Poe Dameron: Free Fall

Star Wars Disney Canon Junior Novel

by Alex Segura

It's been a few years since Poe's mother passed away, and Poe and his father, who was a pilot for the Rebellion, have had more and more trouble connecting. Not sure what he wants to do with his life, teenage Poe runs away from home to find adventure, and to figure out what kind of man he is meant to be.

Genres: Star Wars, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Fantasy, Adventure

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2020

About the author

Alex Segura is the bestselling and award-winning author of Secret Identity, which The New York Times called “wittily original” and named an Editor’s Choice. NPR described the novel as “masterful” and The L.A. Times called it “a magnetic read.”

Secret Identity received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, was listed as one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by NPR, Kirkus, Booklist, LitReactor, Gizmodo, BOLO Books, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel, was nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Hardcover, the Lefty and Barry Awards for Best Novel, the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel, and won the LA Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category.

His upcoming work includes the YA superhero adventure Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, the follow-up to Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and the sci-fi/espionage thriller, Dark Space (with Rob Hart). Alex is also the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Anthony Award-nominated Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series, and a number of comic books – including The Mysterious Micro-Face (in partnership with NPR), The Black Ghost, The Archies, The Dusk, The Awakened, Mara Llave – Keeper of Time, Blood Oath, stories featuring Marvel heroes the Avengers, Sunspot, White Tiger, Spider-Man and DC’s Superman, Sinestro, and The Question, to name a few.

His short story, “90 Miles” was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories for 2021 and won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story. Another short story,“Red Zone,” won the 2020 Anthony Award for Best Short Story.

Alex is also the co-creator of the Lethal Lit podcast, named one of the best fiction podcasts of 2018 by The New York Times.

A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children.

Reviews

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5-stars**

Poe Dameron wants adventure. On his home planet of Yavin 4, the teen feels smothered by an overbearing father.

He doesn't want to take over the family farm, he wants more. Why can't his father understand that?



His father, Kes Dameron, was a Sergeant in the battle against the Galactic Empire. Along with his wife, Poe's mother, Shara Bey, a renowned Rebel pilot, the two lived the sort of adventurous life Poe dreams of.

His mother taught him how to pilot his own craft and it's well-known that Poe is gifted behind the controls; well-exceeding the skills of his peers.



Since his mother's tragic death, Poe and his father have had a difficult time connecting. It seems Shara's death has made his father even more protective over him.

Considering Poe is all Kes has left, it is no surprise he may be holding on a bit too tightly. Poe doesn't see the reasoning behind it, however. He's young and just wants to be able to choose his own path.



When an opportunity arises for him to leave Yavin 4, Poe jumps on it without too much consideration.

His means of escape just so happens to be piloting a ship full of Spice Runners. The Spice Runners of Kijimi, to be exact, one of the deadliest crime syndicates in the galaxy.



The Spice Runners needed a new pilot, after the demise of their own, and Poe just so happens to be in the right place at the right time.

He jumps on his chance and off they go. Of the crew he now finds himself with, Poe bonds quickly with young, Zorii Wynn, a human female, a native of Kijimi and an all-around badass.



They become quite close. It's no surprise, considering they're the same age and they continue to rise up the ranks of the Runners together.

Their relationship has moments of romance, but mostly is built on a mutual respect. Zorii has grown up in the Spice Runners and Poe learns a lot from her regarding their lifestyle and customs.



Ultimately, Zorii is hardcore. She has loyalties that go much deeper than any Poe could ever feel for the criminal organization.

When the two begin to be at odds about what the future holds for them, tough decisions must be made, pushing both of them to their limits.



Y'all, I really enjoyed this. As an origin story for a character I love, I thought this was fantastically presented.

I really felt for Poe. It can be so hard to be a kid who feels like you were made for great things, but you don't feel supported in pursuing those things.



I love that he had the boldness of character to set out on his own. Even though the way he went about that was reckless, it ultimately made his life what it is.

I think he needed that experience with the Spice Runners to truly understand what he was meant to do; his destiny.



Overall, this is a great addition to the Disney Canon. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to read it.

Finding out the details behind Poe's early life and his relationship with Zorii, a relationship that shaped them both, it was just so satisfying.



As far as the Canon timeline goes, this novel falls after The Mandalorian and prior to the novel, Bloodline.

