NGP Review : Lords Of The Sith

NGP Review : Lords Of The Sith

Coming off of my first (personally) disappointing Star Wars canon novel,  Heir to the Jedi, my expectations were set pretty low as I entered author Paul S. Kemp's successor, Lords Of The Sith. Taking place eight years after the events of the Clone Wars, and before the events of both Tarkin and A New Dawn, the story follows a small pocket of resistance fighters known as the Free Ryloth movement, led by none other than Rebel pilot Hera Syndulla’s father, Cham Syndulla (a familiar face to fans of the Clone Wars TV Series) as they take a daring chance at striking a fatal blow against the Empire.

Cham Syndulla

A surprisingly unexpected high speed thriller, Lords Of The Sith jumps out the gate with a bang and all of my misconceptions were quickly dispelled within the opening act. Primarily set on Ryloth, a planet crucial to the Empire as a source of slave labor and the narcotic known as "spice", Cham Syndulla and his small band of Rebel insurgents learn that Emperor Palpatine and his 'associate', Darth Vader, plan to accompany the planet's Galactic senator, Orn Free Taa, to the system aboard the Star Destroyer Perilous.

Orn Free Taa

Knowing that taking out both Palpatine and Vader simultaneously would strike a crippling blow to the Empire, Syndulla makes the decision to focus (and exhaust) his resources on the element of surprise by placing hundreds of mines just outside of the hyperspace lane. Among the mines, two dozen shield bleeders were also hidden within the confines of the trap, which upon contacting the Perlious’ shields, wouldn’t explode, but rather latch onto the energy signature setting up a counter grid that would weaken the Star Destroyer for the second attack wave.

Not a terrorist. But a freedom fighter.

Successful in their ambush, the Rebel attack continued with the launch of re-purposed Separatist Vulture Droids carrying Buzz Droids equip with suicide bombs set to destroy the Perilous from the inside out. As the Star Destroyer crumbles, Palpatine and Vader, constrained to rely not only on The Force but one another for survival, make their narrow escape to the Ryloth surface below intent on revenge …

Vulture Droid

Although knowing that the survival of Vader and Palpatine is a given, Kemp does a tremendous job keeping the reader on their toes as he explores not only the previously unseen master/apprentice relationship between the two Sith lords but also the lengths at which Palpatine is willing to go in order to prevent the galaxy from learning his true identity.  Lords Of The Sith is by far my favorite Star Wars canon novel to date, and comes highly recommended especially for those new to branching out to the novels medium. Lords Of The Sith serves up a great high speed, action packed story that serves as a perfect jumping on point and does an exceptional job tying in elements of both the films and TV series to further explain and expand the Star Wars universe.

5/5

With only one additional published canon novel left to conquer, I will be taking a brief hiatus from the Star Wars universe to immerse myself in Ernest Cline's sophomore novel, Armada, before doubling back for the highly anticipated Quinlan Vos/Asajj Ventress centric Dark Disciple!

Questions or Comments? Sound off below, or find me on Twitter as @ArchangelEZE and for more exciting news and reviews, follow NGP on Facebook!

Until next time True Believers,

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NGP Review : Heir To The Jedi

NGP Review : Heir To The Jedi

Out of all the currently released Star Wars canon novels, the concept of Heir to the Jedi was by far the most intriguing and exciting for me as a fan. Following in the steps of Luke Skywalker fresh off the events the Battle of Yavin and the destruction of the first Death Star, I couldn’t wait to dive into the adventures between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back especially following on the heels of it’s two incredible predecessors A New Dawn and Tarkin. Unfortunately, my excitement was short lived.

The first turn off for me wasn't story related, but rather the perspective in which author Kevin Hearne wrote the novel. I've never personally been a fan of fiction in the first person, and even less so with characters I've come to grow and love. More often than not, I feel that authors have a difficult time finding a character's voice in this style, resulting in some rather clunky and cheesy inner monologue and dialogue interaction.

