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Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View #3
From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi
Celebrate the lasting impact of Return of the Jedi with this exciting reimagining of the timeless Star Wars film featuring new perspectives from forty contributors.
On May 25, 1983, Star Wars cemented its legacy as the greatest movie franchise of all time with the release of Return of the Jedi. In honor of the fortieth anniversary, forty storytellers re-create an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi through the eyes of a supporting character, from heroes and villains, to droids and creatures. From a Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors and trendsetting artists:
� Olivie Blake provides a chilling glimpse into the mind of Emperor Palpatine.
� Saladin Ahmed recounts the tragic history of the rancor trainer.
� Charlie Jane Anders explores the life and times of the Sarlacc.
� Fran Wilde reveals Mon Mothma's secret mission to save the Rebel Alliance.
� Mary Kenney chronicles Wicket the Ewok's quest for one quiet day on the forest moon of Endor.
� Anakin Skywalker becomes one with the Force in a gripping tale by Mike Chen.
Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales from:
Tom Angleberger, Kristin Baver, Akemi Dawn Bowman, Emma Mieko Candon, Olivia Chadha, Gloria Chao, Adam Christopher, Paul Crilley, Amal El-Mohtar, M. K. England, Jason Fry, Adam Lance Garcia, Lamar Giles, Max Gladstone, Thea Guanzon, Ali Hazelwood, Patricia A. Jackson, Alex Jennings, Jarrett Krosoczka, Sarah Kuhn, Danny Lore, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Kwame Mbalia, Marieke Nijkamp, Danielle Paige, Laura Pohl, K. Arsenault Rivera, Dana Schwartz, Tara Sim, Phil Szostak, Suzanne Walker, Hannah Whitten, Sean Williams, Alyssa Wong
On May 25, 1983, Star Wars cemented its legacy as the greatest movie franchise of all time with the release of Return of the Jedi. In honor of the fortieth anniversary, forty storytellers re-create an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi through the eyes of a supporting character, from heroes and villains, to droids and creatures. From a Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors and trendsetting artists:
� Olivie Blake provides a chilling glimpse into the mind of Emperor Palpatine.
� Saladin Ahmed recounts the tragic history of the rancor trainer.
� Charlie Jane Anders explores the life and times of the Sarlacc.
� Fran Wilde reveals Mon Mothma's secret mission to save the Rebel Alliance.
� Mary Kenney chronicles Wicket the Ewok's quest for one quiet day on the forest moon of Endor.
� Anakin Skywalker becomes one with the Force in a gripping tale by Mike Chen.
Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales from:
Tom Angleberger, Kristin Baver, Akemi Dawn Bowman, Emma Mieko Candon, Olivia Chadha, Gloria Chao, Adam Christopher, Paul Crilley, Amal El-Mohtar, M. K. England, Jason Fry, Adam Lance Garcia, Lamar Giles, Max Gladstone, Thea Guanzon, Ali Hazelwood, Patricia A. Jackson, Alex Jennings, Jarrett Krosoczka, Sarah Kuhn, Danny Lore, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Kwame Mbalia, Marieke Nijkamp, Danielle Paige, Laura Pohl, K. Arsenault Rivera, Dana Schwartz, Tara Sim, Phil Szostak, Suzanne Walker, Hannah Whitten, Sean Williams, Alyssa Wong
573 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2023
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3,975 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
January 27, 2024
It has been forty years since the release of Return of the Jedi. To celebrate the anniversary there is a release of an anthology of short stories of minor characters from that film.
It really is no surprise that I am giving a collection of short stories a three star rating. I gave the other two collections a three star rating also. My feelings with this type of collection is that there will be several misses and several hits. Thus I usually land on a three star rating with this type of book. I will say I thought this particular collection was way more consistent with their stories than the other two collections. There really was not a miss among them as each story held my attention and possessed quality story telling. What I really liked about this collection was the different view point of the movie. I always viewed the movie as an excellent adventure romp with our heroes to finally decide the winner between the Alliance and the Empire. This book sheds a new light on some parts of the movie. The desolate and dire nature of being forced to work for Jabba is well done. Or the anxiousness of the Rebel Alliance on the eve of the Battle of Endor. These were especially my favorite stories. This book added even a little more depth to the movie.
This collection was easily my favorite of the three collections that have been released for the various anniversaries. I felt like the other two collections had some filler. I did not feel that way with this collection as each story added depth to a movie that I have seen countless times.
It really is no surprise that I am giving a collection of short stories a three star rating. I gave the other two collections a three star rating also. My feelings with this type of collection is that there will be several misses and several hits. Thus I usually land on a three star rating with this type of book. I will say I thought this particular collection was way more consistent with their stories than the other two collections. There really was not a miss among them as each story held my attention and possessed quality story telling. What I really liked about this collection was the different view point of the movie. I always viewed the movie as an excellent adventure romp with our heroes to finally decide the winner between the Alliance and the Empire. This book sheds a new light on some parts of the movie. The desolate and dire nature of being forced to work for Jabba is well done. Or the anxiousness of the Rebel Alliance on the eve of the Battle of Endor. These were especially my favorite stories. This book added even a little more depth to the movie.
This collection was easily my favorite of the three collections that have been released for the various anniversaries. I felt like the other two collections had some filler. I did not feel that way with this collection as each story added depth to a movie that I have seen countless times.
September 21, 2023
Consumed as text and audio.
Don't be too put off by the low rating, there are some good stories to be had here but the ratio of misses to hits is much higher in this third volume of the FACPOV anthology series. As a lifelong lover of ROTJ it's not the source material at fault, in my view, so much as the unfortunate repetition of authors striving to give background characters rich internal lives when a little more fun might have been in order.
My top three recommended tales are:
- KERNELS AND HUSKS by Jason Fry
- NO CONTINGENCY by Fran Wilde
- BROTHERHOOD by Mike Chen
Don't be too put off by the low rating, there are some good stories to be had here but the ratio of misses to hits is much higher in this third volume of the FACPOV anthology series. As a lifelong lover of ROTJ it's not the source material at fault, in my view, so much as the unfortunate repetition of authors striving to give background characters rich internal lives when a little more fun might have been in order.
My top three recommended tales are:
- KERNELS AND HUSKS by Jason Fry
- NO CONTINGENCY by Fran Wilde
- BROTHERHOOD by Mike Chen
June 24, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. I might be biased as Return of the Jedi is my favourite movie of all time. I loved reliving it through the eyes of others living I the Star Wars universe.
Even though it is difficult to rate the book because out of 40 stories, there were dome I enjoyed more than others, I don't think there was a single story I did not like. I some cases, I really liked that certain writers built on the stories told by other authors in this book, and others linked it into the new (Disney) Star Wars series, books, and comics. For a continuity lover like me, this is great.
I would say this is a must have gor any Star Wars fan, but definitely for sny fan of the original trilogy. Yes, I still prefer the Expanded/Legonds Universe, but a great job was done here to tell mrw stories and add layers to the Star Wars universe.
Even though it is difficult to rate the book because out of 40 stories, there were dome I enjoyed more than others, I don't think there was a single story I did not like. I some cases, I really liked that certain writers built on the stories told by other authors in this book, and others linked it into the new (Disney) Star Wars series, books, and comics. For a continuity lover like me, this is great.
I would say this is a must have gor any Star Wars fan, but definitely for sny fan of the original trilogy. Yes, I still prefer the Expanded/Legonds Universe, but a great job was done here to tell mrw stories and add layers to the Star Wars universe.
September 2, 2023
Ratings are out of 5 stars.
There are too many stories that flash back to the past.
I think though that this was the best of the trio of anthologies.
"Any Work Worth Doing" (5)
Jerjerrod is relatable! He is a physical person, needing physical schematics and being hands-on with the work. I like how he takes Vader’s words and makes them work for what the Emperor wants.
"Fancy Man" (2.5)
Max Rebo remembers his past, which is sometimes tough to differentiate from the present. I don’t like the use of the word “ass.� I felt like this was a story.
"The Key to Remembering" (1)
EV-9D9 thinks that she gets a kink in her cervical mount? What? That made it a 0.5 but the rest, which I went through quickly, is okayish enough to bring it up. Barely. EV-9D9 is awful and I never want to read anything again from Olivia Chadha.
"Fortuna Favors the Bold" (3.5)
Bib Fortuna has a list of things he hates, and Jabba is at the top. It’s a good segue into BOBF.
"Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight" (5)
Never knew who Jess was until now, but she is in the movie. She wanted to be in a band while her boyfriend wanted to race, and now she is indentured to Jabba. But she is more than a dancer, and she and the others she trusts devise fun plans on how a Hutt can be killed. Then her boyfriend learns of her fate, and Leia comes around, and for being one of two stories more than 30 pages long, it’s also a great one.
"The Plan" (4.5)
We get Malakili’s backstory (including the fact that he didn’t raise the rancor this time around), and how he ended up Jabba’s beastmaster. It was a great story, getting into his mind…and his mentor’s regarding The Plan to feed a Jedi to some beast for magical abilities.
"Reputation" (4)
This was a decent short about Boba working for Jabba and being told to not take it personally when the Hutt puts a bounty on Fett’s head after Han was stolen by Crimson Dawn. It ends just before he gets knocked into the sarlacc.
"Kickback" (3.75)
Some guard named Sion is happy to be working for Jabba because it means a steady job that keeps his (very greedy) family happy. But he gets kicked into the sarlacc.
"Everyone's a Critic" (4)
Oddly enough, I didn’t mind this story about Salacious Crumb and how he came to be with Jabba. I like that he still has to make Jabba laugh once a day to stay alive. I laughed at the end.
"Satisfaction" (3)
Mediocre story about Sy Snootles reflecting on being in the Max Rebo Band and her life on Tatooine.
"My Mouth Never Closes" (3.5)
I love the title. And while getting the sarlacc’s POV is interesting (like that it is one of the few of its species that doesn’t like me), a few things rubbed me wrong, didn’t feel right. Tatooine was a jungle?
[Are we FINALLY off Tatooine?! I can’t believe more than 25% of this takes place there]
"Kernels and Husks" (2)
I can’t believe I’m giving a Jason Fry story a 2/5, but there you go. Some Imp named Sim remembers a guy he killed during the Clone Wars and now he likes killing.
"The Light That Falls" (3.5)
Bright-Eyes, a dragonsnake on Dagobah, senses an imbalance as Yoda dies.
"From a Certain Point of View" (4)
I’m so glad not everything is dialogue from the movie. I really like Obi-Wan’s POV and love how he sees Anakin’s fighting style in Leia’s diplomacy, and Anakin’s physicality in Luke.
"No Contingency" (4.75)
Mon personally retrieves data on the Emperor’s whereabouts because “a leader can’t lead if they will not also sacrifice.�
"The Burden of Leadership" (5)
I am really enjoying Lore’s writing from Lando’s POV. I like seeing him consider different possible versions of his present while realizing that he could never ask someone to make the decisions he is. Because he didn’t become Baron Administrator because he looks good in a cape, and is an actual leader who understands its burdens. My biggest issue was the lack of semicolons, but that wasn’t enough to drop the ranking.
"Gone to the Winner's Circle" (4)
TK-15, one of the two troopers following Luke and Leia on Endor and is a former experienced outlaw racer. Unfortunately for him, it’s not enough to save him from Luke’s lightsaber.
"One Normal Day" (5)
Wicket! Kneesa! Woklings! On a day that he wants normalcy, adventure finds Wicket when the sky people come.
I need to rewatch Ewoks.
"Divine Intervention" (4.5)
Shaman Logray and Teebo feel as if their Golden One deity has abandoned them, but while Logray wants to steer his people in one direction to still follow the god, Teebo is obstinate. At least, until Logray catches sight of the Golden One. Then 3PO trips, but Logray still puts into action a plan…that has me chuckling at the end.
"The Buy-In" (4)
This is about Norra who is upset that she has missed so much time with Temmin (he’s 15, which really places Aftermath because I remembered it as being further out) and that she hasn’t found Brentin. Instead of making a message for Tem, she plays sabacc with her fellow pilots, and classic Wes flirts with everyone.
"The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker" (4)
Commander Altadan Igaris the one to whom Luke goes to surrender to Vader. He had fought alongside Jedi during the clone wars, and understands the cost of battle.
I find it quite interesting that the Death Star can illuminate the night. I am tickled that the Imps find that the Endor moon eats people.
"Ackbar" (4.5)
I am so happy to get a comic that isn’t one page!
"The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" (2)
Arvel Crynyd is an A-wing pilot who has flashbacks to different times in his past that set his current path.
"Ending Protocol" (2)
Imp Trooper Riz and her partner Gir are walking through the forest of the Endor moon. Riz recalls when her commander was shot in front of her and I thought it was part of the current story.And she second-guesses a lot about the Empire.
"The Last Flight" (1)
Some Red Squadron pilot named Sila Kott also has flashbacks to her past. I found the entire story pointless.
"Twenty and Out" (4.5)
Death Star gunner Corr Lerrann is in his last week after 20 years of service with the Imperial Navy. His post-retirement plan is to develop safety rails. Later, his friends see just how needed they are.
"The Ballad of Nanta" (4.5)
Nanta is an Ewok who wants to know the answer to everything and is set on the path of being a Storykeeper. He sets some of his stories to music. Yes, he considers the past but more about how it shapes the present and helps Nanta dream the story and ballad of the final battle with the Golden One’s people against the Skull Ones. The end has a hard punch.
"Then Fall, Sidious" (4.25)
These are the last 10 thoughts of Emperor Palpatine and how he reflects on how Luke is “a Jedi, like his father before him,� except not.
"Impact" (4.5)
This story backtracks from the time the Executor impacts against the Death Star II to about a day or two before, namely through the eyes of Bridge Officer Kasva Jhoff. I like how it was set up.
"Trooper Trouble" (3.5)
Although this isn’t the longest story, it ends up dragging. And then it has words like “ass� for no reason, and “Huzzah,� though I am very glad that stronger language than ass is redacted. TK-423 keeps a journal from the time he starts on the Death Star II, and while not every entry is there his main complaints are no caf, no pay, and a droid who spends its time tormenting the trooper. Some troopers want to protest the treatment (just pay and caf; the droid is only out for 423) but then the rebels come.
"To the Last" (2.5)
Piett for some reason can’t get Ozzel out of his head and then thinks about his childhood and then is glad to be killed by the rebels because he did what was right [and wasn’t killed by Vader?].
"The Emperor's Red Guards" (3.75)
This POV is from one of the two Red Guards the Emperor orders out. He wishes he could always see how the Emperor deals with his enemies and thinks of how Luke will be turned. He only disobeys orders for the first time and goes in when he hears Palp’s yells cut off…and his faith is shattered.
"Wolf Trap" (2)
Hoyel is a trooper captured by the Ewoks. It was very chilling when another prisoner tells Hoyel the Ewoks are eating them. He flashbacks to the past and of an injured wolf that gives him inspiration. It bored me about halfway through.
"The Extra Five Percent" (3)
Karie Neth is the new Yellow 9 and her best friend (I just wish best friends stayed best friends in these stories, my word) has given her boosters an extra 5% which likely saves her from the shock wave when the DSII blows up. I liked Lando even acknowledging her survival.
"When Fire Marked the Sky" (3.75)
It wasn’t bad but I felt like something was missing
Wedge doesn’t turn off. He thinks he’s lucky, not “just that good.� Then he has to think about what it will actually mean to live.
"The Chronicler" (5)
This is the second of the two longest ones and I’m so glad that neither disappoint.
Dora Mar has an eidetic memory and has just been made a Chronicler by Mon Mothma. Her friend Tele, also with an eidetic memory, is one too (again, can we please have friends be friends). Dora though has to interview Han (who leave early but makes her think of the sun), Luke (who is more introspective than she expected and makes her think of a calm but confusing moon), Lando (who is flirty, always making a comparison to a game of cards, and makes her think of a magnetic field), and Leia (who is unyielding and straight, wanting ALL people to be part of the story). Despite Dora’s romantic side, her final notes and story mirror just how deep and true this short is.
"The Veteran" (4.5)
Dexter Jettster is OLD. he remembers the Nihil?! He looks after his neighbors and knows just how dangerous the upcoming weeks on Coruscant will be, whether or not Palpatine is actually dead (and he doesn’t believe he is). The end was beautiful.
"Brotherhood" (4.75)
Vader–Anakin–sinks into the void of the Force but refuses the peace because a moment of Light doesn’t make up for two decades of Dark. He knows he needs to atone for much and gets to talk to Obi-Wan about it. While I don’t like the remastered version to include Hayden (as much as I love Hayden), Chen did a good job explaining it here.
