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Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Canto Bight (Star Wars): Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi
As seen in Star The Last Jedi, welcome to the casino city of Canto Bight. A place where exotic aliens, captivating creatures, and other would-be high rollers are willing to risk everything to make their fortunes. Set across one fateful evening, these four interconnected stories explore the deception and danger of the lavish casino city.• An honest salesman meets a career criminal as a dream vacation turns into the worst nightmare imaginable, in a story by Saladin Ahmed.• Dreams and schemes collide when a deal over a priceless bottle of wine becomes a struggle for survival, as told by Mira Grant.• Old habits die hard when a servant is forced into a mad struggle for power among Canto Bight’s elite, in a tale by Rae Carson• A deadbeat gambler has one last chance to turn his luck around; all he has to do is survive one wild night, as told by John Jackson Miller. In Canto Bight, one is free to revel in excess, untouched from the problems of a galaxy once again descending into chaos and war. Dreams can become reality, but the stakes have never been higher—for there is a darkness obscured by all the glamour and luxury.
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2017
About the author
Saladin Ahmed
411 books1,769 followersSaladin Ahmed was born in Detroit and raised in a working-class, Arab American enclave in Dearborn, MI.
His short stories have been nominated for the Nebula and Campbell awards, and have appeared in Year's Best Fantasy and numerous other magazines, anthologies, and podcasts, as well as being translated into five foreign languages. He is represented by Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON is his first novel.
Saladin lives near Detroit with his wife and twin children.
His short stories have been nominated for the Nebula and Campbell awards, and have appeared in Year's Best Fantasy and numerous other magazines, anthologies, and podcasts, as well as being translated into five foreign languages. He is represented by Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON is his first novel.
Saladin lives near Detroit with his wife and twin children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 476 reviews
September 9, 2024
A very disappointing book. One of the reasons it took me so long to finish this book is I could not really summon to motivation to carry on reading it. For short stories, the stories are very slow paced. I did not really care for most of the characters, and it DEFINITELY DOES NOT add anything to the Last Jedi movie. The one think I did like in this book was that as were re-used/mentioned from story to story.
I could have learned everything I needed to know about Canto Bight from the two lines spoken by Rose in the movie, it is a bubble. The playground for the super rich, and once in the life time vacation for tourists, but build on the broken dreams of people who have lost too much or never had enough to leave the place.
It is written by three writer who are new to writing in the Star Wars universe. Then Jason Jackson Miller as a veteran Star Wars writer to finish off the book. Even though I did not like the book as a whole there were part that were ok to good.
Saladin Ahmed’s story to start the book off was ok. I would have given this story 3.5 stars. It is a slow start to a trusting tourist on a dream holiday that is quickly turning into a nightmare courtesy of the seedy residents of Canto Bight.
Mira Grant’s story is so confusing even after finishing I still am not sure what the point of it was. I don’t understand why the two main characters did what they did or what the point of the effect they had on the side characters. 1 star at best.
Rae Carson’s story of a resident masseuse forced fighting back against the “big fish” who will do anything to get what he wants, was ok but a bit too far fetched. Security on Canto is a joke if this is the case. 3 stars.
The final story is about Kal a gambler who meets a trio of brothers who make him question everything he has worked and believes it at the worst possible time. This was one of this and the first story were really the only ones that drew me in towards the end. Still very slow paced though. 3.5 stars.
Really this is the story of the underworld in the world of bright lights, glitz and glamor, a good premise but really nothing was add to release this under the “journey to the Last Jedi” title. I guess I will have to wait 2 years before I find out if any of these stories have any influence on the next movie. Quite disappointed really.
I could have learned everything I needed to know about Canto Bight from the two lines spoken by Rose in the movie, it is a bubble. The playground for the super rich, and once in the life time vacation for tourists, but build on the broken dreams of people who have lost too much or never had enough to leave the place.
It is written by three writer who are new to writing in the Star Wars universe. Then Jason Jackson Miller as a veteran Star Wars writer to finish off the book. Even though I did not like the book as a whole there were part that were ok to good.
Saladin Ahmed’s story to start the book off was ok. I would have given this story 3.5 stars. It is a slow start to a trusting tourist on a dream holiday that is quickly turning into a nightmare courtesy of the seedy residents of Canto Bight.
Mira Grant’s story is so confusing even after finishing I still am not sure what the point of it was. I don’t understand why the two main characters did what they did or what the point of the effect they had on the side characters. 1 star at best.
