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Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Resistance Reborn
In this pivotal prequel to Star The Rise of Skywalker, the heroes of the Resistance—Poe Dameron, General Leia Organa, Rey, and Finn—must fight back from the edge of oblivion.
The Resistance is in ruins. In the wake of their harrowing escape from Crait, what was once an army has been reduced to a handful of wounded heroes. Finn, Poe, Rey, Rose, Chewbacca, Leia Organa—their names are famous among the oppressed worlds they fight to liberate. But names can only get you so far, and Leia’s last desperate call for aid has gone unanswered.
From the jungles of Ryloth to the shipyards of Corellia, the shadow of the First Order looms large, and those with the bravery to face the darkness are scattered and isolated. If hope is to survive, the Resistance must journey throughout the galaxy, seeking out more leaders—including those who, in days gone by, helped a nascent rebellion topple an empire. Battles will be fought, alliances will be forged, and the Resistance will be reborn.
The Resistance is in ruins. In the wake of their harrowing escape from Crait, what was once an army has been reduced to a handful of wounded heroes. Finn, Poe, Rey, Rose, Chewbacca, Leia Organa—their names are famous among the oppressed worlds they fight to liberate. But names can only get you so far, and Leia’s last desperate call for aid has gone unanswered.
From the jungles of Ryloth to the shipyards of Corellia, the shadow of the First Order looms large, and those with the bravery to face the darkness are scattered and isolated. If hope is to survive, the Resistance must journey throughout the galaxy, seeking out more leaders—including those who, in days gone by, helped a nascent rebellion topple an empire. Battles will be fought, alliances will be forged, and the Resistance will be reborn.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2019
744 people are currently reading
9752 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Roanhorse
64 books10.3k followersRebecca Roanhorse is a New York Times bestselling and Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Award-winning speculative fiction writer. She has published multiple award-winning short stories and novels, including two novels in The Sixth World Series, Star Wars: Resistance Reborn, Race to the Sun for the Rick Riordan imprint, and the epic fantasy trilogy Between Earth and Sky. She has also written for Marvel Comics and games and for television, including FX’s A Murder at the End of the World, and the Marvel series Echo for Disney+. She has had her own work optioned by Amazon Studios, Netflix, and AMC Studios.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,144 reviews
November 9, 2025
It's a really great book. This is the perfect bridging book needed. After the Last Jedi, the Resistance survived, but it was decimated in personal, weapons, and support. The other thing is the time span between the Force Awakens and the Last Jedi is so tiny reading this book that I realised how little time the characters have with each other. That is the main point of this book it really gives the characters new and old times and a chance to grieve and bond.
One of the great things I always loved about Star Wars was the continuity between the movies, the books, the comics, and even the games. That is something that has been missing in the Disney era. Yes, new characters need to be created, but for me, things had not really come together till this book. Here I saw characters from the Aftermath triligy, one of whom has made a name for himself in the comic universe, Bloodlines, Rebels, and old heroes as well.
There are no huge revelations in this book, but it is definitely a very necessary book to pull all the characters together. New characters, old and new heroes, new roles to be stepped into, and a renewed fire to fight injustice. It's a great book. Rey is very quite in this book only making a couple of appearances, I a guessing she is saved for the movie, but it would be a crying shame if the rest of these characters did not get any recognition. This is a must-read before the Rise of Skywalker.
One of the great things I always loved about Star Wars was the continuity between the movies, the books, the comics, and even the games. That is something that has been missing in the Disney era. Yes, new characters need to be created, but for me, things had not really come together till this book. Here I saw characters from the Aftermath triligy, one of whom has made a name for himself in the comic universe, Bloodlines, Rebels, and old heroes as well.
There are no huge revelations in this book, but it is definitely a very necessary book to pull all the characters together. New characters, old and new heroes, new roles to be stepped into, and a renewed fire to fight injustice. It's a great book. Rey is very quite in this book only making a couple of appearances, I a guessing she is saved for the movie, but it would be a crying shame if the rest of these characters did not get any recognition. This is a must-read before the Rise of Skywalker.
December 11, 2019
Sadly, a filler story.
RESISTANCE LOOKING FOR NEW ALLIES
After barely got escaped from the planet Crait, the Resistance is outnumbered like never before and the First Order seems like in its best moment.
While the Resistance's remaining members in different teams are looking for old aquaintances to leveled up their decimated numbers, the First Order is precisely looking too for those so called old aquaintances to kill them or imprison them.
Along the book you read about the efforts of the Resistance to get back a reasonable number to be able to make some impact against the First Order.
While well written, nothing that relevant happens and it's obvious that it's a filler story since they can't do anything really relevant since Episode IX still is ahead.
RESISTANCE LOOKING FOR NEW ALLIES
After barely got escaped from the planet Crait, the Resistance is outnumbered like never before and the First Order seems like in its best moment.
While the Resistance's remaining members in different teams are looking for old aquaintances to leveled up their decimated numbers, the First Order is precisely looking too for those so called old aquaintances to kill them or imprison them.
Along the book you read about the efforts of the Resistance to get back a reasonable number to be able to make some impact against the First Order.
While well written, nothing that relevant happens and it's obvious that it's a filler story since they can't do anything really relevant since Episode IX still is ahead.
November 25, 2019
It's hard to root for the Resistance when they seem so consistently idiotic. And it's hard to root against the First Order when there is no logic to how politics and government work in the galaxy. How can the First Order rule the galaxy, but without an official government, and when it is staffed entirely by either hapless buffoons or mindlessly cruel officers? So little of the sequel-trilogy era makes sense.
The surprise of this book is that Rey is mostly silent and does nothing of importance. Resistance Reborn focuses instead on Poe, telling us every few pages that he is very handsome and has great hair. We also learn that Finn covers his heart with his hand a lot. Meanwhile, Leia dreams of eating sausages and "big fluffy biscuits" (76), and then says a lot of stuff about "hope," of course.
One could wish that Star Wars books were better.
The surprise of this book is that Rey is mostly silent and does nothing of importance. Resistance Reborn focuses instead on Poe, telling us every few pages that he is very handsome and has great hair. We also learn that Finn covers his heart with his hand a lot. Meanwhile, Leia dreams of eating sausages and "big fluffy biscuits" (76), and then says a lot of stuff about "hope," of course.
One could wish that Star Wars books were better.
October 29, 2019
Resistance Reborn is one big family reunion. Set almost immediately after The Last Jedi, it begins with the biggest question for the Resistance: what comes next and how the heck do we go on from here? Leia’s comment about how “we already have everything we need” was nice and inspirational but not entirely true: they need supplies and they need allies. Sweet Force, did I dance around with glee at some of the allies the Resistance collected here. As the world’s biggest Battlefront II fan, the inclusion of Zay and Shriv delighted me to no end and I was thrilled to see them make their return and to have fairly significant roles. I was also happy to see more of Wedge Freaking Antilles. This is also very much a Poe Dameron book. He’s still coming to terms with his mutiny and all of its ramifications and learning how to move on from it. It feels incredibly necessary and Rebecca Roanhorse handles his state of mind deftly. Honestly, there’s a heck of a lot to love about the book but I really don’t want to spoil any more of it for readers as each new revelation or character inclusion was a joy to discover as I read. The short version is this: Resistance Reborn is a story that will delight readers who’ve read broadly across canon and that feels like a necessary step forward for the Resistance between Episodes VIII and IX.
(Full review will be on ToscheStation.net on release day.)
(Full review will be on ToscheStation.net on release day.)
September 19, 2024
5 Amazing Audio Stars
Seriously, if you’re a Star Wars fan then this interlude between the movies The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker will serve as a fantastic adventure portraying the Resistance trying to get their bearings after devastating losses.
Mainly focusing on Poe, as he struggles to become the leader needed in times of severe crisis, this tells of the remaining Resistance members that take up 3 missions to start anew, each with their own risky challenges that could end up in capture or death.
Bringing aboard new allies and revisiting old friends, this was full of very high stakes gripping action, with a touch of good feels that plays on the camaraderie and team building that is evident in all the movies. Hope is not lost and is always the strongest motivator that drives the Resistance who has little recourse but still has plenty of grit to keep fighting the good fight.
I obviously had a lot of fun with this, made really only possible by the outstanding narration by Marc Thompson, who uncannily sounds like Poe and Finn and brings each and every character to stark life. Embellished with plenty of sound effects and the original score, this was like partaking in a movie for the ears, and it was a truly impressive immersive experience.
Star Wars Universe
Resistance Reborn - 5 Stars!
Crimson Climb - 4 Stars
Most Wanted - 4 Stars
Scoundrels - 4 Stars
A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy - 3.5 Stars
The Princess and the Scoundrel - 3.5 Stars
The Rise of Skywalker - 3.5 Stars
Doctor Aphra - 2.5 Stars
Seriously, if you’re a Star Wars fan then this interlude between the movies The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker will serve as a fantastic adventure portraying the Resistance trying to get their bearings after devastating losses.
Mainly focusing on Poe, as he struggles to become the leader needed in times of severe crisis, this tells of the remaining Resistance members that take up 3 missions to start anew, each with their own risky challenges that could end up in capture or death.
Bringing aboard new allies and revisiting old friends, this was full of very high stakes gripping action, with a touch of good feels that plays on the camaraderie and team building that is evident in all the movies. Hope is not lost and is always the strongest motivator that drives the Resistance who has little recourse but still has plenty of grit to keep fighting the good fight.
I obviously had a lot of fun with this, made really only possible by the outstanding narration by Marc Thompson, who uncannily sounds like Poe and Finn and brings each and every character to stark life. Embellished with plenty of sound effects and the original score, this was like partaking in a movie for the ears, and it was a truly impressive immersive experience.
Star Wars Universe
Resistance Reborn - 5 Stars!
Crimson Climb - 4 Stars
Most Wanted - 4 Stars
Scoundrels - 4 Stars
A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy - 3.5 Stars
The Princess and the Scoundrel - 3.5 Stars
The Rise of Skywalker - 3.5 Stars
Doctor Aphra - 2.5 Stars
January 3, 2020
Roanhorse: I'm so excited to write an amazing Star Wars book! So, what plot points can I use?
Story Group: Well, we don't really have a final concept for the big movie that's coming out in a few months, but you can do pretty much anything as long as it won't contradict what we decide to do with it.
