Books Aftermath: Life Debt (Book 2 of 3) by Chuck Wendig on July 12, 2016

Not an idiot! When I read reading SotE I stared at the page for about 5 minutes trying to do the math and figure things out. I ended up having to look it up on the Wook because I was terribly confused.

It's great to see the books give an incredible amount of supporting content just as Legends did.

 

God alone knows why, but yours are the reviews I most look forward to reading. Since Bloodline, every time I see you post another couple-chapters summary, I literally jump up and down and say "Oh, goody!"

I think we need to develop a book rating system unique to you: rather than giving, say three or four stars like certain film critics, may I suggest three or four wine glasses?

Spoiler

And are you serious about Mas Amedda committing suicide? I haven't had the chance to get the book, and won't until we get some money in this house; but I intend to jump on that because I'm hearing much more positive buzz about it than I did on Aftermath (which I bought, read, and liked).

 

Just finished. Great book. No spoilers, but it's certainly better than the first Aftermath. It makes me genuinely excited for the third book to be released.

 

Just finished the book. My new favorite I loved it! Can't wait for Empire's End.


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What is genuinely perplexing to me is why I was so...."Blarg meh" on the first one but this 2nd book is....well....decent. Maybe part of it was expectations?

 

Spoiler

Wow, Hux is an illegitimate child.

 

I couldn't finish the first one. I may give this one a chance from the sounds of it.

 

Now where's that Mace Windu movie?

 

Just finished reading the book today after only reading the first one earlier in the week. Have to say, I'm a big fan of this series so far and can't wait for Empire's End in January.

The writing style took far less time to adapt to than I expected. Although I don't think I would like to read an original novel in such a style, it fits very well for a Star Wars book as it reads like a screenplay and makes it a lot easier to visualise a scene - there was more than one occasion where a Star Destroyer appeared in the sky and I could hear the Imperial March playing in my mind.

Thoughts in detail:

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- The Gallius Rax / Snoke theory. I'm torn on this one. On one hand Rax is very creepy, his persona and views on things like artifice seem to chime in a very Snoke-esque way, not to mention that whatever Rax is cooking up is absolutely the precursor to the First Order. Could his self-appointed title of 'Counselor' transform into 'Supreme Leader' one day? Very possible, and narratively I would be cool with this - but the pragmatic side of me doesn't believe they would reveal anything about Snoke's background this early on. Not with two more films still to come in the new trilogy.

- Rae Sloane is a great character. Wendig strikes that perfect balance between a character you can relate to and comprehend (even if you don't agree with them) and someone who still firmly fits the mould of the classic 'glory to the Empire' style Imperial. It was interesting to see she had a little more naivete about the reality of life under the Empire than I expected her to have - but she at least acknowledged that there was probably a lot of wilful ignorance informing that worldview.

- I'm really curious to see what these New Republic 'Starhawk' battleships look like. They're described several times as 'ax-headed' and 'scything' through space which makes me picture them like lighter-coloured scaled down versions of the Legends Eclipse SSD.

- That Han-and-Chewie farewell scene pulled at the heartstrings. At least we know that wasn't their final goodbye...

- I think Wendig does a really good job of expressing secondary characters like Mon Mothma as well. The new Chancellor doesn't always do what the protagonists want or ask of her but I totally understood every decision Mothma made and why. The Kashyyyk situation, for example. It's unfortunate that the New Republic won't act to help the Wookiees but it's very plausible, believable and even sensible why they won't at that time. Heck, the scene where Leia and Mothma really butt heads I think I was more on the Chancellor's side than I was the Princess! Glad that she seems to have survived the Order 66-style attack as well, even if not everyone else was so fortunate (Madine? Are you okay?).

- I never thought I would come to feel pity for Mas Amedda.

 

I suggest a system of:

Stone cold sober = awesome book

Did you read the Leia comic mini?

 

I think anakinfansince1983 and I are reading at the same pace!

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Ooh, ooh, can I mention how cool it is that Wedge and Norra are a thing? I mean, if you've read farther than Chapter 12 or so don't spoil it for me, but right now it looks like Wedge is into her and that's really awesome. I hope they get married. That would make Norra NU-canon Iella and Snap (as Wedge's future stepson, I hope!) sort of NU-canon Syal.

 

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A Winter by any other name?

 

I haven't read this yet but it sounds like the Where's Waldo of old EU references.

 

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Isn't Evaan basically Canon!Winter?

 

Oh man, I haven't kept up. You're not kidding.

 

OK then... These are just origin points, not spoilers as to what they do or are in Life Debt:

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Evaan features in the Leia mini. As for the Lando seed, I can't share that one until you've got to the end!

 

I loved it.

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I loved the backstories on other characters, and the ending definitely has me wondering if it isn't a clue for EP VIII, or just a red herring to mess with us.

The use of the present tense instead of past tense was annoying, but I could deal with it.

I loved the gay couple and how much they are using Wedge. The Han/Leia scenes were perfect, I loved them making out in the hanger, and his referring to "our" baby. I just wish there had been more. When Han said goodbye to Chewie it was a total Kleenex moment.

I understand where Mon Mothma was coming from, though I disagree with her. Did anyone else find her coming off as a bit of a *****.

 

So what's up with Mas Amedda?

 

Spoiler

He tried to surrender to the New Republic. They didn't want him, Leia and Mon Mothma told him to get lost. Then he becomes suicidal, then he nearly has a heart attack when Sloane shows up in his office. Then he begs Sloane for a job.

 

Oh, God. It sounds like Sloane is inexplicably everywhere for someone of her rank. It's like the EU all over again. Pet character, methinks.

 

Spoiler

Wait, this is the same Mas who casually walked out on the duel between Palpatine and Yoda? The guy who casually cried for order while the galaxy burned? He's sad because Mon Mothma won't let him join her Neo-Loyalist fan club?