Rae Carson’s story of a resident masseuse forced fighting back against the “big fish” who will do anything to get what he wants, was ok but a bit too far fetched. Security on Canto is a joke if this is the case. 3 stars.
The final story is about Kal a gambler who meets a trio of brothers who make him question everything he has worked and believes it at the worst possible time. This was one of this and the first story were really the only ones that drew me in towards the end. Still very slow paced though. 3.5 stars.
Really this is the story of the underworld in the world of bright lights, glitz and glamor, a good premise but really nothing was add to release this under the “journey to the Last Jedi” title. I guess I will have to wait 2 years before I find out if any of these stories have any influence on the next movie. Quite disappointed really.
December 25, 2017
3.5 stars. Like the collection of short stories "From a Certain Point of View", this collection of four novellas focus on the little guys in the background, the ones you might catch for a second before turning back to the main action. Canto Bight is where the rich of the galaxy go to play, and the rest, well, they get to keep their lives, if they're lucky. Though each author focuses on a different main character, there are characters common to each story. A guy on his first vacation as a reward for best Salesbeing, a sommelier and a wine of dreams, a massage therapist and his fathier-caring daughter, and a gambler whose debt's been called are the subjects of each story. There's plenty of venality on display at Cantorica, and plenty of people living close to the edge. People are often desperate, and find themselves having to make unusual choices to survive. The overall tone of the stories is light and pleasant. And Kedpin Shoklop, Vaporator Salesbeing of the year (and naive schmuck), gets to bookend the quartet of novellas.
December 8, 2017
Canto Bight may be the richest, most fantastic place in the galaxy but you sure as hell wouldn't know it based on these stories...
As has come to be pretty much par the course with all these new canon tie-ins, Canto Bight is a huge disappointment. In and of itself the idea and the concept behind getting fans super pumped up and excited for the events on Cantonica in the upcoming The Last Jedi are good ones. Just think how much more fun Naboo and Kamino would have been had something like this was published before the prequels.
Unfortunately, it's in the execution of these ideas that Canto Bight really suffers. There's 4 novellas here and aside from Rae Carson's "See Nothing, Hear Nothing, Do Nothing", they're all disastrous attempts at trying to tell stupid stories that aren't fun or even bear any importance in the grand scheme of things. Saladeen Ahmed's "Rules of the Game" could have been decent but it's totally ruined by his amateurish, YA type prose...and its ending is ridiculously joyful and happy, putting me off and making me feel like Ahmed couldn't let his audience off without smacking them in the face with an over-the-top happy conclusion. I'll admit that "The Ride" by Miller was decently written (and should be since the guy is like the 3rd most famous author in the Star Wars universe), but it was just so boring and even though it had the requisite Star Wars aliens, it didn't feel anything like Star Wars.
I might have been willing to give Canto Bight a low 3 out of 5 had it not been for the absolutely stupid "Wine of Dreams". I'll skip past the fact that the story about selling wine made little to no sense and come right out with the fact that the pseudo-artsy present tense prose of the hipster style literary fiction that is so popular today has no place in the Star Wars universe. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a well worded, descriptive literary novel every once in a while, and they do have their place in the book world, but, sorry Mira Grant, trying to be all clever and unique in a franchise that doesn't need it or even garner any desire for it, makes you out to be a wannabe "artiste extraordinaire" and weakens the entire story you're trying to write and makes your novella a total chore to get through.
I had high hopes that Canto Bight would continue where Claudia Gray's Leia, Dawson's Phasma and, to a lesser extent both From a Certain Point of View and Christie Golden's Inferno Squad, left off, making a good mark in the new canon and just being a ton of fun to read. Well, my high hopes were dashed and I'm, once again, left feeling like a total chump for thinking there was a chance that Disney had finally gotten their act together.
As has come to be pretty much par the course with all these new canon tie-ins, Canto Bight is a huge disappointment. In and of itself the idea and the concept behind getting fans super pumped up and excited for the events on Cantonica in the upcoming The Last Jedi are good ones. Just think how much more fun Naboo and Kamino would have been had something like this was published before the prequels.
