Well, I just finished of Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston.
The story bridges some of the gap from the point where she jumps out of the
Clone Wars animated series and reappears in Rebels. To say the least, Ahsoka
has been pretty busy. To put in bluntly, the book serves fans well. The focus
on the former Jedi Padawan as a main character has really been too long in
coming, and these 350 or so pages really help round out the character. In case
you are wondering, there will be no spoilers here so read on with little fear.
(that would be the Dark Side)
The story catches up with Ahsoka shortly after her
abandonment of the Jedi Order, which as many already know came at pretty much the
right time, as Order 66 pretty much caused the death of every Jedi in the
galaxy. What Johnston demonstrates several times throughout the story is the
pull Anakin Skywalker’s former pupil still feels for the Jedi despite not technically
being one. Got to say, I’m not a fan of the storyline that saw Ahsoka tossed
from the Clone Wars series, but I can respect someone’s vision. I don’t have to
agree with it either.
That being said, Ahsoka Tano has other things to do. After
pretty much growing up in some pretty big shadows, the young girl has found
herself questioning any number of things. Since she’s not a Jedi, exactly what
is she supposed to do? Johnston decides to give her something worthy of her
skills. The story explains just enough of what happened to help any reader
unfamiliar with the character understand exactly what is going on. That’s a
pretty impressive feat for any author, and let’s face it, the Star Wars fans
are not always forgiving when it comes to messing around with characters.
The one issue with the book might center on pacing. I kind
of felt like I was waiting for something to happen in a few cases, which was
strange because there was plenty actually going on just nothing that particularly,
interested me. I wonder if this story could have been done as six or ten issue
limited series in the comic book world where some incredible art could have
accompanied a fabulous story with a familiar face. Well, maybe Marvel and Disney
will get together on that.
What seems readily apparent is that Ahsoka has the ability
to carry a story by herself. Hard to imagine that many did not like her when
she first appeared, but her quick wit and pretty much fearless banter have
helped endear her to a generation of fans. The character has come a long way,
and with the Star Wars Universe going back through to dot the i’s and cross the
t’s, I would not be totally shocked to see Ahsoka Tano pop up again.
Star Wars: Ahsoka is definitely worth the time. It’s not a
hard read, and it’s a pretty entertaining affair. Give it a chance, and never
forget the words of Master Yoda “Do or Do not, there is no try.”
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