Lost Stars: Part 1

[colls]

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

This month’s book is Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
Chapters 1-7

1. How are you liking it so far?

Comments

[brokenmnemonic]

So, my copy of this arrived on Thursday - which is the day I started painting the spare bedroom on my house. So, by yesterday I was exhausted enough I went to bed two hours early and read for as long as I could stay awake... which turned out to be the first 7 chapters.

So far, I'm enjoying it - I could maybe do with Ciena and Thane not being quite such great trainees, but this book's been an interesting insight into how aspects of the Empire work, from turning Mace Windu into the boss of a criminal organisation to training an officer class that are set up to deliberately view each other as competitors.

Some of the things I've enjoyed so far have been the discovery that Thane's brother isn't much of a success in the military (although initially, I was sure it was him who'd sabotaged the laser cannon), the different reactions among the inhabitants of Jelucan to the arrival of the Empire, the background to how Jelucan came to be colonised and how that's shaped the population, and the depiction of the relationships between the two protagonists and their roommates/classmates.

Thane seems to already be prepared to criticise the Empire in ways that make me think he's not going to be the model Imperial officer - seeing his reaction to what the Empire actually is, given his hatred of bullies, should be fun.

Oh, I also enjoyed Tarkin being the loathsome individual we know and hate during his bit-part appearance.

[colls]

Ironically, I just started reading it yesterday? (Thursday? what is time?) and also made it through 7 chapters! (LOL)

Unsurprisingly, my thoughts line up with where yours are. I find the view of the Empire from this angle to be fascinating and suspect Thane isn't going to play along being the dutiful soldier for long.
I suspected the older brother of the sabotage, too.

Tarkin is such an ass. I love that he's consistent. ;p

[brokenmnemonic]

Tarkin getting atomised when the Death Star blew up was clearly such a great loss to wit and humanity both ;)

[colls]

Ha!

"Tarkin, I recognized your foul stench..." is all I can think of any time I hear his name or he appears in anything we read/watch.