August 2016 – Bria LaVorgna

Waru Express: Wraith Squadron

August 31, 2016August 30, 2016BriaLeave a comment

Only books I adore get sticky-noted like this

I love Wraith Squadron. There are not enough words in any of the languages I know to properly express how much I love the Wraiths and these three books. Reading these has never been anything less than a joy and I have strong emotional attachments to these characters. Heads up, there’s going to be a lot of gushing in this post. There are also going to be a lot of rambling emotions in this post. If you want proper reviews of the X-Wing books, go read the retrospectives the rest of the Tosche Station staff wrote last year. Yes, there will be more flailing and emotions than in the Shatterpoint and Revenge of the Sith reviews. Brace yourselves. Continue reading →

Waru Express: Rogue Squadron

August 25, 2016August 18, 2016BriaLeave a comment

I’ve finally reached the first batch of X-Wing books and there was much rejoicing! Obviously we here at Tosche Station are very pro-X-Wing books and I always enjoy getting to read them again. So sit back and enjoy me gushing about the first four books focused on the flyboys and flygirls of Rogue Squadron as they do the impossible which is absolutely what they do best.

Rogue Squadron
I love these books. I really do. But WOW IS CORRAN HORN AN ARROGANT PAIN IN THE BUTT in this book. I do like him as a character especially with some of the character development he’s gotten over the years but he is infuriating to read about in this book. The arrogance and the monologuing do get a bit old after awhile. At least I know he gets better. Corran will always have some of that arrogance because that’s just who he is and I appreciate that but it’s at an all time high here. (Editor’s Note: NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR DEAD DAD, CORRAN.)

I do enjoy reading this book though because it’s a solid read that offers both a good story and some great characters. It simultaneously tells the story of the squadron’s reassembly and also sets up the overarching plot for the next three books. (Editor’s Note: But it’s also the weakest of Stackpole’s initial Rogue run.)

With the exception of certain arrogant Corellian and a certain Bacta Queen-who-was-clearly-a-traitor-the-whole-time-in-retrospect, the characters are rather enjoyable! (Okay, maybe I was a little harsh grouping Corran with Erisi there. That was mean, I’m sorry, Corran.) I always love getting a chance to look into Wedge Antilles’s head and Stackpole does such a good job of it. I also enjoyed getting to meet such great characters like Tycho Celchu, Mirax Terrik, and Gavin Darklighter. Poor Tycho though. Like his backstory wasn’t already tragic enough without adding in the ‘he might be a traitor’ thing. At least Mirax gets to balance it out by being sassy. Continue reading →

Waru Express: After Endor

August 18, 2016BriaLeave a comment

The Waru Express is moving once more! Did you miss my weekly descent into madness? (Editor’s Note: Probably should’ve taken more than a week off but oh well.) I return to my journey through the Star Wars universe with the two books that take place right after the Battle of Endor. The Empire defeated just because the Death Star blew up again and some people tore down some statues? Hardly! (Editor’s Note: I’m amused that this has stayed true in the new canon.)

The Truce at Bakura
It may not make my Top Ten list but I definitely enjoy reading Truce at Bakura every time I pick it up. It’s a fun read that could work quite well as a starting point for a new reader to the Expanded Universe. Even though the Rebels and the Empire have a very tentative truce against a common enemy, it still has a very Star Wars feel to it. It feels like the logical next part of our heroes’ adventures. The more I think about it, the more I like that Kathy Tyers chose to write an immediate sequel but had them facing a different enemy while simultaneously having to keep an eye on the Empire. Continue reading →

Waru Express: Return of the Jedi

August 11, 2016August 2, 2016BriaLeave a comment

I’ve finally made it through the Battle of Endor. The Emperor is dead, the Rebels have won, huzzah! (Cue everyone who knows otherwise laughing hysterically.) Cue me also laughing hysterically because even though I’ve read through thousands of chronological years in the Expanded Universe, I’ve still only read 45 out of 130 books on my list. Send help. Please? Editor’s Note: The internet’s response was basically this:

Tales of the Bounty Hunters
“Bounty Hunters. We don’t need that scum.” WELL SAID ADMIRAL PIETT.

