Bloodline

Star Wars Disney Canon Novel

by Claudia Gray

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Star Lost Stars comes a thrilling novel set in the years before the events of Star The Force Awakens.“Unmissable . . . Bloodline’s tense politics, vivid new characters, and perfectly characterized Leia make it feel as central to the Star Wars universe as one of the films.”—TordotcomWITNESS THE BIRTH OF THE RESISTANCE   When the Rebellion defeated the Empire in the skies above Endor, Leia Organa believed it was the beginning to a lasting peace. But after decades of vicious infighting and partisan gridlock in the New Republic Senate, that hope seems like a distant memory.   Now a respected senator, Leia must grapple with the dangers that threaten to cripple the fledgling democracy—from both within and without. Underworld kingpins, treacherous politicians, and Imperial loyalists are sowing chaos in the galaxy. Desperate to take action, senators are calling for the election of a First Senator. It is their hope that this influential post will bring strong leadership to a divided galaxy.   As the daughter of Darth Vader, Leia faces with distrust the prospect of any one person holding such a powerful position—even when supporters suggest Leia herself for the job. But a new enemy may make this path Leia’s only option. For at the edges of the galaxy, a mysterious threat is growing. . . .Praise for Bloodline   “[Claudia] Gray paints a much more complete galaxy than we often get to see on the big screen. . . . Knowing that Rian Johnson (writer, director of Star Episode VIII) had some creative input on the novel provides hope that we haven’t seen the last of all of these wonderful characters. . . . Star Bloodline isn’t just a great Star Wars book, or a great Leia book, or a great book; it’s a great introduction into the larger world of Star Wars in general.”—ComicBookdotcom   “Bloodline is a nonstop page-turner that grabs at heartstrings that you weren’t aware of and yanks down on every one of them. The story is loaded with context for The Force Awakens that plants the seeds for The First Order in perfectly haunting ways, and leaves the reader grasping for more details on newly discovered favorite characters.”—Inverse

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook, Space Opera, Novels

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.

I live in New Orleans. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leia is one of my favourite characters. For me, she is the original warrior princess. However, there was something just missing from this book. There were parts of this book that were done very well bordering on brilliant but I was just not gripped not continuing to read it I read a chapter then went off and did something else this is not really a page turner of a book it moves at the speed of the Senate's decision making process.

Claudia Grey did an excellent job of portraying Leia. I think she managed to show all the sides of her personality, the princess, the senator, the leader, the charming negotiator, but her red hot temper as well. I really did like the way Grey also shows there are good and bad people on both sides of the political debate. Even though their viewpoints are completely different. This book sets off the battle lines that are shown in the Force Awakens. Another thing I did like was they showed the fall out from Leia's darkest secret. In the pre-Disney Star War, which was simply just seemed to be an accepted fact that the galaxy just moved on with.

My main problem is that the pace of this book is very slow moving, with brief action scenes thrown in. There are likeable side characters as well, but if they are not used again, it is just a waste. Also, Han and Leia's relationship is painted as the ultimate long distance relationship, neither really spending more the a couple of months together at a time. They seem to talk more on the SW version of "Skype" more than anything else. This is another decent prequel to the Force Awakens, just not a great page turner of a read.

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/05/19/...

I fell in love with Claudia Gray’s Star Wars: Lost Stars last year, and so you can imagine my excitement when I learned that she would be penning a second book in the new canon, this time an adult novel about Princess Leia herself. And Gray certainly does not disappoint. With Star Wars: Bloodline, she has established herself as a new powerhouse author in the world of Star Wars fiction and become one of my favorite tie-in writers.

Taking place approximately five to six years before The Force Awakens, Bloodline is a novel of watershed moments, featuring our protagonist at a somewhat confusing time in her life. After decades of dealing with politics, the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed princess is all but gone, replaced with a more mature and world-weary Leia. The New Republic Senate has proven itself ineffectual in the wake of Mon Mothma’s departure; without the charismatic former chancellor to guide them, endless bickering and rigid faction lines have led to paralyzing gridlock within the government. But while all that is enough to turn even the staunchest senator into a jaded cynic, it should come as no surprise that where matters of peace are concerned, Leia remains wholeheartedly committed to her cause.

New concerns arise when a burgeoning criminal organization comes to the Senate’s attention. A mysterious underworld kingpin has emerged to fill the power vacuum left by the Hutts, and apparently he has friends in high places. Struck by a sudden rush of inspiration, Leia volunteers for a mission to investigate the corruption and ends up being partnered up with another senator from the Centrist faction, rival to her own Populist party. Despite getting off to a rough start, the two eventually learn to work with one another, even earning each other’s friendship and respect, but sadly the same cannot be said for their own political factions. As the relationship between the Populists and Centrists continue to deteriorate, those who want change are calling for the election of a First Senator, a position that would grant one person a great deal of influence and power. Considering her own personal history, that idea does not sit right with Leia at all, even as her own party is pushing her to run for the job.

I like reading tie-ins because of the opportunities they offer, a chance to explore the wider spheres of a universe or meet new characters. Still, it’s also tremendously satisfying now and again to return to the central figures and read about events that are directly related to the Star Wars movies. The Force Awakens was a rollicking adventure and action-driven—but it was also utterly devoid of much political or historical context. Good news, though; if you were one of the many fan who left the theater with questions, then Bloodline just might be the book you’re looking for. This novel manages to fill in quite a few blanks, giving us a glimpse into the political atmosphere in the time between the end of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. See how the first seeds of dissent were sown, which later gave rise to the First Order. Learn all about the dramatic events which ultimately led to the formation of the Resistance, Leia Organa’s answer to tyranny.

