Journey to The Last Jedi: Leia - Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray
Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray
What a fantastic ride! Claudia Gray once again produces a stellar entry into Star Wars canon - she's masterful with both politics and Leia's character as proven in Bloodline and now Leia: Princess of Alderaan. I did not want this book to end! Meant to be a YA novel, the book did not feel YA. I absolutely recommend it to any adult Star Wars fan who wants to know more about Leia's and the Rebellion's origins.
Here we discover the fledgling Rebellion and how Leia gets into the fray. Let's just say her parents don't usher her in willingly. She proves to be headstrong and curious which gets her in a lot of trouble, but, as we all know, also makes her the strong and intelligent character she becomes as an adult. This is a beautiful telling of how Leia grows from a child (as everybody still perceives her) into an adult (finally changing their perceptions in the end).
In this novel, Leia is 16 years old and acts as a member of the Apprentice Legislature - a junior version of the Senate, run by ambitious young people, that actually receives real actions to deliberate on. Leia spends her time on both Alderaan and Coruscant, working toward becoming a full-fledged heir on the former and trying to make a political difference on the later. She meets an incredibly interesting cast of characters along the way.
Amilyn Holdo, an apprentice legislator from Gatalenta, is super flighty and weird, but Leia ends up forming a strong friendship with the girl. It's too bad this character isn't in the movies; I'd love to see her oddity (in clothing, words, and actions) on the big screen. [UPDATE: I just read an article on StarWars.com that says Amilyn Holdo will in fact be in The Last Jedi!!!!!!]
Then there is Kier, a boy from Alderaan who Leia falls in love with. They have a tasteful and heartfelt romance, forming a strong friendship bond. Kier is a lovely boy, but Breha, Leia's mother, says she wishes Leia had fallen for a scoundrel as her first love...little do either of them know Han Solo is waiting in the wings ;-)
There's also Harp Alor of Chandrilla, Sssamm Ashsssen of Fillithar (of a serpentine species), and Chassellon Stevis of Coruscant (a snooty rich kid) - all of which are apprentice legislators and members of Leia's pathfinding class. As part of her becoming heir to the throne, Leia must tackle three tasks - The Challenges of the Body, Mind, and Spirit. Her Challenge of the Body is to climb Appenza Peak and her parents enroll her in what is basically a wilderness survival class (pathfinding) to ready her for the climb.
Director Krennic, the Millenium Falcon, and R2-D2 all make cameo appearances with none being mentioned by name, but the descriptions leave the reader knowing that's who/what they are intended to be - a quite ingenious tact...and one that left me all giddy because of connections between canon materials.
Gray revisited some of the planets from Bloodline and elsewhere in Star Wars canon which I found refreshing since we got to know even more about them. I wish there were more planet cross-overs like this in new Star Wars canon as adding more and more planets to the already staggering number makes things increasingly confusing. I say that and yet we were introduced to still more new planets...
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Here we discover the fledgling Rebellion and how Leia gets into the fray. Let's just say her parents don't usher her in willingly. She proves to be headstrong and curious which gets her in a lot of trouble, but, as we all know, also makes her the strong and intelligent character she becomes as an adult. This is a beautiful telling of how Leia grows from a child (as everybody still perceives her) into an adult (finally changing their perceptions in the end).
In this novel, Leia is 16 years old and acts as a member of the Apprentice Legislature - a junior version of the Senate, run by ambitious young people, that actually receives real actions to deliberate on. Leia spends her time on both Alderaan and Coruscant, working toward becoming a full-fledged heir on the former and trying to make a political difference on the later. She meets an incredibly interesting cast of characters along the way.
Amilyn Holdo, an apprentice legislator from Gatalenta, is super flighty and weird, but Leia ends up forming a strong friendship with the girl. It's too bad this character isn't in the movies; I'd love to see her oddity (in clothing, words, and actions) on the big screen. [UPDATE: I just read an article on StarWars.com that says Amilyn Holdo will in fact be in The Last Jedi!!!!!!]
Then there is Kier, a boy from Alderaan who Leia falls in love with. They have a tasteful and heartfelt romance, forming a strong friendship bond. Kier is a lovely boy, but Breha, Leia's mother, says she wishes Leia had fallen for a scoundrel as her first love...little do either of them know Han Solo is waiting in the wings ;-)
There's also Harp Alor of Chandrilla, Sssamm Ashsssen of Fillithar (of a serpentine species), and Chassellon Stevis of Coruscant (a snooty rich kid) - all of which are apprentice legislators and members of Leia's pathfinding class. As part of her becoming heir to the throne, Leia must tackle three tasks - The Challenges of the Body, Mind, and Spirit. Her Challenge of the Body is to climb Appenza Peak and her parents enroll her in what is basically a wilderness survival class (pathfinding) to ready her for the climb.
Director Krennic, the Millenium Falcon, and R2-D2 all make cameo appearances with none being mentioned by name, but the descriptions leave the reader knowing that's who/what they are intended to be - a quite ingenious tact...and one that left me all giddy because of connections between canon materials.
Gray revisited some of the planets from Bloodline and elsewhere in Star Wars canon which I found refreshing since we got to know even more about them. I wish there were more planet cross-overs like this in new Star Wars canon as adding more and more planets to the already staggering number makes things increasingly confusing. I say that and yet we were introduced to still more new planets...
- Pamarthe returns where Leia is on a pathfinding mission with Amilyn. The lengthy rope bridges and violent Pamarthen storms both make appearances.
- Wobani receives examination of its existence before becoming an Imperial prison world. Apparently it was a farming and manufacturing planet barely able to function beyond subsistence...then Palpatine stepped in with a "Commodities Enhancement Program" that came with impossible quotas leading to a destitute Wobani population and a barren planet.
- Crait appears for the first time! The red dust planet featured in The Last Jedi teaser trailer houses a Rebellion encampment. Apparently the planet's surface is covered in a thick salt crust that covers red soil.
- Eriadu returns for the first time since Tarkin! Leia's pathfinding class goes on a rock-climbing expedition in a forested gorge and she comments on the excessive air traffic for such a backwater world - the consequence of having Grand Moff Tarkin as a native. Tarkin himself actually plays quite a substantial role in this novel which I was definitely happy to see.
- Onoam is a moon of Naboo where Moff Panaka lives...you know...Head of Padme's security Panaka? Yeah, he sees Leia and the jig is up! He recognizes her instantly which put a huge smile on my face. She looks like her mama!!:-D
- Chal Hudda is a swampy Outer Rim world inhabited by the amphibious frog-like Chalhuddans. Leia enacts some smart diplomacy with this species that essentially saves the day. And the species itself is quite unique - they constantly cycle through 5 different genders throughout their lifespan and their personal pronouns specify previous and upcoming genders. A very interesting species indeed. C-3PO makes his debut in Leia's life by relaying to her this information.
- We don't learn much about Paucris Major but something VERY important is happening there. That's all I'll say. Ocahont similarly makes a brief but important appearance.
So much fantastic meat in this novel. I can't recommend it enough! The characters are well-developed, the story line keeps you guessing, and we basically get a prequel to the Rebellion. I couldn't have asked for more.
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