My Entertainment Update for June 2025

Hello friends! I hope your summer (or winter, if you’re in the southern hemisphere) is going well. There’s been a lot of rain and steamy weather where I am (New England), so a lot of time for reading, watching, writing, and a bit of drawing. Let’s get started! (As usual, SPOILERS!!! ahead).

Trials of the Jedi, by Charles Soule. This is the last novel of the ambitious High Republic project (initially called Project Luminous) and it is luminous, indeed. It’s not perfect–I had my nitpicks–but it brought all the multiple threads of this vast story to a satisfying conclusion.

One of my nitpicks (and not just about this particular book, but the High Republic as a whole) is that a lot of the story is told through comics. I tried to read the comics from the first phase, but there were so many I knew I’d never keep up. And oftentimes, elements or storylines or characters from the comics cropped up in the books, and whenever I ran across this I was left wondering, Okay, where did that come from? What does this mean? Who is this person? Etc., etc. The authors try to catch you up within the book, but it’s still disorienting.

So anyway, In Trials, a group of Jedi that comes to be known as The Nine (it’s got a Lord of the Rings kind of ring to it, doesn’t it?) must travel to Planet X, the Nameless home world, so they can release some Nameless creatures that they’ve captured. Their hope is that by bringing them home, it will stop the Blight that is ravaging the galaxy and bring balance back to the Force. With them, they have an ancient relic called The Rod of Ages. I had no idea what that thing was or where it came from, but apparently, it’s super important in controlling another relic Marchion Ro has–the Rod of Power, which I also have no idea how he got or where it came from–which controls the Nameless. Ah, the comics, I thought. Whatever, I’ll just roll with it.

So of course, the mission goes south almost immediately. The Veil they must pass through is vicious and they crash land. Some native creatures immediately attack them. The Nameless escape their cargo hold. And naturally, Marchion Ro has followed them. And he’s determined to not just kill the Jedi or defeat the Republic–he wants to end all life in the galaxy (he’s fundamentally nihilistic, get it?), and he’s in a pretty good position to do it.

While the Nine (Avar Kriss, Elzar Mann, Reath Silas, Bell Zettifar, Burryaga, Terec, Torban Buck, Ty Yorick, and Azlin Rell) fight to save the galaxy on Planet X, a battle with the Nihil has been raging on the planet Eriadu. The RDC (Republic Defense Coalition) and the Eriaduans (led by several noble houses, one of which is Tarkin) fight off the Nihil once the Stormwall comes down. This happens when Marchion Ro blows up his own ship the Gaze Electric, from which the Stormwall is held up. This is another weird inconsistency–in the YA and middle grade books that came before Trials (Into the Light, A Valiant Vow) the Stormwall was down, but it was never explained how it happened. It was a bit confusing.

Anyway, a few threads are wrapped up outside of the Planet X storyline: Jedi Knight Porter Engle finally kills the Mirialan Nihil General Viess, the woman who was responsible for his sister taking the Barash Vow and disappearing centuries ago. I don’t know the whole story (again, the comics–The Blade of Bardotta), but Viess has been his nemesis all this time and he finally killed her, realizing that he could have done it a long time ago; but that would have meant letting go of the memory of his sister.

On X, Bell confronts Marchion and defeats him, getting justice (revenge?) for his master Loden Greatstorm’s death (he doesn’t kill him but he REALLY wants to); Reath, Ty, and Azlin use the Rod of Ages to stop Marchion’s Rod of Power from destroying the Nameless; And Azar and Elzar figure out how to save the galaxy and bring balance back to the Force: they both must stay on X until the planet heals itself, which will take many decades (and with no way off the planet and its existence a secret, even then they can never leave). It’s kind of weird and complicated, but Avar will be the Light to the darkness, and Elzar will be the darkness to the light. Like this:

They will be separated, with Avar down below ground in the darkness, and Elzar on a mountaintop. I had feared their relationship (which they finally accepted and consummated in Temptation of the Force) would end in tragedy. This isn’t so much tragedy, as them sacrificing their love and their lives together for the galaxy. Because in the end, they are Jedi.

The back-up team, which includes Vernestrah Rwoh (who was mostly absent in this book, but it’s okay since she got her own book in Wayseeker last month), picks everybody else up and brings them home. Marchion Ro stands trial and is sentenced to life in solitary confinement, alone in a prison cell on an asteroid. He spends the rest of his natural life alone, unable to hurt, manipulate, postulate to, or lord over anyone else, and this, above all things, is what defeats him. He dies an old, sick, pathetic being whose actions in the galaxy ended up meaning nothing. Or did it mean nothing? I think it’s safe to say that the Nihil conflict was the beginning of the end of the Jedi–it changed the Jedi, it changed the Order’s relationship with the Republic and allowed it to weaken enough for the Sith to destroy them. I think perhaps Marchion Ro, if he had known, would be triumphant at their eventual downfall. But he didn’t know, and that’s his personal tragedy.