For example, within the first chapter alone, classic gems such as :

“Moisture farming. Spectacularly dull. Some weeks were so boring that I actually looked forward to going to Tosche Station to pick up some … power converters.”

and

“Llanc bustled with smugglers and other ne’er-do-wells in a way that might have moved Ben Kenobi to call it a “wretched hive of scum and villainy,” even if it was quite as wretched as Mos Eisley.”

were randomly interjected into the story, which at times made me roll my eyes to a point where it was almost too painful to continue. My annoyance with the dialogue aside, the bigger issue for me was that Hearne didn’t appear to know what type of story he wanted to tell. Through the first quarter of the novel, Luke, and his Alliance companion Nakari Kelen, are tasked with a mission to investigate a missing ship owned by Nakari’s biotech mougel father, Fayet Kelen, in return for credits needed to upgrade their own craft for the “main mission”. While that’s all well and good, the story takes a very sharp Ridley Scott Prometheus/Alien like turn as the duo finds the abandoned vessel overrun by camouflaged brain sucking alien parasites.

Nakari Kelen

As this mission concludes and the story progresses, Alliance leader, Admiral Akbar, then enlists the talents of Luke and Nakari for a rescue mission, a la every heist movie known to man, to save a Given prisoner by the name of Drusil Bephorin from the clutches of the Galactic Empire in hopes that she will aid the Alliance through her unparalleled skills in cryptography.  At this point, nearly half way through the novel, things finally start to pick up.

Drusil Bephorin

Without disclosing any spoilers, I did find myself questioning some of the character choices that occurred at end of the novel. However, there was also a period of enlightenment, as I began to understand the influences Luke had at this point in his life following the death of Ben Kenobi and how those influences helped shape him into the Jedi he would eventually become.

The novel was saved from disaster thanks to the second act of the story, earning it a 2/5 on the NGP rating scale. If you are looking for a great Luke Skywalker story, look toward Jason Aaron and John Cassaday's Star Wars title user the Marvel Comics banner instead. You'll be far more impressed.

2/5 

Questions or Comments? Sound off in the comments below, or find me on Twitter as @ArchangelEZE! For more exciting news and reviews, follow NGP on Facebook and join me here next month for the next Star Wars canon novel review : Lords Of The Sith!

Until next time True Believers,

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Will We Get Our Lady Stoneheart? (SPOILERS)

Will We Get Our Lady Stoneheart? (SPOILERS)

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR SEASON 5 OF GAME OF THRONES AND CORRESPONDING NOVELS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Since the conclusion of Season 4, Game of Thrones fans have been left wondering if Lady Stoneheart would eventually make her appearance in the critically acclaimed HBO series, or be omitted from the television adaptation of George R.R. Martin's fantasy epic.

With only two episodes left this season, the thought of introducing the character seemed unlikely … that is, until the season finale title was revealed. To fans of the series, episode names and finale titles are incredibly important when it comes to deciphering the context of each episode and can be quite revealing. Especially to those who have read the novels and have somewhat of a grasp as to what may be coming down the pipeline.

The Season 5 finale, entitled “Mother’s Mercy," will debut June 14th at 9pm EST on HBO, and although the title could hold multiple meanings, I, like many others, am holding out hope. Some could argue that the episode title simply refers to the option presented to the currently imprisoned Cersei Lannister, where she ultimately throws herself to the “mercy” of the gods to receive whatever punishment they see fit. Which (SPOILER), in this particular case, is walking through the streets of King’s Landing completely nude; her shame on display for all to see.

However, readers who pay close attention may notice that “Mother Mercy” is also an alias given to Lady Stoneheart, (SPOILER) the reincarnated zombified Catelyn Stark, in the appendix within the pages of A Feast For Crows. So, the question remains … will we get our Lady Stoneheart?

Questions or Comments? Sound off below, or find me on Twitter as @ArchangelEZE and for more exciting news and reviews, follow NGP on Facebook!  

Until next time True Believers,

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NGP Review : Tarkin

NGP Review : Tarkin

I’ll be the first to admit that the second published novel under the new Star Wars canon had me skeptical. A story focused solely on Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin seemed a bit of a stretch for me, especially knowing how he would ultimately reach his incendiary demise aboard the first Death Star. However, Tarkin author James Luceno masterfully gives us a tale that truly shines a fascinating light on how Wilhuff Tarkin would become one of the most formidable villains in Star Wars history.

