Book Review — Greg Rucka’s Star Wars: Before the Awakening

Book Review

Star Wars

Before The Awakening

By Greg Rucka

 

Synopsis:

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…

A shadow has been cast across the galaxy. Where once there were hope and peace, now there are fear and looming clouds of war. The First Order is rising, its power growing, and the New Republic may well be powerless to stop it.

Among the billions upon billions of beings in the galaxy, three individuals will find themselves drawn into the heart of this conflict. Each of them will play a vital role in what is to come. Each of them will face darkness. Each of them will struggle to reach the light.

FN-2187 is a Stormtrooper, trained by the First Order. He is plagued by doubt. On Jakku, a young woman who calls herself Rey struggles to live in an isolation necessary for her own survival. Among the stars, Poe Dameron strives to serve a Republic he has always believed in, as sinister powers threaten to break his resolve.

Review:

Greg Rucka returns brilliantly to Star Wars canon with a three part novel which gives some details of our heroes lives before we all saw them in The Force Awakens. It’s a novel that gives clear insight and answers questions on the politics, motivation and the circumstances within the film. As the book has a short story per character, I shall do my review in the same format, starting with Finn.

Finn:

FN-2187 is one of the best up-and-coming stormtroopers the First Order has ever created. Within the simulator, he is the best of his squad and leads them to many, a faux victory against the Resistance under the watchful eye of the ever present Captain Phasma.

This 55 page section introduces Finn’s hesitations against the motives of the First Order and what he is actually being trained to do — this all comes to a head, during the last moments and his first mission, within orbit as a stormtrooper. The decision to go one way or another, is one that he has to make, or it will be made for him by Phasma.

Rucka wonderfully portrays a man in mental turmoil, FN-2187 is at the top of his game physically, but struggles with the reality of war. Through reading this book, you gain a deeper understanding of where Finn is at within the film and why he his wanting to leave the First Order. Life within the ranks isn’t easy, a lot is expected of them and Rucka gives a lot of detail that was perhaps, lacking in the film — you can understand why Finn desires to be accepted and be part of something. Way before the film, you get a sense that the transition of FN-2187 to Finn, has already begun.

Rey:

I think we were all hoping for a story before Rey got left on the planet of Jakku. Sadly, we’re not treated to that, but we do learn a lot about her as a character and where her strength comes from.

Rey is alone and waiting for her family to come back to take her away — this is her permanent hope and it will not be deminished. Simply put, it’s heart rendering and Rucka depicts the desolate nature of the planet perfectly.

It’s not all doom and gloom however as Rey finds a ship that could keep her supplies in good stock for years to come, recruiting new friends to help her, this is a story of how resilient and loyal she really is.

Rucka is expertly able, to show where the character we know, on the silver screen, has come from. Her piloting is well practised on a simulator and her stubbornness, not to give up, when things seem at an all-time-low is paramount to the success of the story.

Poe:

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is the most action packed of all the sections, with fabulous space battles in an abundance. Poe is a pilot for the New Republic and not the Resistance when we first meet him and sadly, he soon sees the true abhorrent nature of the First Order.

However, the real highlight of this story is the background information we are granted, due to his political thoughts, we gain a much richer understanding of where the galaxy we love is politicallly. Rucka gives us an insight as to why the New Republic seems so slow to act on the threat and specifically, why General Leia is so passionate about ending it, before it becomes a disaster.

Personally, this was my favourite section within the book, namely due to this new found knowledge I gained and that buoyed my enjoyment for the next time, The Force Awakens.

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Overall Greg Rucka gives a thrilling, heart-wrenching and insightful look on the three light sided heroes we meet in Episode 7. One that, doesn’t break completely new ground, but does give a look at the motives and aspirations of Finn, Rey, and Poe.

 

STAR WARS – BEFORE THE AWAKENING, by Greg Rucka, Disney Press Publishing, LucasBooks and Disney trademarked — was released December 18th, 2015 and is now available in: paperback, and e-reader/kindle versions.