This is technically a share of a share, but I saw the original post through Nick Cole’s site, so it followed that I should link to his page. The post which he shared is actually a review of Galaxy’s Edge: Galactic Outlaws, the second book in the Galaxy’s Edge series, written by Nick Cole and Jason Anspach.
Much of the review, however, is dedicated to comparing the series to Star Wars, both past and present, and succinctly describes the series as “Star Wars as the franchise was. As it should have been.” This struck a cord with me, for, as I discussed in a post here about four months back, I have growing issues with the Star Wars franchise, and the direction it is currently going in. While it is certainly sad, in many ways, to see a franchise I have been a fan of for most of my life spiraling downward (after coming close to righting itself following the disasters known as the prequel movies), it is also an opportunity, a void waiting to be filled. Nick and Jason seem to be doing an excellent job at that, given the success of the first two books in the series now. It is also a void I hope to help fill, starting with my own debut novel, A Greater Duty, whose sequel I plan to release this fall.
Fortunately, there is plenty of room for various fiction series to capitalize on those increasingly alienated by modern Star Wars, different angles to take; one can focus more on the adventure aspect, or on the epic, large-scope galactic conflicts, both, or something else entirely. That’s the fun part about creating an entire galaxy, the possibilities are endless.
(Also, as an intriguing side-note. As I was writing this, I saw “Galaxy’s Edge” trending. I first wondered if Nick and Jason had managed to get the series onto Twitter’s top trends, but then saw that it was actually the just-announced name of the upcoming Star Wars Land section at Disneyland. I then started laughing.)
While I still hope that Star Wars can maybe pull itself out of this, I can rest easy knowing that there is quality #StarWarsNotStarWars , and Star Wars inspired fiction out there for me to read, and waiting for me to write. Until next time, I’ll be in a galaxy an undetermined distance away, and I hope to see more of you out there before too long.
Original Post: The Reformation of Star Wars
Writing, Ascendant 