Like many others, I wasn't as interested in reading Carrie Fisher's book until she passed at the end of December. Since I am always interested in reading diaries (one of my favorite books is The Reagan Diaries), I thought this must be of interest. Before the book came out in October, I remember being less than impressed with Carrie Fisher revealing her affair with Harrison Ford (then married to his first wife) while they were on the set of Star Wars. I thought it was tacky and tasteless for her to do so while both Harrison Ford and his first wife were still living. It turns out, that if she had not revealed the affair in this book, the secret would have likely died with her.
The book is a bit weird. I've never read Carrie Fisher's writings before, and so I was unfamiliar with her style. It was very stream-of-conscious, which I have enjoyed in novels like The Road and Blindness but found confusing in what was supposed to be autobiographical. Also, there were times it seems Ms. Fisher was an unreliable narrator, acting like she couldn't quite remember how certain conversations go but speculating on them nevertheless. It turns out only about 60 pages of the 250 page book were her writings from the time the first Star Wars movie was in production. The rest is just lead up and aftermath. Obviously, there are times when Ms. Fisher mentions how she wants to be remembered when she dies, the effects of getting old, getting things on paper before she dies, but of course write as someone who had no idea how quickly death was coming for her. At the end, in her acknowledgements, she tells her mom how happy that she is still around and chastises her for an apparent recent health scare. She was never to know that her mom would pass the very next day after Carrie died. An interesting book for those who are interested in the making of Star Wars and want to read something juicy about beloved movie stars. I was less than impressed with her affair, and more interested in how she was doing in those last few years before she died.
St. Charles City - County Library District is ready to Conquer the MO Book Challenge!
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Before the Awakening / Greg Rucka / 216 pgs
After having finished The Force Awakens companion novel a couple of weeks ago, I got my hands on this nice little book. It is comprised of three short stories, each featuring a main character from the movie/book. Finn's story is of his time as a Stormtrooper cadet, his rise in the ranks, and his friendship with three other Stormtrooper cadets. You get a feel for when he begins to have conflicts between the orders of Captain Phasma and his conscience. In Rey's story, you discover how she became such a good pilot and her harsh life on Jakku. In Poe's story, you learn how he meets General Leia Organa and goes on pursuit for information that will lead to Luke Skywalker. I definitely recommend for anyone who wants to become more immersed in this new Star Wars universe. The stories keep the continuity of the movie/novel, which is super important to me. The stories are quick. I would definitely call this light reading, so it's a perfect book for the summer.
Luke Skywalker Can't Read and Other Geeky Truths / Ryan Britt / 224 pgs
This book of geeky essays talks about a myriad of different subjects from the apparent functional illiteracy of the Star Wars Universe, to the huge use of literature in the Star Trek Universe, to the sexual awakening from watching Barbarella. I will complain that the shortest essay was about my fan favorite, Doctor Who, with just a quick little talk about kicking depression while watching a Doctor Who marathon on Netflix (of course, now, one must have Amazon Prime to do that). I really enjoyed the book and hope the author comes out with a Part 2 once the new Star Wars trilogy is finished.
***Beware*** This book is not for the gentle reader. There's quite a few F Bombs dropped and talk about sex, pornography, etc.
***Beware*** This book is not for the gentle reader. There's quite a few F Bombs dropped and talk about sex, pornography, etc.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
The Force Awakens / Alan Dean Foster / 260 pgs
If you haven't already seen the movie, I'll try not to give anything away. In the first Star Wars canon book/movie in 10 years, we learn that the Rebels now have a new dark sinister government organization to fight against. From the ashes of the Empire, the First Order has arisen. Luke Skywalker is missing, and a very large weapon that makes the Death Star look like a picnic is almost operational. New characters like Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, and BB-8 are introduced, and old favorites like Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Leia are back.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. Besides doing a great job with the voices by the narrator, there were background noises and music which gave it a radio drama feel that I appreciated.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. Besides doing a great job with the voices by the narrator, there were background noises and music which gave it a radio drama feel that I appreciated.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Star Wars: The Princess, The Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy / Alexandra Bracken / 317 pgs
Highly recommended to get your kiddo ready for the next Star Wars movie. Or, if they are already a fan of Star Wars this easy read would be a great way to introduce them to novels.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)