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theliteraryapothecary's review against another edition
3.0
Book 1 in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed series
Something completely different thanI would choose for myself, however, my patron pick defaulted to John when a patron didn't pick a book for April (yes I know it's now June, we won't talk about my reading speed). John owns games 1 and 2 in this series, has played game 1 and parts of game 2, and wanted my take on the book version. I've got to admit, when I first started reading it, I was skeptical. I've read both books based on games and Star Wars books (though not both in 1 book until now) and they boht fell in the medium range, not terrible but not great either.
Reading The Force Unleashed, without any context other than the jacket description and that it's a game, for most of the book it fell at about the 3 star range for me, however I was pleasently suprised by the amount of emotion that the ending made me feel. So we'll let CAWPILE determine where the rating falls - I really have no idea, could be 3 stars, could be 4.
Spoiler Free Summary:
The Force Unleashed basically takes place between episodes 3 (Revenge of the Sith) and 4 (A New Hope). The Empire is full command, Vader (and his troops) are hunting down Jedi. Dark Vader has groomed an apprentice to do all his dirty work for him - mainly hunting and killing Jedi Rebels. In this book, we follow the apprentice on his missions given by Vader. Starkiller comes across external and internal conflict, enemies and temporary alliances. About 50% in the book (and plot), Starkiller is given his biggest challenge yet and must decide which side he will fight on.
CAWPILE Breakdown:
Characters: 3 - The characters were a good base but needed a bit more development from me to be fully invested in their tales. I generally have a hard time with characters that keep themselves distanced and that was the chase for a lot of this book with the main character, Starkiller.
Atmosphere/Setting: 4 - The Star Wars settings are always exciting and fascinating to me, with all the different planets. And The Force Unleashed's settings were no different. We got to visit and explore a lot of different planets in the system and I loved it. Williams used the atmosphere really well also - having it change instantly and dramatically when certain characters approached.
Writing Style: 3 - Williams writing style felt like it was just the beginning, like we were just scratching the surface of what he could give us. It was a good start, but I wanted more.
Plot: 3.5 - The plot was actually better than I thought it was going to be, and maybe that's because it is also a game (which came first? I'm not sure). I thought that we had good development in the plot, and a lot of changing forces - you never quite knew which side we were going to be on until the very end.
Intrigue: 2.5 - I rate the intrigue at a 2.5 because while I had a lot of intrigue for our main character, that's where it ended. I didn't feel much intrigue in any of the other characters, plot, setting, etc. So there was good intrigue but only in the one character.
Logic/Relationship: 3 - The logic for me is hard to pin. Does it make logical sense? Yes and No.... Relationships, however, were developed well. Developed at unexpected times but also in a direction that was hoped for and expected.
Enjoyment: 2.5 - I enjoyed parts of this book, other parts felt a little lagging, drawn out and almost boring.
CAWPILE Total: 21.5/7 = 3.07 = 3 stars
bradland's review against another edition
3.0
For the most part this is actually quite a good Star Wars read, unfortunately you have to suffer through about 80 pages to get there. I haven't sat down and played the video game but it became quite clear the first part concentrated very tightly on the game, which sadly makes that section a chore to get through. Its not the first Star Wars story to make that mistake, the Kyle Katarn book series also suffered when dealing exclusively with game content. Its kinda strange because most authors, if they write a bad section of a book, usually waver at the end, but then if anyone has read King and Straub's Black House having a bad first section is nothing exclusive. Sean Williams is a fellow South Aussie so it was nice to read something of his and still come away feeling he's pretty good at what he does. The last two thirds of the book were written quite well and would almost certainly have been a solid 4 stars had the first section been up to par. In a lot of ways this novel feels like a sequel to Luceno's Darth Vader novel, having many of the bit players, situations and locations return in this book. Overall, the novel is okay, and if you can get passed that first section, its worth the time taken to read.
dk89's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Review of the audiobook: There are some fantastic Star Wars books, this is not one of them. The game is action packed, but it didn't translate well into novelization. The production value was great, having sections of the classic Star Wars score and sound effects did add a lot, but the reader was not good with voices, to the point where it was distracting.
limondesperso's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
redeyesinferno's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
faridanaggar's review against another edition
3.0
The main issue I had with this comic is that most of the time I was confused about what's happening, and that it was rushed, however I enjoyed getting to know about Starkiller, I feel like his story definitely needs to be remade and introduced into the Canon universe.