Reath takes off to search for Azlin Rell, who had slipped away from Planet X on an old, abandoned ship where he finds a lightsaber. It belonged to a Jedi named Barnabas Vim, a name that sounds familiar to me and I’m sure he was in Phase 2 at some point, but I can’t quite remember, lol. Anyway, Rell bleeds the crystal, and he has a red lightsaber. I think at this point it doesn’t mean he’s a Sith or anything, just a rogue darksider, and Reath feels responsible for him. I hope we get a story later about what happens with these two.

And Chancellor Lina Soh makes a speech about the Republic and mentally ruminates on its relationship with the Jedi moving forward. She understands that the Jedi just saved the entire galaxy and is therefore very powerful indeed. The Republic and the Jedi up to this point were partners in a peaceful galaxy; now, after the Nihil conflict, the balance of power has changed, fundamentally if not openly. It sets the stage for the Republic getting into Jedi affairs and vice versa as the prequel era looms ahead.

So this High Republic initiative has ended, and I have to say it’s awesome and I loved every minute of it. I’m sad to see it end, but it ended satisfactorily, with the hope of more High Republic stories to come. In the meantime, I can maybe read all the other High Republic stuff I skipped (those darned comics!), some manga, and a few audio dramas. It’s not goodbye forever, thank the Force.

Gifts, by Ursula K. LeGuin. I read LeGuin’s Earthsea Trilogy many years ago and really enjoyed them but haven’t read anything by her since then. I came across this book at a used bookstore and decided it was time to revisit this author. This is a YA book, but this old person thought it was great anyway. Here’s a blurb from Amazon:

In this beautifully crafted novel, the first of the Annals of the Western Shore trilogy, Ursula K. Le Guin writes of the proud cruelty of power, of how hard it is to grow up, and of how much harder still it is to find, in the world’s darkness, gifts of light.

Scattered among poor, desolate farms, the clans of the Uplands possess gifts. Wondrous gifts: the ability—with a glance, a gesture, a word—to summon animals, bring forth fire, move the land. Fearsome gifts: They can twist a limb, chain a mind, inflict a wasting illness.

The Uplanders live in constant fear that one family might unleash its gift against another. Two young people, friends since childhood, decide not to use their gifts. One, a girl, refuses to bring animals to their death in the hunt. The other, a boy, wears a blindfold lest his eyes and his anger kill.

LeGuin is a wonderful writer and I’m glad I revisited her, but now I have to get the other two books of the trilogy: Voices and Powers. The TBR list grows!

The Giver, by Lois Lowry. My daughter read this book several years ago in middle school, and I thought it sounded like a good read. I put it on my mental list, and when I saw it at a library book sale recently, I picked it up and decided to read it. Here’s a synopsis from Amazon:

In Lois Lowry’s Newbery Medal–winning classic, twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community.

Life in the community where Jonas lives is idyllic. Designated birthmothers produce newchildren, who are assigned to appropriate family units. Citizens are assigned their partners and their jobs. No one thinks to ask questions. Everyone obeys. Everyone is the same. Except Jonas.

Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. Gradually Jonas learns that power lies in feelings. But when his own power is put to the test—when he must try to save someone he loves—he may not be ready. Is it too soon? Or too late?

Told with deceptive simplicity, this is the provocative story of a boy who experiences something incredible and undertakes something impossible. In the telling it questions every value we have taken for granted and reexamines our most deeply held beliefs.

Would you give up true emotions, choices, even color, for peace? When I look around at the world right now, the hellish mess it’s in, and all the hell humanity has gone through, it’s tempting. Some freaking peace wouldn’t be a bad thing. But of course, I don’t mean it. What’s life without love? Without art, without true relationships, without joy? It would be a stale affair. The problem is, we have to accept the bad with the good–the differing points of view, the crimes of passion. Hatred and war. It’s the quintessential conundrum of being human, and this book explores it simply but effectively. There are three other books by Lowry in the “quartet” and I have them on my shelf, but I won’t get to them for a bit. Looking forward to them.

