Book Review: Star Wars X-Wing: Rogue Squadron by Michael Stackpole

Book Review of Star Wars X-Wing: Rogue Squadron - Michael Stackpole

Other Worlds' Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

This book is about the legendary Star Wars hero Wedge Antilles as he tries to reform Rogue Squadron years after the Battle of Endor. This book is a cross between space opera and military science fiction - it's Star Wars, but it focuses on the military aspect of a starfighter squadron.

This book was good. However, I must admit, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. This series is supposed to be one of the best Star Wars series available; however, I found that there have been other books I've liked better. That said, I felt like Stackpole has done an excellent job in many ways - including making new characters, while keeping some familiar ones, and keeping the general overall feel of Star Wars intact.

I thought one of the books main strengths is that I liked the main character. His motives were real to me, his thought patterns made sense, and he was your average human. I felt that this made him relatable, and led to a more enjoyable book overall. Though this book didn't live up to my expectations, I believe this is more because my expectations had been set too high, and less because of any failure on the part of this book. If you're a Star Wars fan, you should read this, because it's pretty good. However, if not, it may leave you wanting.

Book Review: Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star, by Brandon Mull

Book Review of Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star - Brandon Mull


Other Worlds' Rating: 8 of 10 stars

This book is the sequel to Fablehaven, a New York Times best-selling novel which was reviewed by me here. It continues the story of Seth and Kendra Sorensen and the mysterious preserve for magical creatures. The sequel is better than the original in this book that extends the Fablehaven mythos into much wider territory. This book opens up the plot much further, and gives a much more overall view of what is really going on at Fablehaven.

I enjoyed the first Fablehaven, but this one really tops it. It brings in a whole new sense of intrigue and gives the magical world a much grander scale than the original. The characters deepen and we gain a greater appreciation and understanding of them. There are also new characters introduced that will quickly become readers' favorites.

Also, as a side note, I listened to part of this as an audiobook, and let me tell you, the performance was excellent.

To anyone who liked the first Fablehaven, this is a must read.

Book Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan

Book Review of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan


Other Worlds' Rating : 8 of 10 stars

I decided to read this after enjoying the recent film adaptation of this book. As is fairly typical, the book was much better than the movie was. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The goofy, almost sarcastic humor of Rick Riordan makes this book an immensely entertaining read.

The story is about 12 year old Percy Jackson, who is dyslexic and ADHD, and feels like hardly anything is going right in his life. His mom is married to the vile Gabe Ugliano, who lives for beer and poker, and hates work almost as much as he hates Percy. Percy knows little about his dad, whom he is informed died before he was born. Percy's main goal is to survive school and not incur Gabe's wrath too often.

However, when a vacation with his mom takes a turn for the worse, Percy discovers that the Greek gods of Olympus have never been more real, and that he is involved with them in a way that he never would have thought possible. Rick Riordan spins a tale of adventure and self discovery that will keep you both laughing and on the edge of your seat until the final page.

This book is advertised as children's literature, but I think that children and adults alike will enjoy this book. It was really a good read - I loved the writing style, and the plot was fairly gripping. Riordan had a fascinating view on how the Olympians could blend with modern society. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Book Review: Outbound Flight, by Timothy Zahn

Book Review of Outbound Flight - Timothy Zahn


Other Worlds' Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Star Wars: Outbound Flight was a great book. I listened to this one as an audiobook, read by Jonathan Davis. His performance was wonderful, with different voices for each character and some sound effects to enhance the mood of the book.

The book is centered around the Outbound Flight project, and around Star Wars characters Jorj Car'das and Mitth'raw'nuruodo (core name: Thrawn). It tells the story of Thrawn's earliest contact with the Republic, as Car'das and his smuggler shipmates find themselves in the Unknown Regions and are captured by Thrawn and the Chiss Ascendancy.

For those who have read Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire Series, or experienced Thrawn in any of the other books or video games in which he is present, this book is a fun new light on a familiar character. For those who have never heard of Thrawn, or only have a limited experience with him, this book is an excellent introduction.

Outbound Flight is a combined effort from the Jedi Council and the Republic, intending to send a number of Jedi and colonists into the Unknown Regions and beyond into another galaxy. The Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, however, has other plans for Outbound Flight. When Thrawn gets thrown into the mix, you have the makings for an awesome book.

Step into the Star Wars universe again and enjoy the excitement, intrigue, and military brilliance that is Outbound Flight. If you like Star Wars, you won't be sorry you picked this title up.