Haruichi
AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:
3 out of 5
(2 books)
TOP PICK:
Star Wars: Leia, Princess Of Alderaan - Vol. 1
Star Wars: Leia, Princess Of Alderaan - Vol. 1
(Art by Haruichi)
The first volume of a Manga adaptation of Claudia Gray's YA novel, set 3 BBY. Turning sixteen, young Princess Leia begins stepping into her role as a member of the Royal House of Alderaan. Beginning her training in politics in the Empire's Apprentice Legislature and undertaking humanitarian missions to disadvantaged worlds, Leia begins to see the evil the Empire represents. Frustrated at her parents' apparent indifference, Leia takes it upon herself to begin investigating rumours of rebellion against the rule of the Emperor.
It took me a little while to get into the book, with the early stages being a bit too childish and cartoonish for my tastes. However, it soon became clear that this was a deliberate choice used to show Leia's growth from the sheltered and pampered world of her childhood out into a larger and more dangerous galaxy.
This isn't going to set anyone's world alight (bad-taste Alderaanian pun intended) but it's a nice exploration of how a Princess became a politician and how that politician started on the path to rebellion. Also, I particularly enjoyed the tension of Leia's first meeting with Grand Moff Tarkin.
3 out of 5
Star Wars: Leia, Princess Of Alderaan - Vol. 2
(Art by Haruichi)
3 BBY. The second part of the Manga adaptation of Claudia Gray's novel see Leia discovering that her parents are heavily involved in the growing rebellion against the Empire. Despite their efforts to keep her out of the conflict, Leia's own nature pulls her further into it as she visits a moon of Naboo.
One of the interesting things this book (and the novel it adapts) does is explore the moral conundrums of characters who are diplomats from peaceful worlds but who are coming to realise that the Empire will not be overthrown without violence. This point is made particularly strongly here in the scene where Leia negotiates concessions from Imperial Moff Panaka (formerly Captain Panaka, of Episode I fame) only for him to be targeted by the violent extremists of Saw Gerrera's Partisans. I enjoyed seeing a young Leia trying to find where the moral high ground could be amid such a conflict.
This book's biggest failing is that it doesn't really have much in the way of a climax or conclusion, ending on a 'To be continued...' which is made worse by the fact that in the (currently) two years since this was published, there's no sign of the English version of Volume 3.
3 out of 5
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