Star Wars Book Update

Path of Vengeance, by Cavan Scott (Canon). This YA novel is the final book in Phase 2 of the High Republic, and at 500 pages, it was a whopper of a good book. It continues the story of Marda and Yana Ro, of the Wave 1 YA book Path of Deceit. It spans the events of the Battle of Jedha (as told in the Battle of Jedha audiobook) and the Battle of Dalna (as told in Cataclysm), and follows the doings of the two Evereni cousins, Marda and Yana, from the Path of the Open Hand. We hadn’t seen them since the Wave 1 YA novel, Path of Deceit. Marda is still naively following the Mother, the self-proclaimed prophet of the group, and Yana, disillusioned with the Mother after the death of her girlfriend on a mission from the Mother, is trying to distance herself; she keeps getting pulled back in with concern for her younger cousin. She also forms an uneasy alliance with her deceased girlfriend’s father, the Herald, who the Mother threw under the bus during the Battle of Jedha. They return to Dalna together, he to wrest power from the Mother, and Yana to try to convince her cousin to leave the Path. But Marda is already gone when she arrives: she’s on another mission from the Mother, this time to Planet X to retrieve more eggs of the Nameless, the Force-feeding monsters that kill Jedi. I find it interesting that both the Ro’s talk to and have visions of their dead loved ones: Marda sees Kevmo, a Jedi Padawan she loved and who was killed in Path of Deceit; and Yana sees her dead girfriend, Kor. They’re not really actual ghosts, but extensions of their conscience and their own inner dialogue. It’s also the story of Matty Cathely, a Jedi Padawan who is sent to Jedha, and Jedi Master Olivia Zeveron, who has a surprising connection to the Mother. This book is a very satisfying end to Phase 2, even though I still have some questions–I’m hoping Phase 3 will somehow answer them, perhaps through flashbacks.

Star Wars: Rebel Force Book 3–Renegade, by Alex Wheeler. (Legends).

Book three in the Rebel Force series, this one focuses on Han Solo (the first focused on Luke, the second on Leia). The Imperial assassin X-7 attempts to kill Luke (and fails) and frames Han for the crime. Leia, investigating the crime and trying to be objective, comes off as doubting Han’s innocence. This angers Han, naturally, so Chewie busts him out of jail and they flee Yavin 4. While Han tries to get back into his old life of smuggling, Leia and Luke go to Tatooine to hide Luke from any other attempts on his life, reuniting with his old friends, though they end up arguing. It’s clear Luke still has a lot to learn about being a Jedi, as he’s quick to anger, eager to impress his old friends, and acts reckless, to Leia’s disappointment. Jabba gets wind of Luke’s presence on the planet, and because Luke is Han’s friend (and Han owes him money), sends the bounty hunter Bossk after him to lure Han to him. Meanwhile, Han ends up on an Imperial station on a job to steal various supplies, gets betrayed by his partner, and while trying to escape the Imperials, finds out that Tobin Elad, the man who became a friend and part of their group, is actually X-7 and is the one trying to kill Luke. This whole scheme of Han going to the Imperial base is apparently orchestrated by the ghost of Ben Kenobi, which is a tad weird, to say the least. Anyway, Han and Chewie end up on Tatooine to save Luke just before X-7 attempts to kill Luke again. X-7 gets away, but you know he’ll be back at some point to finish the job. I do feel bad for X-7; he’s been tortured into who he is, forgetting his former life and living only to please the Commander. We get flashbacks of his “training,” and for a junior novel, it’s difficult to read. No gory details, but it’s clear what the guy went through. Sometimes it’s obvious these books are junior novels, taking us back to familiar faces and places, and elicits the occasional eye roll, but they’ve grown on me, and I’ll keep going on the series.

The next Star Wars book in my queue is Shatterpoint, by Matthew Stover. It’s a Legends book that focuses on Mace Windu. I’ve never really liked Mace (I thought he was mean, lol) but I’ve been softening my stance a little bit lately, mostly because of his character in the Clone Wars animated series. I thought I’d give him another chance in this book; I’m curious to see how I feel about him, and this book written by Stover, who wrote the brilliant novelization of Revenge of the Sith. Eager to dive in.

Have you read these books? What did you think? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Why I Love the High Republic

Light of the Jedi kicks of the High Republic.

If you follow this blog, you’ll know that I love the High Republic, the publishing initiative about the Jedi and the Republic at their height that’s been going on for the past couple of years. Besides the fact that there are many talented writers telling this massive story, there are many reasons why I love it, and I thought I’d talk about them here.

