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Star Wars: Lords of the Sith
Star Wars: Lords of the Sith
Paul S. Kemp | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
I've been a huge Star Wars fan since I was a kid (I can remember going to see the very first Star Wars film in the theater), but I have never read one of the novels before. By the time that I realized there were SW novels out there, there were already so many published that I didn't know where to start to get caught up on them, so I just let them slide, and continued on enjoying the movies. With the establishment of the new Lucasfilm official canon, I decided to try giving some of the new books a try, as it seemed much more manageable this way, and Lords of the Sith had recently been released, so it seemed as good a place to start as any.

The planet of Ryloth is integral to the Empire as both a source of slave labor and the substance known as "spice" (this does bug me a little bit - come up with something that a little more original that doesn't sound like you lifted it directly from Dune), but the inhabitants of Ryloth want to be free. The "Free Ryloth" movement is created for that purpose; led by Cham and Isval, the movement has simply been trying to be a thorn in the Empire's side, but when they learn that both the Emperor and Darth Vader are personally coming to the planet, they see an opportunity to assassinate them both and watch the Empire dissolve as a result.

Of course, without even reading the book, you know that the Emperor and Vader are going to survive this story since they appear in Episodes IV-VI, so it's no surprise that they do survive the attack. What makes this book interesting is seeing their relationship and how they deal with being thrust into a situation that neither were anticipating. It's also interesting seeing a book written more from the point of view of the villains that the heroes. Kemp does a great job in fleshing out all of the characters, tho; Cham, Isval, and the other freedom fighters are just as realized as the Emperor and Vader, even tho they are not the main focus of the story. However, it's the relationship between the Emperor and Vader that is the real highlight of the book; seeing their interactions throughout the book and how that relationship is tested, it the real essence of the story, and Kemp does a great job making that relationship feel real.

The only true drawback that I would have to the book is actually getting to the main action of the book. We know that the Emperor and Vader are going to be trying to survive on Ryloth (this isn't spoilers, it's the whole point of the book), but actually getting them to the planet seems to take way too long. Practically half of the book is taken up with explaining aspects of the resistance unit, getting the Emperor and Vader to the planet, and finally the battle that forces them to crash land on the planet. I just kept wanting to jump ahead to when they finally arrive on the planet, as I knew that's when the story would really start moving. Once the action finally got going, however, the book was fantastic. It was interesting to see the Emperor and Vader's relationship in Vader's early days as a Sith.

I know a lot of people are discouraged by the decision to basically do away with the previously established Extended Universe books, but if this is what the future of the Star Wars fictional universe is going to look like, I'm OK with it.

Recommended, especially for Star Wars fans!
  
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Sawyer (231 KP) rated Star Wars Legacy in Books

Dec 17, 2017  
Star Wars Legacy
Star Wars Legacy
John Ostrander | 2006 | Comics & Graphic Novels
10
9.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Set hundreds of years after the death of Darth Vader the Jedi order was rebuilt all is well but history is

destined to repeat itself and the Sith Empire returns stronger than ever the Jedis are being purged and hunted the last son of the Sky Walker Clan Witnesses the death of his father and barely escapes the destruction of


his training grounds the lost and hopeless child of Force is picked up by a band of Smugglers and Pirates
We fast-forward to years later Skywalker and two of his childhood Brothers in Arms are doing well for thenselfs as bounty Hunters using his force abilities to take down Jedi refugees


Things become complicated when the Sky Walker crosses paths with his former Jedi Master who was presumed dead the lone master is on a mission to deliver intelligence that could turn the tide of the war


A conflicted Skywalker must decide to embrace his Heritage or continue living his comfortable makeshift life as a criminal




This is a great original twist on the Star Wars story great art by Dark Horse Comics best and refreshing new characters with lots of sass personality and wit
  
Star Wars, Vol. 4: Last Flight of the Harbinger
Star Wars, Vol. 4: Last Flight of the Harbinger
Jason Aaron | 2017 | Comics & Graphic Novels
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Entry #4 in Marvel's new run of Star Wars stories, in which Han, Luke, Leia and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 (and some expendable 'Red Shirts', to borrow a phrase from Star Trek) hijack a Star Destroyer.

