Best Star Wars Series
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this definitive novel, readers will follow Thrawn’s rise to power—uncovering the events that created one of the most iconic villains in Star Wars history. One of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of the Galactic Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn is also one of the most captivating characters in the Star Wars universe, from his introduction in bestselling author Timothy Zahn’s classic Heir to the Empire through his continuing adventures in Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, and beyond. Thrawn’s observations and tactical thinking are utterly captivating.” —New York Daily News. Timothy Zahn is the author of more than forty novels, nearly ninety short stories and novellas, and four short-fiction collections. Zahn is best known for his Star Wars novels ( Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, Specter of the Past, Vision of the Future, Survivor’s Quest, Outbound Flight, Allegiance,Choices of One, and Scoundrels ), with more than four million copies of his books in print.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There are familiar notes including character and ship names readers of Zahn's Legends material, new material including Thrawn's young protege, and for those who require an Imperial villain, we have Arhinda Pryce and her ruthless climb to political power that also explains a great deal about her character on Rebels and how she and Thrawn became allies of a sort. New-canon only fans may find things like the explanation of the "civilian casualties" on Batonn strange or not in keeping with the so-far almost simple-minded insistence in new canon on black and white morality, but readers familiar with Zahn's work recognize this is a design feature, not a bug."
"Timothy Zahn returns to the "Star Wars" universe with "Thrawn", a novel exploring the origin of his character, Grand Admiral Thrawn, a Chiss working with the Empire."
"Now that Disney has canonically introduced Thrawn in their Star Wars: Rebels series, I was excited to read Thrawn to see what Zahn could add for the character. His familiarity with the Star Wars universe allows him to fully immerse the reader in the story and setting in a way that honestly makes the reader feel like they are watching a Star Wars movie."
"Tim Zahn has always been one of my favorite science fiction authors, when I stumbled across The Thrawn Trilogy when I was 13 years old back in the bleak Texan midwinter of 1997-1998. Fast forward twenty years, and I find myself watching DisneyXD clips on youtube when I stumbled on the Season 3 trailer for Star Wars: Rebels when who should appear but Grand Admiral Thrawn."
It’s five years after the Rebel Alliance destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and drove the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. It's five years after Return Of The Jedi : the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starlfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to build. The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale -- in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I purchased the other two books from a brick and mortar store because I wanted to finish the story. I did grow tired of Leia's story and Han and her always seemed to get split up too easily."
"A new villain, now iconic in the Expanded Universe, written wonderfully with elitism and menace, presents a threat to our heroes as they struggle to face new challenges and new allies as well. What was also really fun was seeing the way this book, essentially the first EU novel after 1978's "Splinter of the Mind's Eye", captured the lingo and feel of STAR WARS with phrases like, "landing cycle" for Luke's X-Wing and easily integrated references back to the films. Luke's return to the Dark Side cave on Dagobah and his horrific vision of an alternate, failed assault on Jabba's sail barge is another example of author Timothy Zahn's skill in delving into the feel we already know and then progressing the story."
"I like reading about the main characters. One example Thrawn and that Captain Paelleons perspective, I don't know it just seemed like Thrawn was a bit too arrogant and Paelleon was a bit too whiny. I will try the other books in the expanded universe."
"This is THE definitive expanded universe trilogy."
Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but he’s taken captive before he can report back to the New Republic leaders. Meanwhile, on the planet’s surface, former rebel fighter Norra Wexley has returned to her native world—war weary, ready to reunite with her estranged son, and eager to build a new life in some distant place. Aftermath is a strong foot forward into unexplored territory and puts down just enough foundation that you can start picturing the Resistance and First Order of The Force Awakens taking shape.” — Nerdist “If the opening chapter of the Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy is any indication, the ‘Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens ’ will be every bit as exciting as the movie.” —New York Daily News “A wonderful Star Wars adventure by a gifted author.” — SF Book Reviews. It turns out, there’s more than just the Empire for the good guys to worry about.” — The Hollywood Reporter “The Force is strong with Star Wars: Aftermath .” —Alternative Nation “The Star Wars universe is fresh and new again, and just as rich and mysterious as it always was.” — Den of Geek “[Chuck] Wendig neatly captures the current states of the Empire and Rebel Alliance and does so through flawed, real, and nuanced characters. Aftermath is a strong foot forward into unexplored territory and puts down just enough foundation that you can start picturing the Resistance and First Order of The Force Awakens taking shape.” — Nerdist “If the opening chapter of the Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy is any indication, the ‘Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens ’ will be every bit as exciting as the movie.” —New York Daily News “A wonderful Star Wars adventure by a gifted author.” — SF Book Reviews.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've read through a total of 85 novels including books in the old Expanded Universe (now called Legends) and in the new canon. This comet was on course to destroy multiple Core region worlds, until a large number of Jedi gave their lives and/or sanity breaking it apart with the Force to save the day. -A main character's inner monologue is wondering why they have to be so involved with the Rebellion, and can't just be peaceful like the Bith couple they are watching on a nearby rooftop. Immediately a TIE flies overhead and the couple angrily wave fists and yell, futilely shooting blaster-fire at the fighter. Between that and how simple-minded the characters were, it felt like I was listening to a tabletop roleplay session, where the GM and the players are all black-out drunk and I was stuck as the designated driver. Some favorites: Lost Stars. Heir to the Empire. Dark Force Rising. The Last Command. Specter of the Past. Vision of the Future. Outbound Flight. Path of Destruction. Rule of Two. Dynasty of Evil. Tarkin. I, Jedi. Jedi Search. Dark Apprentice. Champions of the Force."
"The first real link between the time period depicted in the "Rebels" TV series (and the "A New Dawn" novel) and the post-ROTJ continuity. Honestly, I would've liked a book with just a bunch of short stories on all these planets dealing with the...uhhhh...aftermath of the destruction of the second Death Star. Once the action started picking up I found myself much more eager to find out what happened. Things about which I was indifferent: - All of the previous post-ROTJ continuity built up over the past 25 years is out the window. A special ops guy in trouble wouldn't use words like "pigeon" and "falcon," he'd use "myknock" and "hawkbat." Would somebody in Star Wars say, "Spit in the eye of the giant," or would it be, "rancor" or even, "pull the tail of the gundark"? - A supposed professional combat pilot for the Rebel Alliance didn't know that a TIE fighter had an ejector seat. - The first two thirds of the book with the incessant introspection and interpersonal conflict between mom and son, bounty hunter and former Imperial, Sloane (JUST SHOOT THEM) and the tired stereotypical members of the council, and the insipid Mr. Bones. These two (along with the other, even briefer Original Trilogy character appearances) felt shoehorned in. What offended me was the use of the word "hale" to identify the pieces of ice present inside a thunderstorm."
"I will admit, first of all, that I have neither the expertise nor the imagination to get a New York Times best seller published (yet :)), so this author has much more going for him in this arena than I do. I ordered all three books of the trilogy at one time, thinking that it would provide additional information to prepare myself for episode VIII (I'm writing this in December of 2017); I really wish that I would have just ordered the first book, realized immediately that I was going to hate it, and then filled in my own blanks using Wookiepedia or something."
Best Star Trek Series
The omnibus edition of an epic crossover trilogy uniting characters from every corner of the Star Trek universe, and revealing the shocking origin and final fate of the Federation's most dangerous enemy--the Borg. No one knows how they are slipping past Starfleet’s defenses, so Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise have to find out—and put a stop to it. Thousands of light-years away, Captain Riker and the crew of the Titan follow bizarre energy pulses to a mysterious, hidden world. At the same time, in the Gamma Quadrant, a new captain and her crew investigate the wreck of the Earth starship Columbia NX-02, missing in action for more than two centuries. The Titan’s freedom hinges on the action of fellow prisoner Erika Hernandez, commander of the long-lost Earth starship Columbia. David Mack is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels of science fiction, fantasy, and adventure, including the Star Trek Destiny and Cold Equations trilogies.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Troi baby started out quite sad actually won't give any details but get a few tissues."
"The biggest complaint was the Enterprise crew having little to do in the plot, and Captain Picard not being terribly heroic for three consecutive books."
"This is a must for anyone who likes The Next Generation, or Deep Space 9 or Voyager, as it weaves together a selection of characters from these series and pits them against their most fearsome enemy."
"Mack captured the essence of characters I love, believably, but also took them through a journey that was believable for me and pulled at my concern for the characters."
"I strongly recommend this series to any and all who are fans of Star Trek in general, and of the post-TOS series in particular."
"With that being said, it is a wild ride that has kept me wanti g to keep reading til my eyes can't stay open."
"It is worth your time to read, but it is not the best among the Star Trek novels I've read."