It’s Jedi-centered. I love pretty much everything about Star Wars, but my favorite thing about it is the Jedi. The Jedi and the Force are what define Star Wars for me. And the High Republic books are very Jedi-centric, telling the story of them at their very best, at a time when the Republic, too, is at its height. The Jedi in the prequels, while still very cool, had fallen down a slippery slope away from their ideals, and allowed themselves to be deceived by Darth Sidious. But what were they like when the Sith were still in hiding, when the Republic was expanding its reach, when they were sure of their place in the galaxy? When they stood for defending the innocent, serving the citizens of the galaxy, and helping those in need? How did they get from these ideal Jedi to the flawed ones we see in the prequels? This is that story.
The Jedi aren’t so rigid with their beliefs and are more forgiving. The prequel Jedi are presented as celibate monks that forbid attachments. And while this true in a sense for the High Republic Jedi as well, they aren’t so rigid about such things. Or rather, they’re more forgiving in these areas. For example, it’s a known and accepted thing for Padawans to often experiment with sex and relationships before they take the Jedi vow. Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann from Phase 1 had done this as Padawans. The reasoning for this, I believe, is for the Padawans to truly understand what they would be giving up once they take the vow–and decide if that’s what they want to do. Once they are Jedi Knights, they are expected to choose the Force over relationships, to commit to the Jedi Path. (And Elzar, even years later, is still having trouble with his feelings for Avar). If they cannot truly commit, however, they are free to leave the Order for a time to figure it all out. And then come back when they’re ready. Master Kantam Sy did this, leaving for a year, taking on a lover, and travelling with a circus (!). He came back when he decided to choose the Force over anything else. Attachments aren’t forbidden–it’s only natural, as a living being, to form attachments; but as a Jedi, you can’t let such attachments take hold over you. It’s a form of not letting your emotions control you, obviously. When someone–your Master or Padawan, or another Jedi, or anyone you care for–dies, you’re expected to grieve, but you can’t live there. You have to let them go, as they are now a part of the Force. Wayseekers are another interesting aspect of this time. If you feel you need to leave the Order and study the Force on your own, you are allowed to do that, with the Order’s approval. Other things, like fancier robes (and more sober mission robes), more personalized lightsabers (Vernestra Rwoh even has a light-whip, and Master Silandra Sho has a lightsaber and a shield) are characteristics of this time. Flexibility and understanding are hallmarks of the Jedi in the High Republic.

Silandra Sho with her shield on her back.

It’s a different time-frame. The first Phase of the High Republic takes place 150 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. Phase 2 takes place another 100 or so years before that. So we see a galaxy that’s a bit different from what we’re familiar with. The Republic is still trying to expand its reach to the Outer Rim, to bring in new worlds and create more hyperspace lanes. We see more of the San Tekkas and Grafs, rival families who are hyperspace prospectors paving new routes throughout the galaxy. Communication lines aren’t perfect; it’s often difficult to contact those in the Outer Rim, due to lack of or malfunctioning communication buoys. Republic Pathfinder teams, made up of a Jedi and their Padawan, a pilot, a medic, and a communications droid, explore the Outer Rim to set up communications with new worlds or help those in need. It feels more Wild West, lol.
New and interesting villains. With the Sith still in hiding, the creators had to come up with a new and interesting villain. In Phase 1, it is the Nihil, a sort of space-Viking group that is violent and who take what they want without regard to anyone else. Most of the group are uninteresting thugs, but it is headed by a character named Marchion Ro, who is much more complex. He is very mysterious and raises a lot of questions in Phase 1, especially as to his past and his family’s history with the Jedi. It becomes more clear in Phase 2, with The Path of the Open Hand, a Force-cult (who believe the Force should not be manipulated by the Jedi or anyone else) that is the precursor to the Nihil. The Path is led by the Mother, another mysterious figure who discovers the Leveller, a creature that can strike incredible fear into the Jedi and turn them into husks. The Path, I think, will eventually come under the control of Marda Ro, an ancestor of Marchion. I’m curious to see how things will turn out in Phase 3 and how the Jedi will overcome this formidable foe. Oh, also in Phase 1, the Jedi encounter the Drengir, a meat-eating plant monster, lol.
Some familiar characters. The High Republic has some familiar characters who are long-lived, like Yoda and Yaddle. Yoda, especially, plays a small role in the books, although he is there at some key moments and is a rather comforting presence. He is much more present in the High Republic comics, only a few of which I have read (I can’t keep up with it all, lol). Yaddle plays a larger role in Cataclysm, and I really enjoyed getting to know her better, especially after her appearance in Tales of the Jedi. It’s nice to have familiar characters show up, to anchor you in the world, which states, “Yes, you are in the world of Star Wars.”

These are some of the main reasons I love The High Republic and why it’s been such a satisfying journey so far. There have been books I loved and some I didn’t like as much, but the overall story arc is something I’m totally invested in. Path of Vengeance, the last book of Phase 2 is out now, and then Phase 3 will begin in the fall. I can’t wait!

“We are all the Republic.”

“For Light and Life!”

Have you enjoyed The High Republic? What’s your favorite aspect of it? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Thoughts on Star Wars Celebration 2023 Announcements

So Star Wars Celebration was this past weekend, and it was packed with information and fun. The more I see of Celebration, the more I’m convinced I MUST attend one at some point. Super Star Wars fun! Anyway, here are my brief thoughts on some of the more prominent announcements of Celebration:

Movies! So three movies seem to be in the works–one about the dawn of the Jedi, a Mando tie-in movie, and a post-sequel movie about a new Jedi Order. The first one, supposedly taking place 25,000 years in the past, will show the very first Jedi, perhaps the origin of the Force, etc. That’s cool, I guess, and I’d definitely go see it, but not particularly excited about it. The Mando tie-in is a no-brainer, bringing all the Mandoverse elements together from The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, etc. Fun.

