and disgust. A Sith academy felt more like Hogwarts but for kids who torture animals for fun. Add all of that to some blatant continuity errors, and I just could not get into this one.
It was a passably fun read, but ultimately nothing special. If you want to read a fun zombie horror that is surprisingly good (despite a few issues), just read Death Troopers. Red Harvest isn't worth your time.
enter_the_phantom's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cashleykate's review against another edition
4.0
Every problem in Star Wars is a Sith Lord refusing to die and I’m here for their drama.
linabird03's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
ess_2000's review
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
foreverbeautifulbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Sith Zombies.
Need I say more.
A brilliant weaving of old republic lore, creating and intense zombie virus labelled the "sickness." Not only did we get some pretty intense sith alchemy lore, but we were living in the world of the old republic sith academy.
These are our villains, or future villains of the Star Wars universe.
Now here is the thing. I hear so many people pitch fits that legends is the only canon they acknowledge-- while also claiming this book is the worst because zombies, and because a Jedi can commune with plants.
I saw one review say "Jedi can't talk to plants." Ummmmmm who made that a rule? Pretty sure the force instills levels of skill in all jedi which is loosely based on personality and genetics.
There is something that I want. I want the sickness to be canon. I want good ole palpatine to create the sickness. I loved the use of sith alchemy, science, and the black orchid to create this unstoppable nightmare at a sith academy. It would just be so cool to be a Halloween Star Wars special.
This was brilliant, dark, disgusting, and I had a blast from beginning to end.
**** for anyone who's not familiar with Star Wars continuity, this is considered a Legends book and therefore not canon. Per George Lucas himself he never considered the novels or comics his canon either. I don't care because I enjoy Star Wars and the world and mytho that exists canon and noncanon****
Need I say more.
A brilliant weaving of old republic lore, creating and intense zombie virus labelled the "sickness." Not only did we get some pretty intense sith alchemy lore, but we were living in the world of the old republic sith academy.
These are our villains, or future villains of the Star Wars universe.
Now here is the thing. I hear so many people pitch fits that legends is the only canon they acknowledge-- while also claiming this book is the worst because zombies, and because a Jedi can commune with plants.
I saw one review say "Jedi can't talk to plants." Ummmmmm who made that a rule? Pretty sure the force instills levels of skill in all jedi which is loosely based on personality and genetics.
There is something that I want. I want the sickness to be canon. I want good ole palpatine to create the sickness. I loved the use of sith alchemy, science, and the black orchid to create this unstoppable nightmare at a sith academy. It would just be so cool to be a Halloween Star Wars special.
This was brilliant, dark, disgusting, and I had a blast from beginning to end.
**** for anyone who's not familiar with Star Wars continuity, this is considered a Legends book and therefore not canon. Per George Lucas himself he never considered the novels or comics his canon either. I don't care because I enjoy Star Wars and the world and mytho that exists canon and noncanon****
gingerreader99's review against another edition
1.0
It is simple. Star Wars and Zombies do not mix. The first novel that tried this was new and original. This one should probably not exist.