Tag: Books

My Entertainment Update for May 2025

Hello friends! It’s been a busy month with books and shows, so let’s get started.

(Please be awere there are SPOILERS for everything I talk about below.)

The Acolyte: Wayseeker, by Justina Ireland. Despite the mixed reactions to The Acolyte, I’m one of the people who enjoyed it and was looking forward to this novel featuring Vernestra Rwoh and Jedi Knight Indara. And though it wasn’t particularly a page-turner, nor did it add anything of interest to the current lore, I enjoyed the book for its character insights and some information on what became of some other characters during the High Republic. The book takes place maybe 15-20 years before The Acolyte, but decades after the time of the High Republic books. Vernestra is closing in on 100 years old (she was 15-20 during the Nihil conflict in the books) and Indara is a youngish Jedi Knight, about late twenties.

The plot involves the illegal manufacture of nullifiers, bracelet-like devices that can power down a lightsaber or blasters (different from cortosis, which we saw in The Acolyte). Vernestra Rwoh, who has been a Wayseeker for the past ten years (a Jedi who spreads the Light of the Force on their own, outside of the Order itself), has been called back to the Order to investigate the problem. They send Indara to fetch her back, and it takes a while for the two Jedi to like and understand each other. Indara is a capable Jedi but has been isolated in the Archives for over a year since a mission gone wrong damaged her confidence. Vernestra has been on her own for quite some time, and is a bit cynical about the Order, believing it has gotten too involved in Senate business. Her cynicism shocks Indara, but she is still loyal to the Order, and the two investigate a lead concerning a murdered Senator.

They eventually track down the manufacturer of the nullifiers, Nillson, the spice-addicted son of a wealthy planetary leader, but it’s how they get there and the little details along the way that interested me. Vernestra has, since her youth, had Force visions during hyperspace, and that has only gotten more intense as she’s gotten older. As she travels with Indara, she has Force visions of her former master, Stellan Gios, who gives her clues, advice, and warnings along the way. As they pursue a wayward scientist, they visit Avon Starros’ son, Felix, and we learn that Avon had passed away several years ago. It was the same with Imri Cantaros, Vernestra’s first Padawan, who had become a Jedi Philosopher. Vernestra had holos of both Avon and Imri, as well as of Stellan, on her ship (named the Cantaros). Indara wondered if these holos were examples of attachment, but Vernestra explained that fondness and remembrance was not obsession and did not constitute attachment.

During their investigation they found help in Ty Yorick, another figure from the High Republic. Ty showed up mostly in the comics, but she did make an appearance in The Rising Storm. She had left the Order and become a “monster hunter” and at some point, rejoined the Jedi until retirement; now she was quite old and used a repulsor chair, although still quite capable.

There are a few other cameos I liked: Yaddle, in particular, and members of the High Council, including Yoda, of course, and Oppo Rancisis. Vernestra, whose chapters are in the first person (while Indara’s are in the third person), briefly mentions a former Padawan that had gone awry; we’re to assume that this is Qimir from the Acolyte. I’m dying for more information about that story, but we don’t get much here; I’m hoping we’ll get another book or maybe comic that covers that painful incident in Vernestra’s life.

Anyway, they finally catch up with Nillson; he gets killed and the nullifiers are destroyed. Indara decides she wants to become a Wayseeker, and I assume she does for a time, although she’s back in the Order in the flashbacks in The Acolyte. Vernestra stays on Coruscant, putting an office for herself in the Senate building, as a liaison between the Order and the Senate. She feels the two entities are getting too intertwined, and this way she can keep an eye on their interactions. This is the Vernestra we see in The Acolyte, and it seems to make a bit more sense now.

Anyway, if you enjoyed The Acolyte, I think you’ll like this book. I do hope we get more books in this era, with Vernestra, Qimir’s story, perhaps Plagueis, a mention of a young Palpatine, leading up to the Prequels? I’d love it!

A Valiant Vow, by Justina Ireland. Yes, Justina Ireland published TWO books in May on the same day! But they’re both fairly short, so maybe not so overwhelming as we might think? And slightly connected, in that this one focuses on Imri Cantaros, Vernestra’s first Padawan.

This is the final middle-grade book of the High Republic, and though it was fairly short and the plot simple, it did hit some emotional spots. Imri has been on the planet Aricho with fellow Jedi Knight Yacek Sparkburn at the Jedi Outpost there. There had been some doings in a comic book story that I have not read, mainly that Imri and friends helped the people on Aricho fend off the Nihil. He liked it enough to stay there, teaching younglings and basically living a very simple, contented life. He had lost his lightsaber some time ago but doesn’t feel any need to replace it, feeling the Force is all he needs.

But then the President of Aricho asks Imri and Yacek to investigate several ships that had crashed on the planet, and they discover that they had been attacked by scav droids, a leftover of the Nihil attack. Then the President goes missing, and things get a little complicated as they find out she’s been making deals with the Hutts for the planet’s glaka root.

In the meantime, Zenny Greylark, the daughter of a Senator, and youngling Tep-Tep make their way to Aricho to help their friend Churo, a young Hutt that broke away from his criminal family to study plant science. He and his scientist mentor have gone to Aricho to study glaka root but got attacked by the scav droids. Churo sent out a message for help before they crashed, and Tep-Tep managed to hear it at the Temple.

Anyway, all the friends are reunited on Aricho and have to deal with angry Hutts, scav droids, and the Blight, which is spreading fast on the planet. Churo manages to broker a deal between the Jedi and the Hutts, as it’s his sister that has come to the planet; Zenny and the Jedi deal with the scav droids; and everyone gets evacuated before the Blight can take over, as well as before a huge storm descends on them. Zenny and her sister find their missing Dad, and Tep-Tep becomes Imri’s Padawan. It’s all very sweet and satisfying, and I have to say that Churo is one of my favorite middle-grade characters (honestly, there aren’t many, lol, considering the age group we’re talking about, but this guy is seriously sweet).

A solid last entry in the middle-grade category, following the last YA book Into the Light; now all we’re waiting for is the last adult book, Trials of the Jedi, which comes out next month. Can’t wait to see how it all wraps up!

Tales of the Underworld. I’ve really enjoyed the Tales Of series, after Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire. I was kind of hoping for Tales of the Rebellion or something, and I was a bit underwhelmed when I heard about Tales of the Underworld. Ventress, sure, I was interested in, but Cad Bane? Meh, not so much.

But ironically, it was Bane’s stories that I enjoyed more than Ventress’s. I did like the Ventress arc, but I still have questions, lol. It was the Bane arc that really hit me emotionally. Not so much Bane himself (the jerk), but the other characters. His friend Niro, who grew up under the same conditions as Bane (or Coby, as he’s called), but took a different route. He bettered himself, bettered the community he lived in, did the right thing. In cleaning up his city, he killed Lazlo, Bane’s mentor, and so of course Bane had to get revenge. Niro took up with Bane’s old girlfriend, who turned out to be pregnant with Bane’s child, so he ended up raising his friend’s kid. It’s all very soapy, lol, and I kind of like it.

As I said, I liked Ventress’s arc, especially the dynamic between Ventress and Lyco, but the episodes weren’t particularly interesting to me. They finally made it to the Path, but Ventress didn’t go with Lyco. Of course, I wanted to see a reunion with Quinlan, but for some reason, she ran away. Why? I’ve seen the explanation that she didn’t feel like she’d earned it, that she needed to do more to atone for her past. I don’t buy it. The woman DIED for Quinlan. What else does a girl have to do, geez. No, I think it’s because she knew it was a condition of her resurrection. Mother Talzin did say that in order to come back, she’d have to “give up her heart’s desire.” Maybe she thought if she met up with him, she’d die again? Or he would? As I said, I have questions, lol. But I’m hoping we see more of Ventress in future projects that may answer them.

The Book of M, by Peng Shepard. I noticed this book when it came out several years ago and put it on my mental list. I finally found it at a library sale for a buck, lol, so it was time to read it. Here’s a blurb:

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE UP TO REMEMBER?

Set in a dangerous near future world, The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart, but on the world itself.

One afternoon at an outdoor market in India, a man’s shadow disappears—an occurrence science cannot explain. He is only the first. The phenomenon spreads like a plague, and while those afflicted gain a strange new power, it comes at a horrible price: the loss of all their memories.

Ory and his wife Max have escaped the Forgetting so far by hiding in an abandoned hotel deep in the woods. Their new life feels almost normal, until one day Max’s shadow disappears too.