If you have watched the new trilogy movies, you are probably familiar with Poe Dameron's character and if you enjoy him, as I do, you should definitely check this book out. It's a heck of a good time!



Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney LucasFilms Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.

I was so happy to have the opportunity to get my hands on it early and provide my thoughts. Available now, everywhere in the galaxy!!!

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. This story does fill in some of the blanks of Poe's past, brought up in the Rise of Skywalker. This book did much more for his character development than the movie.

Meet Poe Dameron, son of two Rebellion heroes, raised on a farm and angry teenager. The fact that he is a teenager and learning. He has a talent for flying but not the training yet. I really liked the story that was not rushed.

If I had one complaint, it is the ending, but I can see there is more than enough left undone for a sequel. Which I really hope is coming. Great character development and story. Even if the story us aimed a younger readers it a gem. It's definitely one of the better Disney era Star Wars books.

[Starr ❇✌❇]

Me: No more Star Wars!
This book: *exists*
Me: ....one more Star War

[Kemper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free advance copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for this review.

If you’re a Star Wars fan it’s a real best-of-times/worst-of-times situation these days. We’ve gotten some great new stuff, but also a couple of real duds. Plus, much like how the worst thing about capitalism are the capitalists, the worst thing about Star Wars fandom turned out to be Star Wars fans.

So I wasn’t exactly dying to pick up a new young adult tie-in book, but I’d recently read Alex Segura’s first crime novel, and I thought Poe Dameron was an interesting but underused character in the latest movies so decided to give it a shot. And it turned out to be a fun Star Wars story.

This starts out with teenage Poe living on Yavin 4 with his father. Both his parents fought for the rebels against the Empire, and his mother was a great pilot who taught him to fly before she was killed while on a mission for the New Republic. Now Poe’s father just wants to live a quiet life as a farmer, and he’s kept Poe from leaving for the adventure he craves. Hmmm… a young man dreaming of space adventure who is trapped on the family farm…. I wonder why that sounds familiar..?

Anyhow, after Poe pulls a knuckleheaded stunt that lands him in hot water with the authorities and leads to a blowout argument with his father, he impulsively takes a piloting job for several shady characters looking to get off Yavin 4 quickly. It turns out that these people are Spice Runners of Kijimi, one of the most dangerous criminal gangs in the galaxy, and a zealous New Republic officer with a personal vendetta is hot on their trail. Poe wanted excitement, but he’s uneasy with his new role as a criminal. However, his growing relationship with the mysterious young lady Zorii makes him hesitant to leave.

Segura takes an interesting approach to this one because it plays out in a series of stories that often begin with Poe in the middle of his latest job gone wrong with the Spice Runners that then fills us in on how it came about. The time jumping helps build a complete narrative arc that leaves Poe with some gaps that could be filled in later (Something the Star Wars franchise loves doing.) while also giving us the depth and backstory that the movies never did. One of the few things I liked about Rise of Skywalker was the brief hint of Poe’s past, and this fleshes that out.

Since it’s a short YA novel we’re not getting the kind of deep dive into Star Wars lore that some nerds demand, but overall I found it to be a fast, fun, and enjoyable adventure. It’s obvious that Segura is a fan who knows the universe well, and he brings a young Poe to life with energy and enthusiasm.

[Shannon McCarter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh boy. I don’t know why we needed this book or who it's for but here we are!

Free Fall is the story of 16 year old Poe Dameron who, longing for adventure and running away from his problems, joins a band of spice runners only to discover spice runners are bad. It’s basically just Solo, with Poe finally becoming the Han Solo 2.0 many thought he would be. There really isn’t anything to this story and you can tell it was only told to tie in with The Rise of Skywalker. And if you are looking for any connections to the Poe we see in the comics or in Resistance Reborn, you won’t find that here.

What gets me the most is that it feels like the story never got out of the “idea” stage. It’s almost written like a script, and is so exposition and battle heavy that I think the author forgot to give it any heart. All the characters came off as robotic versions of themselves and it was impossible to sympathize with any of them.

It makes me sad that this is the first thing we got with our sequel trilogy cast after TROS, like they are just trying to retread everything to make it fit better with the film. Like TROS, this book is empty, heavy handed, and made me worry that this is all Star Wars is going to be now. I’m giving it 1 star because it was rushed, poorly written, and in no way stands up to the other new canon books.

