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Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Force Collector
Karr is a teenage boy like many others in the galaxy. He goes to school, helps his parents with the family business, likes speeders and droids. But Karr also has a secret: when he touches certain objects, he gets searing headaches and blacks out. And sometimes along with the pain come visions of people he doesn’t know and places he’s never been.
Karr’s parents worry that he’s sick; his grandmother is convinced the visions come from the Force. But it’s been years since anyone has heard from the last of the Jedi — Luke Skywalker. Are there any Jedi left to guide Karr in the use of his abilities? Is anyone even willing to talk about the Jedi and what happened to them, as their memory continues to fade and the First Order rises?
When his grandmother dies and his parents announce they’re sending him to school on the other side of the planet, Karr reaches his breaking point. He needs to know what his destiny holds, and whether the Jedi are involved. Accompanied by Maize, the blunt, unpredictable new girl at school, and RZ-7, Karr’s solicitous droid companion, he sets off into the larger galaxy to find the truth. His adventures will take him from Utapau to Jakku to Takodana and beyond as he learns more about the Jedi than he could have expected … and about his own place in the Force.
Karr’s parents worry that he’s sick; his grandmother is convinced the visions come from the Force. But it’s been years since anyone has heard from the last of the Jedi — Luke Skywalker. Are there any Jedi left to guide Karr in the use of his abilities? Is anyone even willing to talk about the Jedi and what happened to them, as their memory continues to fade and the First Order rises?
When his grandmother dies and his parents announce they’re sending him to school on the other side of the planet, Karr reaches his breaking point. He needs to know what his destiny holds, and whether the Jedi are involved. Accompanied by Maize, the blunt, unpredictable new girl at school, and RZ-7, Karr’s solicitous droid companion, he sets off into the larger galaxy to find the truth. His adventures will take him from Utapau to Jakku to Takodana and beyond as he learns more about the Jedi than he could have expected … and about his own place in the Force.
380 pages, Paperback
First published November 19, 2019
183 people are currently reading
3410 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 367 reviews
June 16, 2022
A great book. Ok this is not an action book or a book that has any great revelations towards Rise of Skywalker, what this book does really well is history of the current 8 movies.
Karr is brought up in a time where the Jedi were either a myth or regarded as traitors. He has his own connections to the force is a rare of being able to to read the history of objects. The other Jedi with this ability was Quinlan Vos (on a side note Vos was my favourite Jedi from the republic era, I don't think his appearance in the Clone Wars series or the Dark Disiple book did him justice). With the aid of his ability, new friend Maize and his faithful droid RZ-7. He must unlock the forgotten past to discover his future.
I really enjoyed this book. It is set a little while before the Force Awakens, but does use a couple of locations and characters from the Force Awakens and the Last Jedi. This is the third book to mention the planet Batuu has been mentioned in. I am guessing it will play some significance in the new movie the Rise of Skywalker.
Karr is brought up in a time where the Jedi were either a myth or regarded as traitors. He has his own connections to the force is a rare of being able to to read the history of objects. The other Jedi with this ability was Quinlan Vos (on a side note Vos was my favourite Jedi from the republic era, I don't think his appearance in the Clone Wars series or the Dark Disiple book did him justice). With the aid of his ability, new friend Maize and his faithful droid RZ-7. He must unlock the forgotten past to discover his future.
I really enjoyed this book. It is set a little while before the Force Awakens, but does use a couple of locations and characters from the Force Awakens and the Last Jedi. This is the third book to mention the planet Batuu has been mentioned in. I am guessing it will play some significance in the new movie the Rise of Skywalker.
August 14, 2020
Actual rating is 2.5 stars.
This is a YA book that is supposed to be tied in with Episode IX. In my opinion it ties in more with Episode VII. In this one, Karr is suffering from headaches when he touches an item and has a vision. He believes he has the force but it is proving difficult to prove since there is very little evidence of it being an actual concept.
At the beginning of this book I was totally invested in the concept of this book. I liked the character of Karr and his droid. I loved the idea of a potential force wielder who has no one to train him. Will he use the force to benefit others or just help himself? And how does one develop these powers on their own? Unfortunately, this book didn't want to go in that direction. It went in a direction of where he would touch various items and we would get scenes from various movies or series that we have already seen. It reminded me a lot of a first episode of a new season of a television series. In the opening moments we get "previously on" where it recaps the previous season as a friendly reminder where the characters left off in their progression. The majority of this book was a "previously on" and it didn't really work for me. Sure, it is great to relive these moments but there wasn't much meat to the actual story until the last act.
This book is a great example of how I feel about Disney's expanded universe. They introduce a character or a concept and it seems interesting. But they do nothing with them and play it safe. That is this book. It was played safe and has no affect on the overall universe. This book had potential and I really hope that there is a sequel and we explore that potential.
This is a YA book that is supposed to be tied in with Episode IX. In my opinion it ties in more with Episode VII. In this one, Karr is suffering from headaches when he touches an item and has a vision. He believes he has the force but it is proving difficult to prove since there is very little evidence of it being an actual concept.
At the beginning of this book I was totally invested in the concept of this book. I liked the character of Karr and his droid. I loved the idea of a potential force wielder who has no one to train him. Will he use the force to benefit others or just help himself? And how does one develop these powers on their own? Unfortunately, this book didn't want to go in that direction. It went in a direction of where he would touch various items and we would get scenes from various movies or series that we have already seen. It reminded me a lot of a first episode of a new season of a television series. In the opening moments we get "previously on" where it recaps the previous season as a friendly reminder where the characters left off in their progression. The majority of this book was a "previously on" and it didn't really work for me. Sure, it is great to relive these moments but there wasn't much meat to the actual story until the last act.
This book is a great example of how I feel about Disney's expanded universe. They introduce a character or a concept and it seems interesting. But they do nothing with them and play it safe. That is this book. It was played safe and has no affect on the overall universe. This book had potential and I really hope that there is a sequel and we explore that potential.
