The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark (Short Stories 1-5) by various

The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark by various

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Overall, this collection of 11 short stories is a worthy addition to content centering around "The Clone Wars" TV show. These stories took me back to events that excited and engaged me on screen and translated them to the page with a flourish. A couple of the stories were a bit too cut and dry though, not adding all that much to what we already have which was disappointing. But others gave me new perspectives and insights into what I already know and love which was certainly a thrill. I would have, of course, liked to have gotten a "Sunny Day in the Void" or "Nomad Droids" story...alas, the selected episodes had a sadly lacking inclusion of droids period. And the title "Stories of Light and Dark" only captured some of the stories fully--I didn't really see that half the stories were about the light and half were about the dark, it was all fairly intermixed within each story and some weren't necessarily about the light or dark at all. I guess that could just be me associating light and dark with Jedi and Sith and thus making an unfair assumption, but I feel like the collection could have been given a more apropos name, one that was less filled with associations. Regardless, this book was a super fun time and I greatly enjoyed reading it. 

In this review I will cover the first five short stories, with a follow-up review to cover the last six.

"Sharing the Same Face" by Jason Fry

This story fully explores the first episode of Season One, "Ambush," in which Yoda, Thire, Rys, and Jek land on the coral moon of Rugosa to begin talks with King Katuunko of Toydaria about joining the Republic...only to have Asajj Ventress arrive with droid troops to try and swing Katuunko to the Separatists.

This tale did a wonderful job of injecting new perspective and insight into the already familiar story. We get a great deal of Yoda considering the clones and their individuality and him thinking about ways to help them see how they are their own people despite working for the same cause and genetically being the same person, hence the title. There's also tons of action that is written with aplomb and is easy to follow. If I had to choose one word for this particular short story, I'd say "immersive."

We start with some wonderful description of Rugosa - "Coral fans spread red, yellow, and purple branches into the air from atop tall pillars while bulbous coral growths dotted the sand, reminding Yoda of giant fruit. The air was briny, the smell of the ocean on a moon that no longer had one. Above him, in the colorful branches, the gossamer wings of tiny creatures flashed in the watery yellow sunlight." Apparently there had been a "calamity that had boiled its oceans away." I'd love to know more about this moon, but, alas, it only appears in two episodes of the Clone Wars and that's it.

Yoda begins wondering about the clones' individuality as he questions if they "had noticed the little flying creatures, or studied the coral forest surrounding them. If so, did the three clones see it differently? Or were their perceptions as identical as the genetic code they shared? Clone troopers were new to Yoda--as was the idea that he was their general and they were under his command." As he interacts with the Force and learns from what he senses, he at first notices their similarities, "Eagerness radiated from all three clones, in fact. They'd been assigned to diplomatic escort duty and sent to Coruscant, but the galactic capital was far from the war's front lines, and they wanted desperately to prove themselves in combat. As if death and destruction proved anyone's worth, and were anything other than a tragedy." And "Their minds were open and their emotions were strong. In the Force, they reminded Yoda of children. That made him smile--he liked to say that over his centuries as a Jedi, he had learned more about the Force from younglings than he had from Jedi Masters. The clones craved his approval and wanted to please him. But they were worried they would be unable to complete their mission and would wind up ashamed. To fail would be to prove unworthy--to their general and also to each other." As a newly minted Jedi-turned-General, Yoda is still getting used to the idea of leading in a war, "The clones' instinct to obey disturbed him a little, particularly since they were humans."

After the battle on Rugosa has been won and King Katuunko has agreed to help the Republic, Yoda sits in his quarters on a Jedi cruiser and reaches out with the Force. "Yoda reached out with his feelings and sensed the minds of the clones surrounding him. Their awareness was similar but not the same--in music they might have been variations on a theme. And, he knew, they would continue to diverge as different experiences shaped the clones. [...] Individuals the clones are. Understand that and nurture that we must. Treat them like machines we must not. If we do, lose something far worse than a war we will." This is such a powerful and meaningful realization that filters through to most all of the Jedi generals as they treat the clones as individuals and call them by a name not a number.

Lastly I want to share a little tidbit that speaks to the future as Yoda sees it in the Force, Thire "was searching for something. And with him was another presence--one that felt like a vast storm in the Force, full of malice and greed." This surely references Emperor Palpatine sending Thire off to find Yoda after Order 66!!!

So a wonderful story delving into Yoda's questions, concerns, and thoughts during one of his earliest missions in the war. It is also heartwarming to see Thire, Rys, and Jek acknowledge and accept their individuality as Yoda emphasizes it when speaking to them.

"Dooku Captured" by Lou Anders

First off, I LOVE Lou Anders and he has an incredible knack for bringing to life my favorite space pirate, Hondo Ohnaka! Unfortunately in this story, there wasn't all that much Hondo to be had and the focus was much more on Dooku, Anakin, and Obi-Wan. Regardless, it was still a fun re-visit to a couple of very twisty-turny episodes--Season One Episode 11 "Dooku Captured" and Episode 12 "The Gungan General."

