Alyce Caswell - Author
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Book Reviews

Expanded Universe Round-Up #2

14/1/2023

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Commencement (KOTOR Vol 1)
One of my favourite comic book series of all time - and my love for it has never waned. This is a fantastic start. A fantastic volume. The pacing is perfection, the emotional stakes are present from very early on, the hero is immediately likeable and you just want to slay the Masters who put him in this terrible position. Gryph and Zayne play off each other so well - and I totally shouldn't like Gryph, but I do.
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​Flashpoint 
(KOTOR Vol 2)
A cracking continuation that doesn't disappoint. I'd forgotten some of this and I have to say, the stories collected in this TPB are incredibly well paced and characters are introduced at exactly the right moments. I really love this series.

​Days of Fear, Nights of Anger 
(KOTOR Vol 3)
​Another very strong TPB. Zayne and Gryph are still my faves (and always will be) and I have no complaints about their side of things. However, much as I liked finding more about the mysterious Camper and those who were looking for him, I found this portion much weaker and the momentum of previous stories all but disappeared. But I will give it the benefit of the doubt until I crack open the next TPB.
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​Daze of Hate, Knights of Suffering 
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(KOTOR Vol 4)
Now that we're past the space slug story, the series returns to his previous excellence. Zayne returns home to Taris, a long-awaited moment, and Raana meets her (very satisfying) end. I couldn't love this TPB any more if I tried. Let's see if the Vector crossover causes the series to have another dip in quality, as already seen in volume 3.

​Vector Vol 1/KOTOR Vol 5/Dark Times Vol 3
Storywise, this does not disappoint. Or rather, it exceeds expectations - because crossovers are generally cringey and place profit over quality (heck, they even admit to the blatant cash grab in a brief editorial at the start of the TPB). But Vector, so far, is engaging and does great things with the characters. But...artwise, I was very disappointed while reading Knights of the Old Republic segment. Terrible choice of artistic style. It does not gel with the series or the general tone of Star Wars comics. So I've deducted a star for that.
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​Vector ​Vol 2/Rebellion Vol 4/Legacy Vol 6
Wow. What a significant upgrade from the first half of the tale (and I actually liked that half!). The art is as awesome as the storyline and the conclusion in the Legacy era is everything a fan could want. I haven't read the Rebellion comics in a long time, but I do remember being slightly miffed that Able's death was so unworthy of him. It is a very minor quibble. Some crossovers really are as epic as they seem.
​Vindication (KOTOR Vol 6)
​I had to sit on my thoughts about this for a minute, because most of them contained expletives (in a good way!). Because this TPB really was amazing. Zayne has gone through so much and the conclusion to this particular arc was incredibly satisfying - and it was easily some of the best content the EU had to offer. Zayne is my favourite character from the ancient past of the Republic. No contest.
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​Duelling Ambitions 
​(KOTOR Vol 7)
Given how mind-blowingly brilliant Zayne's exoneration arc was, I admit to feeling a little trepidatious about what was coming next. Obviously, this new phase of the KOTOR comics will never be as brilliant as what came before it, but so far it seems it will be enjoyable in its own right. This is largely due to how likeable the characters are.

​Destroyer 
​(KOTOR Vol 8)
This TPB is quite good, though it is let down somewhat by an ending that I felt was out of character for Zayne. This darker storyline - strange to think the series could get darker after the original arc! - is engaging, so I am looking forward to reading more of it. I think it will be worth it. Either way, I can cross off more titles in my epic EU re-read.
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​Demon 
​(KOTOR Vol 9)
There is always some concern when you pick up a TPB that is noticeably shorter than the rest. That concern proved to be something of a premonition. This is a very rushed ending to an arc that would have benefited from more pages, more care and more... just more. But I still enjoyed this adventure, largely due to my ship finally paying off! Zayne/Jarael 4eva.

