justthatstarwarsbookgirl's reviews
54 reviews

This book altogether wasn’t the huge, amazing wrap-up of such an awesome overall series for me as it should’ve been. It was a decent wrap-up, yes, but not outstanding. It left you wanting more and left a ton of questions unanswered that I’m not sure if they’re picked up in another book or not or just left unanswered for all time. The book was harder for me to pick up and maintain at first due to the beginning starting off as a flashback. From the back blurb of the book’s cover I immediately put together the link and clue/hint about the Escape Pod relation. A couple pages in I read in present day in the book a mention of a Hyperspace Route that sounded familiar. I flipped back a few pages and there it was in the Flashback. I found that super interesting. I especially enjoyed Gizz’s “interrogation” of Overseer Umbrag. That was the funniest part of all four books in the Series. The ending of the book was the most wild ride for me. Starting with the reveal of Lalo Gunn’s true alliances (Separatist Bounty Hunters or Breakout Squad? Guess you’ll have to read to find out) as well as her cleverness when dealing with fellow Bounty Hunters, her brave and discreet actions with Chatterbox, the already obvious reveal of the Clawdite version of Sharp and the real Sharp’s ultimate showdown, the cleverness of the Mandalorian Death Watch covering up their tracks, the confrontation between Ambase and Nuru and how Nuru knew things were manipulated in his Master’s mind, the way Nuru was saved from Ambase’s attack being so tragic, brave and bold (yet remedied rather quickly fortunately), even the fact I noticed that instead of telling the Clawdite to kill Umbrag Ventress wanted him brought directly to her question him to find out what was going on with Dooku’s plot that he wouldn’t tell her, and finally, my favorite part, Nuru’s Force Vision showing him all of these events beforehand being the most interesting, awesome and cool way to see the events before they happened even early on in the book was super amazing. I like how ALMOST everybody ended up, especially Cleaver and Chatterbox (except Master Ambase, but I suppose that’s an acceptable resolution for him) but I can’t believe how many loose strings in this plot by Dooku and Palpatine are yet to be explained or wrapped up, including why Nuru Kungurama appeared to be abandoned in that Escape Pod. We’re still left in the dark on many things. I couldn’t, and still can’t, believe the biggest reveal at the end however. THAT was a shocker completely. Palpatine’s treachery reigns on, and the mystery of the Chiss Ascendancy and its Aristocra continues on as well.  Overall, a fairly enjoyable read, made you want to speed up reading at the end especially. 

I really, thoroughly enjoyed racing through reading this book, it was quite the page-turner, the first I’ve had in a while. I loved the consistency and well-laid out plot as well as the incorporation of The Death Watch and Mandalorian Warriors. I loved the introduction to the new Mandalorian assassin we met in this book. He was a fantastic and amazing character, very well thought-out and well put-together. I loved his design, characteristics, skills and abilities as an assassin. I loved the parts involving Count Dooku as always. I already was sort of suspecting the end reveal of the traitor, but it was startling and angering all the same. I still can’t seem to comprehend or understand why and how it happened in the first book in the beginning of the Series. I was most astonished by the ending of the book however. I couldn’t stop flipping the past 10-15 pages reading through them as fast as possible to glean the information to get to the end of the book. I was furious at the ending of the book and couldn’t believe Ryder Windham would cause that situation and that particular death to occur in his Book. I didn’t like the result of that situation at ALL either, things seemed so simple and like they were going to be all solved and suddenly they went completely wrong. And when I turned the last page: I was SHOCKED. Beyond anything I’ve ever felt before from a book, both the anger at that particular character’s tragic apparent death (I really hope it was fake and they somehow survived) and also the shock I felt at the big reveal at the end of the book. I can completely understand why Windham saved that reveal until the very last page. BEST REVEAL EVER, but due to the feelings the book inspired and the character’s death plus some slight graphic descriptions of innocent death’s/bodies I rate this book 4 stars. I love the new introduction of the “Orange Giant” character however. He’s my absolute favorite character so far, I love how completely willing he is to be on Nuru’s side and his loyalty to Nuru and his men for saving him. Definitely the saddest and darkest book in The Clone Wars: Secret Missions Series so far however. Not for the faint of heart or children who aren’t age appropriate. 