"The Steadfast Soldier" (2)
Pryde is with FS-421 (who I remember from another FACPOV book) and doesn’t want to believe Vader is dead. And he is hopped up on death sticks.
"Return of the Whills" (5)
I love how the two are finally on board! This was a great continuation of the Whills and end to the compilation.
There are too many stories that flash back to the past.
I think though that this was the best of the trio of anthologies.
"Any Work Worth Doing" (5)
Jerjerrod is relatable! He is a physical person, needing physical schematics and being hands-on with the work. I like how he takes Vader’s words and makes them work for what the Emperor wants.
"Fancy Man" (2.5)
Max Rebo remembers his past, which is sometimes tough to differentiate from the present. I don’t like the use of the word “ass.� I felt like this was a story.
"The Key to Remembering" (1)
EV-9D9 thinks that she gets a kink in her cervical mount? What? That made it a 0.5 but the rest, which I went through quickly, is okayish enough to bring it up. Barely. EV-9D9 is awful and I never want to read anything again from Olivia Chadha.
"Fortuna Favors the Bold" (3.5)
Bib Fortuna has a list of things he hates, and Jabba is at the top. It’s a good segue into BOBF.
"Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight" (5)
Never knew who Jess was until now, but she is in the movie. She wanted to be in a band while her boyfriend wanted to race, and now she is indentured to Jabba. But she is more than a dancer, and she and the others she trusts devise fun plans on how a Hutt can be killed. Then her boyfriend learns of her fate, and Leia comes around, and for being one of two stories more than 30 pages long, it’s also a great one.
"The Plan" (4.5)
We get Malakili’s backstory (including the fact that he didn’t raise the rancor this time around), and how he ended up Jabba’s beastmaster. It was a great story, getting into his mind…and his mentor’s regarding The Plan to feed a Jedi to some beast for magical abilities.
"Reputation" (4)
This was a decent short about Boba working for Jabba and being told to not take it personally when the Hutt puts a bounty on Fett’s head after Han was stolen by Crimson Dawn. It ends just before he gets knocked into the sarlacc.
"Kickback" (3.75)
Some guard named Sion is happy to be working for Jabba because it means a steady job that keeps his (very greedy) family happy. But he gets kicked into the sarlacc.
"Everyone's a Critic" (4)
Oddly enough, I didn’t mind this story about Salacious Crumb and how he came to be with Jabba. I like that he still has to make Jabba laugh once a day to stay alive. I laughed at the end.
"Satisfaction" (3)
Mediocre story about Sy Snootles reflecting on being in the Max Rebo Band and her life on Tatooine.
"My Mouth Never Closes" (3.5)
I love the title. And while getting the sarlacc’s POV is interesting (like that it is one of the few of its species that doesn’t like me), a few things rubbed me wrong, didn’t feel right. Tatooine was a jungle?
[Are we FINALLY off Tatooine?! I can’t believe more than 25% of this takes place there]
"Kernels and Husks" (2)
I can’t believe I’m giving a Jason Fry story a 2/5, but there you go. Some Imp named Sim remembers a guy he killed during the Clone Wars and now he likes killing.
"The Light That Falls" (3.5)
Bright-Eyes, a dragonsnake on Dagobah, senses an imbalance as Yoda dies.
"From a Certain Point of View" (4)
I’m so glad not everything is dialogue from the movie. I really like Obi-Wan’s POV and love how he sees Anakin’s fighting style in Leia’s diplomacy, and Anakin’s physicality in Luke.
"No Contingency" (4.75)
Mon personally retrieves data on the Emperor’s whereabouts because “a leader can’t lead if they will not also sacrifice.�
"The Burden of Leadership" (5)
I am really enjoying Lore’s writing from Lando’s POV. I like seeing him consider different possible versions of his present while realizing that he could never ask someone to make the decisions he is. Because he didn’t become Baron Administrator because he looks good in a cape, and is an actual leader who understands its burdens. My biggest issue was the lack of semicolons, but that wasn’t enough to drop the ranking.
"Gone to the Winner's Circle" (4)
TK-15, one of the two troopers following Luke and Leia on Endor and is a former experienced outlaw racer. Unfortunately for him, it’s not enough to save him from Luke’s lightsaber.
"One Normal Day" (5)
Wicket! Kneesa! Woklings! On a day that he wants normalcy, adventure finds Wicket when the sky people come.
I need to rewatch Ewoks.
"Divine Intervention" (4.5)
Shaman Logray and Teebo feel as if their Golden One deity has abandoned them, but while Logray wants to steer his people in one direction to still follow the god, Teebo is obstinate. At least, until Logray catches sight of the Golden One. Then 3PO trips, but Logray still puts into action a plan…that has me chuckling at the end.
"The Buy-In" (4)
This is about Norra who is upset that she has missed so much time with Temmin (he’s 15, which really places Aftermath because I remembered it as being further out) and that she hasn’t found Brentin. Instead of making a message for Tem, she plays sabacc with her fellow pilots, and classic Wes flirts with everyone.
"The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker" (4)
Commander Altadan Igaris the one to whom Luke goes to surrender to Vader. He had fought alongside Jedi during the clone wars, and understands the cost of battle.
I find it quite interesting that the Death Star can illuminate the night. I am tickled that the Imps find that the Endor moon eats people.
"Ackbar" (4.5)
I am so happy to get a comic that isn’t one page!
"The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" (2)
Arvel Crynyd is an A-wing pilot who has flashbacks to different times in his past that set his current path.
"Ending Protocol" (2)
Imp Trooper Riz and her partner Gir are walking through the forest of the Endor moon. Riz recalls when her commander was shot in front of her and I thought it was part of the current story.And she second-guesses a lot about the Empire.
"The Last Flight" (1)
Some Red Squadron pilot named Sila Kott also has flashbacks to her past. I found the entire story pointless.
"Twenty and Out" (4.5)
Death Star gunner Corr Lerrann is in his last week after 20 years of service with the Imperial Navy. His post-retirement plan is to develop safety rails. Later, his friends see just how needed they are.
"The Ballad of Nanta" (4.5)
Nanta is an Ewok who wants to know the answer to everything and is set on the path of being a Storykeeper. He sets some of his stories to music. Yes, he considers the past but more about how it shapes the present and helps Nanta dream the story and ballad of the final battle with the Golden One’s people against the Skull Ones. The end has a hard punch.
"Then Fall, Sidious" (4.25)
These are the last 10 thoughts of Emperor Palpatine and how he reflects on how Luke is “a Jedi, like his father before him,� except not.
"Impact" (4.5)
This story backtracks from the time the Executor impacts against the Death Star II to about a day or two before, namely through the eyes of Bridge Officer Kasva Jhoff. I like how it was set up.
"Trooper Trouble" (3.5)
Although this isn’t the longest story, it ends up dragging. And then it has words like “ass� for no reason, and “Huzzah,� though I am very glad that stronger language than ass is redacted. TK-423 keeps a journal from the time he starts on the Death Star II, and while not every entry is there his main complaints are no caf, no pay, and a droid who spends its time tormenting the trooper. Some troopers want to protest the treatment (just pay and caf; the droid is only out for 423) but then the rebels come.
"To the Last" (2.5)
Piett for some reason can’t get Ozzel out of his head and then thinks about his childhood and then is glad to be killed by the rebels because he did what was right [and wasn’t killed by Vader?].
"The Emperor's Red Guards" (3.75)
This POV is from one of the two Red Guards the Emperor orders out. He wishes he could always see how the Emperor deals with his enemies and thinks of how Luke will be turned. He only disobeys orders for the first time and goes in when he hears Palp’s yells cut off…and his faith is shattered.
"Wolf Trap" (2)
Hoyel is a trooper captured by the Ewoks. It was very chilling when another prisoner tells Hoyel the Ewoks are eating them. He flashbacks to the past and of an injured wolf that gives him inspiration. It bored me about halfway through.
"The Extra Five Percent" (3)
Karie Neth is the new Yellow 9 and her best friend (I just wish best friends stayed best friends in these stories, my word) has given her boosters an extra 5% which likely saves her from the shock wave when the DSII blows up. I liked Lando even acknowledging her survival.
"When Fire Marked the Sky" (3.75)
It wasn’t bad but I felt like something was missing
Wedge doesn’t turn off. He thinks he’s lucky, not “just that good.� Then he has to think about what it will actually mean to live.
"The Chronicler" (5)
This is the second of the two longest ones and I’m so glad that neither disappoint.
Dora Mar has an eidetic memory and has just been made a Chronicler by Mon Mothma. Her friend Tele, also with an eidetic memory, is one too (again, can we please have friends be friends). Dora though has to interview Han (who leave early but makes her think of the sun), Luke (who is more introspective than she expected and makes her think of a calm but confusing moon), Lando (who is flirty, always making a comparison to a game of cards, and makes her think of a magnetic field), and Leia (who is unyielding and straight, wanting ALL people to be part of the story). Despite Dora’s romantic side, her final notes and story mirror just how deep and true this short is.
"The Veteran" (4.5)
Dexter Jettster is OLD. he remembers the Nihil?! He looks after his neighbors and knows just how dangerous the upcoming weeks on Coruscant will be, whether or not Palpatine is actually dead (and he doesn’t believe he is). The end was beautiful.
"Brotherhood" (4.75)
Vader–Anakin–sinks into the void of the Force but refuses the peace because a moment of Light doesn’t make up for two decades of Dark. He knows he needs to atone for much and gets to talk to Obi-Wan about it. While I don’t like the remastered version to include Hayden (as much as I love Hayden), Chen did a good job explaining it here.
"The Steadfast Soldier" (2)
Pryde is with FS-421 (who I remember from another FACPOV book) and doesn’t want to believe Vader is dead. And he is hopped up on death sticks.
"Return of the Whills" (5)
I love how the two are finally on board! This was a great continuation of the Whills and end to the compilation.
October 30, 2023
Easily my favorite of the “Point of View� books. Lots of good POVs here which expanded the movie a lot. But more than secondary (or even tertiary characters) we got some great main character stuff in Boba Fett AND Anakin. Just lovely stuff.
Want to read
March 10, 2023Return Of The Jedi has always been my favourite of the original trilogy (sorry purists) and so my standards for this anthology are sky high
also I can't wait another 15 years for the prequel ones can we have like a 30 year anniversary anthology instead 👀
December 14, 2023
I love Star Wars! I love short stories! Together this third collection was a win-win for me, as I also loved the previous books Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View and The Empire Strikes Back.
Forty authors celebrated forty years since Return of the Jedi was released in 1983 by contributing a story of background or supporting characters from the ending of The Empire Strikes Back to the ending of ROTJ movie. What I especially like about short stories is you can read an entire story in bite-sized portions, perfect for when you are a full-time working mom like myself who has limited reading time but loves to read! There are a few spoilers, but I did my best not to give it all away!
Any Work Worth Doing by Amal El-Mohtar 4/5
Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod is an Imperial engineer working on creating the second Death Star who is trying to keep up with Darth Vader’s unreasonable deadlines. He tries to understand Vader and the Emperor’s wishes so he can please them and avoid death.
Fancy Man by Phil Szostak 3/5
One of the elephantine musicians at Jabba the Hutt’s complex, Max Rebo, is only concerned with music and nonstop partying when R2D2 and C-3PO show up and we know his easy carefree life is about to end.
The Key to Remembering by Olivia Chadha 2.5/5
EV-9D9 is a killer droid who is employed by Jabba but gets a new lease on life once R2D2 speaks to them about memories and they get a chance to work at a bar instead. Meh.
Fortuna Favors the Bold by Kwame Mbalia 3.5/5
Bib Fortuna is Jabba’s right-hand man and survives Luke’s rescue and the Sarlacc sand monster. He plots to take Jabba’s place�
Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight by Thea Guanzon 4/5
Jess is a dancer indentured in Jabba’s palace and a friend to the doomed Oola. Her pilot boyfriend comes back to Tatooine to save her, and are able to escape together during the chaos of Luke and Jabba’s battle. A sweet love story, but I kept on hoping that Oola would somehow survive, as she only died a day before she might have escaped too.
The Plan by Saladin Ahmed 3.5/5
Malakili is a street urchin who is adopted by an alien who takes him in and trains him to be an animal caretaker. Several calamities await him and he eventually is forced into servitude for Jabba as the rancor’s beastmaster. The ending was ambiguous.
Reputation by Tara Sim 4/5
When Luke arrives at Jabba’s to free Han and Leia, Boba Fett is determined to maintain his hard-earned reputation. But we know it doesn’t end well for him.
Kickback by K. Arsenault Rivera 4/5
Sion is an enforcer for Jabba, but his income has let him support a family. He’s not an entirely bad man, but his mislaid loyalty to Jabba seals his doom. A short but effective story.
Everyone’s a Critic by Sarah Glenn Marsh 3/5
The gross little monkey-lizard creature seen scampering around Jabba gets a backstory. He becomes a jester and pet to Jabba, but again, a close connection to evil often results in death.
Satisfaction by Kristin Baver 2.5/5
Another dancer/singer of Jabba’s reminisces about her past dealings with Jabba and Ziro. After Jabba’s death, she has the opportunity to flee, but seems as if she is willing to stay and take her chances with a new tyrant.
My Mouth Never Closes by Charlie Jane Anders 3.5/5
A creature feature- the sand monster Sarlacc is just so misunderstood! He doesn’t want to be eating these aliens- but they just keep on falling into his mouth!
Kernels and Husks by Jason Fry 3/5
An evocative origin story for one of the Emperor’s evil Imperial advisors, but I don’t know how that ties into ROTJ.
The Light That Falls by Akemi Dawn Bowman 3/5
A dragon-snake on Dagobah observes Yoda’s death and is uneasy over the unbalance that is a result.
From a Certain Point of View by Alex Jennings 4.5/5
Obi-Wan, as a Force ghost, reflects on his relationship with Anakin and sees good attributes of Annakin in Luke and Leia. He mentions his meeting Leia as a child, so this book is also pulling plot threads from more recent shows such as Kenobi.
No Contingency by Fran Wilde 4.5/5
Mon Mothma has to step out of her comfort zone and pilot a shuttle to retrieve some important data. She understands she needs to put herself in danger if she is the one who asks it of others. A story about Mon is always welcome.
The Burden of Leadership by Danny Lore 4.5/5
Lando realizes he needs to rely on more than his charm if he is going to be a capable leader for the Rebels. Lando is another character I am happy to revisit!
Gone to the Winner’s Circle by Patricia A. Jackson 3/5
Not all Imperial soldiers are evil, and TK-15 a former professional racer believes he has a valid reason to join since the Rebels bombed his family’s garage killing his brother. But his luck runs out in the jungles of Endor as he is chasing Luke.
One Normal Day by Mary Kenney 2/5
Wicket the Ewok, who typically is an adventurous sort, wishes to have a quiet normal day, but of course, he doesn’t. The Ewoks have a Hobbits vibe, and I find them annoying.
Divine (?) Intervention by Paul Crilley 3/5
The Ewok Shaman Logray wishes to take his tribe to safety but runs into opposition from other Ewoks. But then he sights C-3PO, who matches a legend of a Golden One. He knows the robot is not truly a diety, but plans to play along to obtain his goal.
The Buy-In by Suzanne Walker 4/5
Norra Wexley, an older Gold Squadron pilot, is nervous the night before a raid and plays sabacc with the other pilots, Wedge and Lando to help calm her nerves. Her fleshed-out story points out that she is a character found in a Star Wars novel, Aftermath.
The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker by Max Gladstone 4/5
Commander Altadan Igor is surprised when Luke mysteriously turns up in camp and surrenders himself to be taken to Vader. A Clone Wars veteran, he remembers the Jedi and is privy to what Lucas says to Vader when he sees him.
Ackbar by Jarrett J. Krosoczka 4.5/5
An amusing cartoon about Ackbar uttering his famous line- It’s a trap!
The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels by Marieke Nijkamp 3.5/5
We are given an early look at Arvel Crynyd, an A-wing pilot who will soon make the ultimate sacrifice at the Battle of Endor, as he ruminates about hope and flying as he watches some lava birds navigate over a fiery landscape.
Ending Protocol by Hannah Whitten 3.5/5
Riz, a Stormtrooper on Endor, regrets being a soldier for the Imperial Army. But many soldiers joined for the same reason she did- she was an orphan and hungry. “Hunger was sharp enough that you’d do anything to blunt its edge. It was only once you were sated that you looked guiltily back on what was cut�. She has a chance to desert and puts herself in Leia’s hands as to her future fate.
