Genres
Description
�THAT�S NO MOON.� �Obi-Wan Kenobi The Death Star�s name says it all, with bone-chilling accuracy. It is a virtual world unto itself�equipped with uncanny power for a singularly brutal purpose: to obliterate entire planets in the blink of an eye. Its annihilation of the planet Alderaan, at the merciless command of Grand Moff Tarkin, lives in infamy. And its own ultimate destruction, at the hands of Luke Skywalker, is the stuff of legend. But what is the whole story, and who are the players, behind the creation of this world-killing satellite of doom? The near extermination of the Jedi order cleared the way for Palpatine�power-hungry Senator and Sith Lord�to seize control of the Republic, declare himself Emperor, and usher in a fearsome, totalitarian regime. But even with the dreaded Darth Vader enforcing Palpatine�s sinister will, the threat of rebellion still looms. And the Emperor knows that only abject fear�and the ability to punish dissent with devastating consequences�can ensure his unchallenged control of the galaxy. Enter ambitious and ruthless government official Wilhuff Tarkin, architect of the Emperor�s terrifying dream come true. From inception to completion, construction of the unprecedented Death Star is awash in the intrigues, hidden agendas, unexpected revelations, and daring gambits of those involved on every level. The brightest minds and boldest egos, the most ambitious and corrupt, the desperate and the devious, all have a stake in the Death Star�and its potential to control the fate of the galaxy. Soldiers and slaves, loyalists and Rebels, spies and avengers, the innocent and the evil�all their paths and fates will cross and intertwine as the Death Star moves from its maiden voyage to its final showdown. And a shadowy chapter of Star Wars history is stunningly illuminated in a thrilling, unforgettable adventure. Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star WarsStar Wars books of the last thirty years!.… (more)
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2007-10-16
Physical description
448 p.; 6.67 inches
Publication
Random House Worlds (2008), Edition: Reprint, 448 pages
Pages
448
ISBN
034547743X / 9780345477439
Library's review
The novel is not bad, but it's not great, either. The new characters are -- with a decent exception or two -- largely forgettable tropes (the ace fighter pilot, the attractive bartender, the conscripted surgeon, etc.), and the established ones ring slightly off to me. Particularly Tarkin is not
I was hoping for a political thriller about the creation of the galaxy's most horrific invention, and instead I got a street-level-view of said invention's launch and demise. But it's decent, and once the novel hit the halfway point, it picked up a lot of steam carrying through to the end, which I enjoy as a reader.
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quite as I know him from the films and cartoons -- though in fairness, this might be due to established EU personality traits I'm not aware of. Vader is better, though his sections suffer from the bending over backwards to make sense of his actions and dialogue in light of both the prequel films and the vast EU continuity largely grown before those films were made. I was hoping for a political thriller about the creation of the galaxy's most horrific invention, and instead I got a street-level-view of said invention's launch and demise. But it's decent, and once the novel hit the halfway point, it picked up a lot of steam carrying through to the end, which I enjoy as a reader.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member uvula_fr_b4
A painless, mostly entertaining read that stitches together the first-released Star Wars movie (once called simply Star Wars but now titled, more cumbersomely, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) and some of the previously published novels (particularly those featuring Admiral Daala, the retconned
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lover of Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin), Death Star manages to shoehorn in some allusions to the outgoing administration of "Bush 43" a bit less clumsily than George Lucas did with his most recent trilogy of films (particularly in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith) as well as fill in enough of the Death Star's back-story as an object and a habitat as to make it seem more than the MacGuffin it served as in Episode IV. If the characters and situations aren't developed as fully as one might wish, well, this is the Star Wars sandbox we're playing in, and one should remember how tight and arbitrary Lucas's control is over any piece of fiction set in it. Reaves and Perry had a thankless task in straddling a purely Saturday matinee/comic book modality with a slightly more adult viewpoint (the architect and political prisoner Teela Kaarz, plucked off of the prison planet of Despayre [and oh, what a Kirbyesque, New Gods-ish name that is...] to work on modifying the non-military interiors of the Death Star, gives herself several justifications for aiding the Empire that "almost" convince her; p. 63), and it is to their credit that they succeeded as much as they did. That said, Death Star is apt to at least faintly disappoint hardcore Star Wars geeks as much as it does the more casual fans, albeit for different reasons. Show Less
LibraryThing member jonwwil
I enjoyed this book more than I have any Star Wars novel for quite some time. Actually, once I got into it, I had a hard time putting it down.
Generally speaking, the story tracks a wide range of characters who play roles, however minor, in the development and construction of the Death Star. The
I also think the book does a pretty good job of conveying the sheer scale of the project, both in terms of the logistics involved and the effect it would have on the galaxy and the individuals involved in the day-to-day operations.
Oh, and there's a pretty solid dose of Darth Vader, too, which is never a bad thing. All in all, this is just a fun read.