Knowing that the more she forgets, the more dangerous she will become to Ory, Max runs away. But Ory refuses to give up the time they have left together. Desperate to find Max before her memory disappears completely, he follows her trail across a perilous, unrecognizable world, braving the threat of roaming bandits, the call to a new war being waged on the ruins of the capital, and the rise of a sinister cult that worships the shadowless.

As they journey, each searches for answers: for Ory, about love, about survival, about hope; and for Max, about a new force growing in the south that may hold the cure.

Like The Passage and Station Eleven, this haunting, thought-provoking, and beautiful novel explores fundamental questions of memory, connection, and what it means to be human in a world turned upside down.

I really enjoyed this book; its premise was original and had me turning the pages to see what would happen. Definitely worth the dollar I paid, lol.

The Last of Us, Seasons 1 & 2. When I heard about this series based on a video game, it sounded pretty interesting–mushroom zombies! I’m in, lol. But I didn’t have HBO at the time and figured I’d wait a bit. I saw that the first season was available on Youtube, so I bought it and dived right in.

And holy fungal infection, this show! I binged it in days, and then realized Season 2 was wrapping up that very weekend, so I had to bundle HBO Max with my Disney/Hulu subscription to watch it, ‘cuz I wasn’t gonna wait, lol.

I’m not a gamer, so I’m not familiar with the game, but the show is outstanding. Ultra-violent, predictably, but deeply emotional and morally intriguing. The premise is that the cordyceps mushroom has found a way to infect humans, taking over the brain and controlling their actions, with fungus growing out of their heads and bodies. It’s even creepier when you know that cordyceps already does this in real life in insects, which is horrifying enough. Anyway, the Outbreak occurs, and everything goes south. The story takes place mostly twenty years later. There are quarantine zones in the major cities, ruled by FEDRA, an outbranch of the federal government that has turned quite fascist in trying to keep control. A group called the Fireflies is in opposition to FEDRA.

Joel is emotionally distant after the death of his daughter early on in the Outbreak; it took protecting Ellie to open him up and find a purpose in life again. Season One is Joel trying to get Ellie to the doctor in Salt Lake City who may be able to make a cure, as Ellie is immune. They encounter all manner of obstacles, and it always ends with blood and death, but they make it. But to make the cure, Ellie has to die. Joel was having none of it. When he walked through that hospital killing everyone he encountered, it was brutal, but I don’t blame him for it. Look, I’m gonna say it, I love my kid more than all of humanity put together, so I would have done the same.

Of course, there’s a price to be paid. That’s what Season Two is all about. Joel knew he would probably pay the price someday, so when the doctor’s daughter, Abby, comes along for revenge, he doesn’t beg, plead, or explain. He accepts it with a nod; but Abby wants to make him suffer, and he does. Ellie witnesses some of it, and when it’s over and Joel is dead, she plans her own revenge, going to Seattle with her girlfriend Dina to find Abby. They find themselves in the middle of a war between the Fireflies (Abby’s group) and a strange cult they call the Scars. Their war is brutal and bloody, filled with bitterness and hatred; who knows who started it or why, and it doesn’t really matter.

And so you can’t help but contrast that with Ellie’s need for revenge. Yes, Joel’s death was awful, and she’ll never get over it. But Abby feels the same way about her father. The revenge killings could go on and on forever, starting a war between the two communities, between Seattle and Jackson. And how does that help humanity? It doesn’t, of course. Should Joel have allowed the doctor to kill Ellie for a cure? Maybe. Probably. But he killed for love. Abby killed for revenge, but it was also for love for her father. Yet, Joel’s death didn’t bring him back. It just started a chain of death that, at the end of Season 2, leaves Ellie devastated at killing a pregnant woman, the death of her friend Jesse, and who knows who else.

This show just gutted me in so many ways. The evolution of Joel and Ellie’s relationship in Season One, and Ellie’s sense of betrayal in Season Two, is the emotional backbone of the series. The little side-trip with Bill and Frank was touching and sweet; the flashbacks with Joel giving Ellie her birthday presents were heart-wrenching (Joel forgot his daughter’s cake on her birthday before the Outbreak; he never forgot Ellie’s cake in Jackson). Joel and Ellie’s tear-soaked conversation on the porch the night before he died made me shed a tear or two.

And oh, yeah, mushroom zombies! Lol. The fact that they’re evolving, getting “smart” and sneaky, and spreading the spores through the air, bodes for some more scariness in the future. Anyway, now I’m sad I have to wait, probably a year or two, for Season 3.

So I think this post has gone on long enough, so I’ll share my latest drawings in a separate post. (And I’m still working on my Andor thoughts, too).

What’s been entertaining you lately? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Update for April 2025

Hello friends! I’m a bit late with the update, but I wanted to wait until Andor was finished so I could comment on the show as a whole. But now I have so many thoughts I think I’ll do a separate post on Andor, so stay tuned. Until then:

Into the Light, by Claudia Gray. This is the final YA novel of the High Republic series, and Claudia Gray got a chance to focus on Reath Silas, the character she began with in Into the Dark. Reath has grown up quite a bit since his debut as a Padawan, and now as a Knight is leading a mission to Kashyyyk to investigate the Blight. Unfortunately, a patch of the force-eating blight has been found on the Wookiees’ home world, and since Reath has been involved in trying to find a way to eradicate it, he brings a team that includes Avon Starros, two Wookie Jedi–Burryaga and Kelnacca (from the Acolyte)–a Padawan named Amadeo, and Reath’s former Master, Cohmac.

Infiltrating the group is Nan, a Nihil member Reath met in Into the Dark, who now claims she has left the Nihil and wants to help the Jedi find renegade Nihil scientist Dr. Mkampa, who has also gone to Kashyyk for her own nefarious purposes. Also along for the ride is Azlin Rell, the former Jedi from the second phase of the High Republic who has fallen to the dark side. He’s no Sith, of course; he’s just been consumed by the dark side since a run-in with a Nameless. He’s been around for over a hundred years, his life sustained by the dark side, and he’s, well, a little crazy, lol. But Reath seems to think he can be of some help.

In trying to fight the Blight and Dr. Mkampa, the group discover a deeply-held Wookie secret: the white wroshyr tree grove that has held back a dark-side object for millennia. It turns out to be a Stormseed, which spreads the dark side to everything around it, and the trees have used all of their Light in the Force to hold it back. The Stormseed is also the object that Dr. Mkampa has been looking for.

All of these elements come into play in the climax of the book, and while I don’t think this is one of the best books to come out of the High Republic, I’ve always loved Reath and enjoyed it immensely.

Other books I’ve read this past month:

The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon. For the sake of getting this darned post out, I’m going to just put some Amazon blurbs about these books here:

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

The Mercies, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

After the men in an Arctic Norwegian town are wiped out, the women must survive a sinister threat in this “perfectly told” 1600s parable of “a world gone mad” (Adriana Trigiani).

Finnmark, Norway, 1617. Twenty-year-old Maren Magnusdatter stands on the craggy coast, watching the sea break into a sudden and reckless storm. Forty fishermen, including her brother and father, are drowned and left broken on the rocks below. With the menfolk wiped out, the women of the tiny Arctic town of Vardø must fend for themselves.

Three years later, a stranger arrives on their shore. Absalom Cornet comes from Scotland, where he burned witches in the northern isles. He brings with him his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, who is both heady with her husband’s authority and terrified by it. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa sees something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God, and flooded with a mighty evil.

As Maren and Ursa are drawn to one another in ways that surprise them both, the island begins to close in on them, with Absalom’s iron rule threatening Vardø’s very existence. Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1621 witch trials, The Mercies is a story of love, evil, and obsession, set at the edge of civilization.

Both of these were excellent books and inspired by real events. Highly recommended if you like historical and/or women’s fiction.

Announcements: Between Celebration Japan and May the Fourth, we got a few exciting announcements for future projects.

As far as movies go (besides the ones we already know about, like The Mandalorian and Grogu and the Rey movie, etc.), there’s one in the works called Starfighter with Ryan Gosling starring. Sounds like it might be a pilot movie that replaces Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron idea that was announced a few years ago. Anyway, with Ryan Gosling on board, I’m in.

We’ve all been waiting for a new animated series, and now we’re going to get Maul: Shadow Lord. Not really what I was expecting or wanting, but okay. I think it starts shortly after the Empire takes over, but I’m really interested in his dealings with Crimson Dawn and Q’ira, how he got to Malachor, later stuff like that. Hopefully we’ll get some answers. Even though I’m not super-excited, I’ve learned to wait and see and be prepared to love it. When The Bad Batch was announced, I thought “Them? Why?” Same with Andor. And I’ve come to love both of them and believe that they’re some of the best Star Wars out there.