The Last Flight by Ali Hazelwood 2/5
Sila has always been in competition with her beautiful neighbor Lante, but it’s the classic enemies-to-lovers storyline. Orphan Lante joins the Imperial Army, and Sila becomes a Rebel when her family is killed, but Lante redeems herself when she sabotages an Imperial facility although it results in her death. Sila then makes a sacrifice to save her fellow Rebels during a space fight, hoping to be reunited with Lante in the afterlife.
Twenty and Out by Lamar Giles 4.5/5
Corr Lerrann is a Death Star gunner, one week away from retirement, and dreaming of life afterward. He shares with his fellow soldiers that he wants to start up a business that will install safety rails on platforms since many soldiers have died from falls. His comrades laugh at him, but when a friend nearly dies because of a trip, they see that he is on to something. This was a fun tongue-in-cheek story regarding an issue I noticed myself in the movies.
The Ballad of Nanta by Sarah Kuhn 3.5/5
Nanta the Ewok who would like to be his tribe’s Storyteller, participates in a battle against the Skull Ones (Stormtroopers). That ending�
The Fall, Sidious by Olivie Blake 3/5
Emperor Palpatine has ten thoughts about Luke and Vader and keeps repeating the line “a Jedi, like his father before him,� about Luke. This story wasn’t as powerful as I expected it to be.
Impact by Sean Williams 3.5/5
The story begins when the Death Star is hit, and backtracks through the last few days of Bridge Officer Kasva Jhoff.
Trooper Trouble by Laura Pohl 4/5
A new Stormtrooper on the Death Star II journals about their experiences, and I found it amusing. For some reason their squadron didn’t get shooting practice- yikes, I think all Stormtroopers have skipped that part of their training too! Reminded me of the new animated Star Trek series, Lower Decks.
To the Last by Dana Schwartz 4/5
Admiral Piett was the youngest fleet admiral, given a field promotion by Vader himself. Surely he wouldn’t make a mistake like Admiral Ozzel did�
The Emperor’s Red Guards by Gloria Chao 5/5
One of the two Red Guards to Emperor Palpatine has a crisis of faith when they discover that the Emperor is dead after his confrontation with Vader and Luke. The Star Wars franchise has always had an element of religion in it, and this story supports that as the guard needs to evaluate what they will do in the future, as his future and what he believed in has now crumbled to dust. This was the first five-star story of this collection for me.
Wolf Trap by Alyssa Wong 3.5/5
A stormtrooper who was captured by Ewoks and is seemingly doomed to be eaten by them, remembers his first love on his icy home planet and how they once found a wolf who bit through his leg to escape a trap. Will he do the same?
The Extra Five Percent by M.K. England 3.5/5
A Rebel pilot on the Death Star II mission barely escapes with her life due to her friend upping her ship’s power by 5%. Thrilled to have lived, she will be sure to let her friend know how she really feels about her. Sweet story.
When Fire Marked the Sky by Emma Mieko Candon 4.5/5
Wedge! The only survivor besides Luke from the original Death Star mission, Wedge has survivor’s guilt that he survived that mission and many others. He knows he is skilled, but attributes a lot of to luck. He then also survives the Death Star II and realizes he needs to learn how to enjoy life since he and the other pilots he has trained were successful. I like when we get deeper looks into characters we truly know.
The Chronicler by Danielle Paige 5/5
Dora Mar has an eidetic memory, so she was recruited by Mom Motha to be a Chronicler, someone who will remember and share the history of the Rebels no matter the outcome. She gets to interview Han, Lando, Luke and Leia before the Death Star mission and gets insights as to why they all became involved. But it is her interview with Leia that affects her the most, as Leia mentions Oola and Jess, two women traumatized by Jabba and deserving of their stories to be told too. This nicely braided into this book series, as this trilogy has been highlighting minor characters, not just the heroes of the Rebellion. My second favorite story.
The Veteran by Adam Lance Garcia 4.5/5
Dexter Jettster, a long-lived Besalisk who is old enough to remember the Nihil era, witnesses the celebration of the Rebel victory on his planet Coruscant. However, he has the experience to know this is only the beginning of a hard time ahead, and it won’t magically change life for many. He extends kindness to several people during this time of jubilation and reminisces about his old friend Obi-Wan. The character of Dex can be found in the graphic novel series The High Republic Adventures and other Star Wars books.
Brotherhood by Mike Chen 4.5/5
We are given a look at Anakin/Vader’s thoughts as he enters the Force’s afterlife. He knows he has much to atone for, for although he made the right decision before he died, there were decades of killings that he feels guilty about. He speaks to Obi-Wan’s Force ghost and remembers the people he loved before his descent into evil. A realistic ending, as all can not be forgotten or forgiven.
The Steadfast Soldier by Adam Christopher 4/5
Captain Enric Pryde, an Imperial soldier who is stranded on Endor realizes that while the Rebels have won, there will be a power-void in the Empire that he plans to exploit. He obviously remains true to the Empire, for he will later turn up in the movie, The Rise of Skywalker, which makes this story an excellent link between the original trilogy and the recent one.
Return of the Whills by Tom Angleberger 4/5
Angleberger has been the author of all three concluding chapters about the Whills, and brings this trilogy home with his amusing wit about how the Whill scholars wish to chronicle the events of ROTJ.
This three-book series, based on the original Star Wars trilogy has been a delight to read over the last few years. This book was a slow start for me, but the stories began to get better, with the last dozen stories really bringing it to an epic conclusion. I’m sad that this is the last of From a Certain Point of View books, but it was a grand adventure, with wonderful authors expanding the Star Wars universe. So, to all my fellow Star Wars fans- May The Force Be With You!!
This review can also be found on my blog:
Forty authors celebrated forty years since Return of the Jedi was released in 1983 by contributing a story of background or supporting characters from the ending of The Empire Strikes Back to the ending of ROTJ movie. What I especially like about short stories is you can read an entire story in bite-sized portions, perfect for when you are a full-time working mom like myself who has limited reading time but loves to read! There are a few spoilers, but I did my best not to give it all away!
Any Work Worth Doing by Amal El-Mohtar 4/5
Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod is an Imperial engineer working on creating the second Death Star who is trying to keep up with Darth Vader’s unreasonable deadlines. He tries to understand Vader and the Emperor’s wishes so he can please them and avoid death.
Fancy Man by Phil Szostak 3/5
One of the elephantine musicians at Jabba the Hutt’s complex, Max Rebo, is only concerned with music and nonstop partying when R2D2 and C-3PO show up and we know his easy carefree life is about to end.
The Key to Remembering by Olivia Chadha 2.5/5
EV-9D9 is a killer droid who is employed by Jabba but gets a new lease on life once R2D2 speaks to them about memories and they get a chance to work at a bar instead. Meh.
Fortuna Favors the Bold by Kwame Mbalia 3.5/5
Bib Fortuna is Jabba’s right-hand man and survives Luke’s rescue and the Sarlacc sand monster. He plots to take Jabba’s place�
Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight by Thea Guanzon 4/5
Jess is a dancer indentured in Jabba’s palace and a friend to the doomed Oola. Her pilot boyfriend comes back to Tatooine to save her, and are able to escape together during the chaos of Luke and Jabba’s battle. A sweet love story, but I kept on hoping that Oola would somehow survive, as she only died a day before she might have escaped too.
The Plan by Saladin Ahmed 3.5/5
Malakili is a street urchin who is adopted by an alien who takes him in and trains him to be an animal caretaker. Several calamities await him and he eventually is forced into servitude for Jabba as the rancor’s beastmaster. The ending was ambiguous.
Reputation by Tara Sim 4/5
When Luke arrives at Jabba’s to free Han and Leia, Boba Fett is determined to maintain his hard-earned reputation. But we know it doesn’t end well for him.
Kickback by K. Arsenault Rivera 4/5
Sion is an enforcer for Jabba, but his income has let him support a family. He’s not an entirely bad man, but his mislaid loyalty to Jabba seals his doom. A short but effective story.
Everyone’s a Critic by Sarah Glenn Marsh 3/5
The gross little monkey-lizard creature seen scampering around Jabba gets a backstory. He becomes a jester and pet to Jabba, but again, a close connection to evil often results in death.
Satisfaction by Kristin Baver 2.5/5
Another dancer/singer of Jabba’s reminisces about her past dealings with Jabba and Ziro. After Jabba’s death, she has the opportunity to flee, but seems as if she is willing to stay and take her chances with a new tyrant.
My Mouth Never Closes by Charlie Jane Anders 3.5/5
A creature feature- the sand monster Sarlacc is just so misunderstood! He doesn’t want to be eating these aliens- but they just keep on falling into his mouth!
Kernels and Husks by Jason Fry 3/5
An evocative origin story for one of the Emperor’s evil Imperial advisors, but I don’t know how that ties into ROTJ.
The Light That Falls by Akemi Dawn Bowman 3/5
A dragon-snake on Dagobah observes Yoda’s death and is uneasy over the unbalance that is a result.
From a Certain Point of View by Alex Jennings 4.5/5
Obi-Wan, as a Force ghost, reflects on his relationship with Anakin and sees good attributes of Annakin in Luke and Leia. He mentions his meeting Leia as a child, so this book is also pulling plot threads from more recent shows such as Kenobi.
No Contingency by Fran Wilde 4.5/5
Mon Mothma has to step out of her comfort zone and pilot a shuttle to retrieve some important data. She understands she needs to put herself in danger if she is the one who asks it of others. A story about Mon is always welcome.
The Burden of Leadership by Danny Lore 4.5/5
Lando realizes he needs to rely on more than his charm if he is going to be a capable leader for the Rebels. Lando is another character I am happy to revisit!
Gone to the Winner’s Circle by Patricia A. Jackson 3/5
Not all Imperial soldiers are evil, and TK-15 a former professional racer believes he has a valid reason to join since the Rebels bombed his family’s garage killing his brother. But his luck runs out in the jungles of Endor as he is chasing Luke.
One Normal Day by Mary Kenney 2/5
Wicket the Ewok, who typically is an adventurous sort, wishes to have a quiet normal day, but of course, he doesn’t. The Ewoks have a Hobbits vibe, and I find them annoying.
Divine (?) Intervention by Paul Crilley 3/5
The Ewok Shaman Logray wishes to take his tribe to safety but runs into opposition from other Ewoks. But then he sights C-3PO, who matches a legend of a Golden One. He knows the robot is not truly a diety, but plans to play along to obtain his goal.
The Buy-In by Suzanne Walker 4/5
Norra Wexley, an older Gold Squadron pilot, is nervous the night before a raid and plays sabacc with the other pilots, Wedge and Lando to help calm her nerves. Her fleshed-out story points out that she is a character found in a Star Wars novel, Aftermath.
The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker by Max Gladstone 4/5
Commander Altadan Igor is surprised when Luke mysteriously turns up in camp and surrenders himself to be taken to Vader. A Clone Wars veteran, he remembers the Jedi and is privy to what Lucas says to Vader when he sees him.
Ackbar by Jarrett J. Krosoczka 4.5/5
An amusing cartoon about Ackbar uttering his famous line- It’s a trap!
The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels by Marieke Nijkamp 3.5/5
We are given an early look at Arvel Crynyd, an A-wing pilot who will soon make the ultimate sacrifice at the Battle of Endor, as he ruminates about hope and flying as he watches some lava birds navigate over a fiery landscape.
Ending Protocol by Hannah Whitten 3.5/5
Riz, a Stormtrooper on Endor, regrets being a soldier for the Imperial Army. But many soldiers joined for the same reason she did- she was an orphan and hungry. “Hunger was sharp enough that you’d do anything to blunt its edge. It was only once you were sated that you looked guiltily back on what was cut�. She has a chance to desert and puts herself in Leia’s hands as to her future fate.
The Last Flight by Ali Hazelwood 2/5
Sila has always been in competition with her beautiful neighbor Lante, but it’s the classic enemies-to-lovers storyline. Orphan Lante joins the Imperial Army, and Sila becomes a Rebel when her family is killed, but Lante redeems herself when she sabotages an Imperial facility although it results in her death. Sila then makes a sacrifice to save her fellow Rebels during a space fight, hoping to be reunited with Lante in the afterlife.
Twenty and Out by Lamar Giles 4.5/5
Corr Lerrann is a Death Star gunner, one week away from retirement, and dreaming of life afterward. He shares with his fellow soldiers that he wants to start up a business that will install safety rails on platforms since many soldiers have died from falls. His comrades laugh at him, but when a friend nearly dies because of a trip, they see that he is on to something. This was a fun tongue-in-cheek story regarding an issue I noticed myself in the movies.
The Ballad of Nanta by Sarah Kuhn 3.5/5
Nanta the Ewok who would like to be his tribe’s Storyteller, participates in a battle against the Skull Ones (Stormtroopers). That ending�
The Fall, Sidious by Olivie Blake 3/5
Emperor Palpatine has ten thoughts about Luke and Vader and keeps repeating the line “a Jedi, like his father before him,� about Luke. This story wasn’t as powerful as I expected it to be.
Impact by Sean Williams 3.5/5
The story begins when the Death Star is hit, and backtracks through the last few days of Bridge Officer Kasva Jhoff.
Trooper Trouble by Laura Pohl 4/5
A new Stormtrooper on the Death Star II journals about their experiences, and I found it amusing. For some reason their squadron didn’t get shooting practice- yikes, I think all Stormtroopers have skipped that part of their training too! Reminded me of the new animated Star Trek series, Lower Decks.
To the Last by Dana Schwartz 4/5
Admiral Piett was the youngest fleet admiral, given a field promotion by Vader himself. Surely he wouldn’t make a mistake like Admiral Ozzel did�
The Emperor’s Red Guards by Gloria Chao 5/5
One of the two Red Guards to Emperor Palpatine has a crisis of faith when they discover that the Emperor is dead after his confrontation with Vader and Luke. The Star Wars franchise has always had an element of religion in it, and this story supports that as the guard needs to evaluate what they will do in the future, as his future and what he believed in has now crumbled to dust. This was the first five-star story of this collection for me.
Wolf Trap by Alyssa Wong 3.5/5
A stormtrooper who was captured by Ewoks and is seemingly doomed to be eaten by them, remembers his first love on his icy home planet and how they once found a wolf who bit through his leg to escape a trap. Will he do the same?
The Extra Five Percent by M.K. England 3.5/5
A Rebel pilot on the Death Star II mission barely escapes with her life due to her friend upping her ship’s power by 5%. Thrilled to have lived, she will be sure to let her friend know how she really feels about her. Sweet story.
When Fire Marked the Sky by Emma Mieko Candon 4.5/5
Wedge! The only survivor besides Luke from the original Death Star mission, Wedge has survivor’s guilt that he survived that mission and many others. He knows he is skilled, but attributes a lot of to luck. He then also survives the Death Star II and realizes he needs to learn how to enjoy life since he and the other pilots he has trained were successful. I like when we get deeper looks into characters we truly know.
The Chronicler by Danielle Paige 5/5
Dora Mar has an eidetic memory, so she was recruited by Mom Motha to be a Chronicler, someone who will remember and share the history of the Rebels no matter the outcome. She gets to interview Han, Lando, Luke and Leia before the Death Star mission and gets insights as to why they all became involved. But it is her interview with Leia that affects her the most, as Leia mentions Oola and Jess, two women traumatized by Jabba and deserving of their stories to be told too. This nicely braided into this book series, as this trilogy has been highlighting minor characters, not just the heroes of the Rebellion. My second favorite story.
The Veteran by Adam Lance Garcia 4.5/5
Dexter Jettster, a long-lived Besalisk who is old enough to remember the Nihil era, witnesses the celebration of the Rebel victory on his planet Coruscant. However, he has the experience to know this is only the beginning of a hard time ahead, and it won’t magically change life for many. He extends kindness to several people during this time of jubilation and reminisces about his old friend Obi-Wan. The character of Dex can be found in the graphic novel series The High Republic Adventures and other Star Wars books.
Brotherhood by Mike Chen 4.5/5
We are given a look at Anakin/Vader’s thoughts as he enters the Force’s afterlife. He knows he has much to atone for, for although he made the right decision before he died, there were decades of killings that he feels guilty about. He speaks to Obi-Wan’s Force ghost and remembers the people he loved before his descent into evil. A realistic ending, as all can not be forgotten or forgiven.
The Steadfast Soldier by Adam Christopher 4/5
Captain Enric Pryde, an Imperial soldier who is stranded on Endor realizes that while the Rebels have won, there will be a power-void in the Empire that he plans to exploit. He obviously remains true to the Empire, for he will later turn up in the movie, The Rise of Skywalker, which makes this story an excellent link between the original trilogy and the recent one.