October 12, 2022
What a beautiful story. I can imagine how many other children had to experience those type of experiences being born force sensitive. No one to train them, teach them, talk to them.
This is the first book I’ve ever crossed by written by Shinick and it is a great read. Would really recommend it for anyone that likes the sequels, have visited Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, or it trying to get their heads around the sequel story.
4.4 Stars
This is the first book I’ve ever crossed by written by Shinick and it is a great read. Would really recommend it for anyone that likes the sequels, have visited Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, or it trying to get their heads around the sequel story.
4.4 Stars
August 25, 2020
This was surprisingly enjoyable. We’ve got a 1) teen who gets monster headaches and visions when he touches certain objects, 2) a classmate with a father working for the First a Order and a penchant for causing trouble, 3) a lovable droid, and 4) a grandmother's stories about the apparently totally mythical Jedi and their exploits.
Karr, who's been trying to hone what his grandmother believes is Jedi ability, is frustrated by his lack of control, headaches and fainting spells. After another fainting spell at school, Karr's parents decide to pull him out, against his wishes. This is also the same day Karr meets Maize, who's upset by her family's need to constantly move thanks to her father's work for the First Order, and who also doesn't believe that the Jedi ever existed. In frustration with their respective parents’ control of them, the two decide to leave the planet and search for evidence of the knights.
Karr and Maize set off through the galaxy, following objects and what Karr can glean of the history and location of people from the vision he gets from the object. He manages to discover that the Jedi were real, and had been betrayed years before, with their presence wiped out from history by the Empire.
This story of the two teens and their developing friendship was great, and it was fun revisiting various stories from Star Wars' past.
What I particularly liked was how this story is a nice reminder about how fascist dictators/autocrats can, by manipulating written history and communications, can change the public’s perception of a group, and even erase the stories and presence of the group eventually from common knowledge.
Karr, who's been trying to hone what his grandmother believes is Jedi ability, is frustrated by his lack of control, headaches and fainting spells. After another fainting spell at school, Karr's parents decide to pull him out, against his wishes. This is also the same day Karr meets Maize, who's upset by her family's need to constantly move thanks to her father's work for the First Order, and who also doesn't believe that the Jedi ever existed. In frustration with their respective parents’ control of them, the two decide to leave the planet and search for evidence of the knights.
Karr and Maize set off through the galaxy, following objects and what Karr can glean of the history and location of people from the vision he gets from the object. He manages to discover that the Jedi were real, and had been betrayed years before, with their presence wiped out from history by the Empire.
This story of the two teens and their developing friendship was great, and it was fun revisiting various stories from Star Wars' past.
What I particularly liked was how this story is a nice reminder about how fascist dictators/autocrats can, by manipulating written history and communications, can change the public’s perception of a group, and even erase the stories and presence of the group eventually from common knowledge.
December 16, 2019
We are less than a week away from the final movie in the main Star Wars saga, The Rise of Skywalker, so it is about time that I got around to reviewing the final Star Wars novel of 2019, Star Wars: Force Collector by Kevin Shinick.
Set shortly before the events of The Force Awakens, Force Collector revolves around Karr, a teenage boy living on a backwater planet. Karr lives a difficult life; anytime he touches an item that has witnessed an important or traumatic event, he gets a searing headache and blacks out. However, these items also impart onto him a vision of the history associated with it, allowing him to glimpse into the past. While his parents search for a rational explanation for his episodes, Karr’s grandmother knows the real reason for strange visions: he is gifted with the Force.
Attempting to learn how to control his abilities, Karr struggles with his training and hopes to find someone who can teach him in the ways of the Force. However, all the Jedi are long dead, and no-one on his planet knows what happened to them. Determined to learn more, Karr begins to collect historical items which he hopes will allow him to have some vision of the Jedi and learn where to find them. However, the few meagre artefacts he can lay his hands on are unable to provide him with the knowledge he seeks.
When Karr’s grandmother dies and his parents attempt to send him away to a school on the other side of the planet, he finally has enough. Determined to find an actual Jedi to help him, Karr, his droid RZ-7, and his school’s new troublemaker, Maize, steal a First Order ship belonging to Maize’s father and set out on an adventure. Travelling from one planet to the next, Karr and his friends attempt to trace the history of the Jedi. Finding obscure item after obscure item, Karr is eventually able to piece together the events that led to the downfall of the Jedi order and the rise of the Empire. However, the greatest secrets may lay even closer to home than he imagined.
For the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2019/12/16/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Set shortly before the events of The Force Awakens, Force Collector revolves around Karr, a teenage boy living on a backwater planet. Karr lives a difficult life; anytime he touches an item that has witnessed an important or traumatic event, he gets a searing headache and blacks out. However, these items also impart onto him a vision of the history associated with it, allowing him to glimpse into the past. While his parents search for a rational explanation for his episodes, Karr’s grandmother knows the real reason for strange visions: he is gifted with the Force.
Attempting to learn how to control his abilities, Karr struggles with his training and hopes to find someone who can teach him in the ways of the Force. However, all the Jedi are long dead, and no-one on his planet knows what happened to them. Determined to learn more, Karr begins to collect historical items which he hopes will allow him to have some vision of the Jedi and learn where to find them. However, the few meagre artefacts he can lay his hands on are unable to provide him with the knowledge he seeks.
When Karr’s grandmother dies and his parents attempt to send him away to a school on the other side of the planet, he finally has enough. Determined to find an actual Jedi to help him, Karr, his droid RZ-7, and his school’s new troublemaker, Maize, steal a First Order ship belonging to Maize’s father and set out on an adventure. Travelling from one planet to the next, Karr and his friends attempt to trace the history of the Jedi. Finding obscure item after obscure item, Karr is eventually able to piece together the events that led to the downfall of the Jedi order and the rise of the Empire. However, the greatest secrets may lay even closer to home than he imagined.
