sabregirl's review against another edition
3.0
To many ifs, too many complicated explanations. I didn't really like how this ended. It should've been so simplistic but it just was a bit worse than that.
tmarso's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Great end. Really enjoyed the children
twilliamson's review against another edition
1.0
Showdown at Centerpoint is a better conclusion to Roger MacBride Allen's The Corellian Trilogy than Assault on Selonia was a middle chapter, but it is hardly a good book.
The main issue of the entirety of Allen's trilogy boils down to its lack of focus. A fairly common criticism of the novel seems to be that fans of the series don't believe the trilogy was all that necessary, that its major plot points could easily have been condensed into a single novel and the trilogy scrapped for something else. I agree with this sentiment, and Centerpoint is a perfect example of why.
Most of the book is best described as fairly useless bloat. Why do we need, for example, a twenty-page chapter describing a freefall from Selonia's orbit to the ground, when the climactic battle at the end of the novel spans a full thirty pages? Is Allen really saying to us that each action sequence should be as weighty as the other? There's also a matter of reviving old characters from previous novels--namely Gaeriel Captison of Bakura--only to do absolutely nothing with their character (except maybe set-dressing) only to write them off completely by the end of the trilogy. Why? What was the point in that?
I also need a moment to complain about all the wasted space in the trilogy that could have served a much greater purpose. For example, why do we spend so much space on the intrigue of the Human League when they aren't even the main baddies of the trilogy? Why do we even have a villainous organization if the entire trilogy does absolutely nothing to address who they are or what their goals are? It's almost masterfully bad plotting, and I can't believe Lucasfilm allowed the drafts to proceed forward for publication.
Moreover, why drag additional characters into the trilogy if they aren't even going to be utilized well? What's the point of Thrackan Sal-Solo if a) he isn't the trilogy's central antagonist, and b) he interacts with Han and his family in barely 10% of the trilogy's total length? Why drag Gaeriel Captison into the novel at all when her express purpose is just to get killed off? Why include any of these characters at all when we could have been spending more time, for example, getting to know Lando Calrissian's new wife, Tendra?
The problem with The Corellian Trilogy is that the decisions Allen makes to tell the story don't remotely serve the purpose of the book. Problems in the narrative are invented in ways that don't impact the larger scope of the story trying to be told, and the resulting narrative is cluttered with details that don't contribute to anything, don't end up mattering, and could have been removed from the trilogy without any significant consequence. Moreover, anything that could have been interesting is so woefully underserved by the direction the plot takes as to be functionally useless to the whole of Star Wars.
Allen is clearly able to tell a good, action-packed story, but this trilogy begins with tremendous promise and ends a heaping fireball of bantha poodoo.
The main issue of the entirety of Allen's trilogy boils down to its lack of focus. A fairly common criticism of the novel seems to be that fans of the series don't believe the trilogy was all that necessary, that its major plot points could easily have been condensed into a single novel and the trilogy scrapped for something else. I agree with this sentiment, and Centerpoint is a perfect example of why.
Most of the book is best described as fairly useless bloat. Why do we need, for example, a twenty-page chapter describing a freefall from Selonia's orbit to the ground, when the climactic battle at the end of the novel spans a full thirty pages? Is Allen really saying to us that each action sequence should be as weighty as the other? There's also a matter of reviving old characters from previous novels--namely Gaeriel Captison of Bakura--only to do absolutely nothing with their character (except maybe set-dressing) only to write them off completely by the end of the trilogy. Why? What was the point in that?
I also need a moment to complain about all the wasted space in the trilogy that could have served a much greater purpose. For example, why do we spend so much space on the intrigue of the Human League when they aren't even the main baddies of the trilogy? Why do we even have a villainous organization if the entire trilogy does absolutely nothing to address who they are or what their goals are? It's almost masterfully bad plotting, and I can't believe Lucasfilm allowed the drafts to proceed forward for publication.
Moreover, why drag additional characters into the trilogy if they aren't even going to be utilized well? What's the point of Thrackan Sal-Solo if a) he isn't the trilogy's central antagonist, and b) he interacts with Han and his family in barely 10% of the trilogy's total length? Why drag Gaeriel Captison into the novel at all when her express purpose is just to get killed off? Why include any of these characters at all when we could have been spending more time, for example, getting to know Lando Calrissian's new wife, Tendra?
The problem with The Corellian Trilogy is that the decisions Allen makes to tell the story don't remotely serve the purpose of the book. Problems in the narrative are invented in ways that don't impact the larger scope of the story trying to be told, and the resulting narrative is cluttered with details that don't contribute to anything, don't end up mattering, and could have been removed from the trilogy without any significant consequence. Moreover, anything that could have been interesting is so woefully underserved by the direction the plot takes as to be functionally useless to the whole of Star Wars.
Allen is clearly able to tell a good, action-packed story, but this trilogy begins with tremendous promise and ends a heaping fireball of bantha poodoo.
kimscapturedlife's review against another edition
4.0
Love the escape, and this is by far my favorite post Battle of Endor series. It would make a great movie. Han, Leia and their kids travel to his home world during civil unrest and the adventure begins including all the cast of Star Wars favorites and a planet destroying weapon.
I like to keep notes of the plot to reference later. My rough book notes with plot highlights with Spoilers following.
Then the true leaders of the rebellion reveal their identities, and issue their final ultimatum: The New Republic must withdraw all claim to power over the entire Corellian sector. With the future of Corellian freedom at stake, Han and those loyal to the Republic must somehow resist. But how can they possibly stop the deadliest weapon the galaxy has ever known?
I like to keep notes of the plot to reference later. My rough book notes with plot highlights with Spoilers following.
Spoiler
When a loyalist ship approaching Selonia is blasted out of space, Han Solo quickly realizes that rebel forces are turning planetary repulsors into weapons of immense destruction. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian manage to discover the terrifying secret of Centerpoint Station. It is the infamous Starbuster itself, and its next programmed nova, hard-wired in, is set to annihilate a chosen star, its inhabited worlds, and millions of innocent lives. There's only one way to stop it: blow up the station. But as a massive rebel fleet closes in on Centerpoint, Han, Luke and their friends will discover time is running out.Then the true leaders of the rebellion reveal their identities, and issue their final ultimatum: The New Republic must withdraw all claim to power over the entire Corellian sector. With the future of Corellian freedom at stake, Han and those loyal to the Republic must somehow resist. But how can they possibly stop the deadliest weapon the galaxy has ever known?
wyrmbergmalcolm's review against another edition
5.0
This was a very satisfying conclusion to a great Star Wars trilogy. My one issue was that the big reveal didn't happen until really near the end and there was a rapid finale. It was well executed but after three books, it did end abruptly.
I loved this trilogy and would highly recommend it to those who are curious about the pre-Disney Expanded Universe.
I loved this trilogy and would highly recommend it to those who are curious about the pre-Disney Expanded Universe.
garfunkleha345's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.75
blacksentai's review against another edition
2.0
So, honestly, I don't think I can do too many more of these books. I'm so dreadfully bored by the structure of this series.
rey's review against another edition
4.0
W O W! I knew the last one would be epic with Star Wars style fighting and I'm not disappointed. Getting a point of view from almost all of the characters, especially the siblings was awesome. They are so young for this, it's heavy for them but they didn't have much of a choice. It's so bad that it's all wasted. It was slow at the beginning, however, it became such a fast and exciting read when the action came on. That's the thing I love about the last books. I can't wait to read more of the Solo family!