However, that’s just the dressings. There’s no doubt that the relationship dynamics between Leia and her fellow senator from across the aisle, Ransolm Casterfo, is what constitutes the real meat of the story here. In her previous Star Wars novel Lost Stars, Claudia Gray gave readers an epic love story between an Imperial officer and a Rebel pilot, two kindred spirits who had to deal with being on opposites sides during the war. In Bloodline, she pulls off something very similar, though this time we’re talking political ideology instead of romance, a Populist versus a Centrist rather than the Empire versus the Rebel Alliance. And yet, the parallels are there. Gray has an incredible talent for giving a balanced portrayal of each side of a conflict, with her Star Wars characters showing that nothing is ever black and white, that friendships can indeed bloom across faction lines, and just because someone is your “enemy” doesn’t mean that you both can’t fight for a common goal. In Bloodline, Leia and Casterfo share one of the deepest, most complex relationships I’ve ever read about in any Star Wars novel.

I also want to take a moment to just geek out over the cover. Stylistically, it’s beautiful and I’ve loved it from the moment I saw it, but after reading this novel, I have to say my appreciation for it has only grown. Without delving too far into spoiler territory, the figure of Leia standing in the “shadow” of her father is one of the most powerful and significant pieces of imagery I’ve ever seen, and it’s simply perfect for this particular story. Leia’s not-so-secret origins have been known to readers for years, belying her deep struggle to come to terms with where she came from, her bloodline. What happens in this books will have far-reaching repercussions for the galaxy and for her family.

What more can I say, other than brava, Claudia Gray! Between her and Christie Golden though, the two of them may have just ruined me forever with Star Wars novels, because I doubt I’ll ever be able to read one again without measuring it up against Lost Stars, Bloodline or Dark Disciple. This was another brilliant book in the new canon, and the last line gave me so many feels. Recommended for all Star Wars fans.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this for three reasons.

My love for the Star Wars universe is deep and wide, but not wide enough to devour every novel that comes out, so this only brings me so far.

My second reason is that other reviewers have raved about this title, so that makes me warm up inside and open my mind to new possibilities.

And the third reason, the one that tipped me over the edge? Well, it's Claudia Gray. I read Lost Stars last year and was very, very impressed. Not only did she pull it off again, but this novel directly ties in to the events before Ep 7.

What more could I want? I get the establishment of the First Order, the collapse of the New Republic, the semi-disgrace of Leia, which explains why so very little of the might we'd seen in from the rebels was now available to our heroes in the new film. It was delicious, and while we don't get things explained from the Dark Side, I have nothing but good things to say about the developed complex relationships and friendships coming from opposing sides. It was rather heartening, even if this was, in fact, a novel of tragedy.

If this had been a standalone SF without a franchise, I would have merited it just as broadly. In fact, I might have gushed more, because let's face it... franchise novels lend themselves wonderfully to fans looking down on them. Or maybe that's just me. Regardless, I loved this one and I think I might just pick up any Tie-In novel that Claudia Gray decides to pen. If the quality remains this good, then I have no excuses not to. :)

[Caleb Huett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claudia Gray cements her position as the best modern Star Wars author by following up the fantastic LOST STARS with the possibly even better BLOODLINE.

In BLOODLINE, she finally gets the chance to show off what she can do with major canon characters and absolutely nails it. Leia's voice is perfect. Han's voice is great. Even more interesting, though, is her ability to introduce new characters as vivid and real as any in the movies. Both of her Star Wars books deserve just as much attention as the films themselves.

Claudia Gray has been given a lot of power to flesh out the universe with this one, and she doesn't waste a second of it. Read this book if you have questions about Episode VII. Read this book if you like Star Wars pretty much at all. Read this book ESPECIALLY if you, like me, grew up loving Princess Leia Organa most of all.

(Also Gray makes galactic politics approachable and interesting, even exciting. Star Wars has always been about politics and government, really, so it's great to see that potential explored.)

[Jessica Halleck · Rating 1 out of 5]

Remember the stilted awkwardness of the Star Wars prequels? The lack of charisma? The shallowness, despite all flashy surface efforts at spectacle?

Bloodline captures that spirit completely.

Objectively, the writing is subpar. In Claudia Gray's first Star Wars book, the young adult novel Lost Stars, the tell-not-show style--while an unfortunate underestimation of the YA audience's intelligence--at least managed to feel age appropriate. The topical handling of big picture issues through a "young adult" filter actually felt calculated and smart. It all served as an easy to digest, intro-level course in ideas and themes of good, bad, duty, loyalty, what it means to be a good soldier, and even terrorism. A solid springboard into the broader, deeper universe of scifi and speculative fiction for the 12-18 year old age set.

That approach, stripped of its YA label, does not translate gracefully to adult fiction. "Calculated and smart" for 14 year olds comes across as juvenile and shallow when targeted at adults. Devoid of any nuance whatsoever, characters in Bloodline explain their motivations and thought processes for the audience at every opportunity. Whether it's in dialogue to one another or in flow-breaking internal monologues that reflect on information just received, their personal reaction to it, and their interpretation of the big picture in light of this new data, the characters hold the readers' hands through every single interaction in a way that would feel downright patronizing if it weren't so bafflingly earnest.

Villains have convenient scenes discussing or reflecting on their roles in relevant events, too.

It all has the wooden grace of C-3PO standing primly off to the side, arms held stiffly before him, hitting pause on the story and swiveling at the hips from the action to the audience to interpret every new point so we're all on the same page before proceeding.

"Oh my! Did you hear that? How exciting! So you see, the money for the Amaxine Warriors paramilitary group can be traced to..."

And the plot points themselves are annoyingly shallow. There's a mystery being investigated which, if summed up point by point, actually sounds like the story has a lot going on: "then they go here and learn this, which leads them to this next place where they learn that; then this final piece of information means that they're able to follow the trail to this person and make this big connection!" In execution, however, it's just pieces being shuffled around the board from manufactured "adventure" moment to the next. It's as if someone told the author that what people love about Star Wars is the adventure and all big plot moments should revolve around groups of plucky protagonists going to places in space where gosh darn, something goes wrong and they have to shoot their way out or hop in a space vehicle and have an exciting chase. And they should do that even when it seems like they should know better, or even when they openly acknowledge that they know better, no matter how contrived the setup is, and when they're not doing that they should have conversations about how golly gee, a little bit of adventure is sure what they could use right now!

