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David McK (3935 KP) rated Star Wars: Last Shot in Books

Jan 28, 2019

Star Wars: Last Shot

Daniel José Older | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

4.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Released roughly around the time of the worst-box-office performing Star Wars movie (a backlash to 'The Last Jedi', maybe?) of 'Solo: A Star Wars movie', this novel attempts to tie together three separate time periods: we have post 'Return of the Jedi'/pre 'The Force Awakens' family man Han who struggles to be a father to young Ben Solo alongside missing-from-the-movies (so far) Lando, a post Solo Hand and Chewie, and a pre-Solo Lando and L3 all chasing after the same McGuffin.

And, for me, it just doesn't hang together all that well.

Perhaps the biggest problem I had with it, however - and it's an irrational one, I know - is in the almost complete absence of the Millennium Falcon in the 'modern day' portions: if you're going to have it prominently on the cover, and have both Han and Lando working together, at least get their most famous starship in on the action!

Well, that, and the Ewok slicer prodigy. (I still associate Ewok's with Return of the Jedi and in how they are portrayed - i.e. as technologically primitive! - in the old Expanded Universe).

Kudos

Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Restaurant at the End of the Universe in Books

Nov 25, 2019

Like the first book, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is based on the radio series Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But where the first book was more-or-less the plot of the first four episodes, for the second book Adams included many of the best bits of the second series too, changing the story around to keep some semblance of plot (beyond Arthur's search for a decent cup of tea).

A perfect example of his ability to 'write backwards' the contents of 8 half hour radio scripts are condensed into one book, then expanded again with further footnotes and wry observations of the human condition. There is so much to like, so much to enjoy. The visit to the Hitchhiker head office, the Total Perspective Vortex, lemon soaked paper napkins, the Restaurant itself. And of course the classic and downbeat ending.

As a pair of books this and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy will keep you smiling for days, first as you read them and then as you remember all the little quotes, footnotes and bizarre extracts from The Book.

Nobody has ever come close to replicating Adams. This book shows why.