Laura Freeman's Blog, page 31

Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi

Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi 2018

I am reviewing the nine Star War films. This is number eight. As a writer I’m focusing on plot and characters.

[image error]Plot: The First Order is trying to destroy the resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). She hopes Luke will return and add spark to the fight. The rebel base is under attack and they evacuate. Pilot Poe Dameron ignores Leia’s orders and attacks but many lives are lost. He has to learn to be a leader. Rey gives Luke his lightsaber but he throws it away. Chewie breaks in and confronts Luke. He asks about Han.

Supreme Leader Snoke wanted Ben Solo to be the new Darth Vader but he made a mistake. Ben defends himself. He gave up everything for the Dark Side. Snoke says he has too much of his father’s heart in him. Ben killed Han Solo in previous movie. Snoke calls him a failure for being bested by a girl and letting Skywalker live. He calls Ben a child in a mask and Ben smashes his mask.

A scene with a dialogue between two characters, especially foes, can reveal a lot about each of them and the story. Also show the emotion such as Ben smashing his mask.

I liked the hilarious transmission between Poe and First Order General Hux. This is a good example of humor to use in your stories.

Rey tells Luke they need the Jedi Order back. Luke said do you think he’ll come out with lightsaber and face down the First Order – foreshadows what he does at end.  State something outlandish and then have it occur.

Rey finds original Jedi texts. Later Yoda burns them but even later we see them on the Falcon so Rey took them at some time. This is something any writer can use – one character secretly takes something that another thinks is gone.

Rey wants Luke to teach her and he reluctantly agrees to three lessons after saying he won’t train another generation of Jedi. A character makes a statement but then changes his mind. This makes the decision more difficult and adds importance to it.

Luke visits the Falcon and takes Han’s dice. Use a little nostalgia to tug on a readers emotions. R2D2 awakens and Luke calls him, Old friend. He shows Luke the hologram of Leia’s original plea to Obi-Wan. These past events convince Luke to give Rey three lessons.

Finn meets Rose, whose sister died in previous attack. They have plan but need code breaker. These two characters go on a new mission. This is a subplot that helps the main plot succeed. Subplots need to be tied to the main story in some way. Otherwise, they need to be cut. Finn and Rose go to search for master coder and see contrast between rich and poor. A social statement is made within the story.  Rose and Finn find code breaker in jail who helps them escape.

The resistance failing to Hux and Leia is blown out of the ship but uses the Force to return. Poe leads a mutiny, but Leia shoots him and orders transports to old rebel base. The older women are training him to be a better leader the hard way.

Rey and Ben have a connection through space. Luke explains the Force to Rey. The Force is not a power you have. It’s not about lifting rocks. It’s energy between all things, the tension that binds the universe together. Energy and balance – a force. The force doesn’t belong to the Jedi. Won’t die with the Jedi. Is Luke telling the truth or is it a lie? There were many Jedi in the past but one bloodline – Skywalker – has been stronger than the others. It isn’t a good thing because it leads to the dark side.

She goes to the dark side. He has shut himself off from the Force. He saw the raw strength in Ben Solo that she possesses. It didn’t scare him enough then but does now. Admits Ben is a monster. Didn’t he say the same thing about his father?

Rey practices her fighting skills with staff and tries lightsaber. Luke gives lesson 2 – Jedi are romanticized, deified and legacy failed. The Jedi allowed Darth Sidious to create Empire and wipe the Jedi out. He created Darth Vader. Luke thought he could train Ben but no match for darkness rising in him. Luke admits he failed him because he was Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, a legend. She tells him the galaxy may need a legend and she needs someone to show her her place in all this. She promises she won’t fail him.

A lot is revealed in this simple dialogue and a writer tries to make each word count. Dialogue is not a filler. It propels the story forward, reveals emotions, and it can set events in motion with the truth or a lie.

Luke uses the Force to connect with Leia. Rey connects with Ben and they discuss their parents. He thinks Luke tried to kill him but Luke claims he only thought it for a second. They had different points of view which creates tension in a story.

Ben thinks he has to kill the past to become what he is meant to become. Rey and Luke fight but she won’t kill him. Luke believes Ben has been turned to the dark side. But Rey thinks he can be turned to the light if she goes to him, and together they could win against Snoke. This reveals her viewpoint and is confirmed when the events happen later in the story. Yoda confronts Luke and tells him failure is the greatest teacher.

Rey goes to Snoke who says she is the light while Ben is darkness. He wants Skywalker. He takes her lightsaber and asks Ben to kill her. Ben kills Snoke instead. They battle the guards together, but he wants old things to die and asks her to join him as leaders of the First Order. She can’t and her reasons have already been given to Luke. In their struggle, Luke’s lightsaber breaks in two. Objects can be used a symbols in a story to represent an idea. Rey and Ben will not be partners in the Force

Rose and Finn join the resistance at the old base. Rose saves his life twice and kisses him. She tells him save what we love not by killing what we hate – philosophy of Force. Chewie has Rey in the Falcon looking for the rebel base. Ben sees the Falcon and gets angry. Luke arrives with Han’s dice. Ben wants to kill Luke and faces him. A big hint i no red soil is revealed beneath the salt when Luke moves. He stalls while resistance escapes. Funny moment when Rey has to move rocks to help escape.

Let your characters do something they refused to do earlier or thought was silly.

Luke tells Ben he failed him and corrects him by telling him the rebellion is reborn today. The war is beginning. I am not the last Jedi. Ben says he will destroy her, Luke and all of them. Strike me down in anger and I will always be with you just like your father – Han. He attacks Luke who remains standing. Then Luke is shown on his mountain fighting from a distance through a hologram. It works because of the hints. The resistance escapes in the Falcon and Rey closes door on Ben.