[Jim C · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book aimed at the younger audience. In this one we see a young Poe Dameron and his days as a spice runner which we learned a little about in the movie The Rise of Skywalker. This is basically the origin story of this character.

I did not like this book but I have to admit I am not a fan of this character. The book Resistance Reborn swayed me a little bit and I was hoping this would add to it and help me like the character. It didn't. The problem was not the characterization of the character. We can see the brash, impulsive behavior that we do see in the movies. That was the only thing that I liked about this book. The story itself was okay and doesn't deserve my harsh rating. The problem was how it was written. It was bland and I could care less about any of the characters. There was no heart or emotion. That wasn't even the worst offense. Every time we came to a momentous confrontation the author would do a time jump and we would have to infer how this confrontation played out by the characters in the next scene. I don't even understand this way of storytelling. It was like watching a television program and stuff happened during the commercials offscreen. The worst example of this way of telling a story was the finale between two supporting characters. I have no idea how it ended even though I am done with the book. Am I suppose to guess?

I didn't know when I started reading this book that I was actually reading a fill in the blanks book. Granted, I don't want every little minute detail painted for me. To leave out conclusions of what should have been exciting scenes is just weird and disorientating. This book made me hate the character even more now when I see him in the movies. I guess that won't be a problem because it isn't like I would rewatch those movies.

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poe Dameron: A Han Solo Story

A short story in Greg Rucka’s book Before the Awakening gives some of Poe Dameron’s backstory. Then in The Rise of Skywalker, part of the heroes’ ultimately pointless and unnecessary mission requires that they get assistance from a band of spice runners on Kijimi. Poe drew the short straw as the only character who could possibly have had some past connection to smugglers, so this detail got added to his history with little explanation. I can imagine Disney then scrambling to find some way to explain how Poe could have spent time on the wrong side of the law, so Alex Segura drew the short straw and had to (quickly, I assume) figure out some way to make it work. I feel a little bad for Segura, because it was a poisoned chalice.

The story he wrote, Free Fall, is like so much of Disney-era Star Wars: every character, location, and event feels almost exactly like something else that’s already happened in another SW story. There’s a cantina just like the Mos Eisley cantina; a teenage kid who dreams of getting off his dead-end planet and having adventures in the galaxy; a crash landing on a planet and then a fight for survival; predictable double-crosses; vague hints at galactic politics, but nothing specific; crime syndicates that have no clear motive or plan and that shouldn’t be hard for law officers to track down (I mean, they’re called “The Spice Runners of Kijimi”—what planet do you think you’d find them on?); a girl, a boy, and a slightly humorous, clueless droid on adventures that include some petty bickering and possible romance; a hotshot pilot who can fly anything; dead parents whose memories haunt or motivate the protagonist; and on and on.

But the biggest error in this story is that all of it, 100%, feels like an alternate version of Solo. And it’s odd because in the movies, there’s nothing particularly Solo-like about Poe, nor does he have a lot of interaction with Han. So why make him another Solo character? The other misstep is that this story directly contradicts the version of Poe’s past in Before the Awakening (which was actually a pretty good book). Five years in, and Disney’s “everything is canon” is already having to retcon itself, contradicting itself in the process.

Along with the typos that make SW books feel deliberately disposable, Free Fall also has some dialogue that sounds really fake. This line early on, for example, which one of The Spice Runners of Kijimi says to Poe:

“We’re smugglers,” she said flatly. “And our pilot is dead. If you can get us off this moon, you will begin a life of adventure and uncertainty unlike anything you’ve imagined. This place will be a blurry memory before too long.” (48)

Come on, SW—be better.

Another oddity is that in the movie, I’d thought the heroes were going to see some spice runners, who, you know, happened to be on the planet Kijimi. But in this novel, it’s like the name of a band: “‘Ever heard of the Spice Runners of Kijimi?’ Trune asked” (53). I don’t know why, but it always made me chuckle when the full name of the band was written out or spoken (which is really often).

I’m mostly done with keeping up with the SW books set in the sequel trilogy era (this is what I tell myself...), but I picked this one up because I liked Zorii Bliss in the movie and wanted to know her story. However, it’s just Qi’ra’s story from Solo, with a few small details rearranged to fool the plagiarism detector.

