Book Review: Star Wars- Bloodline by Claudia Gray

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

  As many of you remember I loved Claudia Gray's book, Lost Stars. It was one of my top reads of 2015, and it was filled with reverence and nostalgia for the galaxy far, far away. With her second Star Wars canon novel, published by Del Rey Books, Claudia Gray works her magic again. And like Lost Stars, we are given hints and references of things to come. Director Rian Johnson worked with Gray on Bloodline, offering some insight on things that will occur in his film, the Last Jedi. If you read carefully there are some things said that will lead you to speculate what will happen in the next trilogy movie. After Bloodline I may have to even change my Character Analysis of Rey.  

 

   Bloodline carries us into a new world that we only had a glimpse of in the Force Awakens. After decades of peace, Mon Mothma has fallen ill, and has left her leadership role. This sets things in motion for outside forces to launch their plans. Princess Leia has been away from Luke, Han, and her son, Ben, for quite some time. Han Solo is in charge of keeping professional racers in line, while running his shipping company on the side. And Luke Skywalker and Ben Solo are off to parts unknown to usher in a new generation of Jedi Knights.

  Gray features some new characters in this novel, as well as individuals introduced in the Force Awakens:

1.  Ransolm Casterfo is a young and charismatic senator with a love for collecting Galactic Civil War artifacts. His Imperial collection sickens Leia, making her wonder if he can be trusted.
2. Lady Carise Sindian is an Arkanian senator with an obsession for royal power. She stops at nothing to not only look the part of royalty, but sniffs out other roles that she can add to her title.  
3.  Joph Seastriker is a huge fan of Leia and Han for their heroics during their days in the Rebellion. He is an X-Wing pilot with a cocky attitude and amazing piloting skills.
4. Greer Sonnel is a former pilot who was once recruited by Han Solo to race, but now has settled into working for the government. A former Junior Sabres racing champion, she often volunteers for missions for Leia, piloting Senator Organa's ship, the Mirrorbright.
5. Kor Sella is sixteen and full of wonder. She loves her protocol (shared happily with C-3PO) and is reminding Leia of duty now and again. She unfortunately met her end many years later in the Force Awakens when the First Order destroyed the Hosnian System.
6. Temmin "Snap" Wexley is the son of famed Rebel pilot, Norra Wexley (Aftermath trilogy). He has grown up to become a pilot in his own right. He later joins Poe Dameron in the Force Awakens to destroy Starkiller Base.
7. Dr. Harter Kalonia is Greer's doctor. She reveals herself to be a trusted ally of the Resistance, gaining the rank of Major by the time the Force Awakens occurs. And she has a pretty good Wookie bedside manner.

  Star Wars: Bloodline introduces us to a period six years before the Force Awakens. Princess Leia is struggling to keep the fracturing New Republic afloat. Meanwhile government factions, calling themselves Centrists and Populists, are looking to fashion a government of their own. New crime organizations are popping up in the Outer Rim, plaguing planets such as Ryloth. But behind the scenes a sinister organization hoping to rival that of the Galactic Empire is thriving away from the New Republic's scrutiny.

 Feeling the pull of adventure, as well, Leia volunteers to make a trip to the planet of Bastatha to investigate a Nikto cartel run by Rinnrivin Di. With Kor Sella and Greer, Leia embarks on the mission with Senator Ransolm Casterfo and Joph Seastriker "tagging along" for diplomatic reasons. When Leia is captured (and reluctantly rescued) on Bastatha she finds out interesting information on not only the cartel, but herself, as well. She is presented with a holo-recording of her as a young Rebel killing Jabba the Hutt. She is told that she is known throughout the galaxy by some as Huttslayer. To many current cartel leaders she is a celebrity, having taken down the Hutts' formidable crime boss. To others she is a target to be eliminated.

 As she continues her search for the shadow organization working with the cartels, an enemy within the Senate exposes Leia's parentage to the galaxy. No doubt this news is what sent her son into a spiral downward that ultimately lead him to becoming Kylo Ren. With Leia mocked and becoming a pariah in the Senate, she continues her search for the Nikto Cartel's backers. What she finds is a diabolical plot to destroy the New Republic, and usher in a new ruling empire.  

      I read Star Wars: Bloodline in part with the audio book narrated by actress, January LaVoy. LaVoy's soft tone and well-enunciated handling of the narrative, made her a perfect choice to read this novel. I loved her work on Star Wars: Moving Target, of which I reviewed last year. She is well known for her movie and daytime television work, which I am sure aided in her delivering such a distinct array of voices for this Star Wars adventure. I loved her work on this book.

  Bloodline handles canon material very well, intertwining stories from comics, other novels, the animated series, as well as the trilogy and stand-alone films. As someone who loves to read all canon material, I had a wonderful time reading this book.

 I gave it four out of five stars. If you love Princess Leia, and want to know more about the rise of the First Order, then this book is for you.

 If you have read this novel or If you have a comment for me, please leave it below. I would love to know how your reading is going so far this year.

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