A jolly good read?

[Langers]

I'm just sticking with New Canon for now as there's so much coming out.

Some good stuff amongst them - I've just got Leia of Alderaan which is another new one. Its set before Episode IV when Leia is only about 16 but apparently is linked to The Last Jedi so I'll make sure I read that before the film comes out.

Finished Leia: Princess of Alderaan today - just in time.

Absolutely SUPERB book - and it's definitely between this and Lost Stars as to which of the new canon range I like best. Same author too - Claudia Gray. Get her on a retainer, Disney - she's great!

Anyway, one of the characters introduced in Princess of Alderaan happens to be the 16 year old version of a character being introduced in The Last Jedi. And this character is BRILLIANT!

I'll spoiler the photo of them from the film if you don't want to know who it is - can't wait to see them on the big screen!

 

It's Amilyn Holdo - played by Laura Dern!!

 

[lemonjelly]

I'm reading The Quarry, Iain Banks last novel at the moment. It's really good. One main character is autistic (I worry about how much this character makes sense...) and the other main character is dying from cancer, and I wonder which of the 2 Banks has put the most of himself in. Liking it. Hope the last 2 chapters (probably tonight) don't ruin it.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Langers, I know you've mentioned the Star Wars books on here a few times but I wasn't really paying attention (sorry!) If I was going to read a Star Wars book, which would you recommend starting with? Bearing in mind that my knowledge of the Star Wars expanded universe only stretches as far as the films, and even then I can't remember who half the more minor characters are!

 

[Langers]

Langers, I know you've mentioned the Star Wars books on here a few times but I wasn't really paying attention (sorry!) If I was going to read a Star Wars book, which would you recommend starting with? Bearing in mind that my knowledge of the Star Wars expanded universe only stretches as far as the films, and even then I can't remember who half the more minor characters are!

If you're only going to read one, read Lost Stars. It features mainly new characters and assumes you know the main events of the original trilogy but you don't really need to know anything else before starting it. The cool thing about Lost Stars is that the same events happen, but the story is told from a completely different viewpoint. And never assumes that Rebellion = 100% good and Empire = 100% bad. It's amazing.

If you want to read some background into some of the main characters from the films:

Darth Plagueis - the story of Sheev Palpatine (AKA The Emperor) and how he was trained in the dark arts by his master, Darth Plagueis (he is mentioned in Episode III when Palpatine is talking to Anakin whilst watching that weird space opera thing). I enjoyed this.
Tarkin - a bit meh but if you like Grand Moff Tarkin, there are lots of Tarkins Tarkinning about
Phasma - Captain's Phasma's life story. Very very good indeed - she's a total badass.
Leia - Princess of Alderaan - the book I've just read. You'd probably enjoy this as a standalone title, but I think it is better if you've also read Bloodline. And Bloodline is better if you've read the Aftermath trilogy! Whereas Princess of Alderaan is set a few years before Episode IV, Bloodline is another book about Leia but set between Episodes VI and VII.

There are other books about Ahsoka Tano and Grand Admiral Thrawn but you might not know who they are as they're not in the main films.

TL;DR - give Lost Stars a go.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Catalyst: A Rogue One Story is superb stuff as well. Lots of stuff about how much Tarkin and Krennic despise each other, and great background on the Urso family.

Struggling a bit with Aftermath to be honest. I HATE novels written in the present tense.

 

[Wombat del combate]

CLots of stuff about how much Tarkin and Krennic despise each other, and great background on the Urso family.

Yet despite all that drama and mutual hatred, Partizan Belgrade went on to win the UEFA Cup.

 

[Langers]

Catalyst: A Rogue One Story is superb stuff as well. Lots of stuff about how much Tarkin and Krennic despise each other, and great background on the Urso family.

Struggling a bit with Aftermath to be honest. I HATE novels written in the present tense.

Yeah it's a bugbear of mine too. But I'd advise you to stick with it because the 2nd instalment of Aftermath is awesome and worth the grind that is part 1!

I'm going to start Catalyst next I think, followed by Rebel Rising.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Read catalyst and it has an excerpt from Rogue One in it at the end which basically takes you to the point that rebel rising starts I think. You can then drop back into rogue one straight after.

