Mosh’s Reviews > Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View > Status Update

"Whills" - 4/5: This is a cute tale, taking some jabs at the pros and cons of the prequels and the unusual concept of starting the saga in the middle.

"By Whatever Sun" - The tale of an Alderaanian (not by birth) who reconciles the victory of the day with everything she's lost. It's a bit too cloudy for me, but I like the concept.

"The Angle" - 4/5: This story of Lando watching from afar drifts away from its potential, not giving the payoff it could have had.

"Contingency Plan" - 3/5: Mon Mothma flees Bespin to give the Rebellion a glimmer of hope should this plan fail. Not crazy about the portrayal of her character and her sense of numbness and futility regarding the cause that has been her life for decades.

"Grounded" - 5/5: The tale of a flight crew leader and her sense of powerlessness as her pilots take on the Death Star is probably the most emotional tale in this book. As a teacher, I empathize with her as all she can do is watch those she's trained and helped as they go off to do battle without her, watching some fail and some succeed.

"Desert Son"- 3/5: the story from Biggs's point of view, which is weird in the overall presentation of this book, because the previous story already told us what happens to Biggs, so this is sort of a brief flashback in the overall continuity of the book. I like how it builds up the importance of his friendship with Luke, but that can only go so far in this tale

"Duty Roster" - 3/5: the tale of a pilot - "Fake Wedge" - who has to sit out the attack on the Death Star. His resentment of Wedge is interesting, but it's more a story of someone watching someone else's story, rather than developing his character as it started out doing

"Sparks" - 3/5: the tale of Dex and his attack run in the trench, giving life to a supporting pilot who has little-to-no impact on screen. Like many stories in this book, it generates sympathy for the rebellion, a group that doesn't really need it

"Palpatine" - 4/5: Ian Doescher returns to work his iambic pentameter, rhyming couplet magic in this tale of Palpatine's response to Obi-Wan's demise. Equal parts celebratory and wariness, it shows the Emperor's conflicting hubris and ability to see beyond the immediate.

"There Is Another: 5/5: Yoda's desire to train Leia instead of Luke does a great job of reinforcing their characters; she's focused and determined while he's foolish and reckless. It forces me to question how the trilogy would have gone had that happened. And let's face it: she's way more badass than he could ever be.