Leia and Rey felt Luke’s death but peaceful. Rey shows Leia her broken lightsaber. How do we build a rebellion from these?

They end the story with children telling story about Luke and Jedi. Boy wears ring of rebellion. The legend lives. What does this story say about legends and heroes? The characters in the original Star Wars movies became larger than life because of fans. Is this good or bad, especially for the people put on a pedestal?

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Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens

Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens 2016

I am working on reviewing the nine Star Wars movies. As a writer, I’m focusing on the plot and characters.[image error]

Plot: Luke has disappeared. The Sinister First Order has risen from the Empire and wants to destroy Luke (Mark Hamil) and the Republic led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) who wants to bring peace and justice to galaxy. She sent pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) to Jakku for a clue on Luke’s whereabouts. They need him to rally the Republic and give them hope to defeat the First Order.

Poe and his robot, BB8, get the information which he hides in BB8. Stormtroopers arrive and burn down the town. A stormtrooper can’t kill civilians and deserts to become Finn. Ben Solo/ Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) wants map to Skywalker and uses Force against Poe who is captured. Finn (John Boyega) helps Poe escape but thinks he dies in crash.

Rey (Daisy Ridley) is searching for parts in an old ship in the desert and trades them for food. She rescues BB8 who follows her. She thinks Finn is a resistance fighter when he tells her about the map to Luke Skywalker. They escape on the Millenium Falcon. Hans and Chewie board ship. They join the resistance led by Leia.

General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) competes with Ben for Supreme Leader Snoke’s favor. Ben has Temper and is childish in his behavior.

Bonus: It was a great moment when Han and Chewie board the Millenium Falcon. Rey knows the legendary tales about Han and the Falcon. They tell him droid has map to Luke. He admits he knew him. This is an excellent way to combine an old story with a new one. The reader knows the history even though the new characters do not.

They visit Maz Kanata and gambling joint where Rey finds Luke’s lightsaber. Maz gives her advice. An older character can give a younger person advice but they don’t have to listen. Maz tells Han to go home to Leia but he’s reluctant. Ben and First Order attack. Ben takes Rey prisoner. Leia and resistance arrive to save the day. Reuniting old established characters can add to a story. Give the new reader enough information to understand the relationship. Maz hints that there has been time apart and problems between Leia and Han so you don’t expect hugs and kisses. He tells them he saw their son, Ben, the source of their problems. Exposing frailties in your characters make them more human and sympathetic. They lost their son – whether it is to the dark side, drugs, or an early death – others can relate and feel the pain. She believes he can save him because he’s his father and there is still light in him.

A lot of growth is revealed in scene between Rey and Ben. They have mental battles as well as word battles and reveal each other’s greatest fears. This is a good technique in a story with a character confronting the other with flaws, fears, or mistakes.

We see General Armitage Hux complain about Ben and see his fear of being wrong. He struggles with his decisions and comes across as younger, a boy making mistakes, but with severe consequences.

Rey practices mind control on stormtroopers. It takes some practice but she does it. Her powers are growing. Ben finds her gone and is outraged. Humor is shown in the stormtroopers walking away from the room rather than face him.

Finn has plan to blow up a bigger death star. Han has transportation on Falcon. Poe will lead fight. DIviding a story into three POV works better in a film than in a book but can be done. Balance the scenes with enough information before switching to another so the reader doesn’t get lost.

Tender moments work well in any story. Han and Leia say good-bye. She asks him to bring Ben home. We don’t know it will be the last time they see each other.

Ben senses Han when he crashes the Falcon on the death star planet. Humor is added when Han finds out Finn worked sanitation and Chewie is cold contrasted with tension of big confrontation. Inside joke about trash compactor if for fans. They join Rey who didn’t need rescuing and plant explosives.

Han sees Ben and talks to him. He warns him Snoke is using him and urges him to come home. Ben is torn apart and asks for his help but he kills him. This isn’t explained as well as I would like. What was he thinking? Later we learn Han will be with Ben because he killed him in anger. Rey calls Ben a monster and they fight She scars his face and escapes.

Leia hugs Rey – both share loss of Han. R2D2 comes awake and they have map to find Luke. Rey takes Falcon with Chewie. Leia tells Rey May the Force be With You. No one questions why she is powerful in it.

She takes Han’s seat with Chewie as co-pilot to find Luke on island. She holds out his lightsaber. Is this a good way to end the story? It makes you want to see what happens next.

The main plot is to find Luke but Rey discovers she has Force powers and we see Ben being turned to the dark side but struggling with his choice. The questions keep us coming back to find out why Rey is powerful in the Force and whether Ben will choose the light or darkness.

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Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith 2005 written and directed by George Lucas

The final of the first three prequels, this story shows us how Anakin was turned to the dark side.

[image error]This movie shows better structure and snappier dialogue than the previous two. It has more humor even though the story is dark. It’s important for a writer to balance unhappiness with joy so a story isn’t depressing.

Plot: The Republic is crumbing under Sith Lord Count Dooku. General Grievous, the separatist droid leader, has kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine, leader of the Galactic Senate. When Obi-Wan and Anakin rescue Palpatine, he orders Anakin to behead Count Dooku. Anakin obeys even though he knows it’s wrong. Does he have freedom to make his own choice or is he just a pawn? Palpatine knows how Anakin took revenge for his mother’s death. He disobeys Palpatine to help Obi-Wan who was knocked out. Palpatine doesn’t have full control – yet.

