Lost Stars Spoiler Policy

This is a spoiler-free review. The plot summary here is an introduction to the characters and the scene and no further. If you choose to read, the outcome full of its twists and turns is all there for you to explore, spoiler-free.

Introduction

Lost Stars is another book in the Star Wars franchise written by Claudia Gray. It is a longer book than other novels in the franchise, but it never has a dull moment and is unique in scope compared to the rest of the novel. Instead of filling just one gap in the Star Wars canon timeline like most other media, the novel takes place over an entire era of Star Wars. We see everything seen in the original trilogy movies from different perspectives and more, all within one book. Even though the novel covers a long stretch, it doesn’t feel like a summary or a history, as the main characters find themselves far removed from the heroes of the era that star in other sources. The heroes of the original trilogy are myths and legends in the minds of our characters just trying to live to their next birthdays. In Star Wars, you get used to hearing the stories about heroes and legends and often miss the people just trying to live their lives, but Lost Stars brings these people into the spotlight.

Characters and Plot

The main characters are Cienna Ree and Thane Kyrell, childhood friends and aspiring Imperial pilots. Friends unsanctioned by their parents, they form a secret friendship and bond over their obsession with flying. They desperately want to be pilots for the Empire and move off their isolated planet Jelucan and onto greater things, though they have different rationales. Claudia Gray constantly swaps between their two perspectives as they move onto different things, which creates two compelling stories. Following similar careers but on other sides of the galaxy, the pair share a similar story until the explosion of the first Death Star, when their lives change forever. The ripple of the explosion of Alderaan and the Death Star moves across the whole galaxy and forces them to make decisions that will alter their lives forever and have dire consequences.

The Empire is everything the galaxy needed. A central banner the universe can unite behind, with the power to keep everyone in line, is ensuring safety for the galaxy, but are the tradeoffs worth it? When the first Death Star gets unveiled with the privilege of destroying an entire planet to crush rebellious spirits, people start asking questions. Is this what we want from our Empire? Is sending a message to a select group worth the lives of billions, and will it work? Is this the price of safety or a sign that Emporer Palpatine is not fit to rule? Everyone is forced to make the decision for themselves regardless of their status, and making the right one on such a global issue is ever an easy choice. Cienna and Thane start asking questions. Are they on the right side of history as Imperials enabling the Death Star, and if not, is there anything they can do about it?

Inertia is a powerful force, and the consequences of being caught deserting from the Empire are immense. Leaving the Empire is an incredibly dangerous task and difficult choice. It would be throwing away everything the pair has worked for their entire lives, but are they even proud of what they worked for. Thane can’t imagine feeling successful after the destruction of an entire planet. He decides that is something he can’t stand for and is forcing himself to make the life-altering decision so few can make. However, Cienna is the only person in the galaxy he cares about, and he can’t stomach losing her. Cienna, however, feels differently about the turn of events than Thane. She has made an oath to the Empire and the honor of her family relies upon its execution, making her choice impossible. Her faith in the Empire is lessened, and she doesn’t want to lose Thane, but if she left the Empire, she would be losing herself. The couple is torn apart by the gravity of the situation and lost as people. Did they make the right decision? Are they strong enough to finish the job? They are both haunted every day.

The line between right and wrong has never been as blurred, and like the rest of the galaxy, Thane and Cienna are caught in the middle of it. The stakes increase every day, and we have to see whether the pair is able to rise with the tide or is left to drown in the water. 

Review

Lost Stars did a great job telling a new story. Even while the characters are living separate lives and speeding through the years, the story always flows logically and is easy to understand. The supporting cast is full of other memorable personalities to make the individual stand out and show other viewpoints, which is much appreciated. Nothing makes a story deeper than nuance. The relationship between the two characters is very dynamic as well, evolving through the novel as well as exhibiting intricacies that help you put yourself into their shoes. The novel is long, over 500 pages long, but everything feels necessary and adds to the story. The one complaint I would lodge in the story is that it requires lots of suspension of disbelief. Most of the situations come across as believable, but especially once the novel delves into bigger battles, how often the pair collide with each other feels impossible. It is necessary to move the plot along and accomplishes its goal well, but it was something I couldn’t leave out of an otherwise great review. Lost Stars is a character-driven recount of the original trilogy that introduces two compelling characters worth cheering for and exciting enough that it would be great to see them again.

Final Statement and Further Reading

Final Opinion: Great book, tells yet another Star Wars story that I didn’t know I needed.

Further Reading: Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed is a great trilogy that I would recommend if you enjoyed Lost Stars. It stars a character fighting a battle very similar to Cienna and Thane’s and is full of the space battles we always love to see.