Why is current SW so incredibly uncreative? I don’t understand why people can’t imagine bigger and bolder.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some Star Wars books hit you in the feels (Lost Stars), some deepen our understanding of the saga (Revenge of the Sith), some come out of nowhere to take you on an unexpected adventure (Most Wanted).

This one touches on elements of all three of the above without really committing to any of them. I enjoyed reading it, to be sure, but on the whole I don't feel it will merit a re-read any time soon, or ever.



Poe is much younger in this book, in fact I don't think he's even turned 17 yet by the end, so it's hard to judge his actions like you would a grown adult. He does some silly things, like the Yavin 4 equivalent of running away to join the circus by just kind of haphazardly joining a criminal syndicate, as one does. One of the more interesting things that this development enables is making his primary "adversary" for a healthy chunk of the book an officer of the New Republic Security Bureau who just happens to have an agenda of her own involving elaborate plans of vengeance against the feared Spice Runners of Kijimi.

Speaking of those criminals, it turns out their operation (and Zorii's role in it) is considerably larger than the perfunctory mentions in the Rise of Skywalker film might have one believe. But at least we learn what the deal was with that helmet, right Zorii?


OK, maybe not

[Vishnu Chevli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was checking out available books on Netgalley when I saw an upcoming book from the Star Wars series. I haven't read comics or previous books in the series. My only exposure to Star Wars was 6 movies under the Skywalker saga. I know for Star Wars fan it is a crime but for me, that's the fact. Since 2016 I have reduced my visual content consumption very very low, I am spending maximum free time in reading. So when I saw this book, I thought of taking Star Wars in my reading experiences. Here I am discussing the book "Poe Dameron: Free Fall" by Alex Segura

Don't get confused between Dameron & Doremon. It's is the first non-cartoon character.

Jokes apart, Poe Dameron is our protagonist. He is living with his father on Yavin 4. Both of Poe's parents had an adventurous life, they have participated in the war against the Empire. His mother, Sarah, wanted Poe to become a pilot like her, but after she died his father wanted Poe to stay close to him. But Poe wanted to travel, to visit new places, and to get an adventure. His rebellious nature made his join a notorious group called spice runner of Kijimi. His good upbringing made him stick to his basic values. But his attachment to Zorri may lead him to danger. Read the book to know more.


Talking about the story built up, I found the plot plan. Expected few more turns but from point, Poe joined spice runner to his capture, things were in bits and part, and before I realize half the book was done. Narration and language usage is simple and to-the-point. Basic knowledge of Star Wars is recommended. Overall a nice content for Star Wars fan. Even non-follower can have a good one-time read.


I will give 3.5 out of 5 to this book.

[Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The gritty criminal underworld has always intrigued me when it comes to Star Wars. From bounty hunting to spice-running, I’ve always loved learning of the lore behind the various cartels and enclaves that haunt the galaxy between Tatooine and 1313. ‘Poe Dameron: Free Fall’, written by Alex Segura, captured this world wonderfully. Following a 16-year-old Poe Dameron, the story sees a lost boy dreaming of the stars before finally venturing out on a journey that will inevitably lead to the Resistance by the time of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens.

Personally, I loved the novel. It begins on Yavin 4, 20 years after the Battle of Yavin. Over the years, an agricultural focused community has developed on the moon, and Poe dreads the idea of being left to tend to the family farm. He’s swooped up into the life of a Spice Runner of Kijimi and is quickly thrown into the thick of it, battling other crime syndicates and staying constantly on the run from the New Republic Security Bureau. I really loved the balance between Poe and his life of crime, and how he truly feels about the events taking place, desperately wanting to return home but knowing that he’ll inevitably be arrested. One of my issues with 2019s 'Rise of Skywalker' was how Poe was implied to be a Han Solo-esque scoundrel, but the novel made it clear that this was not the case. Watching the Kijimi scenes of that film will definitely hold a heavier impact for me upon rewatch. Not completely game-changing, but knowing the planet and how it operates will definitely shift my perspective.

I felt that Segura developed the character of Poe wonderfully, and showed that his time as a Spice Runner wasn’t two dimensional. As I said, he wasn’t a scoundrel like Han Solo, but a conflicted boy unsure of how to get out of something that he was already too deep into. I felt that the novel captured inner conflict perfectly, and that, by the conclusion, we were beginning to see the Poe Dameron that featured in the 2016-2018 comic book series.