Also announced was Season 3 of Visions, coming out in October. I’ve really enjoyed Visions and am looking forward to another season. Visions is fun because creators can play around with Star Wars and follow their own, well, visions of what it could without worrying about “canon” and all that. With both Seasons 1 and 2, there are some episodes that I absolutely loved, and some that didn’t resonate with me all that much. And that’s all right; it’s just interesting to see what these anime creators come up with.

As far as books go, we’ve got two new announcements:

The Last Order, by Kwame Mbalia (no cover yet), which comes out in October 2025, is a post-sequel book (finally!) with Finn and Jannah. Apparently, they come across some kids who had been kidnapped by the First Order, which I imagine triggers memories of their own childhood and time as stormtroopers. I’m looking forward to this one, as I’ve been starved for post-sequel material.

The other book is Master of Evil, which I believe focuses on Vader and his pursuit of the dark arts that bring back the dead (he presumably has Padme in mind). I feel like there’s so much Vader stuff out there, why do we need this, but okay, I’ll check it out. It’s by Adam Christopher, who wrote the excellent Shadow of the Sith, so I have hope that I’ll like it indeed. It comes out in November of 2025.

So here’s my latest Star Wars drawings (All Andor characters, as I’ve been watching and loving the show):

I’m pretty happy with Dedra here, despite her weird neck roll, lol.
Bix came out all right, even though the eye on the right is a bit wonky.
This is my favorite of the bunch. And one of my favorite characters. (I spelled his name wrong, though, lol).
Syril didn’t come out as well as I’d hoped.
I think Kino Loy came out well. I’m getting better at beards!

I’ve got more Andor character drawings in the works, and I’ll share them with you next month.

So what’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Entertainment Update for August 2024

The Immortalists, Chloe Benjamin. How would you live your life if you knew the day you were going to die? The four Gold siblings have to deal with this scenario, as they visit a fortune-teller when they are quite young (7-13) on a whim. Though they claim not to take it too seriously, the knowledge follows them throughout their lives and affects them in ways they cannot fathom as kids.

The book is divided into four parts, one section for each of the Gold siblings: from Simon, the youngest (and the first to die at twenty of AIDS in 1982 San Francisco); to Klara, a magician who feels responsible for encouraging Simon to run away to that city; to Daniel whose idea it was to go to the fortune-teller in the first place; to Varya, the oldest and most skeptical, but who ends up living the longest and with the most serious consequences of all her losses.

The book engrossed me, and brought up questions of fate versus free will, of self-fulfilling prophecies, and how we deal with grief and loss. I, for one, would NOT want to know the date of my death if given the opportunity (this book goes a long way in convincing me of that, lol), but the siblings were kids when they found out and didn’t understand how profound such a revelation could be.

It’s an intriguing premise and I recommend it if you like literary books and family dynamic stories. Just be prepared for a lot of tragedy.

Binti Trilogy, Nnedi Okorafor. I was introduced to Nnedi Okorafor with her novel Who Fears Death? a few years ago, and I loved it. It was different than any fantasy I’d ever read, and that was when I discovered Afro-Futurism (science fiction/fantasy that is rooted in Black history and culture). Here’s a brief Amazon summary of the trilogy:

In her Hugo- and Nebula-winning novella, Nnedi Okorafor introduced us to Binti, a young Himba girl with the chance of a lifetime: to attend the prestigious Oomza University. Despite her family’s concerns, Binti’s talent for mathematics and her aptitude with astrolabes make her a prime candidate to undertake this interstellar journey.
 
But everything changes when the jellyfish-like Medusae attack Binti’s spaceship, leaving her the only survivor. Now, Binti must fend for herself, alone on a ship full of the beings who murdered her crew, with five days until she reaches her destination.
 
There is more to the history of the Medusae—and their war with the Khoush—than first meets the eye. If Binti is to survive this voyage and save the inhabitants of the unsuspecting planet that houses Oomza Uni, it will take all of her knowledge and talents to broker the peace.
 
But even if Binti achieves this remarkable feat, it’s not the end of her story. For this lone Himba woman, now bonded with a Medusa and forever changed by this bond, still must find a way to survive and thrive at Oomza University amid swirling interspecies biases. And eventually, she must return home to test the strength of the fragile peace she worked so hard to win.

The trilogy includes Binti, Binti: Home, and Binti: The Night Masquerade; the first two books are rather short novellas, and the third is closer to novel-length. The story drew me in right away with Binti’s unique cultural characteristics: Binti is good at “treeing”, which involves meditating through mental mathematics (!); she can also, through treeing, create energy currents through her fingers; she and her father are specialists in making “astrolabes,” which are like fancy futuristic cell phones that everyone carries around with them. The women of her tribe cover their flesh with a native red clay called otjize, and feel utterly naked without it. Binti journeys into space in a living spaceship called “First Fish.” There’s just some very cool world-building in these books.

Binti’s journey is ultimately a coming-of-age story, and an exploration of the adage that “you can never go home again.” All wrapped up in a science-fiction story that explores cultural prejudices and the futility of war. I loved it.

Beware the Nameless, by Zoraida Cordova. This is the second middle-grade book in Phase 3 of the High Republic and came out August 27th. I’ve only just begun reading it, but here’s a summary of the book from Amazon:

The fearsome Nihil continue to spread chaos inside the Occlusion Zone, aided by the mysterious creatures called the Nameless that feed on the Force itself. When the people of an embattled world plead for help with the Nihil threat, a team of both Republic Defense Coalition members and Jedi—including Ram Jomaram—is sent to their aid.

The team soon discovers that their ship contains four stowaways—Jedi younglings Kildo, TepTep, and Jamil, and Zenny Greylark, a senator’s daughter determined to find her sister. When a distress call comes in from a nearby planet, Jedi Master Adi-Li Carro agrees to take the stowaways to investigate. There, they will encounter a young Hutt on a mission, a stranger with mysterious motives, and the creatures they fear the most. . . .

I’ve always enjoyed the middle-grade books of the High Republic, but what I’m really waiting for is the second YA book, Tears of the Nameless, which features one of my favorite HR characters, Reath Silas. That one comes out on September 24th, and I’m looking forward to it.

D23: Skeleton Crew, Andor & Mandalorian & Grogu trailers. D23 gave us a few teaser trailers for some upcoming Star Wars content, the first of which will be Skeleton Crew, coming out on December 3rd. I think it will be fun, but probably not something I’ll rewatch on a regular basis. I do love Jude Law and am looking forward to seeing what he brings to the Star Wars universe.

It seems like we’ve been waiting forever for Andor Season Two, and it appears we’re finally getting it in 2025. I’ve been saving my Andor rewatch for just before Season 2 comes out, lol.

The Mandalorian and Grogu movie will apparently come out in 2026. I’ll be there with my popcorn.

Rings of Power Season Two trailer. I watched Season One of this series and really enjoyed it. I’m a fan of the books, as well as Peter Jackson’s movies, and the artistic choices of the show didn’t bother me a bit. I’m hoping to watch Season Two soon, but I’ve been having an issue with Amazon and need to get on the phone with them pronto, lol. I also need to rewatch Season One, as it’s been a while and I need a refresher.

Olympics obsession. This site is called Star Wars And Other Obsessions, and the Olympics this year turned out to be one of my surprising obsessions. I’ve never paid so much attention to the event as I have this time around; I think it’s because there were so many fascinating personalities coming out of it on social media.

My absolute favorite was Stephen Nedoroscik, or “Pommel Horse Guy.” A “specialist” on the USA men’s gymnastics team, his only event was pommel horse, and his routine won the team the bronze medal; he also won an individual bronze. Impressive enough, but it’s his humility and sweet nerd-boy personality that makes people love him. He’s become a social media star and will be on Dancing With The Stars next month (luckily it will be on Disney+ so I can check out his dance moves, lol.)

A couple of my Bad Batch Facebook groups likened him to Tech, and I can see that. Stephen is a mechanical engineering major who can solve a Rubik’s cube in 10 seconds and has those trademark goggles. But he smiles and laughs a lot more than our very serious clone, which is quite endearing.

Oh, and they likened Crosshair to this guy:

So many great performances, so many heart-warming stories. I just loved it. Bring on 2028!