But of course, these manufactured moments of excitement yield at least one new lead per encounter in the investigation, so they ultimately have relevance--however tenuous--to the heavy-handed bullet point list of a plot Bloodline breezes through.

Star Wars, as a whole, is filled with classic adventure elements. A large part of its origin is the serial films of the early 20th century. But what gives it substance and elevates those otherwise cliché action moments is its solid footing in the realm of good, character-driven scifi fantasy. Our heroes get pulled into adventure fighting for a bigger cause. Excitement was a part of their story, but not the motivating factor. It contributed to character development, but didn't take its place. There were stakes. There were consequences. At no time do we see heroes make the risky decision for the fun of it.

Bloodline makes this mistake in judgement over and over again. The number of dumb decisions made in the story that revolve around characters' wide, dopey grins at the thought of excitement is nauseating--particularly when it comes to Leia herself.

Here's where my criticism gets a little more complicated, because to a large degree the mishandling of Leia was something the author was powerless to prevent.

The Leia cameo in Greg Rucka's Poe Dameron short story in Before the Awakening absolutely nailed the essence of her as a character: physically small but centered with authority, beautiful and whip-smart, formidable, but with humor and warmth to temper the obvious weight of the responsibility on her shoulders. A leader. If you'd slid a Resistance recruitment form across the table at me during that scene I would have shoved Poe out of the way to sign up.

Claudia Gray, on the other hand, has missed the mark completely. Yes, this story takes place a few years before Poe's recruitment, charting the events that led to Leia breaking from the New Republic and founding the Resistance. So the argument of these two portrayals being her at different points is somewhat valid. However, in Bloodline we get a Leia who is somehow completely devoid of the last 30 years of formative experience, who mentions being a mother but otherwise doesn't seem to have a maternal bone in her body, who reflects on past experiences--conveniently limited to only points of reference from the original trilogy that audience members have also witnessed--with lip service to the human toll of it all, but mostly pines for recapturing her days of excitement and adventure in the Rebellion. Scenes set up to make her appear relatable and cool are as awkward as the 30 Rock Steve Buscemi scene of his character "fitting in" with high school kids:

“Too bad.” The senator folded her arms as she leaned against the nearest X-wing. “In my day, starfighter pilots knew how to brew quality hooch."

or

“It’s a possibility,” Princess Leia admitted. She sat in one of the chairs, as informal as Greer had ever seen her: facing the wrong way, folded arms atop the chair’s back, legs on either side. Essentially, the princess looked like somebody who no longer gave a—

And she never once feels like someone that has the maturity, poise, and experience of a woman who has--and will--command an army.

It's unfortunate, but probably completely unavoidable. Episodes VIII and IX aren't out yet. There are major events in the Star Wars universe directly tied to Leia's family and background yet to be revealed. To a degree, Disney is also probably trying to leave room for additional authors and media to explore Leia's backstory. So the shallowness of Bloodline's Leia Organa couldn't be saved. She can only draw on historical references the audience is aware of from the original trilogy, and that's very likely by big picture design. But this unfortunately hobbles Leia as a character beyond full repair, even if she had been put in the hands of an author with a steadier grip on her characterization.

So perhaps writing Bloodline now sounded like a good executive choice, riding on the success of Episode VII, but it reads like a terribly timed misstep of a creative choice.

And, of course, I'll argue that it was also put in the wrong author's hands.

Further gripes:

- There is a major plot point that the characters refer to, with straight faces, as "The Napkin Bombing"
- In lieu of real, meaningful, character or plot driven drama, moments of pointless melodrama filler are offered instead (ex. "bloodburn")
- Character moments seem to focus on a more juvenile idea of what it means to be "adult" and "cool", ex. how well certain characters can hold their booze
- Certain characters manifest abilities or powers at convenient moments and then rather than being or becoming a part of their characterization, those abilities are forgotten or otherwise go dormant when it would make just too much sense for a character to avoid a situation because of them
- The contradiction of Casterfo's past and his collection, which I will avoid describing fully for fear of spoiling people who would like to be surprised. I'm told such contradictions like this exist in our world, however imagine, if you will, surviving a Nazi camp and then dedicating your life to pursuing the dream that the Nazis had the right idea, just bad leadership. It was a hard pill to swallow, but perhaps could have had potential with better writing.
- When push comes to shove, Leia still needs a man to swoop in and save her from trouble


1 star for missing the mark completely as an adult book, as a Star Wars book, and as scifi fantasy in general

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars ⭐️

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Amy H. Sturgis · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is simply no way to avoid giving this five stars. This is the Star Wars novel I've been waiting for. Here we have not only crucial and meaty backstory to help explain the inefficacy of the New Republic and the rise of the Resistance and the First Order, but also an intimate look at the many complicated forces that pulled Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca into very separate lives after the defeat of the Emperor.

In addition, we learn when the rest of the galaxy discovered that Darth Vader had once been Anakin Skywalker. This revelation has key implications for one character in particular, not to mention the plot as a whole, in The Force Awakens.

I was delighted at how generously this novel gives fans what we've been craving: glimpses into the post-Return/pre-Awakens lives of our heroes, a more thorough and satisfying grasp of the state of the galaxy and its leadership, and even a building sense of what's been lost and what's at stake at the dawn of this new era and conflict. Claudia Gray skillfully balances big ideas and careful characterizations, well-paced action and a mature, poignant sense of melancholy in Bloodline. I do hope we see more works like this in the new canon.

