SWBC: 5 Star Wars books that define my taste
Plus: A review of 'The High Republic Adventures #5'
Star Wars books that define my taste
With so many different Star Wars books out there — and reading most of them — I’ve definitely developed a taste for certain types, genres, and eras of galactic storytelling.
When trying to pick five Star Wars books that define my taste in Star Wars, it was hard not just to pick my five favorites. And then it became even more difficult to pick just five favorites.
When I finally settled on these five, I noticed a pattern: Morally grey characters, conflicted Jedi, nuanced perspectives on the dark side of the Force, star-crossed love, romance, and moments of pure happiness for tragic characters.
The Rising Storm: This book made me fall hopelessly in love with Jedi Elzar Mann, a constantly-conflicted character who desperately wants to be a good guy. At his core, he is good, but he also understands that sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures — including touching the dark side in order to save lives. Bonus points go to author Cavan Scott for writing a raw, relatable scene of a journalist struggling to report live on the devastation of the Nihil terrorist attack on Valo after narrowly surviving.
Brotherhood: The Clone Wars novel featuring the evolving relationship between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker is one that I — and many other prequel fans — have been waiting 20 years for. The moments that stood out to me were the ones showing how much hope and love these two — and Padme Amidala — had for each other and the future of the Republic. It’s a fun book filled with action as well as quiet, happy moments between Anakin and Padme that add so much more weight to their relationship.
Dark Disciple: This book changed Asajj Ventress from one of my most disliked characters to one of my favorites. It made me see her — her trauma, her experiences, her choices — in a whole new light. It gave me so much hope for characters like her and Quinlan Voss — with whom she falls in love — characters that don’t fit the typical righteous Jedi mold. And ones who understand that sometimes in order to defeat the dark side, you have to embrace it.
Lost Stars: Not the first Star Wars book I ever read, but the one that kickstarted my obsession with reading stories from a galaxy far, far away. The only prerequisite to reading Lost Stars is having seen the original trilogy — making this book perfect for new Star Wars readers. It’s a coming-of-age story pitting childhood friends against one another as one rises in the ranks in the Empire and the other defects and joins the Rebel Alliance. It also continuously brings them back together in a beautiful and heartbreaking star-crossed romance that’ll satisfy both YA and adult readers. It’s a masterpiece of Star Wars literature.
The Princess and the Scoundrel: This adult novel from Beth Revis also gives us something we’ve been waiting decades for — the wedding of Han Solo and Princess Leia. Though their relationship takes a tragic turn after the events of the original trilogy, it’s so fun to see them during their literal honeymoon phase along with quiet, intimate moments. Even as they both grapple with PTSD from the war with the Empire and struggle to take some much-needed time off, they get to enjoy an unexpectedly thrilling honeymoon adventure and learn to better understand each other’s wants and needs. The moments when Leia reels and rages because of the recent revelation about her relationship with Darth Vader are some of the most powerful and gut-wrenching in all of Star Wars.
Comic review: The High Republic Adventures #5
The High Republic Adventures (2022), set in Phase 2 of The High Republic, continues to be a delight.
I’m woefully behind on most of the comic series I subscribe to every month — though I’m remedying that this weekend with a long-awaited trip to my local comic shop. But thanks to Dark Horse, I get THR Adventures delivered to my inbox a few days before its release.
While the first issue introduced the main characters and their motives, the second plops us right into the action as Jedi Padawan Sav Malagán embarks on her first thrilling mission with Maz Kanata’s pirate crew. The group, along with Inspector Raf, has its sights set on getting to the bottom of the Dank Graks — a dark-side criminal group hell-bent on getting rid of both Maz’s pirates and the Jedi on Takodana.
What ensues is a chaotic space battle with Sav and Maz’s crew invading the Dank Graks’ ship while the dark siders steal aboard The Venomed Scabbard. Both crews fire upon each other while at the same time worrying about damaging their own ship.
Of course, Inspector Raf shows up just in time to tell them all they’re in violation of antipiracy laws before both crews jump to hyperspace. Now Maz’s crew and the Dank Graks are stuck on each other’s ships. But don’t worry, Maz has a plan, and Sav is more than eager to continue on as a rookie pirate.
The next issue of The High Republic Adventures is expected on Jan. 24.
Star Wars books and comics out this week
Jan. 10
Jan. 11
What I’m reading and working on
I’m back teaching for the spring semester, and this time I only have one class instead of two. It’s a class I’ve taught several times before, so that means I have a lot more time this semester for more freelance work — and reading!
I’m continuing to cover local features and theme parks for Creative Loafing and Attractions Magazine, and I have a few other freelance gigs and pitches in the works. This year, I’m also aiming to expand this newsletter to include more Star Wars feature pieces, reviews, and coverage beyond books. I’d also like to include more non-Star Wars book coverage.
As for current reads, I (of course) have a mile-long TBR and a physical and digital stack of books I’m reading. A priority read is Kristen M. Long’s Thief of Sorrows — an adult fantasy Robin Hood retelling that weaves in fresh world-building and a brutally cool magic system.
I’ve also dived right into my library resolution for the year and picked up three books last week. I’ve already finished A Psalm for the Wild-Built (5 stars), and I’m currently devouring By the Book — a contemporary romance, Beauty and the Beast retelling part of the Meant to Be series.
And finally, I started reading Prince Harry’s Spare via audiobook. The blockbuster memoir has been highly anticipated for months thanks to explosive snippets shared in the press. I may not be a royal family obsessive, but I’ve always been endlessly fascinated by the historic structure and increasingly outdated traditions of the British monarchy.