A writer should make the reader ask questions, not just about the story, but about life. Answers don’t have to be provided, but a character needs to act according to his beliefs. Anakin is still struggling between good and evil. Padme tells Anakin she is pregnant. He has nightmare she’ll die in childbirth. He won’t let the dream become real. Yoda warns him fear of loss is the path to the dark side.

Palpatine asks for Anakin’s help as a personal representative on the Jedi Council. Anakin is angry they don’t grant him title of Master, which shows how childish and arrogant he is. The Jedi asks Anakin to spy on Chancellor Palpatine. Padme Amidala wants to retain the Republic and a democracy but Anankin favors a dictatorship if a good man like Palpatine is in charge. He is totally deceived. The Jedi remind Anakin his allegiance is to the senate not the chancellor. The chosen one is to end the Sith and restore balance but prophecy could be misread, Yoda warns. The chosen one is finally explained. How difficult would it have been to explain it in The Phantom Menace?

Palpatine plays on Anakin’s pride and turns him against the Jedi Council. He says Jedi are going to betray him. Anakin confesses he doesn’t trust them. All who gain power are afraid to lose it. A writer can add comments through a character. It helps to explain their beliefs and why they act a certain way.  Palpatine shares a story that explains Anakin’s birth. The Sith rely on passion and think about themselves. Jedi are selfless and care about others. In a Sith legend a dark lord used midi-chlorians to create life (in Anakin’s mother) and makes him believe he can keep ones he cares about from dying. Anakin wants to learn power but not from a Jedi.

Lots of battle scenes and beautiful scenery. Writers need to describe these items with words, but the worlds and action should be just as clear as a movie.

Palpatine confesses he is the Dark Lord Darth Sidious, but Anakin can’t kill him. He wants to be more than a Jedi so he can save Padme. But he tells Mace (Samuel L. Jackson) that Palpatine is the Sith Lord. The Jedi attack him but he overpowers all of them. Anakin comes and Palatine begs for help. He can’t let Mace kill him. He cuts off Mace’s arm and Palatine kills Mace. Anakin struggles to do right or wrong but every decision leads him closer to the dark side. A hero faces a crisis, makes a decision, fails or succeeds, and then goes onto the next crisis or challenge.

Palpatine is transformed and names Anakin Darth Vader with a mission to destroy all the Jedi in the temple and gives clones order 66 to destroy all Jedi with them (his plan all along). Bail Organa warns the Jedi. Obi-Wan escapes and Yoda escape with the help of the Wookiees. We see Chewie.

Padme still believes in Anakin and goes to senate where Palpatine announces Jedi will be hunted down and defeated. The Republic will be reorganized as the First Galactic Empire for a safe and secure future. Padme remarks that liberty dies with thunderous applause. Natalie Portman will star in another movie about a democracy being replaced by a dictatorship in V is for Vendetta.

Obi-Wan sees taping in temple of Anakin killing children. Yoda says the boy is gone and consumed by Darth Vader. Statements like this help to justify the story in A New Hope when Ben Kenobi tells Luke Darth Vader killed his father.

Anakin has gone to planet to kill separatists who use droids. Obi-Wan tells Padme that Anakin is the Sith Lord’s new apprentice and the Palpatine was behind everything. Padme doesn’t believe him and goes to find Anakin. Obi-Wan hides aboard her ship. She confronts Anakin about the dark side. He tells her love won’t save her, but his new powers will. This reveals his true motive – greed for power instead of concern for Padme. He wants to overthrow the chancellor, and they can rule the galaxy. When she refuses, he tries to kill her. Palatine will tell him he did.

Problem: He gets mad about not being a master Jedi but I would have liked more hints about his ambition to be supreme ruler. It was a big leap. Maybe hint that he married Padme for her political connections and wealth knowing he was once a slave.

The events in a story need to build to a climax. This one is able to do that as Anakin struggles with choosing sides and then chooses the wrong one. The ending is resolved quickly after he makes his decision.

Yoda battles Palpatine but fails and escapes with Bail Organa. Palpatine goes to help Anakin who lost battle with Obi-Wan. He has lost his arms and legs and was burned to a crisp from the lava, but he’s still alive.

Obi-Wan is angry with him because he was supposed to destroy the Sith not join them and bring balance to the force. Not leave them in darkness. You were my brother. I loved you. Writers need to use words to create a moving scene that shows emotions and connects to something a reader can relate to. Others can relate to being betrayed by a friend and having to end the friendship.

Padme is healthy but has lost the will to live. She thinks there’s good in Anakin which echoes Luke’s words. Yoda decides to hide the children. Bail Organa and wife take Leia. Obi Wan takes Luke to Tatooine and will look over him until the time is right.

Problem: It’s hard to believe Padme died because of a broken heart and no will to live. First, she has two children to live for. Second, she didn’t know Anakin that long and obviously was wrong about him. It would have been better if Anakin in fact caused damage that led to her death. The man killed innocent children, why not his wife?

For more book (movie) reviews go to authorfreeman.worpress.com

Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones

Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones 2002 Screenplay written and directed by George Lucas

I am reviewing the Star War films in the order made since all nine are completed. This is the fifth for me but the second chronologically. As a writer I’ll focus on the plot and characters.[image error]

We are expecting a Clone War since Obi-Wan mentioned he fought in them with Anakin. I think the first movie should have started here instead of 10 years previously. Throw your readers into the conflict from the first page.

Plot: Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) is leading the rebellious solar systems threatening to leave the Republic. Grand Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) says he will keep the Republic united. Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) is voting at Coruscant and is against creating an Army of the Republic to assist the overwhelmed Jedi. Her decoy is killed upon arrival showing the threat to her. Palpatine orders Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) to guard her, and they fall in love.

