Star Wars The High Republic: The Edge of Balance Vol 2 by Shima Shinya & Daniel José Older - Book Review

 

'It is the era of the High Republic and interstellar expansion is at its height. As trusted guardians of peace, the renowned Jedi protect the Republic and shine their light on those exploring the darkest reaches of the galaxy.

'Jedi Knight Lily Tora-Asi learns the Drengir attack on Banchii was not an isolated event but part of a coordinated attack orchestrated by the Nihil. Master Arkoff is on orders from the Jedi Council to help Master Stellan Gios’s investigation, leaving Lily in charge of rebuilding Banchii and restoring hope to the community. Lily vows the temple will not be put in danger again, not under her watch! When a disruptive unannounced visitor appears, Lily must maintain her focus as she seeks the best way to protect Banchii, Keerin, and the Younglings from the growing Nihil threat.'

After several months of waiting the second volume of Star Wars The High Republic: Edge of Balance has arrived, and picks up with Lilu Tora-Asi, and the other inhabitants of Banchii, following their encounter with the monstrous Drengir.

With Jedi Master Arkoff having left Banchii to help Master Stellan Gios, Lily has been left as the most senior Jedi on the planet. Unfortunately, several members of the young colony seem disinterested in listening to Lily's advice and leadership in the absence of Master Arkoff. Whilst the farmers want to rebuild their homes and their farms following the attack, Lily believes it best to build bunkers so that the colonists have a place to hide if the Nihil launch an attack. As tensions begin to mount between Lily and the farmers she begins to take her frustrations out on the temple younglings.

Its at this time the strange and mysterious Jedi Sav Malagán arrives on Banchii, having just come from the Nihil attack on Takodana. Sav tries to help Lily, and even provides some weapons for the inhabitants to use for protection in the event of a Nihil attack. When the Jedi discover that their communications are down it's decided that Lily and the younglings will travel to the Starlight Beacon to tell Master Arkoff about some discovered sabotage. But whilst they're away, the Nihil put their plans for Banchii into motion.

One of the things that I disliked about the first volume of The Edge of Balance was how isolated it felt. The Drengir and the Nihil were part of the story, but it still felt like the events of the book were taking place in their own little corner, completely on their own. In comparison, this volume has so many appearances of other characters, plot points from other parts of the project, and name drops, that it feels like it's become a connected part of the whole finally.

As someone who's not completely up to date with the novels, but has read all of the comics, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I was able to keep up with all of the developments and characters that appeared here. And I think a big part of that is down to the involvement of Daniel José Older, who wrote the Star Wars The High Republic Adventures comics; which I absolutely adored. Fans of those comics will find a lot to like here. There's the inclusion of Sav Malagán, one of the coolest Jedi around. We get to see the Great Jedi Rumble Race. Buckets of Blood, Lula Talisola, Zeen Mrala, Krix Kamerat, Marchion Ro, and Farzala Tarabal all make appearances, ranging from single panels to small scenes. And I'm sure there are other characters that fans will recognise too.

A small portion of the book is given over to Lily and the kids travelling to Starlight Beacon, which is where much of the crossovers and character appearances happen, and as such we don't get as much time on Banchii in this book as the previous one. However, the time we do spend there is used well, and we have some big developments for the characters. The Nihil attack the planet, and it becomes clear by the end of this book that whatever comes next in this series is going to be very different; because things are not going to be the same again. Especially as not everyone gets out of this volume alive.

I'm not going to say which character dies, or how, but it was a well done moment, and the fallout from it was believable, and quite sad too. It took me by surprise how invested in this I was by how genuinely sad it made me when we lost this character. I'll certainly be interested in seeing how this loss will effect the survivors going forward.

Mizuki Sakakibara provides the art for the book, as they did with the first volume, and the book looks great. All of the characters look nice, the environments are pretty and detailed, and the action scenes have a lot of flair and dynamic moments in them. Possibly my only complaint with the art, which I've seen others make, is that most of the adults look quite young, and around the same age, and it's not always easy to know how old some characters are supposed to be. But other than that, the art is wonderful. It's great to see familiar faces appear, drawn in this new style, and certain characters really do work best in this type of art. There's also a character design gallery in the back of the book, which has some great drawings of a few of the characters, ships, and lightsabers.

I had a good time with this volume of Star Wars The High Republic: Edge of Balance. It felt like the story was finally a part of the bigger whole, and that this was taking place amongst the other story threads in the High Republic. There were some fun moments, some depressing moments, and the end sets up for a much more interesting volume three. Hopefully we won't be waiting long for it.

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Ghostbusters Afterlife - Film Review

 

I'm going to begin by saying something that has sadly become controversial online, I enjoyed the 2016 Ghostbusters. It wasn't a perfect movie, I'll grant you that, but it's not bad; and I think it falls into that area of movies that are just okay but enjoyable that even the original two Ghostbusters movies occupy. I grew up with those films, and love them, but they're not amazing movies; they're simply good, silly fun. I'm sure those opening comments have had people ever leave or make a snarky comment, as you're not allowed to like the 2016 movie, but I thought it best to start off with that information in mind.

Ghostbusters Afterlife continues on the story of the original two films, some forty years later, as a shadowed figure that is clearly Egon Spengler rushes out of a mountain, flees to a remote farmhouse, battles some unseen force, and is killed. With Egon dead, his home and its contents are left to his estranged daughter, Callie, who packs up her belongings and moves to the old farm in Summerville with her teenage son Trevor, and daughter Phoebe. Whilst Callie and Trevor are less than happy to be living in this small town, in a run-down old farm, Phoebe finds a lot to interest her scientific mind as she discovers strange devices her grandfather was working on.

One of Phoebe's teachers, Mr Grooberson, recognises the devices as belonging to the Ghostbusters, and tells Phoebe and her friend about the ghost attacks in New York in the 1980's, and the four heroes who stopped them. Looking further into what her grandfather, who she now knows was a Ghostbuster, was doing in Summerville, Phoebe discovers that Egon moved there in order to protect the world from a supernatural apocalypse. With Egon gone, it's down to Phoebe to step up and save the world.

I liked the first half of Ghostbusters Afterlife. I liked Callie, Phoebe, and Trevor, and enjoyed seeing them settle into their new small-town life. I liked some of the friends they all made along the way. I even enjoyed watching Phoebe slowly discover what Egon was doing in Summerville, and the big mystery that was hidden away in the nearby mountain. Sadly, it was once we learned what that mystery was, and the film entered its climax, that the film began to disappoint. 

