A Crash of Fate (Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Synopsis

“Izzy and Jules were childhood friends, climbing the spires of Batuu, inventing silly games, and dreaming of adventures they would share one day. Then, Izzy’s family left abruptly, without even a chance to say goodbye. Izzy’s life became one of constant motion, traveling from one world to the next, until her parents were killed and she became a low-level smuggler to make ends meet. Jules remained on Batuu, eventually becoming a farmer like his father, but always yearning for something more.

Now, thirteen years after she left, Izzy is returning to Batuu. She’s been hired to deliver a mysterious parcel, and she just wants to finish the job and get gone. But upon arrival at Black Spire Outpost she runs smack into the one person who still means something to her after all this time: Jules.

The attraction between them is immediate, yet despite Jules seeming to be everything she’s ever needed, Izzy hesitates. How can she drag this good-hearted man into the perilous life she’s chosen? Jules has been trying to figure out his future, but now all he knows for certain is that he wants to be with Izzy. How can he convince her to take a chance on someone who’s never left the safety of his homeworld?”

-Synopsis from Goodreads

Review

Short take: This was an awesome book and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be reading subsequent books in the series!

Okay, but let’s be honest. Having never read a Star Wars book, simply because there are so many that I don’t even know where to begin, there’s no way I’ll be able to compare this to past series.

I can only review it based on what it is, not how it compares to other books. However, I will clarify up front that this book was definitely more of a teen love story set on another planet, that just happened to be within the Star Wars universe, than it was the Star Wars type of story I was expecting.

I felt like it was as connected to the Star Wars storyline as it could be, for a book about two brand new characters. Maybe it’s not the same as previous Star Wars books, but I think we all know that in the hands of Disney, things are going to change, right? I wouldn’t say this is a bad thing because it’s bringing the franchise to a new generation that will breathe new life back into it.

The world-building succeeded in this sense. Having seen most (but not all) of the Star Wars movies, even I could tell that this was part of the franchise because of the diverse characters, alien creatures, pilots and cantinas, not to mention the references to the First Order and the Resistance. The Star Wars elements were definitely there, don’t get me wrong. But I think these new books will be taking a different direction from past books. With that being said, I can easily see this series being popular with younger readers.

Final take: I would say that if you are looking for a Star Wars book, this might not be the one. But if you are looking for a fun science fiction story with interesting characters and lots of adventure, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.