Lost Stars

Originally posted on bluchickenninja.com.

I have said many times that I don't like romance in YA and I have to take that statement back because I loved this book and it's a YA love story set in the Star Wars universe. Actually this is more like a Romeo and Juliette story. You have two kids from the same planet who aren't supposed to be friends because of reasons. They end up being friends anyway and both go to Coruscant to join the Imperial Academy.

The thing I really loved about this book is that you get to see the original movies from a different perspective. You see how even the Imperials are shocked when Alderaan is destroyed. And when the rebels are celebrating their victory at Yavin 5 you see the Imperials mourning for the friends they lost on the Death Star.

My favourite thing was seeing the rebellion side of the story and how everyone is confused by this Calrissian guy who has been made general for no apparent reason. You also get to see what they think of that Luke Skywalker guy who seems to think he is big deal.

Of course our main characters have their own story which I don't want to give away. I will say however that it's nice to see that their story has nothing to do with the original movies but there are moments where the two converge quite nicely. Basically out of all the Star Wars books that have been released recently this is a must read. Especially if you're curious about the downed Star Destroyer on Jakku at the start of The Force Awakens.

Actually one of my favorite Star Wars books. It is Young Adult but still well worth it. My only thought on all the Star Wars book I have read is I wish there was more to them. There is no depth. They are all written basic enough that you could turn any of them word for word into a TV series or movie. That is good in some respects but after reading other Science Fiction or Fantasy books. I want more out of them. Write them as a deep book with backstory and details. Then turn into a movie and cut what you cannot get in.

It took me months to finish this book because of school (I haven't even been writing as much because of the semester) but I've finally finished the book. Honestly, this is my favorite Star Wars book in the new canon. Granted, this is the second Star Wars book I've read in both new canon and legends, so I'm a bit biased, but there are obvious reasons as to why I think it's one that people trying to get into Star Wars books should read. Not only does Claudia Gray know the world of Star Wars, but she's literally breathing it as she brings Thane and Ciena to life. Set against the backdrop of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, the novel doesn't blatantly scream Star Wars, like some books and comics can. Instead, it reads like a natural romance story that just happens to be set in the Star Wars universe. The character cameos were great, and I grinned every time I saw a familiar name. The clues that set up The Force Awakens are also great, and it's one that I was not expecting, but when it clicked, my mouth was literally hanging open. If you're stuck on which book to start with in the new canon, start with this one. You won't be disappointed.

Executive Summary: Young Adult Romance is not my thing, and I probably would have enjoyed this one more if that wasn't the main plotline.

Audiobook: Like all Star Wars audiobooks, you get music and sound effects. That kind of thing annoys me in general, but seems to work well for Star Wars books. Pierce Cravens isn't nearly as good as Marc Thompson, but he's decent. His normal reading voice seems more appropriate for this book anyways.

Full Review
I was reluctant to pick this one up knowing it was both Young Adult, and Romance. I read very little YA, and try to avoid Romance books in general. However, every review I saw about this one was positive. I got caught up in the Star Wars hype with Force Awakens coming out and decided to give it a go anyways.

The general premise of two friends growing up during the events of the original trilogy on opposite sides was appealing. Many of those elements of this book worked really well for me too. I liked the sort of “boots on the ground” view of events.

I thought the book was well written. It's always hard to write in someone else's world, especially Star Wars. This one was even harder because the overarching plot was already written and well-known by most if not all the people likely to pick the book up. Ms. Gray does a good job of working her story around notable events of the original trilogy while making it about her characters and not the better known ones. Plus, without getting into spoilers, there were some nice tie-ins to Force Awakens as well.

There are parts of this book I really enjoyed. I liked a pro-empire viewpoint. It offers a nice contrast to what your normally get. The idea that everyone in the empire is evil always seemed too black and white. I really liked the imperial flight school. I wish more time had been spent on the training and classes than the relationship of the protagonists though.

That was my main issue with the book. I just didn't care about the Romance part. I'm the wrong person to ask if it was well done. It's just not my thing. However, I can understand why this book is so popular. I think it's a good thing that Disney/authors are trying to tell new/different kinds of Star Wars stories that might appeal to different audiences.

Overall, I thought this was a decent story whose execution didn't work as well for me as it seems to for others.

It's your typical “boy meets girl, they fall in love, and eventually end up on opposite sides of the Galactic Civil War” type of story.

This is probably my favorite Star Wars New Canon book so far. I loved the characters, and the book never felt like a burden to read.

I definitely recommend this for anyone who's just generally a fan of Star Wars. If you've been looking to get into the EU, let this be your introduction. With the only downside being that everything that comes after that will not be as good and engaging.
There's not an overabundance of Star Wars novels that has normal people starring in them, let alone within the Empire. These are just kids who graduated from the Imperial Academy, and then started having doubts of what exactly they were being loyal to. And while the story does feature some known characters from the movies, it's never distracting or shoehorned in. This novel definitely makes me wish for more stories like these.

Though the book ends in such a way that this could definitely be more, like a duology.

I am also hella excited for New Republic: Bloodline now.