For the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2019/12/16/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
November 20, 2019
When I heard about this book, the premise of it didn't really catch my eye. The only thing that intrigued me was that it was part of the "Journey to the Rise of Skywalker" line of books and somehow had details that added to the movie. I heard this book was skippable and not good.
Those sentiments were wrong.
The beginning of this book is a bit cheesy. The first 70ish pages feel like a Harry Potter scene in Star Wars, but after that it really picked up.
I absolutely loved how Karr goes planet-hopping searching for artifacts about the Jedi. The reader and the characters essentially get to revisit the major moments throughout each of the movies in the saga(with quite a lot of prequel references which surprised me). The "flashbacks" were great and I was so excited every time Karr touched another object.
What I also really liked was the way this book both connects and doesn't connect with the rest of the canon. You can read this book as your first Star Wars book and it works great. It only hinges on the reader having watched the movies, but doesn't require knowledge of any other books. However, there are plenty of references, to movies, books and comics that got a huge reader like me excited. There are particularly a lot of references to "A Crash of Fate" and "The Force Awakens" that I thought were well placed.
The writing style was a bit childish-even for a YA novel. However, it is understandable since this is Kevin Shinick's first novel of any kind, and that's still pretty good.
The characters were fun and felt like typical Star Wars characters, albeit younger than we're used to.
I don't entirely know how this book will connect to the Rise of Skywalker, but that is part of the fun and part of what gets me excited for the movie.
As a whole, this is a really fun read. Fans of the other books will like it and if you've never read a Star Wars book, this is also a great, unintimidating place to get started. 8.7 out of 10! Great job Shinick.
(By the way, this is the first Star Wars YA novel to be written by a man, so it's good to finally get some equal representation in the YA publishing world. Hope it continues).
Those sentiments were wrong.
The beginning of this book is a bit cheesy. The first 70ish pages feel like a Harry Potter scene in Star Wars, but after that it really picked up.
I absolutely loved how Karr goes planet-hopping searching for artifacts about the Jedi. The reader and the characters essentially get to revisit the major moments throughout each of the movies in the saga(with quite a lot of prequel references which surprised me). The "flashbacks" were great and I was so excited every time Karr touched another object.
What I also really liked was the way this book both connects and doesn't connect with the rest of the canon. You can read this book as your first Star Wars book and it works great. It only hinges on the reader having watched the movies, but doesn't require knowledge of any other books. However, there are plenty of references, to movies, books and comics that got a huge reader like me excited. There are particularly a lot of references to "A Crash of Fate" and "The Force Awakens" that I thought were well placed.
The writing style was a bit childish-even for a YA novel. However, it is understandable since this is Kevin Shinick's first novel of any kind, and that's still pretty good.
The characters were fun and felt like typical Star Wars characters, albeit younger than we're used to.
I don't entirely know how this book will connect to the Rise of Skywalker, but that is part of the fun and part of what gets me excited for the movie.
As a whole, this is a really fun read. Fans of the other books will like it and if you've never read a Star Wars book, this is also a great, unintimidating place to get started. 8.7 out of 10! Great job Shinick.
(By the way, this is the first Star Wars YA novel to be written by a man, so it's good to finally get some equal representation in the YA publishing world. Hope it continues).
February 19, 2026
This was so exellent! From start to finish, and as a plus it was easy to follow the writing! Ahh, but i need more! i don't want it to end there. i want to read more about Karr about Maize and how their lives go on after the big discovery! It was just so good!
March 27, 2021
Dejando de lado que no tiene mucha accion, creo que es mi favorito de Star wars de los que he leido este año.
January 31, 2021
This short novel has everything I really like in a Star Wars’ novel: not only you get to have glimpse of the Skywalker’s saga through Karr’s eyes, but you also have an beautiful story about the importance of History. History and memory are not the same, and I truly enjoy the way the character of Karr is questioning his own identity by the prism of his powers. The Force gives him the power to read the past, but does that make him part of the History? Would his memory serve the greater Good and help him to spread the truth about the Jedi? Wow that’s really interesting to read!
It’s a really good book, with an adventurous flavor and everyone who enjoyed the movie would love this one.
It’s a really good book, with an adventurous flavor and everyone who enjoyed the movie would love this one.
August 25, 2020
This was a really interesting exercise as a work of Star Wars fiction- I don't think I'd read a canon book since Catalyst that was overall this light on violence and action, with a very healthy dose of Young Adult coming of age awkwardness to compensate.
Covers don't tell the whole story, obviously, so once I got used to the idea this wasn't going to be the story of a mysterious hooded nomad wandering the wilds but instead a teenaged boy with a few quirks, no friends at school, and a close relationship with his grandma I settled in for the journey and found it to be a pleasant one.
Karr Nuq Sin is a young man with a gift that is also a bit of a curse- similar to Dark Disciple's Jedi Knight Quinlan Voss, he gets a sense of an object's past through touching it, though his ability is untrained and generally results in him passing out in a fit. The school authorities don't know what to do with him, the bullies mock him, and the new girl in town who catches his eye thinks the Jedi never even existed.
One series of unlikely events and conversations lead to another and before long Karr is hopping from planet to planet in a stolen First Order ship accompanied by this skeptical girl, Maize, and his trusty droid Arzee. There are a number of memorable sequences including a trip to Maz Kanata's castle and even Batuu (Disney marketing synergy strikes again, but it was fine) before finding things out about the Force and his own past that could well change the Galaxy forever.
As a guy who is well-versed in the lore and has been following this saga since my earliest days this was generally a good-natured, nostalgic trip and I would recommend it to anyone just looking to spend some time in this universe. I'm not sure we'll ever see Karr again, but I for one wouldn't mind seeing him again a few years down the road in his life to see whatever new items have been added to his growing collection.
Oh, OK, maybe we already kind of know...
Covers don't tell the whole story, obviously, so once I got used to the idea this wasn't going to be the story of a mysterious hooded nomad wandering the wilds but instead a teenaged boy with a few quirks, no friends at school, and a close relationship with his grandma I settled in for the journey and found it to be a pleasant one.
