Review - From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi Celebrates a 40-Year Legacy in Unexpected and Welcome Ways

I hold one truth in life. Return of the Jedi isn't the best Star Wars movie ever made, but it's still the best Star Wars movie ever made. From a certain point of view, you may agree, disagree, or not even understand what I'm talking about, but it is my truth. It's a film that has it all: laughs, heart, action, mythology, music, thrills, and so many unforgettable moments. Return of the Jedi can't be denied.



It's been 40 years since Return of the Jedi hit theaters, meaning it's time for 40 new short stories featuring minor, background, and wholly original characters to take the stage in the latest edition of the From a Certain Point of View (FACPOV) series. You know what you're getting into if you've read 2017's collection of stories set during A New Hope or 2020's The Empire Strikes Back.



Mercifully, these 40 authors have learned possibly the most important lesson from the last two collections. From A Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi is the most balanced set of stories to date. You won't feel trapped in a single setting like the Mos Eisley Cantina or Hoth, and you won't be stuck reading the same type of story repeatedly in an endless loop. There will still be those you don't vibe with, but as a whole, this is a worthy celebration 40 years in the making. And maybe it even improves on aspects of the original movie? I'll leave that last part hanging in the air for now.



There will be mild spoilers in this review.







To better understand the sense of balance, one doesn't have to look much further than the opening few stories on Tatooine. There are 10 stories set during the rescue of Han Solo from Jabba's Palace. While that sounds like a bit much, each story brings a radically different flavor. Beginning with Phil Szostak's The Fancy Man, the Max Rebo Band is on its way to start its contract with Jabba the Hutt. The plot thickens when Max's organ begins tumbling through the city streets, wrecking everything in its path. This story reads as if it was pulled straight from Fast X, the latest in the Fast & Furious franchise -- I'll let you decide if that's a good thing or bad.



Next is Olivia Chadha's The Key to Remembering, a tale about Jabba's torture droid, EV-9D9. It's a story similar in themes to an earlier FACPOV entry, The Red One, which saw R5-D4 sabotage himself in favor of letting R2-D2 carry on his mission. This story is followed by a morbidly hopeful anecdote about Bib Fortuna's plans to take over the underworld after he kills Jabba.



Any guesses on where Jabba falls on Bib's 'hate list?'



The following story is one of the highlights of the whole novel. Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight by Thea Guanzon introduces an original character named Jess. She plays several roles at Jabba's Palace, but most notably, she is a friend to Oola the Twi'lek and takes part in a pivotal moment once Leia arrives on the scene. This is a lengthy story, but I liken it to a Lost Stars-lite thanks to its sweeping epic scale that's grounded in a romantic tragedy. Jess is slaving away serving Jabba for extremely personal reasons, similar to Lost Stars' Ciena Ree. This puts her at odds with her friend and possible lover, Altair, who doesn't understand why she insists on suffering, similar to Thane Kyrell.



The moments tied to Leia left me wondering if we needed to know the behind-the-scenes of that particular movie moment, but Leia herself convinced me of its merit in a later story, so I'll allow it. Circling back to the original point, the tales on Tatooine take up a quarter of book time, but there's a variety not previously felt in FACPOV stories. It never really feels like authors are repeating themselves, despite sometimes formatting their stories similarly. The characters chosen in this FACPOV book are too diverse to fail on that level.



Introducing Jess in Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight by Thea Guanzon



It's when an author decides to take it upon themselves to change how we view a critical moment in the movies that might push too many boundaries. A common talking point against these collections is in the finer details. Did we need to know that the Dianoga was Force-sensitive? Did we need to understand how the tauntaun felt to have its innards shafted? The latest in that vein is Charlie Jane Ander's The Mouth That Never Closes, centered on the Sarlacc.