Unfortunately, it's in the execution of these ideas that Canto Bight really suffers. There's 4 novellas here and aside from Rae Carson's "See Nothing, Hear Nothing, Do Nothing", they're all disastrous attempts at trying to tell stupid stories that aren't fun or even bear any importance in the grand scheme of things. Saladeen Ahmed's "Rules of the Game" could have been decent but it's totally ruined by his amateurish, YA type prose...and its ending is ridiculously joyful and happy, putting me off and making me feel like Ahmed couldn't let his audience off without smacking them in the face with an over-the-top happy conclusion. I'll admit that "The Ride" by Miller was decently written (and should be since the guy is like the 3rd most famous author in the Star Wars universe), but it was just so boring and even though it had the requisite Star Wars aliens, it didn't feel anything like Star Wars.
I might have been willing to give Canto Bight a low 3 out of 5 had it not been for the absolutely stupid "Wine of Dreams". I'll skip past the fact that the story about selling wine made little to no sense and come right out with the fact that the pseudo-artsy present tense prose of the hipster style literary fiction that is so popular today has no place in the Star Wars universe. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a well worded, descriptive literary novel every once in a while, and they do have their place in the book world, but, sorry Mira Grant, trying to be all clever and unique in a franchise that doesn't need it or even garner any desire for it, makes you out to be a wannabe "artiste extraordinaire" and weakens the entire story you're trying to write and makes your novella a total chore to get through.
I had high hopes that Canto Bight would continue where Claudia Gray's Leia, Dawson's Phasma and, to a lesser extent both From a Certain Point of View and Christie Golden's Inferno Squad, left off, making a good mark in the new canon and just being a ton of fun to read. Well, my high hopes were dashed and I'm, once again, left feeling like a total chump for thinking there was a chance that Disney had finally gotten their act together.
December 20, 2017
I’d suggest reading Canto Bight after watching the Last Jedi. The film gives some context and perspective to the casino town which is hard to imagine from the limited exposure the 4 novellas offer. Whilst good in their own right, the lack of a predefined visual aide dampers the atmosphere in the novellas – the casino town is not Las Vegas nor does it compare in the film to it as such, so having a preconceived notion of the cityscape is recommended.
The first novella, Rules of the Game by Saladin Ahmed is a great way to open the collection. The story centres on a lowly long term employee (who had clocked up 102 years for the company) who finally wins the coveted employee of the year award which in turn provides him a holiday to the casino town. He’s promptly swindled out of his cash and luggage before nearly being killed. His innocence is a joy to read and I really felt for the character. The cityscape is used well, providing a glimpse into greater playground for the rich outside of the scenes from The Last Jedi.
The Wine of Dreams by Mira Grant didn’t feel like a star wars story or a story which used the setting of the Casino world Cantonia at all. Contained largely to a night club and primarily focused on the sale of a rare wine of a little known and largely elusive vintage, the novella’s saving grace is the characters which are well defined and unique. Canto Bight is more an afterthought than critical element to the story and it’s this aspect that ultimately lets it down.
The third novella, Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing by Rae Carson puts the collection back on track. There’s also some nice connectivity with The Wine of Dreams with the night club owner being named dropped on occasion. This story is centred on a masseur and former hitman who gets roped into murder for hire once more in order to save the life of his adopted daughter.
The last novella by long time Star Wars scribe John Jackson Miller, The Ride, is perhaps the most ‘casino’ based of the collection. Despite the story not having much depth, we do get a decent look at the various gambling outlets Canto Bight has to offer. The crux of the plot: a gambler loses money owned by an underworld figure and has one night to win it all back, luckily for him; he stumbles upon three aliens who have a strange knack for winning, and winning big. I liked this one.
My rating: 3/5 stars. Whilst the stories themselves are well written and entertaining, I would’ve liked more exploration of Canto Bight.
The first novella, Rules of the Game by Saladin Ahmed is a great way to open the collection. The story centres on a lowly long term employee (who had clocked up 102 years for the company) who finally wins the coveted employee of the year award which in turn provides him a holiday to the casino town. He’s promptly swindled out of his cash and luggage before nearly being killed. His innocence is a joy to read and I really felt for the character. The cityscape is used well, providing a glimpse into greater playground for the rich outside of the scenes from The Last Jedi.
The Wine of Dreams by Mira Grant didn’t feel like a star wars story or a story which used the setting of the Casino world Cantonia at all. Contained largely to a night club and primarily focused on the sale of a rare wine of a little known and largely elusive vintage, the novella’s saving grace is the characters which are well defined and unique. Canto Bight is more an afterthought than critical element to the story and it’s this aspect that ultimately lets it down.