Karr Nuq Sin is a young man with a gift that is also a bit of a curse- similar to Dark Disciple's Jedi Knight Quinlan Voss, he gets a sense of an object's past through touching it, though his ability is untrained and generally results in him passing out in a fit. The school authorities don't know what to do with him, the bullies mock him, and the new girl in town who catches his eye thinks the Jedi never even existed.
One series of unlikely events and conversations lead to another and before long Karr is hopping from planet to planet in a stolen First Order ship accompanied by this skeptical girl, Maize, and his trusty droid Arzee. There are a number of memorable sequences including a trip to Maz Kanata's castle and even Batuu (Disney marketing synergy strikes again, but it was fine) before finding things out about the Force and his own past that could well change the Galaxy forever.
As a guy who is well-versed in the lore and has been following this saga since my earliest days this was generally a good-natured, nostalgic trip and I would recommend it to anyone just looking to spend some time in this universe. I'm not sure we'll ever see Karr again, but I for one wouldn't mind seeing him again a few years down the road in his life to see whatever new items have been added to his growing collection.
Oh, OK, maybe we already kind of know...
January 12, 2020
3.5 stars
This is a nice, nostalgic, sentimental YA Star Wars novel.
Karr is a lonely force sensitive teen, with a droid named RZ-7 as his only friend. He's been having horrible headaches, and blacks out when he touches certin objects. If they have Jedi/force energy, he sees flashes of the who/what beheld the object.
Only his grandma believes he is force sensitive, and does her best to guide him until her death.
Karr meets Maize (a trouble making daughter of a first order employee) while they're both at the principal's office. They form a friendship,and when Karr is told he's being taken out of school, they run away on her dads ship. Karr (a collector of anything Jedi) Maize and RZ go on a planet hoping search of artifacts and proof that the Jedi were real.
The nostalgia kicks in as they visit Jakku, Oba Diah, fly the Kessel Run, meet Dok-Ondar and finally Maz Katana. Karr see images of Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan, the Jedi Temple, Inquisitors and light saber battles.
Finding real proof of the Jedi, only confuses Karr more about who he is and how he fits in.
The final person he seeks out will be the answer to all his questions...
The novel ends like a YA Star Wars novel should, with hope that anything is possible in ones future.
This is a nice, nostalgic, sentimental YA Star Wars novel.
Karr is a lonely force sensitive teen, with a droid named RZ-7 as his only friend. He's been having horrible headaches, and blacks out when he touches certin objects. If they have Jedi/force energy, he sees flashes of the who/what beheld the object.
Only his grandma believes he is force sensitive, and does her best to guide him until her death.
Karr meets Maize (a trouble making daughter of a first order employee) while they're both at the principal's office. They form a friendship,and when Karr is told he's being taken out of school, they run away on her dads ship. Karr (a collector of anything Jedi) Maize and RZ go on a planet hoping search of artifacts and proof that the Jedi were real.
The nostalgia kicks in as they visit Jakku, Oba Diah, fly the Kessel Run, meet Dok-Ondar and finally Maz Katana. Karr see images of Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan, the Jedi Temple, Inquisitors and light saber battles.
Finding real proof of the Jedi, only confuses Karr more about who he is and how he fits in.
The final person he seeks out will be the answer to all his questions...
The novel ends like a YA Star Wars novel should, with hope that anything is possible in ones future.
December 12, 2019
This was a really interesting take on the Star wars universe. Rather than focusing on the origin of a Jedi, it’s focused on the origin of a historian.
This book gives us more clues and insights to the Star Wars universe through flashbacks given to the character by the force when he touches objects.
My only real issue with the novel is that the dialog seemed childish, but it’s hardly fair to make that a criticism, considering the main characters Karr and Maize are in fact young teens.
Lastly, this is not an action story, The most we get is violence in the flash backs that Karr gets, otherwise, nothing.
Even so, this book was a fun book, and I’m desperate to find out if we will follow Karr again.
This book gives us more clues and insights to the Star Wars universe through flashbacks given to the character by the force when he touches objects.
My only real issue with the novel is that the dialog seemed childish, but it’s hardly fair to make that a criticism, considering the main characters Karr and Maize are in fact young teens.
Lastly, this is not an action story, The most we get is violence in the flash backs that Karr gets, otherwise, nothing.
Even so, this book was a fun book, and I’m desperate to find out if we will follow Karr again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2020
I had high hopes for this one, but it was disappointing.
May 1, 2020
This was presouse. I had so many laughs with this and alot of, oh shit! moments when it came across the Skywalker's or anything to do with the jedi period. (Nerd radar flashing very high right now) Just the adventure they had alone to find the truth was no stop and tied in perfectly with the franchise. I dont want to give spoilers...but I'm so tempted.
I will admit I was nervous as hell going into this cause I havnt had the best of luck with other starwars novels, but am happy to say that I am pleasantly surprised. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 for this chick. I highly recommend it.
I will admit I was nervous as hell going into this cause I havnt had the best of luck with other starwars novels, but am happy to say that I am pleasantly surprised. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 for this chick. I highly recommend it.
December 1, 2019
Star Wars is so much fun and this book was like a nostalgic ride through the galaxy. I think it’s easy to get caught up in the drama online within the Star Wars fandom, so it was nice to escape into Karr’s world and relive some classic moments from the movies. This book is set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, and it ties things together perfectly. My only issue with the book was Karr’s whiny attitude, but he is a teenage boy and very much reminded me of Luke in A New Hope. 😅 Overall, this book is an entertaining read and a must for any hardcore Star Wars fan. Of course, if you’re one of those dramatic people that think the new movies have ruined everything, then maybe just go watch the original trilogy and leave the new canon alone for those of us that enjoy growth. 😉
January 5, 2020
Not at all what I expected. As a Star Wars novel, I expected fast-paced action and suspense. Instead, I was thrust into the adventure of a boy trying to find himself and where he belongs in the universe.