Roanhorse: Ok... great. I'll just... I know, I can invent a new, sinister bad guy. Star Wars novel standard. And I can dump her like Phasma by the end so it doesn't affect the movie plot! Or if you like her, she can just show without explanation in the movie like Grievous.
Story Group: Ahhh, no, that has too much potential to conflict with the movie. You see, since we haven’t decided on anything, virtually any plot could conflict with the movie.
Roanhorse: So, I am going to write a plotless novel?
Story Group: We have been wanting to break into the avant-garde existential surrealist space for years. Millennials really connect with internal suffering. Nebulous and unresolving shame, anxiety, and fear sells like avocado ronto burgers!
Roanhorse: …
Story Group: And we want this to be an all-star piece. Bring everyone together. This works for the Avengers movies. The merchandise department keeps asking us for more characters, so every story we write has minimum requirements for new stylized, angsty protagonists. You could probably fill half the book with just errands to go pick them up from across the galaxy. Maybe send some away to go find some new ones, so you can get scenes where they are ruminating on their shame, anxiety, and fear, and then stuff it deep down so they can get updates on the comm. Every time they return to the book, it should feel like Monday morning in the office.
Roanhorse: “Gathering” sounds pretty close to a plot objective….
Story Group: Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise?
I seriously can't even. How are so many of you giving this book good reviews? What do you see in it? Another empty quick buck for Disney.
1/3/19 UPDATE POST RISE OF SKYWALKER:
I can confidently say that nothing in this book had any substantial connection to the plot of the Rise of Skywalker. If you found easter eggs that I missed, please leave them in the comments below! Poe's doubts about his leadership, Finn/Poe-ship allusions, Leia's what-do-we-do-next, Rae's total lack of development, the Twilek allies and conflict... Resistance Reborn gives nothing but insignificant character-action-plot activities.
If you enjoy Star Wars New Canon novel gripes, you'll like my review on Black Spire. Or for a book the does everything Resistance Reborn forgot, check out the Solo tie-in, Most Wanted!
Story Group: Well, we don't really have a final concept for the big movie that's coming out in a few months, but you can do pretty much anything as long as it won't contradict what we decide to do with it.
Roanhorse: Ok... great. I'll just... I know, I can invent a new, sinister bad guy. Star Wars novel standard. And I can dump her like Phasma by the end so it doesn't affect the movie plot! Or if you like her, she can just show without explanation in the movie like Grievous.
Story Group: Ahhh, no, that has too much potential to conflict with the movie. You see, since we haven’t decided on anything, virtually any plot could conflict with the movie.
Roanhorse: So, I am going to write a plotless novel?
Story Group: We have been wanting to break into the avant-garde existential surrealist space for years. Millennials really connect with internal suffering. Nebulous and unresolving shame, anxiety, and fear sells like avocado ronto burgers!
Roanhorse: …
Story Group: And we want this to be an all-star piece. Bring everyone together. This works for the Avengers movies. The merchandise department keeps asking us for more characters, so every story we write has minimum requirements for new stylized, angsty protagonists. You could probably fill half the book with just errands to go pick them up from across the galaxy. Maybe send some away to go find some new ones, so you can get scenes where they are ruminating on their shame, anxiety, and fear, and then stuff it deep down so they can get updates on the comm. Every time they return to the book, it should feel like Monday morning in the office.
Roanhorse: “Gathering” sounds pretty close to a plot objective….
Story Group: Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise?
I seriously can't even. How are so many of you giving this book good reviews? What do you see in it? Another empty quick buck for Disney.
1/3/19 UPDATE POST RISE OF SKYWALKER:
I can confidently say that nothing in this book had any substantial connection to the plot of the Rise of Skywalker. If you found easter eggs that I missed, please leave them in the comments below! Poe's doubts about his leadership, Finn/Poe-ship allusions, Leia's what-do-we-do-next, Rae's total lack of development, the Twilek allies and conflict... Resistance Reborn gives nothing but insignificant character-action-plot activities.
If you enjoy Star Wars New Canon novel gripes, you'll like my review on Black Spire. Or for a book the does everything Resistance Reborn forgot, check out the Solo tie-in, Most Wanted!
November 20, 2019
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/11/19/...
Guys, I was so excited when I found out about Star Wars: Resistance Reborn and that Rebecca Roanhorse would be writing it. Rebecca Roanhorse, as in The Sixth World Rebecca Roanhorse? I love that series! And couldn’t have been more thrilled that she was tapped for this project. But she also has her work cut out for her, given the challenging task of bridging The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
Reduced to only a handful of survivors after the harrowing events at the battle of Crait, the Resistance now they must decide their next steps. Leia Organa, unwilling to give up, sends out a call for help to whoever would listen. But it appears most of her support have abandoned her—or have been captured and detained by the First Order. Wracked with guilt for his actions, Poe Dameron is ready to do anything to make amends. At Leia’s request, he takes it upon himself to search for more allies.
And at its heart, that’s what this book is all about: Poe’s road to redemption. He knows he screwed up royally in The Last Jedi, and Resistance Reborn is merciless in making you feel the full brunt of the repercussions to his actions.
So this, in essence, is really Poe’s story. The consequence of his recklessness that effectively led to the end of the Resistance is a shadow that looms over the entire novel. But just as the rebellion needs to be reborn, so does our commander of Black Squadron. No one is harder on Poe than Poe himself, and throughout this journey, filled with moments both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, he realizes that he still has teammates and true friends who will fight by his side, lifting him out of that dark place. And then there are the kind of allies who won’t take such a direct route, choosing instead to empower him and set him on the right path by teaching him how to help himself.
Which brings me to the cast of characters, and I was pleasantly surprised to find we got to follow some major players. In my experience, whenever we get a “bridge book” or a “prequel novel” in the Star Wars expanded canon that promises to fill in the gaps, what we usually get instead is a fun but fluffy throwaway piece starring a bunch of expendable one-use characters because you just know they’ll save all the most important developments for the movies. A prime example of this is the first book of Aftermath (though to be fair, some of the characters in that trilogy ultimately became quite prominent, impacting the Star Wars universe quite significantly, but more on that later).
Such is life when it comes to media tie-ins, after all, but Resistance Reborn on the other hand features all our old favorites: Leia, Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Chewbacca, and the list goes on. It helped make this feel like a real Star Wars novel, lending weight to its people, events, and places. It also made me feel like what I read mattered on a greater level, and you’d be surprised how few canon novels thus far have passed this test.
Not only that though, Resistance Reborn is like a gift to the superfans of Star Wars who have really embraced the franchise beyond the movies. If you’ve also enjoyed the books, comics, video games, TV shows, etc., there will be quite a few references and appearances by characters you’ll recognize from elsewhere. Snap Wexley, for example, who made his debut on the aforementioned Aftermath and was brought to life on the big screen in The Force Awakens. Shriv Suurgav and Zay Versio, from Battlefront II. Even Ransolm Casterfo, the handsome rogue senator from Claudia Gray’s brilliant Leia Organa novel Bloodline will show up, with some answers as to what he’s been up to all these years. Not only that, we have some highly recognizable names like Wedge Antilles, who has married Snap’s mother Norra and are living together as farmers on Akiva. Maz Kanata, who understands more than most how the Force works in mysterious ways. And of course, there are ties aplenty to the Poe Dameron and Black Squadron comics. It was fascinating to see this book gather all these disparate characters together, forming the basis of a new resistance. There’s a sense of renewed hope, but also this bittersweet acceptance of an end to an era. The coming battle will be fought by this new line-up of rebels, and I’m curious to see who will show up in The Rise of Skywalker.
As for Rebecca Roanhorse’s writing, I think her style translates well to Star Wars, despite the occasional turn of phrase which would jolt me out of the immersion. Her best portrayals were of the female characters (there was one particular scene I loved, involving a heartfelt conversation between Leia and Rey), while a couple of her male characters like Wedge and Finn could have used some fine-tuning, and there were a few telling-not-showing moments where Poe came across just a bit too detached. But overall, I couldn’t be happier with Roanhorse’s work and her dedication to detail. The book was peppered with little Easter Eggs, calling back to everything from Star Wars: Rebels to the original trilogy.
But when it comes to story, admittedly the plot was on the flimsier side, and it worked out too neatly. Yes, we get this whole build-up to a nail-biting finale, but at the end of the day, we are still left with an awkward sense of being back to square one. Granted, we now know the Resistance isn’t as alone as we thought it was; the most important elements of Black Squadron are intact and we we’ve dug up some new allies. Poe, the linchpin of the novel, also gets his absolution. But really, all this could have been inferred from the end of The Last Jedi. I guess the point I’m trying to make is, Resistance Reborn ends in a way that seems purposely designed not to affect the third movie at all, but again, this just goes back to the nature of media tie-ins. Like most, it’s a standalone, supplementary rather than required, and the most important characters are kept from making any huge decisions or weren’t developed much because obviously you save those things for the movie.
That being said, should you read Resistance Reborn? Yes, if you’re a diehard Star Wars fan and are going all in on Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, you absolutely should. Despite its weaknesses (many of which are related to the tie-in genre rather than anything negative to do with the book itself) this was one of the better novels from the new canon. Rebecca Roanhorse did a fantastic job writing a fun new adventure to fill the gap between the two films, even fixing or clarifying a few things from The Last Jedi, while providing lots of geek-out moments for those of us who love everything Star Wars.
Guys, I was so excited when I found out about Star Wars: Resistance Reborn and that Rebecca Roanhorse would be writing it. Rebecca Roanhorse, as in The Sixth World Rebecca Roanhorse? I love that series! And couldn’t have been more thrilled that she was tapped for this project. But she also has her work cut out for her, given the challenging task of bridging The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
Reduced to only a handful of survivors after the harrowing events at the battle of Crait, the Resistance now they must decide their next steps. Leia Organa, unwilling to give up, sends out a call for help to whoever would listen. But it appears most of her support have abandoned her—or have been captured and detained by the First Order. Wracked with guilt for his actions, Poe Dameron is ready to do anything to make amends. At Leia’s request, he takes it upon himself to search for more allies.
And at its heart, that’s what this book is all about: Poe’s road to redemption. He knows he screwed up royally in The Last Jedi, and Resistance Reborn is merciless in making you feel the full brunt of the repercussions to his actions.
