Soul(e)less

The Rising Storm.

If up to page 300 I was still thinking it was a nice book overall, the last 100 pages or so, completely ruined it for me.

I actually enjoyed more the first half than the second. And I didn't love the first much.

It was cheap and banal and, to be honest, not even at the level of a medium SW book, that, in a way, always gives me some depth and some interesting reflections.

No time for pondering and understanding.

Just putting there more plot for the sake of... What? Making people commenting?

What about the premises?

Soh's son and Jom? Filling. Zero depth, zero reasons to be there. Wasn't it a story that needed to be told? Probably yes, and I was all for it.

But it wasn't. Everything felt so superficial. I felt everyone so... whatever.

Elzar, the post-sex dialogue with the organizer. Useless. Left me nothing, in a direction or another. Not because it wasn't a meaningful love act, but because, when she said it wasn't (thankfully), he didn't REALLY pound the thing, not in a way (you-are-right-we-are-fine) or another (OMG-what-I-have-done).

Even Elzar and Ty. After the connection and all, not a minute to stay there and think and discuss what they shared. Nothing.

In my opinion, the book should have ended with them reflecting on everything that happened, everything they experienced.

So that they could be better, grow, learn.

Was there the need to make things happening for the sake of a new wave? Everything felt so rushed and superficial.

No real sentiment.

And the kid that walks with the plush? Please. That is NOT the way I can personally feel moved. I can relate more to the millions of people who blew up on the Death Star. Twice. It would be effective if we really mourned. I did not.

Marchion, sociopath as usual, fine. But written so more two-dimensionally.

I hoped that Older would write him in the third wave (but, nope). I love Gray, and I am excited for her Ro, but Older is giving me such a complex Marchion in the Adventures comics.

Here, he was saved just by Marc Thompson's interpretation of the character, not for the actions or thoughts themselves.

The double twist at the end was boring and unnecessary (dark Elzar and girl revealed the little evil mastermind).

And I don't even start about Loden. It was like they couldn't make anyone else die, but they wanted to kill someone for the sake of the tragedy, so they killed the only fun Jedi. Boom. Dead. AGAIN.

Seriously... No.

I respect whoever liked it. But I really didn't.

The style was good, but the plot was in any way *meaningful*.

Also, despite my underlining, a very big lack of those quotes that normally stay with me. This was unexpected. I generally find decent passages even in really TERRIBLE books, like "Heir of the Jedi" or "Ahsoka".

Not a lot here. Or at all (but I need to re-read my notes).

Sure. In the realm of bad SW books, this one is a good exercise of style. At least is well written. But, for me, it lacked character and SOUL more than everything. It could have so many things to analyze more and think more about.

Also, I must admit that reading this one just after Episode 2 novelization made everything worse.

Because in that one there is so much reflection. So many thoughts and internal monologues and POVs. So that it fills apparently plain scenes in the movie with so much more content, more feelings, more depth.

Here is the opposite. There is so much to discuss. The dark side, the temptation, the revenge, the sex. But they never stop a second for thinking REALLY about any of it. Just superficially.

I understand that during the battle wasn't a good time, sure. But they never really do.

At this point at least I hope that Gray will pause and reflect. But, in my opinion, it was a task for this (second) book not the last of the wave.

Fortunately, I still have a ton to discuss in my posts about LOTJ, and also about the Adventures comics, and Into the Dark (which is my second favorite of THR at this point), so I can skip commenting on this one completely.

Soul(e)less.