I really wasn’t looking forward to reading this book at first. I felt like I’d be irritated and annoyed by the Pirates and the uncontrollability of Nuru and his Squad’s situation being held captive against them, as personally Pirates are one of my least favorite and most detestable parts of the Star Wars Universe. However the book took a turn for the better when the major plot twist occurred. It was such a twist I never saw coming, and it immediately made me fall in love with the book altogether all at once. The book has good, unique, planned, clever, and well-executed plots by Nuru’s team inside of it, involving multiple members of their team each for their own unique skills. I loved the opening plot to try to attempt to save them from the Pirates, involving Cleaver, the Clone Troopers and the “Chiss kids”. The newly introduced characters in this book are extremely lovable and well-put together. You can literally see them leap off of the page in your mind’s eye. The book has the perfect mix of incorporating and reusing old characters from the series for new events, such as overseer Umbrag, as well as creating completely new characters and icons for the Series, such as Captain McGrrr. The descriptions of the character’s looks and characteristics were vivid, especially McGrr. There was a small amount of sadness in my mind about one of the Pirates never being able to return home because he was killed unfortunately, I thought that was rather unfair as the only death in the book, but I guess that’s how it shall be. The book has the perfect and best amount of mystery I’ve ever read in a book in a long time. I can never seem to predict the next devious step of Lord Sidious and Count Dooku in the plot against Nuru Kungurama and his team. I never would’ve predicted exploring the Chiss Ascendancy in a Clone Wars Chapter Book Series unrelated to Grand Admiral Thrawn, but it was interesting to meet Vereen as a Chiss ambassador. I enjoyed some funny moments with conversations between and the Pirates and Vereen’s interactions as well. I love how the book has a basic warp/huge gap in time, such as the Pirate band being from such an era BEFORE The Clone Wars and not even knowing that they were going on, due to being near the Black Hole for over 10 years. I thought that was SUPER interesting. I love the fact that they dropped off the two Sullustans that didn’t want to join their pirate band onto a nearby moon and that they had a child in the years they were trapped on the moon, and I’m very happy that everybody escaped The Black Hole in the end for their home planets (except the one unfortunate character that died in the book before being able to return to his home planet as he expressed wishing to be able to). I found the idea of the ancient Kwa lizard-people and their Force-Inspired technology and temples very interesting. I love how worried Breaker was about Cleaver as he single-handedly saved the day and how Nuru rescued him with the Force. I could almost feel Breaker’s cry of anguish as he thought Cleaver wouldn’t make it. The giant worm creatures in the Kwa Temple were extremely interesting new additions and creatures to the Star Wars Universe. I feel like Ryder Windham makes many twists all tie up and connect in knots just as they should, it feels perfect and just right to read, at the same time never expecting it coming, such as the fact that those two particular Sullustans discovered the other Kwa temple spoken about in the book. I completely understand now why Nuru is the only Chiss Jedi due to how he was found as a baby, I HAD been wondering how the Jedi ever would’ve gotten their hands on a Chiss child from the Ascendancy knowing the Ascendancy isn’t comfortable interacting outside of the Unknown Regions, and I was shocked to learn the origins of his name. I feel like I totally should’ve seen it coming with the clue literally imbedded in the name, considering I read the Chiss Ascendancy Trilogy but I completely missed the fact. I was completely shocked by the ending reveal with the book, and also by WHO found Nuru. I couldn’t believe it. I never would’ve believed the ending of the explanation of The Black Hole plot. I still can’t seem to wrap my head around or understand it, and how it occurred and happened, or was engineered. I don’t know how this Series can end well but I’m really, really hoping it does. I can’t wait to read the rest of the Series, this is one of it not then best Chapter Book Series I’ve ever read, full of mystery and intrigue, I just can’t see the end of it or where Nuru and his Team will end up. I sincerely hope it’s a happy ending, but I’m super unsure. The trickery by Dooku and Sidious, Asajj and Bane is unpredictable and unreal, it infuriates yet intrigues you at the same exact time. I love Master Ambase’s character more and more as we go on in the Series for some inexplicable reason also. I’m already partway through the third book in the series and can’t wait to finish it and the entire series!! This book has a perfect ending and I can’t imagine a better Chapter Book incorporated in this series. Each book COULD even stand on its own as a stand-alone, the endings and beginnings wrap up so nicely, but the books altogether fit better as the Series they were made to be. This book had an altogether very happy ending and I’m very pleased I reserved my judegement on this book and allowed myself to enjoy it very much. 