Return of the Whills by Tom Angleberger 4/5
Angleberger has been the author of all three concluding chapters about the Whills, and brings this trilogy home with his amusing wit about how the Whill scholars wish to chronicle the events of ROTJ.
This three-book series, based on the original Star Wars trilogy has been a delight to read over the last few years. This book was a slow start for me, but the stories began to get better, with the last dozen stories really bringing it to an epic conclusion. I’m sad that this is the last of From a Certain Point of View books, but it was a grand adventure, with wonderful authors expanding the Star Wars universe. So, to all my fellow Star Wars fans- May The Force Be With You!!
This review can also be found on my blog:
January 12, 2024
Took me a bit to get through this one, but only because I think I didn't want it to end. A glimmer of hope in the Whills story at the end sounds wonderful though.
Brief Summaries/Reviews:
Any Work Worth Doing by Amal El-Mohtar
Moff Jerjerrod is told by Darth Vader to make sure the Death Star is ready for the Emperor’s arrival. After proclaiming “We shall double our efforts!�, he spends time seeing if that is possible. Doing many calculations, he must confront Vader about how certain projects will have to be focused on. Vader agrees and approves.
Fancy Man by Phil Szostak
Max Rebo prepares to meet up with his band to head off to Tatooine for a performance and hopefully residency at Jabba’s Palace. Loading his instrument is a pair of Gungan moving men, whose fumbling devolves into a hilarious wild chase through the streets.
The Key to Remembering by Olivia Chadha
EV-9D9 is the torture droid who assigns Artoo and Threepio when they arrive at Jabba’s palace. After conducting many experiments on bots, she is still unable to find true freedom. After a conversation with Artoo, she uses her new freedom from Jabba to team up running a bar with R5-D4. LOL
Fortuna Favors the Bold by Kwame Mbalia
Bib Fortuna plans for the party around the execution of the Rebels. His secret: he wants to kill Jabba. But when the events unfold, he finds that he is left to pick up the pieces of Jabba’s Syndicate.
Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight by Thea Guanzon
Jess, a dancer and servant in Jabba’s Palace, laments the life she lives, but when her old boyfriend finds her, she takes advantage of the chaos the Rebels cause to escape and have her happy Ending.
The Plan by Saladin Ahmed
Malakili is Jabba’s Beastmaster, and he recalls the plan of his mentor to feed a Jedi to a beast. He believes that day has finally come�
Reputation by Tara Sim
Boba Fett recalls getting Solo to Jabba and how much he thinks he will enjoy seeing him fall into the Sarlacc. Obviously it does not go to plan�
Kickback by K. Arsenault Rivera
Sion and Errin are guards and skiff pilots. While approaching the Sarlacc, they speak how worried they are about the Jedi
Everyone's a Critic by Sarah Glenn Marsh
The origin of the relationship between Salacious Crumb and Jabba, and then both of their final moments. Quite funny to hear the monkey lizard’s deduction of the situation.
Satisfaction by Kristin Baver
Sy Snootles skips out on a trip on the Sail Barge and saves her life doing so. Also shows the regrets she has working for Jabba all those years.
My Mouth Never Closes by Charlie Jane Anders
Turns out the Sarlacc is just a mild mannered beast who has trouble communicating with his tentacles. Striking up a brief friendship with Threepio, the pit is able to talk about how much he doesn’t like eating people. We also end with a dark humor bit about Boba coming back at the end�
Kernels and Husks by Jason Fry
Sim Aloo, one of the Emperor’s advisors, thinks back on his life and career, as well as his future, as the Imperial Shuttle prepares to arrive on the second Death Star
The Light That Falls by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Bright-Eyes the Dragonsnake observes her place on Dagobah as Luke and Yoda visit. She feels Dagobah turning darker (from the passing of Yoda)
From a Certain Point of View by Alex Jennings
FINALLY! The classic “certain point of view� scene from RoTJ, only this time told from Obi-Wan’s POV. Shed a few tears�
No Contingency by Fran Wilde
Mon Mothma heads out to meet a courier who has information. This is the backstory to “many Bothan spies died to bring us this information”�
The Burden of Leadership by Danny Lore
In preparing to lead the attack on the Death Star, Lando is forced to confront a friend from Cloud City who has joined Gold Squadron. Shows the leader that still lives to better his people.
Gone to the Winner's Circle by Patricia A. Jackson
TK-151 used to be known as Raab Krao, Inner Rim racing Champion. Now he’s a Speeder Bike rider for the Empire, defending Endor. Let’s see how he fares against Luke and his lightsaber�
One Normal Day by Mary Kenney
Wicket only wanted to have a normal day. Then the “bug people� came and made the Ewok’s life full of adventure. Story ends with his meeting Leia�
Divine Intervention by Paul Crilley
Logray, Chief Shaman of the Ewoks, is concerned about the Empire and their taking over of the forest. If only the god of the Ewoks, “The Golden One�, would answer their prayers�
The Buy-In by Suzanne Walker
Norra Wexley, mother of future Resistance Pilot Snap Wexley, plays in a game of sabacc with Lando and other notable Rebels on the night before the attack on the Second Death Star.
The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker by Max Gladstone
Commander Altadan Igar is the man who hands Luke off to Vader on Endor. In this story, we see his pain and stress at leading troops in a tedious war.
Ackbar by Jarrett Krosoczka
A very brief but hilarious comic strip about the choice of making his famous “It’s A Trap!�
The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels by Marieke Nijkamp
The story of how Arvel Crynyd, a pilot instructor, came across the fledgling Rebel Alliance in their early days, and wanted to teach them one maneuver. Ended up not only joining, but teaching tons of pilots all throughout the Rebel Campaign. Ending as Green Leader of an A-Wing Squadron during the Battle of Endor.
Ending Protocol by Hannah Whitten
Riz and Gir are Stormtroopers on Endor. Gir is the trooper who shot Leia and was shot by her at the bunker, but Riz is the one who made sure that shot hit her shoulder and not her chest. Riz is knocked out for most of the battle and surrenders herself to Leia at the Ewok Party.
The Last Flight by Ali Hazelwood
Sila Kott, member of Red Squadron, reflects back on her growing up on Toprawa and her love Lante, who turned Rebel before she died. Sila joins her love in the Force when she is among the first casualties in the Battle of Endor.
Twenty and Out by Lamar Giles
Corr Lerrann, a 20 year gunner for the Empire, celebrates his last week before retirement, sharing his retirement plans: making safety rails for Imperial platforms and bridges. Too bad this is not a drill, the Rebels have arrived, and the Battle of Endor begins.
The Ballad of Nanta by Sarah Kuhn
(This one made me cry!) In the movie, we see two Ewoks running and one gets blasted and dies while the other holds him and whimpers. While watching it, you see it as a sad moment of death in war. BUT� now I know one is an Ewok called Nanta who aspired to become the Storyteller of Bright Tree Village and the other, the survivor, is the only survivor of an Imperial wipeout of a different Ewok village, Romba. Romba lives to write “The Ballad of Nanta�, a heroic epic and most famous Ewok legend of the post-RoTJ time.
Then Fall, Sidious by Olivie Blake
A look into the inner thoughts and feelings of the Emperor, as he reflects on both Skywalker men in his throne room. Presented like a diary or free form poetry.
Impact by Sean Williams
Kasva Jhoff, a Bridge Officer on board the Executor, makes his final decision to side with the Separatists/Rebels who raised him, and disables both the bridge shields as well as the systems that would transfer control to a secondary bridge, right before an A-Wing, made on his home planet, crashes through the Executor’s bridge.
Trooper Trouble by Laura Pohl
A hilarious story about TK-423 and his life onboard DS-II. Includes lack of shooting training, a canceled protest about lack of caf and working conditions due to the Rebel attack, getting picked on by an R2 unit, and waking up on Endor after getting ejected in an escape pod. LOL
To the Last by Dana Schwartz
Admiral Firmus Piett reflects back on his field promotion to Admiral from Darth Vader and his rise that got him there. His thoughts perhaps hold too long, as an A-Wing is now in his field of vision�
The Emperor's Red Guards by Gloria Chao
A nameless Red Guard is dismissed by the Emperor with a simple “Leave Us.� He stands guard outside the room as the Emperor is killed. What will his life become now?
Wolf Trap by Alyssa Wong
Hoyel, an Imperial Speeder Bike Pilot, is captured by Ewoks and thinks about his life before and after the Empire. As the Death Star explodes, he escapes.
The Extra Five Percent by M. K. England
Karie “Krayt� Neth, Yellow Nine, is about to head into battle against the second Death Star. She needs to survive so she can tell her lifelong friend and wing tech Lanna that she loves her. The extra 5% to thrusters that Lanna is able to give the X-Wing lets her survive, just barely. Happy ending!
When Fire Marked the Sky by Emma Mieko Candon
Wedge Antilles gives us a lot of insight into his thoughts, ranging from command, to his flight through the Death Star, to the promise of tomorrow, with the Empire gone.
The Chronicler by Danielle Paige
Dora Mar shows us a side of the Rebellion we've not seen before, that of a Chronicler and Historian. Her interviews with Han, Lando, Luke, and Leia show her her calling in life and how important each and every person is.
The Veteran by Adam Lance Garcia
A Tale of Dexter Jettster and the night the Empire fell. The old Besalisk holds blame for the Fall of the Jedi, but learns that hope still lives in the life's of those willing to stand against injustice.
Brotherhood by Mike Chen
As Anakin dies, he sees himself become one with the Force and is able to start to come to grips with his choices, all as he meets Obi-Wan and takes small steps toward ultimate redemption.
The Steadfast Soldier by Adam Christopher
Enric Pryde, future Admiral of the Sith Fleet on Exegol, wakes on Endor after the celebration (he slept in the forest and hid with a few other troopers) and is clued in on the state of the galaxy by finding the charred body of Vader.
Return of the Whills by Tom Angleberger
Another hilarious fourth wall breaking story, keeping the pattern of the trilogy of “From a Certain Point of View� books. Indicating they might do similar books for the prequels, which I would love!
If you love Star Wars like I do, check this one out!
Strong recommend.
Brief Summaries/Reviews:
Any Work Worth Doing by Amal El-Mohtar
Moff Jerjerrod is told by Darth Vader to make sure the Death Star is ready for the Emperor’s arrival. After proclaiming “We shall double our efforts!�, he spends time seeing if that is possible. Doing many calculations, he must confront Vader about how certain projects will have to be focused on. Vader agrees and approves.
Fancy Man by Phil Szostak
Max Rebo prepares to meet up with his band to head off to Tatooine for a performance and hopefully residency at Jabba’s Palace. Loading his instrument is a pair of Gungan moving men, whose fumbling devolves into a hilarious wild chase through the streets.
The Key to Remembering by Olivia Chadha
EV-9D9 is the torture droid who assigns Artoo and Threepio when they arrive at Jabba’s palace. After conducting many experiments on bots, she is still unable to find true freedom. After a conversation with Artoo, she uses her new freedom from Jabba to team up running a bar with R5-D4. LOL
Fortuna Favors the Bold by Kwame Mbalia
Bib Fortuna plans for the party around the execution of the Rebels. His secret: he wants to kill Jabba. But when the events unfold, he finds that he is left to pick up the pieces of Jabba’s Syndicate.
Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight by Thea Guanzon
Jess, a dancer and servant in Jabba’s Palace, laments the life she lives, but when her old boyfriend finds her, she takes advantage of the chaos the Rebels cause to escape and have her happy Ending.
The Plan by Saladin Ahmed
Malakili is Jabba’s Beastmaster, and he recalls the plan of his mentor to feed a Jedi to a beast. He believes that day has finally come�
Reputation by Tara Sim
Boba Fett recalls getting Solo to Jabba and how much he thinks he will enjoy seeing him fall into the Sarlacc. Obviously it does not go to plan�
Kickback by K. Arsenault Rivera
Sion and Errin are guards and skiff pilots. While approaching the Sarlacc, they speak how worried they are about the Jedi
Everyone's a Critic by Sarah Glenn Marsh
The origin of the relationship between Salacious Crumb and Jabba, and then both of their final moments. Quite funny to hear the monkey lizard’s deduction of the situation.
Satisfaction by Kristin Baver
Sy Snootles skips out on a trip on the Sail Barge and saves her life doing so. Also shows the regrets she has working for Jabba all those years.
My Mouth Never Closes by Charlie Jane Anders
Turns out the Sarlacc is just a mild mannered beast who has trouble communicating with his tentacles. Striking up a brief friendship with Threepio, the pit is able to talk about how much he doesn’t like eating people. We also end with a dark humor bit about Boba coming back at the end�
Kernels and Husks by Jason Fry
Sim Aloo, one of the Emperor’s advisors, thinks back on his life and career, as well as his future, as the Imperial Shuttle prepares to arrive on the second Death Star
The Light That Falls by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Bright-Eyes the Dragonsnake observes her place on Dagobah as Luke and Yoda visit. She feels Dagobah turning darker (from the passing of Yoda)
From a Certain Point of View by Alex Jennings
FINALLY! The classic “certain point of view� scene from RoTJ, only this time told from Obi-Wan’s POV. Shed a few tears�
No Contingency by Fran Wilde
Mon Mothma heads out to meet a courier who has information. This is the backstory to “many Bothan spies died to bring us this information”�
The Burden of Leadership by Danny Lore
In preparing to lead the attack on the Death Star, Lando is forced to confront a friend from Cloud City who has joined Gold Squadron. Shows the leader that still lives to better his people.
Gone to the Winner's Circle by Patricia A. Jackson
TK-151 used to be known as Raab Krao, Inner Rim racing Champion. Now he’s a Speeder Bike rider for the Empire, defending Endor. Let’s see how he fares against Luke and his lightsaber�
One Normal Day by Mary Kenney
Wicket only wanted to have a normal day. Then the “bug people� came and made the Ewok’s life full of adventure. Story ends with his meeting Leia�
Divine Intervention by Paul Crilley
Logray, Chief Shaman of the Ewoks, is concerned about the Empire and their taking over of the forest. If only the god of the Ewoks, “The Golden One�, would answer their prayers�
The Buy-In by Suzanne Walker
Norra Wexley, mother of future Resistance Pilot Snap Wexley, plays in a game of sabacc with Lando and other notable Rebels on the night before the attack on the Second Death Star.
The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker by Max Gladstone
Commander Altadan Igar is the man who hands Luke off to Vader on Endor. In this story, we see his pain and stress at leading troops in a tedious war.
Ackbar by Jarrett Krosoczka
A very brief but hilarious comic strip about the choice of making his famous “It’s A Trap!�
The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels by Marieke Nijkamp
The story of how Arvel Crynyd, a pilot instructor, came across the fledgling Rebel Alliance in their early days, and wanted to teach them one maneuver. Ended up not only joining, but teaching tons of pilots all throughout the Rebel Campaign. Ending as Green Leader of an A-Wing Squadron during the Battle of Endor.
Ending Protocol by Hannah Whitten
Riz and Gir are Stormtroopers on Endor. Gir is the trooper who shot Leia and was shot by her at the bunker, but Riz is the one who made sure that shot hit her shoulder and not her chest. Riz is knocked out for most of the battle and surrenders herself to Leia at the Ewok Party.
The Last Flight by Ali Hazelwood
Sila Kott, member of Red Squadron, reflects back on her growing up on Toprawa and her love Lante, who turned Rebel before she died. Sila joins her love in the Force when she is among the first casualties in the Battle of Endor.
Twenty and Out by Lamar Giles
Corr Lerrann, a 20 year gunner for the Empire, celebrates his last week before retirement, sharing his retirement plans: making safety rails for Imperial platforms and bridges. Too bad this is not a drill, the Rebels have arrived, and the Battle of Endor begins.
The Ballad of Nanta by Sarah Kuhn
(This one made me cry!) In the movie, we see two Ewoks running and one gets blasted and dies while the other holds him and whimpers. While watching it, you see it as a sad moment of death in war. BUT� now I know one is an Ewok called Nanta who aspired to become the Storyteller of Bright Tree Village and the other, the survivor, is the only survivor of an Imperial wipeout of a different Ewok village, Romba. Romba lives to write “The Ballad of Nanta�, a heroic epic and most famous Ewok legend of the post-RoTJ time.
Then Fall, Sidious by Olivie Blake
A look into the inner thoughts and feelings of the Emperor, as he reflects on both Skywalker men in his throne room. Presented like a diary or free form poetry.
