Of the three Star Wars: Infinities I've read, this is the one I'm most interested to see continue. Does Vader remain on the side of his children? How does Palpatine's still being alive affect Mara Jade and her encounters with Luke? What does Han's lost eyesight mean for his relationship with Leia---that is, will we ever get to hear "I love you" "I know" again?! ( )

I wrote this here book! I can't speak to whether or not it's any good, but I can say that it was fun to write.

I think of the three comic compilations, this one may be the so-so one. It was a quick read, and it was entertaining. However, it just did not feel as strong as the other two. However, the premise they use to set off the alternate events, the accidental explosion of the thermal detonator in Jabba's Palace, was a good one, and certainly something that could have happened. The ending, which I will not reveal, I have mixed feelings about. I still liked this book, and I think most hardcore Star Wars fans would enjoy it. ( )

If you don't know, the "Infinities" line it is a graphic novel series based on Star Wars. The intriguing bit being that the series doesn't follow the movie plotline 100%. As is written in the preface:

"You know the story. Everybody knows the story. But what if the story changed-- even just a little? What would happen to the characters? What would happen to the Star Wars galaxy?"

Which is to say that the author throws in twists here and there, frequently taking the characters into new directions. To give you one tiny example, in this version Leia goes off by herself to rescue Luke on the Death Star.

Text and Artwork:::
The artwork in this book is well done. (Kudos to the team involved with the visuals.) It's dark and moody and in my opinion going to be of more interest to older readers -- teens and adults -- who tend to savor gloomier settings.

I have less praise for the text and storyline. Despite the interesting and sometimes fascinating plot twists, I thought the story felt rushed, especially at the end when we are zipped from location to location. You don't get much in the way of Ewoks, nor a sense of the massiveness of the battles. And perhaps the author just wasn't allowed enough pages by the powers-that-be.

All-in-all it was an entertaining read that I think will appeal more to Tweeners and Teens than younger Star War fans. (Couldn't find any Reading Level information.) Fortunately there are some good books out there for this younger age group. For them you might want to check out the "Step into Reading Jedi Reader" series DK Readers "Luke Skywalker's Amazing Story".

Pam T
mom and blogger ( )