It's a perfectly well-written tale about how the Sarlacc is misunderstood, but is this what we should spend resources on? Pulling back the curtain on things that never needed to be pulled back will always rub some the wrong way, but thankfully, the overwhelming majority of the authors find the right balance. Then there are those who don't go far enough with the story they're telling, a frustrating tendency the weaker stories in this FACPOV book seem to have.



What motivates the Sarlacc?



These leave you with an ambitious author who can't entirely level up. They never answer the core question of why this story needs to be told. There might be something for every type of Star Wars fan, but without direction and focus, your accounting will be lost. If this series continues, I plead with the next set of FACPOV authors who decide to go for a bit to commit to the bit. Don't tackle a character like Boba Fett and stop before you even get to the iconic movie sequence. A reminder that we are here to celebrate the films that got us here, not ignore their key moments if it can be helped.



Once Tatooine is left behind, Return of the Jedi's Endor-heavy second act is flipped on its head. Instead of spending our time exclusively on Endor, the Rebellion gets a much-needed spotlight. We get to spend additional time with Mon Mothma, Lando, the Aftermath trilogy's Norra Wexley, Wedge, and more -- all as they prepare for the fight of their life in their own way. This is the rebels' most crucial hour; it's do-or-die. The Battle of Endor is nigh, and seeing it through their perspective on the ground before they take flight gives life to a woefully unexplored area of a 1983 movie that chose to focus on Ewoks...



Shaman Logray has thoughts on whether C-3PO is the true 'Golden One.'



...Whose stories might be the best part of this entire From a Certain Point of View novel.



A running subplot throughout teases that the Ewoks are the actual incarnation of evil. One Normal Day by Mary Kenney and Divine(?) Intervention by Paul Crilley introduces us to the species all over again. Their duology is a breath of fresh air, letting us see the world through their eyes as invaders come to their homes. Then, it's taken to the next level when Commander Igar shows fear while being out at night. During Max Gladstone's The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker, Igar notes that his men have disappeared in the forest. Somehow, this is freaking him out more than the idea of Darth Vader's wrath if he can't maintain possession of Luke. Killer teddy bears are on the loose. How does Vader compare to that?



Sarah Kuhn's soul-crushing The Ballad of Nanta then paves the way for Alyssa Wong to bring it home with Wolf Trap. Ever play Battlefront II's Ewok Hunt mode? Yeah, it's basically that -- only one side will ever win. Pray to the Golden One; it's your only hope. Ewoks rule.



Sarah Kuhn's The Ballad of Nanta will break your heart all over again.



From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi is a loving celebration of the closing chapter of the original trilogy. The laughs, thrills, and emotions you felt 40 years ago are there in fresh and unexpected ways. These FACPOV books are always hard to measure as a whole. Instead, I find it easier to grade based on what you'll take with you the next time you press play.



Topping the list of stories is a spiritual trilogy that can only be made possible by the last 40 years of passionate Star Wars storytelling. The series' namesake story, Alex Jenning's From a Certain Point of View, paints Obi-Wan on a canvas beaming with tragedy as he explains why he hid the truth about Darth Vader from Luke. Jennings seamlessly weaves in all we've learned about the Jedi Master, including how the recent Obi-Wan Kenobi series changed everything.



From a Certain Point of View expands on Obi-Wan's confession.



Then is Adam Lance Garcia's The Veteran. Dexter Jettster is easily the most surprising inclusion in this From a Certain Point of View collection, and it comes with an arc fitting the Besalisk who's seen it all. Ridden with guilt over his perceived role in the galaxy's affairs, Dex also carries a fear that this victory over the Empire will come at a cost. As things unfold and his fears become reality, Dex finds that there is light at the end of this very long tunnel. His is a journey of rediscovering hope, and if that isn't the most Star Wars thing ever, I don't know what is.



The Empire is defeated, but why can't Dexter Jettster finally find solace?