[Ashley Hiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read better fan fiction, tbh. I appreciate Leia and how badass she is in this story, but the writing style leaves a lot to be desired. We don't have the constraints of a screenplay here, so there's much you could do with inner thoughts and descriptions and taking the time to really flesh people out. Unfortunately, this author didn't do that.

None of the new characters seemed especially complex to me; even Han was written as pretty oaf-ish. Leia doesn't seem overly concerned about her son either, which I just don't think is realistic for a parent...or her, given what she asks Han to do in TFA. Lots of references to the original trilogy, which was great nostalgia, however it left me wondering if nothing else had happened in the 25 years since ROTJ, since there wasn't much mention of anything in between. I get it, Lucasfilm puts constraints on what's being told, one can't reveal too much because it could impact future books/films, etc. But that really affected my suspension of disbelief.

[Book Riot Community]

As a huge Leia fan, I had basically been counting down the days to this one and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint. Bloodline is set years prior to the events of The Force Awakens during the dissolution of the New Republic as Leia undertakes a dangerous final Senatorial mission. It’s told through the point of view of Leia, as well as her Senatorial staff, allies, and enemies. I loved getting a window into the political manoeuvrings happening in the background of all the action and friendship of the Star Wars films, and I especially loved actually getting to see Leia be the brave, savvy, compassionate, and all-around-badass political operator we know she is. And without giving too much away, I was also impressed with the extent to which Bloodline inserted women into the New Republic and the rise of the First Order. I’d recommend for even casual Star Wars fans.

— Maddie Rodriguez


from The Best Books We Read In May 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/06/01/riot-r...

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Discussion Video/Vlog: https://youtu.be/oeN_QS8ooyQ

I really enjoyed this! A good blend of action, political intrigue, and character development this was an excellent recommendation. Leia is in middle age, wrestling with her place in things and the implications of being Darth Vader's daughter. This is set just before the creation of the First Order.

[Rebecca Roanhorse · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best SW books, hands down.

[Wee Lassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book - I would recomend this not just to anyone who felt a little lost during the Force Awakens, or to avid Star Wars fans (like myself) eager to see the next Chapter of Princess Leia's life; but to anyone who loves a good political thriller/ mystery.

[Lady*M · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars

This is a very difficult book to rate and review. Is it good? Very. As good as Lost Stars? It's different. For me personally, it was nerve wrecking, because the main character is Leia and we already know things didn't go well for her (at least those of us who have seen TFA). And at the end of the book, you know there are still more horrible things to come.

Claudia Gray understands Leia, what makes her tick, how her past influences her, her dreams, her ambitions, her loves... She absolutely nails the character and her relationship with Han and cements what some of us already knew - that Leia is the strongest, toughest character in a galaxy far, far away.

Six years before The Force Awakens, the Senate is gridlocked between two factions: Centrists who want stronger, more centralized government and Populists (to which Leia belongs) who want more freedom for individual planets. Gray manages to present both of these views in a way that showcases the downsides and advantages of both.

Warned by the representative of Rhyloth, the planet independent of the Republic, about the crime syndicate which is gaining power, Leia goes to investigate. She is forced to accept the company of Ransolm Casterfo, a Centrist with the penchant of collecting imperial artifacts. The initial relationship is hostile, but as Leia gets to know Ransolm, so does the reader. The unlikely friendship forms between the two of them amidst the political intrigues and semi-legal investigation they are undertaking. The truth behind the crime syndicate leads them to a shadowy organization behind it, bringing grief to both of them.

I will not elaborate much, but I will say that truth of Leia's parentage is revealed in the most public fashion, destroying her political career and leading her towards the path we see her on in TFA. At the same time, Ransolm might turn out to be the most tragic character in the new Star Wars canon to date. I really like these new characters we are getting in the books (like Rae Sloane and, now, Ransolm).

At this point in time, Han and Leia are still together though they are often separated by their life styles: Han is the manager of space races (think space Formula 1) and manager of shipping company, Leia is a Senator on Hosnian Prime. That said, when Leia needs him, Han drops everything and comes to be at her side. He provides one glorious fist pump moment in the novel. Their scenes are also heartbreaking, because we know what will soon happen.

While the novel can be categorized as a political thriller, it is entirely character driven. Leia is, naturally, the star - we have never gotten a more complex portrait of former Rebel, Princess, Senator and General-to-be. Also, Huttslayer. Yes, Gray made this part of the canon. Not Slave Leia, but Huttslayer Leia. :)

People expecting some grand revelations prior to Episode VIII might be disappointed. The book gives us the clearer picture of political situation and Leia's role in it. It's a very good book and I recommend it. But, it might break your heart.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so it's been almost two months since I finished this book, but I remember so clearly the feeling of finishing it and sort of being gobsmacked at how good it was. Not that it's flashy or anything. I'm not going to claim this book will change your life, or even change the way you look at reading or anything hyperbolic like that, but it did kind of change the way I look at Star Wars books. Claudia Gray just GETS Star Wars.

I read her first Star Wars book, Lost Stars, last year in prep for The Force Awakens and was surprised by that one as well. She brought so much emotional depth to this universe that I've loved for so long, and she did it in what was essentially a YA romance book (though that description doesn't do it justice at all). That book also explored corners of the Star Wars universe I didn't even know I'd been curious about. She does the same thing here with Bloodline, and she does it with two of the Big Three, even.

Leia is, of course, the focus, and hurray for that. This is the Princess Leia I've been dying to read about for years. She's confident, badass, intelligent, and still vulnerable. It also dramatizes a moment in a very effective way that I'm surprised was never dramatized in the original Expanded Universe. Leia is the daughter of one of the most feared and hated men in the galaxy. That should have consequences.

