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Lost and Found

27/12/2024

The Highlander's Kilted Bride (Clan Kendrick #6)
by Vanessa Kelly

Charlie Stewart has no interest in doing as her parents bid. But with some help, she might be able to behave at her sister's wedding...except that she crosses paths with Kade Kendrick, a Highlander she has quietly admired since childhood. Kade is supposed to be writing a concerto, not being distracted by mad quests to find lost trinkets or lovely lasses. Some distractions are more pleasant than others!

Another enjoyable read from Vanessa Kelly. I have grown very fond of the Kendrick boys, even their grandfather, so this was a treat. I do feel that some of the moving parts didn't align perfectly plot-wise, but I managed to overlook that most of the time. The Highlander's Kilted Bride cheered me up during a rather trying week and I'm glad it's what I chose when I opened my Kobo.

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Expanded Universe Round-Up #31

13/12/2024

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The Newspaper Strips (Epic Collection)

Vol 1

These comics are fairly typical of the 1970s and 1980s, though I've definitely encountered worse from that time period. None of this stuff is going to wow anyone. But it's a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Star Wars media and there are some interesting articles at the back, including one that explains the process behind converting the newspapers strips into comic book form. I will add that I found the adaptation of Han Solo at Stars' End to be a tad underwhelming but it was serviceable, given the era.

Volume 2

Another volume of Star Wars newspaper strips, though this time all of them are from the 1980s. It was good to see information from ESB being incorporated into the stories, such as Hoth becoming a new Rebel base, Ord Mantell shenanigans, and Darth Vader's connection to Luke. I was also impressed with how well the stories flowed into one another, which felt almost seamless at times (and is probably due to how the strips were remastered). Still nothing brilliant here, and yet...I enjoyed this volume far more than the previous one.

Early Victories (omnibus)

A collection of exceedingly average Star Wars comics that were released in the 1990s, though one is an adaptation of a 1970s novel and another seems to be a prequel to a story in the newspaper strips (so I'm glad I read those beforehand!). Most of these stories focus on random characters who we have never been seen before and nor do they appear in the Legends canon ever again. So that made it hard to care about them. It's been a while since I've read Splinter of the Mind's Eye, but the adaptation seems alright... even if the story isn't great.

Vol 1

Some of these issues are very 1970s and are unfortunately typical of the time. It doesn't help that the stories following the movie adaptation lack the same slick action and cracking dialogue - the difference in quality is stark. The Empire doesn't reappear for a very long time, but at least when they finally do it feels like things pick up a bit.

I can't judge these comics too harshly. Too many decades have passed. And besides... this is the series that saved Marvel from dire financial straits, so without it our galaxy would be very different!

A Long Time Ago... series

Volume 2

A stronger omnibus, mainly because it collects the adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back(with bonus deleted wampa content!) and features an ongoing story arc that was a huge improvement on previous stories. However, the omnibus ends with some lacklustre one-shots. Han's absence is keenly felt.

Volume 3

I really enjoyed some of the stories in this volume, though again they were alongside the not-so-great stuff. With Han out of the picture, Leia really has a chance to shine and the writing improves markedly when Archie Goodwin isn't holding the pen. I also can't help but love the Hoojibs, ridiculous though they are. Shira Brie is introduced and she's an interesting character. She reappeared decades later in the Legacy of the Force novels (which are, incidentally, not as fun as these comics lol).

Vol 4

Somehow, I survived reading nearly 600 pages.

After the fun I've had with the previous two omnibuses, this was something of a disappointment. To start with, there was too much supposed "humour", which put me off. Then I came across the adaptation of Return of the Jedi, which was horrifically condensed - it was squeezed into four issues instead of the six given to the previous movies. Now, I know that adaptations have to skip bits, but important bits were missing...it felt so jarring. And having to read another Archie Goodwin script made me realise just how much I'd been enjoying his absence in this series.

The stories that follow ROTJ in this omnibus aren't particularly great either. But I suppose the Boba Fett one made me snort with amusement at the end...

Vol 5

It is truly amazing that the same omnibus can contain both the excellent "Duel with a Dark Lady" (which holds up even now) and the abysmal "All Together Now" (why did the artist turn Luke into Rambo??). The series limps all the way to the end, though at least it got an ending... albeit a rushed and perplexing one. Most of these stories are average. Some are terrible. The ongoing plot and the new villains... meh. The rating is only as high as it is because "Duel with a Dark Lady" deserves its own star.

Wild Space

Vol 1

The Dark Horse omnibuses were released with the intention of collection stories that might otherwise fall out of print. This omnibus serves that purpose... but doesn't do much else for readers. The stories included in Wild Space Vol 1 are not great or memorable (even if a couple of them are fun and tie into Star Wars Missions). Alan Moore's attempts, unfortunately, are terrible.

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Book Reviews

Lost and Found

The Highlander's Kilted Bride (Clan Kendrick #6)
by Vanessa Kelly

Expanded Universe Round-Up #31

The Newspaper Strips (Epic Collection)

Early Victories (omnibus)

A Long Time Ago... series

Wild Space

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Book Reviews

Lost and Found

The Highlander's Kilted Bride (Clan Kendrick #6)​by Vanessa Kelly

Expanded Universe Round-Up #31

The Newspaper Strips (Epic Collection)

​Early Victories (omnibus)

A Long Time Ago... series

Wild Space

About

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The Highlander's Kilted Bride (Clan Kendrick #6)
by Vanessa Kelly

Early Victories (omnibus)