So this, in essence, is really Poe’s story. The consequence of his recklessness that effectively led to the end of the Resistance is a shadow that looms over the entire novel. But just as the rebellion needs to be reborn, so does our commander of Black Squadron. No one is harder on Poe than Poe himself, and throughout this journey, filled with moments both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, he realizes that he still has teammates and true friends who will fight by his side, lifting him out of that dark place. And then there are the kind of allies who won’t take such a direct route, choosing instead to empower him and set him on the right path by teaching him how to help himself.
Which brings me to the cast of characters, and I was pleasantly surprised to find we got to follow some major players. In my experience, whenever we get a “bridge book” or a “prequel novel” in the Star Wars expanded canon that promises to fill in the gaps, what we usually get instead is a fun but fluffy throwaway piece starring a bunch of expendable one-use characters because you just know they’ll save all the most important developments for the movies. A prime example of this is the first book of Aftermath (though to be fair, some of the characters in that trilogy ultimately became quite prominent, impacting the Star Wars universe quite significantly, but more on that later).
Such is life when it comes to media tie-ins, after all, but Resistance Reborn on the other hand features all our old favorites: Leia, Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Chewbacca, and the list goes on. It helped make this feel like a real Star Wars novel, lending weight to its people, events, and places. It also made me feel like what I read mattered on a greater level, and you’d be surprised how few canon novels thus far have passed this test.
Not only that though, Resistance Reborn is like a gift to the superfans of Star Wars who have really embraced the franchise beyond the movies. If you’ve also enjoyed the books, comics, video games, TV shows, etc., there will be quite a few references and appearances by characters you’ll recognize from elsewhere. Snap Wexley, for example, who made his debut on the aforementioned Aftermath and was brought to life on the big screen in The Force Awakens. Shriv Suurgav and Zay Versio, from Battlefront II. Even Ransolm Casterfo, the handsome rogue senator from Claudia Gray’s brilliant Leia Organa novel Bloodline will show up, with some answers as to what he’s been up to all these years. Not only that, we have some highly recognizable names like Wedge Antilles, who has married Snap’s mother Norra and are living together as farmers on Akiva. Maz Kanata, who understands more than most how the Force works in mysterious ways. And of course, there are ties aplenty to the Poe Dameron and Black Squadron comics. It was fascinating to see this book gather all these disparate characters together, forming the basis of a new resistance. There’s a sense of renewed hope, but also this bittersweet acceptance of an end to an era. The coming battle will be fought by this new line-up of rebels, and I’m curious to see who will show up in The Rise of Skywalker.
As for Rebecca Roanhorse’s writing, I think her style translates well to Star Wars, despite the occasional turn of phrase which would jolt me out of the immersion. Her best portrayals were of the female characters (there was one particular scene I loved, involving a heartfelt conversation between Leia and Rey), while a couple of her male characters like Wedge and Finn could have used some fine-tuning, and there were a few telling-not-showing moments where Poe came across just a bit too detached. But overall, I couldn’t be happier with Roanhorse’s work and her dedication to detail. The book was peppered with little Easter Eggs, calling back to everything from Star Wars: Rebels to the original trilogy.
But when it comes to story, admittedly the plot was on the flimsier side, and it worked out too neatly. Yes, we get this whole build-up to a nail-biting finale, but at the end of the day, we are still left with an awkward sense of being back to square one. Granted, we now know the Resistance isn’t as alone as we thought it was; the most important elements of Black Squadron are intact and we we’ve dug up some new allies. Poe, the linchpin of the novel, also gets his absolution. But really, all this could have been inferred from the end of The Last Jedi. I guess the point I’m trying to make is, Resistance Reborn ends in a way that seems purposely designed not to affect the third movie at all, but again, this just goes back to the nature of media tie-ins. Like most, it’s a standalone, supplementary rather than required, and the most important characters are kept from making any huge decisions or weren’t developed much because obviously you save those things for the movie.
That being said, should you read Resistance Reborn? Yes, if you’re a diehard Star Wars fan and are going all in on Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, you absolutely should. Despite its weaknesses (many of which are related to the tie-in genre rather than anything negative to do with the book itself) this was one of the better novels from the new canon. Rebecca Roanhorse did a fantastic job writing a fun new adventure to fill the gap between the two films, even fixing or clarifying a few things from The Last Jedi, while providing lots of geek-out moments for those of us who love everything Star Wars.
November 28, 2019
"Leia stood among them, a small figure that radiated power. But at what cost? Poe wondered. She couldn't be well, not after what she had been through. She must be running on fumes. And it's my job to help her through this, he reminded himself. I'm supposed to be her right hand, her go-to commander, and, more important, her friend. He felt buoyed by the scene in the hangar moments ago but he knew he needed to check in with Leia, too. Make sure she was doing okay."
I maybe sorta kinda like Star Wars. Just a wee bit!
Ahhh, fuck it. Who am I kidding?! STAR WARS IS LIFE!
Resistance Reborn is one that I have been highly anticipating all year! I was excited to see what Rebecca Roanhorse would bring to the franchise, considering I'm a fan of her work already. Getting to learn more about Poe on top of that? YES PLEASE!!
Set almost immediately after The Last Jedi, Resistance Reborn is the bridge between it and the upcoming final movie in the Skywalker Saga, The Rise of Skywalker. This tie-in novel follows the few that remain in the Resistance after the Battle of Crait.
Poe and General Leia are on a mission to find more allies to rebuild the Resistance. Throughout, Poe struggles with his previous actions and the guilt that he now must deal with. He isn't as confident in his leadership abilities as he once was, although he still has fucking glorious hair!
This is the first tie-in novel to truly focus on the core group of Poe, Finn and Rey together. There were fans who were left unhappy with Poe's role in The Last Jedi, like the fact he destroyed the First Order ship, but got everyone killed in the process. There were clearly more than a few questions left unanswered. But have no fear! Resistance Reborn is Poe's redemption. Roanhorse tackles many of the questions, providing a welcome insight into the link between what we know happened in The Last Jedi and that of The Rise of Skywalker trailer (GAH! FULL BODY CHILLS AND UNCONTROLLABLE SOBBING!!)
I was slightly disappointed by the lack of Rey (one of my all-time favorite characters), but then I realized that left room for secondary characters to shine, where they probably won't have much upcoming screen-time. This isn't Rey's feature, after all. Her story will be saved for the movie. Resistance Reborn is about Poe making amends.
Along with the star-studded cast of characters from the movies, TV shows, novels, comics and video games, Roanhorse also integrates fresh faces into the mix! None more delightful to my warrior heart than Teza Nasz. Oh, how I fucking adore her! She is such a brilliant character and I must insist that Roanhorse write her backstory for us to devour! Teza, an ex-Imperial warlord who is now a member of the Black Squadron and just.. the ultimate badass! She's also a woc. HELL YEAH!
I cannot applaud Roanhorse enough for her depiction of Leia. Save for Chuck Wendig, she has been the only other writer in the new canon to truly capture her essence, in my opinion. Leia has been through so much, yet she remains so strong. Reading those scenes with her absolutely wrecked me. So damn bittersweet. I'm.. honestly not sure how I'm going to react when I see her last moments on screen next month. Oof.
Then there is FinnPoe. Or Stormpilot, if you so choose. ::sigh:: Unfortunately, Star Wars continues to suffer from queerbaiting. For anyone unfamiliar with the term, queerbaiting is defined as 'when creators hint at, but then don't actually depict, a same-sex romantic relationship between characters in a work of fiction. They do so to attract ("bait") a queer audience with the suggestion of relationships that appeal to them, while at the same time attempting to avoid alienating other consumers.'
With Finn and Poe, we imagined that finally.. FINALLY, there would be a queer character ON SCREEN. We wanted it to happen so badly. Yet, with The Last Jedi, it felt like we are just being strung along once again with enough to keep us interested, without having to represent those of us that are, well, queer. Yet we keep on hoping.. because it's too special to pass up. These characters, their story. The fact that they are two non-white dudes.. it would be a massive step for Star Wars. One that needs to fucking happen already! But I digress. Keep your eye holes peeled for an upcoming post from yours truly regarding this very topic!
Though Resistance Reborn is mostly coy with regards to the FinnPoe relationship, there are some utterly gorgeous scenes between them. Take what you will from them (WE STAN!!) There are a few wondrously diverse moments throughout, although of course I wish there were more. However, Roanhorse *has* given us another non-binary character. This is so important, especially for this franchise. BREAK THOSE GLASS CEILINGS!!
"You are a light in the darkness."
Roanhorse has made a fierce entrance within the book side of Star Wars. Wheels have been set in motion for one of the last prequel stories leading up to the final installment in the epic Skywalker saga with these beloved characters. You certainly don't have to read this before heading into The Rise of Skywalker, but why wouldn't you want to?! We are given a wee bit more to hold us over until December. More Leia. More Big Three. New faces. Old characters taking on the freedom fighters. Connections all over the place. JUST DO THE DAMN THING ALREADY!
Seeing these characters from various mediums join forces in this book made me so damn happy! The OG's are stepping up with the rookies and they are going to do everything they can to make sure that good prevails. Now, more than ever, the canon is beginning to flesh out, filling in details and expanding upon the galaxy far, far away. Resistance Reborn is such a well-constructed story, one that should excite fans of the EU and new canon alike. For those of us that love it all.. it will tick most (if not all) the boxes! There is truly something for everyone.
May the Force be with you. Always.
I maybe sorta kinda like Star Wars. Just a wee bit!
Ahhh, fuck it. Who am I kidding?! STAR WARS IS LIFE!
Resistance Reborn is one that I have been highly anticipating all year! I was excited to see what Rebecca Roanhorse would bring to the franchise, considering I'm a fan of her work already. Getting to learn more about Poe on top of that? YES PLEASE!!
Set almost immediately after The Last Jedi, Resistance Reborn is the bridge between it and the upcoming final movie in the Skywalker Saga, The Rise of Skywalker. This tie-in novel follows the few that remain in the Resistance after the Battle of Crait.
Poe and General Leia are on a mission to find more allies to rebuild the Resistance. Throughout, Poe struggles with his previous actions and the guilt that he now must deal with. He isn't as confident in his leadership abilities as he once was, although he still has fucking glorious hair!