What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Update for April

The Bad Batch S3. We’re just one episode away from the conclusion of The Bad Batch as a series, and I’ve got mixed emotions about it: anticipation, dread, excitement, sadness, and curiosity about how the heck they’re going to wrap everything up in one final episode based on where we are right now. There’s been some speculation that the last episode (titled “The Calvary Has Arrived”) will be longer than the usual 25 or so minutes, but I’ve also heard it’s just going to be 22 minutes. So who knows?

There’s also speculation that the finale will introduce the beginnings of a new animated series about the Clone Rebellion, led by Rex, Gregor and Wolfe and perhaps Echo; but again, we don’t really know. Bad Batch fans are just holding their collective breath to see how this story ends, who might die, who lives to fight another day, and darnit, who’s CX-2? Is it Tech? Cody? Just another clone? There’s so many questions that need to be answered. And, ready or not, we’re going to get them (hopefully) next week. I’m planning on writing a post after the finale for my final thoughts. What are your predictions?

Tales of the Empire. I’d been hoping for a Season 2 of Tales of the Jedi, but this will definitely do. All six short episodes drop on May 4th with three focusing on Morgan Elsbeth, and three on Barriss Offee. It will be interesting to see Morgan’s beginnings with the witches of Dathomir and how she became Thrawn’s ally; but I think we’re all a bit more excited about seeing Barriss for the first time since her arrest in Clone Wars. Questions about her fate have been swirling in the fandom for years, and now finally we’ll get some answers. Based on the trailer, she’s obviously been recruited to become an Inquisitor after Order 66, but will she ultimately commit to the dark side? Can’t wait to find out!

The Living Force, by John Jackson Miller. I’m not quite done with this book but I’m getting close, less than a hundred pages left. It takes place just before The Phantom Menace; Qui Gon Jinn has offered a challenge to the Jedi Council: to reconnect to the Living Force, get out of the Council chambers and away from their focus on the Cosmic Force (the big picture), and “Just help one person.”

So they do. All eleven members of the Council decide to meet up on the planet Kwenn. The Jedi Temple there, manned since the High Republic, has been slated for closing, a common occurrence at this time. During the High Republic, the Jedi established Temples on a great many planets, to send a message to the people that “The Jedi Stand With You.” Since then there aren’t many Jedi outposts left, as the Jedi increasingly retrenched to the main temple on Coruscant and made decisions in close concert with the Senate and the Republic. The Jedi Council, in particular, have lost touch with the common people of the galaxy, who increasingly don’t trust the Jedi or know very little about them.

Anyway, off they go: Ki-Adi-Mundi, Yarael Poof, Plo Kloon, Saesee Tiin, Even Piell, Eeth Koth, Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, Yoda and Yaddle. Depa Billaba is also a member of the Council at this time, but she’s on a mission. Mace becomes concerned when she goes missing, and his part of the story is trying to find her and what her mission involves, while the others arrive on Kwenn and soon become enmeshed in helping the locals with solving their problems. Kwenn’s society has been declining in recent years and has seen an influx in pirate activity, which in turn has led to less tourism, and the corporations operating there leaving the system, which impacts everyone living there.

While they’re helping various people and groups, they’re also planning a big celebration where they invite all the citizens of Kwenn to show their solidarity with them. The problem is, the villain of the book, a pirate named Zilastra who has kidnapped Depa Billaba, plans on consolidating her power in the sector and killing all the Jedi at this celebration.

John Jackson Miller does an admirable job switching back and forth between all these characters and their individual missions, while making the story fun and lighter than most other books. There’s quite a bit of humor, and we get to know these lesser-known characters and their personalities better. It’s kind of sad, knowing the fate of all these characters at the hands of either the Separatists, Sidious, or Order 66 (Yoda being the only survivor). Because of this, I’m glad of the opportunity to get to know them better.

Star Wars and Philosophy Strike Back, by various contributors. I was browsing through a Barnes and Noble store recently and came upon this book in the philosophy section, so of course I had to get it! I don’t usually read a lot of nonfiction about Star Wars but I want that to change and this seemed like an interesting place to start. I haven’t gotten into it yet because I wanted to finish The Living Force first, but it addresses questions like:

Should droids be free? Should clone troopers?

What political and ethical ideas ground resistance and rebellion?

What’s wrong with the way women are portrayed in Star Wars?

Does Han Solo have a philosophical worldview?

Was Galen Erso responsible for the destruction of Alderaan?

Should you eat Baby Yoda?

I’m not sure what that last question is all about, but I’m certainly curious, as I am about all of them. There’s a total of thirty-six essays addressing some deep questions presented by Star Wars, written by various philosophers, and I’m looking forward to delving into them.

That’s about it for this past month. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Update for February 2024

Hello friends! It’s been a busy month and there’s a lot to cover, so here’s an update of what’s been entertaining me lately:

The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker. I finally finished this big book, and absolutely loved it. It’s the story of a female golem, a supernatural creature made out of clay by Hebrew magic, and a male jinni, a creature of light and fire from the Syrian desert. These two form an unlikely friendship in 1900 New York. The story of how they came to be and how they met is a long, complicated one, but it turns out the man who made the golem is also the reincarnated version of the man who trapped the jinni in a bottle a thousand years ago. The soul of the man’s many lives is bound–and cursed–by the spell he wove so long ago, binding his soul to the jinni. By circumstance and serendipity, the golem and the jinni find themselves trying to fit into the human world they’re trapped in, and eventually escape the clutches of their nemesis, Joseph Schall. This is a very simplistic summary; the story is richly told, the setting of Little Syria and the Jewish neighborhoods in New York in 1900 is intricately detailed, and the cast of supporting characters is fantastic. It took me a few months to read it, and I loved every minute of it. I just found out there is a sequel called The Hidden Palace, and I’ve promptly ordered it; I’ll be voicing my thoughts on that on my next update.

Escape from Valo, by Daniel Jose Older and Alyssa Wong. This is the first middle-grade novel for Phase 3 of the High Republic. It takes place on Valo, where the Republic Fair took place and was attacked by the Nihil in the book The Rising Storm, from Phase 1. Valo is the home planet of Ram Jomaram, a Padawan who had adventures and battles against the Nihil in previous books. Since the attack on the Republic Fair two and a half years ago, the Nihil put up their Stormwall and took control of Valo. They killed many adult Jedi with the Nameless, and Ram is hiding out in the abandoned Jedi Temple, and masquerading as the “Scarlet Skull,” making strikes against the Nihil and broadcasting his rebellious messages on various channels.

He comes across three Jedi younglings–Gavi, Kildo, and Tep Tep–who had been hiding in the mountains for a year but have been inspired by the Scarlet Skull and have come back to Lonisa City to fight the Nihil. Thrown into the mix is a Zabrak youth called Zyle, a pirate who has come to Valo to find bacta on the sunken ship the Innovator. Together they cause trouble for the Nihil commander, Vark Tarpalin, and hatch a plan to retrieve the bacta.

Another player is Driggit, Gavi’s former best friend who has joined the Nihil, initially to help protect her parents and Valo. She had thought her former Jedi friends had been killed, but when they show up again attacking the Nihil, she inexplicably becomes enraged. I didn’t really understand or like this character. I thought her stint with the Nihil was just a ruse and she wasn’t really one of them, but when her friends come back, she blames them for making things worse and is actually willing to kill them later on in the story, and she feels very much like an actual Nihil. I felt her character was a bit contrived for drama’s sake.

Other than that, I enjoyed the book and thought it a fine addition to the High Republic middle-grade collection. It’s got a lot of heart and deals with Jedi relationships and attachments, their connections to the Force, and of course, learning to deal with fear, to accept risk, and to grow.