It looked like Ghostbusters Afterlife was going to be setting up the new generation of Ghostbusters, that it would come down to Phoebe, Podcast, Lucky, and Trevor, to save the world and become the heroes that the new generation needed. Each of the four teens had decent personalities that would help to make a good team, and Phoebe was delightful as the scientist and leader. The early scenes where they have to chase a ghost through town trying to capture it using Ecto 1 was a really great scene, and won me over these kids being the next Ghostbusters. But, no, they don't get to save the day.

By the end of the movie the kids have lost, their plan has failed, and it looks like there's no hope to stop the big bad (more on them in a moment). However, help arrives in the form of the three surviving Ghostbusters. These three old men walk in, give some one-liners and banter, and proceed to save the day. But wait, what about the moment when they begin to lose and Phoebe steps into help? Well, it's completely overshadowed by Egon's ghost coming in to help, bringing the four Ghostbusters back together and having them save the day once again. This decision felt wrong to me. The entire film we're following these kids, watching them figuring stuff out, getting better at busting ghosts, and coming up with a way to save the world, and in the end it's the old guys who were probably only on set for a single day who save the day. It was such a let-down to me.

The villain and the plot of the movie did this as well, as the big bad for the move is once again Gozer. Just like the first film, the architect Ivo Shandor created something hidden away that would allow Gozer to rise. Just like the first film there are demon dogs running around. Just like the first film the Gatekeeper and Keymaster are characters we know, who act weird, wear a fancy dress, and have sex. Just like the first film there's a marshmallow man (though many this time, and tiny!). And just like the first film its the four original Ghostbusters who stop Gozer.

I'm all one for fan service (I'm a fan of many things and appreciate when they service me), but there's a difference between nods to the series history and just repeating that history all over again. Why did it need to be Gozer? This story would have worked just as well with a completely different villain, with only a few tweaks and changes needed to make it work that wouldn't effect the plot in a great deal. Instead, it felt like the film was simply constantly trying to go 'hey, remember this? Isn't the original movie great?' instead of being its own thing. 

I've seen a lot of criticism of Star Wars: The Force Awakens for being a 'repeat' of the original film because it shares some story elements. But I've not seen that with Ghostbusters Afterlife despite this seeming to do it to such a higher degree. At least The Force Awakens let its new cast of younger characters get to do something rather than pushing them aside in the big finale to showcase the cast from forty years ago. The fact that Winston takes Ecto 1 back at the end of the film makes it seem pretty clear that the original Ghostbusters have no plans to allow this new generation to carry on, and are taking their toys and going home.

There is stuff I liked in this film, the cast were really good, and the humour was nice. I had a lot of fun with the new characters and thought that they were played well and much of the film was really charming. But I can't get over how fumbled it felt towards the end. Ghostbusters Afterlife could have stood on its own as a love-letter to the original movies, a first part in a new series going forward into the future, showing that the Ghostbusters can live on past those first four members. Instead, it felt like a film that just wanted to wallow in it's own love of the past. And now for the bit that I'm sure will get me hate, and ties back to my first point; the 2016 film was a better sequel, a better nod to the series, and a better start of something that could carry on to be a great new series. 

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Eternals - Film Review

 

When a film series reaches more than twenty films things can get a bit stale. Despite focusing on different characters, and telling some different kinds of stories, the films in the MCU tend to feel like they follow a similar structure, and do sometimes become a bit interchangeable. Two of the more recent entries in the series have felt like they've done something very different, however, and have tried to make films that break a lot of those conventions. One was Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings which other than a handful of references throughout the movie, was just an amazing martial arts fantasy film. The other is Eternals, though I find it harder to narrow down exactly what kind of film it is.

Eternals tells the story of a group of alien beings, the Eternals, who were sent to Earth thousands of years ago by the Celestial Arishem in order to protect it from deadly creatures called Deviants. These beings, each with their own amazing abilities, spent centuries protecting mankind, helping them to survive against the Deviants, and even guided their early progression. Despite this, they were ordered never to interfere in human wars, and to allow the people to develop on their own.

In the modern day, five hundred years after the last Deviant was killed, one of the Eternals, Sersi, is attacked by a new, powerful kind of Deviant in London. She's saved by Ikaris, one of the most powerful Eternals, and they set out to reunite with the rest of their people in order to stop the deviants. Along the way they begin to learn more about the Deviants, their own origin, and a threat to Earth that will see the planet destroyed.

The plot of Eternals isn't too complex in its most basic form, monsters have started to appear, the heroes have to band back together and stop the end of the world. It's the smaller details, however, that make this a much more complex and engaging narrative.

The film spends a lot of time exploring the history of the Eternals, which it needs to do as audiences will have never seen these characters before, and their history is a major part of the story. This film has to be an origin story for several characters all at once, as well as telling the story set in the present day, and it's not an easy thing to manage. The characters share an origin, yes, but you still need to take the time to set up each of the characters, their personalities, their motivations, and the things that matter to them. For the most part the film does this well, and the times when we jump backwards in time to see the Eternals going through major events slot in nicely into the main narrative, and even help to inform the events in the present day.

Because of all of the time spent taking a look at the characters and their history the film goes for long periods without much action, and the film quickly becomes more of a character driven story over the expected super-hero action-fest. I honestly liked this approach, and kind of forgot that this was supposed to be a comic book film half of the time. I was happy to spend time with the characters, and simple things like watching them catch up after centuries apart, crowded around a table eating diner together were some of the more delightful moments in the film.

That being said, I really liked the action when it did happen. Eternals tries to do something different when it comes to the look of the action, and the powers of the Eternals are quite beautiful to look at. I loved the way Thena would form her weapons and shields from golden energy, and how the same effect would wind its way around Gilgamesh's arms when he fought. Sersi's power to transform one thing into another often looked very beautiful, and the double-decker bus she explodes into a shower of rose petals was a stunning moment. Even Ikaris, who is very similar to Superman in the way he fought and flies, felt like he was done well enough to stand apart from the DC icon. I also appreciated how Makkari, the Eternals speedster, was always shown as being fast. The film didn't do that thing that often happens with speedsters, where the world around them slows down so that we can see things from their perspective. 

The visual flair wasn't just in the action of the effects of the Eternals powers though, as Eternals might have some of the best looking moments in the MCU to date. Director Chloe Zhao has an eye for beautiful moments, and there are so many scenes here that look phenomenal. I think that's another part of the reason why I enjoyed the film so much, it looked so different from other MCU movies. It has a style all its own, and whilst it feels like part of that world it's still doing its own thing and standing by itself.

I think Eternals got something of a rough deal from folks when it came out, as I saw so much criticism about the movie. People were saying things like 'the characters have silly names', 'the plot is too slow', 'it's filled with woke casting' or simply just complaints that it wasn't what people had come to expect from a Marvel movie. The MCU is so large, so vast that of course there's room for different films within it. Not every one of them needs to be the same plot, the same humour, the same characters, the same designs over and over and over. Eternals seemed to try and break away from that. It was different, and bold compared to most of the other entries. And that got it criticism and hate that was completely undeserved.