Generally speaking, the story tracks a wide range of characters who play roles, however minor, in the development and construction of the Death Star. The
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characters are pretty interesting, and they're likable even when it seems like maybe they shouldn't be.I also think the book does a pretty good job of conveying the sheer scale of the project, both in terms of the logistics involved and the effect it would have on the galaxy and the individuals involved in the day-to-day operations.
Oh, and there's a pretty solid dose of Darth Vader, too, which is never a bad thing. All in all, this is just a fun read.
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LibraryThing member thpomer
This book was described as "Learn the truth behind the convoluted history of the Death Star and the personalities that led to its creation." A better description would be "Learn how the huge moon-sized battle station was built in just months, and then what happened to a bunch of people who were
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stationed on it during the events of Episode IV" It wasn't a bad book, but it was not what I had been hoping for. Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
I enjoy seeing stories from different view-points so this was a fun read. What I liked most about the book was the aftermath of the destruction of Alderaan. In the movies there isn't much time (obviously) spent on grieving for the planet and its inhabitants. In this book there were some poignant
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scenes of grief and shock. All the more meaningful because they took place on the Death Star. Like the best fiction, this served to point out that people end up on the wrong end of things all the time, not because they support evil, but just get in the way of those who do. Show Less
LibraryThing member johncstark
Good story. Really fills in the back story surrounding "A New Hope" the first Star Wars movie. Actual dialog from the first movie is in this book's timeline.
LibraryThing member qarae
Death Star begins slightly prior to where Star Wars: Return of the Jedi begins, prior to the Death Star plans being stolen, from the Empire's point of view. While the idea of such a story line sounds intreguing, I found the writing very dry. As if I was reading about the event directly from the
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official report. Show Less
LibraryThing member brazilnut72
What happened on the Death Star while the events shown in the Star Wars movie were taking place? This book takes you into the lives of key characters--some well known from the films, others smaller bit players--and shows life from the perspective of those who were living on the largest weapon ever
This was my first foray into one of the books surrounding the Star Wars film series. It will not be my last.
Of course you can look to find the normal dualism found in the movies, but the storytelling is crisp, to the point, and very effective. I especially like the authors' way of starting out with apparently unrelated characters and events, and bringing them together for a dramatic climactic ending.
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created in that "galaxy far far away".This was my first foray into one of the books surrounding the Star Wars film series. It will not be my last.
Of course you can look to find the normal dualism found in the movies, but the storytelling is crisp, to the point, and very effective. I especially like the authors' way of starting out with apparently unrelated characters and events, and bringing them together for a dramatic climactic ending.
Show Less
LibraryThing member koalamom
We all know the story behind the original Star Wars - A New Hope. This book lets you in on what was happening to the people and other beings on the Death Star itself before Luke took it out. Not everyone on the Death Star was there voluntarily, nor did they like what Vader did.
LibraryThing member Carl_Alves
Death Star was an enjoyable tale that was sort of prequel, but also ran concurrently to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The novel centers around the construction of the original Death Star. Grand Moff Tarkin shares the stage along with Darth Vader as the main villains in the novel. Vader is
The book starts with the introduction of an eclectic group of characters including the owner of a cantina, an escaped prisoner, and a fighter pilot. Their lives run concurrently, and for a time, it didn't readily appear how they were going to figure in the outcome, but eventually their story lines melded. I enjoyed the weaving in of these new characters and a new storyline into the existing plot of A New Hope. It was pretty seamless and the backstory added depth to the story. On top of that, I found the writing to be very professional and competent. If you enjoy sci-fi and Star Wars, then this is something that you will want to read.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
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involved periferally at first before taking the main stage.The book starts with the introduction of an eclectic group of characters including the owner of a cantina, an escaped prisoner, and a fighter pilot. Their lives run concurrently, and for a time, it didn't readily appear how they were going to figure in the outcome, but eventually their story lines melded. I enjoyed the weaving in of these new characters and a new storyline into the existing plot of A New Hope. It was pretty seamless and the backstory added depth to the story. On top of that, I found the writing to be very professional and competent. If you enjoy sci-fi and Star Wars, then this is something that you will want to read.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street
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LibraryThing member Shirezu
This book finally sheds some light on the discussion from "Clerks". What about all the innocents on the Death Star? This book follows a selection of people who all end up on the Death Star - civilian contractors, prisoners, conscripted staff, soldiers, etc. - and follows them from the start of
It wasn't a bad book by any means but it was nothing illuminating either. It was interesting to see what was going on around scenes from "A New Hope" but it needed something more.
The quality of Star Wars novels has really dropped these last couple years.
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building right up to the climactic (but well known) finale.It wasn't a bad book by any means but it was nothing illuminating either. It was interesting to see what was going on around scenes from "A New Hope" but it needed something more.
The quality of Star Wars novels has really dropped these last couple years.
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LibraryThing member VincentDarlage
Not what I expected or hoped for. Uninteresting characters who manage to unrealistically escape the explosion.