The one I’m most excited–and worried–about is the post-sequel film about the new Jedi Order, with our very own Daisy Ridley reprising her role as Rey. As a sequel fan, this is hugely exciting, and I’m hoping we’ll see other sequel characters joining her, including Finn and Poe, and one very particular Force ghost. But I’m not sure if John Boyega is willing to return to the role, or any of them, for that matter. It wouldn’t be the same without them. I’m frankly surprised that Daisy has chosen to return, considering all the hate her character received, and is still receiving, from the toxic fandom. You can’t let the bullies win, of course, but I hate to see her get more abuse. There are those jaded souls who will say, “Money talks,” and perhaps that’s true, but I feel like she can go in plenty of other directions for her career. So I’m hoping that this is a sign that the idea is worthwhile enough for her to come back to and risk even more tiresome vitriol.

Ahsoka trailer! The Ahsoka trailer was awesome, and I can’t wait for August when it premieres. We got the whole Ghost crew assembled, it seems, with Sabine, Hera, Chopper, and we saw Zeb in The Mandalorian, so I’m guessing he’ll be around. Oh, and Ezra in a hologram, like a Star Wars photo that Sabine has of him. There are plenty of villains, too, with Morgan Elsbeth returning, two new dark Force users with orange lightsabers, and yes, Thrawn. The big news is that the actor who voiced Thrawn in Rebels, Lars Mikkelson, will portray him in live-action. I think it’s a great decision, and seems only natural–come on, the guy even looks like Thrawn, lol.

The Acolyte! This show won’t come out until next year, but I’m very excited about it. It takes place towards the end of the High Republic era, and as a fan of the books, this is very cool. Whatever footage they showed at Celebration was not made public, but it sounds great. There are dark Force users (Sith?) and Jedi and intrigue and lightsaber battles, and come on, who’s not excited for this? Also, Vernestra Rwoh from the High Republic books, who is only 15 at the time of these stories, will be making an appearance here, which I think takes place quite a bit later (100 years? I think). But she is Mirialan, and so perhaps long-lived. I saw a fuzzy photo of her character in the Acolyte, and she kind of looks like Nebula from Marvel, lol.

Andor Season 2! This also will be coming out in 2024, and I’m looking forward to it. I believe in Season 2, every three episodes will constitute a year in time, so things will move right along. No sign of K2SO, but without doubt he will make his appearance. I’m ready to learn of Luthen’s fate and Mon Mothma’s family drama, and what happens to B2EMO?

Skeleton Crew! I haven’t given much thought to this one, but it sounds like fun, and any Jude Law is a good thing, lol. A bunch of kids get lost in space, and their parents are worried, and they meet the Jude Law character, who is at least Force-sensitive. It takes place during the Mandoverse era, so this crew will likely play a part in the big tie-in.

High Republic books! Phase Three of the High Republic books, called Trials of the Jedi, was announced, and I’m VERY psyched. Phase 2 has been quite good, but I’ve been itching to get back to the characters of Phase One. This publishing phase goes right into 2025, with three waves as with Phase One, so plenty of High Republic Star Wars on the horizon. Yay!

Tales of the Jedi S2! I really enjoyed Tales of the Jedi, and I’m glad there will be a Season Two, I just wish we knew more about it. It was simply announced there would be a second season, but no release date, no info on episodes. Oh well. Patience.

Return of the Jedi theater release on April 28th for 40th anniversary! I can’t believe it’s been 40 years since I lined up at the movie theater with other fans in 1983 when I was 12 years old to see Return of the Jedi. Did I ever think I’d be just as obsessed and enjoying all this Star Wars goodness with gray in my hair? Not in a million years, but here we are, and I’m so glad. I will not miss this re-release.

The Bad Batch will get a third and final season! I figured we’d get a Season Three, but I was kind of hoping for four, only because I love these guys so much. But three makes sense if it wraps things up in one more. Or at least, a satisfactory ending, which includes all of the Batch retiring comfortably on Pabu. Kidding, I know I’m asking for too much, lol. There was footage shown of Season 3 but of course, not made public. From descriptions I’ve heard, it looks like the Emperor will be making a visit to Mt. Tantiss, Omega and Crosshair are prisoners together there, and the others are going through a lot of action trying to find them. At one point Wrecker says, “Why are there always monsters?!” Indeed, Wrecker. Out in 2024, but no specific release date.

Visions Season Two trailer! This is Star Wars’ creative experiment with various animation studios, and Season One was very cool and very different. I loved some of them more than others, but each one brings a different flavor to the Star Wars universe. The trailer looks super cool and exciting, and I can’t wait to watch them all on May 4th.

