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A New Dawn

Discussion in 'Star Wars: Books & Comics + Legends' started by Kyle, Sep 7, 2014.

  1. Kyle

    Kyle Guest

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    Anyone reading A New Dawn yet?

    Started it a couple days ago. Enjoying it so far. It's not giving anything up about Rebels or the upcoming films, but I really feel the gritty descriptions of life under the Empire's rule are setting a more realistic tone. Simply saying, it's not going to be all lightsaber and blaster fights moving forward.

    Will try to post some sort of review when finished. Exciting times!
     
  2. DarthDaniel

    DarthDaniel Rebelscum

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    Can't wait to read your review. I want to start reading it soon, I'm very much looking forward to Rebels. Plus, with the canon rebooted, I feel like I can actually jump on board without being bogged down by years and years of continuity that I'm missing out on.
     
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  3. Kyle

    Kyle Guest

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    I agree. As much as I loved the old EU it was extremely daunting to try and catch up if you took a few years off like I did. I think a fresh start was in order.
     
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  4. vinsanity

    vinsanity Rebelscum

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    I've ordered online the book yesterday, should be getting it at the end of this week. Can't wait to read it.
     
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  5. Ben_Kenobi

    Ben_Kenobi Rebel General

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    I'm six chapters in. I had reservations for this novel.
    "Kenobi" was an average entry and didn't take advantage of a great character
    but I still decided to give it a chance, I read all of SW novels afterall.

    So far, it has a low key opening introducing the cast. It's not bad.
    I'll post a review when I'm done if anyone cares.
     
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  6. Kyle

    Kyle Guest

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    Just over halfway through. It's been a busy week so not too much time for reading.

    Prett slow to get going, and a lot darker than I was expecting. The villain is just a mean bastard, not even intriguing, just sadistic and mean. Fortunately the rest of the characters make up for it. Kanan and Hera have a great partnership so far, and I'm loving the descriptions of how much Kanan rejects the Force. It's very original.

    I'm excited to finish the rest of the book. I'm also looking forward to Rebels now, as I was so-so before.
     
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  7. Ben_Kenobi

    Ben_Kenobi Rebel General

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    I'm over first half myself. By now I'm literally forcing it down my throat. I thought Kenobi novel was mediocre, boy was I wrong!! This "literary work" is not worth anyone's time. Please keep in mind I read tons of sci-fi, from hard science fiction classic authors to popular media tie ins & I'd like to think I have a solid taste in structure, prose style, premise establishment, etc. A few reasons:

    - This writer has very little idea about writing dialogue or characters. It feels like you're staring at Egyptian wall paintings. The personalities are completely dry and have no dynamic interactions. Words that supposed to make me "feel" simply fall out of their mouths to move the plot along. I'm as unfamiliar with Kanan's inner world just as I'm mystified by Hera and the rest of the gang. If I don't care about your heroes, why should I follow the story?

    - The plot is sluggish. There is a ton of completely unnecessary expositions that serve no purpose. Quite frankly I have a hard time identifying just what the "premise" of the whole book is. I know what the threat is closer to the middle, and I know there is a "bad guy" that has to be stopped but there is no genuine MOTIVATION for our heroes.

    - The action is terrible. This is supposed to be a "smaller" adventure compared to the film but even here all the excitement is relegated to a stupid chase scene, and a poorly constructed one at that. THAT'S ALL I GOT SO FAR.

    I counted on a younger reader-friendly fun adventure with exciting characters, some warm fuzzy Leia/Luke feelings and feel like an episode of a TV series. Instead I get a pile of unintelligible plot, dead characters, and tons of cliches from the original episode IV. (I assume it was the writer's grand idea to show you he knows SW by using elements from the movies...)

    I regret buying the hardcover copy of this trash.
     