I absolutely, positively LOVED this book. I enjoyed it so much that it’s now one of my favorite Star Wars books of all time. I believe it is perfect for a beginning to a new Series in the Star Wars Legends Universe. I don’t normally like continuous series of books in a row, but this book has me all set up and super excited for the next one. Also a new feeling for me is the fact that although it’s a children’s book series, I can’t see the ending coming. I can’t see the ending’s events clearly, I don’t know who the mysterious “traitor” is or what the reasoning behind this plot by Sidious that inspired this entire book series is. It bugs me at the same time it excites me to not know it and actually be able to read through the Storyline without it being spoiled for me unless I decide to look at the ending of the books on purpose. It’s not very often that I don’t already previously guess the ending of a book or series, especially a children’s series, so this is just a testament to how well-written Ryder Windham’s books are. Also, the book inspired real, true FEELINGS and EMOTIONS in me such as true, volatile anger and legitimate frustration at the trickery of Cad Bane and Sidious, although I know it’s just a book, words printed on paper. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten that out of a book actually due to it’s subject matter and storyline and not the fact that it wasn’t well-written/grammar errors. Even Nuru’s desperation to find his Master was palpable to feel through the page. Reading this book also immensely relaxed me at the same time I was tensed on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened next, because it was such an easy read for me, and I knew I could take it slowly at my own pace without question or fail, and still feel accomplished at the completion of reading and finishing the book. The book was extremely mysterious and made you want to keep flipping the page, when the book ended you were desperate for the next one to read to continue trying to solve the mystery but the books still managed to have such good, wrapped up endings that they didn’t feel incomplete and they could be left on their own as stand-alones if necessary, but they do much better as a linked and jointed complete series. The book felt extremely lighthearted and gave me such joy and happiness in my heart to explore this world and land through reading. The book was a true adventure right as soon as you picked it up on the first page and launched your reading journey from start to the finish in the very last pages. The book was extremely realistic about the realities of war, severe injuries, death, and more, and did not try to hide it from its child readers and audience, which is admirable yet somewhat cautionable at the same time in case your child is not exactly ready for those subjects. They were easy enough to skim over for me if necessary.  I cannot WAIT to see where this series will lead me and where and how the individual characters and storyline will end up in the end as I read the other 3 books. I am going to pick up the second book IMMEDIATELY!! I’m so glad I purchased them all at once. I’m super excited the second one is thicker however I also seemed to like how short, quick and simple the first book was. Thank you to Ryder Windham for yet another fantastic Star Wars series!! 

This book was a decent read. It was just like The Clone Wars 2008 Movie, if not with a few extra events to add a little detail and spice. I didn’t like how some of the Grammar was flimsy and the book was not worded or written well in some places, such as when describing a planet name. Also, the image shown in the book’s movie photos as “Jabba’s Palace” labeled in the caption is actually the Teth Monastery where Rotta was taken to, not taken from. Also, the description of Jabba’s Palace was sort of rather inaccurate, as most fans know Jabba’s Palace was originally a B’omarr Monk Monastery. Ahsoka later corrects this mistake in the book talking about her studies. Some parts of the movie that were insignificant yet originally funny to me were taken out of this Junior Novelization. I enjoyed taking the time and flipping through the read at my own pace as well as the familiarity of this book’s storyline with the movie being its basis. I did not however think the book was gripping in its type and style of storytelling and I could easily put it down. I also believe those tiny little differences, inconsistencies and facts being changed from the movie would bother a huge fan of Star Wars, unless they’re willing to tough it out in the reading. I was still very proud and excited to finish this book. I’m excited in the future to read the Chapter Book Novelizations of the TV Show Episodes even more than I am about this book. 