This coming-of-age/ finding yourself story was quite engaging and enchanting and, despite my quick loss of interest in some novels, it surprisingly held my attention all the way through to the end.
I left this story feeling quite uplifted and craving more of Kevin Shinick's creative and crafty storytelling. He really did an excellent job at weaving all the elements in the story together; I didn't expect what was revealed at the end.
A very fulfilling novel that explored a teen's wish to find themselves and grow together on their adventures. Highly recommended.
This coming-of-age/ finding yourself story was quite engaging and enchanting and, despite my quick loss of interest in some novels, it surprisingly held my attention all the way through to the end.
I left this story feeling quite uplifted and craving more of Kevin Shinick's creative and crafty storytelling. He really did an excellent job at weaving all the elements in the story together; I didn't expect what was revealed at the end.
A very fulfilling novel that explored a teen's wish to find themselves and grow together on their adventures. Highly recommended.
July 6, 2020
This book was a fun read with its strengths lying in nostalgia. I enjoyed all of the little flashbacks to big moments in the Skywalker saga. It really felt like a Star Wars story. My biggest gripe with this book has to do with its marketing. I have no clue why it was put in the Journey to The Rise of Skywalker category as it doesn't relate to the film whatsoever except for a brief and uneventful stop on Kijimi. So in that way, it was a bit disappointing. This book could have benefitted from more action rather than exploration. Karr and Maize were both good characters with interesting backstories. This was a quick and fun read, but it lacked any real stakes. Overall, I did enjoy this book, and it redeemed its slow start in the last third. Not essential by any means, but fun nonetheless.
December 22, 2019
This was the first book in the new Star Wars cannon that I’ve read, and I enjoyed it immensely. It does not have a grand, sweeping narrative, like most Star Wars fiction, but instead focuses in on one character on his own personal journey. The primary joy I got out of reading this book was noticing little nods and references to the rest of the Star Wars universe, as well as reading a coming of age story, which I was not expecting. This book is perfect for Star Wars fans that want a fresh look at the series, or for new fans wanting a unique way to jump into the series.
April 8, 2020
Throughout this whole story I kept thinking that everything was going too smoothly on Karr’s adventures. I feel like in the real Star Wars universe, especially in a time when the first order is around they would of came across more trouble than what they did. It also seems a lot more juvenile than the young adult rating it has. I did like the references to past characters and the part where Karr meets Maz Kanata who is in the new Star Wars trilogy.
January 8, 2020
The story was just okay, but I enjoyed all the Easter eggs. This would have been a great “journey to the Force Awakens” book, but makes a terrible “journey to the Rise of Skywalker” book.
January 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this. I am surprised since I usually don't have any luck with Star Wars novels. Despite being a MASSIVE fan of the movies and shows, that never translated to a written medium, but I keep trying! And this was easily my favourite so far! It was actually sort of a simple story, so I'm not sure why I enjoyed it so much. I think because it focuses so much on Karr. I usually prefer stories about characters when I read.
This is set around the time of The Force Awakens. It is about Karr and it starts when he is in school and being picked on. He is small and not very popular. He has visions but no one believes him. Even his parents think he is sick or has a brain tumor that causes the visions. They want to send him away to work with his uncle as a tailor's apprentice, to reduce stress. An idea that he hates and makes him angry at his parents for trying to send him away. Then he meets a rebellious girl who convinces him to run away. Karr, the girl Maize, and Karr's droid RZ-7, steal her fathers ship and go chasing down clues from Karr's visions. We meet Unkar Plutt, we go aboard the Millennium Falcon which the kids find in a scrap yard, and eventually we meet Maz Kanata who tells Karr everything, and helps him piece together his visions to tell the story of the entire Skywalker saga.
But Karr still feels like there is a piece of the story missing. His piece. The story of his family and how he will fit into the future of the Jedi. So his adventure continues.
This book is not very action-packed and does not feature peril and danger or encounters with enemies. Karr is about 17-18, but this feels more like a children's adventure. But I still really enjoyed it. I loved the characters and watching Karr discover the saga that I love. I wish it had been longer and we could read more about Karr and Maize and RZ.
This is set around the time of The Force Awakens. It is about Karr and it starts when he is in school and being picked on. He is small and not very popular. He has visions but no one believes him. Even his parents think he is sick or has a brain tumor that causes the visions. They want to send him away to work with his uncle as a tailor's apprentice, to reduce stress. An idea that he hates and makes him angry at his parents for trying to send him away. Then he meets a rebellious girl who convinces him to run away. Karr, the girl Maize, and Karr's droid RZ-7, steal her fathers ship and go chasing down clues from Karr's visions. We meet Unkar Plutt, we go aboard the Millennium Falcon which the kids find in a scrap yard, and eventually we meet Maz Kanata who tells Karr everything, and helps him piece together his visions to tell the story of the entire Skywalker saga.
But Karr still feels like there is a piece of the story missing. His piece. The story of his family and how he will fit into the future of the Jedi. So his adventure continues.
This book is not very action-packed and does not feature peril and danger or encounters with enemies. Karr is about 17-18, but this feels more like a children's adventure. But I still really enjoyed it. I loved the characters and watching Karr discover the saga that I love. I wish it had been longer and we could read more about Karr and Maize and RZ.
November 25, 2019
Part of the Journey to the Rise of Skywalker line. I am reading the last few of these books as the movie approaches…
I am not quite sure how to rate this book. I was sitting here waffling between 3 and 4 stars because I definitely felt that the book was good but 4 stars for me is a pretty darned high rating. In the end, I went with four stars as I think that the good far outweighs the bad. That said, I do have a few issues with this story.
