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thedayoflight's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It's Star wars and I liked Vader and Tarkin's parts. But the rest of the characters where meh.
franklc29's review against another edition
3.0
Really entertaining story but a little disappointing that the majority of the EU had already been written by the time this one came out. Great characters but it would have made a lot more sense for them all to die instead of just some of them. Vil and Uli are great characters and never getting to hear what happens doesn't make much sense. It was really interesting to give the people of the death star a more human side. Very enjoyable
pinkmalady's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
this book is so frustrating. prefacing that i am incredibly biased towards the new Disney canon, but i've enjoyed all of Legends that i have read with my own two eyes, up until this.
the good:
- darth vader's internal monologue is pretty in-character and it's interesting to get an idea of what he was thinking while a new hope was going on, even if i disagree with some of the character decisions they made due to obvious misinterpretation.
- my enjoyment and the over-all quality of the book began to rise as soon as this novel's story began intersecting more and more with a new hope, because it's kinda hard to fuck up a retelling of arguably one of the most narratively perfect films of all time.
- on paper, i really like daala and tarkin's relationship, but they barely dive into it here.
the bad:
- this book DOES NOT incorporate new details into preexisting canon well. it is hindered by preexisting canon's story beats and preexisting characters' plot armors. it cannot to save its life add or commit AT ALL to anything not totally stupid and irrelevant (like the exhaust port being a total accident! at least rogue one tried to make it meaningful.) new to the lore of the death star or a new hope as a film, or else it'd fuck up canon.
- the misogyny. straight-up the way every single female character in this book is written (besides leia, who is barely present and once again, they kinda can't fuck up thanks to preexisting canon) is misogynistic. they are all there to be bland eye-candy (two of the three main female characters have scenes in which they undress in front of bystanders, the first of which was unnecessary and uncalled for in the story and the character who saw her strip acted uncomfortable about it. like that was just wank for the writers because star wars is allergic to not oversexualizing its alien women, especially twi'leks.) and love interests to the bland dime-a-dozen straight guys that make up the majority of the cast.
the only female character (daala, who didn't get a canonical first name until even later after this book, which says it all, really,) in the cast who does anything of note is totally robbed of all her character agency the second they can because it would interfere too much with preexisting canon, is almost fridged but wait they can't do that either because of preexisting Legends canon about her post-original trilogy, and then immediately sent away to never truly be touched on again as a legitimate character. she is purely there to boost up her male love interest, tarkin, and they don't even do a good job at that, either.
- this book has a disdain for tarkin, whom i am obviously biased towards, when they need to be treating him like they would treat every other character who matters in this book. it just doesn't care about him outside of his relationship with daala,and once again, they get rid of her as soon as possible so she doesn't interfere too much with the preexisting plot of a new hope! i am so sorry to break it to these authors, who obviously project their dislike of tarkin onto vader, whom they obviously really really really like, but tarkin and vader are, if not canonically friends (which they are, even before clone wars came out,) then they are, at the very least, more interesting as friends. i hate when people write tarkin and vader's relationship as this middling, they-both-find-the-other-one-silly-but-don't-say-anything-about-it-to-save-face, barely-there-at-all co-existence. if you're going to make them not like each other, at least TRY to make it interesting.
- speaking of bland disinterest, none of the characters the book is trying to get you to like are likeable, and there are far too many to keep up with, especially early on. i could not get emotionally invested in any of these people. i don't care. maybe if this book was one or two hundred pages longer, it could've handled such a large ensemble cast, but at its current page length, it couldn't take its time with anyone.
- once again, all the painfully forced cishet relationships, which are seemingly only there to tie the characters together more closely so they can all be there for the finale.
the good:
- darth vader's internal monologue is pretty in-character and it's interesting to get an idea of what he was thinking while a new hope was going on, even if i disagree with some of the character decisions they made due to obvious misinterpretation.
- my enjoyment and the over-all quality of the book began to rise as soon as this novel's story began intersecting more and more with a new hope, because it's kinda hard to fuck up a retelling of arguably one of the most narratively perfect films of all time.
- on paper, i really like daala and tarkin's relationship, but they barely dive into it here.
the bad:
- this book DOES NOT incorporate new details into preexisting canon well. it is hindered by preexisting canon's story beats and preexisting characters' plot armors. it cannot to save its life add or commit AT ALL to anything not totally stupid and irrelevant (like the exhaust port being a total accident! at least rogue one tried to make it meaningful.) new to the lore of the death star or a new hope as a film, or else it'd fuck up canon.
- the misogyny. straight-up the way every single female character in this book is written (besides leia, who is barely present and once again, they kinda can't fuck up thanks to preexisting canon) is misogynistic. they are all there to be bland eye-candy (two of the three main female characters have scenes in which they undress in front of bystanders, the first of which was unnecessary and uncalled for in the story and the character who saw her strip acted uncomfortable about it. like that was just wank for the writers because star wars is allergic to not oversexualizing its alien women, especially twi'leks.) and love interests to the bland dime-a-dozen straight guys that make up the majority of the cast.