The Giver, Movie (2014). So of course, I wanted to watch the movie version of the book. The movie was…fine. It changed a few things, naturally, but I’m fairly flexible about that as long as it works. The cool thing was seeing a young Cameron Monaghan in it as Jonas’ friend Asher (our very own Cal Kestis of Jedi: Fallen Order fame. See? Monaghan is obviously a screen actor, so let’s get him in a Star Wars show or something!)

Station Eleven, Series on HBO Max. Station Eleven, the novel by Hilary St. John Mandel, is one of my favorite books of all time, so I was excited to see some time ago that there was an adaptation of it. However, when reading about it, I was put off by what I saw as major deviations from the book and so didn’t bother trying to get the channel to watch it. But once I got Max to watch The Last of Us, I saw it there and decided to give it a try.

And I’m glad I did. Yes, there are some major changes to the book, but once I started watching, it drew me in anyway. And I decided that I actually liked the biggest change, which puts two characters together that only met briefly in the book. In fact, I never knew I wanted that until I saw it onscreen, and I ended up loving this show.

The premise is that humanity is depopulated by a super-flu-type virus. Kirsten, one of the survivors, is a member of The Traveling Symphony, a group of musicians and actors who travel “the Wheel,” an area around Upper Michigan near Chicago (though they never go into the city). Their motto is “Survival Isn’t Enough,” and they put on concerts and Shakespeare plays for the few small settlements that are left. The “present” of the story takes place twenty years after the flu, and there are flashbacks to the beginning of the flu and various characters that are central to the plot.

Kirsten was eight years old and playing young Goneril in King Lear when the flu struck. Lear is played by Arthur Leander, a character that dies of a heart attack on stage the night the flu exploded, and one that ties all the other characters together. When Arthur collapses on stage, Jeevan Choudhary, who is in the audience, leaps onstage to help, though it’s too late. He meets Kirsten and decides to get her home, as no one else is around.

Jeevan gets a call from his sister, a doctor, who warns him about the flu and insists he go to their brother, Frank. When Kirsten’s parents are nowhere to be found, he takes her to Frank’s with them. (This is where it deviates from the book; in it, he meets Kirsten at the theater but goes to Frank’s alone. He ends up somewhere in Virginia with a family and never meets any of these other characters). These three–Jeevan, Frank, and Kirsten–spend the next several months together in Frank’s apartment as the flu ravages the population. Kirsten has with her a special comic book called Station Eleven, which was written and drawn by Arthur’s first ex-wife Miranda. There are only two copies; Kirsten has one, given to her by Arthur, and Arthur’s young son Tyler has the other. The two children become obsessed by the comic book, which is about an astronaut who finds himself on a space station (Station Eleven) after Earth has been invaded by aliens and has become uninhabitable. There’s some war going on within the station between factions, and it’s kind of vague and confusing, lol. But the theme is that of damage, isolation, of not belonging. Of trying to find home.

In the meantime, Arthur’s friend Clarke ends up stuck in the Severn City airport, as he was traveling from England to go to Arthur’s funeral, but the flu grounded the plane. Arthur’s second ex-wife Elizabeth was on the plane as well, with their son Tyler. The people on the plane end up forming a community there, and Clarke starts a “Museum of Human History,” putting cell phones and driver’s licenses and what not from the time before, as a sort of homage. The problem is, Tyler is a troubled boy and causes trouble, and ends up leaving the group, faking his own death in a fire. But he shows up later as “The Prophet,” someone the Traveling Symphony must deal with years later.

There’s a lot of complicated threads and intertwined characters, so it’s hard to succintly summarize. This post would go on forever if I wrote about all of them, but trust me, it’s a great show and I enjoyed it, in a different way than the book. I loved the book because its themes of art, memory, grief and connection spoke to me. It was different than any other “apocalyptic” book I’d ever read, and the show did a good job translating those themes, even if they changed some things to make it work onscreen.

My drawing of the month:

Sadly, I’ve only done one drawing since last month, as I’ve been busy with the blog, shows, and reading. But it’s a good one, I think!

I intend on continuing to draw, but at a lesser pace right now, as I get back to writing in various forms for the time being. I’m hoping for at least one with each monthly update.

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

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!

My Entertainment Update for March 2025

Hello friends, happy Spring! Here’s what I’ve been up to for the last month or so:

Reign of the Empire: Mask of Fear, by Alexander Freed. If you like the political maneuverings of Andor, you’ll like this book. It takes place mere weeks after Order 66, when Palpatine takes control and declares himself Emperor. It focuses on Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, mostly, with some Saw Gerrera and a new character called Soujen. Mon Mothma is determined to curtail the Emperor’s power by legislation and keeping the Senate relevant in this new Empire (I know, good luck with that, Mon). Bail, meanwhile, is obsessed with what happened to the Jedi and is convinced that if the truth about their slaughter was known, it would ruin Palpatine (again, good luck with that, Bail). The two central figures of the Rebellion are not seeing eye to eye at this point. Saw is just out doing his thing when he and his group discover Soujen, a Separatist soldier who had been put in hibernation before the war ended as a contingency plan. Soujen has been surgically altered with implants to make him into a deadly warrior, and when he wakes his only thought is to continue the war against the Republic. When he’s apprised of the new situation, he still wants to continue his mission somehow and bides his time with Saw.

