Novel Review: From a Certain Point of View – Star Wars

Star Wars From a Certain Point of View

Minor Spoiler Review –

There have been short story collections in the Star Wars universe before, but nothing quite like this! From a Certain Point of View gathers together 43 authors for 40 stories giving us new perspectives on Episode IV: A New Hope, as a celebration of the film’s 40th Anniversary (bonus: all the author proceeds go to the charity First Book!). In short, the stories within had me crying, laughing, and filled me up with joyous wonder, much like A New Hope did and continues to do 40 years later, which is a pretty fitting way to celebrate the 40th anniversary, if you ask me!

One of the best things about FaCPOV is how there will be a story for everyone within its pages. For the very few I didn’t like, there were at least ten others I loved, keeled over in love with, enjoyed quite a bit, will cherish forever, etc. Tenses (past, present, future) and points of view (first, second, and third) fluctuate wildly and often, providing ups and downs and everything in-between, giving readers a plethora of experiences to take in no matter how much they sit down and read in a sitting. I found myself laughing one story, totally surprised by how a scene from the film would be forever changed, wiping tears from eyes like they were waterfalls the next, and back to laughing so hard it hurt. The various points of view and tense changes also pushes readers out of their comfort zones and highlights the potential strengths of different forms of writing (“Change of Heart” by Elizabeth Wein uses the second person POV for a chilling effect).

This is a collection like no other, with so many new, exciting voices alongside plenty of familiar ones, bringing so many different backgrounds, experiences, styles, and voices to the table it’s frankly astonishing this is actually a thing fans get a chance to read. Every time I turned to a new story, it was like diving into the unknown, unsure of what was below: an emotional deep dive, a humorous scheme of scum and villainy, or the tale of an unsung hero. By the time I finished my dive through the latest story, I never came up disappointed with the experience. It’s hard to really review so many stories or really state the wonder they all bring, so I don’t say this lightly (or jokingly): if you enjoy Star Wars, you’ll enjoy FaCPOV. It’s really that simple.

I’m going to narrow down the list of stories I enjoyed (which is basically every single one) to a Top 5, but I want to get something out of the way: “The Trigger” by Kieron Gillen (Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra) about Doctor Aphra herself, is my ultimate, number one favorite story of the collection; If you’ve visited this site before, this won’t be a surprise. Gillen manages to tap into Aphra’s potential even more so by revealing her inner monologue, and if you enjoy her ramblings out loud in the comics, this is a richer, funnier dive into what makes her a special character. So, with that out of the way, here are my other Top 5 FaCPOV stories (which is A LOT harder than I expected to do), in no particular order, besides the fact they are all below Aphra’s tale:

  • “Reirin,” by Sabaa Tahir. While initially confusing, this one surprised me with its open ending and plentiful potential. I have so many questions: was that truly a kyber crystal? Who was the trader who hired Reirin? How did they know about the crystal? Will we see Reirin again, maybe even in the early days of Luke’s Jedi Order? Potential is one thing I really enjoy and there was so much in this one I can’t wait for more!
  • “Master and Apprentice,” by Claudia Gray. I’ve been dying (pun intended) for a Qui-Gon Jinn Force Ghost tale (I wrote quite a bit about Force Ghosts recently) and this met or beat all my expectations, though considering this is Claudia Gray we’re talking about, it is to be expected. And much like the Legends novel Kenobi, I really enjoyed how much I learned about Obi-Wan when viewing the character through someone else’s eyes (though that’s a figure of speech in Qui-Gon’s regard).
  • “You Owe Me a Ride,” by Zoraida Córdova. Remember my love for potential? The Tonnika sisters have an excess of it, from the hints at a dark past, to their adventures with familiar characters (like Lando, Hondo Ohnaka), and what jobs they get up to as con artists.
  • “Eclipse,” by Madeleine Roux. I knew what was I getting into by reading this one, and even when I could barely read the next word behind my tears, I kept pushing on because Roux’s prose was heartbreaking, but compelling. And after having just read Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Bail and especially Breha were ever nearer and dearer to my heart than ever before. Ugh, the feels came back from writing this.
  • “The Angle,” by Charles Soule. Lando has gotten the short end of the stick so far in canon (expect that lid to come off when the Han Solo film releases), but he shines here in a tale that helps set up his motivations for his actions in The Empire Strikes Back. And that it’s written by Soule, who crafted the classic, excellent Lando comic miniseries, the characterization is flawlessly smooth.

Every story is a runner-up to this list, though I can at least say the only ones that really didn’t do anything for me were: “Sparks,” by Paul S. Kemp and “Bump,” by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker.

In fact, if you want my thoughts on each and every story, keep scrolling past the plus and minuses at the end for my 1-2 sentence reviews!