Another reviewer said that the first section of the book reads more like a Harry Potter scene set in the Star Wars universe and I definitely agree with that sentiment. It starts as a pretty typical young adult story – with our two loners meeting in detention. I think that this is the first time that we have known that the galaxy far far away has calculus and chemistry classes and detention. I mean, these aren’t earth shattering surprises that these things exist in the star wars worlds but it did feel a little odd that these early scenes were just so earth-based in their language and depictions of the characters. (Heck, this is one of the first times that we have seen a school in Star Wars…) I think that a few more Star Wars details thrown in to these early chapters would have been all that was really necessary to make it feel like it was coming from the correct galaxy.
That said, once the protagonists get moving, the book gets much better and the plot really works from then on. Everything moves at a pretty good clip and the characters are interesting and enjoyable.
Some random thoughts:
- It is interesting to get two characters in canon in the space of a week that have the jedi ability to sense an object’s history by touching it (Karr from this book and Cal Kestis from Jedi: Fallen Order both have this ability…). The only jedi I remember (though I am sure that there were others) with this ability in prior stories was Quinlan Vos. At any rate, it is a story (kid goes around the galaxy touching items that we know about as readers to create a greatest hits montage that helps him learn about the history of the Jedi) that could have really failed in the hands of a lesser writer. Shinick, though, keeps it interesting through the good characterization of Karr and his interactions with the world(s) around him. There’s a bit of mystery even when we as readers know the basics of where this is going to go and that is really cool.
- The rest of the main characters do not shine as much as Karr does, in my opinion. Karr’s young female companion, Maize, comes across as this galaxy’s version of “manic pixie dream girl.” Every time that I found myself starting to like her, she would just fade into the background once again. His droid RZ-7 has a few fun moments but after recent amazing droid characters in Star Wars (see L3-37, K2-S0, IG-11), he kind of falls flat. Basically, everyone in the story is a decent second or third to Karr. This doesn’t hurt the story per se, but it would have been nice if the supporting characters were all as nicely fleshed out as Karr is.
- This one contains SPOILERS for this story and for other current Star Wars productions so don’t read if you aren’t pretty much caught up on all of the goings-on in the gffa… Anyway, it is certainly feeling like the story group has something planned with a bunch of force sensitive folk coming up soon. After hearing almost nothing in new canon about survivors of the jedi purge, suddenly (within the space of a month) we have a *bunch* of force users (or at least sensitives) who are all wandering around the galaxy: Cal Kestis, Cere, Merrin, Karr, baby yoda, and a whole holocron full of others. I mean, it isn’t exactly rocket science to assume that Lucasfilm and Disney would want to open the world up to force users coming together after Rise of Skywalker but it feels like the groundwork is being done very suddenly in these projects. Maybe project luminous will be about all of these force users finding one another or being found by Rey? Just something that came to me as I was playing through Fallen Order while reading this book.
- One last thing about this book and it is something that I have said about other YA books, especially those in the Star Wars universe: I have a hard time believing these characters are teenagers as they read much younger to me. Maybe I just matured faster than many (which is a pretty laughable idea for those that know me, I think), but these characters still felt pre-teen to me.
At any rate, I hope that Shinick gets to write more Star Wars as I think this book really came together (after that shaky start) into something quite good. I also hope that this isn’t the last that we see of Karr. I like the idea of this sort of traveling combination of Dr. Aphra and Jocasta Nu looking for and cataloging Jedi artifacts in a time when they are mostly lost.
I am not quite sure how to rate this book. I was sitting here waffling between 3 and 4 stars because I definitely felt that the book was good but 4 stars for me is a pretty darned high rating. In the end, I went with four stars as I think that the good far outweighs the bad. That said, I do have a few issues with this story.
Another reviewer said that the first section of the book reads more like a Harry Potter scene set in the Star Wars universe and I definitely agree with that sentiment. It starts as a pretty typical young adult story – with our two loners meeting in detention. I think that this is the first time that we have known that the galaxy far far away has calculus and chemistry classes and detention. I mean, these aren’t earth shattering surprises that these things exist in the star wars worlds but it did feel a little odd that these early scenes were just so earth-based in their language and depictions of the characters. (Heck, this is one of the first times that we have seen a school in Star Wars…) I think that a few more Star Wars details thrown in to these early chapters would have been all that was really necessary to make it feel like it was coming from the correct galaxy.
That said, once the protagonists get moving, the book gets much better and the plot really works from then on. Everything moves at a pretty good clip and the characters are interesting and enjoyable.
Some random thoughts:
- It is interesting to get two characters in canon in the space of a week that have the jedi ability to sense an object’s history by touching it (Karr from this book and Cal Kestis from Jedi: Fallen Order both have this ability…). The only jedi I remember (though I am sure that there were others) with this ability in prior stories was Quinlan Vos. At any rate, it is a story (kid goes around the galaxy touching items that we know about as readers to create a greatest hits montage that helps him learn about the history of the Jedi) that could have really failed in the hands of a lesser writer. Shinick, though, keeps it interesting through the good characterization of Karr and his interactions with the world(s) around him. There’s a bit of mystery even when we as readers know the basics of where this is going to go and that is really cool.
- The rest of the main characters do not shine as much as Karr does, in my opinion. Karr’s young female companion, Maize, comes across as this galaxy’s version of “manic pixie dream girl.” Every time that I found myself starting to like her, she would just fade into the background once again. His droid RZ-7 has a few fun moments but after recent amazing droid characters in Star Wars (see L3-37, K2-S0, IG-11), he kind of falls flat. Basically, everyone in the story is a decent second or third to Karr. This doesn’t hurt the story per se, but it would have been nice if the supporting characters were all as nicely fleshed out as Karr is.
- This one contains SPOILERS for this story and for other current Star Wars productions so don’t read if you aren’t pretty much caught up on all of the goings-on in the gffa… Anyway, it is certainly feeling like the story group has something planned with a bunch of force sensitive folk coming up soon. After hearing almost nothing in new canon about survivors of the jedi purge, suddenly (within the space of a month) we have a *bunch* of force users (or at least sensitives) who are all wandering around the galaxy: Cal Kestis, Cere, Merrin, Karr, baby yoda, and a whole holocron full of others. I mean, it isn’t exactly rocket science to assume that Lucasfilm and Disney would want to open the world up to force users coming together after Rise of Skywalker but it feels like the groundwork is being done very suddenly in these projects. Maybe project luminous will be about all of these force users finding one another or being found by Rey? Just something that came to me as I was playing through Fallen Order while reading this book.