Taking place five years after Star Wars : Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Tarkin begins in the Outer Rim, where we find the Governor, a newly appointed Moff, overseeing a base of operations where parts are being created and assembled for a massive mobile space station …

However, not all is peaceful in the Empire as the myriad species of former Separatist worlds (stripped of weaponry and resources with the death of Count Dooku and formation of the Galactic Empire) are bent on revenge for being left to fend for themselves under Palpatine’s rule and have initialed raids on Imperial depots such as the one under Tarkin’s command.    

Convinced that the completion of the Empire’s ultimate weapon will ultimately crush these lingering pockets of Rebellion, Palpatine pairs his Sith enforcer, Darth Vader, alongside the tactical genius of Tarkin to investigate and extinguish these rising threats.

As a whole, I was really impressed with the expansion Tarkin was able to provide to the New Expanded Universe Canon. Throughout the course of A New Hope, it’s clear that the tactical cunning and cold-blooded efficiency of Grand Moff Tarkin is a force to be reckoned with within the Galactic Empire. However, we are never given the opportunity to explore how or why Tarkin is the way he is. Filling in this piece of the puzzle alongside yet another unexplored time period in the Star Wars mythos made for an exciting read.

Unlike the building blocks of the Rebellion perspective provided through A New Dawn, Tarkin shows us the story from the villain's point of view at a point in history where the Rebellion has become a growing threat to the Empire as opposed to the nuisance it once was. At times, I even found myself rooting for Tarkin and Vader in their attempts to uncover and obliterate the cunning Rebels though numerous space battles and conspiracies.

Tarkin is another fantastic addition, and comes highly recommended.

4/5

With two strong novels out the gate, I’m excited to see what the next installment holds as I begin Kevin Hearne’s Luke Skywalker centric Heir to the Jedi. Keep an eye on NGP for the next installment, and feel free to post your thoughts and spark a conversation!

Questions or Comments? Sound off below, or find me on Twitter as @ArchangelEZE and for more exciting news and reviews, follow NGP on Facebook!  

Until next time True Believers,

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NGP Review : A New Dawn

NGP Review : A New Dawn

In the wake of this weeks debut of the new trailer for The Force Awakens, I have completed my first journey into the newly pointed Star Wars Canon novels with A New Dawn. Although I'm a bit late to the party, with the novel releasing in September of 2014, I've made it a point to catch up and maintain speed now that the possibility of keeping up with continuity is within reach.

A New Dawn is the first novel published as part of the new canon, and with it brings the story of how Rebels Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla first cross paths and together alongside a Sullustan splicer, Zaluna, and a human Clone Wars veteran, Skelly, spark a Rebellion when the Empire threatens to destroy their way of life.

Taking place on the planet Gorse, and it's thorilide rich moon, Cynda, eight years after the birth of the Empire, Count Denetrius Vidian acting in his own interests, attempts to blow up Cynda in order to maximize his short-term thorilide yields to maintain the favor of Emperor Palpatine. Why thorilide, you ask? It just so happens to be a vital resource in the construction of Imperial Star Destroyer turbolaser batteries.

Straight out the gate, A New Dawn is a great starting point for the new era of Star Wars novels. However, if you're looking for epic lightsaber duels and exhilarating starship battles you won't find it here. Although Kanan is a Jedi, it's important to remember that his place in the galaxy at this point in history is nothing more than a drifter - forced to conceal his identity and force sensitivity as one of the lone survivors of Order 66. That may sound like a buzzkill, but don't let that deter you. The story still has plenty to offer, as we are introduced to a great cast of new and interesting supporting characters (some of whom may just appear in the Star Wars : Rebels TV series) and plenty of action to keep things exciting and on pace.

Additionally, the beauty of A New Dawn being canon is that everything fits together. From the Rebels TV series to the newly launched Kanan : The Last Padawan comic series, bits and pieces fall into place and connect through every medium helping to expand and amplify the story.

3/5 Toast Rating

I can't wait to get started on the next adventure, as I dive head first into the history and rise to power of one of the Empire's most notorious agents, Wilhuff Tarkin.

And for those of you who may have  missed it, behold the beauty of what's to come this Christmas in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens!

