SPOILER Rebel Rising (Beth Revis)

I have yet to read the book, but from the preview, it seems very good! I've started to like Jyn and Saw's characters more and more upon each viewing of RO, so I'm really excited possibly picking this up to read both. I'm with @LadyMusashi on this one, I have a feeling I'll like Thrawn better, but I'm nonetheless excited to read both in my big canon marathon this fall!

 

Alright, alright...

I just finished reading this book yesterday.

I know that we have said before that the additional material other than movies and animated series might sound for some as optional, and I agree but by reading Rebel Rising you realise why Jyn was the way she was at the beginning of Rogue One. Beth Revis said on an interview that she is basically working on what happened between that flashback we see at the beginning of the movie and the next scene where we see a grown-up Jyn imprisoned in Wobani. In some way, having her kicking her Rebel saviours on that prison transport makes me think of her like the Wolverine we saw at the beginning of the movie X-Men.

I agree with the concordance issues with the comic adaptation; however, at some point those are some finer details anyone can choose to acknowledge or not. (By reading the other material, I have found several already.) For example, in the Rogue One adaptation comic # 2, where we see that scene where Saw and a young Jyn are in the same room with Bail and a young Leia. The book does not indicate that such a meeting took place: however, Matt Martin from Lucasfilm indicated that it was Gareth Edwards who suggested that to be added. So who do we believe? As long as it does not contradict the main events, I guess we can live with both (since the book gives the impression that it didn't happened, but it is not clearly stated so... it's up to each one interpretation).

I have always considered Leia to be the most tragic character in Star Wars. And that perception remains, though Jyn Erso's tragic story could give Leia's a good run for its money! In some way I've always thought of Jyn like a Han Solo type character - and we are still to learn more about Solo's backstory in his upcoming stand-alone film - but with this novel, we learn why she has come to disdain both Empire and Rebellion and had chosen none. Especially since there is a lot of connections and poetry in the events she faces: the way she loses Akshaya and Hadder - from the crossfire between TIE fighters and Y-wings - in some way reflects the way her father dies in Eadu, due to collateral damage from the Empire and Rebellion confrontations.

For me it was interesting since before reading this book, I read Catalyst so the connection was smooth. However, Saw's character is strongly vindicated, though with his peculiar flaws. I had thought Saw was a close friend for the Ersos, when in fact he was just the guy who took them from Coruscant to Lah'mu as requested per Has Obitt, and was their emergency contact in case the Empire showed at their hidden location. I can understand his surprise when he just finds the little girl rather than the family to be taken away. I have some nitpicking regarding to his connections to the bigger Rebel movement, but since it is from Jyn's perspective we can understand there might be things she was not 100% aware.

(When he was recollecting the story of how Steela died, I feel like punching him when he was in some way mean to Ahsoka for not being able to save his sister. And there we come again to a common theme, Steela died falling from the cliff that fell due to this ship he shot. Collateral damage all over again.)

I like these kind of books where we can see certain connections to the main Skywalker saga, but as a side story. We are able to learn what was like living in the Empire age, under the Emperor's iron fist, where the Imperial domination was growing little by little on certain worlds (not all of them became affected by the Empire after Order 66).

I like the new worlds introduced. It is good to have a wider perspective of the galaxy in this media. And again, comic adaptation might vary but at the end, the main important fact is that Saw abandoned her, and that impacted her a lot: abandoned first by a father due to the Empire, and them abandoned by the second due to the Rebellion. No wonder why she was not sympathetic to any of them.

I said this before, when I was reading about Hadder I liked the character and his interactions with her, but I started - as a faithful RebelCaptain shipper LOL - frowning upon the romantic connection between him and Jyn. However, in some way my concerns were that when a romantic involvement was clearly stated, I felt that spelled doom for the poor fella.

LOL I see what you did there with the "only"

In my headcanon all that matters is this:

https://giphy.com/gifs/rogue-one-jyn-erso-cassian-andor-mioiG7JeqfZEQ/

Do not get me wrong: I do know there was just a potential hinted in a subtle way for a romantic involvement had they survived Scarif. And Hadder was important for Jyn since it was maybe a period of time when she experienced what a normal and simple kind of life could mean. However, I see her interaction with Cassian way more important in terms of the main storyline, and how he could have been the "home" she was looking for (and so far, the only moment there is a mention about a home for Jyn is when Akshaya says "our home" in Skhul). What I am really looking forward to is to have some form of Cassian Andor's backstory as well. I have a feeling the impact of the events he suffered since he was a little boy impacted on him in the opposite way, as we know so far from Rogue One. In some way he and Jyn were opposites, and I have said this before: the moment after Eadu when she tells him "You might as well be a stormtrooper" in some way mirrors the one where Leia tells Han "If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive." (though in this case, the one committed to a cause would be Leia rather than Han).