This book is essentially a political thriller. There's plot twists and turns galore. Conspiracies. Treachery. And I loved all the new characters, especially Ransolm, Leia's chief political rival. Their relationship is the heart of this book, and I won't say any more than that for fear of spoilers (and no, their relationship is not romantic, of course not). The conflict never feels forced. In fact, at times, it's devastating, because Gray grows it organically not only out of her own constructed plot, but out of Leia's existing backstory. (I feel it important to note that while Han is in this, and Leia mentions her son who is away training to be a Jedi with Luke, he's only there for a couple of scenes. But I wanted to mention it because even in those scenes Gray made it clear that she understood him as a character, and the dynamics of their relationship.)

This book is also very useful in piecing together just exactly how the New Republic came to be so messed up in The Force Awakens, and how the First Order took advantage of their fracturing and polarization to sow chaos and mistrust.

Basically, this book is everything I want in a Star Wars book, and I want Claudia Gray to write nothing but Star Wars books from now on. Heck, it's everything I would want in a sci-fi political thriller. I should probably check her other stuff out now, too . . .

[Starlight Kid · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - Got to half way and still was tedious to get through. I get what it was trying to do but the author isn't skilled enough to pull it off for me.

Check out Heir to the Empire trilogy as Leia role in that book is to a similar standard in that but is written so much better.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. It was a book about Leia. She was my age, and how often do you get a book where the main protagonist is a woman in their 40s that's not about them and their kids? It did have some fun moments, Leia winning at cards because she'd been taught by Han and Lando. And a reference to a gay x-wing pilot but overall it was very very disappointing!

First of all the politics were dreadful! For SOME reason the Galactic politics post-rebellion had boiled down to simple bi-partisanship that could easily be compared to the two political parties in the United States. With one wanting a bigger government and the other wanting planets to have more control. (Really they were Democrats and Republicans, but Leia was on the side of the Republicans???) After Clone wars (and even the prequels) having SUCH fascinating and multi-faceted politics to have the post rebellion era reduced to bi-partisan stereotypes was super dull to say the least!!!

There were only a couple scenes with Han, it started well, and they were still in love, which was nice. But then he disappeared to be run a racing team while Leia dealt with politics??? I mean politics aren't Han's strong point, But he did care about what happened with the galaxy, and I would have like to have thought he'd have been there to support his wife instead of just some late middle aged playboy sports shit!

And Leia had NO FORCE abilities, her killing Jabba with her bare hands was mentioned MANY times, but never that she'd used the force to do so. There is one reference to, Hm the force is supposedly strong in your family have you thought of being a Jedi? To which Leia just looked uncomfortable and shrugged it off???? Total cop out! The author was so proud of "filling in the gaps" to explain Carrie picking up a British asccent talking to Tarkin, but didn't think Leia not being a Jedi any more was worth exploring? Or had the mighty Disney Empire just told her she couldn't write about that?

Then there was the "big reveal"! Which had to be the dumbest plot twist. First of all in this universe it turns out that no one knew that Luke and Leia was Vader's children. And as luck would have it, a very secret message from Bail, where he reveals this to his daughter, ends up in Leia's enemy's hands. Who then goes and reveals to the Senate that Leia is SHOCK HORROR the daughter of Darth Vader, and therefore CAN NOT BE TRUSTED AT ALL!!!! Which makes no sense, cause really is biological determinism THAT important in the Star Wars universe? Then when the reveal comes, Leia, instead of being the master politician going, this is a personal message I've never heard before where did this come from? And this is all news to me? Just shrugs and goes, Yup, it's true, I'm a big lie head.

Then finally towards the end of the book she goes on another mission, now her political career is ruined. Finds the bad guys, has a particularly kick ass couple of pages, kills loads of people who should be killed, and then while escaping with no way out, HAN SOLO SHOWS UP TO RESCUE HER! Yes in the super empowering Leia is the hero book, she STILL has her husband come and rescue her. *headdesk*

And of course it ends with Leia starting the Resistance, though the First Order hadn't actually been revealed. So they had the resistance without anything to actually be resisting, except corruption in the Senate...

It took me ages to read this cause it was so disappointing. The style was non-existent, the new characters dull, and for no reason that I could tell none of the friendships from the original trilogy, except for Han, were in the book at all. I really can't recommend this at all. Read Christie Golden's Dark Disciple instead. That is by far the best Star wars book in YEARS!

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can you read the phrase "the Napkin Bombing" without giggling? Okay, you may proceed.

I was not at all looking forward to Bloodline. In fact, I so disliked Claudia Gray's previous Star Wars novel, Lost Stars, that I was disappointed that Lucasfilm tapped her to write a significant part of the background to The Force Awakens. Lost Stars was not as bad as Chuck Wendig's Aftermath, which--I shall hope--will stand as the lowest point in Star Wars novels. But it was bad.

Bloodline was not as bad as Lost Stars. The story is more or less a by-the-numbers Star Wars plot--unknown, shady villain that no one knows yet; crisis event; investigations that take various protagonists here and there throughout the galaxy; some spaceship stuff; some blaster stuff. It's forgettable, except that it fills in some of the big gaps created by The Force Awakens, so it is kind of useful. The pacing of the story is better than Lost Stars, and there are some genuinely good character moments. In particular, Gray here succeeds in doing something that she completely missed in Lost Stars: she creates an original character who is interesting. His name is Ransolm Casterfo, a senator who initially seems as two-dimensional and cardboard-cutout as all the other characters Gray creates (her new ace X-wing pilot, for example, is forgettable from the first moment he appears). But as the story moves along, he really does come to shine as one of the best of the new canon characters. I hope he will find a way to survive his apparent destiny and continue to play a part in the ongoing saga. It would be a shame to lose him after just one book.

I also liked the way Bail Organa comes into this story. It was genuinely touching, and became an interesting device within the story.

