Star Wars – Lost Stars (Review)

Star Wars: Lost Stars | Author: Claudia Gray| Published by Disney Lucasfilm Press | The debut of my Star Wars column “The Road to Episode VII” at Forces of Geek.com

When I first heard that four of the five Star Wars novels that were released on Force Friday were being marketed as Young Adult books, I stereotypically dismissed the idea of reading them due to my fear of pale moody Jedi sparking Sith Lords.

However, one of the books titled Lost Stars has received a lot of praise, with many calling it the best of the new canon novels. I don’t even know why these books were labeled YA.

In its simplest form, the story follows two star-crossed lovers trying to find their place in the universe, all while serving the Empire. The success, misfortune, and bedlam coupled with youth’s intense and raw emotion produced a mature and thought-provoking narrative along with interesting characters that have depth. Continue reading “Star Wars – Lost Stars (Review)” →

My Journey to The Force Awakens began at Force Friday

Last Friday, my journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens kicked off in style as the first wave of merchandise was made available for the first time. I decided to take advantage of this by attending one of the midnight release events so I could be one of the first to score some of the new action figures…….I mean collectibles.

One of my favorite things about Star Wars is its wide variety of space ships. The Hasbro toy company sells these vast vehicles as a part of their catalog, however, they can be a little pricey. In the upcoming film, there is an orange and black X-Wing fighter that is available for $80.00 retail.

Spending eighty large on one thing could limit the amount of items one can buy. I found a much cheaper and quality alternative courtesy of the Revell model manufactures SnapTite Build & Play kit. No glue, no tools, no paint, batteries included and easy to assemble, the finished product has great detail and makes for an excellent display piece.

I recently wrote an article about my experience on Force Friday with some pictures I took inside of the store. Click here to check out “The Force Friday Awakens” at Forces of Geek.com

Star Wars: Who is Kylo Ren?

There are 125 days until Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters, and it can’t come fast enough for this life-long fan of the franchise. Last week, J.J. Abrams played with my emotions like a fiddle as he revealed some fascinating information in an interview with Entertainment Weekly about the film’s crossguard lightsaber-wielding villain, Kylo Ren.

Spoiler Alert at the jump Continue reading “Star Wars: Who is Kylo Ren?” →

Star Wars #4 Review

Star Wars #4 serves as the beginning of a new story arc dealing with the fallout of the Empire’s weapons factory on Cymoon 1 being destroyed.

The majority of the book takes place on Tatooine as Darth Vader arrogantly keeps Jabba the Hutt in check while maintaining the assurance of Imperial supplies provided by the mammoth gangster.

Jason Aaron was able to keep the dialogue between the two villains interesting. Vader was steadfast in his demands while Hutt surgically picked his spots to rub salt on the wound of recent Imperial damages. It reminded me of how one would book a match/story in professional wrestling with the idea being one person wins without the loser taking any damage to their credibility or character. Continue reading “Star Wars #4 Review” →

Darth Vader #4 Review

To say that Darth Vader has fallen out of favor with Emperor Palpatine would be an understatement. The old wrinkly Lord of the Sith talks down to his apprentice in a manner that would get most people Force choked into oblivion. However, Vader is playing it cool for now, and he needs to. Continue reading “Darth Vader #4 Review” →

Darth Vader #1 Review

When it was first announced that Marvel obtained the comic book rights for Star Wars, everyone wondered what kind of stories we would get. Instead of looking towards the Expanded Universe, the publisher revisits the familiarity with the franchise’s most infamous character in Darth Vader. Dark Horse Comics produced several limited-run Vader books over the years.

Most of them did a great job of highlighting the dark lord’s ruthless aggression. Still, Kieron Gillen goes into uncharted waters by exploring Vader’s psychology at a time where he has lost favor with Emperor Palatine. Continue reading “Darth Vader #1 Review” →

Star Wars #1 Review

I was barely five years old when my father came home with a VHS tape that said Star Wars on the cover.

This unfamiliar title sparked a resounding sense of curiosity because there was no explanation or synopsis as to what I about to witness or how it would change my life.

Five minutes before my bedtime, I was told to sit down, stare at the TV, press play and prepare to be transported into a galaxy far, far away. Continue reading “Star Wars #1 Review” →

The Force Awakens My Excitement

The official title of the new Star Wars movie that is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2015 is The Force Awakens. I like the title, but without context, I can’t say that I love it, yet. It does feel right when saying it along with the names of the other titles such as A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.

I did notice that “Episode VII” is absent from the title image. TheForce.net has confirmed with Lucasfilm that it will be not appear in the title or promotional material for the film, but it will be in the opening crawl. Continue reading “The Force Awakens My Excitement” →

Reaction to the Star Wars: Episode VII Casting Announcement

The Star Wars universe is on fire with the recent announcement of the central cast for Episode VII. The original cast of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, and Kenny Baker will join newcomers, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnal Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Andy Serkis, and Daisy Ridley. While this lineup has received a lot of praise, Ridley being listed as the only new female newbie is the elephant in the room. Continue reading “Reaction to the Star Wars: Episode VII Casting Announcement” →

Star Wars Dark Times Volume 7: A Spark Remains

The recent announcement of Lucasfilm’s decision to forgo the Expanded Universe as a part of the canonical story of Star Wars is a day that most hardcore fans feared.

While some don’t care, most are outraged and have issued the usual threats of swearing off things that took place in a galaxy far, far away. What’s the point of engaging in the novels, comics, and video games that explore this cherished fiction within fiction?

Because nothing’s changed. Good storytelling is still good storytelling, no matter if it “counts” or not. Continue reading “Star Wars Dark Times Volume 7: A Spark Remains” →