The Legends of Luke Skywalker, by Ken Liu. This was a pretty fun book. It takes place during the Sequel era, when Luke Skywalker is still in hiding, and very much just a legend for most people. A crew on a transport ship are heading to Canto Bight for a delivery, and they amuse themselves with stories they’ve heard about Luke Skywalker. Most of the stories are entertaining (even though their knowledge or ideas about the legendary Jedi are garbled at most, and ignorant and ridiculous at worst). There was only one story I thought particularly stupid, and that one’s about a flea-sized sentient creature hanging out on Luke and giving him directions on how to fight the rancor and Jabba’s henchman. Are you kidding me? But maybe that’s the point: these stories about Luke can beggar belief; it doesn’t take long for facts to get mixed up, for feats to be exaggerated, for truth to become tall tales. But I like how in one of the stories, Luke himself, after listening to some woman relate ludicrous tales about Luke Skywalker, say that he doesn’t mind the inaccuracies. The whole point of the war and the New Republic was partly about freedom of speech; people can say what they want without fear of being imprisoned or killed. Luke’s actions weren’t about being celebrated as a hero, but about fighting for what’s right. As long as that was accomplished, it doesn’t matter what people say about him. I thought that was a great touch. Anyway, an entertaining read.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. I’ve had my eye on this book for a few years now, as I am an avowed introvert. As I suspect is the case with most introverts, I’ve always felt out of place in this loud world and that perhaps something was wrong with me. I even feel that my introversion has held me back in my life and I’ve missed opportunities that might have made me more successful. While this might be true, it’s gratifying to know that I’m not alone, that introversion is not a kind of deviance or disease, and that we can learn to work with our personality traits to navigate successfully through life. I’ve just started this book, and the beginning is filled with scientific studies, both biological and psychological, and it’s fascinating. I do hope we move on from all the studies and possibly learn some strategies in making life a bit easier for those of us who don’t wish to throw ourselves into the spotlight. At least not all the time, lol.

I love how Omega looks like a tough little cookie here, lol.

The Bad Batch Season 3 Premiere. The Batch is finally back, and the first three episodes didn’t disappoint! I’m working on a separate post of my thoughts for the episodes, but until then let me just say I’m loving it already and am excited for the next episode! Stay tuned.

Assembled: The Making of Echo. These behind-the-scenes docs are always fun to watch, and this one’s no exception. I was impressed that the entire cast and a lot of the crew learned sign language before filming began, to make things flow easier for the deaf star, Alaqua Cox. They also asked for input from the Choctaw Nation, to be as authentic as possible in their Native representation on screen. I adored this series; there were no global stakes or huge super-hero powers at work, just a woman caught between two worlds who’s trying to make sense of who she is and who she ought to be. All while being very kick-ass, of course, lol.

Upcoming: Temptation of the Force, Tessa Gratton. This book was just announced for release on June 11th. It’s the second adult High Republic novel of Phase 3, and I can’t wait for it!

Forbidden love…it’s going to be disastrous, and it’s going to be great!

Here’s the blurb:

For over a year, Jedi Masters Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann were kept apart by the Nihil’s Stormwall. After Avar makes a daring escape from inside the Occlusion Zone, the star-crossed Jedi are reunited. But while the physical distance between them has evaporated, their shared grief over their failure to protect the galaxy from the Nihil threat remains.
 
To rally the Jedi Order and the Republic, Avar and Elzar cling to their belief in serving Light and Life. Together, they lead a daring mission into Nihil space to liberate the planet of Naboo and show those trapped behind the Stormwall that the Jedi will never abandon them. Now back within close orbit of each other, the two Jedi Masters can no longer deny the bond that has always drawn them back together and made them stronger.
 
After finally embracing their true desires and imbued with renewed purpose, Avar and Elzar devise a plan to turn the tide of the conflict with the Nihil once and for all. Accompanied by Jedi Knights Bell Zettifar, Burryaga, and Vernestra Rwoh, the Jedi begin their hunt for Marchion Ro. But to seek out the Nihil’s dangerous leader, the Jedi will have to survive the Nameless terrors that thus far they have been powerless to stop.

Temptation of the Force

Can’t wait for this one, but first comes Defy the Storm, the next YA novel coming out March 5th, so plenty of High Republic to keep me happy!

What’s been entertaining you lately? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Update for January 2024

Hello friends and welcome to my entertainment update for January! Here’s what’s been entertaining me lately:

The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker. This book caught my eye when it first came out in 2013 and has been on my mental book list ever since. I found this used edition at my local Salvation Army for a few bucks and decided it was time to read it. It’s about two magical creatures from two different cultures: a golem from Jewish tradition and a jinni from Arabic culture. A golem is a being made from clay in human form and brought to life, meant to protect their master. A jinni (genie) is, well, you know; but my understanding of these spirit creatures is being expanded by this book.

The “present” of the novel takes place in turn-of-the-century New York City, but we get flashbacks of the Jinni’s long life in Syria, though he doesn’t remember how he was put into the flask in which he is found by Arbeely, a tinsmith in Little Syria. Turns out he was imprisoned by a wizard a thousand years ago. The golem, on the other hand, is very new, having been created by an old rabbi wizard named Shalmaan in Poland for a man named Rotfeld, who wanted a wife and companion as he embarked on a journey to the New World. Unfortunately, Rotfeld died on the ship over from a burst appendix, and the golem is left alone. In the city, a Rabbi named Avram recognizes what she is and takes her in to help her. Both creatures must learn to navigate this bewildering new world.

It’s a big book (over 400 pages) and it’s a slow burn; I’m about a fourth of the way through and they haven’t met yet. I’m reading it rather leisurely, but it’s very intriguing and compulsively readable. I’ll check in again when I finish it, hopefully at next month’s update.

Cobalt Squadron, by Elizabeth Wein. This is a junior novel that takes place between The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, centering on Rose Tico and her sister Paige. I’ve been in the mood for more sequel stories, and this is one I hadn’t gotten to yet. We see Paige Tico die at the beginning of The Last Jedi in the bomber run against the First Order, and Rose later grieving for her. We are led to understand that they were very close, but we don’t get to see that in the film. So we get it here in this book, as they serve together on the bomber Hammer of Cobalt Squadron. The bombers of Cobalt and Crimson Squadrons are on a mission to help Atterra Bravo, a planet that’s being blockaded by The First Order. They must perform a series of supply drops to the planet while evading asteroids (some of which are armed with automatic cannons) and First Order TIE fighters. The bomber supply runs are dangerous and nerve-wracking, but Rose remains brave and determined as long as her sister Paige is in the gunner turret. In fact, Rose can’t imagine going on a mission without her sister. By the end of the story, she’s ready to be separated from Paige, after the destruction of Hosnian Prime puts them on different ships–Rose on Amilyn Holdo’s Ninka, and Paige on the Hammer, where she’ll be killed. It’s a sad foreknowledge, but I enjoyed this book where they could serve together one last time.

What If… S2. I’ve been a bit picky about the Marvel projects I’ve watched lately, having skipped most of the live-action shows and only viewing the latest movies (the notable exception being Loki Season 2). I enjoyed the first season of the animated show What If…? but when I saw that Season 2 was out, I thought, meh. I don’t know why, I guess I just wasn’t ready. But once I finally watched the first episode, I was hooked all over again. Each episode just got better and better. While the episodes explore variations of our heroes (and villains) in several different multiverses, there is an over-arching story arc involving Peggy Carter aka Captain Carter, continuing on from Season 1. I wasn’t particularly interested in her at first, but she’s grown on me. I loved every single episode here; they’re super fun, often hilarious, and could be heartbreaking as well. I also love how at the end of the last episode, the multiverse here is somehow connected to the World Tree multiverse that Loki is now holding together, though only vaguely. I’m hoping we’ll get more information on that in a Season 3.

Echo. This series is billed as a “Marvel Spotlight” as it’s only five episodes long, just long enough to focus on Maya Lopez, a character introduced in the Hawkeye series. While that series didn’t wow me as much as I’d have liked, I was intrigued by this character who is deaf and has a prosthetic leg. That doesn’t stop her from being totally badass, of course. There’s plenty of action here, but the heart of this series is Maya’s story. We got a little bit of it in Hawkeye, but it’s expanded on here, and let me tell you: it’s fantastic.

Maya comes from a long line of gifted Chocktaw women, and her Native heritage is front and center in this show. The crux of Maya’s story is her need to choose between her birth family in Oklahoma (which includes her estranged grandmother Chula, her cousin Bonnie, another cousin named Biscuits, and her uncle Henry); and her uncle in New York who happens to be the villain Kingpin. I don’t know much about Kingpin, other than he runs a criminal empire. He also loves Maya very much (or what seems to serve as love, for him). After her father died, he took her into his organization and she became an integral part of it, doing a lot of his dirty work. Fueled by rage and a sense of abandonment by her birth family, it took Hawkeye to open her eyes to her uncle’s ruthlessness. Oh, and he killed her father. At the end of the Hawkeye series, she shoots Kingpin in the face, believing him dead.

But of course he’s not. He pursues Maya to Oklahoma, presumably to kill her, but really to try to make amends and bring her back into the organization. But Maya’s having visions of her ancestors and must decide who she wants to be and where her loyalties lie.