This is the first tie-in novel to truly focus on the core group of Poe, Finn and Rey together. There were fans who were left unhappy with Poe's role in The Last Jedi, like the fact he destroyed the First Order ship, but got everyone killed in the process. There were clearly more than a few questions left unanswered. But have no fear! Resistance Reborn is Poe's redemption. Roanhorse tackles many of the questions, providing a welcome insight into the link between what we know happened in The Last Jedi and that of The Rise of Skywalker trailer (GAH! FULL BODY CHILLS AND UNCONTROLLABLE SOBBING!!)
I was slightly disappointed by the lack of Rey (one of my all-time favorite characters), but then I realized that left room for secondary characters to shine, where they probably won't have much upcoming screen-time. This isn't Rey's feature, after all. Her story will be saved for the movie. Resistance Reborn is about Poe making amends.
Along with the star-studded cast of characters from the movies, TV shows, novels, comics and video games, Roanhorse also integrates fresh faces into the mix! None more delightful to my warrior heart than Teza Nasz. Oh, how I fucking adore her! She is such a brilliant character and I must insist that Roanhorse write her backstory for us to devour! Teza, an ex-Imperial warlord who is now a member of the Black Squadron and just.. the ultimate badass! She's also a woc. HELL YEAH!
I cannot applaud Roanhorse enough for her depiction of Leia. Save for Chuck Wendig, she has been the only other writer in the new canon to truly capture her essence, in my opinion. Leia has been through so much, yet she remains so strong. Reading those scenes with her absolutely wrecked me. So damn bittersweet. I'm.. honestly not sure how I'm going to react when I see her last moments on screen next month. Oof.
Then there is FinnPoe. Or Stormpilot, if you so choose. ::sigh:: Unfortunately, Star Wars continues to suffer from queerbaiting. For anyone unfamiliar with the term, queerbaiting is defined as 'when creators hint at, but then don't actually depict, a same-sex romantic relationship between characters in a work of fiction. They do so to attract ("bait") a queer audience with the suggestion of relationships that appeal to them, while at the same time attempting to avoid alienating other consumers.'
With Finn and Poe, we imagined that finally.. FINALLY, there would be a queer character ON SCREEN. We wanted it to happen so badly. Yet, with The Last Jedi, it felt like we are just being strung along once again with enough to keep us interested, without having to represent those of us that are, well, queer. Yet we keep on hoping.. because it's too special to pass up. These characters, their story. The fact that they are two non-white dudes.. it would be a massive step for Star Wars. One that needs to fucking happen already! But I digress. Keep your eye holes peeled for an upcoming post from yours truly regarding this very topic!
Though Resistance Reborn is mostly coy with regards to the FinnPoe relationship, there are some utterly gorgeous scenes between them. Take what you will from them (WE STAN!!) There are a few wondrously diverse moments throughout, although of course I wish there were more. However, Roanhorse *has* given us another non-binary character. This is so important, especially for this franchise. BREAK THOSE GLASS CEILINGS!!
"You are a light in the darkness."
Roanhorse has made a fierce entrance within the book side of Star Wars. Wheels have been set in motion for one of the last prequel stories leading up to the final installment in the epic Skywalker saga with these beloved characters. You certainly don't have to read this before heading into The Rise of Skywalker, but why wouldn't you want to?! We are given a wee bit more to hold us over until December. More Leia. More Big Three. New faces. Old characters taking on the freedom fighters. Connections all over the place. JUST DO THE DAMN THING ALREADY!
Seeing these characters from various mediums join forces in this book made me so damn happy! The OG's are stepping up with the rookies and they are going to do everything they can to make sure that good prevails. Now, more than ever, the canon is beginning to flesh out, filling in details and expanding upon the galaxy far, far away. Resistance Reborn is such a well-constructed story, one that should excite fans of the EU and new canon alike. For those of us that love it all.. it will tick most (if not all) the boxes! There is truly something for everyone.
May the Force be with you. Always.
April 28, 2020
A book with Poe?
----------------------
4-27-20
Finally got to read this! This book is apparently very popular at my library.
This was... a bit disappointing. Poe wasn't very fleshed out, and they didn't have much of Rey or Finn at all. I did like Leia's parts, and the last 30% of the book got better. 3.5 rounded up to 4.
----------------------
4-27-20
Finally got to read this! This book is apparently very popular at my library.
This was... a bit disappointing. Poe wasn't very fleshed out, and they didn't have much of Rey or Finn at all. I did like Leia's parts, and the last 30% of the book got better. 3.5 rounded up to 4.
April 24, 2023
being completely honest i did not care about this book… like at all, to be fair the resistance isn’t like… my fav aspect of star wars so
November 14, 2019
I received a copy of Star Wars: Resistance Reborn from Penguin Random House Australia to review.
Rating of 4.5.
The road to the final movie in the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, begins here with this intriguing tie-in novel, Star Wars: Resistance Reborn, by recent fantasy phenomenon Rebecca Roanhorse. Resistance Reborn is a fantastic and action-packed book that attempts to bridge some of the gaps between The Last Jedi and the upcoming The Rise of Skywalker.
Following on shortly after the devastating events that occurred on the isolated planet of Crait at the end of The Last Jedi, the Resistance has been decimated by the tyrannical First Order. Seemingly abandoned by their friends and allies throughout the galaxy, only a few members of the Resistance have survived and are now in hiding. Those remaining Resistance members are as determined as ever to fight and are willing to risk it all the save the galaxy.
To that end, the leader of the Resistance, General Leia Orgena, has sent her few remaining compatriots out into the galaxy in an attempt to find more volunteers, supplies, ships and, most importantly, leaders and strategists who can help guide the Resistance to victory. While her teams are able to find a few valuable recruits, including some old friends from the days of the Rebel Alliance, the situation is looking grim.
The First Order have started to establish their dominance throughout the entire galaxy, and few are willing to stand before them. Whatever allies or supporters the Resistance might have been able to count on have gone missing, apparently the victims of an oppressive roundup by the First Order. As Poe Dameron and the remains of his squadron attempt to recover a prisoner list that contains the details of the fate of these dissidents, it soon becomes apparent how far the reach of the First Order has grown. Can the Resistance survive, or will the shadow of the First Order overwhelm them all?
For the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2019/11/13/...
An abridged version of this review ran in the Canberra Weekly on 14 November 2019:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2019/11/14/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Rating of 4.5.
The road to the final movie in the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, begins here with this intriguing tie-in novel, Star Wars: Resistance Reborn, by recent fantasy phenomenon Rebecca Roanhorse. Resistance Reborn is a fantastic and action-packed book that attempts to bridge some of the gaps between The Last Jedi and the upcoming The Rise of Skywalker.
Following on shortly after the devastating events that occurred on the isolated planet of Crait at the end of The Last Jedi, the Resistance has been decimated by the tyrannical First Order. Seemingly abandoned by their friends and allies throughout the galaxy, only a few members of the Resistance have survived and are now in hiding. Those remaining Resistance members are as determined as ever to fight and are willing to risk it all the save the galaxy.
To that end, the leader of the Resistance, General Leia Orgena, has sent her few remaining compatriots out into the galaxy in an attempt to find more volunteers, supplies, ships and, most importantly, leaders and strategists who can help guide the Resistance to victory. While her teams are able to find a few valuable recruits, including some old friends from the days of the Rebel Alliance, the situation is looking grim.
The First Order have started to establish their dominance throughout the entire galaxy, and few are willing to stand before them. Whatever allies or supporters the Resistance might have been able to count on have gone missing, apparently the victims of an oppressive roundup by the First Order. As Poe Dameron and the remains of his squadron attempt to recover a prisoner list that contains the details of the fate of these dissidents, it soon becomes apparent how far the reach of the First Order has grown. Can the Resistance survive, or will the shadow of the First Order overwhelm them all?
For the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2019/11/13/...
An abridged version of this review ran in the Canberra Weekly on 14 November 2019:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2019/11/14/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
December 18, 2019
CRYING
January 17, 2020
AKA, "The Last Jedi Is Retconned"
Update: Turns out "Canon" in the Disney universe isn't as cohesive as they promised. A lot of this book is either irrelevant (big surprise there), or is outright contradicted by the movie, there is no reason to read it.
Update: Turns out "Canon" in the Disney universe isn't as cohesive as they promised. A lot of this book is either irrelevant (big surprise there), or is outright contradicted by the movie, there is no reason to read it.
December 21, 2019
Thank you, Rebecca Roanhorse, for the scene of Poe tying Finn's tie, possibly the greatest scene in any Star Wars novelization.
I have no further comments.
I have no further comments.
November 8, 2019
I feel like I paid money to read a fanfic that's been done a dozen times.
Now, I haven't 100% read through the novel as of this review, but if I knew ahead of time it was going to be like this, I wouldn't have bothered. As an avid Star Wars fan that keeps up with the canon religiously, I've been very disappointed with the tie-ins for Rise of Skywalker. Most of the content reads like filler and nothing particularly interesting comes out of it like the tie-ins for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
The problem with Poe Dameron as a focus character is that writers don't have a lot to go off of from the films. Because of this, he often is inconsistent in characterization and I'm concerned with how much inspiration Roanhouse took from fanon. There were actually certain passages I recalled reading elsewhere in fanfiction with some variation, which concerns me because, while there are wonderful fanfic authors out there, I expect more out of published writers.
If you are interested in appearances for characters such as Wedge Antilles and Zay Versio, don't hold your breath. They are overall unimportant to the plot and are very flat characterization-wise. If LucasFilm Publishing's goal was to name-drop characters in hopes of selling books, they achieved this.
In the future, I hope to see novels around Finn where he is the main character and not struggling to hold his own as a supporting role like he has in these tie-ins. There's too much Poe content out there, and while I wouldn't mind him here and there, it seems like at this point, he can't move forward as a character with all the comics and novels out there about him. For a character with only eight minutes of screen time in The Force Awakens, his role in the extended universe and merchandise is blown out of proportion. If this story had revolved around a different, minor character or a completely original character, it might have been an interesting read.
Now, I haven't 100% read through the novel as of this review, but if I knew ahead of time it was going to be like this, I wouldn't have bothered. As an avid Star Wars fan that keeps up with the canon religiously, I've been very disappointed with the tie-ins for Rise of Skywalker. Most of the content reads like filler and nothing particularly interesting comes out of it like the tie-ins for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
The problem with Poe Dameron as a focus character is that writers don't have a lot to go off of from the films. Because of this, he often is inconsistent in characterization and I'm concerned with how much inspiration Roanhouse took from fanon. There were actually certain passages I recalled reading elsewhere in fanfiction with some variation, which concerns me because, while there are wonderful fanfic authors out there, I expect more out of published writers.