Celebration 2025 in Japan! Celebration will apparently be skipping 2024, but it will take place in Japan in 2025. I was kind of hoping to make it my mission to go to the next Celebration, but Japan is pushing it for me, lol. I’m going to leave it at “The next Celebration in the US,” and sign it in blood. Definite bucket list item, which gives me an idea for my next post!

What did you think of the Celebration news? Did you go? (And I’m so not jealous!) What’s your favorite announcement? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Some High Republic Fan Art

Hello friends! I’ve been busy lately taking care of my 87-year-old dad who fell a few weeks ago and was in the hospital for a bit and is now in rehab. As I often do when I want a quick, fun post, I thought I’d put together another fan art showcase, this time from the High Republic. Enjoy!

This one is from one of my favorite artists, Jake Bartok. Here he’s brought to life characters from the latest adult High Republic novel, Convergence. On the top is Jedi Knight Gella Nattai, and to the left is Axel Greylark. On the bottom is Phan-tu Zenn from Eiram, and next to him is Xiri from E’ronoh. Phase 2, Wave 1.

Here’s some concept art of Jedi Knight Silandra Shoh, from the middle grade novel Quest for the Hidden City, which I’m reading right now. She’s unique in that in addition to a lightsaber, she carries a Force shield, which is pretty cool. Phase 2, Wave 1.

Here’s one of Bell Zettifar and Ember, because I love them. Phase 1.

At first I thought this was Ty Yorrick, the former Jedi who is now a “monster hunter.” But Ty has a purple lightsaber. So I believe it is Indeera Stokes, Bell’s new Master. Both women are Tholothians. Phase 1.

Elzar Mann and Avar Kriss embrace after the events of The Fallen Star, in which Starlight Beacon, helmed by their best friend, Stellan Gios, falls into the sea on Barazza and is destroyed. Phase 1, Wave 3.

star the rebel by jgss0109 on deviantart.

Have you read any High Republic books? Do you have a favorite character? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

All the Star Wars books I read in 2022

Hello my friends, and happy New Year!

For a 2022 inventory, I thought I’d list all the Star Wars books I read last year. For the most part, I enjoyed every single one of them.

The books:

A re-read of the second adult book in Phase One of THR. The Nihil attack the Republic Fair at Valo.

Third adult book in Phase 1 of THR. The Nihil attack Starlight Beacon.

Companion middle-grade book to The Rising Storm. Two Padawans have their own battle on Valo.

Companion YA book to The Fallen Star. Padawans investigate the Nihil on Corellia.

Companion middle-grade to The Fallen Star. Padawans investigate the Nihil on Dalna.

Three short stories about Rey, Poe and Finn before they met in TFA.

The very first SW book after ROTJ, introducing Thrawn. The only Legends book I read this year.

The third book in the Padme trilogy, a YA novel taking place between AOTC and ROTS.

An Anakin and Obi-Wan novel, at the start of the Clone Wars. Obi-Wan investigates a terrorist attack (“that business”) on Cato Neimoidia.

A straight retelling of the Skywalker saga, focusing on the stories of Anakin, Luke, Leia, and Rey.

A middle grade collection of short stories about familiar Jedi and Sith, including Asajj Ventress, Luke, and Maul.

Post-ROTJ canon novel, with Luke and Lando trying to help Rey’s parents on the run, and battling a mysterious Sith Acolyte.

Sequel-era novel about Resistance spy Vi Moradi on Batuu.

Middle grade book about Rey, Poe and Rose answering a distress call on the planet Minfar.

YA novel about Obi-Wan as Qui Gon Jinn’s Padawan, pre-Phantom Menace. Obi-Wan investigates a mysterious planet with a group of young people displaying Force-like abilities.

Han and Leia’s wedding and honeymoon post ROTJ. Along the way, they investigate an ice planet threatened by the remnants of the Empire.

A re-read of the original Star Wars novel, ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster.

A re-read of the Ahsoka YA novel, detailing what she did after Order 66, and how she got back into the fight.

A re-read of the Solo: A Star Wars Story novelization.

Going back to Batuu, this is a YA story about two young people who grew up together on Batuu, were separated, and reunited there. Complications ensue.

First book of Phase 2 of THR, taking place 150 years before Phase 1. A YA novel about two Jedi investigating a Force cult on Dalna.

First adult novel of Phase 2 of THR. Jedi mediate a war between E’ronoh and Eiram.

A YA book about Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus on Jeda, before the events of Rogue One.

Stats:

Total books: 23

High Republic books: 7

OT Era books: 6

PT Era books: 4

ST Era books: 4

Other: 2

YA books: 7

Middle grade books: 5

Adult books: 11

Legends books: 1

Canon books: 22

E-books: 10

Hard copy books: 13

Not bad. 🙂 Looking forward to all the 2023 releases, including more from the High Republic, a Jedi: Survivor novel with Cal Kestis, and Rise of the Red Blade, about an Inquisitor. I love Star Wars books!