The romance is uncomfortably awkward because Anakin is obsessed with Padme like a stalker. He comes across as childish and creepy. It would have been better with a meet cute instead. Anakin keeps dreaming about his mother. He promised to free her and its been 10 years. Why didn’t he go back sooner? When he murders the Tusken Raiders, Padme should have run away as fast as she could. Does her love blind her to the truth of his character? Writers need to explain faulty thinking. Flaws can explain certain behavior, but they need to be introduced before the crisis. We don’t know that much about Padme (those scenes were cut) to understand why she thinks Anakin is the only man for her.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) discovers stormtrooper clones were ordered to begin growing 10 years prior by a Jedi in the Republic. In a nod to Boba Fett because they all look like his father Jango Fett.

Count Dooku tells Obi-Wan the Republic and senate are under the control of Darth Sidious, a dark lord of the Sith who has clouded Jedi’s senses. They are warned and still don’t act – the Jedi are part of the problem. Dooku wants Obi-Wan to join him and destroy the Sith. He refuses and Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme are sentenced to death in the coliseum.

Padme shows she can fight. She also confesses her love to Anakin. This near-death experience makes them throw caution to the wind and they secretly marry after surviving the ordeal. Normal romances have happily-ever endings, but we know this romance is doomed.

Problem: Anakin dreams about Padme dying in childbirth. This is a story where a man who is quadruple amputee and charred by volcanic fire is encased in a new suit and lives for another 20 years. Get your wife a good doctor, and she won’t die. Don’t turn into a monster, and she won’t be heartbroken. Writers, don’t force a reaction to an imaginary problem. I really hated the weak reason Lucas used to turn Anakin to the dark side. Test out ideas in your writing on trusted readers. We don’t always see flaws in our own writing.

There’s a big debate about politicians being corrupt in this story. Anakin defends Palpatine, who has befriended him or is he manipulating him? Palpatine gets his grand army of the Republic. The war has begun as planned. Dark side – lies, deceit, greed and mistrust are his ways. The Clone war begins with stormtroopers marching before Palpatine. This foreshadows who he is which is revealed in the next story.

A limited series like these three can get away with withholding important information until the third book but give hints in the first two. Try to keep each story in a series independent of the others so that readers don’t have to read the other books. Have some secrets to maintain interest in the series. Make the reader turn the page to find out what is going to happen next. Focus on the favorite characters and show growth in each book.

For more book (movie) reviews go to authorfreeman.worpress.com

Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace 2001 written and directed by George Lucas

I am reviewing the Star War films in the order made since all nine are completed. This is the fourth for me but the first chronologically. As a writer I’ll focus on the plot and characters. The special effects were impressive compared to the previous three, but the story relied too much on them. Since the only known characters were Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and they were played by younger actors, they needed to develop the new characters more for a stronger connection.[image error]

Plot: If you don’t read the floating narrative at the beginning, you may not understand what is going on which is why the plot is lost to many. There is also the obvious plot and a secret plot. Unfortunately, the secret isn’t revealed until Star Wars 3 and leaves a lot of people confused.

The Galactic Republic has splinter groups like the Trade Federation causing problems. The have formed a blockade of Naboo. The Congress of the Republic debates it while the Supreme Chancellor Valorum (Terence Stamp) secretly dispatches two Jedi Knights to settle the conflict. A young Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) and his master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) realize the Trade Federation is invading Naboo and rescue Queen Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman). They stop off on Tatooine to fix the ship and meet Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a slave, powerful in the Force. They take him to the Senate where Amidala pleads her case and frustrated, returns home where she makes an alliance with the Gunga to save their planet. Naboo’s Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is elected the new Chancellor. The Jedi realize there is a Sith Master and apprentice after Obi-Wan kills Darth Maul, who killed Qui-Gon Jinn. Yoda gives Obi-Wan permission to train Anakin. No one realizes the real threat is Palpatine who is plotting to become a dictator and destroy the Jedi – the secret plot.

A writer should introduce the conflict early in a story but it needs to be clear and the stakes should be personal. The story is about Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker’s friendship but this beginning focuses on Qui-Gon Jinn and his fascination with Anakin’s Jedi blood.

All of this story up to going to the Senate is unnecessary backstory. Writers need to be careful to start a story where the conflict begins for the hero. Then add backstory in small bits throughout the story. Someone wanted the podrace in the story but a sharp editing was needed. Don’t get married to your ideas when they don’t advance the story.

Previously, Lucas described how Anakin and Obi-Wan met. He was the best star pilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior (A New Hope). He was a good friend. When I first knew him, great pilot but amazed by how strong the Force was with him and trained him as Jedi (The Empire Strikes Back). They were Jedi knights and fought in the Clone Wars.

This story should have begun with Obi-Wan convincing Anakin to leave the farm, and his stepbrother Owen thinks it’s foolish. Then add the problems of Naboo’s invasion and meeting Padme.

Lucas likes surprises but this has way too many. You have Padma who is really the Queen revealed at the end of 1, Palpatine who is the Sith Lord revealed at the end of 3, and the miraculous conception of Anakin explained in 9.

Problem: I could not wrap my mind around an elected Queen in a democracy, especially a teenage girl. Then she comes up with the battle plan and participates in the fight to take the throne room. It was farfetched. But not as far fetched as 10-year-old Ani accidentally saving the day at the end. Make your story believable even if it contains magical forces.

Jar Jar Binks “Me’s a” is a local who helps them, but his help isn’t essential. He provides the comic relief but is stupid funny? Have someone read what you think is funny because it may fall flat to your readers. I would have moved this story at least 10 years in the future with C3PO and R2D2 both present for the entire film. They are the storytellers, right? Be consistent in your series and link them together through common characters. You can write a separate story for a minor character.