- One last thing about this book and it is something that I have said about other YA books, especially those in the Star Wars universe: I have a hard time believing these characters are teenagers as they read much younger to me. Maybe I just matured faster than many (which is a pretty laughable idea for those that know me, I think), but these characters still felt pre-teen to me.
At any rate, I hope that Shinick gets to write more Star Wars as I think this book really came together (after that shaky start) into something quite good. I also hope that this isn’t the last that we see of Karr. I like the idea of this sort of traveling combination of Dr. Aphra and Jocasta Nu looking for and cataloging Jedi artifacts in a time when they are mostly lost.
March 22, 2021
Great story and interesting lead up to Star wars the rise of Skywalker I really enjoyed this book I have not read many Star wars books in the past but this one was fantastic and I highly recommend it I will definitely be reading more Star wars books in the future.
March 30, 2020
*5 out of 5 stars!*
This book is a secret gem! It ended up being so much better than I originally thought! This book has an awesome and super moving story line. Plus, it's packed full of Star Wars easter eggs from previous movies!! The main character, Karr, now has a special place in my heart and he must be protected at all costs. I don't really want to dive into the plot and characters for this review, but I did want to point out one thing. I don't really understand why this book is considered "Journey to Rise of Skywalker". Usually that means the story line of the book will lead up to the movie. That didn't happen in this book. Karr's story isn't connected to the new trilogy besides the fact that he's alive during it. Perhaps there will be another book on Karr and then we will get to see the story lines connect, but for now he's on his own. I guess maybe I was just hoping that Karr would somehow accidentally run into Rey haha. Other than that, this book was awesome. It's a great coming of age story and I hope that we will see more of Karr in the future!!!
This book is a secret gem! It ended up being so much better than I originally thought! This book has an awesome and super moving story line. Plus, it's packed full of Star Wars easter eggs from previous movies!! The main character, Karr, now has a special place in my heart and he must be protected at all costs. I don't really want to dive into the plot and characters for this review, but I did want to point out one thing. I don't really understand why this book is considered "Journey to Rise of Skywalker". Usually that means the story line of the book will lead up to the movie. That didn't happen in this book. Karr's story isn't connected to the new trilogy besides the fact that he's alive during it. Perhaps there will be another book on Karr and then we will get to see the story lines connect, but for now he's on his own. I guess maybe I was just hoping that Karr would somehow accidentally run into Rey haha. Other than that, this book was awesome. It's a great coming of age story and I hope that we will see more of Karr in the future!!!
December 17, 2019
This is a really sweet, touching book. I love this kind of Star Wars story that gives us a big sweeping view of the thing. I think Kevin Shinick has done something really wonderful here, shortcomings aside. It is pretty kiddie, but again I just thought it was really sweet.
It's a book that probably has fairly little connection to TROS but does complement the sequel trilogy in a lovely, meaningful way (at least for me). And it leaves things in a place where I would enjoy if I see more of Kar some day, but this is an ok farewell point if not. Which is a good place to leave at.
Oh and Euan Morton's voice is wonderful. He was great in the Dooku audio so I was really glad to get more of him here.
It's a book that probably has fairly little connection to TROS but does complement the sequel trilogy in a lovely, meaningful way (at least for me). And it leaves things in a place where I would enjoy if I see more of Kar some day, but this is an ok farewell point if not. Which is a good place to leave at.
Oh and Euan Morton's voice is wonderful. He was great in the Dooku audio so I was really glad to get more of him here.
August 20, 2020
I make no bones about the fact that I have come to despise the Disney Trilogy of Star Wars movies (particularly the two directed by J.J. Abrams)—they miss the mark in so many ways that watching them is like biting into one of those wax meals that Japanese restaurants have in their windows, i.e. they look like Star Wars at first glance, but at their core they are nothing more than empty fakery with no reason to exist apart from as advertisements for merchandise.
This book is promotional material—a marketing exercise intended to try and bring a false sense of plan and forethought to something that is in actuality an unmitigated mess of confusion and chaos: the Disney Star Wars "sequels". The entire story seems as if the brief given to the author was, “We’ve done a really crappy job explaining how our half-arsed fanfic sequel movies connect to the marvellously detailed and exquisitely well- thought-out world created by George Lucas, so we want you to write a story that gives the reader a quick run-down of George’s greatest hits (you know, to hit them in the feels), interspersed with our shitty knock-off stuff, so that we can fool them into thinking our stuff makes sense, just until they’ve bought tickets to the latest movie. Please namedrop our themepark attraction too, in such a way that lets the reader know that they can roleplay doing this stuff, so long as they cough up the funds to buy the merch. Oh, and make the protagonist at least seventeen years old, but write him as if he's eleven so that we can gobble up some of that sweet sweet Harry Potter fan/middleschooler cash from kids desperate to identify with him and buy a lightsaber toy to show to their friends and family.” Look—it's in the name: Force Collector. It is an explicit exhortation for fans to collect as much junk that gives them the feels as possible.
The premise of the story is that a schoolkid who enjoys hearing stories of the Jedi and is indulged in his playacting by a doting grandma, actually finds out that he has a Quinlan Vos-like ability to recieve visions from objects that have "witnessed" (i.e. been in the same room as) great acts of Force use. Cue a tensionless trek from name-drop planet to name-drop planet in a series of fetch quests that are only exceeded in contrivance by the fetch quests in The Rise of Skywalker.