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  8. mylord

    mylord Rebel Commander

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    I finished this book 3 days after it came out. It was not that great. I don't think it was terrible, sort of just mediocre. I kept reading it though because I'm obsessed with Star Wars and this is the new Canon. The best thing about the book was after the book ends there is an excerpt from James Luceno's forth coming "Tarkin". "Tarkin" is going to be a great book judging by the excerpt and by Luceno's past Star Wars literary works. The best Star Wars book I've ever read was "Plagueis" which was written by James Luceno. I can't wait until November 4th!
     
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  9. Ben_Kenobi

    Ben_Kenobi Rebel General

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    Without a doubt JL is one of the best EU novelists. I got to the middle of the Plagueis and I couldn't get into it, I guess I'll give it another shot. I just couldn't perceive those big had alien species as intimidating, rather silly lol. I know that's shallow of me, I'll try again. I love his books.

    But yeah, A New Dawn was.... meh. Too bad. I thought it was fairly important to gain the readers' trust for the new canon and unfortunately it doesn't do the trick.
     
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  10. Echo-07

    Echo-07 Rebel Official

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    Funny you should mention A New Dawn -- IF you don't already have it, join us for the Rebels premiere party and you may be the lucky winner of a brand new copy!
     
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  11. Ben_Kenobi

    Ben_Kenobi Rebel General

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    I have it, it's by far the worst SW novel I'm reading... I wrote about it in a different thread.
    The same author's Kenobi left me with a bitter taste too. Oh well.
     
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  12. Voxx

    Voxx Jedi Hero of Legend

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    I'm a little over halfway through the book and I'm enjoying it. I really liked Kenobi so I guess I like "crappy" books.... soo yeah.
     
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  13. Ben_Kenobi

    Ben_Kenobi Rebel General

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    It's all about persona taste @tomvoxx
     
  14. Voxx

    Voxx Jedi Hero of Legend

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    Well I didn't taste very good to me I will admit. Needed salt or something.
     
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  15. Ben_Kenobi

    Ben_Kenobi Rebel General

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    ...and a better writer! ^_^
     
  16. John Crichton

    John Crichton Rebel Official

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    Hm... So I think I know Ben_Kenobi's response already, but would the others who have read this recommend it for not just introducing oneself to the "new canon", but for reintroducing themselves to the EU/Legends after a bit of time off?

    I only ask because I've recently been wanting to read some Star Wars books, and even glanced through my collection of like 20 or so books... but they're so old, and non-canon now. Plus I haven't read anything EU related in almost 10 years.

    I'd kind of like to get back into it, but I'm unsure of this book. Might be I'll skip this and instead jump into it with the upcoming "Tarkin" like mylord was mentioning.
     
  17. Voxx

    Voxx Jedi Hero of Legend

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    Might as well read it while waiting for Tarkin. You can probably download it from your library for free using the overdrive app.
     
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  18. Kyle

    Kyle Guest

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    Finished A New Dawn a little over a week ago. It's a good read, but it really serves no other purpose than to set the tone and introduce a few of the characters in Rebels. The story seemed recycled, and the villain was pretty boring. I'm excited this is the first new entry into the "new" cannon, but that's about all this story has going for it. It did help pass the time until Rebels starts, and it wasn't a bad read at all. Just meh
     
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  19. John Crichton

    John Crichton Rebel Official

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    Guess I'll probably wait for other books to come out then. I wasn't particularly interested in a Rebels setup really anyways.

    Thanks for the opinions guys. :)
     
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  20. Jordan Of Alderaan

    Jordan Of Alderaan Rebelscum

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    As most of the other people have stated, I would also say that it is slow paced, at times maybe a little too simple and also heavily cliched, but that's not to say it's bad. I enjoyed reading about the mining operations, the very interesting setting and the back stories of two of Rebels' main characters. I was also over the moon to see that the new canon isn't afraid to touch on Imperial brutality from time to time, even in fiction considered suitable for younger readers, as the Disney acquisition had me concerned for a sugar-coating treatment. This said, I have just finished Tarkin, which serves as a phenomenal entry for the new canon and I can't recommend it enough.
     
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