Impact by Sean Williams
Kasva Jhoff, a Bridge Officer on board the Executor, makes his final decision to side with the Separatists/Rebels who raised him, and disables both the bridge shields as well as the systems that would transfer control to a secondary bridge, right before an A-Wing, made on his home planet, crashes through the Executor’s bridge.
Trooper Trouble by Laura Pohl
A hilarious story about TK-423 and his life onboard DS-II. Includes lack of shooting training, a canceled protest about lack of caf and working conditions due to the Rebel attack, getting picked on by an R2 unit, and waking up on Endor after getting ejected in an escape pod. LOL
To the Last by Dana Schwartz
Admiral Firmus Piett reflects back on his field promotion to Admiral from Darth Vader and his rise that got him there. His thoughts perhaps hold too long, as an A-Wing is now in his field of vision�
The Emperor's Red Guards by Gloria Chao
A nameless Red Guard is dismissed by the Emperor with a simple “Leave Us.� He stands guard outside the room as the Emperor is killed. What will his life become now?
Wolf Trap by Alyssa Wong
Hoyel, an Imperial Speeder Bike Pilot, is captured by Ewoks and thinks about his life before and after the Empire. As the Death Star explodes, he escapes.
The Extra Five Percent by M. K. England
Karie “Krayt� Neth, Yellow Nine, is about to head into battle against the second Death Star. She needs to survive so she can tell her lifelong friend and wing tech Lanna that she loves her. The extra 5% to thrusters that Lanna is able to give the X-Wing lets her survive, just barely. Happy ending!
When Fire Marked the Sky by Emma Mieko Candon
Wedge Antilles gives us a lot of insight into his thoughts, ranging from command, to his flight through the Death Star, to the promise of tomorrow, with the Empire gone.
The Chronicler by Danielle Paige
Dora Mar shows us a side of the Rebellion we've not seen before, that of a Chronicler and Historian. Her interviews with Han, Lando, Luke, and Leia show her her calling in life and how important each and every person is.
The Veteran by Adam Lance Garcia
A Tale of Dexter Jettster and the night the Empire fell. The old Besalisk holds blame for the Fall of the Jedi, but learns that hope still lives in the life's of those willing to stand against injustice.
Brotherhood by Mike Chen
As Anakin dies, he sees himself become one with the Force and is able to start to come to grips with his choices, all as he meets Obi-Wan and takes small steps toward ultimate redemption.
The Steadfast Soldier by Adam Christopher
Enric Pryde, future Admiral of the Sith Fleet on Exegol, wakes on Endor after the celebration (he slept in the forest and hid with a few other troopers) and is clued in on the state of the galaxy by finding the charred body of Vader.
Return of the Whills by Tom Angleberger
Another hilarious fourth wall breaking story, keeping the pattern of the trilogy of “From a Certain Point of View� books. Indicating they might do similar books for the prequels, which I would love!
If you love Star Wars like I do, check this one out!
Strong recommend.
April 8, 2025
The Empire is very accepting of same-sex relationships. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, obviously it’s not, it’s just not what you’d expect from a Nazi inspired galactic empire.
January 25, 2024
3 stars is a generous rating for this collection of mostly boring and many woke stories. The book for episode 4 was great. By the time for the episode 5 book came, the fragile had started to take over Lucasfilm, and now with episode 6, it's hopeless. Out of the blue, making beloved characters gay or bi, is shitting on the legacy of probably the biggest franchise in history! Was half expecting an Ewok to identify as a dustbin!
Beside all that, the stories that was actually good were few and far between. A small handful of the 40 stories were worth the read.
Beside all that, the stories that was actually good were few and far between. A small handful of the 40 stories were worth the read.
November 28, 2023
This was the worst collection of the three in this series. Most of the stories in this were boring. There weren't many that I liked. The one's that I liked were Any Work Worth Doing, Fortuna Favors the Bold, My Mouth Never Closes, Ackbar, and Return of the Whills. Five out of forty is terrible. The stories that I liked had humor and action. They held my interest and were different from the rest of the stories. All of the stories were told by minor characters, and some of them barely had screen time. The stories wove in and out of scenes in the movie.
August 29, 2023
40 Stories!
40 Authors!
Celebrating Return of the Jedi’s 40th anniversary!
I’m in� HIT IT MAX!
This expansive anthology delivers 40 stories following lesser-known characters set during the events of Return of the Jedi. From gangsters beyond the Dune Sea, workplace drama on the Empire’s secret battle station, Apex predators on the sanctuary moon, and the hope of the Alliance fleet.
If you’ve read my reviews for the other book in this series you know I’m all about that ANTHOLOGY life. With each author bringing their own style and energy to the collection like a harmonious Jatz improvisational jam session fans are sure to find plenty of favorites in the mix!
Each story takes a background character we’ve watched and wondered about (possibly on VHS) and fills in their story. The range of stories hits on so many themes and emotions it’s hard not to find something that speaks to you like the silky croonings of a talented Pa’lowick vocalist.
Dancers and band members remember their friend Oola. Creative differences and band drama. Boba protects his reputation. The sarlaac trying to explain their diet preferences. Mon Mothma, alone on a secret mission. The Ballad of Nanta. TK-423 trying to solve workplace worries. Dexter Jettser thinking of an old friend. And Anakin Skywalker learning one last lesson.
This book is a must-read for Return of the Jedi fans looking for more stories filling in the world of a favorite movie!
Sal P.
40 Authors!
Celebrating Return of the Jedi’s 40th anniversary!
I’m in� HIT IT MAX!
This expansive anthology delivers 40 stories following lesser-known characters set during the events of Return of the Jedi. From gangsters beyond the Dune Sea, workplace drama on the Empire’s secret battle station, Apex predators on the sanctuary moon, and the hope of the Alliance fleet.
If you’ve read my reviews for the other book in this series you know I’m all about that ANTHOLOGY life. With each author bringing their own style and energy to the collection like a harmonious Jatz improvisational jam session fans are sure to find plenty of favorites in the mix!
Each story takes a background character we’ve watched and wondered about (possibly on VHS) and fills in their story. The range of stories hits on so many themes and emotions it’s hard not to find something that speaks to you like the silky croonings of a talented Pa’lowick vocalist.
Dancers and band members remember their friend Oola. Creative differences and band drama. Boba protects his reputation. The sarlaac trying to explain their diet preferences. Mon Mothma, alone on a secret mission. The Ballad of Nanta. TK-423 trying to solve workplace worries. Dexter Jettser thinking of an old friend. And Anakin Skywalker learning one last lesson.
This book is a must-read for Return of the Jedi fans looking for more stories filling in the world of a favorite movie!
Sal P.
August 3, 2024
This third volume in the From a Certain Point of View series works its way through Return of the Jedi as seen through the eyes of minor characters in the background of each scene. Overall, I don’t think I liked this set of stories as much as the volume for the first movie, but I enjoyed it much more than the one for The Empire Strikes Back. This volume continues the tradition of authors finding ways to mock Special Edition changes, reference Legends characters who are not yet re-canonized, and fill in gaps that you’ve probably never even considered. (Did you ever wonder what happened to Dexter Jettster after Attack of the Clones? Have you ever asked where the Rebels got the fireworks for the victory celebration on Endor? Me neither.)
With even more content to draw from, the authors now make numerous valiant attempts to connect the original trilogy to the sequel trilogy and other Disney+ series. This sometimes doesn’t quite work (“The Steadfast Solider,� by Adam Christopher, brings Pryde to the Endor battle to explain how Kylo Ren acquired Vader’s helmet, but it feels like a retcon gimmick). But sometimes there’s good resonance. In “Reputation,� Tara Sim does her level best to make sense of Boba Fett’s character motivations in The Book of Boba Fett by revealing his perspective during the battle over the Sarlacc. I still don’t entirely buy the character in the Disney+ series, but Sim contributes a good character study.
As with the other volumes, the least interesting stories for me are those that focus on ordinary soldiers in the Rebellion or the Empire. These characters just aren’t very engaging for me, and many of the stories end up feeling the same—unrequited love, nostalgic memories for home, the desire to do something big and important. Nothing wrong with that, but when multiple stories follow those arcs, they become bland; they also feel like what fan fiction probably tends toward (I don’t read fan fiction, but some of these stories are exactly what I imagine it to be; maybe I’m wrong.)
Along with the bland, “same-y� stories, some of the stories push the boundaries of ridiculousness. A story from the perspective of the Sarlacc (“My Mouth Never Closes,� by Charlie Jane Anders) exemplifies this misstep. But then occasionally a story that ought to be ridiculous actually works perfectly. The story of the moment of Yoda’s death, from the perspective of a dragonsnake in the Dagobah swamp (“The Light That Falls,� by Akemi Dawn Bowman), shouldn’t work, but it completely does, and it ends up being a beautifully poignant glimpse of the effect of one good person in a dark place. So it’s not about finding the right character, but about finding the right tone in each perspective. Some of the authors here bring out surprising depth of insight from the strangest places.
For me, the most memorable stories in these collections are those that tackle the biggest topics, closest to the main characters. In the first volume, the story that sticks with me the most is Claudia Gray’s “Master and Apprentice,� showing Qui-Gon’s watchful care over Obi-Wan on Tatooine. In the Return of the Jedi collection, the big stories that succeed include “From a Certain Point of View,� by Alex Jennings, which gives us Obi-Wan’s perspective on his conversation with Luke on Dagobah after Yoda’s death; “Then Fall, Sidious,� by Olivie Blake, in which we read the Emperor’s verbal manipulation of Vader, even to the moment of his death; and “Brotherhood,� by Mike Chen, which presents Anakin’s perspective on his death and rebirth as Jedi spirit. “Brotherhood� seems like it would be an impossible task—something on the order of “Write me a deathbed conversion story for Hitler”—but Chen brings an interesting thoughtfulness to the story that, if still not making Anakin’s afterlife entirely convincing, at least raises some intriguing things to ponder. Most impressive.
Reading through the original trilogy through these stories has been a lot of fun, though the stories vary wildly in quality. I do hope they’ll continue the series with the prequel trilogy, which offers so many opportunities to bring logic and order to movies that ended up being overall such a disappointment.
With even more content to draw from, the authors now make numerous valiant attempts to connect the original trilogy to the sequel trilogy and other Disney+ series. This sometimes doesn’t quite work (“The Steadfast Solider,� by Adam Christopher, brings Pryde to the Endor battle to explain how Kylo Ren acquired Vader’s helmet, but it feels like a retcon gimmick). But sometimes there’s good resonance. In “Reputation,� Tara Sim does her level best to make sense of Boba Fett’s character motivations in The Book of Boba Fett by revealing his perspective during the battle over the Sarlacc. I still don’t entirely buy the character in the Disney+ series, but Sim contributes a good character study.
As with the other volumes, the least interesting stories for me are those that focus on ordinary soldiers in the Rebellion or the Empire. These characters just aren’t very engaging for me, and many of the stories end up feeling the same—unrequited love, nostalgic memories for home, the desire to do something big and important. Nothing wrong with that, but when multiple stories follow those arcs, they become bland; they also feel like what fan fiction probably tends toward (I don’t read fan fiction, but some of these stories are exactly what I imagine it to be; maybe I’m wrong.)
Along with the bland, “same-y� stories, some of the stories push the boundaries of ridiculousness. A story from the perspective of the Sarlacc (“My Mouth Never Closes,� by Charlie Jane Anders) exemplifies this misstep. But then occasionally a story that ought to be ridiculous actually works perfectly. The story of the moment of Yoda’s death, from the perspective of a dragonsnake in the Dagobah swamp (“The Light That Falls,� by Akemi Dawn Bowman), shouldn’t work, but it completely does, and it ends up being a beautifully poignant glimpse of the effect of one good person in a dark place. So it’s not about finding the right character, but about finding the right tone in each perspective. Some of the authors here bring out surprising depth of insight from the strangest places.
For me, the most memorable stories in these collections are those that tackle the biggest topics, closest to the main characters. In the first volume, the story that sticks with me the most is Claudia Gray’s “Master and Apprentice,� showing Qui-Gon’s watchful care over Obi-Wan on Tatooine. In the Return of the Jedi collection, the big stories that succeed include “From a Certain Point of View,� by Alex Jennings, which gives us Obi-Wan’s perspective on his conversation with Luke on Dagobah after Yoda’s death; “Then Fall, Sidious,� by Olivie Blake, in which we read the Emperor’s verbal manipulation of Vader, even to the moment of his death; and “Brotherhood,� by Mike Chen, which presents Anakin’s perspective on his death and rebirth as Jedi spirit. “Brotherhood� seems like it would be an impossible task—something on the order of “Write me a deathbed conversion story for Hitler”—but Chen brings an interesting thoughtfulness to the story that, if still not making Anakin’s afterlife entirely convincing, at least raises some intriguing things to ponder. Most impressive.
Reading through the original trilogy through these stories has been a lot of fun, though the stories vary wildly in quality. I do hope they’ll continue the series with the prequel trilogy, which offers so many opportunities to bring logic and order to movies that ended up being overall such a disappointment.
March 1, 2024
Ich mag Geschichten aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven sehr gerne. Vor allem diese Reihe, da sie den Fokus von den Überwesen der Jedi und Sith nimmt und die normale Bevölkerung ins Zentrum stellt. Auch hier erfahren wir die gesamte Handlung von "Return of the Jedi" aus ganz unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln. Spannend fand ich dabei auch die Einblicke in das Leben der Stormtrooper.
Grundsätzlich ist das Buch jedoch ein bisschen zu lang geworden, zumindest für meinen Geschmack. Es hätte ein paar Geschichten kürzer sein dürfen. Wie immer ist es so, dass in einer Sammlung manche Stücke besser sind als andere. Hier hätte die Straffung aber auch ein bisschen mehr Tempo in die Nacherzählung des Filmes gebracht.
Meine Lieblingsgeschichte ist ganz eindeutig My Mouth Never Closes von Charlie Jane Anders. Auf Platz zwei Trooper Trouble von Laura Pohl.
Grundsätzlich ist das Buch jedoch ein bisschen zu lang geworden, zumindest für meinen Geschmack. Es hätte ein paar Geschichten kürzer sein dürfen. Wie immer ist es so, dass in einer Sammlung manche Stücke besser sind als andere. Hier hätte die Straffung aber auch ein bisschen mehr Tempo in die Nacherzählung des Filmes gebracht.
Meine Lieblingsgeschichte ist ganz eindeutig My Mouth Never Closes von Charlie Jane Anders. Auf Platz zwei Trooper Trouble von Laura Pohl.
October 24, 2023
honestly the most consistent FACPOV book yet.
October 26, 2023
EWOK FILMS AND TECHNICALLY STELLAN GIOS MENTIONS THEY DID THIS FOR ME
December 2, 2023
Love the short stories from a different perspective.
September 19, 2023
Such a fun read! Of course, with any anthology, not all short stories are created equal. I lately enjoyed so many of these fun tales. I always love getting to revisit familiar events from the eyes of a new perspective. Some are funny, others are insightful, and some evoke emotions. All around, this was a fun and productive read.
October 1, 2023
ABSOLUTELY the best PACPOV book of the three.
April 7, 2024
Better than the TESB anthology but nowhere near as good as ANH. I like how the stories lean into aspects the films missed. Lots of queer characters and queer relationships. More women in both armies. Love that it leans into Lando flirting with everyone.
Breakdown of each story below.
1. Jerjerrod story - good start to the book. I like getting insight into the personalities of the tertiary characters. Breaks down the short scene and fleshes out each dialogue. Interesting that Jerjerrod is a bit of a sycophant. Never know with Imperials.
2. Max Rebo - feel like we skipped a lot considering how much goes down at Jabba’s palace. I would have liked more focus on Rebo’s music. Where’s his inspiration coming from? Why music as a career? A bit too much fat-shaming which really pissed me off.
3. EV-9D9 - always like getting insight into the minds of droids. This was a long story but a good one. Lots of inner conflict and growth. Also handles the thorny issue of the sentience of droids when they’re treated so badly in the Star Wars universe. Very abrupt ending though.
4. Bib Fortuna - didn’t expect to like this story but Bib gets so much personality. His ridiculously long list of grievances against the galaxy was hilarious. This made me appreciate his moments in the film even more. Also, love how everyone hated Jabba but that’s life when you work under a gangster.
5. Jess the dancer - This was a bit longer than necessary. I don’t think we needed her point of view for every event at Jabba’s palace. And then ending was so rushed. At least she had an interesting personality.
6. Rancor trainer - Trust Saladin Ahmed to build more of the world we know with a story that tugs at the heartstrings. I love that this story didn’t just exist within the realms of ROTJ but in the past and off Tatooine. Is good to find out about the life of a character before Jabba.