The inclusion of new characters such as Sela Trune mixed nicely with building on characters already found in lore, such as L’ulo L’ampar. Sela Trune in particular was interesting. This novel is likely the only time we’ll logically see her, as her story is told entirely, but I really enjoyed her scenes. She reminded me of the character of Berch Teller from James Luceno’s ‘Tarkin’ in her determination and motivations. I hope there's more to her, and maybe we see her included in further canon down the line, but I would understand if we don't.

The book also shines a fantastic light on Zorri Bliss. We see her undying commitment to the Spice Runners of Kijimi, and get to watch her develop a rocky relationship with Poe, all while battling her own inner turmoil. The mystery surrounding her and the story behind her helmet in the film are great additions to the lore. That, again, will hold more weight upon rewatching 'Rise of Skywalker'. Most of all, however, the novel features the beloved Babu Frik, whom I’m sure will be the deal breaker for many.

While I found the book to slightly stumble in terms of pacing in the latter chapters, I found the characters to be well developed, the plot to be exactly what it needed to be, and the continuity to be extremely fun (Fans of Star Wars: Galaxies MMO will have a blast). This, to me, has added so much to Poe’s character, and will make a genuine change to the Sequel Trilogy and how I feel about the character upon rewatch. A great addition to canon and I hope we get more Poe-focused stories in future.

[Monita Roy Mohan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Where do I start with how bad this book is? The writer was given one brief - elaborate on Poe’s spice runner career. Using the keywords Poe, Zorii, spice runner and Kijimi, the author came up with this travesty.

Reading this book made me feel like someone was pulling a fast one. The story is written as if a robot churned it out. There is no emotion, no depth. It lacks stakes and connection between the characters. The writing is so tired and full of old fashioned idioms and proverbs. There’s nothing Star Wars about the writing - no matter how many creatures and references to the Rebellion are thrown in.

Poe falling in with the runners at age 16 is the silliest take. A better, smarter writer would have dug into the insidious ways that drug dealers entice young innocent people into the trade in the real world. We could have witnessed another side of Poe if he were a young man being pulled into a world that was bad for him. What toll does it take on Poe who has lived a sheltered life? How do his mistakes really affect him? Instead we’re saddled with a dead mother, daddy issues and a hotshot pilot who can do it all and get the girl. Wow, we’ve never read any of that before.

We don’t get any sense of urgency or fear in this book because all the important stuff happens off-page or has no bearing. This comes down to the horrifying pacing that speeds up when establishing the dynamic between Poe and Zorii but slows down to tell us that they’re now very close and have a connection. Show, don’t tell, is not this author’s motto.

The final act clinched how directionless the writing was. Suddenly the points of view were everywhere and Poe and Zorii, the characters we had picked this book up for, were taking a backseat to a fight between two people we didn’t care about.

It’s obvious the author wrote this with a cinematic mind which meant the writing was stripped down to the minimum. The flare came in describing the species but not in expanding our understanding of these characters and their criminal lives.

I hate that the author actively makes Zorii a villain. She has no morals. I am going to have to scrub this take on the character from my mind because it’s just unfair. Zorii could be a spice runner for a million reasons and she didn’t necessarily have to be murderous. There’s no redeeming her in this book and that undermines her heroic arc in the film.

I’m astounded by how phoned in this writing was. I’ve read other Star Wars novels and while they may not be purple prose, they work wonders with exploring the human condition through their characters.

This is further proof that we need diverse minds to expand on pop culture. It’s not enough to give the safe bet every chance. They’ll just churn out the same boring tropes and stories that have come before. Hard pass on this book.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Poe Dameron: Free Fall by Alex Segura starts off as a tale about teenage Poe Dameron as he begins to get involved as a spice runner before he joins the rebellion. It's a fun, fast-paced adventure that jumps from mission to mission. It does a decent job of bringing young Poe and Zorii to life and letting us in to their world. Poe Dameron is one of my favorites characters from the new Star Wars films, but I wasn't terribly thrilled with where his character ends up over the course of three films. Either way, I was pretty excited to see the character I loved from The Force Awakens gets his start. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by this novel. The characterizations, relationships, and world-building were a little too flat for my tastes. My expectations were quite high and it just never got there, but to be honest usually any day I get to see a Star War is a good day.