I really enjoyed Eternals. It felt like the kind of super hero movie that we'd never have gotten even ten years ago. It was bold in its design choices, diverse in its casting, and interesting in its approach to this kind of story. Out of most of the MCU films this is one of the few that was more than just entertaining, and was a film that I could see myself watching more than once to learn more, to delve deeper into it, and to enjoy even more the next time round.

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Wonder Girl: Homecoming by Joëlle Jones - Book Review

 

'This is where the legend of Yara Flor begins! Meet the new Wonder Girl—and the future of Wonder Woman!

'Raised in the far-off land of Boise, Idaho, Yara Flor has always felt something was missing from her life—and now she is headed to Brazil to find it. Little does she know her arrival will set off a series of events that will change the world of Wonder Woman forever. Her return has been prophesied, and with that prophecy comes the undivided attention of benevolent gods from pantheons beyond. Danger lurks around every corner-but is this young hero ready for her journey? Find out in a debut issue you absolutely cannot miss!'

One of the things that I really enjoyed about Future State was DC bringing in some new characters, and I think the best one they gave us was Yara Flor, the future Wonder Woman. However, before she can be Wonder Woman she needs an introduction, and this book does that, bringing the new (for now) Wonder Girl into DC proper.

Wonder Girl: Homecoming follows Yara Flor, a young woman who was born in Brazil, but raised in the US by her aunt. With a few vague memories of her early life with her mother in Brazil, Yara decides to take a holiday there and join a heritage tour, to try and learn a bit about the land she came from. However, early into her trip she falls off a viewing platform into the waters of Iguazu Falls, where she comes face to face with the legendary warrior Iara; a woman that has been cursed and turned into an almost mermaid like creature. Confronted by the warrior, Yara is given a gift of a magical bolas.

Once out of the waters of Iguazu, Yara attempts to figure out what's happening to her, but when she's confronted by Amazon warriors on her aeroplane, and then the plane comes under attack by a huge storm elemental, her day goes from bad to worse. Yara discoveries that not only is she being pursued by numerous factions of the Amazons, but the gods of Olympus have their eyes on her too. Taken to Olympus, Yara is given the chance to train with the gods and discover how to use her wakening powers. However, this sets her down a path that will see her having to fight for her own freedom, tearing her way through the realm of the gods to achieve it.

It's very hard to read this book and not quickly come to like Yara. She's a very fun person, and it certainly makes her story a lot easier. The stuff that she goes through in this book could very easily be very grim, and the trials she goes through could push many to breaking point, but thanks to Yara's constant up-beat attitude, and her willingness to crack jokes even when not appropriate, makes it fun more than anything else. She refuses to let things get to her, even when locked up in literal hell, she's still got an attitude that keeps her from giving up completely.

But there's also a nice human connection with Yara, as she spends the first part of the book wanting to learn more about her mother, her past, and the place she came from. It might not be a journey that all of us have been through ourselves, but I think it's one that we can identify with; and it definitely makes her easier to connect with than demi-gods and billionaires.

Joëlle Jones has put a lot of time and effort into making Yara a character that fans will enjoy, and it really does show through here; but I think what's more impressive is the whole new group of Amazons, and their culture, that Jones has created to go with her. We'll all be familiar with the Themyscirans, and the Greek gods that go with them, and whilst the Bana-Mighdall do have their differences they are still derived from the same original group, and share a lot of similarities. This new group of Amazons, the Esquecidas, feel very different in contrast. They may have some beginnings with the Themyscirans, but they're much more their own thing than the Bana-Mighdall.

I loved every moment we got to spend with them, their city was amazing, their culture was fascinating, their armour and clothing were beautiful. After so long of the same kind of Amazons, based on the same myths and legends, I was so hungry for something different; and this is it. Greek myths are taught so much where I grew up that I was familiar with a lot of those characters and stories before I'd ever picked up a comic; but I know next to nothing of the myths and cultures of South America. It feels like an area that is open to so many newer, fresher stories and characters; and I'm so excited to see this explored further in the future.

The designs of the Esquecidas were great too, moving away from togas and Greek armour and weapons to designs that are inspired by the cultures of South America. I love the various looks they all have, how they will each have certain pieces in commons such as the red and blue colours, and certain patters, giving them all a unified look, yet each of them still has their own individual flair. Joëlle Jones and Adriana Melo do some amazing work on bringing all of these new characters to life, and it's often the background characters that steal the scenes thanks to their small quirks and bits of personality shining through. I particularly love the Esquecidas children playing in the water with capybara's.

The story of Homecoming has some interesting twists and turns in it, and includes a handful of familiar characters that definitely help this new Wonder Girl feel like part of the established Amazon lore. It's an interesting journey, and one that felt like it touched upon enough of the things that we've come to expect from a Wonder Woman story whilst absolutely doing its own thing.

I had a lot of fun reading Wonder Girl: Homecoming, and hope that the character and her story continues on in such an engaging way. Yara is filled with energy and a sense of fun that I really like, and I love learning more about her and her people. I'm excited to see what comes next for the character.

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Nubia and the Amazons by Vita Ayala and Stephanie Williams - Book Review

 

'Nubia, Queen of Themyscira! But what challenges await our new queen? After the thrilling events of Infinite Frontier, Nubia becomes queen of Themyscira, but the new title also brings challenges. With the unexpected arrival of new Amazons, our hero is forced to reckon with her past and forge a new path forward for her sisters. Little does she know, a great evil grows beneath the island and it's up to this former guardian of Doom's Doorway to unite her tribe before paradise is lost forever!'

I've not read a lot of Wonder Woman in the past, and mostly with her as part of a team, and as such I'd had very little experience with Nubia beyond the stories I'd seen with her in Future State. I liked what I'd seen of Nubia, and really wanted to see more of her and learn a bit about her character, as such Nubia and the Amazons proved to be the perfect opportunity.

With Hippolyta having left Themyscira to take on the role of Wonder Woman on the Justice League following Diana's death, Nubia has been selected to take on the role of queen of the Amazons in her absence. Having spent years being the champion of Doom's Doorway, Nubia is stepping into a role that feels completely foreign to her; but with Hippolyta believing in her, she's prepared to give the role her all.

However, when the Well of Souls opens for the first time in centuries, producing the first new Amazons since Nubia, Paradise Island begins to feel unrest. The new Amazons are welcomed by their sisters, but everyone is wondering what this means. Some begin to speak out against Nubia, questioning her fitness to lead. And when something emerges from Doom's Doorway, making its way across the island, leaving petrified victims in its wake, Nubia will be forced to find a solution to this impossible situation.