Questions or Comments? Sound off below, or find me on Twitter as @ArchangelEZE and for more exciting news and reviews, follow NGP on Facebook!  

Until next time True Believers,

-ArchangelEZE     

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The NEW Star Wars Canon

The NEW Star Wars Canon

The Star Wars Expanded Universe is dead. At least in terms of canon. After the Disney / Lucasfilm buyout (which has thus far given us more good than ill) had taken place, fans were left to speculate how current Star Wars lore would fit into the cinematic franchise upon the announcement that Episode VII was in the works. However, to the dismay of many, executive producer Kathleen Kennedy explained that in order to give the upcoming films the freedom they needed, they would not be following the future mapped out in the novels - therefore single handedly rendering the Expanded Universe non-canonical.

However, a slight concession was made to maintain the existence of this material as writer Simon Kinberg (providing story direction for the franchise as a whole) promised that those Expanded Universe stories would remain in publication under the 'Legends' banner and could still potentially be used as "inspiration" for canon projects. Additionally, Del Ray publishing editor Shelly Shapiro also chimed in :

"Well first of all, we don't want to just disappear stuff that everybody read and loved - including myself. Legends are things that are often told over generations so they're not ... they change constantly with the telling, so you can't actually attribute an author to any particular one. Often it wasn't someone who was actually there. You can go back to any of the legends ... they're pretty sure there was a 'King Arthur,' but most of the stories probably didn't happen. But that doesn't mean that there aren't kernels of truth in it." 

"Everything now - starting from "A New Dawn" on - is canon. So if you care about that - which you really probably shouldn't, but if you do - it's all part of this whole new collaborative process ... All of this stuff happened." 

So how exactly does the Star Wars canon look now with the slate wiped clean?

For a fan who never had the opportunity to explore the far reaches of the Expanded Universe, I'm actually thrilled. Chewbacca is alive, Emperor Palpatine doesn't have a clone, Mara Jade is a myth and the Yuuzhan Vong are an alien race that may not even exist.

If you're looking for a jumping on point with the Star Wars universe, now's the time.

The first three canon novels, A New Dawn, Tarkin and Heir to the Jedi are available now at your favorite retailer with Disciple, Lords of the Sith and Aftermath scheduled to release July 7, April 28 and September 4 respectively. Additionally, Marvel Star Wars comics beginning in January 2015 with Star Wars #1 by Jason Aaron and John Cassady are also considered canon.

A New Dawn and Tarkin have been ordered from my Amazon Wish List and are scheduled to arrive early this week. Keep an eye out for additional NGP thoughts and reviews as I embark (and attempt to keep up) on the journey.

Questions or Comments? Sound off below, or find me on Twitter as @ArchangelEZE and for more exciting news and reviews, follow NGP on Facebook!

Until next time True Believers,

-ArchangelEZE

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Ernest Cline’s ARMADA Receives it’s Long Awaited Release Date!

Ernest Cline’s ARMADA Receives it’s Long Awaited Release Date!

After months of speculation, Random House has finally announced the release date for author Ernest Cline’s follow-up to his debut novel Ready Player One. Beginning Wednesday, July 15, prepare to immerse yourself in the world of ARMADA.

Check out the Synopsis below, and guarantee yourself a copy by pre ordering through your favorite bookseller!

THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF READY PLAYER ONE

It’s just another day of high school for Zack Lightman. He's daydreaming through another boring math class, with just one more month to go until graduation and freedom—if he can make it that long without getting suspended again.

Then he glances out his classroom window and spots the flying saucer.  

At first, Zack thinks he’s going crazy.

A minute later, he’s sure of it. Because the UFO he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.  

But what Zack’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it.

Yet even as he and his new comrades scramble to prepare for the alien onslaught, Zack can’t help thinking of all the science-fiction books, TV shows, and movies he grew up reading and watching, and wonder: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little too… familiar?

Armada is at once a rollicking, surprising thriller, a classic coming of age adventure, and an alien-invasion tale like nothing you’ve ever read before—one whose every page is infused with author Ernest Cline’s trademark pop-culture savvy.

Questions or Comments? Sound off below, or find me on Twitter as @ArchangelEZE and for more exciting news and reviews, follow NGP on Facebook!  