What I most disliked about Lost Stars was Gray's arrogance in filling in every possible space in the original trilogy with her new characters and their moody, teen dramas. Bloodline has a similar problem. It's not filling in the corners of an existing movie, but it is setting up what can and can't happen in the 30 years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Because Gray's story takes place over 20 years after Return of the Jedi, there is still a lot of time unaccounted for in the movies. But there is the problem: Gray essentially shuts the door on any number of things that might have happened in those 20 years. She does this subtly, by writing core characters like Leia as though nothing much has happened between Jedi and The Force Awakens. The most specific things that Leia thinks about are all from twenty or more years ago. I fear this will give future writers difficulty, when trying to write major stories that happen before Bloodline, but can't actually have any effect on the characters at the time of Bloodline. We'll see.

The other difficulty I have with Bloodline is related to this, and that is that it is a novel of political intrigue. That's just what I would want from almost any Star Wars novel--and something that seems beyond the reach of most Star Wars authors (James Luceno and Alexander Freed excepted)--but unfortunately, Gray's ability to write political intrigue is at about a middle-school level. Adults act like junior highers, even to the point of a climactic scene between Leia and her nemesis, which plays out like something from Mean Girls. The initial relationship between Leia and Casterfo is embarrassingly immature. Leia is just a jerk, and that feels wrong. Added to that is the fact that, as I said, nothing really seems to have happened in the years since Jedi. How can the New Republic possibly be as inept and ineffectual as Gray suggests? And she asks us to believe that things are this way because Mon Mothma is no longer there to bring people together? Mon Mothma has one scene in the original trilogy, and it would be a stretch to say that she comes across as a warm, unifying presence for good. Cold, chilly, impersonal--that's what I get from her in the briefing scene in Jedi.

The final problem: there's no sense of real peril in the story. The characters get through by being either conveniently lucky, or conveniently blind and ignorant. It doesn't make for a great mystery. The fact that an investigative, mystery, detective kind of Star Wars story reminds one most of Attack of the Clones doesn't help either. Bloodline is, at times, just a slightly reconfigured Attack of the Clones. I hoped there was more to the fall of the New Republic than simply an exact copy of what happened to the Old Republic.

Special thanks--seriously!--to Pablo Hidalgo for no longer requiring every Star Wars author to use the phrase "I have a bad feeling about this" in every single book.

And a request to future authors: If you write a Leia-centric story, don't have her surrounded only by young females. It suggests that she's only capable of leading impressionable young females, but wouldn't be able to command the respect of males. Bloodline makes this mistake, as does the awful Marvel graphic novel Princess Leia. Girl power is one thing, and it's not wrong. But girl power is more potent if it is respected by more than girls.

[Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god.

This... this is the best Star Wars books I've ever read. I haven't read so many, but I've read a good amount. And this one was fantastic. And wow, the audiobook really got me in my feels in a way I wasn't expecting.

If you read this book, you must read the audiobook. The sound effects, the Star Wars music... it's perfection. My favorite use of it was the scene where Lady Carise opened the chest. That scene had me stressed out enough on its own, but the music...

Wait, no. My favorite use of the music was when it built at the end of the book and then the book finished with the Star Wars closing music. That was what got me the most.

I should really get to Leia: Princess of Alderaan soon, because I almost (almost) forgot how amazing it is to read about her. And the respect that everyone has for her (and stuff happens, no spoilers) is so iconic. And I really did like the characters. Leia's two Senate allies, Greer, Joph, Korr... and, oh my goodness, Ransolm.

My absolute favorite part of this book was the relationship between Leia and Ransolm. I loved a friendship containing bonding moments, cuteness, betrayal, angst, drama... you never see that with friendships in YA. I adored it.

Honesty, this moment nearly ruined the book for me: That "final" interaction between Leia and Ransolm. When it said that this would probably be the last time they saw each other because of everything that happened. And I got that, it made sense, but it hurt. Korr's apology to Leia softened the blow a bit, but I was still feeling really sad. And then their actual final meeting. It was so well done, and having him go off to his death... perfect. Not good, obviously, because I was desperately hoping that Leia could save him. When Greer asked Leia if she could save him and Leia said "No," I literally rewound the audiobook so I could make sure I heard right. But he approved the death penalty, and he betrayed her so badly... aah. That was so, so perfect.

5/5 stars. I absolutely adored this audiobook. I cannot wait to get to more Star Wars books. I highly recommend this if you love anything about Star Wars.

[Ryan Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am newer to the new Star Wars canon novels (I've read Gray's Lost Stars and Paul Kemp's Lords of the Sith) so I don't have a whole lot to compare this one to. But shit, this was my favorite so far. The one thing I thought "The Force Awakens" lacked was the political side of things (aka when the First Order blew up five planets at once and I said to myself "bummer, but I don't know those folks"). This book gets into the details of what was going on on the political scene in the years leading up The Force Awakens. It might sound a little dull at first, but it ain't. I loved reading about Leia Organa's struggles after the fall of the empire, especially with the struggles between the two primary political parties in the Galactic senate (sound familiar?). This was the Leia I remember from the original trilogy. She is smart, funny, hot blooded, sarcastic, and relentless. The story in Bloodlines was very engaging, with great character development and I loved how it filled my brain to answers to some questions I had after watching TFA. I also loved the small details Gray threw into it, as she details one characters issues with a condition she has developed after years of traveling through hyperspace (I know that sounds a little strange but during Star Wars films and while reading novels I've always wondered why things like that didn't at least have a little more consequences to the human body). ANYshit, the bottle line is, this was a well written and great story. I just saw an interview with Claudia Gray and although she admitted to not working on another canon novel at the moment, she did make a reference to possibly writing a follow-up of some sorts to Lost Stars, which would be rad as all get-out.

[Italo De Nubila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had higher expectations for this one. A 4.08 stars on goodreads is a high rating for Star Wars novels. The plot just didn’t do it for me.
Most of the characters are very known and usually that helps or even cancels the character build aspect of the novel, but in this case it ended up lacking power. The ending was also very bland.

One my least favorite so far.

