farrawayreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
matt08's review against another edition
3.0
Incredible highs and unbearably boring lows. Palpatine and Vader chapters are great as well as the bar tender and Will Wheaton's chapter..
mraible18's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Some really interesting perspectives and some really OUCH foreshadowing for things to come later in the Star Wars series. Like any short story collection, some were standouts while others weren’t super memorable, but overall I enjoyed it a lot and can’t wait to read the next installment for Episode V.
octobertune's review
3.0
When I started this, I didn't really know what it was, to be honest. I knew it was short stories but I had no idea it was actually scenes from A New Hope rewritten but from the POV of different characters (should have read the synopsis before starting this, I guess). I liked it, but I felt like there were too many stories rewriting the same scene (like half of them were about that one scene in the Cantina on Tatooine).
Like with any anthology, I loved a couple of stories, and I hated a couple. There are threestories I gave 5 stars - Eclipse, a story from Breha Organa's point of view, Far Too Remote (seriously it made me cackle), and the final one - Whills (cackling again, also mention of Jyn Erso & K2SO *cue the sobs*). One story I DNF-ed was the story from Palpatine's POV because sorry not sorry but a poem written like Shakespeare wrote it? No thank you. Most other stories were around 3/3.5 stars, which is why the overall rating ended up being 3 stars.
In the end, I really enjoyed reading the stories, even if they were repetitive most of the time, and I will certainly enjoy the sequel - Empire Strikes Back. I loved discovering which character's POV the story was told from and I cried every time Scarif was mentioned (I am weak, OK?!). Definitely recommend if you want some more backstory from Star Wars characters!
Like with any anthology, I loved a couple of stories, and I hated a couple. There are threestories I gave 5 stars - Eclipse, a story from Breha Organa's point of view
Spoiler
I like to not have feelings anymore, please.In the end, I really enjoyed reading the stories, even if they were repetitive most of the time, and I will certainly enjoy the sequel - Empire Strikes Back. I loved discovering which character's POV the story was told from and I cried every time Scarif was mentioned (I am weak, OK?!). Definitely recommend if you want some more backstory from Star Wars characters!
geraldine's review against another edition
3.0
hmmm. hmm.
i'm going to write a full review (not a joke!!) later. watch this space. i have a lot to say...
QUICK IMPORTANT SIDEBAR:
if you saw ek johnson on the author list and want to know the answer to whether your favorite gay farmer got mentioned, click the spoiler below
i'm going to write a full review (not a joke!!) later. watch this space. i have a lot to say...
QUICK IMPORTANT SIDEBAR:
if you saw ek johnson on the author list and want to know the answer to whether your favorite gay farmer got mentioned, click the spoiler below
Spoiler
kaeden doesn't show up, but she gets name-dropped and she's confirmed alive :)banjax451's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars.
This is now my gold standard for "Star Wars short story collection." Don't worry about canon - none of these "count" for the greater mythology. Unless you want them to. All of the stories are great, I don't think there is a particular "bad" story in the collection, which is impressive all by itself. Among my favorites (the best of the best)
The Sith of Datawork - Ken Liu
Stories in the Sand - Griffin McElroy (my favorite story in the whole collection)
The Red One - Rae Carson
Not for Nothing - Mur Lafferty
The Kloo Horn Cantina Caper - Kelly Sue DeConnick/Matt Fraction
Laina - Wil Wheaton
The Baptist - Nnedi Okorafor
Duty Roster - Jason Fry
Grounded - Greg Rucka
Contingency Plan - Alex Freed (can SW hurry up and give him a non-tie-in book at this point?)
Highly recommended.
This is now my gold standard for "Star Wars short story collection." Don't worry about canon - none of these "count" for the greater mythology. Unless you want them to. All of the stories are great, I don't think there is a particular "bad" story in the collection, which is impressive all by itself. Among my favorites (the best of the best)
The Sith of Datawork - Ken Liu
Stories in the Sand - Griffin McElroy (my favorite story in the whole collection)
The Red One - Rae Carson
Not for Nothing - Mur Lafferty
The Kloo Horn Cantina Caper - Kelly Sue DeConnick/Matt Fraction
Laina - Wil Wheaton
The Baptist - Nnedi Okorafor
Duty Roster - Jason Fry
Grounded - Greg Rucka
Contingency Plan - Alex Freed (can SW hurry up and give him a non-tie-in book at this point?)
Highly recommended.
kortnireads's review against another edition
3.0
This was...fine. I enjoyed some stories, didn't care much about others, and even flat out skipped a few because of the voice the narrator decided to read in. Truly some of the most grating voices I have ever heard.
pushingdessy's review against another edition
3.0
There were some truly gorgeous stories that made me tear up, especially Beru's and Breha's. A lot of stories were about characters and plots I didn't care much about even after ploughing through, though. Really disliked the one about Tarkin and his lover... it was as if they were trying to humanize him by showing us he had a boyfriend that he cared about. He's still a nazi, Chad.
looorenam's review against another edition
3.0
L'idea all base di questo libro è ottima, ma viene in parte sciupata dalla sua esecuzione.
Dedicare così tanto spazio a delle vere e proprie comparse è eccessivo secondo me, soprattutto considerando la quantità di personaggi secondari di sostanza nel film e nella saga.
Proprio perché sono dedicate a due di questi personaggi, Eclipse e The Angle sono le due storie che mi sono piaciute di più.
Dedicare così tanto spazio a delle vere e proprie comparse è eccessivo secondo me, soprattutto considerando la quantità di personaggi secondari di sostanza nel film e nella saga.
Proprio perché sono dedicate a due di questi personaggi, Eclipse e The Angle sono le due storie che mi sono piaciute di più.
fakespy87's review against another edition
3.0
I’d say the majority of the stories in this collection were good. A few stood out as absolutely fantastic and well worth the read. I loved how the collection told stories from mostly minor characters’ perspectives (aside from a few that were supporting characters’.). There were three stories in the collection that were incredible: a story from Leia’s adoptive mother’s perspective right before Alderaan is destroyed (even though you know what’s going to happen, the author really tugs your heart strings beautifully) and the other told from Obi-Wan’s perspective told in a past-present-future happening at the same time view. The last was told from Aunt Beru’s perspective post death and is very emotional and wonderfully written. Those three were masterfully constructed short stories.
Unfortunately, I feel that the collection still only deserves a 3 star rating because there were some stories that felt like they didn’t need to be included, and others that just plainly weren’t good. I skipped about 3 or 4 stories due to them being either poorly written or because I found them boring. One story told from the perspective of a mouse droid on the Death Star was both poorly written and boring whereas most of the underwhelming ones were one or the other. Honestly, I think these problems are a failure of the editor. They should’ve removed or replaced these stories regardless of who the author was.
That being said, if you like Star Wars and this alternative viewpoint storytelling interests you, then it is absolutely worth the read!
Unfortunately, I feel that the collection still only deserves a 3 star rating because there were some stories that felt like they didn’t need to be included, and others that just plainly weren’t good. I skipped about 3 or 4 stories due to them being either poorly written or because I found them boring. One story told from the perspective of a mouse droid on the Death Star was both poorly written and boring whereas most of the underwhelming ones were one or the other. Honestly, I think these problems are a failure of the editor. They should’ve removed or replaced these stories regardless of who the author was.
That being said, if you like Star Wars and this alternative viewpoint storytelling interests you, then it is absolutely worth the read!