Have you read any of these books? Any favorites? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello friends, and happy weekend! Happy holidays as well. 🙂

Not much to report this week, as I’ve been busy getting ready for the holiday and haven’t gotten as much reading in as I would have liked. I’m continuing on with Stephen King’s Fairy Tale, as well as The Guardians of the Whills, by Greg Rucka. I thought I’d have the latter done by now, since it’s a small book, but not quite yet. Next week for sure!

This past week marked the fifth anniversary of the release of The Last Jedi, and so I naturally indulged in a rewatch. Yup, I still love it. It still divides the fandom, of course, and maybe always will, along with the entire sequel trilogy. But this one in particular draws very strong reactions on both sides. It’s either absolutely brilliant or it ruined their childhood. I believe the truth is somewhere in between those extremes (although maybe it ruined your childhood, I don’t know, lol).

Anyway, I follow a Youtuber called The Goldman, and he discusses mostly Star Wars, as well as some other fandoms, and despite being only 23 years old, he’s smart, insightful, and knows the elements of a great story. He recently posted a video on TLJ five years later, and I thought he really nailed it. He’s a sequel trilogy fan, so he’s making an argument for the movie, but he doesn’t shy away from what doesn’t work, either. It’s an hour long, but well worth the watch if you’ve got time for it:

Obviously I don’t think it’s going to change the haters’ minds, but I like how he pokes holes in some of the naysayers’ criticisms.

I saw that there’s a new book coming out soon on the characters of the High Republic:

I’ve noticed some people complain that there are so many characters in the High Republic and it’s hard to keep track of who’s who. Well, there are quite a few characters if you count all the books and comics (which is a lot), so here’s a book for you to keep track of them all. I wouldn’t mind adding it to my collection myself.

That’s it this week. I hope everyone has a great holiday!

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

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello friends, and happy weekend!

(Some spoilery things ahead!)

I finished The High Republic novel Convergence, by Zoraida Cordova. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to its counterpart and sequel, Cataclysm, coming out in April of next year. It concerns the two planets Eiram and E’ronoh, which have been at war with each other for years. Jedi Knight Gella Natai is part of a Jedi delegation to help broker a peace treaty between the two worlds. She is helped in this mission by the two heirs, Xiri A’lbaran of E’ronoh and Phantu-Zenn of Eiram. Added to the mix is Axel Greylark, son of one of the Chancellors of the Republic, who has a troubled past and is sent there by his mother to report back to her. These four young people form a friendship as they embark on a mission to spread word of the treaty and the marriage that will take place between Xiri and Phantu-Zenn; they hope their union will bring peace to their war-weary worlds. However, not everyone wants peace and the mission is threatened from without as well as within.

Xiri and Phantu-Zenn are pretty straight-forward: they are both determined to forge peace between their worlds, and are willing to work together to do it. Gella, for her part, was assigned to this mission on the heels of a failed Pathfinder mission, where members of her team were killed or injured. She is unsure of her place in the Order, has doubts about herself as a team player, but is dedicated to the Force and the success of this mission.

Axel Greylark is the most interesting character in the book, and also the most inscrutable. He comes off as a scoundrel: an insouciant, selfish, jaded charmer, with gambling debts and a price on his head. But we also know there’s a wounded little boy inside, hiding his pain from his father’s death years ago, an accident which involved some Jedi. Ever since, he’s been hostile and mistrusting of Jedi. Of course, over the course of the book, he falls for Gella, but he’s far too complicated to change for the better because of this. He wants to; but feels it’s far too late for him, as he’s involved in some fairly murderous doings, among other things.

The saga of Eiram and E’ronoh continue in the audiobook releasing soon called The Battle of Jedha. I don’t care for audiobooks, but I have pre-ordered the print format of the book that will release in February, as I feel fairly invested in this story. And it’s Jedha, which, ever since Rogue One, has intrigued me immensely. I want to know more about it, and about the various Force religions. It’s why I’ve picked up Guardians of the Whills again, a short novel about Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus on Jedha. I’ll write more about that one next week.

I’m not sure why Vader is on the cover, since he doesn’t make an appearance in the comic.

Anyway, I also received and read the Obi-Wan Kenobi comic the other night. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I’m not much into comics, but every once in a while one comes out that I feel moved to read. This is one of them, as Obi-Wan is probably my favorite character in Star Wars right now. The comic concerns Obi-Wan in exile on Tatooine in his later years, probably quite close to the time of A New Hope. A sandstorm is coming, and he writes a few stories about his past in his journal to pass the time. The five stories span his lifetime, from a youngling, to Padawan to Qui-Gon Jinn, to Clone Wars General, to his mentoring of Anakin, and finally as Old Ben on Tatooine. The subtitle of the comic is “The Purpose of a Jedi”, and these stories examine that very question, as well as prepare him for his lonely exile on Tatooine. As a youngling, he must learn to rely on himself; as a Padawan, he learns to find the light in the darkness; in the Clone Wars, he truly ponders the purpose of a Jedi in war-time, which is always to help others and to choose life, even among death; in a mission with Anakin, he learns to hold on to that purpose even when it’s clear that constant war can consume others; and in the last story, he shows the incredible compassion he’s attained over the years, helping a Stormtrooper attacked by Tuskens.