Nubia and the Amazons felt like a fantastic introduction to both the character of Nubia, and the history of the Amazons and how they come into being. This was the first time that I'd heard of the Well of Souls, and I wasn't aware that women could be reborn through the well as Amazons. It's a fantastic concept, one that explains away where new Amazons come from in an island of only women. I also liked how the women who are reborn are ones that have experienced extreme violence in their lives, with their rebirth as some kind of consolation or reward for their suffering.

And this isn't the only thing I learnt from this book, as we get to delve into more of the myth and history of the the island, and Nubia herself. I really liked how Nubia's past dictated a lot of this story, both in her role as the new queen, but in her personal life as she begins to realise that one of the new Amazon's is someone that she knew, quite intimately, when she left Themyscira in the past. It felt like a perfect way to humanise Nubia to new readers, to show her in a role that isn't queen or champion, but simply a woman.

She makes a human connection, she feels something for someone else, and due to her life she loses that, only to have it come back years later when she's become a different person. I think we've all experienced that at some point or another, whether it's a romantic relationship or something simpler like a friendship, so it helps to connect with this very larger than life character.

I liked the new Amazons too, and bringing them in was a great way to help new readers, as they were learning about the island and its people as we were. It's not often we get Amazons who are so unsure of themselves, so relatable, that it made for a nice change. These are characters that are demi-gods, or women who have been alive for centuries, they're full of confidence and knowledge, but these four felt much more grounded and relatable.

The books villain was also a great choice, and I loved what the writers did with her character. Medusa is a character that's no stranger to DC, and she's come up against Nubia in the past. But I don't think that she's ever really been treated this way; and might not have been in anything that I've read before. Medusa is often treated like a villain, a monster, someone with little humanity who simply wishes to sow chaos and pain. But Medusa is more complex than that, even in mythology. She's a victim, she's suffered greatly, and that makes her much more nuanced and interesting; and I think that this book embracing that makes it all the more better. I adored the way her story comes to a close here, and how it informs some of the development that Nubia has been through, and am looking forward to seeing more of what comes from her in the future.

The artwork on the book is fantastic too, with some wonderful work on the action scenes. There are a few moments that actually made me cry out loud because they felt so big and so extraordinary compared to stuff we normally see in super hero comics. The moment where Nubia grapples a manticore, flips it over her shoulder and slams it into the ground is a particular scene that I'm going to remember for a good while. But the artwork isn't just good when we're watching the women fighting, as even the most ordinary and quite moment looks great, and there's always something to look at as so much life is breathed into Themyscira. The place feels like a living, working island, filled with small details to pick up on.

I've been catching up with a lot of the DC universe recently, but the Wonder Woman books have quickly become some of my favourites, and Nubia and the Amazons is a particular stand-out. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her in Trial of the Amazons, and hope that Nubia goes on to be queen for a long, long time.

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The Music Box: Welcome to Pandorient by Carbone - Book Review

 

'For her eighth birthday, Nola receives a marvellous present: her late mother Annah’s music box. It has the most enchanting melody, and inside the globe… is that a little girl waving? And calling for help?! Before she knows it, Nola has shrunk down in size, slipped through the keyhole, and entered the world of Pandorient, where even the most ordinary-looking citizens can have extraordinary powers—and where danger could lurk down every hallway. Nola must help her new friends save their mother from a mysterious malady—all the while making surprising discoveries about Annah’s past, and—maybe—her own future…'

The Music Box: Welcome to Pandorient is the first volume in a children's fantasy series written by Carbone, that follows eight-year-old Nola on her birthday, and the strange, magic worlds she finds waiting for her inside a music box.

Nola has recently lost her mother, Annah, and is celebrating her birthday alone with her father. Despite not wanting to really celebrate, her father gives her a cake, and a special present, an old glass globed music box that once belonged to her mother. When Nola heads off to bed she winds up her new music box to listen to the music. However, she's surprised when she sees something moving inside the the globe.

A small girl appears before Nola, and writes her a message asking her for help. Following the girls instructions, Nola turns the music box's key in a certain combination, and is shrunk down to a tiny size; allowing her to enter the music box. Inside the box Nola finds a magical world called Pandorient, where all manner of strange creatures live together in a small town. The girl, Andrea, tells Nola that her mother is sick, and asks for her help. Sneaking Nola into Pandorient, the two girls try to figure out a way to help. However, when they discover that the water supply has been poisoned the two of them, along with Andrea's brother Igor, must try to figure out who's behind it all.

The Music Box: Welcome to Pandorient feels like the first episode of a children's fantasy television series. It's a creative world, with lots of little things hiding in the background for the reader to spot that feel like they're being set-up for future instalments. But, this story keeps things simple, and keeps the focus on the three lead characters instead. 

Nola is the main focus of the book, and we spend almost all of our time with her. She's our entry character, and is a pretty normal girl. She's only recently lost her mother, and is clearly still dealing with her grief. Her birthday wishes are to have her mother back, and all of her birthday presents have some kind of connection to her. As such, when she learns that the magical music box belonged to her mother she instantly becomes attached, seeing it as one of the most beautiful things in the world. Even before she learns that there's a whole world nestled inside. 

Over the course of the book we see that she's learnt some skills from her mother, and is good at healing. We're told that her mother used to travel to Pandorient before, and that many of the people there own her a debt, as such, I wonder if perhaps her mothers healing abilities was something that played a part in this, and if perhaps this is something that Nola will end up doing in future volumes.

Andrea is similar in age to Nola, and seems to be a pretty confident and outgoing girl. She, like most folks in Pandorient, has some kind of powers; though we don't see her use hers. Whilst she's not human she is one of the few people in the book that at least looks human, and as such seems to bond well with Nola. She's a point of near normality that Nola is able to latch onto as she enters this strange new world. Her brother, Igor, is a lot more outgoing, and seems to be full of energy and overconfidence. He seems to be a bit older, though we get no confirmation on this. He has a wildness to him that comes through in the way he's always running around, shouting at folks, and getting himself hurt. He seems like the sort that could end up getting the trio into some dangerous situations in the future; but at least handles himself well here.

The rest of the folks of Pandorient are a bit more unusual, and many of them look like strange animals, multi-limed creatures, or other weird fantasy creations. The designs are great, and there are some wonderful creatures that make Pandorient home. We get to spend some time with a few of them, and they make for some interesting characters. Hopefully, now that the groundwork has been done with this volume we'll get to see some more of the fantastical elements.

