I think you have all come to know that I absolutely adore anything and everything Star Wars. I mean, it’s pretty obvious at this point, right? And am I ashamed of my inner nerd? HELL NO. Which brings me to my most recent Star Wars read, and one that I think all of you will be able to enjoy even if you aren’t a part of the fandom, Lost Stars (Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Claudia Gray. And yes, that Claudia Gray, the amazing author who wrote the Firebird Trilogy.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
Eight years after the fall of the Old Republic, the Galactic Empire now reigns over the known galaxy. Resistance to the Empire has been all but silenced. Only a few courageous leaders such as Bail Organa of Alderaan still dare to openly oppose Emperor Palpatine.
After years of defiance, the many worlds at the edge of the Outer Rim have surrendered. With each planet’s conquest, the Empire’s might grows stronger.
The latest to fall under the Emperor’s control is the isolated mountain planet Jelucan, whose citizens hope for a more prosperous future even as the Imperial Starfleet gathers overhead…
If you are familiar with Gray’s other novels, you won’t be surprised to hear that the plot in this one is fantastic. While it does follow the the overall rise and fall of the Empire, following the along with the plot of the original trilogy, it’s also a completely separate story. You follow two brand new characters as they grow up, join the Empire, and then proceed to have their own experiences. This means that the action is non-stop from start to finish. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what was going to happen next. Gray really knows how to create such an engrossing plot. Teach me your ways, Master! Haha!
As for the characters, well let’s just say I might love Thane and Ciena almost as much as the original heroes. Thane is such a cynic but I feel like he’s one of the most realistic characters that I’ve ever read about. I loved watching him grow and change as a character, especially how his relationship with Ciena changed him. While Ciena was a much more idealistic character. Her sense of honor and loyalty went above and beyond anything that I feel is possible in real life. However, I thought Gray did a great job presenting the reasons for these beliefs by creating a background for why Ciena makes the choices that she does. And these two together just gave me all of the feels! You will spend the entire book rooting for them to be together and live happily ever after, or at least I did! I’m a sucker for tragic romances. Well, except for Romeo and Juliet because those two are just idiots.
The writing in this story was pure Gray. It’s never fancy or flowery, but rather just engaging. She is able to explain things in a way that the reader is able to easily grasp, which can sometimes be an issue when it comes to science fiction. The writing is engaging but straightforward, which I can always appreciate as it provides a nice break when you’ve been reading mostly poetic writing (think Laini Taylor & in my recent case with Megan Spooner’s, Hunted).
I think this a wonderful addition to the Star Wars universe, while also being just a damn good science fiction novel. If you’re looking for a fun young adult novel that will leave wanting more, I highly recommend picking up this one. Claudia Gray has become one of my auto-buy authors and she once again proves why here.
Final Verdict: 5/5 stars
Have you read Lost Stars? What did you think of it? Have you read any of Claudia Gray’s other novels? What young adult science fiction novels have you enjoyed lately?
Wonderfilled Reads 