The New Rebellion Part 3

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Welcome to our third of four check-in and discussion posts for our Book of the Month.

This month’s book is Star Wars The New Rebellion by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Chapters 29-41

The New Rebellion

1. What are your impressions of Smuggler's Run? Any thoughts on the characters who seem to have made it their home?

2. Kueller seems to have unleashed something in an ancient mask - or is Krueller the "something" that was unleashed? How does his brand of 'Sith-bent-on-galactic-domination' differ from Palpatine?

3. R2-D2 and C-3PO seem to be having an adventure of their own. How will they manage to escape the droid factory planet and will they manage to take Cole with them?

4. If this novel had been made into a movie, what sort of details would you be most interested to see on screen?


FYI - There's no need to answer all (or any) of the questions above - they're just talking points to get us started. Informal chatter is more than welcome! In-person book clubs often veer off-topic, it's okay if we do as well. :)
All I ask is that you try to avoid spoilers for things past Part III of the book.

Comments

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1. I have gotten the impression that it really smells bad. I was disappointed but not at all surprised when some of the other smugglers turned on Han. Blue seemed to have had a conscience over it (if only a small one), but her involvement in trying to trap Han does leave a sour taste in my mouth. Then again, that could be just thinking of all all the foul-smelling mud and algae.

2. Am I reading too much into this mask thing? Or is Dorph (?) a former Jedi-student who somehow found this death mask that holds the "essence" of some long-dead conqueror? I'm thinking the combination of grief and anger over his family's death and the infusion of... *handwaves* whatever this mask is... dialed up the Dark Side in him.
I'm still not sure how he's killing people without damaging structures. Is it really just droid detonators? Wouldn't empty places show more damage?

3. I love a headstrong R2. I hope Cole survives. I have a feeling he will because R2 is there and he's the actual legit gorram hero of Star Wars. ;p

4. For someone who's not all that interested in space battles in books, I love Love LOVE them on screen. Which I realize is something that hasn't actually happened in the book (yet). Besides, I want to see this command bridge Wedge is waxing poetic about in the last chapter.

I think Smuggler's Run has the potential to look really interesting on screen. And while we've just gotten a glimpse of post-Imperial Coruscant in The Mandalorian season 3, it's left me wanting more. So I'd also like to see some of the Coruscant scenes including the Senate offices, but also the Organa-Solo household and the X-wing repair bays.

[barbiejedi]

2. Dolph, as in (a)Dolph. Who does mass murder with a Germanic pseudonym, in case we were worried he might be a good guy.
Is it really just droid detonators? Wouldn't empty places show more damage?
I was thinking the same thing. Droid detonators would neatly explain the Coruscant attack, and it would connect Brakiss to the scheme. I feel like there has to be something else that left Pyrdr so empty and clean, but I'm not sure what.

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I feel like there has to be something else that left Pyrdr so empty and clean, but I'm not sure what.
Exactly! I'm glad you seem to have sensed the same thing - I thought I might've missed something.