REVIEW: Star Wars: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig
Publishing Information: Hardback; 346pgs
Publisher: Del Rey; 4 Sept 2-15
ISBN: 9780804177665
Series: First novel after Return of the Jedi
Reviewer: Tyson
Amazon
Synopsis: "Journey to The Force Awakens.
The second Death Star is destroyed. The Emperor and his powerful enforcer, Darth Vader, are rumored to be dead. The Galactic Empire is in chaos.
Across the galaxy, some systems celebrate, while in others Imperial factions tighten their grip. Optimism and fear reign side by side.
And while the Rebel Alliance engages the fractured forces of the Empire, a lone Rebel scout uncovers a secret Imperial meeting…"
Disney and the people behind Star Wars have decided that all of the books that made up the amazing Expanded Universe are no longer canon. What that means for most people who have spent years reading various novels that tell of the exploits of our favorite heroes and heroines is that you can forget everything you read in the last few decades. Aside from a handful of books (beginning with Dark Disciple, Tarkin, Lords of the Sith, A New Dawn, Heir to the Jedi, and now Aftermath) everything else no longer is true or has any bearing on the movies before, during, or after the movies. They are basically re-writing everything you knew or loved about the EU.
That is where Aftermath comes in. It begins to tell the tale of what happened to the Rebels and the Empire after the events in Return of the Jedi, while setting things up for what is to come in the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
As I write this review I am honestly doing my best to remember just what happened in the book as it has been a few weeks and it wasn't all that memorable. We have an admiral by the name of Sloane who is doing her best to keep what little power she has, while attempting to keep the Empire alive and a major force in the universe. She is backed by a mysterious presence even higher in the command structure that we don't learn about until the last few pages of the book and serves as a cliffhanger as we have yet to identify just who the person is. I can't even remember any of the rebels that were suppose to be starring in this book.
I have heard a lot about Wendig as an author. Many of my reviewer friends absolutely love him and I have always wanted to give him a try but if this is a representation of his work, I don't think I will ever get around to reading anything else he has written as this was full of uninspiring characters and world building. At one point he actually had Admiral Ackbar point out that this could be a trap, as if Star Wars has now become a giant meme to be exploited and used to garner fans. We also have a brief cameo by Han and Chewbacca and they are only there as a cameo and not to introduce a plot point or anything of value.
Aftermath is suppose to help bridge the gap between the original trilogy and the upcoming series but by the end of the book you will come to realize that the book serves no purpose whatsoever other than to make a few bucks on the popularity of the upcoming movie. Perhaps the next two books in the build up will shed some light on bridging the gap between the films but if you are looking for insights into episode 7, look elsewhere as this is just a waste of time and money. Aftermath is a huge let down because I was hoping to learn something of value and find a new author that I couldn't put down. What I ended up with is out $20 and angry. Don't waste your time on this one.
Overall 2/10
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