After you see TFA, pick up this handy collection of three short stories. Anyone who has questioned Rey's skills as a pilot or her abilities to repair and rebuild items will very much appreciate the back story.

This is a "must read" for those who want more following Star Wars: The Force Awakens.Warning: general film-related spoilers follow.The book is divided into three stories providing background on the three new main protagonists.Finn (52 pages) - 2.5 stars - While this look into Finn's (or FN-2187's) stormtrooper training has its moments of poignancy, I really dislike how it takes away from Finn's "Everyman" status. The story explains away his admitted work in sanitation on Starkiller Base by expla...

3.5 stars.Light and action-filled and fun, this provides a bit of backstory and a bit of info on what Rey, Finn and Poe were up to before they collided together. We find out how Finn, though a good storm trooper, was also not a good storm trooper. We find out how Rey became such a good pilot while stuck on Jakku. And though we already know Poe's charismatic and a good pilot, we get to see more of this. And Leia shows up, being smart and on the job and sending Poe on missions.

"I'm not Resistance. I'm not a hero. I'm a stormtrooper. Like all of them, I was taken from a family I'll never know. And raised to do one thing. But my first battle, I made a choice. I wasn't gonna kill for them. So I ran. Right into you. And you looked at me like no one ever had. I was ashamed of what I was. But I'm done with the First Order. I'm never going back." - Finn"We've got friends out there. They'll come if they know there's hope. They will. First Order wins by making us think we're a...

I mean, nothing reallly happened, but I loved this a lot. Also maybe I'm just still overflowing with Star Wars emotions, but I totally cried in all 3 sections. Poe's definitely was the meatiest, which seemed fitting. Now I just want to see the movie again as soon as possible.

"Before the Awakening" is a baffling read that makes you wonder whether Greg Rucka only read the script for The Force Awakens or watched an early version of the movie when he wrote the novel.Many things don't match the information we were given in the movie. Finn's character, in particular, is a bit of a paradox. In the movie he used to work in sanitation and while clearly capable and full of qualities, it's hard to match the image of the men who bantered, shouted and ran when saving the univers...

Last night I finished Star Wars: Before the Awakening, which is a prequel to The Force Awakens and is officially in the canon of the Star Wars universe. It looks like it's written for a younger audience (compared to many past EU novels seeming to be solely for adult readers), but any age will enjoy this book. The print is a bit larger because of this, making this a fast read that I just devoured.This book is split into three sections, each one telling the story of the three main characters leadi...

This book had a lot of things going for it when I saw it at the book store: (1) My deep love of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and all its wondrous flaws(2) My love of expanded universes and a desire to return to the first expanded universe I've ever loved.(3) Greg Rucka(4) Poe DameronSo, I bought it. Unquestioningly, and read it all while my artist completed my new tattoo. It is a quick read, with large print and young protagonists that drop this book into the young adult category, but it can, of...

This is the kind of quality content I'm here for. Big-hearted Finn killing it in stormtrooper training while also trying to help his friend? (And more Phasma than the movie?) CHECK. 70ish heartbreaking and beautiful pages of my favorite thing from TFA: Rey's day-to-day life on Jakku? CHECK. Poe piloting adventures with a heavy dose of General Leia? (Plus finally a clear explanation of the relationship between the Republic and the Resistance?) CHECK. Phil Noto illustrations? CHECK. I didn't think...

3.5 StarsAll right so, I've developed a bit of a Star Wars obsession over the past few months. Normally I don't read book spin-off of movies or whatever, but ... I had a few hours to kill at the library and I found this book and I was like, "Well, why not." I was curious to find out more about the protagonists of The Force Awakens and this looked like a quick and fun read.This book is comprised of three short stories about each of the three main characters: Finn, Rey, and Poe. I didn't go into t...

After two stories that are fairly forgettable (Finn, Rey) the book really kicks it up a notch when we get to Poe's story. Just so much more action with it feeling like something actually happens! Either that or I'm a sucker for a story with a good old space dog-fight...Finn: 2.5 StormtroopersRey: 2 Scavengers (view spoiler)[Probably should say force sensitive Scavengers although that might spoil it for those that may not have seen the movie yet. Is there anyone out there that hasn't? Oh yes, tho...

WARNING! This review contains some minor spoilers from both the book and TFA movie. It was a lovely short read. I was hoping for more information but I guess I'll have to wait 4 more years until most of my questions are answered. The book itself is separated in three parts, each telling the story of the new main characters of Star Wars. Finn's story was most interesting cause for me he was the most complicated character of the film. Not because of some complexity of his personality but because o...

Three short stories, each starring one of the new Big Three, showing some of their lives before the movie. Yes, it's a YA take, but I'm so deeply in love with all three of these characters that I was just happy to see more of them. As far as the quality of the actual stories themselves go, they're all fairly good. I think Poe's was probably the more interesting me, because I love X-Wing pilots so, so much, and because it does shed a bit more light on the relationship between the First Order, the...

After seeing the film the inevitable need to buy all things star wars just happens, luckily though this was a really good read and it is well worth picking up. It's three stories focusing on finn, rey and poe, yes you should see the movie first because you'll have a better appreciation of the characters but i don't think it spoils the movie there's no spoilers or clues here as to what goes down in the film or any hints for future spoilers, so take your chances. Rey's story was my fave it's so g...

Finished this in one sitting. Quite interesting tales on the three main new characters in The Force Awakens. Think of it like a mini *ahem prequel to the blockbuster. Poe's story is really exciting, full of hyperspace jumps, TIEs and obviously, dogfights.

"The Force Awakens" has reinvigorated my interest in Star Wars fiction of all kinds. (I've long since given up trying to rectify the EU and the "New Canon", and am enjoying both on their own merits.)Is this as good as the "Thrawn Trilogy" of the "Darth Bane" trilogy? Of course not.But it does fill us in on the lives of the primary new cast before the movie begins. And that's enough for me with this book. (I think I could easily grow to love the new characters as much as the older characters, esp...

Both Finn's and Rey's stories were great, but Poe's was kinda boring.

Enlightening reading in some topics This an anthology featuring three short stories, each focused on three most relevant new heroes, introduced on the film “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens”. The three stories are set previous to the events where the film begins.My general rating for the book is an average result of the individual ratings on each short story. FINN Rating: *** ( 3 stars )FN-2187 was his designation as a proud stormtrooper cader in a promising career in the rising F

So all the Star Wars books I ordered from my library back in December are finally coming in. It's gonna be like a mini-onslaught of Star Wars books here for a bit. I probably won't give any of them a full review. This one came out the day the movie was released because they didn't want any character backstory spoilers ruining the movie. I find this hilarious because back in the day, you could buy the novelization for a Star Wars movie and know the plot before you even saw it.Before the Awakening...

For a book that's supposed to chronicle the "days, weeks, months" leading up to the events of The Force Awakens, this book does a bit of a disservice to Rey. The chapter detailing her backstory is overly long and - frankly - flat out boring; it doesn't really tell us anything about her, doesn't give us a true sense of who she is aside from someone who is good at scavenging, building stuff, and waiting (all character traits that were clear in the movie).Finn and Poe's chapters give us motivations...