What a ride. Super engaging, thrilling stuff here, and I had literally no expectations. This blew me away.

So much of what I do not like about the Star Wars movies — characters dying too quickly, emotional stakes not feeling hefty enough, motivations feeling flimsy — is course corrected through its expanded universe, and Shatterpoint is no exception. Here we have Mace Windu essentially being the baddest MF in the galaxy, masterfully talking his shit through situations, kicking ass, and yet so bogged down by pain and PTSD over past failures and warfare, it’s impossible not to feel for him.

Windu’s Padawan Depa brings so much emotional weight to his character. So many side characters rule, like Nick (dumb name for a Star Wars character!) and Chaulk. But the big hulky dude named Kar Vastor who’s literally a king of the jungle? That’s a winner.

This book has so much aligned with the Vietnam war is actually kinda nuts.

I really, really enjoyed this book.