Here are a few other things:

  • Curious if these are all canon or not? Well, here’s the response from Pablo Hidalgo (who wrote one of the stories, a Tarkin-centric one called, “Verge of Greatness”): some very well could and couldn’t be at the very same time. If you want to get technical, one way you could judge if something is or isn’t: a first-person narrated story might not be because how can we trust the character to be telling the truth? OR…you could just enjoy FaCPOV and not worry about what is or isn’t canon in the first place. In the end, it’s the approach I took, adding plenty of stories to my headcanon until they ever (or never) get validated, and there are plenty I hope could be because they have exciting potential, like say “Reirin” by Sabaa Tahir.
  • At NYCC this year, they held a panel for FaCPOV where they had plenty of the authors behind this wonderful book speaking about their stories, and you can watch the whole thing here!
  • The editor of FaCPOV, Elizabeth Schaefer, talks with the official site about the trials, tribulations, and background details on how she managed to get 43 authors together to give us this excellent book.
  • Over at SyFy Wire, they suggest 5 of the stories that deserve their own films, one of them being Gillen’s Aphra story, “The Trigger.” I could not agree more on that last part!
  • The official site hosted a three part series of interviews with authors. The first was Meg Cabot, who wrote “Beru Whitesun Lars,” and talks about why she decided it was overdue for Beru’s story to be told; the second is with Nnedi Okorafor, “The Baptist,” discussing why she chose the trash monster; and lastly is Mallory Ortberg, “An Incident Report,” who reveled in the chance to give passive-aggressive an Imperial spin and is ready for Ep. IX writing duties. Not part of the same series, but they also have a look inside Jeffrey Brown’s sketchbook for his story, “Far Too Remote.”
  • For the 40th Anniversary here on the site, I put together my suggestion for a mini-golf course, which might not be as impressive as FaCPOV but I’d argue is equally important for it to be made…maybe.
  • Nanci, Brian, and Bria of Tosche-Station used a special, entertaining format for their review, including what they’d like to see if Del Rey revisited the FaCPOV idea for future film anniversaries.

A big thank you goes out to everyone involved, especially the authors who willingly did this without any compensation to be gained from it, besides fellow fans’ tears, laughter, and unbridled joy. From a Certain Point of View is an experience any Star Wars fan should partake in, it acts as a fitting tribute to 40 years of ANH, and I hope we’ll get something like this again for the other films’ 40th anniversaries!

+ Something for everyone

+ Caution: will fill you with laughter, sense of wonderment, and tears, potentially all at the same time

+ Plethora of voices, backgrounds, and experiences bring new delights to the saga and 40 year old film

 Some inconsistencies between stories

And now some short 1-2 sentence thoughts on each individual story, in order!

Beware, spoilers are below!!!!

“Raymus” by Gary Whitta {#1/40}: An impressive, heart-wrenching bridge between Rogue One and A New Hope. I was left emotionally compromised after reading it.

“The Bucket” by Christie Golden {#2/40}: Insightful look beneath the bucket of a stormtrooper, digging deep into psychological benefits and detriments of wearing a helmet.

“The Sith of Data Work” by Ken Liu {#3/40}: Masterfully twisty, inventive, and humorous as Ken Liu is wont to do. “CAT.ch(22)” I see what you did there!

“Stories in the Sand” by Griffin McElroy {#4/40}: An unexpected delight, following around a Jawa. Fantastic prose helped, for sure!

“Reirin” by Sabaa Tahir {#5/40}:Whoa, what?!? This one left me with many questions, with fun possibilities (like will we see Reirin building a lightsaber/training with Luke one day??!!)

“The Red One” by Rae Carson {#6/40}: He’s not Skippy the Jedi Droid anymore, but this is just as delightful, if not even more so in making a disastrous moment into a heroic one.

“Rites” by John Jackson Miller {#7/40}: As someone who reads JJM’s Kenobi once a year, seeing A’Yark again was a true blessing. Very befitting of the character.

“Master and Apprentice” by Claudia Gray {#8/40}: *SCREAMS IN EXCITEMENT* Everything I ever dreamed from a Qui-Gon Force Ghost and Obi-Wan chat.

“Beru Whitesun Lars” by Meg Cabot {#9/40}: The tongue-in-cheek narration gives Beru her due.

“The Luckless Rodian” by Renee Ahdieh {#10/40}: The hate is entertainingly strong with this one. I see the potential young Han Solo connections people have been making and I shrug at their possibility at the moment.

“Not for Nothing” by Mur Lafferty {#11/40}: This memoir is a must-read, with plenty of humor. Can we get the whole in-universe book eventually?

“We Don’t Serve Their Kind Here” by Chuck Wendig {#12/40}: I never expected I could care for grumpy ol’ Wuher, but now I certainly do. Fun little reference to Bea Arthur’s character from the Holiday Special is an added bonus.

