Rosenberg, Matthew
AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:
3 out of 5
(2 books)
TOP PICK:
The New Mutants: Dead Souls
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - Dark Temple
(Art by Paolo Villanelli and Ruairi Coleman)
14 BBY. The Imperial Inquisitor known as the Second Sister arrives on the planet Ontotho and enters a mysterious temple there. The story then flashes back to the days of the Republic when Jedi Master Eno Cordova and Padawan Cere Junda find themselves on Ontotho, where the selfsame temple is at the heart of an impending war.
As a tie-in to the computer game 'Jedi Fallen Order', I was really looking forward to reading this book, having enjoyed the game immensely. Unfortunately it turned out to be a pretty big disappointment.
One of the best elements of the game was the character of the Second Sister, genuinely one of the best new Star Wars antagonists of recent years, and this book starts really strongly with her going into battle alongside Imperial troops. Unfortunately, the Second Sister's story here is purely a framing mechanism that is short and, largely, pointless. Instead the majority of the book is taken up by the story of Cere and Master Cordova, which is sadly much less engaging.
The problem with the Cere/Cordova storyline is that much of it is too-well worn territory for Jedi stories, with them caught between two sides of a conflict in which neither side can be entirely trusted (honestly, it's the plot of about half of the Jude Watson 'Jedi Apprentice' books). It's cliche masquerading as complexity. It wouldn't be so bad if were really learned anything significant about these two supporting characters from the game, but that's not the case. Even the titular dark temple, which has direct links to the plot of the game, never actually gets explored or explained.
Considering my high-hopes for this story, it was a real shame that it turned out to be shallow and predictable, and frankly didn't add anything to the game it ties into.
2 out of 5
The New Mutants: Dead Souls
(Art by Adam Gorham)
Working for the Hitachi Corporation, the New Mutants (Magik, Wolfsbane, Strong Guy, Rictor and Boom-Boom) are sent to investigate supernatural occurrences worldwide. However, distrust is rife within the team, not least because Magik refuses to tell her teammates what their true mission is and there are secrets which not even she is yet aware of.
I've always liked the New Mutants, probably due to having been a child in the 80s just like they were, and I love the idea of them being the X-team sent to investigate supernatural goings on, what with Magik being the team leader and them also having a literal werewolf. Rosenberg gives them a really engaging team dynamic too, with plenty of tension and distrust among them which slowly gives way to a stronger bond.
Magik is absolutely the most interesting element on offer here, as she tries to be a leader whilst also remaining aloof and detached. The scenes where she has to deal with the death of a teammate were some truly great character moments which perfectly carry forward into the story after that point. She's a great mix of naive and world-weary, which could also be used to describe almost all of this particular team.
Plus, if you need more of a hook; zombies, frost giants, Mindless Ones and demons.
4 out of 5