Weapon of the Jedi - A Luke Skywalker Adventure [REVIEW - NO SPOILERS]

Just got all of my new titles from Amazon. Decided I would go with this one first. Young reader books are easy to digest and I enjoy analyzing their core plots w/out the adult novel intricacies. So here is my review from Amazon.com

“Weapon of the Jedi” a fantastic title in the best tradition of Star Wars. It will delight the young readers and make the adults revisit their inner child. Jason Fry understands what makes a SW story work and delivers it with heart and imagination.

STORY: It’s a short tale set in one location that feels like an act of a much larger play and yet managed to capture all the core elements of a “hero’s journey.” We find Luke still as a young, naïve rebel pilot learning what it means to be a Jedi. The Force is the central theme of the book and I was delighted with Jason’s treatment of it. Once again the Force is a magical power surrounded with mysticism. Here the Jedi are a legend of old wizards who stood of peace (not generals in the military or a space police force.) Chapter 8 in particular left me with a sense of wonder, bringing back Yoda’s teachings from Ep.V. It is a true return to form and the best part the book. There’s also a colorful cast of supporting characters, a beautifully fleshed out exotic location, and solid action. Nothing here is particularly innovative but, more importantly, the story is expertly told, with vivid prose and a sense of urgency!

CHARACTERS: I was instantly sold on Luke’s characterization. Jason Fry effortlessly recreates the Luke we love and remember from the films. Mark Hamill’s mannerism never feels forced. He literally comes alive from the pages and responds to situations the way you would expect him to. Luke’s first steps into learning how to control, or rather submit to the force is also beautifully portrayed! (In “Heir to the Jedi” novel he movies noodles for practice, which I found completely absurd! Here the force is not a trivial “mind trick.” There’s a logical narrative extension of his training from Ep.IV taken to the next step!)The same is true with R2 and Threepio, their back and forth banter is on the money! The new cast is there mainly for support and help add purpose to the plot.

ACTION: Without giving anything away I will say the action was quite enjoyable. Parents buying the book for their children shouldn’t worry about the level of violence. The writer avoids brutal vocabulary but gives just enough hints for adult readers to image its full extent. The space battle is vivid and well-choreographed and there is a cool surprise for the ground battle.

I’ve read practically all of the existing Star Wars novels and thought I would never read anything as great as Kevin J. Anderson’s and Rebecca Moesta’s famous “Young Jedi Knights” series. I was very pleasantly surprised with this book. Thank you Jason Fry. I’m looking forward to new great SW stories from you in the years to come!

 

I enjoy reading the teen fiction since it focuses on the same story elements without the complexity of adult novel. It's easy to spot great storytelling and these books totally deliver. I've picked up a few "how to write" books with hopes of getting into writing myself. This book is a great tool for exploring the language and the vocabulary it uses for its target readers. Even without explicit details you could feel the tension in battles thanks to solid build up!

 

Kyle, not sure if you've read other SW young reader novels? You can almost categorize how much "content" is usually put into a story depending on age group, this felt just right for a 8-12 yo crowd. If it were a 14-18 age group it would've been more to your liking.

I absolutely loved the Moving Target, Smuggler's Run, and this one obviously. I think these are the best new cannon books so far. Yes they're short and mainly for kids but they capture the characters I grew up with! None of the other new novels managed do that so far.

 

I'm in the middle of "Lost Stars" is it's turning out to be one of the better SW novels I read, old or new. Def. check it out as well!!!