SWBC: Review of 'From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi'
SWBC: Review of 'From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi'
Plus: A "Dark Disciple" podcast and review of "Tales of Light and Life" are coming soon!
From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi
With the arrival of From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi, the collection of different perspectives on the original trilogy is complete.
Featuring 40 stories from 40 different authors, FACPOV: Return of the Jedi celebrates the final film’s 40th anniversary. There’s a breadth of stories in this one, from the POVs of the Sarlacc, Max Rebo, and the Dagobah dragonsnake to Green Leader, Norra Wexley, and a Rebel historian.
Overall, the anthology is an exceptional ending to the trilogy of From a Certain Point of View stories. It’s also full of new beginnings for beloved characters and the galaxy as a whole.
More from my review for Dork Side of the Force:
From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi is full of love and celebration for the final film in the original trilogy. It also connects the 40-year-old movie to nearly every other project in the franchise. It adds new threads, pulls in loose ones, and generally makes the fabric of the larger Star Wars story that much more bright, bold, and dynamic.
Each story has something fresh but familiar to offer, and there really is a story for every kind of Star Wars fan.
The best stories in this anthology are full of reflection and hope — two of the most important themes in Star Wars. In this book, each character — new or established — looks back on their triumphs and tragedies, their mistakes and missteps, and any other action that led them to their respective pivotal moments.
In the two most powerful stories of the book, Anakin Skywalker and Dexter Jettster reflect on how their lives shaped the entire galaxy. Both stories, as well as a few others, are full-circle moments for these characters whom so many have loved over the decades.
FACPOV: Return of the Jedi feels like the most poignant and focused of the trilogy of From a Certain Point of View books. The book’s pacing is steady as it deftly moves the story and readers through more than three dozen different stories, several planets, a Death Star, and the forest moon of Endor.
Like the collections that came before it, FACPOV: Return of the Jedi adds depth and nuance to the stories told in the third Star Wars movie. And it just might make many aspects of the beloved film even better.
Have you started reading this book? Let me know in the comments what your favorite stories are!
Coming soon
The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life
There may have just been a new Star Wars anthology of short stories released, but there’s another one coming next week. More new Star Wars content? I’m not mad about it.
The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life arrives on Sept. 5. The regular edition features nine short stories from some of our favorite High Republic authors — Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Claudia Gray, Justina Ireland, Lydia Kang, George Mann, Daniel José Older, Cavan Scott, and Charles Soule.
The Barnes & Noble exclusive edition includes a tenth story from Doctor Aphra comics writer Alyssa Wong.
The short stories range from Phase 2 characters like Axel Greylark and Marda Ro to the gaggle of Jedi Padawans from Phase 1 and the aftermath of the fall of Starlight Beacon.
Here’s a breakdown of the stories and their titles.
“The Queen’s Bloom” — An Axel Greylark prequel.
“A Closed Fist Has No Claws” — A Marda Ro sequel.
“Shield of the Jedi” — Rooper Nitani and Silandra Sho.
“The Lonely Traveller Is Home” — Ram Jomaram and other Jedi Padawans.
“After the Fall” — The Vessel crew helping the Jedi and Republic after the fall of Starlight Beacon.
“The Force Provides” — Vernestra Rwoh.
“All Jedi Walk Their Own Path” — Bell Zettifar.
“Light in the Darkness” — What happens when the light of the Jedi and Starlight Beacon go out in the Outer Rim.
“The Call of Coruscant” — New characters tease what’s to come in Phase 3.
Alyssa Wong’s story in the B&N edition — Alys “Crash” Ongwa after the events of Midnight Horizon.
Star Wars Book Community Podcast talks Dark Disciple
The Star Wars Book Community over the summer launched a new podcast featuring episodes about new releases, canon recaps, comics and more.
The community has been cranking out episodes pretty regularly, with the most recent being a Canon Catch Up special with Lords of the Sith.
But coming soon is my chat with Meg (Now This Is Lit podcast) and Dan (VadersCastleLibrary) about Dark Disciple — one of my favorite Star Wars books ever.
Needless to say, we had a great time. And we could’ve spent hours more talking about Asajj Ventress, Quinlan Vos, and their enemies-to-lovers, dark side-fueled romance.
Be sure to follow Star Wars Book Community Podcast on Spotify or wherever you listen. And check out my first episode with the group — a roundtable discussion on Path of Vengeance.
Star Wars books and comics out this week
Aug. 29
Doctor Aphra (2020) Vol. 1 hardcover omnibus
The High Republic Adventures: The Nameless Terror trade paperback
The High Republic Adventures: The Complete Phase 1
From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi
Aug. 30
Hyperspace Stories #8
Bounty Hunters #37
The Mandalorian: Season 2 #3