the_bitextual's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
3.0
I need to find my non abridged version. Hate having to resort to abridgements, but the Legends Run demands it. It is good, though. I imagine a full story would get 4 stars.
jtashoff's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
zare_i's review against another edition
4.0
Novel is sort of a tie-in between events in the video-game and comic book with the same title.[return]If you have read the comic you'll find descriptions of events that were omitted and some story gaps will be filled.[return]I haven't played the game so I do not know if book follows events to the letter. It is a fast paced novel with intriguing story (birth of alliance was caused by something nobody could predict :)) - only part that annoyed me somewhat was martial-arts descriptions when it comes to lightsaber combat (just too many references to this-and-that combats stance/style etc).[return][return]All in all this one has interesting story and characters.[return][return]Recommended.
jaredkwheeler's review against another edition
2.0
Star Wars Legends Project #208
Background: The Force Unleashed was written by [a:Sean Williams|31321|Sean Williams|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1471839398p2/31321.jpg], and is based on the video game of the same name (the story of which was largely developed by [a:W. Haden Blackman|17744|W. Haden Blackman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1270019788p2/17744.jpg]). It was published in August of 2008. Williams has authored or co-authored half a dozen Star Wars novels, including a sequel to this.
The Force Unleashed takes place about 2 years before the battle of Yavin. The main character is Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Starkiller. Vader himself also plays a major role, along with the Emperor, Shaak Ti, Bail Organa, and Jedi General Rahm Kota. The novel takes place on and around Kashyyyk, Nar Shaddaa, Raxus Prime, Felucia, Bespin, and on board the Death Star.
Summary: During the Purge, Darth Vader hunted down a rogue Jedi Master on Kashyyyk and discovered that he had a young son, powerful in the Force. Killing all witnesses, including nearby Imperials, Vader took the boy and trained him in secret. Now, as his training nears completion, Vader hopes they will soon be ready to stand against the Emperor and take over the reins of galactic power. But the Emperor is not so easily defeated, and his apprentice may have some ideas of his own as well.
Review: This was released somewhere around the nadir of my involvement in Star Wars fandom, so I didn't realize until recently just how big of a deal the launch of The Force Unleashed was, encompassing media several platforms. When you have something like that, the hope (I assume) is to tell a brand-new story that fits within established continuity, but that's also very consequential to that continuity. In this case, that instinct led them to tell a story that basically ruins the story of the original Star Wars movie. It's like what I'd expect to see if George Lucas went back and remade Episode IV with the sensibilities of the prequel trilogy.
I played through the game that this novel tied in with while I was reading, and I'm glad that I did. I'm giving this novel a whole extra star because playing made it really clear how much Williams improved the quality of the material he was given to work with. Unfortunately, the material is unsalvagable, which accounts for the lack of additional stars. Williams should have followed the Traviss model of taking the germ of the idea of the game and then doing completely his own story with it.
Weirdly, reading Williams' book feels a bit like watching him play through the game at various points, which could be either a pro or a con (I didn't love those bits), but as often as not, when I played through those portions of the game, his description was nothing like my experience. So I at least know he didn't just play through the alpha version of the game himself and keep a journal of everything that happened. The main thing he does is develop important secondary characters that the game never bothers to assign personalities or motivations. This is most notable in the character of Juno Eclipse, who becomes a major POV character in the book in a way that makes her arc actually make sense. He also develops a compelling explanation for one of the most mystifying and random boss battles in the game.
Try as he may, however, he can't breathe any life into the protagonist. I've played 8-bit sidescrollers with characters who aren't as bland and flat as Starkiller. Neither the game nor the book ever gives us any reason to care about him or anything he does. And in addition to all of the outrageous plot details (which I'll avoid spoiling), Starkiller in the book and the game is a complete cipher with regards to his allegiance in the Force. He's an adherent of the Dark Side, of course, but as he proceeds along a long but steady arc towards redemption, there is never really a moment where it feels like he's having difficulty moving towards the Light Side. Part of that is because he continues deploying a few dozen thunderstorms worth of Sith Lightning throughout and never seems overly concerned with hundreds or thousands of collateral deaths . . . and (flying in the face of just about every Star Wars story ever) that doesn't seem terribly relevant to which side of the Force he draws his power from. It's never even addressed.