Lucas shows Darth Sidious in a hologram and he tries to make Palpatine look innocent, but I would have liked more hints of Palpatine’s ambitions. All the other Sith lords were red herrings or false leads. Balance hints in a mystery.

Jinn says Anakin is the chosen one. This is the first we hear about a chosen one and no background is provided. Help out your readers when you introduce a new concept. Don’t wait until a future story to explain it. Some people won’t read the next book in your series. Each book should have enough information to satisfy the reader.

Problem: why do some Jedi disappear like Obi-Wan and Yoda when they die and others have to be cremated like Darth Vader and Qui-Gon Jinn?

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Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi

Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi 1983 Story by George Lucas

I’m continuing my review of the nine Star War films since all are completed.

[image error]The plot in this one is to rescue Han from Jabba the Hutt, which is accomplished in the beginning of the movie. Then Luke returns to visit Yoda and is told he completed his training. This doesn’t match what we are told in The Phantom Menace where children are taken from their parents and raised in a temple – very cult like if you ask me.

Luke is determined to redeem his father, who he senses has good in him. This is all wonderful as a loving son, but it takes away from Darth Vader being this horrible villain. And yes, it is a cheering moment when Vader tosses the Emperor into the pit, but does one act of goodness make up for all his evil actions in the past?

The Galactic Empire is constructing another Death Star – this was the only one in Lucas’s first draft of the story but the first movie needed a Death Star. He should have come up with another threat – please.

We return to Tatooine where the droids visit Jabba’s palace in the plan to rescue Han who is frozen in carbonite and decorates Jabba’s wall . New creatures are introduced and the quality is much higher than the first film. It was the first time Jabba was seen (in A New Hope he was later added by Lucas). The dancing girl falling into the Rancor pit foreshadows Luke’s encounter.

The rescue plan only makes sense if Luke foresees them being taken to the Dune Sea where he obtains his lightsaber from R2D2. Leia frees Han from the carbonite and says she has to get him out but is immediately captured. Luke has to fight the Rancor without his lightsaber. I think Han sums it up by saying Luke has delusions of grandeur.

On the barge Leia not only frees herself but kills Jabba, something rarely done by the good female lead. It’s nice revenge for any woman who’s been exploited by running around nearly naked as a slave in front of a slug.

Again humor is used to good effect from Lando crying “A little higher” to C3PO having his eye chewed out.

Han hands over the Falcon to Lando, and you see his attachment to her and the depth of their friendship. He has a moment when he says, “I have a funny feeling I’ll never see her again” about the Falcon. This creates suspense and makes us wonder if our heroes will succeed. As a write you need to keep the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next.

Problems: Yoda says he is 900 years old and disappears when he dies the same as Obi-Wan, but Vader does not disappear when he dies, and Luke has to cremate him. What do you think that means?

Yoda repeats the rules for a Jedi – A Jedi’s strength flows from the force. Anger, fear, aggression are the dark side. Once you start down the dark side, forever will it dominate your destiny. He says Luke is the last of the Jedi but tells him the Force is strong in his family and to pass on what he has learned to another Jedi. So he’s not the last Jedi, right? As a writer, be consistent unless it is on purpose or readers will call you on it.

Ben appears to explain his previous tale that Vader betrayed and murdered Luke’s father. When his father was seduced by the dark side, he ceased to be Anakin Skywalker – the good man who was his father was destroyed. True to a certain point of view – truths we cling to depend on our own point of view. Then he retells Luke what he said in A New Hope. He was a good friend. When I first knew him, great pilot but amazed by how strong the Force was with him and trained him as Jedi. Now more machine than man, twisted and evil.

I thought this was a lame excuse and Lucas should have developed a timeline for his characters history. From what I can tell Obi-Wan meets Anakin when he is a navigator on a freighter and convinces him to join him in the Clone Wars. He teaches him the ways of the Jedi, but Anakin is seduced by the dark side. In the next movie, The Phantom Menace, we can compare this history to what was shown. As a writer, I didn’t like how the story began with Anakin as a child, but more on that in the next review.

Luke can’t kill Vader (which is against Jedi rules about aggression) and learns that Leia is his twin sister. Anakin’s offspring would be a threat to the Emperor so they hid them – not Luke so much (same last name, same home town).

Everyone is reunited. Lando and Han are generals. Leia will have to wait 40 years before her promotion.

When Han volunteers to take care of the speedbikers, Luke and Leia give each other a look when he announces, “It’s me.” They love him in spite of his faults. It’s important to give characters flaws. It makes it a bigger triumph when they overcome a flaw or fear.

Most of Endor was speeder bikes and ship battles that didn’t advance the story much. The Ewoks are introduced – another creature that is more symbolic than practical as an ally. Some say it was about a message of nature versus machine, but I find it odd the Ewoks eat humans (Han was going to be roasted alive).

In the Ewok village Leia is wearing a leather outfit instead of her rebel uniform and her hair is down.  This is one time when it didn’t make sense for her to change outfits and where did they find something that would fit her? She wears the same outfit at the end of the story. Why?

C3PO retelling the story was a nice touch since they are the narrators of all nine movies although their roles were reduced in many of the other films.

Luke tells Leia that he is her brother and that Vader is their father. Leia is horrified. Luke trusts Vader not to turn him over to the Emperor but he’s wrong. The Emperor taunts Luke and shows him the trap that will kill  his friends. He uses Force Lightning to try and kill Luke. Vader throws the Emperor down the shaft and the Death Star is destroyed – so how does he survive to return in nine?