​War 
(KOTOR Vol 10)
Extremely disappointing and has nothing that previously made the series great. I think I'm going to pretend this TPB doesn't exist. The series, in my mind, ended with volume 9.
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Slow and Steady Nearly Loses the Race

12/1/2023

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When a Duke Loves a Woman (Sins for All Seasons #2)
​by Lorraine Heath

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Thorne, Duke of Thornley, is jilted at the altar and follows his wayward bride into Whitechapel, only to be set upon and robbed for his trouble. Gillie Trewlove has a tavern to run and she would never take time off for any man - except one who is in need of medical attention. Once he's well enough to leave, everything will go back to normal. But maybe his bride isn't who Thorne really needs in his life.

Once again, an enjoyable read from Lorraine Heath. I'm always impressed by how a story that doesn't seem so great at first glance can develop into something wonderful at her hands. But that's also the drawback with When a Duke Loves a Woman. The start is quite weak and slow, almost to the point of me losing interest. But my perseverance did pay off. Eventually.

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Beyond Revenge and Cliché

10/1/2023

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Beyond Scandal and Desire (Sins for All Seasons #1)
by Lorraine Heath

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Mick Trewlove was born on the wrong side of the blanket and has had to watch his father's legitimate son squander the family fortune, all while the duke refuses to acknowledge him. Mick has a plan to ruin the family he has been denied and that includes stealing away Lady Aslyn Hastings, his brother's betrothed. But he didn't intend on actually falling in love with her...

Who doesn't love a tale of revenge? Despite my initial misgivings about the hero, I really enjoyed this novel - but it didn't become truly exceptional until the end, when the author surprised me by delivering a more mature and nuanced ending than I was expecting. I'm glad I discovered a book in this series via a bargain box last year. I also find the name "Trewlove" quite amusing!

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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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Expanded Universe Round-Up

30/12/2022

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​Force Storm 
​(Dawn of the Jedi Vol 1)
There was a little too much going on in this TPB, with a few too many characters mixed in amongst the chaos. That said, it was a very solid start that drew me in immediately. Great potential in this series, I sense.
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​Prisoner of Bogan 
​(Dawn of the Jedi Vol 2)
There were parts of this second TPB that were quite good and the momentum from the first TPB was maintained, but Daegen Lok is...not an interesting character. And it's kind of annoying how easily he was able to get where he wanted to go.

​Force War 
(Dawn of the Jedi Vol 3)
Whoa, what happened here? The series wasn't great but it wasn't terrible - until suddenly we hit the third TPB. What a mess! In fact, this is so messy it almost reached the point of being unreadable. I really liked the Xesh/Shae stuff, but they were a tiny eye in the middle of a craptastic storm. This arc feels horribly rushed.
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Tales of the Jedi ​(Vol 1)
This collection is nothing short of epic. Naga Sadow, Nomi Sunrider and Ulic Qel-Droma all appear in these pages, characters that were like real legends to me as a child - especially since I was not able to get my hands on the comics until adulthood. Myths threading their way through the prose books until I finally found the source. The Tales of the Jedi comics were - still are - so iconic. They will always represent the Republic's ancient history to me, even now in the Disney era.
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Tales of the Jedi ​(Vol 2)
​Reaching the end of the Tales of the Jedi run is like saying goodbye to old, cherished friends. I wouldn't say it doesn't have it flaws (particularly in this second collection), but the stories therein truly deserve the label of "saga". I could definitely have kept reading - if there had been more to read. Unmissable, formative, outstanding, and a treasured relic of the 1990s.
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​Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories
I remember being rather disinterested with this book the first time I read it, but perhaps those memories were tainted with how tired I was with the EU in general by that point. But on my second reading of it, many years later, I really enjoyed myself. John Jackson Miller made the Lost Tribe far more fascinating than they appeared to be in the Fate of the Jedi books. The novella is the weakest story of the bunch. I'd have appreciated more stories in and after that timeframe...but all in all? A great collection.
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Timber Fall-ing in Love

28/12/2022

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Awaken: Wolves of Timber Falls (Small Town Packs #3)
​by Cassie Laelyn

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An attack on Timber Falls leaves Layla tired of bloodshed and so when she finds a hunter, her enemy, badly wounded and practically on her doorstep, she does the unthinkable - she saves him. Wyatt's bloodlust should be uncontrollable around a shifter, but there's something different about Layla. Will it be enough to keep him from seeking a cure by slaying her father?

