I might be a little late to the game here, but I’ve recently started reading some of the new Star Wars canon novels. Lost Stars by Claudia Gray isn’t the first one I’ve read, but it is the most recent. Actually, I think the first one I read was Bloodline, which is also by Claudia Gray, come to think of it.
I’ve heard Lost Stars described as the perfect Star Wars novel, and also as the first one you should pick up and read. It is a great starting point if you are looking to get into the canon novels. If you’re into romance, you should definitely make a point to read this one. But, it’s not your normal lovey-dovey romance. (This is Star Wars, is there even such a thing?) Nope, Lost Stars is about what happens when a rebel and imperial officer fall in love. Happy endings are hard to come by in such a scenario!
This book was hard to put down! I’m a sucker for a good romance, so I loved that aspect of it. But the better part is that it plays out during the events of Episodes IV, V, and VI. That’s a pretty intense backdrop for a story, and Ms. Gray makes the most of it in her novel. Our main characters, Thane and Ciena, both grew up on the Outer Rim planet of Jelucan as the Empire takes it over. But where they go from there is what shapes their lives and their relationship.
Lost Stars holds your attention and does a great job of telling not only the story of two young people as they discover their love for each other, but also weaving in the story of a galaxy amidst change. So far, this is one thing I like best about reading the novels–you get to meet some of the people that you didn’t even realize were there during the events of the Star Wars movies, but that definitely give it a different perspective from their point of view.
If you’re like me and working your way through the novels and haven’t picked this one up yet, definitely grab a copy. It’s a quick read, and one you won’t regret checking out!