The comic doesn’t add anything of great import to the canon; it’s more of a character-driven story, exploring Obi-Wan’s state of mind and what he’s learned over the years of being a Jedi. As an Obi-Wan fan, I found it very satisfying.

Also in books, I’ve been continuing my reading of Fairy Tale, by Stephen King. It’s a fun and entertaining book, about a teenage boy and his dog visiting a parallel world that is overcome by evil. I’ll probably finish it this week and write more about it next week.

Reading Stephen King got me in the mood to watch a King movie, and so I watched Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. I read The Shining years ago, and of course watched the Stanley Kubrick film with Jack Nicholson. This story concerns the adult Dan Torrance, and his life after the horrific events at the Overlook Hotel (and stars our very own Ewan McGregor as the adult Dan). So as a kid, little Danny swore he’d never touch alcohol, after seeing it destroy his father. Well, that didn’t go as planned, and he spends most of his young adult life as an alcoholic. He hits rock bottom, and ends up in a New Hampshire town where he finds help from a man named Billy, who leads him to Alcoholics Anonymous. He gets clean and spends eight years working as an orderly in a nursing home. Through his special abilities (the shining), he helps people pass on to the other side. Because of this, the residents call him “Doctor Sleep.” He turns his life around and has found a rewarding way to use his “shine.”

But.

Of course, there’s trouble. A group called the True Knot is stalking people, children in particular, who have the shining, even if they don’t know it. They kidnap and slowly kill these people, in order to “eat” their “steam”–fear and pain causes them to emit a sort of mist that is a manifestation of their power, and when the group inhales it, it “feeds” them. It causes them to live long lives.

Dan comes to know a 12-year-old girl named Abra who is very powerful in the shining. The group finds out about her existence and wants her. Dan becomes involved in helping her, but in doing so, he needs to confront his past and the (literal) ghosts that haunt him.

I don’t think this movie did very well at the box office, but I was certainly entertained for 2+ hours. I may read the book, once I finish Fairy Tale.

Lastly, I came across a trailer for a movie coming out next March:

I never knew I needed an Adam Driver time-travel sci-fi Jurassic Park kind of movie, but here we are. I’ll definitely be watching that one!

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

P.S.–I saw that the Phase One High Republic YA novels will be coming out in a boxed set soon with new covers:

If I had a bottomless budget, I’d get this, because I love the new covers. I’ll wishlist it, lol.

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello my friends, and happy weekend!

I’ve been continuing to read Convergence, by Zoraida Cordova, the adult novel in the first wave of Phase 2 High Republic books. I’m enjoying it, but as an adult novel, it doesn’t seem to have the same scope as other adult HR books. Instead of the usual galaxy-hopping, it takes place mostly on one, or at most, two planets. Add to this its focus on a group of young people, and it seems like another YA novel. That’s fine, it’s a good book, just not what I expected. I have a feeling this first wave of books is setting up the scene for the second wave, where things will possibly come to a head. I’ll write more about it when I finish it.

A story of a boy and his dog and another world.

On Kindle, I downloaded Stephen King’s latest, Fairy Tale. I don’t read all of King’s books, but once in a while he comes out with one that particularly appeals to me. The last one was Sleeping Beauties, and before that, The Dark Tower series (and I heard a Dark Tower series may be in the works for Prime, for which I am very excited). Fairy Tale is about a teenager named Charlie Reade who gets involved in helping out an old man named Howard Bowditch and his faithful dog, Radar. Bowditch has been hiding a secret for many years on his property: a hole in the ground in his backyard with spiraling steps that lead to another world. King really takes his time setting this all up and I’m just getting to the other world, about 80 pages in. I have no idea what this might be leading to and I can’t wait to find out!

I haven’t gotten back to Poldark yet, but in the meantime I’m rewatching the Obi-Wan Kenobi series (for the fourth? fifth? time, lol). This came about because, during one of my husband’s scrolling sessions through Youtube on our TV, he came across the second lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Vader in that show. He hasn’t seen the show (he’s a very casual Star Wars fan, doesn’t know much about the prequels, and was unimpressed with the first episode that I made him watch). But he does enjoy battle/lightsaber duel scenes, so we watched. And this, of course, got me in the mood to watch the show again. Because I LOVE this show. While perhaps not as technically brilliant as Andor, it’s the one that gets me in the feels the most. And since I’ll be getting the Obi-Wan comic next week, it seems fitting.