Also, in terms of drama, it's hard to generate any tension around a protagonist whose powers are essentially godlike. There is no challenge he can't overcome through the application of tremendous Force abilities, and often this is accomplished with ease. There are even a few moments where, in the midst of a massive fight with overwhelming odds against him, he seems half-bored as he contemplates which of a dozen destructive options he wishes to employ in order to easily dispatch his enemies. In the game's most famous scene, he literally reaches up with the Force and rips a Star Destroyer out of the sky. If Darth Vader's apprentice possesses powers like this, then it seems like every other powerful Force user ever is really pulling their punches.
I'm pretending this one never happened.
D
Background: The Force Unleashed was written by [a:Sean Williams|31321|Sean Williams|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1471839398p2/31321.jpg], and is based on the video game of the same name (the story of which was largely developed by [a:W. Haden Blackman|17744|W. Haden Blackman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1270019788p2/17744.jpg]). It was published in August of 2008. Williams has authored or co-authored half a dozen Star Wars novels, including a sequel to this.
The Force Unleashed takes place about 2 years before the battle of Yavin. The main character is Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Starkiller. Vader himself also plays a major role, along with the Emperor, Shaak Ti, Bail Organa, and Jedi General Rahm Kota. The novel takes place on and around Kashyyyk, Nar Shaddaa, Raxus Prime, Felucia, Bespin, and on board the Death Star.
Summary: During the Purge, Darth Vader hunted down a rogue Jedi Master on Kashyyyk and discovered that he had a young son, powerful in the Force. Killing all witnesses, including nearby Imperials, Vader took the boy and trained him in secret. Now, as his training nears completion, Vader hopes they will soon be ready to stand against the Emperor and take over the reins of galactic power. But the Emperor is not so easily defeated, and his apprentice may have some ideas of his own as well.
Review: This was released somewhere around the nadir of my involvement in Star Wars fandom, so I didn't realize until recently just how big of a deal the launch of The Force Unleashed was, encompassing media several platforms. When you have something like that, the hope (I assume) is to tell a brand-new story that fits within established continuity, but that's also very consequential to that continuity. In this case, that instinct led them to tell a story that basically ruins the story of the original Star Wars movie. It's like what I'd expect to see if George Lucas went back and remade Episode IV with the sensibilities of the prequel trilogy.
I played through the game that this novel tied in with while I was reading, and I'm glad that I did. I'm giving this novel a whole extra star because playing made it really clear how much Williams improved the quality of the material he was given to work with. Unfortunately, the material is unsalvagable, which accounts for the lack of additional stars. Williams should have followed the Traviss model of taking the germ of the idea of the game and then doing completely his own story with it.
Weirdly, reading Williams' book feels a bit like watching him play through the game at various points, which could be either a pro or a con (I didn't love those bits), but as often as not, when I played through those portions of the game, his description was nothing like my experience. So I at least know he didn't just play through the alpha version of the game himself and keep a journal of everything that happened. The main thing he does is develop important secondary characters that the game never bothers to assign personalities or motivations. This is most notable in the character of Juno Eclipse, who becomes a major POV character in the book in a way that makes her arc actually make sense. He also develops a compelling explanation for one of the most mystifying and random boss battles in the game.
Try as he may, however, he can't breathe any life into the protagonist. I've played 8-bit sidescrollers with characters who aren't as bland and flat as Starkiller. Neither the game nor the book ever gives us any reason to care about him or anything he does. And in addition to all of the outrageous plot details (which I'll avoid spoiling), Starkiller in the book and the game is a complete cipher with regards to his allegiance in the Force. He's an adherent of the Dark Side, of course, but as he proceeds along a long but steady arc towards redemption, there is never really a moment where it feels like he's having difficulty moving towards the Light Side. Part of that is because he continues deploying a few dozen thunderstorms worth of Sith Lightning throughout and never seems overly concerned with hundreds or thousands of collateral deaths . . . and (flying in the face of just about every Star Wars story ever) that doesn't seem terribly relevant to which side of the Force he draws his power from. It's never even addressed.
Also, in terms of drama, it's hard to generate any tension around a protagonist whose powers are essentially godlike. There is no challenge he can't overcome through the application of tremendous Force abilities, and often this is accomplished with ease. There are even a few moments where, in the midst of a massive fight with overwhelming odds against him, he seems half-bored as he contemplates which of a dozen destructive options he wishes to employ in order to easily dispatch his enemies. In the game's most famous scene, he literally reaches up with the Force and rips a Star Destroyer out of the sky. If Darth Vader's apprentice possesses powers like this, then it seems like every other powerful Force user ever is really pulling their punches.
I'm pretending this one never happened.
D