The story takes the format of a recording made by Dooku for Palpatine, explaining what happened that led him to fly a Flarestar-class attack shuttle, having "commandeered the vessel from a gang of nefarious pirates." He hopes Palpatine may have some benefit from listening to the tale. But will he actually go through with sharing his recording with his Master??

Being from Dooku's perspective, we get some pointed insight into the Count's take on Anakin and Obi-Wan. "The two of them were as overconfident as ever, strutting like a pair of preening tip-yips." Throughout the entire story, Dooku is haughty to the nth degree. One particularly ridiculous moment of pompousness is in regards to Obi-Wan mind-tricking a guard--"It is my opinion that Kenobi is overly fond of the mind trick, especially if it allows him to avoid getting his hands dirty. But I was content to let him use it, rather than blend my own superior intellect with the inferior mind of our guard. I watched as the Jedi used his meager powers to predictable effect on the weak-willed buffoon." As for Anakin, Dooku notices little moments of "un-Jedi-like temperament lurking in the boy's psyche" and that "He was frequently impatient, rash, hot-tempered--qualities that could prove his undoing. But he also showed a most un-Jedi-like willingness to sacrifice me on several occasions. It was at these times that I sensed a hint of anger inside young Skywalker, an anger that, if properly stoked, could be used for our benefit." Little does he know that is exactly Palpatine's plan--to use Anakin for their benefit, well, minus Dooku... And there's even some rude perspective on Padme, calling her a "naive upstart." I'm telling you, Dooku is one piece of work!

We also get this wonderful description of Hondo via Dooku, "This Hondo Ohnaka was clearly a scoundrel. Oh, he was a gracious enough host on our trip, regaling me with exaggerated stories of his exploits around the galaxy. I soon realized that I was in the presence of an individual whose self-importance rivaled even that of the Jedi Council. But I feigned interest and kept my wits about me. He was obviously trying to lower my suspicions with his jovial anecdotes, but his efforts had the opposite effect." Dooku pretty much hits the nail on the head here! Although, I'd say the Count's own self-importance rivaled pretty much everybody else's in the galaxy.

So as this tale was from Dooku's point of view, we definitely get an interesting take on the events taking place on Vanqor and Florrum during Dooku's capture by Hondo's gang of pirates, at least in regards to how Dooku really feels about the people around him. He is a terribly self-inflated man! Although Jar Jar and Senator Kharus are mentioned once, they don't make an actual appearance in this story (they're a big part of "The Gungan General" episode) which would obviously be the case since Dooku is telling it, but I still could have used at least a little Jar Jar in this collection!

"Hostage Crisis" by Preeti Chhibber

This story re-told Episode 22 of Season One, "Hostage Crisis" in which Anakin gives Padme his lightsaber to prove his love and trust in her, only for them to get separated and Padme to end up in a group of senators held hostage by Cad Bane. I can't decide whether this one did enough to add to the story as presented in the show. I note some thoughts of Anakin's below about Padme that add depth to what he's feeling...except we already know he's smitten with the Senator. On Padme's end it appears she's getting annoyed by his constant insistence that they go away together and leave politics and the war behind for a spell--something that she insists upon quite urgently in Revenge of the Sith. So I'm not a fan of this Padme (who we know to be just as in love with Anakin as Anakin is in love with her) brushing her husband off so easily. It just doesn't seem in line with their shared over-affection for each other. Maybe I just need to re-watch the episode and see how it was portrayed there to understand where Chhibber is coming from with this interpretation. 

So, Anakin's thoughts on Padme: "even in shadow she's beautiful.  His wife is a hard worker, sitting at her Senate desk. His wife. He bites his cheek to hold back a smile." So freaking cute!! "Anakin loves this about her. Her commitment in the face of chaos. Her belief in democracy, flawed as it is. But he needs more than what they have right now. He needs her to understand." Which leads us to this line of thinking ,"Both their lives have been lost to the Republic, but when they married--Anakin was pledged to Padme wholly, and nothing would ever matter more. Not the Republic, not the Jedi, not this war. [...] This is the question between them now: how much she recognizes the tangible thing they brought into being that keeps his darkest dreams at bay." And we know she recognizes it but she does have a second love, democracy, and she will fight tooth and nail to preserve it.

Most of the story involves the action of Anakin sans-lightsaber being chased by four of Cad Bane's fellow bounty hunters: Shahan Alama, Robonino, Aurra Sing, and an assassin droid. And it is all written quite well with a lot of clarity.

Once Anakin awakens from being knocked out by Robonino, the interplay between Padme and Anakin becomes cute, like I imagine them together. I do so enjoy it when they're flirty and lovey with each other! Especially when it's surreptitious and in front of a room full of people who can't know about their love.