The lesson- we shouldn’t seek revenge or attack someone in anger. We should have faith in our friends.

History: Luke asks Leia if she remembers her real mother. She died when she was very young. Remember she was beautiful, kind but sad. Luke has no memory of his mother. Again, this is different from the Revenge of the Sith where their mother dies in childbirth.

Problem: Don’t you think they would have completed the exterior of the Death Star – how could anyone be aboard if most of it is open to space?

For more book (movie) reviews, go to authorfreeman.wordpress.com

Star Wars V: Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars V: Empire Strikes Back 1980 story by George Lucas

This is the second movie made that I am reviewing now that all nine are completed.

What I liked: It was a sequel to the first movie and we got to know our favorite characters better and watch them grow. Lucas introduces us to more worlds like the icy Hoth planet, the Dagobah swamp and Cloud City. He gives us new ships, weapons, and more alien creatures in his galaxy far, far away.[image error]

The plot has Darth Vader searching for Luke Skywalker. Luke is training with Yoda to become a Jedi Knight while Han and Leia discover deeper feelings under their bantering and name calling. This is a common development in romance stories with two people who dislike each other only to discover they are falling in love. Obstacles keep them apart like the bounty on Han’s head and being frozen in carbonite. Vader uses Han and Leia to trap Luke and then reveals to him that he is his father and he wants him to join him in the Dark Force. The ending with plans to rescue Han sets up the third movie in the series.

Luke – We see Luke use the Force to retrieve his lightsaber and he has a vision of Obi-Wan who tells him to train with Yoda. Luke thinks there is something familiar about Dagobah but the reason isn’t revealed. He is looking for a great warrior and doesn’t recognize little Yoda for who he is. It is a lesson in preconceptions. Luke is impatient and reckless but wants to become a Jedi.

Yoda is introduced and we know he’s a puppet, but like Kermit, his personality shines through to create a believable creature. Thank you, Frank Oz. He gives us a new sentence structure of verb, noun – “Take you to him, I will.” Yoda tells him his father was a powerful Jedi and has much anger in him like his father. Yoda has trained Jedi for 800 years. We learn a Jedi needs a serious mind and doesn’t crave adventure, fame, or excitement. A Jedi’s strength flows from the force. Anger, fear and aggression lead to the dark side and it will dominate his destiny. A Jedi knows good from bad when calm and at peace. He is to use the Force for knowledge and defense; never for attacking.

Like a superpower, magic, or the Force, a writer must have rules to limit it or the hero has nothing to fear. Superman fears kryptonite, and the Jedi fear the Dark Side. Lucas throws in the part that Luke can’t kill an enemy with the Force or it will turn him to the dark side. What good is the Force if he can’t get rid of the bad guy?

I’m not a fan of super powers or magic because I like the hero to rely on brains, courage, and heart (the three things in the Wizard of Oz) instead of magic or powers – the easy way out.

When Luke confronts Vader in the cave and sees his own face, it foreshadows Vader’s declaration that he is his father. It is a shock when Vader says it, but this scene has set it up. Writers need to foreshadow anything shocking revealed later in the story or its too jarring or unbelievable. Ben tells Luke it is his destiny to confront Vader. This is a lot like Harry Potter facing Voldemort. Stories borrow ideas from each other and put their own twist on them.

We see Luke lifting rocks and he will have Rey do the same in Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi. Yoda tells Luke “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try” which is used in Big Bang by Penny. Lucas gave us a lot of phrases that have become part of our culture. Do you have a favorite?

When Luke has a vision of his friends in pain, he puts friendship above training. Yoda says there is another – foreshadowing Leia’s relationship.

Han – We see the depth of his friendship when he risks his life by going out in the cold to find Luke. When writing a hero, action reveals more than words. He shows his reckless daring by going into an asteroid field. Harrison Ford portrayed a hero with flaws and wasn’t afraid to show pain like after being tortured. He flirts with Leia and their back and forth remarks tease each other to reveal more. She calls him a scoundrel which leads to their kiss but they step back not sure how to proceed.  Their kiss before being frozen in carbonite allows her declaration of love and his response, “I know.” (Some people don’t like his response but she says the same thing in the next movie.)

Leia – I spotted another woman at the controls but it is still a galaxy dominated by men. One of her best lines: “I am not a committee.”  Leia shows intuition – she doesn’t trust Lando. She tells Han he is good as gone – can’t commit to her. She shows her first force ability by sensing Luke talking to her from Cloud City. This is odd because Luke doesn’t know Leia has any force ability or that she is his sister.

C3PO and R2D2 – C3PO gives the odds of survival, setting up a running joke for the robot. He reveals his attachment to R2D2 more, building on the relationships necessary in any sequel. C3PO also provides plenty of humor. They are separated to tell the different stories – R2D2 with Luke and C3PO with Han and Leia. If a writer has more than one POV, different characters need to tell the story. In a romance the hero and heroine tell the story from their POV. In a mystery the detective and the killer may each have a POV.

Darth Vader – We get a glimpse of what is underneath Vader’s helmet and it isn’t pretty. We want to know what happened. Vader doesn’t hesitate to kill those who fail him and he wants Luke to release his anger and hate. He wants Luke to rule the galaxy with him. Does the good guy embrace power or reject it? This is a theme that can be used by any writer. Does power corrupt? Does wealth corrupt? The story possibilities are endless.

Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) is introduced as an old friend of Han. He is a scoundrel and a gambler who owns a mining colony in Cloud City. He lost the Falcon to Han and flirts with Leia.