It’s a big, dense, political book but I didn’t find it hard to get through at all. Both Mon and Bail need to come to terms with how they deal with this new Empire–Mon figures out just how little power she has as a Senator but decides to continue to persevere anyway; Bail learns that he has to let the Jedi go in order to move forward; Saw continues to do what Saw does best: sow chaos; and Soujen finds that he’s obsolete in this new world order.

I’m eager to see what the next book in this series will offer, which will be written by Rebecca Roanhorse (who wrote Resistance Reborn, a favorite of mine) though I don’t think we have a release date for that yet. Can’t wait, though!

The Clone Wars: Gambit: Stealth, by Karen Miller. I started this one on my e-reader (a new Nook from B&N). It’s the first book in a duology, and I found the second hard copy book in my local comic store. I’ve read Karen Miller before (Wild Space, with Obi-Wan and Bail Organa) and I quickly realized why her writing style is slightly annoying: the characters are always arguing, quibbling, contradicting, and otherwise getting on each other’s nerves. And I mean ALWAYS. I get that there needs to be tension in a book, and between characters, but this goes above and beyond, like badly written fan-fiction, lol. Aside from that, her stories are usually pretty interesting. In this one, Obi-Wan and Anakin are sent on a clandestine mission to a planet called Lanteeb to find out if the Separatists are making a bioweapon there. I’m about halfway through, and besides the annoying arguments, it’s a pretty good book so far. I’ll report back next month.

Upcoming: I’m waiting for my copy of Into the Light by Claudia Gray, the next High Republic novel in the final wave of books. I should be getting it tomorrow, and I can’t wait! I’ll have my thoughts on that one next month.

Tales of the Underworld. On May the fourth, we’ll be getting Tales of the Underworld, focusing on Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane. I was hoping we’d get more Tales in this series, and while these characters are unexpected, they’re not unwelcome. Especially Ventress; with her appearance in the Bad Batch, I wanted more of her story: how she survived, what she’s been up to, how she’s atoning for her Sith ways, etc. And where’s Quinlan Voss??? So many unanswered questions, lol. Bane I’m not so interested in, but I’ll take it, and it all looks very exciting.

Drawings: Since March was Women’s History Month, I decided to draw the women from Star Wars. I have a few more in my sketchbook, but I’ll share those next month.

Now I can get back to some of the boys, lol. It’s been really fun learning how to draw portraits and I think with each one I get a bit better at it. It’s also been good for my mental health, as I get so absorbed I forget everything else (I’m in the US, so…yeah, there’s that, lol). Eager to share more sketches with you!

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

Life Day Update

Hello friends, long time no blog!

I hope everyone had a happy Solstice/Christmas/Hannukah/Life Day. I’ve been taking a break from the blog for a few months, as I was busy taking care of my elderly Dad. He ended up getting pneumonia and sepsis and passed away at the end of November. Then I got sick for a few weeks. I’m just now feeling as if I’m getting back to “normal” and have missed the blog, so I thought I’d give a quick update.

I’ve been reading a lot of great non-Star Wars books* (see brief list at end of post), but I did read the latest High Republic novel, Tears of the Nameless, and I think it’s probably my favorite HR book so far. It focuses on Reath Silas, one of my favorite HR Jedi, and his quest to solve the Nameless problem. He gets help from a Padawan named Amadeo, and oh yeah, his old Master, Comahc Vitus returns with some vital information. I was thrilled to see Comahc return, as he had left the Order at the end of Midnight Horizon. Fantastic book.