I didn’t think I was going to watch this series, but I’m so glad I did! Don’t sleep on this gem if you can help it.

In Star Wars news, we got some pretty exciting announcements lately, such as:

The Mandalorian and Grogu movie, Ahsoka S2 announced. On top of the three movies that have been talked about the past few months (the Rey New Jedi Order movie, the James Mangold Dawn of the Jedi movie, and the Dave Filoni Mandoverse movie), suddenly out of nowhere we get an announcement stating there will be a movie about Din and Grogu called, originally enough, The Mandalorian and Grogu. There was some debate about whether or not this movie will replace a season four of The Mandalorian, but I think the consensus is that it will not. There will be a S4 of The Mandalorian and this movie. At some point. There are no anticipated release dates for any of these films or shows, including the near-afterthought announcement of an Ahsoka Season Two. I was happy to hear about that. Of course, as is always the case, things may change. I’m just going to sit back and wait and see what they bring us and not hold my breath for anything, lol.

Bad Batch S3 Trailer. And of course, we got the first trailer for The Bad Batch Season 3, which I’m super-excited about, as you may imagine. I posted a brief reaction to the trailer the other day and am just counting down the days to February 21st when it premieres.

So that’s it this month. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

High Republic Highlight: Avar, Stellan and Elzar

If you know me, you know I’m a big High Republic fan and share information on the books whenever I can. I thought I’d do a High Republic post once a month or so, highlighting an aspect of this era of Star Wars for those who are unfamiliar and are curious.

This post I’d like to focus on the three main Jedi characters that have been introduced: Avar Kriss, Stellan Gios, and Elzar Mann. It seems every Star Wars story has a trio of main characters consisting of two men and a woman. The OT has Luke, Han and Leia; the PT has Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme; and the ST has Poe, Finn and Rey. So why not the High Republic?

This trio happens to be all Jedi, which I find intriguing. They were Padawans together, the best of friends, growing up in the Temple and becoming Jedi Knights. By the time of the first book, Light of the Jedi, Avar and Stellan are Masters, while Elzar has yet to achieve that rank. Elzar is…a bit different. Let’s get into the character of each here.

Avar Kriss by Mike Mayhew.

Avar Kriss. Avar is prominent in the first HR book Light of the Jedi, but then shows up in the comics for most of Phase 1, where she often fights the Drengir (plant monsters, lol), often with the help of the Hutts, with whom she has made a temporary treaty. In time she becomes the Marshal of Starlight Beacon, the High Republic’s much-touted space station. Every Jedi in this era connects to the Force in their own particular way. Avar “hears” it as a song, and every living being exudes a different note. As Padawans, she and Elzar had a, ahem, relationship; this wasn’t expressly forbidden in the Temple at the time, but not exactly encouraged, either. Once they became Jedi Knights, they moved on from the relationship and focused on their Jedi duties. Well, Avar did, but Elzar is having trouble with his lingering romantic feelings for Avar.

Stellan Gios by Mike Mayhew.

Stellan Gios. If there ever was a poster boy for the Jedi Knights, Stellan is that Jedi. Handsome, charming, good at public relations, and dedicated to the Order, he’s dazzling in so many ways. Stellan sees the Force as a constellation of stars (as his name suggests), and Avar and Elzar look up to him and consider him their “polestar.” He’s the only one of the three who has trained a Padawan: Vernestrah Rwoh, a gifted Mirialan and the youngest Jedi to become a Knight in a very long time, at fifteen. Stellan plays a large role in the Battle of Valo against the Nihil and becomes an even bigger hero by saving the Chancellor, Lina Soh. While Avar is away from Starlight Beacon on her quest to find Lourna Dee, a Nihil leader, Stellan steps in and takes her place. Stellan believes Avar is becoming obsessed and perhaps starting down a dark road (and this may be true, but I haven’t read the comics, in which this story is told). Avar becomes rather resentful of Stellan stepping in and criticizing her; so by the time of The Fallen Star, they’ve had a kind of falling out. But it’s in this book that Stellan finds out who he truly is, beyond the shiny image of the Perfect Temple Jedi. Trapped on the doomed station, without the Order to guide him, without his Force powers (as the Nameless runs rampant on the station), he must dig deep within and find resources he never knew he had. Stellan ends up sacrificing himself to save others, going down with the station. I’ll admit, I got teary-eyed, lol.

Elzar Mann from the cover of Light of the Jedi.

Elzar Mann. Elzar is the most conflicted of the three Jedi, at least as the story goes on. Elzar, unlike his friends at the beginning of the story, is not a Master yet. The Order is a little hesitant to bestow that title on him, as Elzar has proved to be rather “experimental” in his Force abilities, trying things that aren’t sanctioned by the Order. He’s powerful, but they feel he’s a bit reckless, or at least, unpredictable. He reminds me a lot of Anakin, and I think he’s supposed to, the difference being in how the Order deals with such things. During the Battle of Valo, Elzar draws on his rage at the Nihil, using the dark side of the Force to pull a Nihil ship out of the sky. Afterward, he feels terribly guilty, and the Order sends him to an island with Orla Jareni, a Wayseeker (another way the Order is different from the prequel Jedi: a Wayseeker is a Force-user from the Temple who operates independently, outside the strictures of the Order). Orla helps him reconnect to the Force, stressing patience and persistence. Elzar sees the Force as an ocean, its powerful waves and its deep, quiet depths. Elzar struggles with his feelings for Avar; he respects her and their duties as Jedi, yet it’s still there. By the time of The Eye of Darkness, they’ve become closer in their grief over Stellan, and once the Stormwall is up and they’re separated, feelings on both sides have intensified. They’re reunited at the end of the book, and I see a passionate forbidden affair in the works, one that could ultimately lead to tragedy (sound familiar?).

So these are the main three Jedi introduced into the High Republic, among many, many Jedi, lol. I’ll occasionally do a post on other Jedi from the High Republic, as well as many other people, events, and concepts that I find interesting.

For Light and Life!

I rank the Star Wars books that came out in 2023

Since I’m on a roll with ranking Star Wars content, I thought I’d give my highly subjective ranking of the Star Wars novels that came out in 2023. From most to least favorite, here’s my list:

The Eye of Darkness, by George Mann. It was a close contest between this one and Rise of the Red Blade, but this one was more anticipated by me and didn’t disappoint. It begins Phase 3 of the High Republic, getting back to many beloved characters from Phase 1 after the destruction of Starlight Beacon. Marchion Ro has erected a “Stormwall” around a section of the galaxy that is called The Occlusion Zone. This area is inaccessible to the rest of the galaxy, trapping many worlds behind it, along with many Jedi and Padawans. These Jedi, among them Avar Kriss and Porter Engle, are trying to help those trapped under Marchion’s rule, as well as finding a way through the Stormwall; on the other side, the Jedi, particularly Elzar Mann and Bell Zettifar, and the Republic are trying to find a way through as well. I loved every minute of it.

Rise of the Red Blade, by Delilah Dawson. Delilah Dawson is one of my favorite Star Wars authors. In her own words, she loves to write about “violent women,” lol. She wrote about Phasma’s origins in Phasma, and the Resistance spy Vi Moradi in Black Spire, which I greatly enjoyed. This one tells the story of Iskat Ikaris, a Jedi Padawan who, after Order 66, becomes an Inquisitor. Most of the book chronicles her experiences in the Jedi Order and how they, let’s say “mishandled,” Iskat and her dark side tendencies. We spend most of the book witnessing her frustration at being held back and not allowed to use her strengths in the Force. She seems to be made for battle, and her skills are extraordinary. But the Jedi are keeping secrets from her, and Iskat feels alienated and angry. We come to sympathize with her, while at the same time dreading her descent into the dark, which of course we know is coming. Very compelling story of a woman caught between worlds.

Cataclysm, by Alyssa Wong. This is an adult novel of Phase 2 of the High Republic and was a stronger installment for me than its predecessor, Convergence. It highlights the renewed violence between the two planets Eiram and E’ronoh, and the part played by the Path of the Open Hand in the war. But the main character arc is that of Axel Greylark, the disgraced son of the Chancellor, who is approached by Jedi Knight Gella Natai for help in the conflict. Axel must ultimately decide if he wants to truly help the Republic (represented by Gella, who he’s developed feelings for, and his mother, the Chancellor) or remain a part of the Path of the Open Hand–and the supposed “freedom” the group offers from the weight of his past and family name.