What I didn’t like: The whole backstory is how Obi-Wan hid Luke and Leia from Vader but Luke’s last name is Skywalker. That’s pretty obvious even if Darth Vader is no longer using the name of Anakin Skywalker. Luke is living on the very planet Anakin lived on – Tatooine. Anakin should have had another last name, and he should have grown up on a different planet to prevent the obvious.

The subplot is Han and Leia’s romance which begins like two teenagers who don’t know how to date. The dialogue is painful and the love triangle with Luke is AWKWARD after knowing he is her brother. Ugh. A better love triangle would have been with Lando Calrissian. Han would have had to step up his game.

I also believe that with Leia’s take command personality, she should have pursued Han and not the other way around. Han, a man of few words, just isn’t the romantic. When Han announces he has to leave to pay off Jabba, Leia confronts him and says she needs him. He wants her to admit she’s in love with him and threatens to kiss her. But there has been no indication that he has ever declared how he feels. It puts her on the spot to declare her love first.

In my scene Leia confronts Han. “Are you coming back?”

He’s surprised. “Do you want me to come back?”

“Only if you plan to stay.”

“For the rebellion or for you?”

“Both.”

This way she declares her feelings and it’s up to Hans to decide. The way it was written, Han assumes Leia is in love with him and comes across as arrogant but this is consistent with his personality. He hides his insecurities with boasting. She kisses Luke (ugh) to teach him some humility, but it doesn’t work.

Favorite nicknames include Laser brain and stuck up half-witted scruffy looking nerf herder.

Problem: This movie also had Leia wearing white most of the time again. When she dons the rose-colored outfit on Cloud city, she goes to dinner in it, sees Vader, and then is back in her white outfit in her prison cell. They let her change clothes before torturing her?

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Star Wars IV – A New Hope

To celebrate the finish of the nine Star War films, I’m writing reviews of the films and taking a break from book reviews. I am reviewing them in the order they were made not the timeline sequence.

Star Wars IV – A New Hope 1977 Written and directed by George Luca[image error]

Released in 1977 this was eight years after the moon landing and space exploration was a new frontier. George Lucas brought space travel, lightspeed, alien creatures, a death star, and so much more to the screen. For that, he deserves everyone’s thanks. I won’t dwell on the technology and science of the movie. That was cutting edge for the time and opened up doors for special effects in all genres and the acceptance of droids, artificial intelligence, and nerds. Since I’m a writer, I’ll focus on characters and plot.

What I liked: The plot was straight forward with bad guys (the Empire) destroying whole planets with a Death Star battle station and good guys (the Rebellion) stopping them.

A hiccup: The Empire had two goals – find the stolen plans and find the rebel base. They knew the plans were in a robot but allowed R2D2 to escape from the Death Star (that wasn’t logical). Leia was smart enough to know they let them escape to track them to the base and kill them. This increased the urgency to find a weakness to destroy the Death Star. As a writer, you have to increase the stakes as the story progresses.

The characters grabbed our imaginations and hearts. Obi-Wan Kenobi, portrayed by Alec Guinness, was an excellent choice as the wise teacher who sacrifices his life so the student can escape and grow. Nearly all adventure stories have the combination of teacher and student. He introduces the Force – a mystic energy field created by all living things that surrounds, penetrates, and binds the galaxy together. I thought it odd that everyone seems to know about the Force (a lost religion) as they say, “May the force be with you” at the rebel base before the attack.

Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is the lone mercenary who realizes friendship is more important than money and the role launched Harrison Ford’s career as a hero and leading man. Han shows the most growth as a character from cynic to loyal rebel fighter.

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is the young dreamer who discovers his destiny is far bigger than he imagined. He is the everyman who has a special force within him to fight evil. As the hero he must save the day with the shot – using the Force – to destroy the Death Star.

Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is defiant to her captors and after Han and Luke rescue her, she takes charge, shooting her way out of the detention center. Women and girls wanted stronger role models, and Leia provided that – all by herself in this predominantly all-male cast. She is affectionate and hugs or kisses the main characters. This shows they care about each other and focused on the friendships.

Darth Vader became one of the greatest villains of all time. Not only did he wear all black, his breathing mask made a scary sound to announce his presence and James Earl Jones’ voice was perfect for intimidation and authority.

R2D2 and C3PO were the storytellers that link all nine movies together and provide comedic relief. Ownership was debatable. C3PO knows Princess Leia initially but then doesn’t recognize her in a hologram. He says his old master was Captain Antilles. Then Luke takes ownership.

What I didn’t like: While the male roles were well thought out and defined, Leia seemed an afterthought. Lucas didn’t even know how to label her. Was she a princess, diplomat, senator, or rebel leader? Pick one. He gave us the cinnamon bun hair-do that makes Leia instantly recognizable even though she wore that hideous white gown that no young woman would be caught dead in.

What scene/dialogue was missing: If Lucas knew Leia was Luke’s twin sister and they were the children of Darth Vader, why didn’t Vader recognize the connection? He senses Obi-Wan and Luke from a distance while Leia is inches from him on the deck of the Death Star. He does remark that Leia’s resistance to the mind probe is considerable and she won’t break under torture but senses no power of the Force in her. A weak excuse is she isn’t trained but neither is Luke at this point.

As a writer, I would have hinted at the parentage by Vader showing an unusual interest in Leia, one that freaks her out. Also, when they destroy Alderaan, her reaction should have been more emotional. Her father and everyone she knows has been killed. A few tears were expected – even if she waited until returning to her cell.

Problems: The stormtroopers wear full body owner but it doesn’t seem to protect them. They are referred to by numbers which may explain why they are expendable. They aren’t portrayed as individuals until Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens when Finn shows a human side to the stormtroopers.