The artwork, provided by Gije looks lovely. It has a very unnatural look a lot of the time, and doesn't seem to be trying to have a realistic style. It often feels like the artwork from a fairy-tale story, and this absolutely fits with the writing. Gije also creates some wonderful designs in the inhabitants of Pandorient, and some of the best moments are when you can just spend time looking over the crowded street scenes, taking in everything.

The Music Box: Welcome to Pandorient is a nice beginning to the series, and spends time getting to know the characters, whilst giving hints at the bigger world and larger mystery just behind the scenes. Whilst it was a lovely read, I'm hoping that future volumes will explore a bit more of the world than this one did.

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Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – Throwback 10

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Young adult fantasy has been big business over the last few decades, with more and more books released that are designed to appeal to teens desires for love triangles, powerful heroes learning to overcome their issues, and corrupt leaders and institutions to rage against. It’s the kind of coming-of-age power fantasy that appeals to a lot of people, even those outside of the YA age bracket. But with so many books on offer it can be hard to know which ones are going to be worth your time reading as there’s just not enough time in the world to read them all. One that might be worth trying is Shadow and Bone, which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Shadow and Bone is set in the 19th century Russian inspired kingdom of Revka, a hard and harsh place where the kingdom is cut in half by the Shadow Fold, a mass of pure darkness that has taken over part of Revka. Filled with monsters and other abominations, the Shadow Fold can only be crossed by sandskiffs, large ships that glide over the barren sands. It’s on one of these skiffs that we meet the protagonist of the story, Alina. Alina grew up in an orphanage with her best friend Mal, and together the two of them are crossing the Shadow Fold as crew on one of the skiffs.

During the journey across, their ship comes under attack from volcra, monstrous bat-like creatures that feast on human flesh. Whilst battling off the horde of creatures Alina unleashes a power she wasn’t aware she had, forcing the monsters back with light. This ability marks Alina as one of the Grisha, a group of people who are able to manipulate the elements to use as weapons. Alina is approached by the Darkling, the leader of the Grisha, who tells her that her power is unique, and that it can make her a target. Agreeing to travel to the capital with the Darkling, Alina’s life will forever change as she learns more about her powers, and finds herself in a fight for the fate of the whole of Revka.

If you’re familiar with young adult literature I think that there’s a good chance you’ll feel quite at home with Shadow and Bone. The book goes through a very recognisable formula, and incorporates a number of popular tropes; however, it gives just enough new and interesting things to make it stand out from the other fantasy fare of the time.

The biggest thing that makes this book, and the subsequent series of novels that would follow it, stand out is the setting. Leigh Bardugo herself has called the books Tsarpuk, having taken a great deal of inspiration from 19th century Russia. Not long after the book was released Bardugo said in an interview that “There’s tremendous power in the images we associate with Russian culture and history, these extremes of beauty and brutality that lend themselves to fantasy. And honestly, as much as I love broadswords and flagons of ale—and believe me, I do—I wanted to take readers someplace a little different. Tsarist Russia gave me a different point of departure.” And she’s got a great point. With so many other fantasy stories going in on European inspired history and the swords and sorcery imagery, having something that’s instantly so different helped Shadow and Bone to stand out amongst its competitors and grab readers’ attention.

The world that Bardugo created, dubbed the Grishaverse, proved to be different enough to grab the attention of publishers, with Bardugo going from getting an agent to being offered a three book deal by Macmillan in less than 40 days; something that is frankly phenomenal in the publishing world. When the book was released it became an instant hit with readers, proving that perhaps it wasn’t just pure luck, but someone hitting on the perfect story and setting at the perfect time. The book received numerous award nominations, and even reached #8 on the New York Times Best Seller List. As time has progressed Bardugo and the Grishaverse have received even more praise, awards, and accolades.

One of the biggest developments for the series, however, came when the rights to adapt the book were picked up. Despite being picked up by Dreamworks a few months after release, with the announcement that it would be made into a film, little was done until 2019, where Netflix ordered an eight episode series based upon the first book. The series adapted the events of the first novel, as well as adding a new story-line that includes characters from Bardugo’s later additions to the Grishaverse, Six of Crows.

The Netflix series, released in 2021, received positive reviews from critics and casual audiences new to the series, as well as long-time fans who not only liked the adaptation, but appreciated the inclusion of other elements in the Grishaverse. A second season of the show has been announced, but has not yet been released. The popularity of the show increased popularity for the books, and with new editions published, Shadow and Bone found a new audience as people picked up the book after seeing the series.

With several books in the series and a hit television show, Shadow and Bone has proved to be a popular new fantasy series; one that has caught audience imaginations and delighted readers for the past decade. With the book celebrating its tenth anniversary now might be the perfect time to try it out.

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5 Queer DC Characters To Keep An Eye On

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Everyone likes to see themselves reflected in media. But thanks to the Comics Code Authority, which came into place in the 1950s, queer people have struggled to find representation in the world of comics. Whilst independent comics have striven for more LGBTQ+ inclusion and representation over the years, some of the bigger companies, particularly the superhero ones, have taken longer to do so. However, one company that’s bringing more and more queer rep into their books is DC Comics. With DC about to celebrate Pride Month with some DC Pride specials, now’s a good time to take a look at a few of their queer characters worth keeping an eye on.

Jonathan Kent, aka Superman

Last year the Superman we all know, Clarke Kent, left Earth and left his teenage son, Jonathan, to take over the name Superman and protect Earth. With his own series, Superman: Son of Kal-El, we’ve gotten to watch Jonathan deal with stepping into his father’s shadow, being in the public eye, and fighting against injustice and oppression around the world.

One of these fights led him to work alongside Jay Nakamura, a young powered individual who was fighting against the oppressive regime of his homeland, attempting to show the world the truth of what was going on. The two grew close, and ultimately realised they had feelings for each other. Whilst not out as bisexual to everyone yet, Jonathan did come out to his mother, Lois Lane, in a recent issue where she accepted her son fully.

Having Superman, one of the most iconic super heroes of all time, be bisexual is a huge thing for queer representation. Jonathan Kent might not be the original Superman, the one known to most people, but he is still a Superman. He wear the shield, he represents what we should be striving for, and he does the right thing. It has been previewed that in the upcoming Pride special he will be receiving a cape with the pride flag as his lining, and I for one hope that ends up being his regular costume, because what could be more amazing than Superman literally draped in the Pride flag? Jonathan Kent is headlining his own series, and is set to play a large role in the Dark Crisis event.

Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn is easily one of the more well known characters on this list thanks in part to her recent animated series, and her inclusion in the DCEU movies such as The Suicide Squad.

Originally introduced in an episode of Batman The Animated Series, Harley was created as a female henchman for the Joker, and quickly became his ‘girlfriend’. Over the years the character was fleshed out, given more depth, and fans soon came to see her as a victim of abuse, stuck in a harmful and abusive relationship with the Joker. Harley split away from the Joker in recent years and began to make her own way in the world, but soon ended up forming a romantic relationship with Poison Ivy.