Path of Vengeance, by Cavan Scott. This is the companion Young Adult novel to Cataclysm, and here we get to see more closely the machinations of the Path of the Open Hand through its mysterious leader the Mother, as well as what happens with Marda and Yanna Ro, ancestors of Marchion Ro of the villainous Nihil. We see the Battle of Dalna from multiple viewpoints, both Jedi and Path members, and witness the Mother’s unleashing of the terrifying Nameless–creatures that can turn Force-users into ash. Marda’s story, in particular, is of interest, as it’s she who sows the seeds of the future Nihil. Her path from sweet, gentle believer in the Path to a cold, ruthless leader is chilling.

The Battle of Jedha (Script), by George Mann. I’m generally not into audiobooks. I know some people love them, but I have to read a book rather than listen to it to fully absorb its story. I’d much rather read the script than listen to it, and that’s what I did with the Battle of Jedha, since I didn’t want to miss the story it tells. Representatives from the warring planets of Eiram and E’ronoh have gathered on Jedha to sign a peace treaty, but it’s sabotaged by the Path of the Open Hand with an explosion. The two enemies blame each other, and their forces begin fighting in the streets. To add to the confusion, a Nameless creature has escaped and is destroying many Force-users present in the Holy City. Jedi Master Creighton Sun and Jedi Knight Aida Forte, with the help of the Guardians of the Whills, try to stop the battling armies as well as investigate who caused the explosion in the first place. This is my first audiobook script, and I enjoyed reading it; it’s like reading the script of a play, that’s all.

Tales of Light and Life, by various authors. This is a book of short stories taking place in the High Republic. Some occur during Phase 2, and some are “prequels,” of sorts, to Phase 3. I liked all of them, though some were better than others. The most important, from a plot standpoint, is “After the Fall,” by Claudia Gray, which tells a story about Bell Zettifar soon after the fall of Starlight Beacon in Phase 3, and which reveals the fate of the Wookiee Jedi Burryaga. My favorite story, though, is “A Closed Fist Has No Claws,” by Tessa Gratton, which is about what Mardo Ro is up to after the events of Phase 2, and how she sets the remnants of the Path toward their destiny as the Nihil.

Crimson Climb, by E.K. Johnston. This book is about Q’ira from the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story. I wrote about it here in one of my Updates if you’d like to read it, but basically, it’s about what happens to Q’ira after Han escapes from Corellia, but she doesn’t. It chronicles her rise through the Crimson Dawn ranks and how she becomes Dryden Vos’ lieutenant. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t as if I tore through it eagerly. I do think it might be the first part of a trilogy, which would be great and I’d be here for. Despite all the stories of Q’ira taking place in the comic world, I think there’s more room for her in novels, as well.

Quest for Planet X, by Tessa Gratton. The middle-grade books of the High Republic have been consistently good, nearly on par with at least the young adult entries. This one is pretty good, but not one of my favorites. It takes place during Phase 2 concurrently with the young adult book Path of Vengeance; as is often the case, it focuses on some Jedi Padawans or other young people and their stories. This one stars Jedi Padawan Rooper Natani; Skye Graf, a young member of the powerful Graf prospecting family; and Dass Leffbruck, the son of an independent prospector. Dass and Sky recruit Rooper to help them on a race between the Grafs and the San Tekkas to chart new hyperspace lanes; however, their real mission is to find the mysterious Planet X (where, incidentally, the Nameless creatures are from). However, they run into some members of The Path of the Open Hand and must decide if they’re going to help the Jedi during their fight on Dalna.

Jedi: Battle Scars, by Sam Maggs. This one excited me at first; I’m not a gamer, and so felt like I was missing out on some important Star Wars lore with Cal Kestis and his crew. I so badly wanted a novel with these characters, so I, too, could participate in their coolness, lol. But this book falls short of what I was hoping for. It wasn’t terrible; it just wasn’t that great. The romance between Merrin and the female Imperial deserter was cringe-worthy at best. I’m all for romance in Star Wars, but this was like really bad fan-fiction (and I’ve written fan-fiction, lol). The rest of the plot was fine, I suppose, but I guess I was hoping for more characterization of the main characters, probably because I don’t play the games and didn’t really know them that well. Cere, in particular, really interested me, but I was left wanting. Very much my least favorite book of the year.

So these were the Star Wars novels that came out in 2023 and my thoughts on them. Did you read any of these books? Which was your favorite? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Favorite Dystopian/Apocalyptic Books

I’m a fan of dystopian fiction, but I’m a bit finicky about it. I tend to stay away from Young Adult dystopian (no Hunger Games or Divergent series, thank you). I usually like more literary-minded picks, but there are exceptions. I’ve been reading Octavia Butler, so I started thinking about my favorite dystopian novels. Here they are, in no particular order:

The Stand, by Stephen King (1978).

How it all ends: Accidental release of deadly bio-weapon

Basic premise/plot: A superflu kills 99% of the population; the survivors must choose between the powers of good and evil for the fate of humankind, following either Mother Abigail (good) or Randall Flagg (evil).

My thoughts: One of my first Stephen King reads, and one of my favorites. It’s a huge book with a ton of characters, but gripping for the most part. It’s been years since I’ve read it, but there are memorable characters I’ll never forget: Trashcan Man, in particular, who likes to set garbage (or anything, really) on fire–and even sets a whole empty city on fire; Tom Cullen, the mentally-challenged guy who is always spelling moon (“M-O-O-N, that spells moon.”) King is always entertaining.

Adaptations: I’ve seen the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise as Stu Redman and Molly Ringwald as Frannie. I liked it, for the most part. I haven’t watched the 2020 version, but maybe I’ll put it on my list.

The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood (1985).

How it all ends: Subjugation of women through theocracy take-over.

Basic premise/plot: In the near future, America has been taken over by a theocracy and renamed The Republic of Gilead; in a world of dwindling birthrates, women of child-bearing age have become property with no rights and used by wealthy couples to have children.

My thoughts: I read this book years ago, and it outraged me. Not the book itself, which is brilliant, but what happens in the book. I was young and couldn’t imagine such a thing coming to pass, couldn’t imagine women’s rights being so eradicated and reduced to basically medieval status. Ah, the naivete of youth. Now, it not only outrages me, but scares the hell out of me. Because it absolutely could happen, as far-fetched as it sounds. I won’t get into politics here, but let’s just say I’m not too optimistic about women’s rights just about now.

Adaptations: There was a 1990 film that I never saw (and I heard it wasn’t very good), but I’ve watched the first season of the series on Hulu in 2017. It’s fairly true to the book with a few smart changes, and was sobering and upsetting to watch. In fact, I decided not to watch the following seasons because I just couldn’t bear it, lol. I’m someone who can get through every brutal season of Game of Thrones, but this show just hit a nerve for me and I couldn’t continue.

Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (2014).

How it all ends: Worldwide Deadly Pandemic

Basic premise/plot: A worldwide pandemic has nearly destroyed the human population; a group of actors and musicians travel the countryside in the Great Lakes region to entertain the survivors with Shakespeare and classical music, as they believe “Survival isn’t enough.”

My Thoughts: I adored this book. I mean, it’s tragic that the flu happened, but the story and the writing is wonderful. If you’re looking for a Mad Max kind of post-apocalyptic world here, you won’t find it–it’s too quiet. There’s just not enough people. But those who are left behind find a way to survive, and this particular group–actors and musicians–try to bring a little joy back into life through art. It makes you think about what makes life worth living, beyond survival. It’s about art and memory and what lasts. There’s a bit of danger from a religious zealot (of course), but it’s the connections between past and present that’s really interesting to me.

Adaptations: HBO Max has a miniseries adaptation, but I haven’t seen it. It sounds like a lot of changes have been made, and I love the book so much, I don’t want to experience that.

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy (2006).

How it all ends: Unknown; landscape destruction and societal breakdown.

Basic premise/plot: An unidentified disaster has reduced civilization to rubble and anarchy. A man and his ten year old son travel the dangerous landscape, heading south along the east coast for warmer weather and hope.

My Thoughts: This is a very difficult book to read. I’m not talking about the language; it’s simple and clear. But the subject matter is so damn heavy. There’s been some vague disaster (I think it’s clever that we, the readers, don’t know what it is, because it puts us in the characters’ shoes–they don’t know, either.) It doesn’t really matter what happened, only that it destroyed life as we know it. A nameless man and his ten year old son traverse an ash-covered wasteland, heading south along the Atlantic coast in search of warmer weather. They must find food and shelter along the way, and avoid those who would steal from them or kill them. Cannibalism is a very real thing (there’s a few scenes concerning this that traumatized me, lol). The man is determined to keep his son alive and safe, though he knows he himself his dying. His son, a sweet, good boy despite the horrors he’s seen, “carries the fire,” which I interpret as the light of civilization, the hope for humankind. It’s a very dark read, but does offer some hope.