A steamy (and sweet!) enemies-to-lovers novella that kept me up past my bedtime - no doubt because it's my favourite instalment of the series by far. I was almost instantly in love with Layla and Wyatt and I was ready to protect them from everyone on all sides. xD An enjoyable read.

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The Expanded Universe Begins

27/12/2022

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Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void (Star Wars Legends)
​by Tim Lebbon

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Lanoree Brock is a Je’daii Ranger who has avoided going home because of bad memories involving her brother's death. But now is being recalled to Tython for a mission that requires her skills - but mostly Lanoree, because her brother is alive and his actions could lead their system into chaos. He has always looked to the stars. To the mysteries of the past. Who brought them all to Tython - and why?

So begins my epic read through of my vast Expanded Universe (aka Legends canon) collection. The first chronological, novel-length story in the EU isn't fantastic by any means, but I did like Lanoree and I did enjoy exploring the galaxy as she knows it. However, the ending was quite underwhelming, spoiling the fun. The flashbacks also didn't help, hindering the flow of the book and just generally being unimportant. This isn't a terrible entry, just meh (with some redeeming qualities).

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A Howling Good Time

26/12/2022

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Alpha (Blood Moon, Texas Shifters #4)
by Kat Kinney

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​Brody Caldwell became the Alpha of his pack during his father's absence and is doing his damndest to protect everyone in his territory, human or otherwise - and he's also doing his damndest not to start something with London Blake. She lost her pack but she's still an Alpha. And Alphas aren't allowed to mate, so they absolutely CANNOT fall for each other...yep. No problems here. ;)

Definitely my favourite book of Kinney's so far. The overarching plot in this PNR series is one of the best I've come across and I'm always hankering for the next one. And yeah, I was hanging out for Brody's story because I just love Alphas and this was a two-for-one deal! London and Brody have such amazing chemistry. It's also nice to catch up with all the characters in this series...I'm rather fond of them all. 

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Back to the Past

22/12/2022

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Convergence (Star Wars: The High Republic)
by Zoraida Córdova

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Eiram and E'ronoh are two worlds locked in a Forever War and the representatives of the Republic that have been sent to interfere in this conflict don't quite know what they are wading into. Peace might be possible, if the heirs of Eiram and E'ronoh are able to convince their families and planets. But the real villains in their way are not the ones they expect.

I loved this so much. I was getting Melida/Daan vibes from the get-go and was so pleased to see actual references to that planet (which, of course, makes it canon again). Look, I'll admit it. The way to this Star Wars fan's heart is through the Jedi Apprentice series. Zoraida Córdova's aim was true.

My old biases aside, I finally got the story I've been craving. I have disliked most of the other High Republic books for being so convoluted and so overblown to the point of being boring. Convergence strips things down, jumps back into the past (thus freeing the narrative of most of the crap), and actually makes me give a damn about the characters and their lives. My favourite High Republic novel (so far...and I have a feeling that won't change).

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Duck for Cover

18/12/2022

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Resolute (The Lost Fleet: Outlands #2)
​by Jack Campbell

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Admiral John Geary has been sent on a diplomatic mission to a species that remains guarded in their interactions with humans, but the dangers Geary faces are not just in the vastness of space - some of them are on his very own ships. His enemies want him to fail. His death is one way to achieve that. But he isn't called Black Jack for nothing.

I know what I'm getting when I pick up a Geary book - and that's exactly what I got. For the most part. Other books in this universe have dragged at times, but Resolute seemed to last an eternity. Frankly, this was a slog. A lot of the story seemed to be taken up with repetitive intrigue and the more interesting stuff was crammed into the last couple of chapters. This all said, Ensign Duck is freaking awesome.

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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
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