Tarkin

Tarkin

When I went and saw Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in theaters, two characters I was excited for were Captain Phasma and General Hux. I left theaters hoping that Episode VIII would give us more of the "Imperial" side of the First Order. It's something I really felt was lacking in the original trilogy. The Empire isn't just Vader and Palpatine, and I feel like the Empire really gets overlooked.

So, Tarkin, a novel delving into the first Grand Moff in the Star Wars canon. Tarkin was an excellent villain in Episode IV, and I was excited to see him in Rogue One. When I learned about this novel I knew it was a must-read. The plot stays safely in its lane within the established canon, developing an anti-Empire scheme that is resolved by the book's conclusion. That's all fine and dandy, but where Tarkin shines is when it goes into Wilhuff's backstory. The reader learns why he is who he is. There is also some excellent backstory/character development for Vader and the Emperor, as well. I really enjoyed this book, if only for the character development of this unholy triumvirate.
--Mikie

Like Mikie, I was really interested in seeing more of the Imperial side of the universe. Tarkin is an interesting character, and I was excited to get to know him better - especially considering his relationship with Darth Vader in what little we see of them in the movies. 

I found this novel harder to get through than the last few we've read - only because of the pacing. I found Tarkin's history and backstory fascinating, but it always felt as though they only delved into these flashbacks during moments of action in the actual timeline. I would have enjoyed the novel more if it were laid out differently. On top of that, the anti-empire scheme felt forced, and as though it hadn't been fully thought out. Their goals weren't clear, and it never really felt like they had a chance. 

DESPITE the plot holes, I really enjoyed getting to know Tarkin better - especially since this is one of the novels that Disney has decided is still part of Star Wars canon, and hasn't been wiped clean with much of the EU. 
-Cat

In the Beginning

In The Beginning

Virginia Hamilton

This wonderful collection of creation myths is a book I've had my eye on for a few years now. I rapidly devoured this book, as most of the creation myths are only a page or two, and there are beautiful full-page illustrations throughout. There were a handful of myths I was familiar with, and I think there were only two myths in the entire collection I did not enjoy. Toward the end of the collection, Hamilton presents myths I found very familiar--Greek myths and Judeo-Christian myths. I feel that most readers would be familiar with these tales, so it makes sense to save them for the end of the book, but as I read them I found myself longing for more "original" tales from Africa, from North America, from Russia. Perhaps a second volume of creation myths is necessary; it's one I'd gladly read!

--Mikie


Mikie brought this book to my attention when he added it to our list, and I was really excited to read it. (I actually ordered it months in advance - since we had to have physical copies of this one. With my parents visiting (yay!) I got started reading it after Mikie did, but it went super fast when I started reading it. It was a beautifully written book, and it was really interesting to read all the different creation myths. I agree with Mikie - I found myself enjoying the ones I wasn't familiar with more than the ones I'd been semi-aware of. 
I listen to a podcast called "Myths and Legends" and it's a similar concept - a telling of basic myths and legends from all over the world. I always find these interesting, and I enjoyed reading these ones, too. 
-Cat

Second set of books

We did it! We made it through the first month! We actually ended up part way into February, because we chose to read the sequel to one of the books as well as Adulthood is a Myth, putting us up to 6 books instead of the 4 we had previously selected, but we're actually pretty much on schedule!

The next set of books are:

7. Tarkin, by James Luceno.
                This one was Mikie's pick, the story of the only person who ever seemed to have any real control over Darth Vader. It'll be the first Star Wars novel I've ever read!
This will be the first Star Wars novel I've read in a little more than a decade. I've always been interested in knowing some more about the Imperial side of the Empire. Tarkin might not have made it past Episode IV, but he was a pretty big deal in it. --Mikie

8. Alanna: The First Adventure, by Tamora Pierce
                 Alanna was my pick - I read these books when I was a child, and adored them. They were some of my favorites, and I love rereading them. Alanna was one of my heroes, and I always wanted to be her.

9. Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan
                 Also one of my choices, I've been thinking about reading this book for aaaages - probably since I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson. It sounds ridiculous, and yet wonderful.

10. The Name of the Star, by Maureen Johnson
               Aaaalso one of my picks, Maureen Johnson is not only one of my favourite authors, but also one of my favourite humans. She's wonderful, and I've enjoyed everything she's ever written.


I'm super looking forward to our February selections! If you choose to read any of them with us, let us know what you think, too!

Soon I Will Be Invincible

Soon I Will Be Invincible

Austin Grossman

This book was a big change from Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, but not an unwelcome one. The story is told in first-person from the perspectives of Doctor Impossible, villain extraordinaire, and Fatale, a newcomer to the hero scene. It's really interesting to get an inside look at being a supervillain, as well as a new member of an established and storied superhero team.

Of course, I was drawn to Doctor Impossible from the get-go. He is an interesting character, a supervillain who is trying (again) to take over the world. There is something uplifting in his never-say-die attitude, his constant plotting and scheming. Usually, a villain is the reason we have hope, not the cause. It's an important difference. I found myself thinking fondly of Dr. Horrible (if you don't know who that is we can't be friends anymore), and the comparison is a valid one.

I have had my eye on this book since 2009, and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it. Soon I Will Be Invincible was worth the wait.

--Mikie

This book was super bizarre. I spent a long time wondering where this book was going, and how exactly we would get there. 

I was fascinated by the interactions between the superheroes on the team - rather than being one cohesive unit, they had a lot of personality clashes, and a lot of issues working together, and it was really interesting to read about that kind of a dysfunctional team, rather than a team that (for the most part) worked well together (i.e. Avengers, Justice League). 

The other big draw, for me, was the connections between the superheroes and super-villain (Doctor Impossible), that only Doctor Impossible seemed aware of. They had a shared history that gave their rivalry a different, and more interesting connection. 

This is one that I definitely wouldn't have picked up on my own, but having read it, I really enjoyed it.

--Cat

The next book on our list is In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World, by Virginia Hamilton.