There are a couple of Star Wars trailers that came out this past week that I’d like to note. I’m very excited about The Bad Batch Season Two trailer, the second one we’ve gotten, and it gives us more to chew on and anticipate. In particular, I love that Cody will be in the show. Fans have long wondered what happened to him after Order 66, and now we get to find out. He’s shown talking to Crosshair, and mentioning that a lot of clone troopers are questioning their orders. I’m hoping this means that Cody is, too, and will eventually join with Rex in fighting the Empire. We see Gungi, the Wookiee Jedi Padawan from Clone Wars, and it’s exciting to see a surviving Jedi in the show (and maybe more?). Rex, and Bail Organa, and some new characters. Maybe Ahsoka? Ahsoka doesn’t need to be in everything, mind you, but it wouldn’t bother me, lol. I’m excited to see Echo exhorting Hunter for them to do more, to help fight the Empire. I’m hoping Echo has a bit more to do this season. It all looks fantastic, and I can’t wait until January 4th, when we get the first two episodes.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a gamer at all, but I did watch the Jedi: Survivor trailer, the Star Wars game that is a sequel to Jedi: Fallen Order. I’ve always been very interested in Cal Kestis’ story, and while I read a version of his story somewhere, and maybe even watched a Youtube version, I still felt like I was missing out. I’m glad gamers are getting more gaming fun from Cal and his crew, but it’s the book that drops the same week called Jedi: Battle Scars that I’m most looking forward to. I’m hoping you don’t need to know a lot about the game to enjoy the book, but just in case, I’ll watch some more Youtube summaries to get reacquainted with the characters. Both the game and the book drop in March of next year.

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

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello friends, and happy weekend!

So, no Andor episodes to comment on anymore. 😦 But, now that the series is over, I decided to revisit Rogue One again, and yeah, it’s just as good as I remember. And perhaps, if possible, a bit sadder, since I know so much more about Cassian now. And I think it’s official: the Battle of Scarif is my favorite Star Wars battle, hands down. I enjoy the battles in Star Wars for the most part, but almost always my eyes start to glaze over after awhile. Not this one. The battle on the beach, as well as the battle above the planetary shield, is tense and exhilarating. Hmm, maybe I’ll do a list post with favorite Star Wars battles.

I finished Season Three of Poldark a few days ago, and decided to take a break from it for a week or so and watch other things. I love it, but I need a break from the constant drama, lol. There’s a few things on my Amazon Prime watchlist, but I’m not sure what I’ll watch yet. I’ll report back next week.

The covers for Phase Two have been gorgeous so far.

In books, I got my copy of Convergence and have been reading it. I’m about halfway done and I’m really enjoying it. It mostly concerns the “Forever War” between the two planets Eiram and E’ronoh, and a Jedi delagation trying to help with the peace process. Jedi Knight Gella Nattai is trying to find her place in the Order; Axel Greylark, the troubled son of one of the Chancellors, has been sent there by his mother to watch and report back to her. Both Gella and Axel must protect the princess of E’ronoh and the prince of Eiram, who have vowed to end their planets destructive war through a marriage between them. But there are those who don’t want peace, on both sides, and it doesn’t help that the Path of the Hand has gotten involved as well. I’m eager to see how it turns out, since there’s still trouble between these two planets a hundred years later as evidences in one of the Phase One books, which I believe was Into the Dark.

Obi-Wan looks back on some key moments in his life.

I’m not much of a comic book reader, but when I saw an omnibus edition of the recent Obi-Wan Kenobi comic, I had to pre-order it. It comes out on December 13th. I don’t think the comic brought anything super important or earth-shattering to the canon, but look, it’s Obi-Wan. So it will be read and take its place on my shelf.

We got a cover reveal for the Cal Kestis novel coming out next March:

Looks like trouble ahead with Fifth Brother.

I’m eager to get to know these characters, as I’m not a gamer, either. But I’ve always been intrigued by Cal’s story, and had always hoped for a book. Wishes sometimes do come true!

In Marvel, I watched the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 trailer that just dropped, and I’m ready for this. If you haven’t seen it, check it out here:

By the way, I haven’t seen Wakanda Forever yet, but I will watch it when it inevitably drops on Disney Plus soon.

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

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello my friends, and happy weekend!

(Spoilery things ahead!)

Andor’s tenth episode, “One Way Out” was probably the best of the series so far. This, of course, was the prison escape episode, and it delivered in so many ways. Now that Kino Loy (played by Andy Serkis) is done with the Empire’s games and is on board, they make a plan. Now that the old man Ulaf died, a new prisoner will be coming in to fill his spot. And that’s when the Imperials will be at their most vulnerable. Cassian finishes sabotaging the water pipe from the refresher, and that leaking water will help disable the electrified floor. Once the new guy is brought in, they attack (poor new guy, he has no idea what’s going on…and ends up dying from a blaster bolt). Once they’re all out and kill the guards, they make their way to the command center and take over. They cut off the power to all the floors, and then Kino makes his speech over the intercom, telling the prisoners they had taken control and were escaping. But more than that, his speech is inspiring to the prisoners, as he tells them to help one another. It’s not “every man for himself”, it’s “if we work together we can get out of here.” So it was heartbreaking when they finally get out and have to jump into the ocean to get away and Kino says he can’t swim. He helped everyone else get out while likely knowing he wouldn’t make it out himself, as it’s obvious he knew they were surrounded by water. I really liked Kino’s story arc, going from a man counting down his days until he gets out and everyone better not ruin that for him, to a man leading everyone out while he himself can’t get out. I hope we find out what happens to him–sent to another prison? Killed? Suicide? Maybe I don’t want to know.