Another SW book I read was the Mace Windu book The Glass Abyss. This one was…interesting. Mace has never been one of my favorite Jedi, but I do respect the guy. But I’ve always wanted to like him, as well. The Clone Wars went a long way in helping me with that; he was great whenever he made an appearance there. I tried reading Shatterpoint, the Legends book about Mace, but I just couldn’t get interested. I didn’t have much hope for this one, to be honest, since I saw that a lot of people didn’t really like it. But you know what? It wasn’t bad. It was definitely different for a Star Wars book, and especially different for a Mace story. But maybe that’s the point. Here, Mace goes to an Outer Rim planet at the behest of his now-dead friend, Qui Gon Jinn, who had a mission there several years ago. The people are under the thumb of two different crime lords who hold a tenuous balance there. He befriends a community who have a symbiotic sort of relationship with giant silkworms (!) and comes to deeply respect them. He also falls for the leader of these people, and it’s weird seeing Mace all romantic and stuff (once he realizes he’s in love, that is), lol. One of the villains is strange, as well, as he’s two different beings bonded as one, a Rodian and another humanoid species, named Chulok. The other crime boss is a giant insect. Yeah, very weird stuff, but I found it kind of entertaining. I also read it in the hospital while my dad was dying, so it holds some weird emotional heft with me. So yeah, I do like Mace now, lol.

In live-action news, I’m quite enjoying Skeleton Crew. It took a few episodes to really hook me, but I’m fully on board now. It’s a fun, weird, mysterious adventure and I can’t wait to see how this is going to turn out. I’m curious about Jod’s past (is he just a random Force-user, or a former Padawan who escaped Order 66?) and if he’ll come to use his Force powers for good instead of piracy; I’m also wondering about the whole At Attin thing and what’s going on there. And if any harm comes to our sweet Neel there will be hell to pay.

Star Wars things I’m looking forward to: there will be some Bad Batch comics in January, a Clone Wars adventure I think, and this will be a comic series I’ll need to have on my shelf. I’m also hearing rumors about a Bad Batch novel coming out in April or May? If so, I’ll be in Bad Batch heaven! I’m looking forward to the conclusion of The High Republic series with the last wave of books, and of course, Andor Season 2. I recently rewatched Season 1 and I’m totally ready for that great series to continue and conclude.

So instead of blogging and/or writing these past few months, I’ve gotten back into drawing, specifically, portrait drawing. I just needed to do something different, and I have this crazy dream of creating Star Wars fan art. If you know me, you know I LOVE Star Wars fan art, and I’ve often thought, You know, I want to do that too! So I’m going to. I’m still practicing my portrait skills, but once I feel ready, I’m going to start drawing Star Wars characters, and I will certainly share them here if I feel they’re any good, lol.

Anyway, hope everyone is well. Let me know what you’ve been up to, and what Star Wars things are making you happy right now in the comments!

* Here’s some great non-Star Wars books I’ve read lately:

The Madwoman Upstairs, by Catherine Lowell
The Essex Serpent, by Sarah Perry
A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
The Blue Hour, by Paula Hawkins
Once there Were Wolves, by Charlotte McConahy
Currently reading: Wool, by Hugh Howey

Entertainment Update for July 2024

Hello friends! I hope everyone is having a great summer (if it’s summer where you live!). I’m not a big fan of the heat, so I prefer being in air conditioning reading a good book, lol. And I’ve got a few to tell you about, but first:

(The Acolyte Spoiler Warning!!!)

The Acolyte, finale. I enjoyed every minute of this show, and while the finale left enough open for a possible Season 2 (which I very much would enjoy), it brings the series to a satisfying close. I won’t recount every scene here, but just give my thoughts on the finale as well as the show as a whole.

Everyone ends up back on Brendock, where all the trouble began. Osha has seen a vision of Mae killing Sol without a weapon. The fact that it turns out to be Osha herself is heartbreaking. I never thought about the Force choke as a possibility to the riddle of killing a Jedi without a weapon, but it seems obvious now. And the way Sol forgives her as he’s dying, with a tear rolling down his cheek and almost getting out “I love you,” is gut-wrenching.

And I love Sol, but let’s face it–he made a lot of mistakes in this show, lol. All the Jedi on Brendock did, except perhaps Kelnacca (yes, he used his claws on Torbin, but he wasn’t of his own mind and I consider him blameless). But the fact that at the end, despite everything, Sol doubles down on claiming he was “doing what he thought was right,” makes me wince. Oh, Sol. Maybe, but you didn’t do what a Jedi should do.

There’s been some complaints that this show paints the Jedi as “evil,” and that’s just not true. It simply shows that they’re fallible and make mistakes. Too many at this time, which leads to their downfall many years later. That was the whole point of the Prequels–the Jedi were blind to the evil right in front of them. That didn’t just happen overnight. This show goes a long way in showing how they got there.

Qimir was a fantastic villain, by the way (and puts the seductive back into the dark side, lol). Whether or not he knows about Plagueis lurking around the island is up in the air, but I think he does and is under his direct tutelage. And I think Plagueis will be very much interested in this Force-born individual for his immortality studies.