If you are interested in appearances for characters such as Wedge Antilles and Zay Versio, don't hold your breath. They are overall unimportant to the plot and are very flat characterization-wise. If LucasFilm Publishing's goal was to name-drop characters in hopes of selling books, they achieved this.
In the future, I hope to see novels around Finn where he is the main character and not struggling to hold his own as a supporting role like he has in these tie-ins. There's too much Poe content out there, and while I wouldn't mind him here and there, it seems like at this point, he can't move forward as a character with all the comics and novels out there about him. For a character with only eight minutes of screen time in The Force Awakens, his role in the extended universe and merchandise is blown out of proportion. If this story had revolved around a different, minor character or a completely original character, it might have been an interesting read.
January 6, 2023
I’m hoping I’m not alone in saying this: I really miss the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and I’m really conflicted about the “new canon” of Star Wars started in “Episode VII: The Force Awakens”. While I’ve enjoyed the new offerings from J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson (in “Episode VIII: The Last Jedi”), I haven’t quite enjoyed them enough.
Don’t get me wrong: I really liked both movies, and I’ve found many things to love about this new canon, but it hasn’t captured me in quite the same way that the SWEU captured me, starting with Timothy Zahn’s wonderful Thrawn trilogy. Starting with the first book in that series, “Heir to the Empire”, (published way back in 1991), the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, C3-PO, and R2-D2 carried on in a series of stories, post-”Episode VI: Return of the Jedi”.
Dozens of writers added to the exploding SWEU, producing hundreds of novels, comic books, and video games that fans still cherish, almost 30 years later.
I’m actually getting kind of tired of talking about it, as I’m sure many new young fans are tired of hearing us old SWEU fans kvetch about it, but it’s difficult to just disregard 30 years worth of stories and forget they never existed, which is essentially what Abrams et al want us to do with this new canon.
I have definitely been disappointed in the novels of the new canon, but I hold out hope based on two things: 1) the TV shows being produced with the help of Disney, most notably “The Mandalorian”, which is one of my favorite new shows I’m watching (actually, the only one currently), and the proposed new shows coming to Disney Plus in the next several years; and 2) the numerous graphic novels I have read, put out by Marvel. They are some of the best-written and gorgeously-drawn graphic novels currently on the market, in my opinion.
Rebecca Roanhorse’s new novel in the growing new canon, “Resistance Reborn”, is a lead-in to the latest movie, “Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker”. (I have not seen the movie yet, so don’t worry: I have no spoilers to reveal, accidentally or intentionally.)
On its own merits, the novel is decent. Roanhorse is a talented writer, and her novel carried my interest. Unfortunately, that’s all it did.
As a “filler” novel, Roanhorse had her hands tied. I’m sure that there was plenty of stuff that she wished she could have included in the novel but probably wasn’t allowed. As a result, the novel feels like its missing something.
The plot is a simple one: the Resistance, which was beyond decimated in the Battle of Crait (see “The Last Jedi”), has come upon the existence of a list of political prisoners belonging to the First Order. Poe Dameron is in charge of a rescue mission to Corellia. If the prisoners---outspoken senators, scientists, professors, journalists, or anyone who had the audacity to criticize the First Order---are safely rescued, it would be the first really good news since the destruction of Starkiller Base. The hope is that the news would spread to all the planets who are on the fence about joining the Resistance, giving them some incentive to actively defy the First Order.
There’s potential in this novel but not a lot of pay-off. Or action. The one thing Roanhorse actually did pretty well was incorporate a lot of loose-end storylines from previous new canon novels, most notably Chuck Wendig’s “Aftermath” trilogy, Claudia Gray’s “Bloodline”, and Christie Golden’s “Battlefront II: Inferno Squad”. She even throws in a mention or two of characters from the TV show “Star Wars Rebels”.
While this was fun, it didn’t hide the fact that there was a pretty skeletal storyline that she was working with.
I’m hoping that after “The Rise of Skywalker”, the writers of the new canon will have a bit more creative freedom to write storylines that aren’t constrained by corporate pressures, much like the writers of the old canon seemed to have when George Lucas was their overlord. He may have had the final word on what was published and what wasn’t, but the SWEU never felt constrained the way the new canon does. It never really felt like propaganda meant to sell a franchise. Undoubtedly, it was, but it never felt like it.
Don’t get me wrong: I really liked both movies, and I’ve found many things to love about this new canon, but it hasn’t captured me in quite the same way that the SWEU captured me, starting with Timothy Zahn’s wonderful Thrawn trilogy. Starting with the first book in that series, “Heir to the Empire”, (published way back in 1991), the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, C3-PO, and R2-D2 carried on in a series of stories, post-”Episode VI: Return of the Jedi”.
Dozens of writers added to the exploding SWEU, producing hundreds of novels, comic books, and video games that fans still cherish, almost 30 years later.
I’m actually getting kind of tired of talking about it, as I’m sure many new young fans are tired of hearing us old SWEU fans kvetch about it, but it’s difficult to just disregard 30 years worth of stories and forget they never existed, which is essentially what Abrams et al want us to do with this new canon.
I have definitely been disappointed in the novels of the new canon, but I hold out hope based on two things: 1) the TV shows being produced with the help of Disney, most notably “The Mandalorian”, which is one of my favorite new shows I’m watching (actually, the only one currently), and the proposed new shows coming to Disney Plus in the next several years; and 2) the numerous graphic novels I have read, put out by Marvel. They are some of the best-written and gorgeously-drawn graphic novels currently on the market, in my opinion.
Rebecca Roanhorse’s new novel in the growing new canon, “Resistance Reborn”, is a lead-in to the latest movie, “Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker”. (I have not seen the movie yet, so don’t worry: I have no spoilers to reveal, accidentally or intentionally.)
On its own merits, the novel is decent. Roanhorse is a talented writer, and her novel carried my interest. Unfortunately, that’s all it did.
As a “filler” novel, Roanhorse had her hands tied. I’m sure that there was plenty of stuff that she wished she could have included in the novel but probably wasn’t allowed. As a result, the novel feels like its missing something.
The plot is a simple one: the Resistance, which was beyond decimated in the Battle of Crait (see “The Last Jedi”), has come upon the existence of a list of political prisoners belonging to the First Order. Poe Dameron is in charge of a rescue mission to Corellia. If the prisoners---outspoken senators, scientists, professors, journalists, or anyone who had the audacity to criticize the First Order---are safely rescued, it would be the first really good news since the destruction of Starkiller Base. The hope is that the news would spread to all the planets who are on the fence about joining the Resistance, giving them some incentive to actively defy the First Order.
There’s potential in this novel but not a lot of pay-off. Or action. The one thing Roanhorse actually did pretty well was incorporate a lot of loose-end storylines from previous new canon novels, most notably Chuck Wendig’s “Aftermath” trilogy, Claudia Gray’s “Bloodline”, and Christie Golden’s “Battlefront II: Inferno Squad”. She even throws in a mention or two of characters from the TV show “Star Wars Rebels”.
While this was fun, it didn’t hide the fact that there was a pretty skeletal storyline that she was working with.
I’m hoping that after “The Rise of Skywalker”, the writers of the new canon will have a bit more creative freedom to write storylines that aren’t constrained by corporate pressures, much like the writers of the old canon seemed to have when George Lucas was their overlord. He may have had the final word on what was published and what wasn’t, but the SWEU never felt constrained the way the new canon does. It never really felt like propaganda meant to sell a franchise. Undoubtedly, it was, but it never felt like it.
November 18, 2019
3.5 stars
Not quite a 4 star read, but among the Star Wars books I've read, this one measures up well so I'm rounding up.
The story picks up immediately after the battle at Crait, with the Resistance basically down to, well, the Millenium Falcon and whoever fits on her. Resistance Reborn explains a bit about why no one ever answered Leia's call for help (apparently they were all being rounded up preemptively by the First Order), and the efforts to rebuild the Resistance in terms of both people and materiel. There is also a redemption arc, where Poe attempts to make up for being a jackass and trying to start a mutiny, which wasn't very helpful when the rebels were trying to escape from the First Order (oh yeah, that).
A pretty quick read, with lots of old and new characters, that reflects the author's obvious enthusiasm for the SW universe.
Not quite a 4 star read, but among the Star Wars books I've read, this one measures up well so I'm rounding up.
The story picks up immediately after the battle at Crait, with the Resistance basically down to, well, the Millenium Falcon and whoever fits on her. Resistance Reborn explains a bit about why no one ever answered Leia's call for help (apparently they were all being rounded up preemptively by the First Order), and the efforts to rebuild the Resistance in terms of both people and materiel. There is also a redemption arc, where Poe attempts to make up for being a jackass and trying to start a mutiny, which wasn't very helpful when the rebels were trying to escape from the First Order (oh yeah, that).
A pretty quick read, with lots of old and new characters, that reflects the author's obvious enthusiasm for the SW universe.
May 13, 2020
This book picks up the events at the end of The Last Jedi. The Resistance has been decimated by the events that happened in The Last Jedi. They need to find a safe place to regroup and basically begin anew as their fight with the First Order continues.
I really considered giving this a higher rating because there were parts I did really enjoy. The three star rating seems fair considering the following factors. I have not been a fan of the newest trilogy but this book did make me care about the time frame and these characters. Should I give this a higher rating for this sole reason? That is why I settled for the three stars. My biggest surprise about this novel was that it made me care about Poe Dameron. My opinion is that he was an ass in the movie and I did love how the author tackled this and put him on the path of redemption. I did soften my stance on his character. Another highlight of this offering is that this book feels connected to other books in this universe. The Disney canon has many books but each book feels separate of each other. That changes here as characters from many different books have roles here and this is the first time that I feel like there is a plan to all of these canon books. The deciding factor for my rating is that this book doesn't really add much to the story line. We all know the Resistance regrouped and the story of it isn't the most exciting.
Ultimately, this is a character driven book and the author does a commendable job with aspect. But once again it seems like Disney has tied the hands of an author and not allowed anything of consequence really happen. It seems like the new canon books are just placeholders for the movies and that is where anything important will occur.