Running concurrently, we also have a look at the war from the other side of the divide, from the point of view of a Stormtrooper squad, who believe the Rebels to be terrorists and that freedom = law and order (rather than the Rebellions view of what entails freedom).

Said squad led by a character Luke had previously encountered on the Smugglers moon of Nar-Shadda, and with said sqaud tasked with 'recovering' the hijacked Destroyer.

AS is also now standard, we also have a flash-back to Kenobi's time on Tattoine looking after (from afar) Luke - if you ask me, it's a wonder how that kid didn't know something was up!

All-in-all, though, I have to say that I have enjoyed these 'main' Star Wars stories - hit and miss though they may be - more than, say, the Darth Vader series, with this one proving to be no exception.
  
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Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
1977 | Fantasy, Sci-Fi
May The Force Be With You: The Beginning
A New Hope- man this movie is a classic. A real classic. Everything about this movie is great. The plot, the action, the sci-fi, the death-star, Dark Vader and of course R2-D2. Its only downfall is that its slow at some points. But other than thats its a excellent movie.

The plot: The Imperial Forces -- under orders from cruel Darth Vader (David Prowse) -- hold Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hostage, in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy.

The film has been reissued multiple times with Lucas's support—most significantly with its 20th-anniversary theatrical "Special Edition"—incorporating many changes including modified computer-generated effects, altered dialogue, re-edited shots, remixed soundtracks and added scenes. This is also its downfall, cause its not the oringal film, its the speical edition.

AFI 100 Years... series:

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (1998) – #15

AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills (2001) – #27

AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains (2003): Han Solo – #14 Hero

Obi-Wan Kenobi – #37 Hero

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes (2004):
"May the Force be with you." – #8

AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores (2005) – #1

AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers (2006) – #39

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) (2007) – #13

AFI's 10 Top 10 (2008) – #2 Sci-Fi Film

Like i said before its a excellent sci-fi action adventure movie.

May The Force Be With You.
  
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
1983 | Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Packed With Iconic Moments
Jedi Luke Skywalker tries to put an end to the evil empire, led by Darth Vader, once and for all. While I consider Return of the Jedi the weaker of the older three, it still represents classic sci-fi that later films will aspire to be.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 8
Starts off a bit slower than the previous two, but doesn’t take too long to pick up. I wasn’t overly wowed, yet I was intrigued enough to want to see what was coming next. It was definitely a daring choice going almost twenty minutes before we start to see the main characters we know and love onscreen.

Characters: 10
Speaking of which, the gang is all back for Return of the Jedi. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is a hero for the ages, a lovable winner that is struggling to manage his power and his true place in the world. The Star Wars world is filled with such rich characters from the amazing Chewbaca to those cute little Ewoks. And we can’t forget about Vader one of the most terrifying villains in the history of film. Quality characters all around.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The lightsaber fights are just ramped up to another level in Return of the Jedi. The battles, especially between Luke and Vader, feel more personal and intense. As always, the setpieces leave a lot to remember. I loved the stormtrooper airbike chase through the forest. This, like many of the other scenes, were a treat to behold.

Conflict: 10

Entertainment Value: 9

Memorability: 8
This movie is iconic, filled to the brim with memorable moments. There is one scene in particular that holds on to my memory, one between Luke and Yoda. It happens fairly early on in the movie and sets the pace for what is to come. A powerful moment between two icons. Whether we are witnessing phenomenal battles between good and evil or cute ewoks dancing, this movie is a walking memory.

Pace: 9

Plot: 8

Resolution: 10

Overall: 92
Not perfect, Return of the Jedi still manages to be a classic by tying up a lot of loose ends and checking off all the important movie boxes. It might not be the best of the series, but it is definitely one of the most endearing. It’s one I can watch repeatedly and enjoy it all over again like the first time.