I thought the series was great, and like I said, hope there’s a Season 2 to answer our lingering questions: Whatever happened to Mother Koril (Nightsisters?)? Will Vernestra find her former Padawan Qimir (with the help of amnesiac Mae?) What ultimately happens to Osha and Qimir? With the recent announcement of two Acolyte-centric books coming out next year, I’m guessing we will eventually get a Season 2. So take that, haters!

Honor Among Thieves, by James S. A. Corey. This was a fun Legends book focusing on Han Solo and a mission he gets involved in not long after the Battle of Yavin. He’s sent to find a Rebel spy (for which he will be paid, thank you very much) and bring her back to the Rebel fleet. Said spy, Scarlet Hark, has other plans: she’s got intel on a new Imperial weapon based on an ancient alien technology and needs to get to the guy who’s going to sell the location of it to the highest bidder. The technology is a way to stop ships from going into hyperspace, essentially grounding them in their own star systems; whoever controls that technology can control what happens in the galaxy. Eventually, Han, Scarlet and Leia get to the location to either take control of it or destroy it if they must.

This was a fun adventure, and I liked that it was all from Han’s point of view. And of course, we get a little more insight into Han and Leia’s burgeoning relationship at this early stage. Luke was a peripheral character here, helping where he was needed and offering his sunny optimism at this point, but not much else. Chewie, too, was sidelined as he was always left behind in the Falcon to provide the last-minute rescue from sticky situations several times. But I loved that it was Han-centric, and how he seriously comes to question exactly why he’s hanging around these crazy Rebels.

The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, by Dr. Chris Kempshall. While awaiting the next Star Wars book to come out, I figured I’d check this one out chronicling how the Empire came to be and its eventual fall. The author is an actual historian in real life, and here he writes in the voice of Beaumont Kin, a character played by Dominic Monahan in the sequels. Kin, a historian who had been studying Sith relics, joined the Resistance after The First Order destroyed Hosnian Prime. After the defeat of the First Order, he worked on this historical treatise, finding it extremely important to understand how totalitarian states arise and how to possibly prevent it from ever happening again. He focuses, of course, on Palpatine, but also on the nature of the Empire, its bureacracy and protocols. There’s even footnotes linking his subject to various sources, from surviving Imperial archives (many of which were destroyed) to speeches by Leia Organa, as well as personal conversations he had with her.

It’s interesting to read, because we the reader know so much more than the writer himself about events in this galaxy (we’ve seen all the movies and read all the books, you see, lol). He can only surmise certain things based on the evidence he has at hand, and it’s kind of fun to know what he can only guess at.

I’m only a few chapters in (and it’s a big book–500 pages), and I’ll probably read it here and there between other Star Wars books, so I probably won’t finish it any time soon. But I’ll let you know when I do and what I think about it.

Writing on Empty, by Natalie Goldberg. I’ve read most of Natalie Goldberg’s memoirs and writing books, even though I don’t write according to her method much anymore, but she was a huge influence on me back in the day. And I just like to keep up with what’s going on in her life. Here, she recounts how, during the Covid pandemic, she went through some writer’s block, though she doesn’t like to use that term. Nevertheless, she lost the will to write and had to find her way back somehow. Through friends, books, and a retreat in Oregon, she came to the conclusion that, despite the isolation, the emptiness and despair, the only thing you can do is to write through it and get to the other side.

Swift River, by Essie Chambers. I’m going to come right out and say that I read this book because I went to school with the author. I didn’t know her very well, but she was in one of my English classes, and at the time I thought, This girl is going places. And she did; she went on to get an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University and worked as a film and television executive. She was recently on the Today Show with Jenna Bush, who chose this, her debut novel, as a Read With Jenna pick.

Here’s the Amazon summary of the book:

It’s the summer of 1987 in Swift River, and Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. Ever since her Pop disappeared seven years ago, she and her mother hitchhike everywhere they go. But that’s not the only reason Diamond stands out: she’s teased relentlessly about her weight, and since Pop’s been gone, she is the only Black person in all of Swift River. This summer, Ma is determined to declare Pop legally dead so that they can collect his life insurance money, get their house back from the bank, and finally move on.

But when Diamond receives a letter from a relative she’s never met, key elements of Pop’s life are uncovered, and she is introduced to two generations of African American Newberry women, whose lives span the 20th century and reveal a much larger picture of prejudice and abandonment, of love and devotion. As pieces of their shared past become clearer, Diamond gains a sense of her place in the world and in her family. But how will what she’s learned of the past change her future?

