Lost Stars: a Star Wars story that every fan should read

A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away…. Lost Stars by Claudia Gray is a youth novel as a part of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens series. Eight years after the fall of the Old Republic, the Galactic Empire reigns over the known galaxy and any resistance is easily silenced. Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree grew up on the Outer Rim planet of Jelucan. Thane, from a aristocratic family, and Ciena, a rural villager. The two were worlds apart and yet fate made them unlikely friends. They would find ways to be together, to practice flying and to study as their dream was to attend the Imperial Academy. The two become inseparable, knowing each other so well that they often finish each other’s thoughts. But when Thane sours on the dream after he sees firsthand the horrifying tactics the Empire uses to maintain order; the two friends are on the opposite sides of the war. Thane puts them at odds when he joins the Rebellion and Ciena now must decide between her duty, her oath and her loyalty to the Empire and the man she has loved since childhood.

Lost Stars was given to me by my cousin when he learned that I had read Ms. Gray’s other Star Wars titles. I enjoyed Lost Stars much more than I did her other titles. Lost Stars takes the reader on a journey through the original trilogy through the eyes of the nameless characters fighting in the background. It was exciting, thrilling and opened the Star Wars trilogy in ways that I’ll see the movies in a new light. I loved the characters of Thane and Ciena. Ms. Gray has written two characters who felt like real people with strengths, flaws, love, conflicts, and moral dilemmas. They could easily be us as we face difficult decisions and must decide between conflicting loyalties. The blooming romance between the two was equally beautiful and while Ms. Gray kept much to the imagination, she wrote the romance better than most romance novels I’ve read. I am slowly working my way through the numerous Star Wars novels; Lost Stars is by far my favorites so far. It is a story I will revisit again. If you are a fan of Star Wars, I highly recommend Lost Stars!

 

Lost Stars is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

Bloodline: another great adventure in the Star Wars universe

Bloodline by Claudia Gray is a Star Wars story which takes place in the years leading up to the events of Episode VII The Force Awakens. Leia Organa Solo is now a senator in the New Republic which is in trouble. The Senate is made up of two political parties. The Populists who want to keep the power within the individual planets instead of in a central leader and the Centrists who has a strong powerful leader to control the different systems. And she wants to quit and join her husband on his space travels. First, she needs to investigate accusations made by the representative from Ryloth about criminal activity oppressing his people. She is joined by Senator Ransolm Casterfo, a Centrists who collects memorabilia of the Empire. Leia soon discovers that a larger criminal organization is at work who poses a threat to the already weakening New Republic. Will she be able to gathering enough evidence to convince the Senate to put aside their difference and act for the good of the New Republic? Or will she be too late and watch the fragile government fall apart?

I loved Bloodline! It was exciting as well as nostalgic as Leia thinks back to events which occurred in the original trilogy as well as people and events from the prequels. There are so many twists and turns and clues as to the rise of the First Order who we see in full force in The Force Awakens. With the knowledge that I know of the movie and now reading the books, I realized that many of the confusion on part of the fans have been because they didn’t read the books. There is a whole list of books and tv series which help give details about what happens between films. I highly recommend Bloodline and I will read the other books and review those as well to see if my theory is correct.

Bloodline

is now available in paperback and eBook

If you are interested in reading the books and watching the tv series, here’s the list in which to read them and where they fit in the timeline of the films.

Episode I The Phantom Menace

Episode II Attack of the Clones

            The Clone Wars (tv series 2008-2015 available on DVD and Blu-ray)

            Dark Disciple (book) by Christie Golden

Episode III The Revenge of the Sith

            Catalyst: Rogue One Story (book) by James Luceno

            Lord of the Sith (book) by Paul S. Kemp

            Tarkin (book) by James Luceno

            Thrawn (book) by Timothy Zahn

            A New Dawn (book) by Joan Jackson Miller and Dave Filoni

            Rebels (tv series 2014- seasons 1-3 are available on DVD and Blu-ray and the 4^th and        final season is currently airing on Disney XD)

Episode IV A New Hope

            Battlefront: Inferno Squad (book) by Christie Golden

            Heir to the Jedi (book) by Kevin Hearne

            Battlefront: Twilight Company (book) by Alexander Freed

Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

Episode VI Return of the Jedi

            Aftermath (book) by Chuck Wendig

            Aftermath: Life Debt (book) by Chuck Wendig

            Aftermath: Empire’s End (book) by Chuck Wendig

            Bloodline (book) by Claudia Gray

            Phasma (book) by Delilah S. Dawson

            Canto Bight (book) by Saladin Ahmed and Rae Carson

Episode VII The Force Awakens

Episode VIII The Last Jedi      

Leia Princess of Alderaan: the story before A New Hope

Leia Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray is the story of Leia Organa as she comes of age and the events which lead to her role in the Rebel Alliance as we know her in A New Hope. The story opens on her Day of Demand when at 16, she demands that she be recognized as a princess of Alderaan. In order to prove herself, she must complete three challenges: one of the body, one of the mind and one of the heart. As she enters the political arena on Coruscant and sees the galaxy as a whole, she begins to truly see the Empire and the evilness of the Emperor’s hold. She also begins to see her parents and their secret dealings. She even has her first love as she and a fellow Alderaanian named Kier. More and more the galaxy is collapsing under the weight of the Empire’s hold, she learns who she can trust, who are her true friends and her role in the galaxy. How will Leia decide what her role and place in the galaxy is? We know she joins the Rebellion but how does she get there?

I was given this book as a birthday and I was excited to read it. It was better than I anticipated. I loved the little references to the events of the prequel movies, Rogue One (2016) and even The Clone Wars (2008-2015) TV show. Ms. Gray does an excellent bringing an intimate look into the princess and rebel we all know and love. The back cover of the book claims there are even hints and clues to The Last Jedi which hits theaters this December. Don’t let this deter you from reading it because unless you have seen the movie, you won’t know what these hints are. I look forward to reading it again after I see the new film and have my “a-ha” moment as the clues are clear. I highly recommend Leia Princess of Alderaan.

Leia Princess of Alderaan

is available at all major booksellers