2.7 Stars

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This just proves that I want every Leia story and POV I can possibly get. It’s such an interesting point in time and it’s so nice filling in some of the gaps before The Force Awakens for not on Leia but also Han, Chewie, and more! Definitely made me tear up a bit. Leia is everything!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan 12 reread: It felt appropriate to kick off the year with Leia. RIP my princess. <3

This book was fantastic! As much as I loved the old expanded universe, it always felt like Han and Leia had a fairy tale ending that wasn't quite true to their characters or the nature of reality. This book answered some questions I had about TFA and gave some touching insight into Leia's character. Also, it was refreshing having a woman into her 40s as an action hero. :D

I also can't recommend this book enough as an audiobook. The special effects gave it an immersive, cinematic feel and the voice actress was incredible. Between her talent and some of the effects, it almost felt like listening to a full cast audiobook. Her impression of C-3P0 is hilariously and entertainingly spot on.

[Lynn Dubinsky]

I need this sooo bad! Currently reading Lost Stars and it's perfect so far. Four months is so far away :( boooo

[Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The sun is setting on the New Republic," Leia said. "It's time for the resistance to rise."

3.75 Stars.
♫ Staaaaaaaaaaaaaar Waaaaars, nothing but Staaaaaaaaar Waaars ♫
In the last couple of years my love and enjoyment for Star Wars has grown a lot. Yes, the original trilogy has always been there for me, but I never did venture to the expanded universe, aka the old canon, aka Legends. Now, this is going to change 'cause I'm finally going to read Heir to the Empire, but anyway that's for another time. With the journey to The Force Awakens however I decided to spread out my knowledge and well, this is now my fifth time reading a new canon novel and I have to say I was pretty happy with this book. Is it perfect? Well... no. There is a lot of repetition and lots of parallels with Claudia Gray's other SW novel, Lost Stars. Most importantly I have some issues with Han's dialogues in here. However, given the fact that Claudia had only six weeks to write this book and she did it before seeing TFA, I'd say she did an amazing job. Bloodline gives many answers, clues and it provides an exciting plotline, politics in Star Wars can work people, huh, who knew? with fleshed out character of her own. I did not care only for Leia, but Senator Casterfo and Greer were a few of my favorite characters, ones that I do expect to see again. I mean I know there is a Greer short story... but I'd like to see more of her by the hand of Gray. As for Casterfo...I JUST DON'T WANT HIM TO DIE.

Okay so what's this book about? It is set six years before TFA and it focuses on Leia and her work as a Senator in the New Republic. Years have passed and people seem to have forgotten war and the consequences of it. The bickering between the two primary political parties has made the Senate an useless institution and what once was a princess who believed in its power, is now a Senator who understands how the world and people work and she's finally ready to step out and come back to what she always had to sacrifice, her marriage. But when an emissary from Ryloth communicates to the Senate a new threat to the peace that has been so difficult to maintain, Leia sees this as her last mission to make a change, to help the galaxy, to inspire some of the new generations. What she isn't counting with, is the fact that this mission won't be led only by herself, but she will have to work alongside Ransolm Casterfo, a new upcoming centrist senator and well, maybe this mission will take them to places, threats and alliances they aren't expecting.

What I liked most about Bloodline is Leia's portrayal. At first it was a bit jarring to find her in this state, she's more cynical, more sarcastic and a little bitter. But when you find out how many sacrifices she's made, how her life has been, it's such a powerful and great bridge between episode VI and VII. I like Leia a lot, and I believe Gray did an amazing job with her character, explaining, through little moments, how the state of her relationship with Han, Luke and Ben has been over the years. Leia also shines with every interaction with Casterfo. What starts as an awful rivalry, becomes an unlikely partnership and then friendship.
But it is not only Leia that is more with every interaction with Casterfo, but Senator Ransolm himself becomes an important character in this book, almost as significant as Leia and it is mostly through their conversations that we get to see Casterfo as a much more developed character that we were first lead to believe. His journey is a complex one that give us many insights to what the Empire did and what it means to different people across the galaxy. Although Casterfo is part of the Centrist and Leia is a Populist, they both reflect each other in such a great way.

There isn't only answers about Leia and her family, but we have a more clear picture of what happened in the galaxy after Jedi and how the Resistance and The First order were born. It also adds, just like Lost Stars change the way we look at the original trilogy, more weight to The Force Awakens. This story is mainly set in Hosnian Prime, one of the planets that is destroyed in episode VII, and rewatching that scene, although minor, after reading Bloodline was much more impactful. Granted, I couldn't say it did anything seeing it without context before, but Bloodline change the way you see that scene among others.

I also have to say, I freaking love this cover. Seeing Leia in the shadows of Vader holds such a meaning for this book. I think is my favorite cover so far.

I really liked how Gray connected this book to the prequels, much of the new canon tries to ignore them, but there are mentions of Padme and Anakin, those moments, just as the moments that connect to the original trilogy never feel forced. (Forced, hah, you get it?)

The political struggle, the evolution of Leia, the fleshed out side characters are my favorite elements in this book. But, like I said before, there are some flaws here and there. The writing is simple, not the best. There is a lot of repetition, not only the missions, but some internal dialogues, I did not like Han's lines and I do have some issues with his convenient appearance in... some action scene near the end. But I really enjoy this book and it'd say is my second favorite novel of the new canon so far.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Gray's Lost Stars for many reasons. I love this book even more for many other reasons, most of which involve utter heartbreak. This was a hard read. Mainly because, after four decades of loving the swashbuckling adventure that is the Star Wars saga, I'm slowly waking up to its reality, which TFA brought to light and Rogue One solidified. For as fun as this adventure is, there is always a cloud of darkness over it, from a 19-year-old woman watching her planet obliterated before her eyes, to kids finding out their dad is the second most evil person in the galaxy, to the deaths of our darlings. This is and always will be a story about war. See? It's right there in the title. George never sugar coated that, but perhaps fans like me glossed over the traumatic parts more than we realized, and when authors like R.A. Salvatore stepped into the EU and sacrificed our heroes, some fans lashed out in anger.