History: Uncle Owen tells Luke that Obi-Wan Kenobi died at the same time as Luke’s father. He also describes Ben Kenobi as a wizard who is a crazy old man. He’s afraid Luke has too much of his father in him.

Ben admits he is Obi-Wan and says he hasn’t gone by that name before Luke was born and doesn’t remember owning a droid (although he should have recognized both from his younger years).

Luke said his father was a navigator on a spice freighter and didn’t fight in the Clone Wars (lies told to him by his uncle no doubt).

Ben tells him his uncle didn’t want his father to get involved. Ben admits he was a Jedi knight like Luke’s father and they fought in the Clone Wars. He was the best star pilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior. He was a good friend. Then he gives Luke his father’s lightsaber – he wanted him to have it when he was old enough but his uncle wouldn’t allow it – he was afraid he’d follow Ben on an idealistic crusade like his father did. It is the introduction of the lightsaber, an elegant weapon for a more civilized age – Jedi’s were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic before the dark times of the Empire.

Luke asks how his father died. Young Jedi Darth Vader, who was Ben’s pupil until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy nearly all the Jedi knights and murdered Luke’s father.

General Kenobi served Leia’s father in the Clone Wars.

I make a note of the history to compare to the earlier stories beginning with The Phantom Menace. A lot of the facts given here do not match with what was revealed in the earlier stories, which is why I have an issue with them. Do you?

For more book (movie) reviews got to authorfreeman.wordpress.com

Book reviews and trolls

Book reviews and trolls

As a reporter and a novel writer I’ve written reviews of other authors’ books. I have established a few rules when I write a review. First, I read the book.

[image error]I have received a few troll reviews – every author does where it is clear the critic did not read the entire book or even a good portion of the book. I had a laughable review where the critic said she bought the book because the cover had a picture of a sternwheeler. She then complained that the boat wasn’t part of the story. Anyone who has read “Impending Love and Promise” knows the sternwheeler, the Jenny Lee, is a big part of the story, but the hero, Dr. Roe Greystone, isn’t introduced until chapter 3 aboard the Jenny Lee as part owner. The heroine, Jules Beecher, has to leave home in chapter 1 and travel to Cincinnati where she encounters the villain in chapter 2 and boards the Jenny Lee in chapter 4. Of the 30 chapters, most are on the sternwheeler.

So, I repeat rule 1 – read the book.

Rule 2 – If I cannot read the entire book, and there have only been a couple of books that were so bad, I had to put them down, I will not write a review.

That does not mean I will write a good review for every book I read. If I see flaws in the writing, plot, character development or logic, I will point them out and warn the reader they may encounter some stumbling blocks to the story. I try to make my criticism specific and helpful to the writer of the story as well as other writers. We can all learn from other writing – even stories with flaws.

Rule 3 – If I enjoy a book, I point out why. Again I try to be specific about a well-developed and entertaining character, a surprising twist to a plot, or vivid description. I hate critics who say, I liked it, but can’t tell you why. Figure out what makes it a good story and share that information. The writer will appreciate she is doing something right and other readers will trust your judgment when choosing books you recommend.

You can spot a troll by the lack of detail in the review. It’s all about whether she liked the story or not. She can’t tell you why. When you look at reviews, judge them by content and dismiss the ones that rate a book low without giving a valid reason. Also be wary of 5-star reviews that don’t give a reason why you should love it.

Rule 4 – Realize that every reader has different taste. I like romance, mysteries, and thrillers. I don’t read much supernatural, fantasy, or science fiction. That doesn’t mean I won’t read them, but I recognize my own prejudice of certain genres and try to be objective when I write a review. Other readers may love a story I was lukewarm about. That’s when I point out something interesting in the story or what may appeal to a reader who is looking for that type of story.

Reviews are for helping other readers find books that fit their interest. They are not for killing the hopes and dreams of writers or insulting others who don’t fit your personal taste. Recognize trolls for what they are and ignore their reviews, but if you like a book, write a review. If you can’t post it on Amazon or a book selling site, post it on the author’s social media site so she can share it with her followers. With so many books to choose from, reviews should help readers find the ones worth reading.

Do you write reviews or have you been the victim of a troll? Please share your experience.

 

 

 

 

One Wicked Winter by Emma V. Lee

One Wicked Winter (Rogues and Gentlemen Book 6) by Emma V. Lee

Regency romances were short and rather tame when I first began reading them many years ago. They all required certain characteristics such as the ton, titles, scandal, maidens in need of husbands, and men who were rogues more than gentlemen.[image error]

Lee takes the classic regency and gives it a shot in the arm with “One Wicked Winter.” Book 6 in a series, this one creates interest in other books in the series, especially the next one with Crecy (Lucretia) seeking an unlikely husband in evil Gabriel. The previous one most likely involved Violett and Aubrey, who begin the story.

But One Wicked Winter is about the romance between Belle (Belinda) and Lord Edward, a man haunted by nightmares of his war service at Waterloo and betrayal by his cousin Gabriel. Forced to host a party at his estate by his sister, Violette, he knows poor sisters, Belle and Crecy are there to snag husbands with fortunes.

Lee’s talent is taking a simple plot device and weaving in the details and emotions that make the story a page turner. Her logic makes the story believable and keeps the lovers apart as they solve inner demons. Belle stands up to the moody, dark Edward and tells him she will marry the boring Lord Percy because she must, even if she has to trap him to do it. Edward intercedes, trapping himself in marriage to Belle. They must navigate his nightmares to find happiness.

Lee also hints at the secrets Crecy is keeping from her sister and a more sinister enemy when Edward’s estate is attacked. But those answers will be found in the next book.