*All posts in the Star Wars Canon series contain minor spoilers
10 weeks until Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
“The second Death Star is destroyed. The Emperor and his powerful enforcer, Darth Vader, are rumored to be dead. The Galactic Empire is in chaos. Across the galaxy, some systems celebrate, while in others Imperial factions tighten their grip. Optimism and fear reign side by side.” –Star Wars: Aftermath
Star Wars: Aftermath is about the Imperial blockade on the remote planet Akiva and the unlikely group of rebels desperate to stop it.
Written by: Chuck Wendig (author of From a Certain Point of View short story, Aftermath: Life Debt, and Aftermath: Empire’s End)
Published: September 4, 2015
When does Aftermath take place?
After Return of the Jedi.
Or more specifically: soon after the Battle of Endor in the year 4 ABY.
Synopsis:
Norra Wexley, Rebel pilot, is returning home to reunite with her teenage son after the success of the Battle of Endor. There she discovers an Imperial Blockade has formed above her home planet of Akiva and she intercepts a transmission for help from the captured Rebel hero Wedge Antilles. In an attempt to bring freedom back to Akiva, Norra and her son Temmin team up with Sinjir the ex-Imperial officer, Jas the bounty hunter, and the repurposed Clone Wars battle droid Mr. Bones to stop the blockade and bring the Imperial council members responsible to justice.
~
Star Wars: Aftermath was one of the very first canon books to be published (as part of the Journey to The Force Awakens series along with Lost Stars) and introduced fans to all new characters. At the time, it seemed a little strange to read a story not focused on Han, Luke, Leia, or any of the other main Star Wars characters, but now rereading it after so many other canon books have feature an all new cast, it seems totally normal.
Aftermath does have a few familiar characters such as Wedge Antilles, Admiral Ackbar, and Mon Mothma, but the majority of the story follows all new characters. Some of these characters have tie-ins with The Force Awakens and Temmin Wexley is even in the movie. He is an x-wing pilot played by actor Greg Grunberg and will also be returning in The Rise of Skywalker. Imperial Rae Sloane is also back after being introduced in A New Dawn.
I have to talk a little bit about Chuck Wendig’s writing style. Aftermath is written in third person present tense. Any bookworm knows that this is super rare and because I’m not use to it, I found it a bit jarring to read. First person present tense is becoming more and more popular, but I actually cannot think of another book I have read in third person present tense. In addition to being in present tense, the sentences are all very short and staccato, and almost have a poetic tone to them. There is a sense of urgency to each sentence and I honestly think it sped up my reading pace quite a bit.
Once I got used to the writing style I did really enjoy the storyline. The relationship between Norra and Temmin was dynamic and interesting and Mr. Bones made for some good comic relief. Throughout the book, various Interludes explored what life with the fall of the Empire was like across different planets throughout the galaxy. It really pulled me in to learn more about the familiar planets such as Naboo, Corellia, and Coruscant.
Aftermath is the first book in the Aftermath trilogy and I am looking forward to reading both Life Debt and Empire’s End to find out more about these characters, both Rebel and Imperial.
I would recommend Aftermath to anyone who is interested in the timeline between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, and to anyone a fan of Wedge Antilles because he is pretty cool and needs more media!
Next week: Aftermath: Life Debt
Complete list of Star Wars Canon novels
Leave a Reply