Review: Leia, Princess of Alderaan
Quick Summary
Pros: The main narrative balances excitement and emotion very well. The depiction of Leia is well done and is great to see. The entire book helps expand the lore surrounding the time between the Prequel Trilogy and the Original Trilogy.
Cons: The narrative relies on chance and luck a bit too often.
Overall: This is an enjoyable book that offers a lot to Star Wars fans. This book has its fair share of thrills, intrigue, and meaningful character moments, enough to make for an entertaining story on its own. However, it also provides a fantastic depiction of Princess Leia and generally expands the lore behind Star Wars. This book could appeal to any Star Wars fan but will specifically appeal to fans of Leia or readers who want to learn about the Rebel Alliance’s very early days.
Story
Leia, Princess of Alderaan, by Claudia Gray, is a solid book on its own, a wonderful showcase for Leia as a character, and a great complement to other Star Wars works.
As an individual story, Leia, Princess of Alderaan has a lot going for it. The main narrative manages to blend science fiction-style action, political intrigue, and a coming of age story together in a way that works. The narrative is able to easily jump from thrills and excitement to deep levels of emotion. The variation is nice to experience and keeps things interesting. There are times when it feels like the story relies on chance a bit too often but, overall, this narrative is highly enjoyable.
In addition to being a fun read, this entire book works as a wonderful showcase for Princess Leia. Readers get to learn about her history, the struggles of her past, and her early days within the fight against the Empire. However, they also see her grow as an individual. This book’s focus on a younger Leia gives a better appreciation for the Leia we see in the movies.
In this same way, Leia, Princess of Alderaan is a great complement to other Star Wars properties. The story gives the reader an in depth look at Alderaan, its culture, and its people. This makes the events of A New Hope far more meaningful and more tragic. It also gives a picture of the state of the Empire in between the Prequel Trilogy and the Original Trilogy. This gives further justification for the Rebel cause while also allowing readers to see some of the group’s early days. In general, this book expands the lore behind Star Wars in a great way.
Continuity
Star Wars: Leia, Princess of Alderaan takes place before the events of Episode IV- A New Hope and long after the events of Episode III- Revenge of the Sith.
This book also makes a few references to other Star Wars works:
- Tarkin briefly mentions his history with Emperor Palpatine. This is expanded upon in Star Wars: Tarkin (Review).
- The box from the conclusion of this book appears again in Star Wars: Bloodline (Review).