From a Certain Point of View – Review

It is an understatement to say that Star Wars has revolutionized the film industry but it’s impact didn’t stop there. It’s something that has ingrained itself into cultures all over the world. As the movie celebrates it’s 40th anniversary, Del Rey books has released a collection of 40 stories by 43 different authors to commemorate the occasion called From a Certain Point of View.

Format

The format of the book is not just a random anthology of stories that all take place around A New Hope, but a systematic and chronological compilation. Each vignette tells the story of A New Hope from the perspective of people in the background of the movie. Side characters, aliens, creatures, and droids all have their parts expounded upon to create a rich tapestry in, through and around the film. Each entry ranges in length and quality. As is to be expected with 40 stories by so many different authors, some will work better than others. Part of this will be individual, as each person will respond to specific stories based on where their fandom is the strongest in the saga.

Stand Outs

As mentioned above, the highlights of this volume are sure to vary but these are the ones that worked best for this reviewer.

The Red One by Rae Carson was an early favorite, telling the story of R5-D4. Rae gives us a look inside how this little droid saves the galaxy through their unselfish act.

Master and Apprentice by Claudia Grey is phenomenal. It’s a dream come true to finally see the interaction of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon during the long exile on Tatooine. It highlights just how special Old Ben is and why Star Wars fans deserve a book by Grey about these two during Obi-Wan’s time as a padawan, possibly even their adventures on Mandalore with Satine.

The Secrets of Long Snoot by Delilah S. Dawson continues to cement her legacy as a Star Wars author. The same devotion and care that went into her Bazine Netal story, The Perfect Weapon is on display here (not to mention her making Phasma one of the most fascinating characters of the sequel trilogy). Garindan ezz Zavor emerges from these few short pages as a fully rounded character and it’s Dawson’s skill that makes this possible.

Eclipse by Madeleine Roux is greatly helped by the recent book Leia, Princess of Alderaan, which gave readers much needed insight into the Organas and Alderaan. This short story tells the final moments for Breha and Bail Organa and it’s difficult not to get a bit teary reading about the last time we’ll see these two.

Verge of Greatness by Pablo Hidalgo uses Rogue One to perfection to explain how the ghost of Krennic haunts Tarkin, making his time on the Death Star much less triumphant that he anticipated.

Time of Death by Cavan Scott receives the highest marks this reviewer can give. Scott tells of Obi-Wan’s last battle and his transition into the force. It’s recommended that the reader have tissues available while reading this one.

Stories receiving honorable mention are There is Another, Palpatine, Desert Son, Contingency Plan, The Angle, and By Whatever Sun.

Conclusion

From a Certain Point of View is a fantastic way to celebrate 40 years of Star Wars and it leaves readers with the hope that each film in the series would be given this same treatment. This books is rated 4 out of 5 destroyed Death Stars.

This review was completed using a copy of  From a Certain Point of View provided by Del Rey.

You can find the author Matthew Rushing at The 602 Club Podcast, Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast or Owl Post: A Harry Potter Podcast.

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