By: Ashton Newton Entertainment Editor
“Star Wars: Catalyst” is a prequel novel to the upcoming spin off movie “Rogue One”. The novel centers around Galen Erso, who is father to “Rogue One” protagonist Jyn Erso, and Orson Krennic, the film’s antagonist. The novel is written by James Luceno, who also wrote “Tarkin” and “Darth Plagueis”. Luceno is known for bringing readers into the heads of “Star Wars” villains, and “Catalyst” is no different.
The novel is not the most accessible for the average reader. The appeal of the book is that it’s a “Rogue One” prequel and “Star Wars” fans will find the locations and familiar characters fun to read about. However, the characters would just seem random without prior knowledge of the film.
At its core, “Catalyst” is a detailed history of how the Death Star came to be. The iconic space station’s history is muddled with confusing mentions in both “Episode II” and “Episode III”. The novel puts all of that confusion to rest: “Catalyst” is the origin story of the Death Star.
“Catalyst” is an interesting book that is weighed down heavily by its lack of direction. Characters float from situation to situation without really any strong reasoning behind it.
The “Star Wars” timeline can be confusing at times. Jumping between forms of government three times: The Republic, The Empire and, most recently, The New Republic/First Order. “Catalyst” deals with the Republic and Empire eras, but without prior knowledge of the political systems, the shift would seem weird.
The book shines in the character relationships. Erso and Krennic’s rich history is intriguing. The best part of “Catalyst” is getting immersed in the struggles that the characters face. They have all have relatable struggles and flaws.
“Catalyst” is not the best “Star Wars” novel that has come out, but it is not the worst either. The interesting history of the Death Star and the rich characters are brought down by the book’s lack of a strong overarching plot. The book is perfect for diehard Star Wars fans looking for something to keep them busy until “Rogue One” releases on Dec. 16.
Please contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu
7/10
+ Death Star History
+ Interesting characters
– Thin overarching plot