Harley is currently operating in Gotham City as a ‘hero’, trying to change herself from an out and out villain into a vigilante hero; desperate to become part of the Bat-Family. It was whilst helping Batman during the events of ‘Fear State’ that she and Ivy were reunited, and their relationship continued. Whilst she hasn’t been portrayed as bisexual on the big screen, her character is in a relationship with Ivy in the Harley Quinn Animated Series, which is returning for a new season. She’s also currently appearing in her own ongoing series, as well as making brief appearances in other Batman books at DC.

Jackson Hyde, aka Aquaman

Jackson Hyde is the second Aquaman, currently partnered with Arthur Curry in the DC series Aquamen. Jackson first appeared in Brightest Day, where he became an important figure in Aquaman’s story. Over the years the character developed further, and we learnt that he was not the human boy he though, but half Atlantean, as his mother hailed from the Atlantean colony of Xebel.

It was also learnt that his father is the long term Aquaman villain Black Manta. Rather than following his father into a life of crime, Jackson became Aqualad, learnt under Arthur, and even joined the Teen Titans. Recently, Jackson has taken on the mantle of Aquaman, with Arthur’s approval, and fights to protect the planet alongside his mentor.

Despite having semi-romantic stories with women it was soon revealed that Jackson was gay, and even shared a kiss with the Xebelia rebel Ha’Wea when the two first met. Whilst the two of them didn’t end up together, they remain good friends. Jackson has been shown to be interested in men since, and DC produced the graphic novel You Brought Me The Ocean, a stand alone retelling of his origin story, where his queer identity featured prominently. Jackson is currently headlining the Aquamen series, and seems set to appear in Dark Crisis.

Connor Hawke

Connor Hawke is a character that some casual readers or fans of the various comic adaptations might not have heard of, originally introduced in the 90s as the son of Green Arrow, Oliver Queen. Oliver took his son in and began to train him to be an archer, giving him a costume similar to his. When Oliver was killed stopping a bombing, Connor took over the role of Green Arrow until his father was resurrected years later. Ever since Connor has kind of gone in and out of the comics, and it’s sometimes felt like the publisher doesn’t know what to do with the character.

With the recent relaunch of DC Comics with Infinite Frontier Connor has seemed to found a purpose, being a part of the League of Shadows assassin’s group. Appearing in Robin, he took part in a death tournament, he was reintroduced into the current continuity. It’s possible the character will be appearing in future issues of Robin as he and Damian Wayne seem to have a rivalry, but he will also be appearing in DC Pride this year, where it will be confirmed that the long held fan theory of him being asexual is true.

Stitch

Stitch is by far the most niche character on this list, but I’ve had so much fun with them over the last year that I had to share this unique character. Stitch is the newest character on this list, having only debuted last year in the first issue of Teen Titans Academy.

Stitch is a non-binary, living rag-doll that was given life by Doctor Fate. With Stitch only being recently sentient, Doctor Fate decided that they needed to be taught how to use their magical abilities, as well as how to make friends and form relationships. With the Teen Titans opening a school for young heroes, Stitch was enrolled.

Over the course of Teen Titans Academy Stitch has proven to be one of the more stand-out new characters. They’re not afraid to stand up to authority figures when they feel it’s appropriate to do so, yet aren’t an out and out rebel against the system. They like to get involved in activities and make friends, even if they can’t do certain stuff because they’re a living doll. After saving some of their classmates using their powers Stitch was elected as class president, becoming a liaison between the young students and the older heroes. There’s not been a single issue with Stitch where they haven’t been a delight, and it’s great to see non-binary representation in a DC book.

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Magic 7, Volume Six: Village of the Damned by Kid Toussaint - Book Review

 

'Farah’s demon Jezebel is on the loose and the seven mages are hot on her trail, riding Lupe’s Runaway Train across the land. They finally catch up with their target, only to find out that she has taken control of a whole town, turning the people into zombie-like creatures that sow chaos in the streets. To further complicate things, the Magic 7 lose their powers at the worst possible moment—only to acquire new ones. They’ll have to master them quickly, as Jezebel is itching for a fight… The town will never be the same again, and neither will Leo and his friends, who will be faced with the most difficult decision of their young lives.'

The sixth volume of Magic 7 (the last to be released in English so far) follows our brave group of young mages as they finally break free from their home lives and set out on a mission of their own; finally being proactive, rather than just reactive. With Leo's father aware of some of their identities, and having shown a desire to capture the kids in order to use their powers for his own ends, the seven of them have abandoned their regular lives in hopes of tracking down Farah's missing demon, Jezebel.

Their search leads the kids to a small town in the mountains. However, they also need some supplies for their train/base, and so split into separate groups. One group sets out to track down the missing demon, whilst the other goes to get food, and medicine for Alice. however, Milo's powers don't seem to work on any of the adults in town. If that's not strange enough, the others powers start vanishing too. However, when the town descends into chaos when Farah confronts her missing demon the kids soon realise that their powers haven't gone, but switched. Now, equipped with powers they don't know how to use, the teens have to find a way to survive a village that's become a living nightmare.

This is without a doubt the most action packed volume of the series yet, with a big focus on the team having to fight their way through demons, mind controlled villagers, zombies, and even an assassin just to make it through the night. This would be a touch order at the best of times, but the fact that their powers have been switched round and none of them really know how to use them is making things a lot worse.

The team has been struggling recently, due in part to the revelations that Leo and Alice have made about their history, and their potential future. As such, this might very well be the breaking point for the kids. Come the end of this volume it looks like this might be it for them as, spoiler alert, Leo is prepared to give up his powers to the 8th mage, Tarik, who has been behind the power switch shenanigans. Added onto that, both Milo and Fabrice end this volume in critical condition, and their ultimate fates are still up in the air. With Alice having predicted that one of the group is going to die soon, could it be one of them?

Despite the high stakes drama there's still a lot of fun in this volume, particularly with the power switching. Not only does each member of the team have to spend time figuring out how to use their new powers, and which ones they have, but each of them puts their own spin on it. For example, Leo gains the shaman powers, but because he's used to channelling spirits he channels the strengths and abilities of the animals. Hamelin gains the demonist powers, and uses his musical instruments to command the demons. Milo gains the spiritualist powers, and accidentally commands the dead to rise under his control. The fact that the way the powers are used seem to be linked to each character, and how the powers change depending on what those particular mages are used to, makes for a very interesting idea.