I absolutely LOVED this book. Honestly I personally believe it was Michael Kogge’s best work as an author that I’ve ever read, and I read the entire Junior Novelizations of the Sequel Trilogy written by him. Overall, I was fairly disappointed in The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi his writing style got better and more advanced, and finally in this book there wasn’t a single part or page I wasn’t hooked on with my every nerve fiber of my being. I LOVED every single page, every single part, every single paragraph inside this book from cover to cover. The portrayal of every incident, event and occasion was accurate as could be if not more accurate compared to The Rise of Skywalker movie (trust me, I should know, it’s one of my favorite Star Wars Movies of all time and my favorite out of the Sequel Trilogy). I honestly can’t think of anything to find wrong with this book, besides minor details that I can’t even remember because they were so insignificant and not that large of mistakes. It is THAT good, SO good, that the Greatness overwhelms every other part of it, even the tiny flaws. I feel like any Star Wars fan, as long as they even SLIGHTLY enjoyed the Sequel Trilogy (or even just want to give it its first or second chances) would enjoy this book tremendously, if not because it’s Star Wars just because of it’s Writing Quality and Style. The writing’s quality is super high and the style is super elegant and smooth in every way, sentence, line and word. Michael Kogge has grown and advanced tremendously ever since he wrote the first Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Junior Novelization, it’s super hard to believe that it’s the same author. How can you go from rating his first book 2 stars to his last 5, right? I’m not sure if there are any other Star Wars Books written by him out there besides the Sequel Trilogy Junior Novelizations, but I personally need more Star Wars books written by him!! If it’s possible, Michael Kogge made me love one of my favorite movies even more, and my favorite characters even more, including the ones I barely even liked before. I’ll never be able to watch the movie and not think of this Junior Novelization now. Plus, the book’s cover art is beautiful, the book is a decent if not PERFECT length for middle grade readers to test their limits and strength, allowing them to feel accomplished when finished with the book, and the book is wrapped up and finished with a very successful and happy ending, with almost if not all events incorporated in the Junior Novel. I’m SO glad I read this book and purchased it, even though it was difficult to find. IF YOU LOVE THE SEQUEL TRILOGY YOU’LL ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK!!

Although I was never a huge fan of The Last Jedi movie itself, I actually really enjoyed reading this Junior Novelization. I felt like it was a concise, descriptive depiction of the original movie and adult movie novelization but in shorter form, without extracting any of the important details of the story. I highly enjoyed the revealing and calming insight and the outlook that some sections of this book provided compared to the lack thereof in the movie and adult movie novelization. This book was a certain page turner, it was exciting to read each event even if you knew and dreaded what happened next and didn’t want to flip the page, you wanted to because it meant you could keep reading and get back to the good parts to finish the book. I’d highly recommend this book for all ages and all Star Wars fans. It might even make people who weren’t exactly fans of The Last Jedi movie previously fonder of the storyline and tale of The Last Jedi overall. 

The book was definitely not my favorite Star Wars Junior Novel, if not my least favorite so far, even underneath Episode 2: The Attack of the Clones (also rated at 2-Stars). The 2-Star Rating instead of 1-Star Rating is due to the fact that others may potentially or possibly enjoy this book due to having different tastes than mine. The book definitely reads as much more of a simplistic Kid’s/Children’s book than even the other Star Wars Junior Novels written by Ryder Windham and Patricia C. Wrede. Although you must acknowledge the fact that this is Micheal Kogge’s first Star Wars Junior Novel, and he wrote the entire Sequel Trilogy’s Junior Novels, the reason this one may have been so poorly written to me is because it was his first he wrote. I noticed a lot of inconsistencies in this book compared to the Star Wars: Episode 7: The Force Awakens movie/film and adult novelization in many different events, not just one moment or two but three or more. I’d recommend this book to a child or younger reader who is into Star Wars or Sci-Fi slightly but potentially not a huge die-hard Star Wars fan who knows the lore and fandom very well, unless they’re reading the entire Junior Novelization series, because the inconsistencies in the events and timeline shown in this particular Junior Novel might irk and agitate them. 