[Art Hyrst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review available here on 30/07/2020: https://inkandplasma.wordpress.com/20...

I honestly, hand on heart, enjoyed this book a thousand times more than I expected. I was excited about it to begin with, but also a little wary. I’ve been stung before with Star Wars content. This book was not a letdown. It starts with Poe in trouble and I felt immediately like Alex Segura had a really good grasp on Poe’s characterisation and kept it consistent throughout the book. He’s not exactly the same as the Poe we know and love, but that’s a good thing. This Poe is sixteen, inexperienced and desperate for adventure, but I could very clearly see how he would develop into Poe Dameron, Resistance hero. After reading this one, I actually picked up my TROS novelisation and read that and it gave so much depth to the sections with Zorii and Babu and mentions of Poe’s past that I had to stop and think about Free Fall again. I love Poe and have from the start, but this novel gave me a strong and deep connection to a character that didn’t get explored so much in the movie and I loved it.

We also, of course, got our expected firefights and crazy aerial manoeuvres, blaster battles and cameo mentions of famous Star Wars characters but I liked that this was focused on Poe’s story – not one of Jedi and Sith and the Force. I liked the focus on smugglers, criminals and the New Republic instead. The Spice Runners of Kijimi are exactly as horrible and criminal as we’d expect, but their violence is softened a little for the younger Disney audience. This is the first Star Wars YA novel I’ve read where that softness is explained within the text though and justified with Poe’s internal conflict – he wants to be a part of the team but he doesn’t want to hurt people. This was perfect for characterising Poe and also had the benefit of not knocking me out of the realism of the moment. The Spice Runners, and their criminal operations, were a good background for Poe to develop and I felt like we really got to see Poe grow from a boy desperate for any kind of adventure into a man who realises that believing in the cause you’re fighting for is more important than the fight itself.

The real highlight of this book is the relationship between Poe and Zorii. They’re two teenagers growing together, finding companionship around harsh and dangerous adults and learning to be themselves. They teach each other skills and my favourite thing about it was that there were romantic tones to their interactions but ultimately they felt most like teenage friends finding comfort in each other. It explains the complicated relationship when they are reunited in The Rise of Skywalker, as well as the fact that Zorii was fast to anger and fast to forgive.

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF @ 50%. This started off promising; it seemed like we were getting a character driven look at Poe’s youth, his relationship with his father, his dreams, etc. That quickly fell away in favor of mindless action and forgettable side characters. I was looking forward to exploring Poe’s friendship with Zorii, but the way it was portrayed had very surface-level depth; their relationship held no surprises and it was the most predictable route they could have taken it. Star Wars books are tricky to get right, and I’ve only found a couple that really worked for me— sadly, this seems to be another middle of the road addition to the Star Wars novels canon. If you’re a diehard Poe fan and you aren’t looking for anything too unique or refreshing, this might be for you. 3/5 stars.

[kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, if not somewhat underwhelming, space crime back story for everyone's favourite Star Wars character (why we didn't get more Poe action in The Last Jedi, I will never understand).

[Dominic · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You were a spice runner?" 

JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio wanted to create conflict between the main characters in The Rise of Skywalker and so gave each one a secret they were hiding. For Poe, this meant he now had a shady past as a drug dealer. This proved controversial. Some fans pointed out that the new backstory seemed to contradict other Star Wars stories about Poe Dameron, such as the novel Before the Awakening. Others noted that making the first Latino lead in the franchise a drug runner played into some unfortunate stereotypes. In the film, Finn and Rey seem to quickly forgive and forget Poe's shady past, but Alex Segura's Poe Dameron: Free Fall seems to exist largely to explain this new backstory.

According to the The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary, the official explanation for the apparent "contradiction" with other sources is that Poe Dameron briefly joined the Spice Runners of Kijimi as a teenager, long before he joined the Republic and then Resistance navy. Free Fall covers Poe's entire criminal career (which seems to last about a year).

Secura said he researched the other books and novels about Poe Dameron and integrated them into the novel. His work shows. I especially liked the cameo from L'ulo L'ampar, Poe's longtime friend from the Poe Dameron comics. The Poe Dameron we see in this novel seems to be the same character as the one in those other sources of canon. All this helps make Poe's new backstory feel like less of an awkward retcon and more like a hidden part of Poe's past. 