- this book has a disdain for tarkin, whom i am obviously biased towards, when they need to be treating him like they would treat every other character who matters in this book. it just doesn't care about him outside of his relationship with daala,
- speaking of bland disinterest, none of the characters the book is trying to get you to like are likeable, and there are far too many to keep up with, especially early on. i could not get emotionally invested in any of these people. i don't care. maybe if this book was one or two hundred pages longer, it could've handled such a large ensemble cast, but at its current page length, it couldn't take its time with anyone.
- once again, all the painfully forced cishet relationships, which are seemingly only there to tie the characters together more closely so they can all be there for the finale.
rhganci's review against another edition
4.0
Just the book I needed to get myself reading Star Wars again—one with some solid tie-in to the movies. This book goes beyond that—it actually features lots of scenes from A New Hope in the second half of the book. It was, in a word, fantastic—easy to read, interesting, and relevant to the Star Wars mythos. I really liked the talk about the exhaust port being put in the Death Star for safety reasons, and the perspective of Vader as not-quite-human. Tarkin was surprisingly interesting and engaging, and it was easy to read. Reaves has to rank among my favorite Star Wars authors.
proffrancais's review against another edition
3.0
I have read a lot of Star Wars books, many of them good, several of them great, this one was just ok. Any main characters that are familiar to me normally are relegated to very small roles, but tahts to be expected since the story is about the station.
However, there are way too many characters at the beginning and I had a hard time focusing on who each person was. At the end of the book, I still didn't feel any attachment to the characters. It was interesting to see the story of A New Hope told from another point of view (kinda), but I don't think Ill eer reread it.
However, there are way too many characters at the beginning and I had a hard time focusing on who each person was. At the end of the book, I still didn't feel any attachment to the characters. It was interesting to see the story of A New Hope told from another point of view (kinda), but I don't think Ill eer reread it.
chaeopteryx's review against another edition
3.0
So, I would like to preface this by saying I did not read the description and simply got this book thinking it would be about the construction and eventual destruction of the Death Star and how it operated. Now that was entirely my fault, but nonetheless, my preset expectations may have skewed my opinions, which means this review might not be entirely accurate or foolproof. Still, I will continue.
My main complaint is it’s really fucking boring at first. Like, why should I give a damn about anyone mentioned here??? Not only that, their stories were not very interesting or grasped my attention. I was more just reading it, not really feeling or becoming very immersed with the story.
I will say I like the in it gives on Vader’s psyche and how he thinks. It really doesn’t get interesting till the end, when we reach ANH territory.
There isn’t really anything good or bad I can say more than that. It’s just… incredibly mediocre, in my personal opinion. So is it worth a read? I would say no, but I will say the end is interesting and may catch your interest.
3/5, not very happy but not too upset either.
My main complaint is it’s really fucking boring at first. Like, why should I give a damn about anyone mentioned here??? Not only that, their stories were not very interesting or grasped my attention. I was more just reading it, not really feeling or becoming very immersed with the story.
I will say I like the in it gives on Vader’s psyche and how he thinks. It really doesn’t get interesting till the end, when we reach ANH territory.
There isn’t really anything good or bad I can say more than that. It’s just… incredibly mediocre, in my personal opinion. So is it worth a read? I would say no, but I will say the end is interesting and may catch your interest.
3/5, not very happy but not too upset either.
shirezu's review against another edition
3.0
This book finally sheds some light on the discussion from "Clerks". What about all the innocents on the Death Star? This book follows a selection of people who all end up on the Death Star - civilian contractors, prisoners, conscripted staff, soldiers, etc. - and follows them from the start of building right up to the climactic (but well known) finale.
It wasn't a bad book by any means but it was nothing illuminating either. It was interesting to see what was going on around scenes from "A New Hope" but it needed something more.
The quality of Star Wars novels has really dropped these last couple years.
It wasn't a bad book by any means but it was nothing illuminating either. It was interesting to see what was going on around scenes from "A New Hope" but it needed something more.
The quality of Star Wars novels has really dropped these last couple years.
roblucas's review against another edition
3.0
Difficult to follow so many characters, especially when some are not fearured for a few chapers - it's easy to forget who they are by name.
Some of the story is a little forced, especially during the final battles.
OK one-time read. I've read better Star Wars novels.
Some of the story is a little forced, especially during the final battles.
OK one-time read. I've read better Star Wars novels.
bloodravenlib's review against another edition
4.0
Finally finished it. It is a pretty quick read. It is also pretty well written. The book is basically the story of the construction of the Death Star. It is divided in two parts: the construction and then the shakedown cruise, which leads to the events in the first Star Wars film most people have seen by now. I usually dislike books where I know the ending beforehand, but this book was actually interesting and engaging. The first part where the station is constructed and the characters are introduced is actually pretty good. Different people from diverse backgrounds come together in constructing the Death Star. In the second part, we see some cameos from characters we knew in the film, but we get a different point of view, and that makes the book a good read as well.
The book features the character of Doctor Divini, which regular readers of Star Wars novels may recognize from the Medstar Duology (by the way, I read those two book, and they are on my list). Another character is a librarian, which for a librarian as me, was kind of cool too. Overall, this was a good and pleasant read.
The book features the character of Doctor Divini, which regular readers of Star Wars novels may recognize from the Medstar Duology (by the way, I read those two book, and they are on my list). Another character is a librarian, which for a librarian as me, was kind of cool too. Overall, this was a good and pleasant read.