catalyst_a_rogue_one_novelBy James Luceno

Century, out now

Galen Erso; Wilhuff Tarkin; Orson Krennic – three men whose fates are intertwined with the Empire’s greatest weapon…

If you chose to go into Rogue One unspoiled (bar knowing how things pan out in A New Hope), then there were various elements that maybe didn’t fully make sense, particularly with regard to the relationships between the three central figures on the imperial side – Krennic, Tarkin and Erso. James Luceno’s book (plotted with the Star Wars story group) puts a lot of things in perspective and I suspect will make my rewatch of Rogue One clearer.

Luceno is a grand master of the Star Wars literary universe, both in what’s now the Legends line and the rebooted Expanded Universe, and he weaves his tale expertly. The core of the story is Krennic’s attempts to bring Erso on board the development of what will become the Death Star, but we also see the roots of the prickly relationship between Krennic and Tarkin that permeates Rogue One. One of the most interesting elements is the way in which ordinary people in the galaxy far far away are affected by the change from the Republic to the Empire, and the gradual tightening of the latter’s grip on all those in its sights (which doesn’t necessarily mean all those within its own boundaries).

Because of the nature of the story it’s telling, this is a more character-driven book than some in the Star Wars line – it’s not the place to go if you want descriptions of huge battles between X-Wings and TIE fighters. It fleshes out the worlds of the saga, and serves as an excellent complement to Rogue One.

Verdict: An enjoyable explanation of some of the key dynamics in Rogue One. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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