But now here we are, decades later, and the harsh truths of TFA do exist beneath the epic John Williams score. Namely: Han Solo is dead because Ben turned to the Dark Side, and the First Order is a massive threat to the galaxy.

The book focuses on the political climate of the galaxy some time after the Battle of Endor. Unsurprisingly, the senate is still a mess. Why? Because the Emperor is dead, but the entire reason he could take the control he did remains: no one can ever come to a consensus on anything. There are now two groups vying for power, the Populists (of which Leia is one) and the Centrists. The latter lean towards the Empire's way of doing things, which actually isn't a bad thing. Leia comes to terms with this when she is forced to work with Senator Ransolm Costerfo, an Imperial loyalist whose personal collection of memorabilia flies in the face of everything Leia represents and has fought against. But there is more to Costerfo than a cool Imperial helmet collection -- just as there is more to the underworld dealings that force the two into an uneasy partnership. But at the crux of this story, as the title implies, is the blood that runs through Leia's veins and ultimately threatens her standing within the senate. It's not easy being Vader's daughter.

The hows and whys and whos of the underworld trade story is where the main plot lies, and the story there is a typical Star Warsian adventure involving espionage, blaster bolts, and some fancy flying. Gray relies heavily on what has already been established in the Star Wars universe and what we have come to expect or believe, and uses that to deliver an emotional and political tapestry that adds so much weight to the story, filling in many of the gaping holes in TFA. Like this one:


I dare say that Bloodlines ought to be required reading, if only for the major political and logistical details that it provides. As enjoyable as TFA was, it did the unthinkable in making me appreciate the prequels for the efforts that went into explaining how Palpatine was able to accomplish what he did. Bloodlines is a horrible case of history repeating itself and an Organa having to once again stand up and fight when the rest of the senate fails.

Bloodlines offers many new faces surrounding Leia. It doesn't delve deeply into the relationship between Han and Leia or with Ben, but Gray's subtlety strengthens the heartbreak of the "it's complicated" Facebook status that we find in TFA.
Here, Gray shows us a couple who love and respect each other dearly, but whose lifestyles keep them apart. They will always be there for each other, even when those lifestyles pull them in different directions. And yet, we know that something betrays this.

Thus far, I have not ventured too deeply into the new expanded universe of books, but I feel that it's safe to say that Claudia Gray's stories are at the top of my list for their storytelling and emotional impact. This book broke my heart many times. And that was before 2016 stole our princess away from us.

www.bibliosanctum.com

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quite a bit. While it is light on action, it focuses on one of the most interesting characters in Star Wars, Princess Leia. The author, Claudia Gray, writes Leia well, so it's believable that the character in this book is the same that appears in earlier movies. There is quite a lot of commentary about political gridlock and the necessity to make politics about action rather than reaction. That made this story feel relevant to what is happening in the United States today.

[siren ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit. This book broke me every chapter - as a life long Star Wars fan and someone who has always looked up to Princess Leia, this was an incredibly satisfying and heartbreaking read. Leia further proves to be the emotionally strongest character of the SW franchise. She takes everything thrown at her with passion and grace and resilience. The insight into her relationships with her son, brother and husband were so beautiful and also completely devastating to me, knowing what was to come for them in Episode Seven. The new characters were lovely additions to the universe, all complex and fleshed out enough for me to feel connected with them - this was pleasantly surprising considering Leia and Han and, in spirit, Luke were huge parts of the story, which I feared would overshadow the new characters. I was glad to see a large focus on politics and how the New Republic fell, considering those were large plot gaps in Episode Seven that get to be explored here. It was also so great to see Anakin's legacy in relation to Leia - something else that has been mostly overlooked in the films. Overall, I was blown away by Bloodline and consistently reminded while reading of why I love the Star Wars universe and the Skywalker family so much.

[Shadowdenizen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I try to be (somewhat) selective when it comes to Star Wars novels, as there's just so many of them out there to keep up with.

But there's a hanful of authors whose work in the SW Universe is unparalled (Timothy Zahn, John Jackson Miller, Drew Karpshyn, and a small number of others) and draws my immediate attention.

After "Lost Stars", Claudia Gray joined that list. I found that title to be fundamentally satisfying, and one of the best SW titles I'd read.

With "Bloodlines", I feel like it was constrained by canon to a degree, and didn't have quite that same level of my enjoyment/involvement that "Lost Stars" commanded.

But, to be fair, that's probably more on me than anything else: when playing with an established property(and with such high profile characters) lines must be drawn and toed.

None of which detracts from my overall enjoyment of this title, or my respect for Claudia Gray as a writer. She really made this an enjoyable read and I eagerly await other SW works from her.

[Zoraida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Princess of Alderaan just before Bloodlines and it is so seamless and wonderful. Loved the moments with Han and made me all the more sad that they don't get their HEA.

[Raoufa Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought that a Sci-Fi book could be so close to reality like this!!
---
This book is to honour the life of Leia Organa
the princess, the revolutionary, the senator, and at last the Gerneral


this book took place before The Force Awakens by 6 years .. a new generation has been born, A gerneration that has never known Vader and never saw how corrupt the Empire was.

and as Suzanne Collins said: “We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self destruction.”

The Senate that control the Galaxy, has been divided into Populist and Centrist, the people who witnessed the War they chose to be Populist, to never give one person the whole authority, and Princess Leia was one of them.

Princess Leia will lead an investigation, as a Senator, to know about a spice craterls, but a lot of secrets will be revealed through this investegation, people will try to shut her down by revealing one of her biggest secret


but by the end, it will be too late to recover any thing, The First Order has risen!!

------
At last I wanna say that if Star Wars writers didn't give Leia a happy ending, they will face the wrath of a Jedi who will become a Sith, just for Leia!!!