"Pursuit of Peace" by Anne Ursu

This tale encompasses Episode 10 "Heroes on Both Sides" and Episode 11 "Pursuit of Peace" from Season Three. The meat of this story was intriguingly framed by Padme thinking, "It isn't supposed to be me," in regards to giving a speech on the Senate floor to convince the other Senators "to vote against a bill to commission more troops for the war." She doubts herself and keeps referring to how it was supposed to be Bail Organa giving the speech and then jumps back a few days before to explain what went wrong. 

There are some truly wonderful insights made into Padme's experiences as a senator as the story begins, "It was astonishing to Padme that anyone took them seriously when their motives were so clear. But it was wartime, and profiteers masqueraded as patriots. Padme knew all about masks. When you were queen you must keep your face blank, as if you had never felt an emotion in your life. In the Senate, you wore a different kind of mask. If you were on the side of continual war, you could contort your face in all kinds of ways--sorrow, horror, outrage--and no one cared what was underneath the mask. If you were against the war, if you were a partisan, if you were young, if you were everything Padme was, you had to keep your face calm, reserved. You could show a bit of passion, but just a bit. Too much and you were too emotional. Too little and you were a protocol droid." It's amazing Anakin was able to see through the real Padme at all what with all the political maneuvering she'd had to do in her life. Later, after she gains hope that peace accords will begin, a bomb shakes the Senate chamber. "There was no point. She could say nothing. They were back to black and white, right and wrong, good and evil, and if she was not pro-war, she might as well be the enemy. A traitor." A sentiment we see play out time and time again in the show.

We get a wonderful interaction between Ahsoka, Anakin, and Padme after the Senate first discusses the new bill. I'll spare you the quotes from the episode, but I'll give you Padme's reactions to her friend and her husband. "Padme smiled sadly. [...] Ahsoka [...] was exactly right on what had happened in that room. That was the Galactic Senate for you. People were dying across the galaxy, and the Senate made it sound like a banking problem." Yikes! Such a sad but true assessment of the state of the Republic. "And that was Anakin. He needed to believe in right and wrong, good and evil. And if something was not all good, all right, then to him it was evil. It made him a good Jedi but a terrible politician." But did it make him a good Jedi?? It made him a good Sith for sure, but not necessarily a good Jedi. Although Padme's knowledge of what the Jedi are and believe might not exactly be fully fleshed out, she's too busy trying to keep the galaxy from falling apart politically.

One thing I did not like about this story was Padme not knowing species names. "A burly bounty hunter who looked like a giant armored bug jumped in front of her and roared." She does end up naming the "swamp-smelling one" as a Patrolian although she keeps referring to Robonino in her thoughts as "Swamp Stink." But the Selkath, Chata Hyoki, remains "Bug." She should know species at least, especially being a senator...

As it turns out, Bail is badly injured from his encounter with Robonino and Chata Hyoki, leading him to ask Padme to address the Senate in his place...which causes her to think, "It is not supposed to be me." She speaks to the Senate of her handmaiden Teckla's family's problems due to the war. She speaks from her heart, with no mask. And she is successful in her endeavor! Her ending thoughts are as follows, "And this is why she believes in the Republic. It is not without corruption. It is not without darkness. But there is good at its core. And just because something good has darkness in it doesn't mean you abandon it. Just because there is darkness in something does not mean you do not love it. You show it love, you show it light, and you hope it chooses the light." I am in LOVE with this quote!! It so perfectly encapsulates how she sees Anakin throughout his trials and tribulations all the way through to the end--"I know there's still good in him." Which of course reminds me of the epicness from the end of the last Darth Vader comic!

"The Shadow of Umbara" by Yoon Ha Lee

This short story was Rex's point of view of Episode 7 "Darkness on Umbara," Episode 8 "The General," Episode 9 "Plan of Dissent," and Episode 10 "Carnage of Krell" of Season Four in which the Jedi Pong Krell goes rogue and attempts to sacrifice as many clones as is "humanly" possible. Being from Rex's perspective, we don't get but a sentence mention of the awesome and daring sacrifice of Hardcase as he flies an Umbaran fighter into one of the Umbaran command ships. I get making a story from one person's point of view to streamline it and make it more accessible, but I don't know that it altogether works in this case. 

We do get some great description of Umbara, "Umbara was blanketed in shadows. You couldn't see incoming fire until it hit you. Some of the jungle plants glowed red, but they weren't safe to approach. Between their immense grasping tentacles and jagged-toothed maws, they were as much of a hazard as the Umbaran troops."

Besides that, everything I highlighted were quotes which means we've already heard them before in the episodes themselves. This was a very cut and dry story without much of any addition in thought and nuance. I would say it was my least favorite of the eleven. And I really think this particular story benefits from being on screen where you can see the insanity and hatred in Pong Krell's eyes.

So that's the first 5 short stories in this 11 story collection. They all added at least a little something to what we already know, some more than others. I think I'd have to say my favorite was the first story, "Sharing the Same Face" as it really got deep into what Yoda was thinking and feeling in his early experiences with clones and the reality of him becoming a general--contemplations that I find fascinating!

Be on the lookout for the second half of this review coming out later today!