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Review: Kenobi by John Jackson Miller

I received a download of this book in exchange for sharing my thoughts on Fiction State of Mind

Publisher:
Random House/Del Rey Books

I had such a fangirl squeal when I saw the cover of this book. Here was the book that had the potential to fill one of the mysteries of the Star Wars Saga: what did Ben do for those almost twenty years between Episodes 3 & 4 ? I imagined scenes of swashbuckling action and wonderful dialogue floating through my head in Ewan’s wonderful voice.
So my expectations were really high for this book, and in the initial 100 pages of the book I seriously began to think they wouldn't be met.
Readers of EU books come into each book with an enormous knowledge of the source material, a predilection to characters speaking or acting a certain way, and a desire to have the boundaries of their fandom  expanded with new characters and adventures.
That's a lot of pressure for an author! So in the opening Chapters of the novel when the focus is on a local trading post and a Tusken Raider village, I kept thinking where's Ben? I was annoyed a bit until I finally let go and let Miller tell his story. And quite a story it is! Ben is the new guy in town, drawing to much unwanted attention and too many questions.
The harder Ben tries to remain alone the more he gets drawn into local politics and the danger of exposure. One of the things Miller really honed in on was the loss of community Ben suffers with the destruction of the Jedi order. He has lost his brother ( Anakin), and still has the instincts of a Jedi Master( to help and mediate), with no outlet to use them on. It makes sense that despite his mission he would find himself involved in the life of a female outpost owner and her family. An involvement that may cost him dearly.
I loved the inner monologues Ben has with himself in the book and in his meditations to his former Master, though they aren't “answered” in this book. Miller really captures the essence of Ben in these moments, his pain at Anakin’s death is balanced by his faith in the Force. Characters are an important part of what keeps fans returning to the Star Wars franchise, and I found myself growing more  interested in the farming community and the glimpse into the Tuskens culture as the novel went on.
Miller doesn't answer all of the questions surrounding Ben’s time in the desert but he does give us an enjoyable story that fits very well in established continuity. Though I would have liked a lot more of Ben in this book in retrospect I realize Miller picked a brilliant way to explore Ben through the eyes of other characters . Miller also fleshed out the lives and motivations of the Tatooine populace. Really solid and enjoyable read.

Netgalley Round UP! Graphic Novel Spotlight and mini-reviews

Thanks to Netgalley I’ve had access to some amazing Graphic Novels in the past month or so. Here are my thoughts on them:

DC

Justice League America has a bit of a dark edge to it. It fits into a lot of the changes the New 52 instituted in regards to characters and with Geoff Johns at the helm there is a lot of humor amongst the team building. I liked the art but found my self continually disappointed in the physical look of Catwoman. Especially because she is written so well. My favorites on the team are Vibe and the new Green Lantern, but there are some solids bits by the other team members as well, including a very scary Martian Manhunter. Definitely a title I would continue to give a chance in trade format, will see how it goes.

Injustice was a bit of a disappointment to me. Maybe it’s because I’m not playing the game, or maybe its the spoty art and the good hero goes bad trope, either way I thought it was just ok. The series follows a what if scenario. What if the Joker killed someone dear to superman. Would supes snap? and if so what would be the outcome? who would support Superman, who would fight him? The fight scenes were a bit cool but overall I’m not motivated to continue with the story.

  

Archaia

Archaia has done a wonderful job with Cyborg 009.It’s not always easy to adapt a foreign work to English but I found it very easy to follow around with the story. A young teen wakes up with no memory of who he is. He hears strange voices in his head and manifests a surprising power. Soon 9 learns he has been abducted and experimented on along with 8 other subjects from various age groups and racial backgrounds. Thanks to a helpful scientist the team breaks free and is on the run.

There are a lot of themes in this story that readers will find familiar but they are freshly presented and engaging. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this series develops. There is a great website to learn more about the series click HERE to learn more.

IDW

Colonized sounded really great in the description. Aliens vs Zombies ?  Yes! But this story failed to really capture my interest. The subplot about a group of feuding town folks was boring and the characters were very stereotypical. I wasn't a big fan of the zombie action either.

!!!! I love what IDW is doing with Judge Dredd Year One ! I brought the first trade and was excited to see the next collection on netgalley. This series focuses on the rookie years of Mega City Ones greatest Judge. I love how the writers take elements from the British series and create unique cases for the US version. In this collection Dredd is investigating a number of cases involving young juves developing psychic powers with disastrous results. Solid action and art. This is a great way for new readers to experience Dredd’s world.

Dynamite

Dynamite is doing a great job with these Sherlock stories. Ill be doing a full review of this book tomorrow, but let me just say that fan of Holmes and Watson will love the look and feel of this story.

So Grateful for Netgalley as a continuing source of great graphic novel reads. Hope I’ve inspired you to check these books out! Happy Reading!