7. Boba Fett - Gotta love a story about our favourite bounty hunter. I like how arrogant yet miserable he is. All bravado with his contemporaries, but deep inside, he knows he’s owned by Jabba, just like everyone else. I did like the subtle nods to Boba Fett’s show, which I enjoyed watching. This story could’ve been longer though.
8. Jabba’s guards � This definitely needed to be longer. I liked reading about this little group of characters and getting insight into the lives of people at the palace. Love all the details the author has included that enrich the world. Yes, I could’ve spent more time with this group. And that ending! Shivers.
9. Salacious Crumb � Surprisingly interesting story about a character that just cackles for no reason. Pretty much everything that we see onscreen gets a reason for existing, making Salacious an incredibly fleshed-out character with more nuance than he had any right to have.
10. Sy Snootles � Again with fat-shaming Max Rebo; was this some unhinged mandate for editing this book? I didn’t particularly like this story. Sy seems unlikable and that should have been fine but what more is there to her than being a diva who throws things when she’s angry? It seems she’s also not mentally well, but that’s properly explained. Not the best.
11. Sarlacc � This was kinda silly. Why is it so difficult to let characters or elements of a story just be evil or bad? Creatures eat things to survive but they can still be interesting and sympathetic. I would’ve liked more of the Sarlacc’s impressions of Tatooine considering his lengthy stay here than the bits about his diet. Weird.
12. Sim Aloo � This is a bizarre name for a character but the story was good. I loved the specificity of his farming planet and how he handles his enemies. Again, the stories that don’t strictly adhere to the scenes within ROTJ are the ones I enjoy most. Don’t just give us POVs of events in the film; give us the lives they lived before and after. Build the universe through this anthology!
13. Dragonsnake on Dagobah � Could’ve been a much richer story. I liked the descriptions of flora and fauna on the planet but it didn’t really engage much with the ecosystem of why the Force is felt so strongly on Dagobah. What’s the impact on the creatures who live here to be surrounded by the Force? Would have also liked a few more memories of Yoda.
14. Obi-Wan � Can’t help but love a story about Obi-Wan. His reminiscences about Anakin definitely got me emotional. Surprised and happy to see all the tie-ins to the Obi-Wan show. I would have liked if there was more acknowledgment of what Luke and Leia had inherited from Padme; she’s always missing on these stories and it drives me up the wall.
15. Mon Mothma � I don’t know what it is about Mon Mothma, but I just can’t get engaged in stories about her. I literally had to drag myself back to reading this story. I couldn’t get a sense of where she was, what she was trying to do, who her companions were. The writing was weird and her internal life is just so one-note. For a leader of the Rebellion to appear this dull is a feat. Didn’t work for me.
16. Lando � Very unusual story, in a way. I was worried we’d get yet another story about Lando the gambler, but it’s more than that. Lando the leader uses his skills as a smuggler, gambler, and con man to fight the Empire. Also addresses what happens to the other people who escaped Cloud City, which is great because it shows how many facets to Lando there is. Could’ve been tighter in terms of editing, but nonetheless, a solid story.
17. Scout trooper � Very exciting story that captures the frenetic pace of the speeder bike chase. Very interesting to get in the mind of an Imperial, though he has good reason to hate the Rebels, sadly. Thought that ending was way more gory than it needed to be. Shudder.
18. Wicket � This was a cute story and we get a lot of detail about Ewok life. The specificity of Wicket’s experience makes this particularly engaging and I couldn’t stop reading. The ending is a bit abrupt though.
19. Shaman Logray � Political machinations within religious groups certainly make for thrilling tales. Didn’t expect this particular story to have so many twists and turns because it plays in the movie like comic relief. I could have actually done with a longer story to see how Logray tried to convince his tribe to do things his way.
20. Norra Wexley � Do we see her in the film? I did enjoy this story though. So much world-building through simple dialogue and exchanges. The characters all get their moments but we get such an emotional understanding of what they’re going into. It’s like a war film without the horrors. Quite a long story but all the details made me love every minute.
21. Igar � Was prepared to dislike this. Too much repetitive description in the first few pages. But the moment Luke appeared, the story seemed to figure out what it wanted to do. I liked the conversation between Luke and Igar. It helps explain why so many of the people who fought alongside the Jedi during the Clone Wars so easily joined the Emperor. Good one.
22. Ackbar � This was so short! How can nobody write a decent Ackbar story? It’s literally just the “It’s a trap!� moment. What else is going through his mind? How does he feel about the fact that he wasn’t prepared for this? What are his fears, his wishes, his dreams for a life after the Empire. Sigh. So disappointing. Art was good though.
23. Arvel the flight instructor � This could’ve been better. It was all over the place. Either focus on his work, his life in the rebellion, or his romance. A short story doesn’t have room for all. Biggest problem was I didn’t know this character by name so I had no starting point. Maybe signpost it in the text.
24. Riz the trooper � Interesting story about the trooper. An inside look at the Empire. Ending too long.
25. Sila Kott � I wish there were pictures instead of illustrations. Unlike in ANH, where Rebel pilots got named, ROTJ didn’t have the time. So I’m left searching online for who these people are. Nevertheless, I liked this story. It’s grounded and has a clear divide between why people choose the side they do. The romance is a bit rushed but otherwise, this was like watching the good parts of Andor.
26. Corr Lerrann � What a random concept. One of the technicians in charge of firing the Death Star‘s cannons and his dreams for retirement. But the specifics struck me as hilarious. The man wants to make a business out of building safety rails. The story explains why but it’s so weird and unintentionally humorous. A light read, nonetheless.
27. Nanta � I expected this to be an effecting story and certainly turned out to be. Kuhn spends a great deal of time setting up Nanta’s personality and his desires for living in the world. The illustration gives away who this ewok is, but even though we know how his story will end, it’s still an effectively emotional conclusion.
28. Palpatine � Overlong and repetitive. How do you make a story about Palpatine this dull? Where are the details of Palpatine’s life and work; the legacy he wants to leave? His plans to return? So many words and they say nothing of import about Star Wars greatest villain.
29. Jhoff on the Executor � I like stories about tertiary characters as they add so much to the universe. But this was a bit too tame. I wanted details about how family’s fights against the Republic and then the Empire. What was it like growing up as Separatist? How did that life lead to him joining the Empire at all? The structure didn’t work for me either. Started off as being about various people in the Executor moments before it crested into the Death Star, but then became about Jhoff. Very odd choice.
30. TK-423 � This is the kind of story I was looking for in this collection. The absolute banality of life as a stormtrooper. The incompetence of the Empire in taking care of their own troops, let alone organizing simple things like caf restock. The specifics of TK-423’s experiences are the highlight of this story—his annoying colleagues, the class warfare between lowly stormtroopers and upper management, his beef with the resident droid. Hilarious! More like this, please.
31. Piett � Pretty much the kind of story I expected about Piett. He’s doing his duty but isn’t a fanatic, yet he fails to realise the follies of the Empire because his many other gigs are there in the galaxy? Would have liked to delve more into the ghost he keeps seeing. How does he keep that at bay within the Empire, especially with Vader always around him.
32. Red Guard � This didn’t work at all. The Emperor gets chucked I tot he reactor and the guards don’t realise at all? The station’s falling apart and they don’t notice? They’re that oblivious? Nope. This was the poorest of the anthology.
33. Hoyel the trooper � Quite a gory story and not to my liking. Meandered for a while and then abruptly ended.
34. Karie, Yellow 9 � Oh yes! This is what I’m talking about. The specifity of Karie’s fight rituals. The implications of her relationship with Lanna. The details of that final battle. This is what I want! Loved it. So exciting and action-packed. You can’t go wrong with a space battle.
35. Wedge � Wow. A Wedge story, at last. But this went in such an unexpected direction. Wedge suffering survivor’s guilt. Having an existential crisis about life beyond war? Fantastic stuff. One of the few stories in this collection that give us more than just what’s in the universe. I loved getting inside Wedge’s head. Powerful stuff.
36. Dora the chronicler � Oh no. No no no no no no. Weird concept, a newbie chronicles the adventures of the greatest heroes in the galaxy. Except she’s bad at this and hyper-focused on Leia and Han’s relationship, but somehow that’s okay? What? And the writing is pretty poor. ‘Handsomer�? Come on now. And what was the deal with Leia wondering if Jabba’s other slaves could have become wives! What the hell? So much nope.
37. Dex � What a surprising inclusion. Didn’t expect a story about Dex in here. I really liked this. The immediate aftermath of war and the center of it all is chaos and fear. Could have been longer, honestly.
38. Anakin � Really emotional, this one. Anakin accepting himself again after all the years being Darth Vader, accepting his many crimes. Heavy stuff. Love his light banter with Obi-Wan and all the little explanations about Ani’s robes and how he did in fact bring balance. This should have been the conclusion of the book.
39. Enric Pryde � I couldn’t get into this at all. Why didn’t they end the anthology with Ani? That was such a good story.
40. Guardian of the Whills � Funny! And meta. Very cool. I don’t mind this one ending the book. I enjoyed it. And a little nod to the prequels. Cute.
Breakdown of each story below.
1. Jerjerrod story - good start to the book. I like getting insight into the personalities of the tertiary characters. Breaks down the short scene and fleshes out each dialogue. Interesting that Jerjerrod is a bit of a sycophant. Never know with Imperials.
2. Max Rebo - feel like we skipped a lot considering how much goes down at Jabba’s palace. I would have liked more focus on Rebo’s music. Where’s his inspiration coming from? Why music as a career? A bit too much fat-shaming which really pissed me off.
3. EV-9D9 - always like getting insight into the minds of droids. This was a long story but a good one. Lots of inner conflict and growth. Also handles the thorny issue of the sentience of droids when they’re treated so badly in the Star Wars universe. Very abrupt ending though.
4. Bib Fortuna - didn’t expect to like this story but Bib gets so much personality. His ridiculously long list of grievances against the galaxy was hilarious. This made me appreciate his moments in the film even more. Also, love how everyone hated Jabba but that’s life when you work under a gangster.
5. Jess the dancer - This was a bit longer than necessary. I don’t think we needed her point of view for every event at Jabba’s palace. And then ending was so rushed. At least she had an interesting personality.
6. Rancor trainer - Trust Saladin Ahmed to build more of the world we know with a story that tugs at the heartstrings. I love that this story didn’t just exist within the realms of ROTJ but in the past and off Tatooine. Is good to find out about the life of a character before Jabba.
7. Boba Fett - Gotta love a story about our favourite bounty hunter. I like how arrogant yet miserable he is. All bravado with his contemporaries, but deep inside, he knows he’s owned by Jabba, just like everyone else. I did like the subtle nods to Boba Fett’s show, which I enjoyed watching. This story could’ve been longer though.
8. Jabba’s guards � This definitely needed to be longer. I liked reading about this little group of characters and getting insight into the lives of people at the palace. Love all the details the author has included that enrich the world. Yes, I could’ve spent more time with this group. And that ending! Shivers.
9. Salacious Crumb � Surprisingly interesting story about a character that just cackles for no reason. Pretty much everything that we see onscreen gets a reason for existing, making Salacious an incredibly fleshed-out character with more nuance than he had any right to have.
10. Sy Snootles � Again with fat-shaming Max Rebo; was this some unhinged mandate for editing this book? I didn’t particularly like this story. Sy seems unlikable and that should have been fine but what more is there to her than being a diva who throws things when she’s angry? It seems she’s also not mentally well, but that’s properly explained. Not the best.
11. Sarlacc � This was kinda silly. Why is it so difficult to let characters or elements of a story just be evil or bad? Creatures eat things to survive but they can still be interesting and sympathetic. I would’ve liked more of the Sarlacc’s impressions of Tatooine considering his lengthy stay here than the bits about his diet. Weird.
12. Sim Aloo � This is a bizarre name for a character but the story was good. I loved the specificity of his farming planet and how he handles his enemies. Again, the stories that don’t strictly adhere to the scenes within ROTJ are the ones I enjoy most. Don’t just give us POVs of events in the film; give us the lives they lived before and after. Build the universe through this anthology!
13. Dragonsnake on Dagobah � Could’ve been a much richer story. I liked the descriptions of flora and fauna on the planet but it didn’t really engage much with the ecosystem of why the Force is felt so strongly on Dagobah. What’s the impact on the creatures who live here to be surrounded by the Force? Would have also liked a few more memories of Yoda.
14. Obi-Wan � Can’t help but love a story about Obi-Wan. His reminiscences about Anakin definitely got me emotional. Surprised and happy to see all the tie-ins to the Obi-Wan show. I would have liked if there was more acknowledgment of what Luke and Leia had inherited from Padme; she’s always missing on these stories and it drives me up the wall.
15. Mon Mothma � I don’t know what it is about Mon Mothma, but I just can’t get engaged in stories about her. I literally had to drag myself back to reading this story. I couldn’t get a sense of where she was, what she was trying to do, who her companions were. The writing was weird and her internal life is just so one-note. For a leader of the Rebellion to appear this dull is a feat. Didn’t work for me.
16. Lando � Very unusual story, in a way. I was worried we’d get yet another story about Lando the gambler, but it’s more than that. Lando the leader uses his skills as a smuggler, gambler, and con man to fight the Empire. Also addresses what happens to the other people who escaped Cloud City, which is great because it shows how many facets to Lando there is. Could’ve been tighter in terms of editing, but nonetheless, a solid story.
17. Scout trooper � Very exciting story that captures the frenetic pace of the speeder bike chase. Very interesting to get in the mind of an Imperial, though he has good reason to hate the Rebels, sadly. Thought that ending was way more gory than it needed to be. Shudder.
18. Wicket � This was a cute story and we get a lot of detail about Ewok life. The specificity of Wicket’s experience makes this particularly engaging and I couldn’t stop reading. The ending is a bit abrupt though.
19. Shaman Logray � Political machinations within religious groups certainly make for thrilling tales. Didn’t expect this particular story to have so many twists and turns because it plays in the movie like comic relief. I could have actually done with a longer story to see how Logray tried to convince his tribe to do things his way.
20. Norra Wexley � Do we see her in the film? I did enjoy this story though. So much world-building through simple dialogue and exchanges. The characters all get their moments but we get such an emotional understanding of what they’re going into. It’s like a war film without the horrors. Quite a long story but all the details made me love every minute.
21. Igar � Was prepared to dislike this. Too much repetitive description in the first few pages. But the moment Luke appeared, the story seemed to figure out what it wanted to do. I liked the conversation between Luke and Igar. It helps explain why so many of the people who fought alongside the Jedi during the Clone Wars so easily joined the Emperor. Good one.
22. Ackbar � This was so short! How can nobody write a decent Ackbar story? It’s literally just the “It’s a trap!� moment. What else is going through his mind? How does he feel about the fact that he wasn’t prepared for this? What are his fears, his wishes, his dreams for a life after the Empire. Sigh. So disappointing. Art was good though.
23. Arvel the flight instructor � This could’ve been better. It was all over the place. Either focus on his work, his life in the rebellion, or his romance. A short story doesn’t have room for all. Biggest problem was I didn’t know this character by name so I had no starting point. Maybe signpost it in the text.
24. Riz the trooper � Interesting story about the trooper. An inside look at the Empire. Ending too long.
25. Sila Kott � I wish there were pictures instead of illustrations. Unlike in ANH, where Rebel pilots got named, ROTJ didn’t have the time. So I’m left searching online for who these people are. Nevertheless, I liked this story. It’s grounded and has a clear divide between why people choose the side they do. The romance is a bit rushed but otherwise, this was like watching the good parts of Andor.
26. Corr Lerrann � What a random concept. One of the technicians in charge of firing the Death Star‘s cannons and his dreams for retirement. But the specifics struck me as hilarious. The man wants to make a business out of building safety rails. The story explains why but it’s so weird and unintentionally humorous. A light read, nonetheless.
27. Nanta � I expected this to be an effecting story and certainly turned out to be. Kuhn spends a great deal of time setting up Nanta’s personality and his desires for living in the world. The illustration gives away who this ewok is, but even though we know how his story will end, it’s still an effectively emotional conclusion.
28. Palpatine � Overlong and repetitive. How do you make a story about Palpatine this dull? Where are the details of Palpatine’s life and work; the legacy he wants to leave? His plans to return? So many words and they say nothing of import about Star Wars greatest villain.
29. Jhoff on the Executor � I like stories about tertiary characters as they add so much to the universe. But this was a bit too tame. I wanted details about how family’s fights against the Republic and then the Empire. What was it like growing up as Separatist? How did that life lead to him joining the Empire at all? The structure didn’t work for me either. Started off as being about various people in the Executor moments before it crested into the Death Star, but then became about Jhoff. Very odd choice.