However, Poe Dameron in Free Fall seems a bit too familiar to the man we know from the films. In the book, Poe is supposedly only 16 years old when he joins the Kijimi Spice Runners. Yet, he's already an ace pilot and pretty confident (although he has a few moments of doubt). He joins the Spice Runners because he longs for adventure, but never really finds himself in a position to compromise his moral integrity. Aside from thwarting attempts by the New Republic Security Bureau to capture the Spice Runners, Poe never commits any truly criminal acts. For all of Finn and Rey's outrage, nothing Poe does is particularly outrageous. He's still a "good guy."

The book is strongest when it comes to Poe's relationship with Zorii Bliss, which receives a lot of attention. This is also when Poe comes across most like a teenager. He clearly lacks the maturity for an adult relationship. While there are some sparks of intimacy, the relationship never approaches the traditional YA romance. In fact, Poe and Zorii's relationship is less about romance and more about two young people trying to find comfort and a sense of belonging. The book helps explain why in The Rise of Skywalker Zorii was both upset enough to kill Poe and yet also quick to overcome her anger. 

I don't think Free Fall is necessarily going to change the mind of anyone who hated the twist in The Rise of Skywalker. As I noted in my review, I certainly didn't love the film. However, I've enjoyed Oscar Isaac's portrayal of Poe Dameron, as well as Charles Soule's Poe Dameron comics, and enjoyed spending more time with the character in Free Fall. At the very least, it helped ameliorate the sense of frustration I initially had with the revelation that Poe was a spice runner. It turns out, the revelation is less about Poe having a shady past and more about him outgrowing the youthful need for "adventure." He learns that cause you're fighting for is far more important than the struggle itself.  

[NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review]

[Louis Skye · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book just did not work. It failed to capture anything of Poe that we know from the films. It could easily have been about someone else and have been the same.

I had so many issues with this book. Poe having a dead mom, like the Star Wars universe doesn’t already have enough of those?

Zorii being described as a woman from the get-go even though she’s a teen; while Poe is called a boy for the majority of the book.

The way the characters’ full names were given, like it was being written for SEO and not as a storybook. What was up with that? Also, why was Poe speaking in full sentences without contractions? It makes him sound weird and not like a real person.

The story fell flat for me. It was repetitive and focused on a very short period in Poe’s life. This book could easily have been 200 pages shorter and said the exact same things!

Zorii being reduced to a love-lorn sidekick was so frustrating. Can’t a female character ever be more than that?

And honestly, the tone was just off. We saw Poe and Zorii together, they’re funny, and they tease each other. Nothing like that comes across in this book at all because it’s so serious. That isn’t Poe at all.

If you’re hoping to find out more about Poe’s connection to the Resistance, you’re going to get half a page of Poe seeing Leia on a broadcast. Sigh.

Not a good book by any means.

[Alexandria Leonis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is about Poe and Zorii's beginning, Poe's parents and the spice runners of Kijimi.

My initial interest in reading this book was for Zorii because I liked her in The Rise of Skywalker. Unfortunately, I am feeling a bit of Poe exhaustion because there is just so much Poe content. We have never seen a 16 year old Poe, so I went into this book cautiously optimistic that I would find something different here.

This book falls very flat. The writing is very dry and without character. The bland uncharacteristic writing made reading this book a chore. This book relies on you knowing Poe from other content because I felt like this book didn't give him any personality. In the very few moments where characters were given characteristics, they felt like a ripoff of other characters in canon.

I do think there is a good idea for a story deep under a lot of editing and fine-tuning. I had hoped Free Fall would tell me who Zorii and Poe were as teenagers and I still feel like I don't know the answer to that question.

[joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.75/5 stars. I liked this one but I did find some issues with the pacing and the freakishly abrupt ending. We also never did see what happened to Kes which really annoyed me. I also can't remember if the comics say. I found Zorii very much underutilized and I don't know. It's Poe so I liked it but it was a little dry.

