Star Wars: Aftermath
by Chuck Wendig
THE hype around the forthcoming Star Wars film The Force Awakens is so intense that this tie-in novel has a level of expectation that most Hollywood blockbusters would give their proverbial right arms for.
It’s fair to say then that The Force Awakens has a lot to live up to, given it’s the flagship title in Disney’s Journey To The Force Awakens campaign.
But does it live up to it? The answer to that is yes and no. Fans who come in expecting the further adventures of Han, Chewie, Luke and Leia will be left sorely disappointed as we’re treated to a story that features a massive cast, the vast majority of whom have never appeared in the Star Wars universe before and are unlikely to again.
The story centres on the aftermath, there’s a clue in the title, of the events depicted in Return Of The Jedi. The Rebel Alliance is putting out propaganda that it has won the war while what’s left of a seemingly battered and bruised Empire is convening to put together a plan that might just tilt the balance back in its favour.
Heir To The Empire this is not, but it’s a decent read as the intrigue of what the Empire is up to makes for a compelling experience. Wendig will get stick for not providing a fan serving segue into The Force Awakens and, by the end of the book, you’ll be none the wiser as to the direction of the Star Wars Universe looks to be taking for The Force Awakens.
It’s not fair to judge anything beyond its own merits and Aftermath, featuring a pacy plot and relatable characters, is far from the travesty some would have you believe.
3 out of 5 Nerds
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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