A story of first friendships, family secrets, and finding the courage to let go, Swift River is a sensational debut about how history shapes us and heralds the arrival of a major new literary talent.

I recognized part of my childhood in this book–the Western Massachusetts setting, the 80’s references, even the name drop of a common teacher we both had. But it’s more than a nostalgic trip to childhood; it’s about the black experience in the North (I learned about “sundown towns” in this book, which I had never heard of, where entire black communities left a town overnight because of prejudice and racism in the early part of the twentieth century). But mostly, it’s a coming-of-age story about a young woman who’s trying to find her place in the world. It’s a wonderful book that I won’t soon forget.

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

Entertainment Update for March 2024

Hello friends! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying whatever it is that entertains you. Quite a bit to get to this month, so here we go:

Defy the Storm, by Justina Ireland and Tessa Gratton. This is the YA novel of the first wave of Phase 3 High Republic books, and centers around the characters from Phase 1’s Out of the Shadows: Vernestrah Rwoh, Avon Starros, Sylvestri Yarrow, Jordanna Sparkburn, and Xylan Graf. On my reread of that book, I really came to love these characters, so I’m happy to get back to them and see how they’ve fared since the Stormwall went up.

I’m not done with the book yet, so I’ll have more to say next month, but I’m enjoying it so far. Avon Starros is the daughter of Ghirra Starros, the ambitious Senator who has aligned herself with Marchion Ro, and Avon is none too happy with that. She strikes out on her own (with the help of Deva Lompop, a Nihil who has come to be Avon’s protector) to find vengeance against Dr. Mkampa, a Nihil scientist who stole her work to create the Stormwall, and to try to destroy the Stormwall itself. She seeks out Venestra, who has been on Sabbatical, of sorts, since the fall of Starlight Beacon. Vern believes her Padawan, Imri Cantaros, died on Starlight, but Avon knows he’s alive and wants to reunite Vern with him (and also get her help without letting her know about her plan of vengeance).

Jordanna and Sylvestri have been doing jobs for Maz Kanata and helping the Republic in any way they can against the Nihil, but Jordanna wants to do more, and find her brother and his family on the other side of the Stormwall; while Syl is still struggling with the death of her mother, Chancey Yarrow, and the part she played in the fall of Starlight.

They get mixed up with Xylan Graf, who is “working” for the Nihil in a guest/hostage sort of situation on the Lightning Crash, which is where the technology for the Stormwall originates. I can’t decide how I feel about Xylan; he’s both interesting, if flamboyant, and exceedingly annoying. But I can never quite figure out what he’s got up his sleeve, and where his allegiances lie, so he keeps me guessing. There’s a lot of backstory that I’m guessing went on in some comics, which always irritates me since I don’t read the comics, but it’s not that hard to catch up. I’ll give my final thoughts on the book next month.

From A Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back. While I was waiting for Defy the Storm to come out, I kept busy with this book’s short stories. All the FACPOV books are by various authors and tell a story from that movie from the point of view of a minor character. I never finished the one for A New Hope; most just didn’t grab me that much. This one turned out much more interesting, and there are some good stories in there, although I’ve only read the first 6 or 7 tales, and we still haven’t gotten off of Hoth, lol. I think it’s a book I’ll read in between other books while I wait for them to come out. The Return of the Jedi version recently came out, and I really think that one will be good, too, but I’m going to wait for it to come out in softcover so my copies will be consistent.

Dark Disciple reread. So I debated re-reading this one ever since we found out Asajj Ventress will be making an appearance in The Bad Batch, and finally decided to dive into it again (the day before her appearance in Ep 9 The Harbinger, so last minute). But it really is a fantastic book, and I’ve put down Defy the Storm a few times to read large chunks of this one at a time. It’s one of the first few canon books I read when I started on this journey and remains one of my favorites. It tells of how the Jedi Council decides to assassinate Count Dooku to end the war and chooses Quinlan Vos to do the job–and that he should connect with Ventress for help. This opens up a whole can of worms, as Vos and Ventress fall in love, Vos falls to the dark side, and the Jedi continue down a questionable path. Spoiler alert: Ventress dies at the end of the novel, protecting Vos from Dooku’s Force-lightning. She sacrifices herself to save the man she loves. But, lo and behold! she’s not dead, apparently, as she makes her appearance in the Bad Batch.

TBB showrunners promise that her appearance does not contradict the events of Dark Disciple. As Ventress was “buried” on Dathomir in the same manner as her Nightsister family–from which they can be “resurrected” through Nightsister magic–I don’t have a problem with this, but it will be good to get some details about it when the time comes. Of course, the Fandumb Menace are up in arms about this, a la “Death doesn’t mean anything in Star Wars anymore!…blah blah blah.” Look, it’s overused, I get it, but in this case, it’s totally plausible. Witches, you know. Anyway, I’m happy to see her back.