I really considered giving this a higher rating because there were parts I did really enjoy. The three star rating seems fair considering the following factors. I have not been a fan of the newest trilogy but this book did make me care about the time frame and these characters. Should I give this a higher rating for this sole reason? That is why I settled for the three stars. My biggest surprise about this novel was that it made me care about Poe Dameron. My opinion is that he was an ass in the movie and I did love how the author tackled this and put him on the path of redemption. I did soften my stance on his character. Another highlight of this offering is that this book feels connected to other books in this universe. The Disney canon has many books but each book feels separate of each other. That changes here as characters from many different books have roles here and this is the first time that I feel like there is a plan to all of these canon books. The deciding factor for my rating is that this book doesn't really add much to the story line. We all know the Resistance regrouped and the story of it isn't the most exciting.
Ultimately, this is a character driven book and the author does a commendable job with aspect. But once again it seems like Disney has tied the hands of an author and not allowed anything of consequence really happen. It seems like the new canon books are just placeholders for the movies and that is where anything important will occur.
November 8, 2019
I danced at the edge of 3 stars when I was at 80% but, at the end, the last chapters didn't had the pay off I expected. But let's go back to the beggining.
Resistance Reborn is supposed to be in line with the rest of the "adult" books of SW -think Bloodline, Last Shot, Aftermath, Thrawn- but it actually feels like a YA one, and not a particulary good one.
There are chuncks of the book that are good, mainly the bits that are more heavy with descriptions than dialogue, because freaking hell was the dialogue bad and awkward (something I was already afraid of with the snippes they shared before release). Rey literally stuttering in every scene? Finn *gestures around* in general??? Her most solid voice was Poe, something I appreciated with him being the main character here. Wedge was also solid.
Yes, it's cool to see a lot of the other characters we know from the other complementary material here (Black squadron from the Poe comics, Zay and Shriv from Battlefron II, Norra and Wedge from Aftermath, mentions of Hera or Sabine, etc.), but as the book progressed, characters were divided in 4 groups (3 in resistance missions to get ships/information/people and one grounded on base) and one of them felt so irrelevant that I would had prefered not having that people on the book at all.
One of my problems with all the most recent batch of SW books is how terrible every writer seems to be about their villains. They are so involved with their heroes been amazing that the bad guys end up always a sort of punch line: nothing intimitating about them, no intelligence, no real danger or demostration of why the First Order is something difficult to defeat. I need tension to enjoy a story and HAVING A TON OF FAMOUS CHARACTERS IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT.
As an anecdote, I read 3 different fanfics (70k-90k) in between the book because I was that bored about everything that was happening, and I couldn't stop rolling my eyes every time the bad guy had a scene until he just... almost beats a girl to death??? It was super random and, I asume, a way to show the dark side??? Of course he's then unceremoniously deal with so not even that felt relevant.
Having been a mediocre book until that point I was waiting for the redemption they usually get with the action on the last 4-5 chapters but, as I said on the top, it never came. The actiont was flat with no real stakes, and so Resistance Reborn cemented it's fate as just an ok book that I'll probably forget in a few days. At least is real that you don't really need it to watch Rise of Skywalker and it does includes the return of a personal favorite.
Resistance Reborn is supposed to be in line with the rest of the "adult" books of SW -think Bloodline, Last Shot, Aftermath, Thrawn- but it actually feels like a YA one, and not a particulary good one.
There are chuncks of the book that are good, mainly the bits that are more heavy with descriptions than dialogue, because freaking hell was the dialogue bad and awkward (something I was already afraid of with the snippes they shared before release). Rey literally stuttering in every scene? Finn *gestures around* in general??? Her most solid voice was Poe, something I appreciated with him being the main character here. Wedge was also solid.
Yes, it's cool to see a lot of the other characters we know from the other complementary material here (Black squadron from the Poe comics, Zay and Shriv from Battlefron II, Norra and Wedge from Aftermath, mentions of Hera or Sabine, etc.), but as the book progressed, characters were divided in 4 groups (3 in resistance missions to get ships/information/people and one grounded on base) and one of them felt so irrelevant that I would had prefered not having that people on the book at all.
One of my problems with all the most recent batch of SW books is how terrible every writer seems to be about their villains. They are so involved with their heroes been amazing that the bad guys end up always a sort of punch line: nothing intimitating about them, no intelligence, no real danger or demostration of why the First Order is something difficult to defeat. I need tension to enjoy a story and HAVING A TON OF FAMOUS CHARACTERS IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT.
As an anecdote, I read 3 different fanfics (70k-90k) in between the book because I was that bored about everything that was happening, and I couldn't stop rolling my eyes every time the bad guy had a scene until he just... almost beats a girl to death??? It was super random and, I asume, a way to show the dark side??? Of course he's then unceremoniously deal with so not even that felt relevant.
Having been a mediocre book until that point I was waiting for the redemption they usually get with the action on the last 4-5 chapters but, as I said on the top, it never came. The actiont was flat with no real stakes, and so Resistance Reborn cemented it's fate as just an ok book that I'll probably forget in a few days. At least is real that you don't really need it to watch Rise of Skywalker and it does includes the return of a personal favorite.
December 26, 2019
Boring.
No real story to tell.
A custard donut with tasteless filling.
A waste of time. I have nothing good to say about this. It was almost a dnf but as a big fan of Star Wars i carried on without hyper-drive.
Wedge, Snap, Pava, Suralinda, Winshur, Calay, Yama, Norra, and Kare...Who?
I thought this was going to be a story with Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, Leia, and BB-8. The ole gang hanging out in Maz Kanata's watering hole having a couple green drinks.
I added a star because it's Christmas. For hard core Star Wars fans only.
No real story to tell.
A custard donut with tasteless filling.
A waste of time. I have nothing good to say about this. It was almost a dnf but as a big fan of Star Wars i carried on without hyper-drive.
Wedge, Snap, Pava, Suralinda, Winshur, Calay, Yama, Norra, and Kare...Who?
I thought this was going to be a story with Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, Leia, and BB-8. The ole gang hanging out in Maz Kanata's watering hole having a couple green drinks.
I added a star because it's Christmas. For hard core Star Wars fans only.
August 2, 2020
RESISTANCE REBORN is the first novel set in the post-Last Jedi world and sets up the galaxy for the upcoming RISE OF SKYWALKER film. The tattered remnants of the Resistance struggle to recruit a new army of leaders and soldiers to fight against the triumphant First Order.
THE LAST JEDI was a controversial movie among Star Wars fandom, even more so than THE FORCE AWAKENS. For many people, the themes of "kill the past" and that the Heroes of the original trilogy had feet of clay (but were still admirable) didn't go over well. I, myself, had severe problems with the handling of Luke Skywalker but have still maintained a mostly positive attitude toward Disney's handling of the franchise. So what did I think of it?
It's okay. This isn't me attempting to damn the book with faint praise but I struggle to really put into words why the book failed to connect with me. It has quite an excellent cast of characters, numerous nods to previous NuEU continuity, and a fairly well-developed plot. It also manages to give us a sense of what the state of the galaxy is post-Hosnian Prime's destruction.
The premise is the First Order has successfully conquered the entire galaxy in a matter of weeks. While the Republic collapsing and their fleets being destroyed was something established by The Force Awakens, it seems that there's no actual attempt by the remaining New Republic forces to resist against them. I find this disappointing and wished we had stories of the First Order battling their way across the galaxy but it seems they all folded like a deck of cards.
Much of the book is about General Organa, Poe Dameron, Finn, Rey, and others attempting to find allies in order to build a new Resistance. They don't appear to be actively seeking out New Republic remnants among their military and politicians but seeking ex-Rebels as well as ex-Imperials. I have severe issues with the latter because it falls into the trap of Imperial apologia.
One of the things I liked about the NuCanon is the fact that it treats Imperials like ex-Nazis, people who revolt the citizenry of the galaxy and are considered the scum of the universe. Recruiting Imperials against the First Order feels like the only way to defeat Hydra is to get the help of the Red Skull. The original recipe Imperials are forgiven in what is a good speech by Poe but I feel like they're people who are getting a lot more slack than they really deserve.
The galaxy feels less like it's been under an occupation for a few weeks and more like several years. Indeed, one character is unintentionally sympathetic because she's a seventeen year old girl working for the First Order. I couldn't help but wonder how sympathetic a young woman who signs up to work for the Axis after a week into their invasion of France would be.
One thing I liked about the book was Poe Damoren dwelled a lot on his betrayal of Holdo. The author establishes that Poe was not actually in the right, got plenty of Resistance soldiers killed, and has been heavily affected by his mutiny. I feel that's the way the movie intended his plotline and am glad someone has finally put it to rest.
While Poe's handling is excellent, I should note that Rey is almost nonexistent in this book despite her epic role in the new Trilogy. She shows up, says she's a junk trader and pilot but there's little talk about her Jedi training or plans to revive the order. She also expresses her regret about not being able to redeem Kylo Ren and overemphasizes her sympathy for him when I thought the movie was about how he's irredeemable. Finn also establishes he's not interested in either Rey or Rose, which seems bizarre given we have two movies of romance set up.
One character I liked was Winshur Bratt who is now one of my favorite Star Wars villains. A filing clerk for the First Order, he easily falls into the brutal and corrupt practices of the First Order. He's exactly how I expect someone who signs up for the regime to be like and he's every bit as contemptible and vile as someone attracted to space fascism should be. I also liked the appearance of Wedge Antilles and Nora Wexley. I'll never get over Wedge not being married to Iella but they make a reasonably cute couple. There's also a return of a popular Claudia Gray character but I'm a little concerned that it undermined the power of the book he appeared in's ending.
Overall, this book is fine but I feel like it doesn't paint a particularly good image of the Star Wars galaxy. The galaxy rolls over for the First Order and doesn't do a thing to resist them despite the fact they've nuked Washington D.C's equivalent. It also pretends there's a difference between the Empire and the First Order when they're equally as bad at best. People signing up to serve a fascist dictatorship that has conquered their homeland is also treated as normal. It's a weird and not very good take on the galaxy. On the other hand, the writer is excellent at battle scenes and I enjoyed their take on Poe.
THE LAST JEDI was a controversial movie among Star Wars fandom, even more so than THE FORCE AWAKENS. For many people, the themes of "kill the past" and that the Heroes of the original trilogy had feet of clay (but were still admirable) didn't go over well. I, myself, had severe problems with the handling of Luke Skywalker but have still maintained a mostly positive attitude toward Disney's handling of the franchise. So what did I think of it?
