Saturday, December 16, 2017

Star Wars: Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson

(hb; 2017: loosely linked prequel to the 2015 film Star Wars -- Episode VII: The Force Awakens)

From the back cover

"Discover Captain Phasma’s mysterious history in this Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi novel.

"One of the most cunning and merciless officers of the First Order, Captain Phasma commands the favor of her superiors, the respect of her peers, and the terror of her enemies. But for all her renown, Phasma remains as virtually unknown as the impassive expression on her gleaming chrome helmet. Now, an adversary is bent on unearthing her mysterious origins—and exposing a secret she guards as zealously and ruthlessly as she serves her masters."



Review

Despite its third-person present tense writing, Phasma is an intriguing read, telling the backstory of Phasma, the chrome-armored commander of the First Order. This tale is filtered through Vi Moradi, a Rebel spy, as she resists the interrogative tortures of Cardinal, the crimson–armored First Order commander – and a professional rival of Phasma’s.

There is plenty of Star Wars-esque action, plot wrinkles, character development and a full array of emotions displayed in this loosely linked prequel to The Force Awakens. Its central character, Phasma – a ruthless, ambitious character – has a solid, sufficiently interesting early existence, but it is the present interactions between Vi and Cardinal that make Phasma  a worthwhile book, better borrowed from the library than purchased at full price. . . provided readers can get past its present-tense third-person writing.

Gwendoline Christie played Phasma in The Force Awakens and its 2017 sequel Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi





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