I had a really good, enjoyable time maneuvering through this read. The book follows all events of Star Wars: Episode 6: The Return of the Jedi completely accurately if not even more accurately than you see them portrayed in the movie/read in the main adult novelization. I quickly gobbled up this read due to how good it was, I was thrilled and I read it in every moment I could find in-between my family vacation activities. It was an exciting book, with fantastically described and beautifully portrayed classic characters that we know and love, accurate and amazing descriptions of vehicles, starships, shuttles, space stations, speeder bikes and even AT-STs, decent depictions of all of the different clothing outfits throughout the story, alerts to changes in storyline, character or theme, well-described plans and plots, and more! Each event is connected accurately and smoothly, from
* SPOILER * 

all of the scenes involving Jabba the Hutt’s Palace and the Rescue of Han Solo, Yoda’s Death, and the eventual attack on Endor and the second Death Star

The book even managed to change my viewpoints on some aspects of Star Wars and cause me as a huge fan to question certain aspects and things in the Fandom, including

Vader and Luke’s final duel. It gave me better insight into the fight due to the way it was worded in the book and the possibility as to why Vader lost the fight so readily. The book also elaborated on my favorite scene in all of Star Wars, when Luke cuts off Vader’s hand. Every single little tiny detail in these last few crucial scenes were included, even the fact that Vader lifted Palpatine with one hand due to missing his other, or that Luke and Anakin have the same blue eyes. This version of the book does go with the Special Edition ending with younger Jedi Anakin as the Force Spirit/Ghost however rather than Old Anakin. Luke’s loneliness after Yoda’s death is completely relatable and understandable and you can almost literally FEEL it through the page, the emotions. Also Leia’s feelings and inner conflict after being told she is Luke’s sister and Vader is their father is super interesting. I personally love Han’s reactions to how he has matured over his romance with Leia with accepting if Luke is who she had chosen. And I never would’ve guessed that the reason Luke went crazy on Vader and was able to conquer him was because he threatened Leia, and I’ve even read the Adult Movie Novelization. It makes total, complete and utter sense as to how protective Luke is of his sibling as an older sibling myself.

Overall the book was thrilling, super exciting and highly worthwhile and worth my time to read, I would definitely most likely reread and I feel like all ages would enjoy this Junior Novelization, but especially the kids! I feel like this book definitely did amazing justice and paid perfect tribute to my favorite Star Wars Original Trilogy Movie, Episode 6: The Return of the Jedi. Definitely read this book if you’re a Star Wars or Episode 6 fan!! 

* SPOILERS LATER IN PARAGRAPH - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK * 
The book was a decent, medium-paced read. It wasn’t easy to get through with pacing yet it had all of the enjoyable themes and events from the beloved classic movie, The Empire Strikes Back, just told in much simpler terms down to the point where it was definitely apparent that this rendition was a kid’s book rather than a more-adult or all-ages Junior Novelization. However some of the events were not very kid-like in theme and event, including the obvious 
 *SPOILER* 

torture scene of Han and Chewbacca, the near-destruction of C-3PO, and Luke’s hand being removed. If sensitive to something like that or similar to that, although not described in great detail but described decently enough for you all to understand as a reader, I wouldn’t suggest reading this book, but you’ll be missing out on vital plot points not only for this book but also the rest of the series as well, these points; especially the loss of Luke’s hand, come into play later in Episode 6: The Return of the Jedi, etc.

Overall I’d recommend this book to younger or middle-aged readers, who would greatly enjoy the color photos in the middle of the book as well as their ability to easily understand the subjects and contents of the book, and only to adult/older readers if they’re attempting to finish the Junior Novelization Series/Set as a whole and not leave any book out due to the lack of enjoyment level I obtained while reading this book. It was rather boring of a read and difficult to keep picking up, although I toughed it out. By all means make your own choices about what you’d like to read or not, but that’s my opinion. Overall however I’m really enjoying the Star Wars Junior Novelization Series so far and can’t wait to read the next books in the series, this is one of the only ones I haven’t SUPER enjoyed so far out of that whole series, I believe the one other I didn’t enjoy so much out of the five I’ve read so far was Episode 2: The Attack of the Clones’ Junior Novelization.