 

[PPB]

A jolly good read, Dave Edwards - Living My Dream

 

[Parkins left foot]

The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom

Thought provoking re the use of time as the finite element of our life & our use of that

 

[Dire Wolf]

I'm currently reading Uncommon Type, a collection of short stories by Tom Hanks. I'm thoroughly enjoying them, in spite (or maybe because) of being unable not to read them in Tom Hanks's voice. They are largely written in the gentle, humorous and engaging style you would expect of him, simple stories about people's lives, with a typewriter featuring in some significant or insignificant way in each story.

 

[lemonjelly]

Put away all my recently read books last night (will pop a list on here later, you lucky people!) Was amazed to establish that since february I have read 50 books! Don't know how that has happened, as I don't feel like I read a book a week.

Am about to finish reading Dune shortly.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Bloody hell, LJ. Where do you find the time to read 50 books in a year?! I probably manage about 15!

 

[PPB]

I'm currently reading Uncommon Type, a collection of short stories by Tom Hanks. I'm thoroughly enjoying them, in spite (or maybe because) of being unable not to read them in Tom Hanks's voice. They are largely written in the gentle, humorous and engaging style you would expect of him, simple stories about people's lives, with a typewriter featuring in some significant or insignificant way in each story.

I've just downloaded this for my journey. I know that I will also be reading the stories in a Tom Hanks voice!

 

[Langers]

Catalyst: A Rogue One Story is superb stuff as well. Lots of stuff about how much Tarkin and Krennic despise each other, and great background on the Urso family.

Struggling a bit with Aftermath to be honest. I HATE novels written in the present tense.

Hmm... I'm about 75% of the way through Catalyst and it's a real slog to get through. It's definitely the weakest of the new canon books I've read which is surprising as the author has done some excellent Star Wars novels before this. I just find it really dull and about 10 times too long for the story it's telling. Some good bits and I always like getting further info on major characters but I don't rate it very highly at all.

Still - I shall keep going and move onto Rebel Rising when I've finished it!

How did you find Aftermath? That's probably the 2nd worst I've read :icon_lol:

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Struggled with it. So I am having light relief by re-reading the original Trilogy again.

I will get back to Aftermath, but I also have a four volume History of The Hundred Years war that I am slogging through. Now, that can be hard work in places!

 

[Parkins left foot]

Put away all my recently read books last night (will pop a list on here later, you lucky people!) Was amazed to establish that since february I have read 50 books! Don't know how that has happened, as I don't feel like I read a book a week.

Am about to finish reading Dune shortly.

Bloody hell, LJ. Where do you find the time to read 50 books in a year?! I probably manage about 15!

Can probably match (or possibly exceed LJ's number), but I am retired so have more time - couldn't put a list up as don't record them though as a majority are Library books suspect I could get them off my online records.

Also don't watch masses of TV as don't have non mainline Freeview channels - last one only took 6 hrs (wasn't a massive book) as nothing on tv so read with decent music on - got engrossed so stayed up till 2am just to find out the ending! (helps when you don't have to get up at a specific time to go to work as well)

 

[SLA]

Can probably match (or possibly exceed LJ's number), but I am retired so have more time - couldn't put a list up as don't record them though as a majority are Library books suspect I could get them off my online records.

Also don't watch masses of TV as don't have non mainline Freeview channels - last one only took 6 hrs (wasn't a massive book) as nothing on tv so read with decent music on - got engrossed so stayed up till 2am just to find out the ending! (helps when you don't have to get up at a specific time to go to work as well)

Did you not just fall asleep? I'm an avid reader but I tend to fall asleep fairly quickly unless I have the time to read first thing in the morning.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Did you not just fall asleep? I'm an avid reader but I tend to fall asleep fairly quickly unless I have the time to read first thing in the morning.

No - engrossing book & anyway I was playing vinyls so had to get up every 20mins or so to change the record (not that it's been unknown for me to fall asleep in the chair :icon_biggrin

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

I love reading but find I can only read for about 30/40 mins at a time these days before I start getting restless. If I'm reading in bed I start to nod off before then anyway!