“The Kloo Horn Cantina Caper” by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction {#13/40}: A caper more complicated than you’d expect from the denizens of Chalmun’s Catina. Was a little long in the horn, however.

“Added Muscle” by Paul Dini {#14/40}: It might not be the Fett you’re looking for, but it’s interpretation is consistently aloof. And somehow not hearing it read by Jon Hamm makes it a little more enjoyable, believe it or not.

“You Owe Me A Ride” by Zoraida Córdova{#15/40}: Uncovers a great potential for a wealth of stories. Plenty of exciting connections to familiar names!

“The Secrets of Long Snoot” by Delilah S. Dawson {#16/40}: Dawson’s prose strikes again, as the distinct worldview of a Kubaz combined with moral flexibility, makes for a true delight.

“Born in the Storm” by Daniel José Older {#17/40}: Born free for stormtroopers. Can’t do this one justice on how enjoyable it really is.

“Laina” by Wil Wheaton {#18/40}: Another story that will likely wreck you.

“Fully Operational” by Beth Revis {#19/40}: You might just find yourself agreeing with an Imperial. Fits well with Tagge’s expansion of character in Darth Vader series 1 comic.

“An Incident Report” by Mallory Ortberg {#20/40}: Your passive aggressive coworker gets an entertaining short story here.

“Change of Heart” by Elizabeth Wein {#21/40}: The second person POV makes you culpable to Leia’s interrogation and having to watch her planet be destroyed, and it’s a chilling experience *shudders*

“Eclipse” by Madeleine Roux {#22/40}: Plenty of these stories will break you, but this one shatters you into a billion atoms like Breha and Bail Organa. At least I was, so grab some tissues and dive right in.

“Verge of Greatness” by Pablo Hildalgo {#23/40}: Tarkin’s spat with Krennic lives on and both are better characters for it.

“Far Too Remote” by Jeffrey Brown {#24/40}: Ha. Was expecting more than one sketch though.

“The Trigger” by Kieron Gillen {#25/40}: As an unabashed Doctor Aphra fan, Gillen’s prose take on her is absolutely enjoyable and I’d argue even more so due to the interior monologue (who else could debate planetary genocide and make it entertaining?). She needs a book now too, and pronto!!!

“Of MSE-6 and Men” by Glen Weldon {#26/40}: Learn to care about a mouse droid and realize even those on Death Star were capable of love.

“Bump” by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker {#27/40}: Bump is exactly about the trooper you think it is and its connective tissue to an earlier story is a nice surprise.

“End of Watch” by Adam Christopher {#28/40}: Not a boring conversation to the Imperials or readers, that’s for sure. Gives a sense to the Death Star’s enormity to boot.

“The Baptist” by Nnedi Okorafor {#29/40}: You’ll never be able to look at the trash monster the same way again (though I still have questions on WHY she’s there).

“Time of Death” by Cavan Scott {#30/40}: This is everything and amazing all at once. They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but for a Jedi on their way to becoming one with the Force, it’s much more mesmerizing and complicated.

“There is Another” by Gary D. Schmidt {#31/40}: Yoda no longer practices what he used to preach, making him a more complex character. Ghost Obi-Wan and he still have entertaining conversations. Bonus: Yoda’s blanket is whose Jedi robes?!

“Palpatine” by Ian Doescher {#32/40}: Palpatine’s woes and reconstitution of his goals and might, in iambic pentameter, is exquisite and catchy.

“Sparks” by Paul S. Kemp {#33/40}: You fly your run and hit what you can, though this one doesn’t hit as well as the other stories.

“Duty Roster” by Jason Fry {#34/40}: Fake Wedge is canon. This is not a drill! Otherwise, the trench run is just as tense from the War Room.

“Desert Son” by Pierce Brown {#35/40}: Seeing Biggs confidence in and support of Luke is refreshing, though prepare yourself for a shot straight to your feels reactor again.

“Grounded” by Greg Rucka {#36/40}: The unsung heroes of the Rebellion shoulder just as many burdens as the heroes we’ve followed for years. Grounds the Galactic Civil War in a relatable way. Bonus: Evaan Verlaine and General Syndulla references!!

“Contingency Plan” by Alexander Freed {#37/40}: If you’ve enjoyed the Mon Mothma resurgence and prominence of late, it only gets better here.

“The Angle” by Charles Soule {#38/40}: Illuminates the complexity of Lando, setting the stage for his actions in The Empire Strikes Back. Also, I’d love to play Klikklak.

“By Whatever Sun” by E.K. Johnston and Ashley Eckstein {#39/40}: Fans of the YA novel Ahsoka will be happy to see familiar faces, but even if you haven’t read it, the perspective on the victory is fresh.

“Whills” by Tom Angleberger {#40/40}: The Whills as George Lucas originally imagined them…maybe. Good laugh and delightful place to end.

Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.

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