"Some of the plot elements require you to already be familiar with the Next Generation characters and remember certain episodes of TNG."
Best Stargate Series
The team members have dispersed and are beginning new lives far from the dangers of the Pegasus galaxy. With the help of General Jack O’Neill, Atlantis rises once more — and the former members of the expedition must decide whether to return with her to Pegasus or to remain safely on Earth in the new lives they enjoy... These all new adventures take the Atlantis team back to the Pegasus galaxy where a terrible new enemy has emerged, an enemy that threatens their lives, their friendships — and the future of Earth itself. Thrusters fired again, tilting the city slightly, increasing the drag. They were wrapping around the world in a high polar sweep, bleeding speed as they went. The planet’s largest landmass was embedded beneath the polar ice cap.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As a fan of all the Stargate TV series, I was glad to finally come across the Atlantis continuation after the unfortunate end of the series."
"The positives are good characterization, the beginnings of a great story arc, and most importantly a fantastic answer to the question, What happens next? The series finale of Atlantis was a satisfying wrap-up of the storylines (don't you hate it when a beloved series ends with major plot lines unresolved? There's also a great new character: Eva Robinson, a psychologist with the Ancient gene. (Personally, I always shipped John/Elizabeth, but that ship sailed when Weir was written off the series.)."
"The formatting (or lack thereof of) in the kindle version made it confusing to figure out when the story had skipped to follow another person or event, but it didn't take too long to figure it out as you kept reading."
"I rather enjoyed reading sensible and involved character histories that made logical sense and held my interest. These things are suppose to be such a great power source, and yet continuously the "Atlantis" story calls for an unbelievable draining of the ZPM's. Planning and deciding to fight at a stargate against incoming Wraith made no sense. There must be a hundred very obvious alternates every reading could imagine when reading that portion."
"When I see a typo of a word it just stops me in my tracks and takes away from the enjoyment of reading the ebook."
Best Doctor Who Series
The Daleks and the Time Lords deploy ever more dangerous weapons in desperate attempts at victory, but there is no end in sight. A weary, angry Doctor leads a flotilla of Battle TARDISes against the Dalek stronghold but in the midst of the carnage, the Doctor's TARDIS crashes to a planet below: Moldox. GEORGE MANN is the author of the Newbury & Hobbes steampunk mystery series, as well as numerous other novels, short stories and original audiobooks.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In the midst of this we have the War Doctor, the one between Eight and Nine, the one who ultimately ends the Time War by destroying both the Daleks and the Time Lords. The Doctor (for ease of reference, even though he’s not the same Doctor) and his TARDIS and the Time Lords and their battle TARDISes are engaging the Dalek fleet near the Tantalus Spiral, at least at this point in time. The Doctor reluctantly brings Cinder along to figure out what the Daleks are doing, and then it’s off to Gallifrey to report on the Daleks and figure out how to end this horrific war. Upon reflecting upon the story, I see not so much the transition of the Time Lords to the moral equivalents of the Daleks, but the Doctor’s realization that this transition has taken place, thus showing how he feels forced to make the repugnant decision to destroy the Daleks and the Time Lords."
"This is a much-abridged version of the complete review as it appears (http://ianwoodnovellum.blogspot.com/2015/01/doctor-who-engines-of-war-by-george-mann.html) at my blog dedicated to reading, writing (no 'rithmatic! In severe withdrawal after the Xmas Doctor Who show, I needed a good fix, and this delivered. We don't begin with his regeneration, but at a much later point - several centuries later - when he looks more like he did in the fiftieth anniversary special, and not long before he unleashed The Moment. The Doctor informs her that he has to go to the nearby city to find out what the Daleks are up to, and despite her extreme fear, she accompanies him. On Gallifrey we discover that Rassilon has been resurrected to lead the Time Lords, and he has a few dark secrets of his own. Having said that, of course, the time-lock seems to have failed dismally, since the Time-Lords were indeed tied up by it, but not, evidently, the Daleks - not in the least, given how often they've showed up in the rebooted TV series!"
"This is the first Doctor Who "book on tape" I've bought, and the purchase was based solely on the fact that Nicholas Briggs was the reader. I've been a fan of Big Finish for years, and even though this isn't one of their products, I knew that Briggs would put in the love and the work needed to bring the story alive. But to be fair I originally assumed there would be no special sounds -- just a straight reading --- so there is actually a lot there to sweeten the experience."