Anyway, there was another big speech in the episode, given by Luthen Rael. He meets with one of the ISB agents, Jung, who is actually a mole and working for the Rebellion. He’s meeting with Luthen to warn him about the ISB laying a trap for Kreeger’s rebel cell, but really he wants to tell Luthen he’s done with this double agent thing. He’s got a baby coming and wants a different life. But Luthen won’t let him, telling him that they have to make sacrifices. Jung asks what Luthen’s sacrificed, and what we get is some sorely-needed insight into this man. Basically, he tells Jung that he’s sacrificed his soul. He’s not a kind man, and he uses the Empire’s own tactics against them. In other words, he’s become what he’s sworn to destroy, all for a victory he suspects he’ll never see.

Someone who’s not ready to sacrifice her soul is Mon Mothma. She meets with this Davos, a “thug” in her estimation, only because she’s desperate for money to cover up what her “charity” is actually doing. She’s willing to pay the man off, but he’s already rich and doesn’t want money. He wants his son to meet her daughter–probably in the hopes of a traditional Chandrilan arranged marriage, likely so he can get closer to the influential and more respectable Coruscant society. Mon balks and is curt at dismissing him. But as he points out her, she’s thinking about it. What is she willing to sacrifice? I’m curious to see how this plays out. Only two more episodes of this season!

Now that The Rings of Power is done, I need to make that Amazon Prime subscription worth paying, so I’ve added a few things to my watchlist. One of those things is Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to 1984’s Blade Runner that came out a few years ago. I saw it in the theater at the time, and absolutely adored it. I’m a big fan of the original, and wasn’t sure about a sequel. But my doubts were immediately dispelled as I heard that otherworldly music and watched Ryan Gosling totally nail it as a replicant Blade Runner called “K” whose job it is to “retire” older, less compliant Replicants from the past.

During one of his cases, he comes upon a mystery and a miracle: a Replicant woman who gave birth 30 years ago. Sensing the enormity of the event and what such a child represents, K’s boss, Madame, played wonderfully by Robin Wright, orders him to find and kill the (30 year-old) child. But during his investigation, he comes to believe that he, himself, is the child of that long ago miracle.

In the meantime, the creepy corporate billionaire Wallace (played by Jared Leto), who had taken up the reins left by Tyrell Corporation and created new models of Replicants like K who obeyed, also wants to find the child in order to figure out how to make his Replicants with the power to give birth. So he can have more slaves, you see, to dominate the stars. He sends his pet Replicant, the ironically named Love, to follow K during his investigation, a woman who certainly doesn’t know anything about love.

Director Denis Villeneuve’s Los Angeles of 2049 is a bleak and wondrous place, where illusion is the order of the day. Replicants are implanted with false memories, to make them emotionally stable. They know that they’re implanted, they know exactly what they are (and aren’t), but the memories make them feel more human. K has a relationship with a beautiful hologram named Joi, and though her programming is meant to fill every one of K’s desires (except, of course, physical contact, which is solved in a clever way), it certainly seems like Joi is a real person who loves him. And he does love her. Or maybe he’s in love the idea of her. Can you be in love with someone who’s not “real”? She’s an illusion, but K’s feelings about her are not. Does that make her real?

Are Replicants “real”? They’re alive–they breath and bleed and can die–and they’re sentient beings. They have emotions. They’re supposed to obey and not be able to lie, but K breaks both of those rules. It seems moot to me that if one is “born” instead of “made” they’re more real and therefore have more rights. But apparently this child represents something dangerous–the fact that Replicants can reproduce give them more “self-agency.” To Madame, this would be disastrous, leading to a Replicant rebellion; to Wallace, it is the holy grail that would serve his purpose to simply enslave more Replicants.

Some people thought this movie was too long and convoluted, but not me. I loved every single minute of its almost 3 hour runtime. It’s mesmerizing to behold, and offers a lot to chew on. The performances were amazing, especially Ryan Gosling, who was a revelation to me at the time. I wasn’t really familiar with him except for “The Notebook,” lol. But he perfectly captures the nuances of a person who initially accepts the status quo, and then gradually learns who he is (or could be), and what it means to be “human.” Bravo.

In books, this week I started and finished a rereading of Mission to Disaster, a middle-grade book by Justina Ireland. It’s a Phase 1 High Republic book, and I wanted to revisit it because most of it takes place on Dalna, a planet we see 150 years earlier in Path of Deceit. Basically the Nihil has taken some children prisoner to “recruit’ them, and young Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwho and her Padawan Imri Cantos are on it. Their friend, Avon Starros, a technological genius, has been taken and made to help the Nihil with a weapon that can destroy the planet.

I wanted to see if I could get any insight into Dalna considering the events of Path of Deceit, which also took place on Dalna. What we learn is that something happened on on that planet involving the Jedi, something that went very bad and the Jedi are blamed. Ever since, the Jedi are not trusted, although by the time of Vernestra’s time, there is a Jedi Outpost there. There seems to be some evidence that the Jedi covered up the incident. We don’t get anything like that in Path of Deceit, but I think we will see it later in Phase 2.

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