Immediately following that is Brotherhood, which sees Mike Chen continue his ascent into top-tier Star Wars writer status. His story about Anakin Skywalker's passing into the Cosmic Force is masterful. How is it possible that Anakin became a Force ghost? Why was he his younger self? Well, you're not getting all the answers because Chen recognizes preserving the myth is important, but you are getting an Anakin hell-bent on righting his wrongs. But the only person who can possibly balance Anakin's soul is here, and he has one last powerful, poignant lesson to impart. Whether or not you read Chen's Brotherhood novel, this second coming of Brotherhood is a near-perfect ending to Anakin's story.



Mike Chen's Brotherhood is a near-perfect end to Anakin's story.



I could go on about so many of these individual tales, but From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi is best experienced yourself. Even if some stories make you want to rip your hair out, this is still the most complete edition to date. Return of the Jedi finds itself elevated to new heights, making this a joyous addition to the bookshelf.


<p style='text-align: center;']RATING: 8.5/10</p>


Before we part ways, here's one random semi-spoilery thought on each story:

• Any Work Worth Doing: It wouldn't be Star Wars without stretching the meaning of a single line of dialogue.
• The Fancy Man: Maybe it's me, not you, Max.
• The Key to Remembering: The one-sided friendship between R2 and C-3PO needs to be talked about more.
• Fortuna Favors the Bold: Bib Fortuna rocks.
• Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight: Bib Fortuna sucks.
• The Plan: We can be done with stories on the Rancor Keeper now.
• Reputation: We love it when comics matter.
• Kickback: That's.... it?
• Everyone's A Critic: We love it when dad jokes make Jabba laugh.
• Satisfaction: Don't quit your day job, Sy.
• My Mouth Never Closes: Was that a deep-cut High Republic reference?
• Kernels and Husks: Jason Fry, do you remember how to write a Star War?
• The Light That Falls: More Dagobah is always good.
• From A Certain Point of View: Try convincing me we didn't need Leia in Obi-Wan Kenobi now. I dare you.
• No Contingency: This story resonates loudly now that we have Andor's version of Mon Mothma.
• The Burden of Leadership: Ever wonder what Lando's 'Independence Day' speech would sound like?
• Gone to the Winner's Circle: Arrogant yet wholesome Imperials are the best.
• One Normal Day: Credit to the fine folk at Mynock Manor for this comparison, but Wicket is Star Wars' Bilbo Baggins
• Divine(?) Intervention: If Wicket is Bilbo, Logray is Gandalf when he remembers the One Ring exists -- no further questions.
• The Buy-In: Norra Wexley makes my heart happy.
• The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker: Game recognizes game.
• Ackbar: Somehow inspired but uninspired.
• The Impossible Flight of Ash Angels: Green Leader might be my new obsession.
• Ending Protocol: We love it when FACPOV books make sense of the ridiculous movie moments.
• The Last Flight: 'I owe you an apology. I wasn't really familiar with your game.' - Shaquille O'Neal
• Twenty and Out: We love it when meme culture matters.
• The Ballad of Nanta: &#x1f62d;
• Then Fall, Sidious: Palpatine went to Luthen Rael's School of Linguistics, and you can't convince me otherwise.
• Impact: I may have spent this story thinking about Green Leader.
• Trooper Trouble: We love it when memes are made.
• To the Last: I'm still obsessing over Green Leader.
• The Emperor's Red Guards: A raw peak into what makes these guys tick, and it's haunting.
• Wolf Trap: Alyssa Wong. That is all.
• The Extra Five Percent: Painfully undercooked.
• When Fire Marked the Sky: Can we give Emma Meiko Candon a Green Leader novel?
• The Chronicler: Will the real Mon Mothma please stand up?
• The Veteran: Can we give Dexter Jettster a collective hug?
• Brotherhood: Oh my god.
• The Steadfast Soldier: No, The Rise of Skywalker doesn't make any more sense than it already did. Or didn't.
• Return of the Whills: See you again in either 2024 or 2029 for The Phantom Menace. Maybe.

A special thank you to Random House Worlds for the copy used in this review. From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi is available August 29, wherever books are sold.



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