We also get some interpersonal drama within the group this volume too, as Farah and Lupe kiss. This came as a complete surprise, as neither character had been shown to be queer before this. The kiss leads to some awkwardness between the two of them, and from what the characters say it seems like Farah has been openly gay this whole time, and this is Lupe's first experience, leading to her questioning her sexuality. It's really cool that there's some queer representation in the series, especially as it's a book for kids and more queer kids need to see being a part of the LGBTQ+ community being normalised in their media. I hope that this is something the series will continue with as it goes on, and isn't just a one off incident.

The artwork on this volume is provided by Kenny Ruiz and Noiry, and I think it might be my favourite yet. I love the way this particular volume looks, and the characters look fantastic here. Every frame is filled with energy, and the action sequences look pretty spectacular. I'm hoping that we get more from this art team, as this style really seems to suit the more action-packed direction the series is going.

Sadly, this is the last volume of the series to be translated so far, and I don't know when the next volume will be released in English. As such, I can't just jump straight into the next one the way I have with these first six. Fingers crossed it won't be long though, as this is a series that I've really loved so far.

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The Flower Path: A Legends of the Five Rings Novel by Josh Reynolds - Book Review

 

'Extraordinary detective Daidoji Shin returns, in a wonderful locked-room murder mystery like no other, in this lively novel from the epic fantasy world of Legend of the Five Rings

'Opening night at the Foxfire Theatre is set to be a huge success for Daidoji Shin, amateur detective turned theatre impresario. The City of the Rich Frog’s leading lights are all there, but even as the performance begins, the Three Flower Troupe’s new lead actress is found dead backstage – and everyone in the venue is a potential suspect. Shin has only till the curtain falls to find the killer. But the clock is ticking and Shin can only hold the great and the good hostage so long. As the night wears on, the chance of the murderer escaping justice grows ever more likely.'

The Flower Path is both my first experience with a Legends of the Five Rings book, as well as my first time reading a Daidoji Shin mystery story, and despite this being the third book to feature the detective character, it proved to be the prefect introduction to this series.

The story begins on the opening night of the Foxfire Theatre, the latest venture by Daidoji Shin. Shin has not just sunken a lot of his money, and time into rebuilding and reopening the theatre, but has also staked his reputation on it going well. He's hired a great troop of actors, brought in a headline star, and invited all of the rich and powerful to come to see the first performance.

Whilst there are some back stage dramas going on, with his new starlet, Etsuko, clashing with the other actors and stage crew, things seem to be going well for Shin. However, soon into the first act of the play Etsuko collapses on stage. Whilst the play continues with her understudy in her role, Etsuko is taken back to the dressing room, where she dies. It seems that Etsuko has been killed with a poison slipped into her make-up, which caused a fatal allergic reaction. Knowing that the killer must still be close by, Shin locks down the theatre and is determined to find the culprit. However, he will need to do so before the play ends and people try to leave.

The Flower Path is a very fun mystery story, due in part to it taking place in one building over one night. There are no big investigations, no chasing after suspects, or catching up with witnesses after they've had time to think over what they saw. Everything that happens in The Flower Path takes place over just a few hours, and it's delightful to see Shin try to solve this mystery in such a short time. The fact that he's also keeping Etsuko's death a secret from all but a handful of people also adds a fun element to the story, as he has to try and question people as to why they'd want to kill Etsuko without giving away that she's dead.

Before this, however, Josh Reynolds spends some time setting up all of the important characters. And there are a fair few characters to keep a track of. There are multiple actors and stagehands that we get introduced to, as well as several important figures and their bodyguards and servants. All in all there are at least twenty characters that you're going to have to keep track of, and it does feel a bit overwhelming at times. However, Reynolds manages to make it fairly easy to remember who's who thanks to their distinct personalities. However, I think folks will probably be jumping to the list of characters at the back of the book now and then (something I wish I knew was there whilst reading the ebook version).

After the pieces are laid out across the board the crime is committed, and the real fun begins. As I said earlier, this is my first time reading a mystery with Daidoji Shin, but I found I really liked his investigative style. Shin has a few helpful people around him to give him a hand on his investigations. However, this isn't a Holmes and Watson type of set-up, and Shin rarely relies on others to help him solve the actual mystery for him; instead he uses them to make sure that he's given the time and space he's needed to do what he needs to do. He's a lot more relaxed than other fictional detectives too, and relies on his observation skills more than anything.

He's not a walking encyclopedia, able to piece together small clues, and instead lets his suspects provide him with the information he needs. He feeds them small pieces of the puzzle, watching for their reaction and paying attention to what they say in order to figure out the next path to take. It's a different approach to the mystery books I'm used to reading, where the investigator will be searching for clues in the crime scene and uses them to form a picture of what happened. Despite that, I did enjoy Shin's approach to things, and liked how he eventually came to figure out who committed the crime, and why.

As a first foray into Legend of the Five Rings this was a fascinating place to start. I have no knowledge of the game, or the universe that it's created, so I don't know how like this the rest of the books are; but as a mystery story fan it left me wanting to see more, and I'll definitely be reading more in the future.

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Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen - Book Review

 

'Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker must stem the tide of the raging Clone Wars and forge a new bond as Jedi Knights. The Clone Wars have begun. Battle lines are being drawn throughout the galaxy. With every world that joins the Separatists, the peace guarded by the Jedi Order is slipping through their fingers. 

'After an explosion devastates Cato Neimoidia, the jewel of the Trade Federation, the Republic is blamed and the fragile neutrality of the planet is threatened. The Jedi dispatch Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the Order’s most gifted diplomatic minds, to investigate the crime and maintain the balance that has begun to dangerously shift. As Obi-Wan investigates with the help of a heroic Neimoidian guard, he finds himself working against the Separatists who hope to draw the planet into their conspiracy—and senses the sinister hand of Asajj Ventress in the mists that cloak the planet.

'Amid the brewing chaos, Anakin Skywalker rises to the rank of Jedi Knight. Despite the mandate that Obi-Wan travel alone—and his former master’s insistence that he listen this time—Anakin’s headstrong determination means nothing can stop him from crashing the party, and bringing along a promising but conflicted youngling.

'Once a Padawan to Obi-Wan, Anakin now finds himself on equal—but uncertain—footing with the man who raised him. The lingering friction between them increases the danger for everyone around them. The two knights must learn a new way to work together—and they must learn quickly, to save Cato Neimoidia and its people from the fires of war. To overcome the threat they face they must grow beyond master and apprentice. They must stand together as brothers.'

Remember in Revenge of the Sith when Obi-Wan tells Anakin 'that business on Cato Nemoidia doesn't count' in reference to how many times he's been saved by Anakin? Ever wondered exactly what that business was? Well, now we finally get to find out.