Okay, okay, I jest. Mostly. This book is actually something that I would like to see more of in the Expanded Universe albeit with different characters and I’m thrilled we’ll be getting it with the digital novellas. It’s five stories of about 70 pages each and they are essentially character studies for each bounty hunter. If we could get these about members of Rogue and Wraith Squadron, I’ll be happy. (Have you figured out my preferred characters yet? If you have, you’ve probably also figured out my cunning plan to talk about my desire for more Rogue/Wraith short stories until Del Rey notices.) Continue reading →

Unboxing the Loot4Fangirls Box

August 10, 2016August 18, 2016BriaLeave a comment

I recently decided to treat myself and get the Loot4Fangirls box; my very first Loot Crate! Due to moving, it’s been chilling on the kitchen table for the past week or so. When I floated the silly (I thought) idea of doing an unboxing video, people on Twitter seemed receptive. So here we are! My very first unboxing video and my very first YouTube video ever. Enjoy!

Strength from Wash-outs and Misfits

August 7, 2016BriaLeave a comment

It’s been four years to the day since Star Wars fans were lucky enough to get not only a new X-Wing book but also a new book about Wraith Squadron. (Interestingly enough, if the first Wraith Squadron book were a person, it’d be preparing to go off to college right around now.) Star Wars: X-Wing: Mercy Kill was a wonderful book from the last years of the Legends universe that brought a lot of us back to the Star Wars fandom after we’d drifted away when our favorite characters were forced through some unfortunate plot lines. In fact, if you were to go aaaaaaall the way back, you’d see that a review of Mercy Kill was my very first contribution to Tosche Station and how I accidentally started writing for them. The X-Wing books have always been a lot more than that though. They were the basis of friendships, they were the foundation of many a sense of humor, and they brought of a heck of a lot of pure joy to people’s lives. The Wraiths though… well, let’s just say that the Wraiths have been so much more to me. Continue reading →

Waru Express: The Empire Strikes Back

August 4, 2016August 2, 2016BriaLeave a comment

A Very Zahn New Year definitely helped make this project go much faster. Except for the part where I drank my way through a certain book. That’s right, folks, you get another spam of my face via reaction pictures.

Scoundrels

(Editor’s Note: Okay look. I cheated when I did this the first time. Or maybe I didn’t so much cheat as I didn’t reeeeally include Scoundrels in the Waru because I wrote a proper review for it. Short version of the review is that I loved the hell out of Solo’s Eleven and not just because my girl Winter or because Kell Tainer was in it. It kept me turning the page once I got it on my Nook at midnight until I was too tired to read anymore and I sat on the couch and did nothing but read until I finished the next morning. If you’re wondering whether I think you should give this book a try, the answer is an emphatic yes. Also stay spoiler free. Trust me on this one.)

Allegiance
First things first. Apparently I had completely managed to miss a piece of information the prior two times I read this book which is that Mara Jade is two years younger than Luke Skywalker. Mind. Blown. I’d always assumed that she was older than him. If it was anyone else but Zahn writing this book, I’d question it but since it is Zahn, I’ll have to stick with my surprise face. (Editor’s Note: Still don’t think it makes sense.)

I think that this might be one of my favorite Zahn books and it grows on me more and more every time I read it. He does great work in the Original Trilogy era and I love his grasp on the characters in their early years. Naïve Luke who doesn’t know when not to share information is adorable as is eye-rolling Han who just wants him to hush already. (Editor’s Note: I think Fresh Off The Farmboy Luke is my favorite Luke.) I especially love getting to read about a young Mara during her time as Emperor’s Hand. Every conversation she has with Vader thrills me for some reason. Continue reading →