By author Greg Rucka and illustrator Phil Noto (Disney-Lucasfilm Press via Egmont UK Ltd.)
“Before the Awakening…
A stormtrooper struggles with his conscience…
A desert scavenger strikes it rich…
An ace starfighter pilot discovers a sinister plot…”
‘Before the Awakening’ brings together three short stories based on the new heroes of the most recent ‘Star Wars’ movies; Finn (or rather FN-2187 as he is known at this point), Rey and Poe Dameron.
Each story is set before the first movie of the new trilogy, ‘The Force Awakens’, and gives us a preview of their lives before we first meet them on the screen
FN-2187 is an excellent Stormtrooper in-training, but his behaviour is questioned when he repeatedly helps a weaker fellow cadet. As tension mounts and their first engagement draws nearer, FN-2187 can’t help but wonder if there’s something wrong with him. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one who’s noticed…
Rey has been a scavenger for most of her life, just trying to survive on the desert planet of Jakku. When she comes across a big score, she has to decide whether the promise of help from others is worth the risk of them getting involved – and the possibility of them betraying her.
Poe Dameron is a Commander in the New Republic Navy, and his squad are getting bored of endless, empty patrols. However, when they come across the First Order hijacking an innocent freighter, Poe finds himself suddenly drawn into the Resistance and face-to-face with one of their most important leaders…
The stories give readers the chance to not only connect with the three young heroes, but also to the worlds and people around them, with interactions that help flesh-out what we already know of their characters. This ‘preview’ to the movie also supports or hints at aspects of their storylines, such as how Rey is an excellent pilot, or which Stormtrooper leaves a bloody handprint on Finn at the start of ‘The Force Awakens’.
Greg Rucka does a wonderful job at realising the characters’ voices (both he and Phil Noto have worked on the current line of Star Wars comics); you can practically hear the actors from the movies saying the lines! The little details about other species and technology really helps to build up the reality of the worlds they live in. I did feel that we could have had one or two more illustrations though – they are just that good!
‘Before the Awakening’ is part of an initiative called “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and is one of a handful of books for younger readers (they recommend ages eight to twelve). If you are, or know, a Star Wars fan of any age then I’d recommend picking these up as they are a fascinating little insight into characters we know and love!