Until next time True Believers,

-ArchangelEZE  

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Game of Thrones ... Licensed to Kill!

George R. R. Martin, author of the Game of Thrones books, is preparing fans for some unexpected deaths in the show. Even characters who haven't died in the books aren't safe. Martin spoke at the Writers Guild West Awards that Game of Thrones executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are taking EVEN MORE creative liberties. 

"People are going to die who don't die in the books, so even book readers are going to be unhappy," says Martin. "Everybody better be on their toes. David and D.B. are even bloodier than I am."

This shouldn't be entirely surprising seeing as how characters such as Strong Belwas and Arianne Martell were cut out of the show altogether.

- Lando McFly

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Top Ten Books For Geeks

Top Ten Books For Geeks
It seems as if every successful literary franchise recently has been getting its own movie or TV adaptation. While a lot of these adaptations are amazing in their own right I'm going to go out on a limb and defend reading as the purest and most captivating forms of media. Watching TV or movies tends to be a very one sided event but reading on the other hand is twice as engaging. You read the words and they spark your imagination into creating a world that is truly unique to you. This is a big factor in "The book was way better than the movie!" conundrum. Everyone evaluates literature differently so it is impossible for some else's interpretation to mirror your own and thus the disappointment. I put together a list of the Top Ten Books For Geeks all of which merit you full nerd attention.

10.) Cinder by Marissa Meyer (2013)

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. (Source)

9.) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick (1968)

A final, apocalyptic, world war has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending the majority of mankind off-planet. Those who remain, venerate all remaining examples of life, and owning an animal of your own is both a symbol of status and a necessity. For those who can't afford an authentic animal, companies build incredibly realistic simulacrae: horses, birds, cats, sheep . . . even humans. (Source)

8.) The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006)

 A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation. (Source)

7.) A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking (1988)

Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? These are just some of the questions considered in an internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of the world's greatest thinkers. It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders. (Source)

6.) Wool by Hugh Howey (2011)

This is the story of mankind clawing for survival, of mankind on the edge. The world outside has grown unkind, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they profess to want: They are allowed outside. (Source)

5.) Old Man's War by John Scalzi (2005)

John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined the army.

The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce-and aliens willing to fight for them are common. The universe, it turns out, is a hostile place.

So: we fight. To defend Earth (a target for our new enemies, should we let them get close enough) and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has gone on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding. 

John Perry is taking that deal. He has only the vaguest idea what to expect. Because the actual fight, light-years from home, is far, far harder than he can imagine-and what he will become is far stranger. (Source)

4.) Stardust by Neil Gaiman (1999)

In the tranquil fields and meadows of long-ago England, there is a small hamlet that has stood on a jut of granite for 600 years. Just to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here, in the hamlet of Wall, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. And here, one crisp October eve, Tristran makes his love a promise -- an impetuous vow that will send him through the only breach in the wall, across the pasture... and into the most exhilarating adventure of his life. (Source)

3.) Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979)

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years. (Source)

2.) The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (2007)

Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard. (Source)

1.) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)

The year is 2044 and the world is in near-ruins. The Great Recession has taken its toll on the world's economy, and resources are scarce. The Internet and gaming culture have evolved into a creation known as OASIS, a massive multiplayer online simulation game created by James Halliday and Ogden Morrow of Gregarious Simulation Systems (GSS), formerly known as Gregarious Games. Halliday, with no heirs or other living family, dies suddenly and leaves a video will to those in OASIS and a book that was dubbed Anorak's Almanac, which purports to be a volume written by James Halliday's avatar Anorak in OASIS. The video says that whoever can collect three keys (Copper, Jade, and Crystal) that are hidden throughout the universe of OASIS and pass through the matching gates will receive his fortune and controlling stake in GSS. This becomes known as the Hunt and people immediately begin the search for Halliday's Easter Egg. Those searching for the Egg are referred to as "gunters," a truncation of "egg hunters." Gunters devote an enormous amount of time to studying 1980s pop culture, the decade Halliday grew up in and was perpetually obsessed with, in the hope it will assist them with locating and solving the puzzles involved with the Egg. (Source)

Happy reading!
-Demo

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