When a series of explosions rock the capital city on Cato Nemoidia, destroying an entire district and killing thousands, the question of who is behind it becomes the topic on everyone's mind. When the Republic is accused of being responsible the Nemoidians demand that Chancellor Palpatine come to Cato Nemoidia and prove that they weren't involved. However, sending the chancellor would mean having to send Clones and Jedi for protection, something that could be seen as aggressive, and push the growing Clone Wars into further escalation. The solution? Send a lone Jedi to investigate.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has just been temporarily added to the Jedi Council, is chosen to go to Cato Nemodia to find out who orchestrated the bombing; and hopefully deescalate tensions on the neutral world. Meanwhile, recently knighted Jedi Anakin Skywalker is finding it hard to fit into his new duties, especially when told to help teach younglings. However, one particular youngling needs more guidance than most, and Anakin finds that his unique experience with the Jedi lends himself to offering good advice, bringing the two of them together to form a decent team.

On Cato Nemodia, Obi-Wan's investigation begins to point towards the Republic being involved in the attack, but before he's able to investigate further he's arrested by the Nemodians, who are being quietly manipulated by the strange representative from the Separatist movement; a woman named Asajj Ventress. With Obi-Wan facing trial it's down to Anakin and his new partner to break the rules and head to Cato Nemodia to try and save the day.

The relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin is one the most important relationships in the entire Star Wars sage, and is a main focus of the prequel era. And whilst we've got good depictions of the two of them as master and apprentice in the prequels, and as equals in The Clone Wars, we've never really gotten to see them going from one to the other. Was it easy for them to go from one relationship to the other? Star Wars: Brotherhood does help to show some of this transition, and how neither one of them found it an easy experience.

And this is one of the big things that Star Wars: Brotherhood focuses on, the difficulties of change, and finding your footing in a galaxy where what you have come to know is now vastly different. Anakin is still new to being a Jedi Knight, and whilst he definitely seems to appreciate the freedom that it has given him, no longer having to answer directly to his master all of the time, it comes with other responsibilities that he feels he can't handle. This is what the younglings, and in particular Mill Alibeth, bring to the book. Anakin barely feels like he has begun his time as a full Jedi Knight, and now he's being asked to pass on his wisdom to the next generation. 

He's unsure of himself, he doesn't feel comfortable being the centre of attention from those who look up to him, and his own unique experience of coming into the order at an older age makes him feel like he can't completely relate to them. Anakin laments more than once that he'd make a terrible teacher, and that he should never have a padawan. I know this is something that he expressed at the very beginning of The Clone Wars when he was assigned Ahsoka, but it's good to see it again here; plus it does make me chuckle a bit, as Anakin was actually a brilliant teacher.

Anakin is also getting used to his new role as a husband, and we get to see a few scenes of him and Padme trying to make their secret marriage work where they can. It's not a big focus of the book, and it only really comes into play towards the beginning of the narrative, but it's nice to see the two of them still trying to figure out how to make things work, and finding their feet with each other. With this being so soon after Attack of the Clones, Anakin is also having to learn to live with his new arm, after losing it in battle to Count Dooku. It's something that never really comes up anywhere else, and even though he keeps his robotic hand covered up with a glove he never seems bothered by it. Here, however, he feels like its wrong in some ways. The hand is new and different, and certain things still don't feel as easy and natural as they were before. With disabled characters being a big part of Star Wars, but no real time ever really being given over to their disabilities, it's nice to see this explored a little here.

It's not just Anakin having to get used to new things though, as Obi-Wan has similar trials. He's recently been added to the Jedi Council, in a temporary position, and doesn't quite feel like he's the right person for. He knows that there's more responsibility on him now, he's not just responsible for one single padawan, but possibly the entire future of the Jedi order. And he does spend some time thinking about whether this is the right thing for him, whether he should on the council, and thanks to seeing how Anakin is around Padme, whether he should have left the order himself years before. Whilst the thoughts don't last long he does think about Duchess Satine, and how if she'd have asked he would have given up being a Jedi for her.

As someone who loves The Clone Wars it was great to have this little inclusion of Satine, and more of a focus on the fact that Obi-Wan and Anakin both experienced the desire to leave the order for love. And whilst Obi-Wan gave up on that dream and dedicated himself to the Jedi, Anakin chose a different path. I think that this is a huge part of why towards the end of the war Obi-Wan does nothing about Anakin and Padme when he clearly knows that they're together. He's waiting for his former student to made the same decision that he did, and he knows its something that Anakin can't be forced into.

Overall though, it's the transition from peacekeepers to generals leading armies that causes the most issues for our characters, and a lot of this book is about that change. It's also the reason why Mill struggles with her place in the Jedi too, and why she needs Anakin's help. Thanks to her connection with the Force, Mill is able to sense pain through the Force, something that is causing her great distress. She can feel the fear and pain that victims of the conflict are going through, to the point where she's developing trauma responses to the thought of going near the war. It's an interesting twist on the Jedi abilities, and pairing her with Anakin was a great choice. He not only helps her, but she has an impact on him too, allowing him to realise that maybe he's not too bad of a teacher, helping him find his feet as a Knight, and showing him that he's not the only member of the order who's questioned whether or not they want to be a Jedi.

It's not just the Jedi characters who get a focus in this book, but the people of Cato Nemodia. Having watched through the prequels and The Clone Wars I found that I still didn't have that big a picture of what Nemodians were like. The only real experience that I'd had with them was due to their involvement in the Trade Federation splinter group that joined with the Seperatists, which doesn't represent their whole community at all. Star Wars: Brotherhood really does do a good job of expanding upon them, showing readers different types of Nemodians, people with differing political views, folks with different life experiences. Chen makes the Nemodians feel like a varied and interesting people, especially through the characters of Ruug and Ketar. Even Anakin goes in with certain expectations about what the Nemodians are like, but comes out seeing them as decent, varied people by the end.

I also enjoyed the amount of nods to the wider Star Wars universe that are scattered throughout the rest of the book too. Whether it's Jarro Tapal and Cal Kestis wandering through the halls of the Jedi Temple, or Dexter Jettster helping Obi-Wan to delve into mysteries and find hidden information it's lovely to see these small parts of the universe be included. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of Sister, the trans Clone Trooper. Star Wars has always needed more queer representation, and Sister is a wonderful piece of inclusion. And whilst her inclusion in the story is incredibly short, I hope that this is just one of many appearances from her.

Overall I enjoyed a great deal of Star Wars: Brotherhood and found that it really helped to expand a small part of the Prequel era that we've not really seen much of. Anakin and Obi-Wan felt true to the characters that we know, and the new characters were great inclusions who I really enjoyed. This might be Mike Chen's first Star Wars book, but I suspect it won't be his last.

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