Adaptations: There’s a 2009 movie with Viggo Mortensen as the Man and Kodi Smit-McPhee as the Boy. I thought it was a great adaptation, and not just because I love Viggo.

The Passage/The Twelve/City of Mirrors, by Justin Cronin (2010-2016).

How it all ends: Accidental release of scientific experiment that turns humans into vampire-like creatures.

Basic premise/plot: A scientific experiment intending to make humans stronger goes awry; it instead turns the test subjects into vampire-like creatures who escape and either kill or transform the rest of the human population into more of them. The key to saving humankind resides in a little girl named Amy.

My Thoughts: I was totally mesmerized by this trilogy of books. It was recommended to me by my sister, who had read the first book, and I instantly fell into it. My sister ended up not reading the next two books, lol, but I tore into them eagerly. It alternates between past and present, from just before the experiment destroys the population, to a hundred years into the future with people trying to deal with the aftermath. Each book gets closer to the origin of the experiment and how it all went wrong, and how those in the future will begin a new era.

Parable of the Sower/Parable of the Talents, by Octavia E. Butler (1994, 1998).

How it all ends: Societal breakdown and anarchy; theocracy take-over.

Basic premise/plot: In the 2020’s, society has broken down into violence, illiteracy, drug addiction, and corporate slavery. Precocious 15-year-old Lauren Olamina sees the direction her world is going in. After her walled neighborhood is attacked and destroyed, she heads north from LA to northern California with a group of survivors, traversing the dangerous roads, determined to survive and start a new way of living.

In Talents, Olamina and her people have been living in their new community, Acorn, for five years, and it’s beginning to grow and thrive; she and her husband have a baby, Larkin. But disaster strikes–the community is raided by Jarrett’s Crusaders, an extremist group from Christian America; the men and women are enslaved and the children abducted. They live in abject slavery and horror for seventeen months. When they’re finally free, Olamina must decide how to rebuild her life, and Earthseed. Her husband was killed and her two month old baby taken, while her passion about Earthseed is stronger than ever.

My Thoughts: I really wish Butler had been able to write her intended third book in this series, because I did not want to say goodbye to these characters and this story. Talents ended in 2090, with Earthseed flourishing and fulfilling their Destiny, but Olamina and her daughter, finally reunited years after the disaster, have a strained relationship. The ending was fairly rushed, and I think Butler intended to write more about Olamina’s final years, and her struggles with establishing Earthseed and her relationship with both her daughter and her brother, in the third book, which she was going to call Parable of the Trickster. But alas, we will never know that story. These books will stay with me for a long while.

Adaptations: I’ve heard that an adaptation is in the works; A24 has bought the rights and slated to be directed by Garret Bradley, but no other details as of yet.

I’m sure I’ve overlooked other dystopian books that I’ve read over the years, but these are the ones that come to mind and I loved the most.

What are your favorite dystopian stories? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My December Entertainment Update

Hello friends! Time to talk about what’s been entertaining me lately.

Quest of the Jedi Book 1: The Way of the Apprentice, by Jude Watson. I needed an e-book to read, and after not finishing the series The Last of the Jedi, lol, I decided to try this one. It’s the first in a series chronicling the adventures of a young Anakin and Obi-Wan. Like the other series, these are short junior novels, quick, fun reads. This one has Obi-Wan and Anakin sent to a planet in trouble with two sets of other Padawan/Masters that includes Siri and Ferus Olin (I’ve finally gone back far enough to meet him as a Padawan). The planet has been devasted by some kind of bio-weapon disaster, and the Jedi are supposed to help the planet evacuate. Of course, the story becomes more complicated than that, and it’s essentially a story about Anakin learning (or not learning) how to work with other Padawans. I’ve started Book 2, but got distracted by If It Bleeds, by Stephen King. I’ll get back to it.

Ahsoka Rewatch. I decided to rewatch Ahsoka since a friend of mine at work said he was going to watch it, so we could discuss. But he’s been so obsessed with Loki, he hasn’t even gotten past Part 2. Sigh. Oh well, I enjoyed the rewatch, and like it even better on the second watch. It all seems to come together better when you can binge it rather than waiting a week between episodes, idk. Part 5, Shadow Warrior, remains my favorite episode, but I also just adore Ezra, too. And Baylan continues to intrigue. So many great moving parts to this series, though it comes off a little clunky as a whole.

Parable of the Talents, by Octavia E. Butler. In Progress. I’m about halfway done with this book, and I’m totally engrossed. The sequel to Parable of the Sower, it tells of Lauren Olamina and her Earthseed group finally finding safety and relative peace at Acorn, the community they build together in northern California. But disaster and tragedy strike when The Children of Christian America, a fanatical religious group, descends on the community, enslaves the adults, and steals their children. Very difficult part to read, but Lauren finally escapes and is trying to find her infant daughter. I’m eager to see how this one ends. Butler had planned on a third book but unfortunately she died of a stroke in 2005 before she could write it.

If It Bleeds, by Stephen King. In Progress. I was feeling in a bit of a King mood lately, so I thought I’d check this one out. I’ve always enjoyed his shorter fiction, sometimes more than his novels. I’ve only just started the first story, so not much to report on this one. More next month.

Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford. Saw this a few weeks ago and of course watched it. Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones are intrinsically linked, obviously, and this documentary was about both. I’ve always been an Indy fan but I have my favorites (Raiders and The Last Crusade). And I’ve followed Ford’s career but have by no means seen all his films. I also have favorites of those (Blade Runner, Witness and Regarding Henry are top notch). This doc follows Ford’s career, but particularly focuses on the evolution of the Indiana Jones franchise. I did like the interviews with Ford and I decided I like him a little bit better, as in the past few years he just seemed like an ungrateful jerk, lol. Perhaps just misunderstood, but in these interviews he really radiated a warmth concerning these films that redeemed him a bit for me.

New book announced: The Glass Abyss, by Stephen Barnes. I always get excited when new Star Wars canon books are announced, and this one is no exception. I’m really hopeful about this one, because, as you may know, I’ve never been a big Mace Windu fan. He’s just unlikable, lol. I want to like him, though, and in the past have tried to read the Legends Mace book, Shatterpoint, in the hopes of understanding why people love him so much. But I just couldn’t get into it at all. Maybe a canon book will do better for me, as I prefer canon to Legends. Anyway, this one comes out in August of 2024, so not for awhile. Steven Barnes wrote the Legends book The Cestus Deception, which I have on my shelf but haven’t read yet, lol.

Anyway, this is the plot summary:

The Jedi are reeling from Qui-Gon Jinn’s sudden death at the hands of a Sith. Jedi Master Mace Windu’s feelings about Qui-Gon have always been complicated, and have not been made any simpler in death. While they often disagreed, Mace valued Qui-Gon’s unique perspective, and their shared dedication to the Force made them allies. Without Qui-Gon and his unorthodox views, Mace feels out of balance.
 
While considering his fallen friend’s legacy, Mace is surprised to receive a final message from Qui-Gon, marked to be delivered to Mace on the event of Qui-Gon’s death. The message contains a last request: a plea to help the Outer Rim planet of Metagos.  
 
Many years ago, a violent solar flare transformed the surface of the desert planet into a landscape of irradiated glass—as beautiful as it is dangerous. Now most of the surviving inhabitants live underground, where rival clans fight to control the planet’s limited resources. As a young Jedi, Qui-Gon protected the Sa’ad farming clan from the planet’s less scrupulous factions. The Sa’ad practice the art of dream-weaving, retaining their waking minds upon sleep in order to communicate and coexist with the wild creatures around them. Qui-Gon vowed to return if they ever required his aid, but now it falls to Mace to fulfill that promise. The Sa’ad’s leader, KinShan Nightbird, has begged for the Jedi’s help in freeing Metagos from the crime lords who threaten to eradicate her people’s way of life.   
 
Intent on fulfilling Qui-Gon’s final wishes, Mace travels to Metagos and infiltrates the enemies of the Sa’ad. But as the Jedi Master investigates the intricate web of adversaries and allies, Mace finds himself pushed to the boundaries of the Jedi code, challenging his beliefs and his relationship to the Force itself.

Amazon

Sounds good to me.

So that’s it this month. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!