It's okay. This isn't me attempting to damn the book with faint praise but I struggle to really put into words why the book failed to connect with me. It has quite an excellent cast of characters, numerous nods to previous NuEU continuity, and a fairly well-developed plot. It also manages to give us a sense of what the state of the galaxy is post-Hosnian Prime's destruction.
The premise is the First Order has successfully conquered the entire galaxy in a matter of weeks. While the Republic collapsing and their fleets being destroyed was something established by The Force Awakens, it seems that there's no actual attempt by the remaining New Republic forces to resist against them. I find this disappointing and wished we had stories of the First Order battling their way across the galaxy but it seems they all folded like a deck of cards.
Much of the book is about General Organa, Poe Dameron, Finn, Rey, and others attempting to find allies in order to build a new Resistance. They don't appear to be actively seeking out New Republic remnants among their military and politicians but seeking ex-Rebels as well as ex-Imperials. I have severe issues with the latter because it falls into the trap of Imperial apologia.
One of the things I liked about the NuCanon is the fact that it treats Imperials like ex-Nazis, people who revolt the citizenry of the galaxy and are considered the scum of the universe. Recruiting Imperials against the First Order feels like the only way to defeat Hydra is to get the help of the Red Skull. The original recipe Imperials are forgiven in what is a good speech by Poe but I feel like they're people who are getting a lot more slack than they really deserve.
The galaxy feels less like it's been under an occupation for a few weeks and more like several years. Indeed, one character is unintentionally sympathetic because she's a seventeen year old girl working for the First Order. I couldn't help but wonder how sympathetic a young woman who signs up to work for the Axis after a week into their invasion of France would be.
One thing I liked about the book was Poe Damoren dwelled a lot on his betrayal of Holdo. The author establishes that Poe was not actually in the right, got plenty of Resistance soldiers killed, and has been heavily affected by his mutiny. I feel that's the way the movie intended his plotline and am glad someone has finally put it to rest.
While Poe's handling is excellent, I should note that Rey is almost nonexistent in this book despite her epic role in the new Trilogy. She shows up, says she's a junk trader and pilot but there's little talk about her Jedi training or plans to revive the order. She also expresses her regret about not being able to redeem Kylo Ren and overemphasizes her sympathy for him when I thought the movie was about how he's irredeemable. Finn also establishes he's not interested in either Rey or Rose, which seems bizarre given we have two movies of romance set up.
One character I liked was Winshur Bratt who is now one of my favorite Star Wars villains. A filing clerk for the First Order, he easily falls into the brutal and corrupt practices of the First Order. He's exactly how I expect someone who signs up for the regime to be like and he's every bit as contemptible and vile as someone attracted to space fascism should be. I also liked the appearance of Wedge Antilles and Nora Wexley. I'll never get over Wedge not being married to Iella but they make a reasonably cute couple. There's also a return of a popular Claudia Gray character but I'm a little concerned that it undermined the power of the book he appeared in's ending.
Overall, this book is fine but I feel like it doesn't paint a particularly good image of the Star Wars galaxy. The galaxy rolls over for the First Order and doesn't do a thing to resist them despite the fact they've nuked Washington D.C's equivalent. It also pretends there's a difference between the Empire and the First Order when they're equally as bad at best. People signing up to serve a fascist dictatorship that has conquered their homeland is also treated as normal. It's a weird and not very good take on the galaxy. On the other hand, the writer is excellent at battle scenes and I enjoyed their take on Poe.
December 10, 2019
Just what I wanted to tide me over until TROS comes out next week.
This audio production was fantastic, accompanying sound effects etc. giving a really great, immersive feel. Creepy how the narrator made Poe sound just like Oscar Isaac. The plot lagged a bit for me in the middle so I took my time, but the final act had me glued to my app. There were some cute FinnPoe moments, I think as much as this franchise is gonna let us have. Not everyone makes it out and parts were scary, but that's Star Wars for you. Some old favorites showed up, and some important inclusion was woven into the plot. All the ladies are badasses.
A solid 4 stars. Now to brush up on the movie novelizations...
This audio production was fantastic, accompanying sound effects etc. giving a really great, immersive feel. Creepy how the narrator made Poe sound just like Oscar Isaac. The plot lagged a bit for me in the middle so I took my time, but the final act had me glued to my app. There were some cute FinnPoe moments, I think as much as this franchise is gonna let us have. Not everyone makes it out and parts were scary, but that's Star Wars for you. Some old favorites showed up, and some important inclusion was woven into the plot. All the ladies are badasses.
A solid 4 stars. Now to brush up on the movie novelizations...
January 11, 2021
Now *that* was hopeful.
TW: death, violence
TW: death, violence
January 4, 2020
Man am I getting tired of these new canon books being this particularly dull shade of underwhelming. Everyone seems to like this book but I can't see why. There's nothing to it. It takes a giant handful of canon characters who weren't dead at the end of TLJ and gives them a handful of adventures that do little more than mark time before TROS. Everyone is here, from Rey, Rose, Finn, Poe, Leia, Konnix, and Nien Nunb to Black Squadron from the Poe Dameron comics, Norra and Wedge Antilles from the Aftermath books, Casterfo from Bloodline, Zay and Shriv from Battlefront, a few Twi-Leks from Clone Wars, and more. Even Bracca from Fallen Order shows up. Then there's a whole bunch of random new side characters who are along for the ride too. Whose story is this? Poe's, and Leia's, to some extent, and maybe Snap? Otherwise there's just a ton of little moments that don't add up to anything. It's a disastrous concept for a novel, the sort of thing any 101 writing book will tell you not to do, and while some authors might be able to pull that kind of "rules are made to be broken" feat off, this is not that. What are the implications of any of these storylines? What changes, internally or externally? Hard to think of anything.
The best parts are Roanhorse's new characters, the Corellian records office bureaucrats. There's a whole little thematic arc there about petty tyrants and the promise of power and violence. It's nice because Bratt is both emblematic of the First Order's whole ethos but because he shares its lack of self-awareness, he fails to understand how it would see someone like him, a minute replica of its own sins. His dynamic with Yama Dex feels almost out of place here, the kind of thing you'd explore in a novel about a 19th century patent office or something, and it also has some of the most viscerally physical violence in any Star Wars media. For all the Wars in this series how many times has a man ever beaten a women on screen? That said, I didn't actually like those characters all that much, and they're squeezed to the margins by all the main characters taking up so much time. If this story had more time to breathe on its own it might have landed with a bit more impact by the end.
The best parts are Roanhorse's new characters, the Corellian records office bureaucrats. There's a whole little thematic arc there about petty tyrants and the promise of power and violence. It's nice because Bratt is both emblematic of the First Order's whole ethos but because he shares its lack of self-awareness, he fails to understand how it would see someone like him, a minute replica of its own sins. His dynamic with Yama Dex feels almost out of place here, the kind of thing you'd explore in a novel about a 19th century patent office or something, and it also has some of the most viscerally physical violence in any Star Wars media. For all the Wars in this series how many times has a man ever beaten a women on screen? That said, I didn't actually like those characters all that much, and they're squeezed to the margins by all the main characters taking up so much time. If this story had more time to breathe on its own it might have landed with a bit more impact by the end.
December 23, 2019
I have far too many feelings over The Rise of Skywalker rn to talk about this, so I'm just going to go and continue intensely sobbing and get this review done at a later point.
November 12, 2019
An entertaining but totally forgettable adventure in a galaxy far far away.
It was like reading a fan fiction, enjoyable but a bit out of the Star Wars dimension I’m used to. Some of the protagonists were a bit out of character. Rey is the best example: she is stuttering at every single phrase, she becomes shy, afraid of speaking to others and ready to run aways in front of a possible conversation. On the contrary there are some solid characters too, like Leia and Poe. Our brave pilot is the new real leader of what's left of the Resistance and during the entire book we get to see his growth process, that began in “The Last Jedi”, reach the climax. In the end he’s still a cocky bastard but at least a responsible one.
Now onto the technical details. The dialogues were the weakest part of the book (as well as the villains representation), they were incredibly forced and awkward a times. While on the other hand, the action scenes were quite dynamic and fluid.
As for the villains depiction, well that could have been done better. It’s not a mystery that I’m a fan of the Dark Side, so seeing the povs of characters belonging to the First Order was a sweet surprise for me. But even if the character we follow is a good example of how weak minds can be easily manipulated by darkness, his presence is a mere excuse to show how bad the First Order is and how good is the Resistance. The real power of the Dark Side is the seduction that allures every single creature, few are the chosen ones who can try the darkness and not be swayed by it.
In this book the Dark Side is not a menace or a real danger for our protagonists. The tension was absent and the fight was over really quickly because the First Order was only a small obstacle in a steeplechase for a professional runner.
I also think that the author wanted to introduce an important theme in the Star Wars universe: violence against women. Unfortunately the way it was dealt with resulted only as an excuse to make the villain disgusting and give the good guys a reason to kill him without a second thought. This was probably the greatest disappointment, I think it’s time for SW to introduce such delicate themes, but they have to be correctly depicted and rightfully pointed out, the message is clear only if the representation is. So thanks but no thanks.
Last question I want to point out is the dynamic between Finn and Poe, which was perfect and made me ask myself if the author herself isn’t a fan of this particular ship too. Finn basically friendzones Rose, leaving him available for a possible romance with someone else (not his friend/sister Rey obviously). During the entire plot we get to see many cute romantic cliches between the ex trooper and the pilot, I have to admit that my hopes were high. Unfortunately in the end it all goes to nothing. This couple could really open new roads in a galaxy far far away, especially in the diversity representation, and could easily become the new main pairing in the Age of Resistance. I don’t know why authors and producers are afraid of making the Poe x Finn couple canon, they dance around it, giving hints that they could be more than just friends but that’s all. Cowards!
So Resistance Reborn is not a fundamental step towards “The Rise of Skywalker” but it certainly helps to cope with the hiatus, and it’s a good way to come back home, in a galaxy far far away!
It was like reading a fan fiction, enjoyable but a bit out of the Star Wars dimension I’m used to. Some of the protagonists were a bit out of character. Rey is the best example: she is stuttering at every single phrase, she becomes shy, afraid of speaking to others and ready to run aways in front of a possible conversation. On the contrary there are some solid characters too, like Leia and Poe. Our brave pilot is the new real leader of what's left of the Resistance and during the entire book we get to see his growth process, that began in “The Last Jedi”, reach the climax. In the end he’s still a cocky bastard but at least a responsible one.