30. TK-423 � This is the kind of story I was looking for in this collection. The absolute banality of life as a stormtrooper. The incompetence of the Empire in taking care of their own troops, let alone organizing simple things like caf restock. The specifics of TK-423’s experiences are the highlight of this story—his annoying colleagues, the class warfare between lowly stormtroopers and upper management, his beef with the resident droid. Hilarious! More like this, please.
31. Piett � Pretty much the kind of story I expected about Piett. He’s doing his duty but isn’t a fanatic, yet he fails to realise the follies of the Empire because his many other gigs are there in the galaxy? Would have liked to delve more into the ghost he keeps seeing. How does he keep that at bay within the Empire, especially with Vader always around him.
32. Red Guard � This didn’t work at all. The Emperor gets chucked I tot he reactor and the guards don’t realise at all? The station’s falling apart and they don’t notice? They’re that oblivious? Nope. This was the poorest of the anthology.
33. Hoyel the trooper � Quite a gory story and not to my liking. Meandered for a while and then abruptly ended.
34. Karie, Yellow 9 � Oh yes! This is what I’m talking about. The specifity of Karie’s fight rituals. The implications of her relationship with Lanna. The details of that final battle. This is what I want! Loved it. So exciting and action-packed. You can’t go wrong with a space battle.
35. Wedge � Wow. A Wedge story, at last. But this went in such an unexpected direction. Wedge suffering survivor’s guilt. Having an existential crisis about life beyond war? Fantastic stuff. One of the few stories in this collection that give us more than just what’s in the universe. I loved getting inside Wedge’s head. Powerful stuff.
36. Dora the chronicler � Oh no. No no no no no no. Weird concept, a newbie chronicles the adventures of the greatest heroes in the galaxy. Except she’s bad at this and hyper-focused on Leia and Han’s relationship, but somehow that’s okay? What? And the writing is pretty poor. ‘Handsomer�? Come on now. And what was the deal with Leia wondering if Jabba’s other slaves could have become wives! What the hell? So much nope.
37. Dex � What a surprising inclusion. Didn’t expect a story about Dex in here. I really liked this. The immediate aftermath of war and the center of it all is chaos and fear. Could have been longer, honestly.
38. Anakin � Really emotional, this one. Anakin accepting himself again after all the years being Darth Vader, accepting his many crimes. Heavy stuff. Love his light banter with Obi-Wan and all the little explanations about Ani’s robes and how he did in fact bring balance. This should have been the conclusion of the book.
39. Enric Pryde � I couldn’t get into this at all. Why didn’t they end the anthology with Ani? That was such a good story.
40. Guardian of the Whills � Funny! And meta. Very cool. I don’t mind this one ending the book. I enjoyed it. And a little nod to the prequels. Cute.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2024
This is a pretty strong 4.5, I think the reason the first FACPOV gets 5 is because the stories felt a little deeper. I think everyone has a slightly closer connection with ANH, but what I loved about this is that many authors embraced the goofyness of ROTJ and turned up the scary factor of the Ewoks. It really encapsulated the vibe of ROTJ effectively.
Top 5 in no particular order:
My Mouth Never Closes
Brotherhood
The Extra Five Percent
From a Certain Point of View
Ending Protocol
Special shoutout to 'Ackbar' for bringing a different medium to the book and being short , sweet and funny.
Top 5 in no particular order:
My Mouth Never Closes
Brotherhood
The Extra Five Percent
From a Certain Point of View
Ending Protocol
Special shoutout to 'Ackbar' for bringing a different medium to the book and being short , sweet and funny.
September 8, 2023
The third in the trilogy of 40th anniversary books for the original star wars trilogy. I always love these books, and they never disappoint in bringing fresh POVs to the universe. Having reread the other 2 books prior to this coming out I was ready for this one. I think it's the best of the 3. As always there are a couple too many povs of the same or similar scenes but I think there's enough variation in them to make it interesting.
October 29, 2023
More of the stories miss the mark imho, or maybe the characters are just not as interesting. Several in the middle and towards the end i rather enjoyed. My least favorite of the three, but maybe that fits bc rotj is my least fav movie of the three.
Looking back through it, I’m having trouble remembering which stories i liked. That says a lot. Still it is always fun to be in that world for a while, and i was inspired to play Lego Star Wars again, so that can’t be too bad.
Looking back through it, I’m having trouble remembering which stories i liked. That says a lot. Still it is always fun to be in that world for a while, and i was inspired to play Lego Star Wars again, so that can’t be too bad.
August 1, 2024
Book 57/101 for 2024. Can't believe it took me like a year to get around to reading this, it's so in my self-indulgent sweet spot. Nothing really amazing about any of the stories in particular, and in fact you could say that Disney Star Wars has fully taken over the whole side-characters-get-the-focus approach, but I still enjoy it. So much so that if the throwaway gag at the end about continuing this series for the prequels or legacyquels proves true, I'll probably go along for the ride.
September 15, 2023
I felt curiously detached reading this collection...yet I'm rounding up to 4 stars for it's use of new authors, its attempt at inter-linked storytelling, and its passing references to new material, from "Kenobi" to "The High Republic".
May 21, 2024
"Any Work Worth Doing" - Jerjerrod’s story was fascinating. I wasn’t sure at the start but then when it dove into breaking down how stretched he was and how he achieved his goal of ensuring the Death Star 2 would be fully operational, I was gripped. Nice break down of strategic and tactical thinking.
"Fancy Man" - So, I couldn’t get past all the fat-shaming of Max Rebo. The story was supposed to be this intense adventure, but that ruined the whole story for me. Didn’t care for it at all.
"The Key to Remembering" - This just went on too long and then in the end I wasn’t even sure any change had been made. Was EV-99 a more moral droid or still cruel? Really didn’t feel this one.
"Fortuna Favors the Bold" - I like the title but I don’t think the character of Bib Fortuna has ever been interesting enough for me to care. Nothing this story did would have intrigued me. I found the angle that he wanted to kill Jabba was interesting though. I still feel the final story here was lacklustre.
"Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight" - Wow, I don’t mean to be mean but this was uninspired. First of all, I had to Google Jess because I don’t think I’ve actually ever even clocked her presence in the film. And then, nothing about this story is different from the usual take of a woman who goes into some form of slavery to save a dude (her dad, in this case) and has to lie to her paramour so he doesn’t get hurt and she can pay off the debt. The bit I liked was when Jess is with Leia since we got to hear from Leia and fill in the gaps of how much she knew about the upcoming plan. But what intrigued me was the Force-sensitive character trapped as a palace dancer. That sucks. Is there a story about her out there? Would’ve preferred it to this one.
"The Plan" - I liked how this was written and structured. Nothing too fancy, just a brief history of an eccentric bit player, Malakili (one of the Rancor keepers) that’s filled out to give so much more gravitas to the film’s events. Not every happy ending is a happy ending for every character in a story and this chapter really brought that theme home. Really well-written and I’m glad there wasn’t much fat-shaming of the character. Instead, it’s rightly suggested that he is built that way due to his strength. One weird thing though, and this is something the editor should have caught—having two stories back-to-back where the protagonist had heard of the Jedi and then has an experience with someone Force-sensitive is too coincidental.
"Reputation" - It’s hard to know how to feel about Boba Fett nowadays because there are so many facets to him depending on which era of film or show or book you’re consuming. So this story keeps it to the action mostly—a flashback of him bringing Han to Jabba and the present when Han is freed. The ending didn’t pack quite the punch as the previous story but it wasn’t bad.
"Kickback" - This story appears to have been written solely to ensure that Luke’s faraway kick that sent a character, Sion, careening to his death is now canon as a Force kick. I mean, I don’t even know why that has been up for debate considering� it’s the Force. At least the main dude has a husband so that’s progress.
"Everyone's a Critic" - uh� I don’t know what I expected. I mean, Salacious B. Crumb isn’t the most interesting character to begin with so kudos to the writer for putting a story together somehow. Didn’t really leave much of an impact. Ending was funny though.
"Satisfaction" - ok, I just could not get into this. I think I’m tired of this section of the film and these stories about the side characters in the palace simply aren’t varied enough to keep me interested. I had a similar issue with the ESB book—how many times can you read about the same incident from certain points of views before it gets tedious. Pretty fast to be honest. . I mean, Sy Snootles� could have been more imaginative. I was honestly bored. At least this was the last one of the bunch about Jabba’s Palace.
"My Mouth Never Closes" - This was freaking amazing. The writing, the voice performance, it was just brilliant. I love the personality that Sarlacc is given and how it turns the tables on our understanding of what a monster he is. He doesn’t even want the bodies being thrown at him. Too funny. And I like that there’s more explanation to Boba’s fate. So good.
"Kernels and Husks" - I didn’t hate this. This story broke the monotony of the others while adding a lot of colourful, albeit ridiculously evil, characters. I can’t say Sim Aloo was very different from the usual baddies in media, but the writing was great.
"The Light That Falls" - I’m going to sound like such a bore, but most of the stories in this series about the creatures are a little too same-y. There have been a few that stood but this one isn’t one of them. Bright-Eyes the Dragonsnake, I’m sorry mate.
"From a Certain Point of View" - I really loved the previous Obi-Wan Kenobi story so I was excited for this one. It’s not quite as mesmerizing as its predecessor, but still quite lovely. Leaning into Obi’s love for Ani and how he sees his padawan reflected back in Luke’s face is so touching. I wish so much of the story hadn’t reused the film dialogue—we could have used that space for more undiscovered emotional connections. It was a wonderful story though.
"No Contingency" - I was going to complain about how Mon Mothma is undersold by newer properties but the writer does her justice. I like that her cleverness and resourcefulness comes to the fore here. And that she knows she has limitations but she can use her skills to work through them. This was fascinating.
"The Burden of Leadership" - I love Lando, so a story about him essentially daydreaming about a less stressful life and then coming alive when he’s under duress because his best pilot is angry at being dragged into the Rebellion is giving me life. He’s fabulously written here. All charm and swagger as he deals with people around him, but so different in his head as he wishes he wasn’t headed into a situation that will certainly cost lives. And the fact that it all comes down to Sabacc and how his skills at gambling give him an edge as a General is just…chef’s kiss.
"Gone to the Winner's Circle" - You’d think a chase story about one of the Scout Troopers who was battling Luke and Leia would be interesting but this wasn’t. I don’t know why but the excitement was missing. The most shocking part of the story for me was how the trooper Raab Krao was radicalized when X-Wings destroyed his home and livelihood and killed his brother. Dang, that got dark.
"One Normal Day" - So this one I liked. What this story did was to fill out the world of the Ewoks, especially the personality of Wicket. I don’t know if the writer referred to other materials to expand this story, but it was interesting and fun. An adventure story starring the young Ewoks. Sweet.
"Divine (?) Intervention" - I enjoyed this one. Even though I’m not big on the religious stuff in any story, this provided some context for why the Ewoks were so quick to accept C-3PO as their god. But what I really liked was the whole false god narrative and how people will toe the line as long as it works in their favour.
"The Buy-In" - I’m glad the female characters who didn’t get the screen time they deserved have a life beyond the screen. While I liked the joviality and camaraderie of the characters, and especially what a charismatic general Lando was, I felt this one dragged on a lot and the pacing was off.
"The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker" - I really enjoyed this one. It fills in the one of the most annoying gaps in the original trilogy and not only makes Luke even more badass, but gives the Imperial, Altadan Igar, who had one line of dialogue a rich history and an interesting perspective. Fabulous.
"Ackbar" - Ackbar deserves better than this tiny chapter that seems to mock him and his iconic line.
"The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" - I wasn’t sure about this one at first. A cocky pilot, Arvel Crynyd stumbles across the A-Wings training for the Battle of Yavin and starts mouthing off about what the Rebels are doing wrong in their training. But then he starts training them, he gets closer to them, and he feels their deaths immensely. To cope with his grief, he finds comfort and friendship with the Rebellion barkeep and cook. And soon that turns into more. The way the romance is written is so cute and wistful. It really makes me wish we had more of these stories, especially the gay characters, in the franchise. The story ends before his movie demise which actually breaks my heart a lot. I’ve always thought about how brave the sacrifice of the green leader was, but the backstory makes it sadder.
"Ending Protocol" - You know what, I did not take to this story at all. I felt it sort of ran in place and while it gave a whole different point of view of the Battle of Endor—through the eyes of stormtrooper RZ-440 "Riz", I felt like it ended up repeating a lot. I did find the insights into how rebellious some of the troopers felt was interesting, but this did not grab my attention.
"The Last Flight" - I was unsure about this story at the start because of the childhood rivalry between rough and angry Sila Kott and the supposedly perfect and beautiful Lante. But eventually the story grew on me. I like that this volume re-introduces the female characters left on the chopping block. I wish there had been more of the character development because parts of it felt rushed. Did Sila and Lante have a relationship or was it one-sided? I like that we get an understanding of why people choose the sides they do and why, sometimes, they then change their minds. What a sad ending but it was one that the characters, I felt, in some way welcomed.
"Twenty and Out" - Not gonna lie, I really enjoyed this story. Corr Lerrann is all set to retire and he has a truly solid plan for how to spend his retirement—he’ll get rich selling hand rails to the Empire. Except, as he realizes after he and his colleague almost plummet to their end because of the lack of railings, the Empire don’t care. This was super cool a concept.
"The Ballad of Nanta" - I teared up. I teared up at the end of an Ewok story. Because that’s what happens when you add emotional elements to the background of your film, and then draw out the history of said character in the book. At first I thought we were in for yet another religious story, but this was so much more. Nante decides to become a storyteller for the Ewoks and it’s a wistful and gorgeous tale that ends in tears. Wonderful writing!
"Then Fall, Sidious" - Ok, so, I didn’t understand the structure of this. What was counting down? Or are the different clones of Palpatine remembering different things all while frying Luke to a crisp? I don’t get it. One positive—Sam Witwer as the Emperor was fabulous. My word, that man has a talent for voice-acting.
"Impact" - The concept was there but the execution wasn’t. I think there should have been more emphasis on Jhoff’s upbringing and how politics makes an impact on your life and relationships well before you even understand it. The gravitas was missing.
"Trooper Trouble" - Oh my word! This was the best. Simply fantastic. TK-423 is hilarious. His personality and love of Kaf gives me life. His beef with that R2 unit is the best fight ever. This was so fun and funny, but also gave us a good insight into the workings of the Imperial fleet plus the bureaucratic nightmare that is the Empire. Not to mention it’s not subtle message about worker rights. Utter perfection.
"To the Last" - This was run-of-the-mill characterization-wise. I don’t know what I was expecting but something different than how this storyline went. I found that Piett struggling with the ghost of his predecessor Ozzel was interesting though.
"The Emperor's Red Guards" - I found the Red Guard story gripping but it didn’t help me understand how and why the Red Guard was that loyal to Palpatine. Like, what makes you unquestioningly loyal to someone. What makes you, basically, worship them as a god? Didn’t get that from this story. It’s a different point of view but I kept wondering why.
"Wolf Trap" - What did I just read? Way too much gore. Were Ewoks really eating people? Not just sacrificing them? Ewww. The story was really confusing and meandering. I don’t know if the whole Wolf god/hallucination angle worked at all. Maybe because I don’t understand or care for spirituality, this just fell flat for me. After all that whining, the story just…ended. Not my favourite.
"The Extra Five Percent" - I felt this story was missing something. I like that an unknown/forgotten female pilot in the Rebellion, Karie Neth, gets her due in this story but it didn’t have enough substance. Or maybe the technobabble submerged the stakes. I just didn’t get enough here. I do like the adorable romance between her and the mechanic—this book is gayer than all of Star Wars live action.
"When Fire Marked the Sky" - I think the sentiment of this Wedge story is good—enjoy what you have, enjoy being alive, enjoy being lucky, because there are those who don’t have that. But I simply don’t know if the concept fits Wedge. I don’t really know the character all that well so perhaps that’s why I can’t quite make out if the characterization works. I also think the stories of Home One and Lando’s leadership is all too same-y in this book. I would have liked to see Lando connect with his people in other ways rather than Sabacc being central to Lando.
