Alyce Caswell - Author
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Book Reviews

Quest for a Better MG Novel

7/1/2023

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​Quest for the Hidden City (Star Wars: The High Republic)
​by George Mann

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Rooper Nitani is a Jedi Padawan on the frontier and now she must investigate the disappearance of another Pathfinder team with her Master. Her journey will lead her to Gloam, a planet of creatures that came out at night and who carry a secret that will affect an entire civilisation. But only if the truth becomes known. And only if Rooper and her companions survive.

This was a pretty basic MG adventure that managed to be fun at times and I appreciated the horror vibe. But the writing...alas, not that great. I also didn't feel like Rok was a real character at all - he was very two dimensional and I really couldn't care less if he lived or died. This all said, the book will no doubt be enjoyed by its target market, despite its deficiencies.

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The BEST Kind of MG Adventure

2/3/2022

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Star Wars: Mission to Disaster (The High Republic)
by Justina Ireland

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Jedi Knight Vernestra and her Padawan Imri are back with another adventure. After Avon is abducted by Nihil and put to work by them, Vernestra and Imri must investigate other disappearances before they can make any progress towards rescuing their friend. It would be nice if people seemed more willing to help them!

Jedi and seismic activity in the same book? Kid!me would have loved the heck out of this. Who am I kidding? Adult!me also loved it. Ireland is one of two authors who makes reading the High Republic worthwhile. The excitement that her previous MG novel lacked is here in spades - along with great pacing and superb handling of characters I care about a lot.

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A Less Enjoyable MG Adventure

2/3/2022

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Star Wars: Race to Crashpoint Tower (The High Republic)
by Daniel José Older

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Ram is a Jedi Padawan who would rather tinker with machines than deal with other beings, but he needs to get out an urgent message about the Nihil on Valo - before it's too late! Meanwhile, Zeen and Lula (an unaffiliated Force sensitive and another Padawan respectively) are racing to Valo to help out. What can they do together that they can't do apart?

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that I didn't like this - I already disliked the first volume of The High Republic Adventures, which introduced Zeen and Lula - but I am a completist, alas. As for Ram, his POV was too chaotic and I didn't really get a sense of him as a character, so it was hard for me to feel anything about him being in danger. The Drengir, usually my preferred villains, were used poorly. At least the next MG novel in the series is by Justina Ireland. Whew.

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    About

    Alyce Caswell, when she isn't buried in a book or drinking her way through a giant pot of tea, is a keen writer of science fiction and romance. She has published two novels and four novellas in her space opera family saga, The Galactic Pantheon Series.

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  • Home
  • Books
    • The Galactic Pantheon >
      • The Tortured Wind
      • The Twisted Vine
      • The Flickering Flame
      • The Shifting Ice
      • The Whispering Grass
      • The Creeping Moss
      • The Galactic Pantheon Novellas
      • The Adventures of Grace Pendergast, Galactic Reporter
    • The Shadow of the Gods
    • Dealing with the Demon
    • Love and Lockdown
    • The Eyes of Charon
    • Sweet Delights
  • Other Works
  • Book Reviews
  • Contact