One of the awesome posters for Season 3. This one of Crosshair with his helmet is my favorite.

The Bad Batch Season 3 so far. I’ve been loving the new season so far and have managed to post my thoughts on the first five episodes. I had a plan to post every week with my thoughts on each new episode, but you know, life, lol. At some point I will do a catch-up post. As it is, I think this season so far is fantastic, and I’m loving the little moments between Crosshair and Omega, especially, and just how he’s trying to adjust being back in the squad. I’m curious to see how this whole M-count thing with Omega turns out, how they’ll find Tantiss, who will help, and who the latest clone assassin is (so many theories! And honestly, it could be no one special, like the infamous Marrock, but I highly doubt it). And I just know Pabu is going to be attacked by the Empire (there are clues in the trailer), and I’m sick about it. 😦

Anyway, it’s agony waiting an entire week for 28 minutes of story, but I’m not one who can wait for them all to drop and then binge. It’s hard to believe we’re halfway through the season already and I have a feeling that things are going to ramp up big time after a foundation of quieter moments. So I’m getting ready for a wild ride, and I’m here for it!

Dune Parts 1&2. So I had every intention of going to see Dune Part One in theaters when it came out, but I just didn’t get there and then it fell off my radar. When Part Two came out, I was determined to see it on the big screen, so I rented Part One on Youtube to catch up, and boy, I’m glad I did.

Ever since I heard of Dune, I’ve wanted to love it, to know it, to understand it. I tried to read it many years ago, but for some reason, I had no idea what the hell was going on and couldn’t get into it. Then the 1984 film came out, and I thought, here we go, this will make it easier! Well, no, not really. It was pretty bad, lol, and I just didn’t “get it.” But a stubborn part of me held onto hope that someday, the light switch will go on. I think it was because I knew that Star Wars takes a lot of cues from it, borrows from it, while certainly being completely different from it.

Back in the day, I used to think Star Wars was “science fiction” because, you know, space, so I looked for more of the same in things like Dune and Isaac Asimov’s Foundation books. I was sorely disappointed in them, because where were the space battles? Where was the swashbuckling? Why were they so damn philosophical and heavy and, well, boring? Lol. When I finally figured out that Star Wars was space fantasy, things clicked, and I found other books and films that gave me that same sense of wonder. Science fiction, not so much (I do enjoy a good sc-fi book or film these days, though). It’s a different animal. But Dune? I wanted to love it and get it.

And, thanks to director Denis Villeneuve, and the absolutely amazing cast of these movies, I can safely say that, finally, yes, I get it! Maybe not all of it, but I’m totally enthralled and impressed and just blown away by how good this story, and these films, are. It’s complex and weird and visually stunning, and Paul Atreides’ hero’s journey from boy to man, from young nobleman to messiah, is captivating. At the end of Part Two, it seemed that it was going to be a trilogy, but I’ve heard a Part Three hasn’t been greenlit yet. Seems to me, though, it’s inevitable, and I’ll be in the theater with my popcorn, excited to see where this all goes.

The Acolyte trailer and release date. We’ve finally gotten a trailer and release date for The Acolyte, and I’m hyped! The trailer looks awesome, and the show will premiere on June 4th. Ever since its announcement, I’ve been intrigued by the premise of this show, which has been described as a kind of dark side whodunnit thriller. Yaaass! And as a High Republic fan, I couldn’t be happier to see it come to life in live-action, even though it’s the tail-end of that era. Basically, the High Republic is the Golden Age of the Jedi and the Republic (about 200-400 years before the events of The Phantom Menace), but here, about 100 years before that film, it’s the beginning of the end. As it states, a darkness is rising.

It’s hard to say off of the trailer alone, but evidently someone is killing Jedi, and the answers surrounding this mystery are not going to be good. The presence of a red lightsaber suggests the Sith are stirring after a thousand years of the Jedi believing they are exctinct. Which of course we know, they are not. I believe the Jedi’s experiences with the Nihil a few hundred years before have changed the Jedi and weakened them in a fundamental way, and the Sith are going to take advantage of that and plan their eventual return, which we see in the Prequels.

Anyway, totally excited for this one, despite the exhausting comments about “wokeness” from the afore-mentioned Fandumb Menace. What a complete and utter bore they are. I think it’s a sign I need to get off social media for a while and take a break from the toxic trolls, lol.

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!

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. 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. 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!