"The Chronicler" - Dora Mar is a chronicler on her first day of the job—her mission is to extract the histories of the Rebel Alliance’s greatest heroes, Han, Leia, and Lando. Now look, the idea of the story is great. When death is a near certainty, life should be celebrated. I like the line that Mon Mothma says in the story about how history may be written by the victors, and the Rebels don’t know if they’ll win against the second Death Star, but where the Empire wants to quash every narrative, Mothma wants to ensure that the Rebels� stories are out there and heard. The execution of this chapter was severely lacking though. Why was Dora obsessed with Leia’s love life? I should have known this wouldn’t be to my liking when the story started with a quintessential cute-sy, very obvious hetero romance. All the gay romances in the book are…subtler. Anyway, that set the tone for the story. I did like that Dora eventually writes about unsung heroes like Jess and Oola, but man, why go for such a twee narrative when the protagonist has such a vital role to play in the Rebellion?
"The Veteran" � Was not expecting to find Dexter Jettster as a protagonist, but why not. The premise of the story is great—it’s easy to turn into the evil that you hated, easy to try and kill a stormtrooper now that the Empire is lost, but why? Isn’t that what the galaxy was fighting against? And the message that the Jedi were once a beacon of light, and since that light’s been gone, the galaxy hasn’t been the same. But the execution was all over the place. I couldn’t figure out what the point of view was. Dex is more a conduit to tell the story through, not a participant in it.
"Brotherhood" � I was excited for this Anakin Skywalker story, especially since it was written by Mike Chen, whose book of the same name I really enjoyed. But this story fell flat for me. I guess it feels like a re-tread of the same emotional beats and feelings we’ve seen/read elsewhere. It fills the gap and explains why Ani’s ghost looks the way it does, but, it didn’t bring anything new to the table with Ani’s arc.
"The Steadfast Soldier" � I never even remember Enric Pryde is a character in Star Wars, let alone get remotely excited when he’s starring in a story. Kudos to the narrator who captured Richard E. Grant’s speech patterns, but in general, I switched off during this story. It explains how Darth’s helmet ended up with the First Order, and that Pryde is yet another power-hungry Imp, but that was it. The machinations of Pryde’s mind simply didn’t grab my attention.
"Return of the Whills" � The two Whills are back and I love their irreverent banter. Great way to close the chapter on this part of the saga.
"Fancy Man" - So, I couldn’t get past all the fat-shaming of Max Rebo. The story was supposed to be this intense adventure, but that ruined the whole story for me. Didn’t care for it at all.
"The Key to Remembering" - This just went on too long and then in the end I wasn’t even sure any change had been made. Was EV-99 a more moral droid or still cruel? Really didn’t feel this one.
"Fortuna Favors the Bold" - I like the title but I don’t think the character of Bib Fortuna has ever been interesting enough for me to care. Nothing this story did would have intrigued me. I found the angle that he wanted to kill Jabba was interesting though. I still feel the final story here was lacklustre.
"Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight" - Wow, I don’t mean to be mean but this was uninspired. First of all, I had to Google Jess because I don’t think I’ve actually ever even clocked her presence in the film. And then, nothing about this story is different from the usual take of a woman who goes into some form of slavery to save a dude (her dad, in this case) and has to lie to her paramour so he doesn’t get hurt and she can pay off the debt. The bit I liked was when Jess is with Leia since we got to hear from Leia and fill in the gaps of how much she knew about the upcoming plan. But what intrigued me was the Force-sensitive character trapped as a palace dancer. That sucks. Is there a story about her out there? Would’ve preferred it to this one.
"The Plan" - I liked how this was written and structured. Nothing too fancy, just a brief history of an eccentric bit player, Malakili (one of the Rancor keepers) that’s filled out to give so much more gravitas to the film’s events. Not every happy ending is a happy ending for every character in a story and this chapter really brought that theme home. Really well-written and I’m glad there wasn’t much fat-shaming of the character. Instead, it’s rightly suggested that he is built that way due to his strength. One weird thing though, and this is something the editor should have caught—having two stories back-to-back where the protagonist had heard of the Jedi and then has an experience with someone Force-sensitive is too coincidental.
"Reputation" - It’s hard to know how to feel about Boba Fett nowadays because there are so many facets to him depending on which era of film or show or book you’re consuming. So this story keeps it to the action mostly—a flashback of him bringing Han to Jabba and the present when Han is freed. The ending didn’t pack quite the punch as the previous story but it wasn’t bad.
"Kickback" - This story appears to have been written solely to ensure that Luke’s faraway kick that sent a character, Sion, careening to his death is now canon as a Force kick. I mean, I don’t even know why that has been up for debate considering� it’s the Force. At least the main dude has a husband so that’s progress.
"Everyone's a Critic" - uh� I don’t know what I expected. I mean, Salacious B. Crumb isn’t the most interesting character to begin with so kudos to the writer for putting a story together somehow. Didn’t really leave much of an impact. Ending was funny though.
"Satisfaction" - ok, I just could not get into this. I think I’m tired of this section of the film and these stories about the side characters in the palace simply aren’t varied enough to keep me interested. I had a similar issue with the ESB book—how many times can you read about the same incident from certain points of views before it gets tedious. Pretty fast to be honest. . I mean, Sy Snootles� could have been more imaginative. I was honestly bored. At least this was the last one of the bunch about Jabba’s Palace.
"My Mouth Never Closes" - This was freaking amazing. The writing, the voice performance, it was just brilliant. I love the personality that Sarlacc is given and how it turns the tables on our understanding of what a monster he is. He doesn’t even want the bodies being thrown at him. Too funny. And I like that there’s more explanation to Boba’s fate. So good.
"Kernels and Husks" - I didn’t hate this. This story broke the monotony of the others while adding a lot of colourful, albeit ridiculously evil, characters. I can’t say Sim Aloo was very different from the usual baddies in media, but the writing was great.
"The Light That Falls" - I’m going to sound like such a bore, but most of the stories in this series about the creatures are a little too same-y. There have been a few that stood but this one isn’t one of them. Bright-Eyes the Dragonsnake, I’m sorry mate.
"From a Certain Point of View" - I really loved the previous Obi-Wan Kenobi story so I was excited for this one. It’s not quite as mesmerizing as its predecessor, but still quite lovely. Leaning into Obi’s love for Ani and how he sees his padawan reflected back in Luke’s face is so touching. I wish so much of the story hadn’t reused the film dialogue—we could have used that space for more undiscovered emotional connections. It was a wonderful story though.
"No Contingency" - I was going to complain about how Mon Mothma is undersold by newer properties but the writer does her justice. I like that her cleverness and resourcefulness comes to the fore here. And that she knows she has limitations but she can use her skills to work through them. This was fascinating.
"The Burden of Leadership" - I love Lando, so a story about him essentially daydreaming about a less stressful life and then coming alive when he’s under duress because his best pilot is angry at being dragged into the Rebellion is giving me life. He’s fabulously written here. All charm and swagger as he deals with people around him, but so different in his head as he wishes he wasn’t headed into a situation that will certainly cost lives. And the fact that it all comes down to Sabacc and how his skills at gambling give him an edge as a General is just…chef’s kiss.
"Gone to the Winner's Circle" - You’d think a chase story about one of the Scout Troopers who was battling Luke and Leia would be interesting but this wasn’t. I don’t know why but the excitement was missing. The most shocking part of the story for me was how the trooper Raab Krao was radicalized when X-Wings destroyed his home and livelihood and killed his brother. Dang, that got dark.
"One Normal Day" - So this one I liked. What this story did was to fill out the world of the Ewoks, especially the personality of Wicket. I don’t know if the writer referred to other materials to expand this story, but it was interesting and fun. An adventure story starring the young Ewoks. Sweet.
"Divine (?) Intervention" - I enjoyed this one. Even though I’m not big on the religious stuff in any story, this provided some context for why the Ewoks were so quick to accept C-3PO as their god. But what I really liked was the whole false god narrative and how people will toe the line as long as it works in their favour.
"The Buy-In" - I’m glad the female characters who didn’t get the screen time they deserved have a life beyond the screen. While I liked the joviality and camaraderie of the characters, and especially what a charismatic general Lando was, I felt this one dragged on a lot and the pacing was off.
"The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker" - I really enjoyed this one. It fills in the one of the most annoying gaps in the original trilogy and not only makes Luke even more badass, but gives the Imperial, Altadan Igar, who had one line of dialogue a rich history and an interesting perspective. Fabulous.
"Ackbar" - Ackbar deserves better than this tiny chapter that seems to mock him and his iconic line.
"The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels" - I wasn’t sure about this one at first. A cocky pilot, Arvel Crynyd stumbles across the A-Wings training for the Battle of Yavin and starts mouthing off about what the Rebels are doing wrong in their training. But then he starts training them, he gets closer to them, and he feels their deaths immensely. To cope with his grief, he finds comfort and friendship with the Rebellion barkeep and cook. And soon that turns into more. The way the romance is written is so cute and wistful. It really makes me wish we had more of these stories, especially the gay characters, in the franchise. The story ends before his movie demise which actually breaks my heart a lot. I’ve always thought about how brave the sacrifice of the green leader was, but the backstory makes it sadder.
"Ending Protocol" - You know what, I did not take to this story at all. I felt it sort of ran in place and while it gave a whole different point of view of the Battle of Endor—through the eyes of stormtrooper RZ-440 "Riz", I felt like it ended up repeating a lot. I did find the insights into how rebellious some of the troopers felt was interesting, but this did not grab my attention.
"The Last Flight" - I was unsure about this story at the start because of the childhood rivalry between rough and angry Sila Kott and the supposedly perfect and beautiful Lante. But eventually the story grew on me. I like that this volume re-introduces the female characters left on the chopping block. I wish there had been more of the character development because parts of it felt rushed. Did Sila and Lante have a relationship or was it one-sided? I like that we get an understanding of why people choose the sides they do and why, sometimes, they then change their minds. What a sad ending but it was one that the characters, I felt, in some way welcomed.
"Twenty and Out" - Not gonna lie, I really enjoyed this story. Corr Lerrann is all set to retire and he has a truly solid plan for how to spend his retirement—he’ll get rich selling hand rails to the Empire. Except, as he realizes after he and his colleague almost plummet to their end because of the lack of railings, the Empire don’t care. This was super cool a concept.
"The Ballad of Nanta" - I teared up. I teared up at the end of an Ewok story. Because that’s what happens when you add emotional elements to the background of your film, and then draw out the history of said character in the book. At first I thought we were in for yet another religious story, but this was so much more. Nante decides to become a storyteller for the Ewoks and it’s a wistful and gorgeous tale that ends in tears. Wonderful writing!
"Then Fall, Sidious" - Ok, so, I didn’t understand the structure of this. What was counting down? Or are the different clones of Palpatine remembering different things all while frying Luke to a crisp? I don’t get it. One positive—Sam Witwer as the Emperor was fabulous. My word, that man has a talent for voice-acting.
"Impact" - The concept was there but the execution wasn’t. I think there should have been more emphasis on Jhoff’s upbringing and how politics makes an impact on your life and relationships well before you even understand it. The gravitas was missing.
"Trooper Trouble" - Oh my word! This was the best. Simply fantastic. TK-423 is hilarious. His personality and love of Kaf gives me life. His beef with that R2 unit is the best fight ever. This was so fun and funny, but also gave us a good insight into the workings of the Imperial fleet plus the bureaucratic nightmare that is the Empire. Not to mention it’s not subtle message about worker rights. Utter perfection.
"To the Last" - This was run-of-the-mill characterization-wise. I don’t know what I was expecting but something different than how this storyline went. I found that Piett struggling with the ghost of his predecessor Ozzel was interesting though.
"The Emperor's Red Guards" - I found the Red Guard story gripping but it didn’t help me understand how and why the Red Guard was that loyal to Palpatine. Like, what makes you unquestioningly loyal to someone. What makes you, basically, worship them as a god? Didn’t get that from this story. It’s a different point of view but I kept wondering why.
"Wolf Trap" - What did I just read? Way too much gore. Were Ewoks really eating people? Not just sacrificing them? Ewww. The story was really confusing and meandering. I don’t know if the whole Wolf god/hallucination angle worked at all. Maybe because I don’t understand or care for spirituality, this just fell flat for me. After all that whining, the story just…ended. Not my favourite.
"The Extra Five Percent" - I felt this story was missing something. I like that an unknown/forgotten female pilot in the Rebellion, Karie Neth, gets her due in this story but it didn’t have enough substance. Or maybe the technobabble submerged the stakes. I just didn’t get enough here. I do like the adorable romance between her and the mechanic—this book is gayer than all of Star Wars live action.
"When Fire Marked the Sky" - I think the sentiment of this Wedge story is good—enjoy what you have, enjoy being alive, enjoy being lucky, because there are those who don’t have that. But I simply don’t know if the concept fits Wedge. I don’t really know the character all that well so perhaps that’s why I can’t quite make out if the characterization works. I also think the stories of Home One and Lando’s leadership is all too same-y in this book. I would have liked to see Lando connect with his people in other ways rather than Sabacc being central to Lando.
"The Chronicler" - Dora Mar is a chronicler on her first day of the job—her mission is to extract the histories of the Rebel Alliance’s greatest heroes, Han, Leia, and Lando. Now look, the idea of the story is great. When death is a near certainty, life should be celebrated. I like the line that Mon Mothma says in the story about how history may be written by the victors, and the Rebels don’t know if they’ll win against the second Death Star, but where the Empire wants to quash every narrative, Mothma wants to ensure that the Rebels� stories are out there and heard. The execution of this chapter was severely lacking though. Why was Dora obsessed with Leia’s love life? I should have known this wouldn’t be to my liking when the story started with a quintessential cute-sy, very obvious hetero romance. All the gay romances in the book are…subtler. Anyway, that set the tone for the story. I did like that Dora eventually writes about unsung heroes like Jess and Oola, but man, why go for such a twee narrative when the protagonist has such a vital role to play in the Rebellion?
"The Veteran" � Was not expecting to find Dexter Jettster as a protagonist, but why not. The premise of the story is great—it’s easy to turn into the evil that you hated, easy to try and kill a stormtrooper now that the Empire is lost, but why? Isn’t that what the galaxy was fighting against? And the message that the Jedi were once a beacon of light, and since that light’s been gone, the galaxy hasn’t been the same. But the execution was all over the place. I couldn’t figure out what the point of view was. Dex is more a conduit to tell the story through, not a participant in it.
"Brotherhood" � I was excited for this Anakin Skywalker story, especially since it was written by Mike Chen, whose book of the same name I really enjoyed. But this story fell flat for me. I guess it feels like a re-tread of the same emotional beats and feelings we’ve seen/read elsewhere. It fills the gap and explains why Ani’s ghost looks the way it does, but, it didn’t bring anything new to the table with Ani’s arc.
"The Steadfast Soldier" � I never even remember Enric Pryde is a character in Star Wars, let alone get remotely excited when he’s starring in a story. Kudos to the narrator who captured Richard E. Grant’s speech patterns, but in general, I switched off during this story. It explains how Darth’s helmet ended up with the First Order, and that Pryde is yet another power-hungry Imp, but that was it. The machinations of Pryde’s mind simply didn’t grab my attention.
"Return of the Whills" � The two Whills are back and I love their irreverent banter. Great way to close the chapter on this part of the saga.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2024
Not just a little bad. Really really bad. With a side of terrible.
January 2, 2025
I really love the From a Certain Point of View collection. They add a lot of depth to the movies. I'm hoping they do them for the prequels
September 1, 2023
The Anakin and Obi Wan stories wrecked me.
"Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight" was also absolutely incredible.
"Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight" was also absolutely incredible.
September 1, 2023
The From a Certain Point of View anthology series has been a JOY to read, as a Star Wars fan, and as an enjoyer of short fiction in general. It reminded me of the magic of watching the original trilogy of films, and why I love Star Wars in the first place, and this one was no exception. Return of the Jedi is far from my favorite Star Wars film, and yet this installment of the anthologies moved even me to tears at one point.
Much like the previous two installments, there's something for everyone in here � funny stories, moving ones, wonderful references to the movies, TV shows, other books, and comics. Every author's love for Star Wars was JUMPING off the page, and there were moments that made moments in the film even more poignant. I hope this project never stops, and they'll do the prequel trilogy some day.
The audiobook was, as usual from the Star Wars audiobooks, also a joy to listen to! I expected nothing less having listened to the last two, but it really elevated the experience and made it feel like I was really watching the movie all over again.
Much like the previous two installments, there's something for everyone in here � funny stories, moving ones, wonderful references to the movies, TV shows, other books, and comics. Every author's love for Star Wars was JUMPING off the page, and there were moments that made moments in the film even more poignant. I hope this project never stops, and they'll do the prequel trilogy some day.
The audiobook was, as usual from the Star Wars audiobooks, also a joy to listen to! I expected nothing less having listened to the last two, but it really elevated the experience and made it feel like I was really watching the movie all over again.
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