I like how Revis included this kind of episodes both for the Empire and the Rebellion. The Inusagi massacre, perpetraded by Saw and Partisans, might be as shocking as learn the torture the Admiral Rocwyn was applying on Bardbee. However, we expect the Imperials to be ruthless and cruel; but from a certain point of view, having Rebels performing those kind of acts could not bring sympathy from some. And we also see how there is prejudice from non-humans towards humans, perhaps justified by the mistreating of the Empire but it shows as well that extremes are not good.

Now I want a short-story of Maz Kanata interacting with Jyn. Word.

 

I forgot to mention this, but one thing I realised is that, as far as I remember after reading RR I don't think there is a moment when Jyn actually kills someone. She hesitates to kill the scientist, who is killed by someone else, and her first mission alone the guy she's ordered to kill dies from the mines. After that I cannot recall her killing someone.

I might need to revisit again but if this is right, the moment when she faces Cassian after Eadu is way more poignant because even if she is considered a criminal, she's not a cold-blooded murderer. (And so far we have learned so far Cassian has killed people before.)

This strikes me in some way since lately I started watching Daredevil on Netflix and in some way, I was thinking Jyn and Saw relationship was a softer, bizarre version of the relationship between Matt Murdock and Stick, and also how Matt has conflicts with killing people, as Jyn has. Maybe just a coincidence, but I thought in some way it is similar.

 

I just finished reading RR and I have to say I've read allot of Star Wars books in my day, legends and canon, this is definitely my favorite. Crispin's trilogy on Han (legends) was pretty good but I must say this is much better. I read the Zahn trilogies but this book will have a special place in my heart. I really hope she continues to write for Star Wars. Hoping for a Cassin or Han tale by Revis. You guys have touched on all the finer points, so I just wanted to say I really liked this one. I will watch Rogue One remembering all the hardships Jyn faced... She deserves more...

 

JUST FINISHED!!!! I cant say its my favorite. But now there is so much more meaning behind Jyn's acceptance of her fate in Rogue One. I was saddened by her lack of HOPE with Blue and the team. Even after witnessing their empathy she couldn't bring herself to recognize meaning behind a cause. So disappointed in her.

I agree though @Rogues1138 . Now I can watch Rogue One with a more compassion of Jyn's struggle.

 

This was just posted today:

http://eleven-thirtyeight.com/2017/07/on-rebel-rising-and-jyn-erso-the-unlikable-hero/

I do agree on most of the article, however I do think Beth Revis did a neat job including bits of her life at Wobani to show how her abrasive personality was being subdued by living imprisoned. That's why it can be understood why when she gets to Yavin she's not as abrasive as the early cut of the film would have shown (with all that "I rebel" and "Yes sir" stuff left in the editing room).

 

I can't put my finger on it, but this book didn't excite me for some reason. I don't disagree with any the comments about what it adds to the overall story. Maybe it is because my attention is caught up with looking forward to TLJ so I'm less interested in looking back at RO. I don't know.... It was a fine book.

 

I really enjoyed this book and it really gave needed characterization that was missing from the movie. This book made me care about Jyn she was more than just a bland character. They really needed to find a way too corporate some of this story into the movie. Sure the other characters back story can be fleshed out in books but she was too key to the movie. I refuse to mentally edit the movie with theses details and say it's better now. It's really the filmmakers job to give a complete and compelling story.

 

Some great reviews here. This book is in my top 5 of the new canon. It hits on all marks for me. Tie ins to other parts of canon, expanding the world, deepening Rogue One, It's part of why I read canon. I thought it was one of the most consistent stories in terms of believing the plots, characterizations, and so forth. If you read this and Catalyst, then you have a pretty complete life journey for Jyn. Her death in Rogue One has more meaning for me now, for I care about her as a character more now.

 

Rebel Rising isn't in my top 5, but I have to agree with you that the "trilogy" Catalyst, Rebel Rising and Rogue One gives us a very interesting and complete story of Jyn Erso