[Amy H. Sturgis · Rating 4 out of 5]

After viewing THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, I wasn't sure how to make the film's assertion that Poe Dameron had been an illegal spicerunner fit with what we already knew about Poe's background and New Republic service from novels such as BEFORE THE AWAKENING and comics such as SHATTERED EMPIRE and POE DAMERON. Alex Segura's FREE FALL explains this seeming contradiction and also provides a fascinating look at Zorri Bliss, the Spice Runners of Kijimi, and the dawning era of the New Republic. This is a page-turning story of crime, adventure, and mystery that stars an easily recognizable but much younger Poe, restless and frustrated and learning as he goes. Segura's characterization of Poe and description of his journey works well.

My main criticism is that the ending comes very abruptly, without resolution of the Poe Dameron-Kes Dameron storyline or explanation of how Poe's record was made clean enough to enable him to volunteer to serve the New Republic. If a sequel is in the works to tie up these loose threads, I'd be delighted!

For its characterization, the world building, and the many answered questions, I would recommend this tale to anyone who wants a good Star Wars novel -- or, for that matter, any YA science fiction reader.

[William Schaller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an addictive space backstory! Sixteen-year-old Poe Dameron's young adult book was quite the page-turner and well written, full of intense action and suspense. This story provides all the elements of an authentic Star Wars story: the conflict, family drama, foreshadowing, and humor. In this novel, Poe must discover his purpose, leaving his home planet with the desire to see the world. Going against his parents' will, Poe joins the Spice Runners of Kimiji, providing readers TONS of new information about this group led by the ominous Zeva and company, as well as many rival smugglers and bounty hunters. Alex Segura's novel ties this story to other Star Wars planets and characters from many shows, books, and movies across the universe, which made me very excited. I definitely will be recommending this YA novel to the teenage science fiction readers in my library!

[Eva B.]

Hey, I need this as quickly as humanly possible, thanks!
Also apparently there's gonna be Babu Frik content in this, so....
I NEED THIS NOW!

[Christina O. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free Fall is everything that you would expect from a YA book focused on Poe Dameron: it’s a fast-paced bildungsroman involving a young hot-shot pilot getting into trouble with criminals in a galaxy far, far away. Poe’s parents are former rebellion heroes who settled down on Yavin 4 after the fall of the Empire, but the peace that his father values is driving Poe crazy. All Poe wants is to fly, like his mom, and have a life of adventure. His father only wants Poe to be safe. This opposition leads Poe to hastily accept a job as a pilot before he learns that he’ll be flying for the Spice Runners of Kijimi. Although he didn’t anticipate joining a criminal organization, Poe quickly falls into a life of adventure and into friendship with Zorii Bliss.

One of the most important things for me when reading a SW novel is to hear the voice of known characters when reading. Segura captures the voice of Poe, Zorii, and Babu Frik and they come life on the page. It’s great to read about what is obviously a pivotal time for Poe in his teens and to learn more about his backstory. I was also excited to learn more about the mysterious Zorii whom we met in TROS. I do wish that the interaction with Poe and Zorii had been shown more on page. They share many adventures, but we are told many times about their friendship and the quiet moments when they bonded away from the crew, yet we don’t see that foundation of their friendship. Nevertheless, when it comes to giving background on events that are hinted at in TROS, this book does a great job.

Free Fall is a fun adventure story and a good addition to the SW canon. TROS hinted at an intriguing backstory for Poe and Zorii, and Segura delivers.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm just not picking up great Star Wars books lately. This one is about Poe but honestly is just cut/paste the Solo movie just set in a different era.

Poe is 16 and trying to find himself and thinks spice runners are where he'll discover his purpose.

It's probably fine but didn't catch my interest

[Italo De Nubila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just getting into the third triology era. A coming of a age for Poe. It was a fun familiar story. Kinda makes me feel like this could have been Anakin’s story if Quai-Gon Jin had not discovered him. Lovely to see how his values were ever present on his life.

[☮ morgan ☮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What a silly mistake. To think you'd bested me with words? It is the blade that wins the war, my dear. And I always carry a spare."

This was so good, I loved being able to see more of Poe's character. I don't really understand why this is rated so low :/

[Matthew Rushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5. Review coming soon

[Matt Carrillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great origin story for Poe! If you’re a fan of his character and want to find out his story, then you definitely need to read this.

[kate! · Rating 1 out of 5]

MAJOR DNF I just could not manage to make myself finish it. I was literally bored to tears

[Kaitlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Review to come (possibly)