The book is not good, or particularly entertaining, but neither is it obnoxious or outrageous. It is safe and unambitious. There is zero feeling of peril, and for something carrying the title "Star Wars", the only action is told in flashbacks to scenes from George Lucas's six movies. The characters have a tendency to talk in speeches, over-explaining things in an utterly unnatural manner. They endlessly drone on with unnecessary small talk, or in introducing themselves to other characters, going over the nuts and bold of language that a more deft author would safely omit.
It is not the worst of the new canon stories, as it is in itself coherent and easy to read. Unfortunately, the book commits the heinous crime of namedropping the abomination that is The Force Awakens actually in the text, in such a manner that implies that an energy field generated by all living things, and which binds the galaxy together, can in some sense "sleep". And the author uses the ghastly phrase—to "have the Force"—which is indicative of a fundamental lack of understanding of how the Star Wars universe works (something that he shares with both J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson).
2 stars for being bland and forgettable and being an obvious promo for other media. Even though it's far better than the thing it's promoting, it's still a soulless exercise in corporate hackery (albeit superior to Queen's Shadow and Queen's Peril , and the worst Star Wars book of all time, Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel ).
Recommended to Star Wars completionists only.
This book is promotional material—a marketing exercise intended to try and bring a false sense of plan and forethought to something that is in actuality an unmitigated mess of confusion and chaos: the Disney Star Wars "sequels". The entire story seems as if the brief given to the author was, “We’ve done a really crappy job explaining how our half-arsed fanfic sequel movies connect to the marvellously detailed and exquisitely well- thought-out world created by George Lucas, so we want you to write a story that gives the reader a quick run-down of George’s greatest hits (you know, to hit them in the feels), interspersed with our shitty knock-off stuff, so that we can fool them into thinking our stuff makes sense, just until they’ve bought tickets to the latest movie. Please namedrop our themepark attraction too, in such a way that lets the reader know that they can roleplay doing this stuff, so long as they cough up the funds to buy the merch. Oh, and make the protagonist at least seventeen years old, but write him as if he's eleven so that we can gobble up some of that sweet sweet Harry Potter fan/middleschooler cash from kids desperate to identify with him and buy a lightsaber toy to show to their friends and family.” Look—it's in the name: Force Collector. It is an explicit exhortation for fans to collect as much junk that gives them the feels as possible.
The premise of the story is that a schoolkid who enjoys hearing stories of the Jedi and is indulged in his playacting by a doting grandma, actually finds out that he has a Quinlan Vos-like ability to recieve visions from objects that have "witnessed" (i.e. been in the same room as) great acts of Force use. Cue a tensionless trek from name-drop planet to name-drop planet in a series of fetch quests that are only exceeded in contrivance by the fetch quests in The Rise of Skywalker.
The book is not good, or particularly entertaining, but neither is it obnoxious or outrageous. It is safe and unambitious. There is zero feeling of peril, and for something carrying the title "Star Wars", the only action is told in flashbacks to scenes from George Lucas's six movies. The characters have a tendency to talk in speeches, over-explaining things in an utterly unnatural manner. They endlessly drone on with unnecessary small talk, or in introducing themselves to other characters, going over the nuts and bold of language that a more deft author would safely omit.
It is not the worst of the new canon stories, as it is in itself coherent and easy to read. Unfortunately, the book commits the heinous crime of namedropping the abomination that is The Force Awakens actually in the text, in such a manner that implies that an energy field generated by all living things, and which binds the galaxy together, can in some sense "sleep". And the author uses the ghastly phrase—to "have the Force"—which is indicative of a fundamental lack of understanding of how the Star Wars universe works (something that he shares with both J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson).
2 stars for being bland and forgettable and being an obvious promo for other media. Even though it's far better than the thing it's promoting, it's still a soulless exercise in corporate hackery (albeit superior to Queen's Shadow and Queen's Peril , and the worst Star Wars book of all time, Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel ).
Recommended to Star Wars completionists only.
January 31, 2020
This book was not high on my list of favorite Star Wars novels. Mostly because, at least to me, it read more as a teen angst/romance/not getting along with anyone in high school book, rather than a Star Wars book. Yes, elements expected in a Star Wars book were there, but they took a backseat a lot of the time and to me that was disappointing. I mean, within the first five chapters Karr had been sent to the principals office twice! That does not fit with a Star Wars novel.
It was also somewhat repetitive. Karr touches something, has a vision, heads to the next world to learn more about his connection to the Force. On the next world, Karr touches something, has a vision, moves on. This was the majority of the book. The only variations came in the worlds visited and the visions received.
The one part I really did like was when he went to Takodana and met Maz. Those chapters, while containing the same elements, had a higher level of interest for me, because Maz is one of my favorite characters.
I think it will appeal to the teen audience it was intended for.
It was also somewhat repetitive. Karr touches something, has a vision, heads to the next world to learn more about his connection to the Force. On the next world, Karr touches something, has a vision, moves on. This was the majority of the book. The only variations came in the worlds visited and the visions received.
The one part I really did like was when he went to Takodana and met Maz. Those chapters, while containing the same elements, had a higher level of interest for me, because Maz is one of my favorite characters.
I think it will appeal to the teen audience it was intended for.
April 9, 2020
really enjoyed this one. a lot of nice easter eggs and odes to the past. but the one thing that should've been different is that this should've been more so like a "journey to the force awakens" rather than a "journey to the rise of skywalker."
sweet yet repetitive book but i liked a lot of the flashbacks provided by Karr's powers. it really felt like it was set a few years before the events of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, and it followed Karr Nuq Sin as he discovered his connection to the Force.
sweet yet repetitive book but i liked a lot of the flashbacks provided by Karr's powers. it really felt like it was set a few years before the events of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, and it followed Karr Nuq Sin as he discovered his connection to the Force.
February 15, 2022
Set in the time period between Return of the Jedi and the Force Awakens, this story focuses on the teenager Karr. Karr is a teenager that learns he is force sensitive and goes on a journey to learn more about his heritage. What I liked about this book was how it focused on his connection to the Force via objects. It was a good, fun, and fast read. I would like to see an animated adaptation of this story.
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