Now onto the technical details. The dialogues were the weakest part of the book (as well as the villains representation), they were incredibly forced and awkward a times. While on the other hand, the action scenes were quite dynamic and fluid.
As for the villains depiction, well that could have been done better. It’s not a mystery that I’m a fan of the Dark Side, so seeing the povs of characters belonging to the First Order was a sweet surprise for me. But even if the character we follow is a good example of how weak minds can be easily manipulated by darkness, his presence is a mere excuse to show how bad the First Order is and how good is the Resistance. The real power of the Dark Side is the seduction that allures every single creature, few are the chosen ones who can try the darkness and not be swayed by it.
In this book the Dark Side is not a menace or a real danger for our protagonists. The tension was absent and the fight was over really quickly because the First Order was only a small obstacle in a steeplechase for a professional runner.
I also think that the author wanted to introduce an important theme in the Star Wars universe: violence against women. Unfortunately the way it was dealt with resulted only as an excuse to make the villain disgusting and give the good guys a reason to kill him without a second thought. This was probably the greatest disappointment, I think it’s time for SW to introduce such delicate themes, but they have to be correctly depicted and rightfully pointed out, the message is clear only if the representation is. So thanks but no thanks.
Last question I want to point out is the dynamic between Finn and Poe, which was perfect and made me ask myself if the author herself isn’t a fan of this particular ship too. Finn basically friendzones Rose, leaving him available for a possible romance with someone else (not his friend/sister Rey obviously). During the entire plot we get to see many cute romantic cliches between the ex trooper and the pilot, I have to admit that my hopes were high. Unfortunately in the end it all goes to nothing. This couple could really open new roads in a galaxy far far away, especially in the diversity representation, and could easily become the new main pairing in the Age of Resistance. I don’t know why authors and producers are afraid of making the Poe x Finn couple canon, they dance around it, giving hints that they could be more than just friends but that’s all. Cowards!
So Resistance Reborn is not a fundamental step towards “The Rise of Skywalker” but it certainly helps to cope with the hiatus, and it’s a good way to come back home, in a galaxy far far away!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this! I was not sure I would, since I was afraid it would be too depressing, considering the Resistance has almost no resources and very few people going into this story. And those alive are hurting, and feeling deeply discouraged.
Leia is still recovering from her time in vacuum, and still trying to motivate everyone around her, figure out who the tiny Resistance can turn to, and where they can hide for a little while so they begin rebuilding. The lack of response to their call for help while on Crait was a big psychological blow to everyone, and Leia is feeling down, in pain, and is wracking her brain for a way forward.
She remembers an old contact, and the group also gets word of a First Order list of high-level prisoners that everyone wants to rescue. And so, we have multiple teams in motion, some headed for Corellia, others to a Twi'lek moon.
I loved all the connections Roanhorse made to other books (Star Wars: Aftermath series, Bloodline, etc.) and to the characters she chose to include in this book. My favourite character, next to Leia from A New Hope, Wedge Antilles (pilot extraordinaire and the real hero of the actions on the Death Stars) and Norra Wexley (a super determined woman and wicked brilliant pilot from the Aftermath series and mother of Snap Wexley) are back, cognizant of their older bodies and the benefits of their retired life, but still willing to jump back in to oppose the First Order. That Wedge is back was great, but we also see Roanhorse show Poe slowly and believably learn from his colossal mistake that led the Resistance to where they are now, and assume a more mature outlook on everything that needs to be done. And though we didn't get a lot scenes between Finn and Poe, considering all the missions that were happening, I loved the little moments between the two, because those two are just so cute! And I liked that Rose was assuming more responsibility within the Resistance (though I guess since the Resistance has almost zero ships, she doesn't have much engineering or other substantial work to do in this book). And, there was a nice shift from the elder members of the Resistance to the younger ones of Poe, Rey, Finn, Rose and Connix. And I liked the other characters Roanhorse introduced in the various teams. This was a fun and interesting story leading into the last story of the movie trilogy.
Leia is still recovering from her time in vacuum, and still trying to motivate everyone around her, figure out who the tiny Resistance can turn to, and where they can hide for a little while so they begin rebuilding. The lack of response to their call for help while on Crait was a big psychological blow to everyone, and Leia is feeling down, in pain, and is wracking her brain for a way forward.
She remembers an old contact, and the group also gets word of a First Order list of high-level prisoners that everyone wants to rescue. And so, we have multiple teams in motion, some headed for Corellia, others to a Twi'lek moon.
I loved all the connections Roanhorse made to other books (Star Wars: Aftermath series, Bloodline, etc.) and to the characters she chose to include in this book. My favourite character, next to Leia from A New Hope, Wedge Antilles (pilot extraordinaire and the real hero of the actions on the Death Stars) and Norra Wexley (a super determined woman and wicked brilliant pilot from the Aftermath series and mother of Snap Wexley) are back, cognizant of their older bodies and the benefits of their retired life, but still willing to jump back in to oppose the First Order. That Wedge is back was great, but we also see Roanhorse show Poe slowly and believably learn from his colossal mistake that led the Resistance to where they are now, and assume a more mature outlook on everything that needs to be done. And though we didn't get a lot scenes between Finn and Poe, considering all the missions that were happening, I loved the little moments between the two, because those two are just so cute! And I liked that Rose was assuming more responsibility within the Resistance (though I guess since the Resistance has almost zero ships, she doesn't have much engineering or other substantial work to do in this book). And, there was a nice shift from the elder members of the Resistance to the younger ones of Poe, Rey, Finn, Rose and Connix. And I liked the other characters Roanhorse introduced in the various teams. This was a fun and interesting story leading into the last story of the movie trilogy.
December 14, 2019
Should have reviewed this right after reading it :P My favorite parts are with Leia and Rey. Really hoping for Bendemption in The Rise of Skywalker in a couple weeks when I go see it :) Y'all have your tickets yet? I got mine about a month ago xD
November 27, 2019
Eish, this was so, so frustrating. Focuses exclusively on Poe (and his hair), with Finn as sidekick, and Rey on the sidelines. Broad brush strokes for context, but little coherence or even interest here other than a micro plot. Irritatingly shameless Leia nostalgia-fest that quickly becomes tiresome. A great pity, as Roanhorse really puts her heart on her sleeve here, but is hobbled at the gate by Disney-the-First-Order's restrictions.
February 4, 2020
Rating: 7.5/10
Thanks to PRH Audio, the author, and the narrator for a listening copy of Resistance Reborn (Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this LC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.
First off, can we talk about how amazing Marc Thompson is as a narrator for the Star Wars franchise? He absolutely nails Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron in this one, almost as if Isaac popped into the studio for a time to record his parts. On top of that, even his Leia Organa, Finn, and Rey voiceovers were pretty top notch, capturing all of the energy, tics, tones, etc. each of the characters exhibit in the movies. He does so with gusto, perfectly pacing each section to give a movie-like quality to the audiobook. You know, on top of getting the usual sound effects and music these recordings are known for.
This was my first Rebecca Roanhorse novel, though I do have the first two (2) books in her Sixth World series queued up now that I have taken a chance on her, and I can say that I really enjoyed her introduction into the Star Wars universe, especially since she was able to take the characters we know and love from the new trilogy and help piece together their story between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. I think it is so neat that a fairly well known author, on her own right, has the opportunity to gain an even bigger audience by writing in a galaxy that is universally well-regarded and voraciously sought after.
Roanhorse is able to truly capture these characters and bring them to life via the written word, and it is almost as if you can watch the scenes unfold. All of the mannerisms, snark, attitudes, and so forth that we are used to seeing on the big screen are here, including the mysteriousness of Maz Kanata. I thought the author also did a great job stringing together multiple, we will call them storylines, but really they are separate “missions” told in subsequent chapters that all tie together at the end in a neat little bow.
Resistance Reborn is really a Poe Dameron redemption story. It is his opportunity to make up for his reckless actions in The Last Jedi by basically doing whatever task Organa bestows upon him. But if you have journeyed alongside Poe up to this point, you know he is hardest on himself and will do anything to help the Resistance.
If you are a big fan of Star Wars, I’d recommend Resistance Reborn, especially if you enjoy this cast of characters and would like some of the loose-ties from The Last Jedi to be a little tighter.
Thanks to PRH Audio, the author, and the narrator for a listening copy of Resistance Reborn (Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this LC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.
First off, can we talk about how amazing Marc Thompson is as a narrator for the Star Wars franchise? He absolutely nails Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron in this one, almost as if Isaac popped into the studio for a time to record his parts. On top of that, even his Leia Organa, Finn, and Rey voiceovers were pretty top notch, capturing all of the energy, tics, tones, etc. each of the characters exhibit in the movies. He does so with gusto, perfectly pacing each section to give a movie-like quality to the audiobook. You know, on top of getting the usual sound effects and music these recordings are known for.
This was my first Rebecca Roanhorse novel, though I do have the first two (2) books in her Sixth World series queued up now that I have taken a chance on her, and I can say that I really enjoyed her introduction into the Star Wars universe, especially since she was able to take the characters we know and love from the new trilogy and help piece together their story between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. I think it is so neat that a fairly well known author, on her own right, has the opportunity to gain an even bigger audience by writing in a galaxy that is universally well-regarded and voraciously sought after.
Roanhorse is able to truly capture these characters and bring them to life via the written word, and it is almost as if you can watch the scenes unfold. All of the mannerisms, snark, attitudes, and so forth that we are used to seeing on the big screen are here, including the mysteriousness of Maz Kanata. I thought the author also did a great job stringing together multiple, we will call them storylines, but really they are separate “missions” told in subsequent chapters that all tie together at the end in a neat little bow.
Resistance Reborn is really a Poe Dameron redemption story. It is his opportunity to make up for his reckless actions in The Last Jedi by basically doing whatever task Organa bestows upon him. But if you have journeyed alongside Poe up to this point, you know he is hardest on himself and will do anything to help the Resistance.
If you are a big fan of Star Wars, I’d recommend Resistance Reborn, especially if you enjoy this cast of characters and would like some of the loose-ties from The Last Jedi to be a little tighter.
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