Star Wars Bookworms Book Club discussion

This thread is for discussing chapters 1-4 of the novel. Please do not post any spoilers from chapters beyond chapter 4.

i feel vaders tone/demeaner is way off. i read the first part of the book yesterday morning then watched a new hope in the evening. vader seemed like 2 totally different people. the first sceen of a new hope, vader was very casual/friendly with the imperial officer on the tantive 4

The tone vader has in the book is much more in line with how he's being portrayed in the new comics. I think the other thing they're going for is that this is a younger vader. As opposed to wore down battered vader from episode IV.

I love how he tore straight into that ship!

I was pleasantly surprised by the mention of Ryll which was featured in the X-wing series I just finished recently. I'm also loving Cham Syndulla because he was featured in one of my favorite story arcs of the Clone Wars tv series. He's turning out to be a pretty interesting character.

It may be just me, but does anyone else take issue with the pacing in these first few chapters? I feel like things are moving too fast as by pg 35 Vader has already taken down a stolen ship, the Emperor has planned a trip to Ryloth, and Cham's rebel cell has already started planning the assassination of the two when they arrive. On top of that there have been at least three major characters introduced: Cham, Isval, and Vader.

i loved the pacing. vader is my 2nd favorite character in the sw universe. stormtroopers 1, vader 2, royal guard 3.

The assassination plot seems to come a bit early, but I'll refrain judgment for now.

I loved the space battle, and could almost hear James Earl Jones speaking with a full John Williams score in the background.

Vader's boarding of the weapon's transport reminded me of something one of the designers of Vader's look had said (may have been Ralph McQuarrie). That he was designed to look like he was in a space suit. That he would be able to board an enemy ship and cross over in vacuum. I like that Paul S Kemp brought that idea back and used it.

James wrote: "The assassination plot seems to come a bit early, but I'll refrain judgment for now.

I loved the space battle, and could almost hear James Earl Jones speaking with a full John Williams score in t..."

I agree with both points! In the page right after the Emperor makes his plans to go to Ryloth, Cham is already planning his assassination. Just how fast does news like that spread? To be fair I guess the time in between could have been offpage.

I also really like the space battles because I feel they are really well paced.

"It may be just me, but does anyone else take issue with the pacing in these first few chapters?"

I noticed that, too, but I kind of appreciated the faster pace. The book throws you right in the thick of things. Maybe it feels quicker because the first few chapters aren't focused on explaining the universe and some of its key characters? Many novels do this during their initial chapters, but Kemp assumes that we already understand much of the setting and some of the key characters (i.e. Vader and Palpatine). He isn't spending as much time worldbuilding, because he doesn't need to.

Cham and Isval, as newer characters, are getting a bit more introduction in these earlier chapters. I found chapter 4 to be a big surprise. It was much darker than I expected. I haven't started Chapter 5 yet, so we'll see how things unfold. But right now, I feel like the kid gloves are coming off and Kemp isn't going to pull any punches.

I like it. :D

Ellen wrote: " Kemp assumes that we already understand much of the setting and some of the key characters (i.e. Vader and Palpatine). He isn't spending as much time worldbuilding, because he doesn't need to."

After watching Clone Wars, I felt right at home on Ryloth with the twi'leks, so it's true that we didn't need much explanation of the background.

I noticed the pacing thing too but just decided that what I thought was going to be the climax must not actually be the climax. I'm hoping to be surprised. One thing I took a little issue with in the first 4 chapters was how little Vader was in it. I was really hoping in a book called Lords of the Sith that I would get more sith lords. lol Maybe after they finish the new character intros we will get more Vader.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this so far (up to chapter 7 so far)

The first 4 rip along at one hell of a pace but I really like that, they have built the tension well. I really enjoyed how they played out the unravelling of Belkor Dray, you could feel the smugness slipping from him to the same level that Cham stature grew.

The pacing is quick and the story is getting gritty. It feels like something intense is going to happen.