Review: Resistance Reborn (Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) by Rebecca Roanhorse

Rating: 7.5/10

Synopsis

The heroes of the Resistance must fight back from the edge of the oblivion in this pivotal prequel to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The Resistance is in ruins. In the wake of their harrowing escape from Crait, what was once an army has been reduced to a handful of wounded heroes. Finn, Poe, Rey, Rose, Chewbacca, Leia Organa — their names are famous among the oppressed worlds they fight to liberate. But names can only get you so far, and Leia’s last desperate call for aid has gone unanswered.

From jungles of Ryloth to the shipyards of Corellia, the shadow of the First Order looms large, and those with the bravery to face the darkness are scattered and isolated. If hope is to survive, the Resistance must journey throughout the galaxy, seeking out more leaders – including those who, in days gone by, helped a nascent rebellion tripple an empire. Battles will be fought, alliances will be forged, and the Resistance will be reborn.

Review

Thanks to PRH Audio, the author, and the narrator for a listening copy of Resistance Reborn (Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this LC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

First off, can we talk about how amazing Marc Thompson is as a narrator for the Star Wars franchise? He absolutely nails Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron in this one, almost as if Isaac popped into the studio for a time to record his parts. On top of that, even his Leia Organa, Finn, and Rey voiceovers were pretty top notch, capturing all of the energy, tics, tones, etc. each of the characters exhibit in the movies. He does so with gusto, perfectly pacing each section to give a movie-like quality to the audiobook. You know, on top of getting the usual sound effects and music these recordings are known for.

This was my first Rebecca Roanhorse novel, though I do have the first two (2) books in her Sixth World series queued up now that I have taken a chance on her, and I can say that I really enjoyed her introduction into the Star Wars universe, especially since she was able to take the characters we know and love from the new trilogy and help piece together their story between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. I think it is so neat that a fairly well known author, on her own right, has the opportunity to gain an even bigger audience by writing in a galaxy that is universally well-regarded and voraciously sought after.

Roanhorse is able to truly capture these characters and bring them to life via the written word, and it is almost as if you can watch the scenes unfold. All of the mannerisms, snark, attitudes, and so forth that we are used to seeing on the big screen are here, including the mysteriousness of Maz Kanata. I thought the author also did a great job stringing together multiple, we will call them storylines, but really they are separate “missions” told in subsequent chapters that all tie together at the end in a neat little bow.

Resistance Reborn is really a Poe Dameron redemption story. It is his opportunity to make up for his reckless actions in The Last Jedi by basically doing whatever task Organa bestows upon him. But if you have journeyed alongside Poe up to this point, you know he is hardest on himself and will do anything to help the Resistance.

If you are a big fan of Star Wars, I’d recommend Resistance Reborn, especially if you enjoy this cast of characters and would like some of the loose-ties from The Last Jedi to be a little tighter.