The third novella, Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing by Rae Carson puts the collection back on track. There’s also some nice connectivity with The Wine of Dreams with the night club owner being named dropped on occasion. This story is centred on a masseur and former hitman who gets roped into murder for hire once more in order to save the life of his adopted daughter.
The last novella by long time Star Wars scribe John Jackson Miller, The Ride, is perhaps the most ‘casino’ based of the collection. Despite the story not having much depth, we do get a decent look at the various gambling outlets Canto Bight has to offer. The crux of the plot: a gambler loses money owned by an underworld figure and has one night to win it all back, luckily for him; he stumbles upon three aliens who have a strange knack for winning, and winning big. I liked this one.
My rating: 3/5 stars. Whilst the stories themselves are well written and entertaining, I would’ve liked more exploration of Canto Bight.
May 17, 2019
3.5 Stars~
"Derla settles into her ship's chair like she is coming home--and in a very real way, she is. Canto Bight was only, is only, ever a port in the storm."
Canto Bight is an anthology of four novellas which focuses on background characters from the gambling resort in The Last Jedi and their stories. That's one of the (many) beautiful things about Star Wars. There are just.. so many characters.
In the film, Resistance members Finn and Rose venture to Canto Bight on a mission. The inclusion of the Canto Bight sequence has been divisive among fans, to say the least. Personally, I loved the themes that were handled within these scenes. They are such an integral part of the movie. At the core, masked in all the glitz of the capital city, the fundamental theme is hope. Sure, the mission doesn't pan out. But underneath those failures, something powerful remains. The ability to grow from those losses and fight for what you believe in.. what you love.
"Arriving on the dark side of the world merely for the sake of this moment is a small indulgence. It wastes time, which is the only resource more limited than wine itself. But the time is hers to waste. Time that is never spent in any frivolous way will turn to vinegar even as wine does, as wasted as too much time spent heedlessly. Balance in all things.
She could never live here--the costs, in every sense, are simply too high--but there is a sweetness to the lie of Canto Bight that sings to her sommelier's soul. It began, as most beautiful things do, with money, with ambition, and with deceit."
To quote Rian Johnson, Canto Bight is "a playground, basically, for rich assholes." It's a coastal city on the desert planet of Cantonica that attracts the wealthy and the privileged. However, there is more than meets the eye. Canto Bight is corrupt as fuck. War profiteers, gangsters and gamblers inhabit the legendary city.
The four novellas within this collection work well together as one continuous world-building piece of the puzzle. Although I do not think each one stands as strongly on their own, this is still a decent assortment. Shocking no one, Mira Grant's was the one I enjoyed most! Of the respected authors that are included (John Jackson Miller being one of my top favorite Star Wars authors of EVER), Saladin Ahmed is the only one that I hadn't read anything by before. Although I do follow him on Twitter and I think he's pretty amazing! I will for sure check out more of his work after this!
As I sit here listening to The Last Jedi soundtrack while I write this review, I can't help but wish for even more stories surrounding the casino city of Canto Bight. There are certainly more to tell, especially down the road with the opportunity to expand on the story of the stable boy with a broom.
Hope. Always there is hope.
"Derla settles into her ship's chair like she is coming home--and in a very real way, she is. Canto Bight was only, is only, ever a port in the storm."
Canto Bight is an anthology of four novellas which focuses on background characters from the gambling resort in The Last Jedi and their stories. That's one of the (many) beautiful things about Star Wars. There are just.. so many characters.
In the film, Resistance members Finn and Rose venture to Canto Bight on a mission. The inclusion of the Canto Bight sequence has been divisive among fans, to say the least. Personally, I loved the themes that were handled within these scenes. They are such an integral part of the movie. At the core, masked in all the glitz of the capital city, the fundamental theme is hope. Sure, the mission doesn't pan out. But underneath those failures, something powerful remains. The ability to grow from those losses and fight for what you believe in.. what you love.
"Arriving on the dark side of the world merely for the sake of this moment is a small indulgence. It wastes time, which is the only resource more limited than wine itself. But the time is hers to waste. Time that is never spent in any frivolous way will turn to vinegar even as wine does, as wasted as too much time spent heedlessly. Balance in all things.
She could never live here--the costs, in every sense, are simply too high--but there is a sweetness to the lie of Canto Bight that sings to her sommelier's soul. It began, as most beautiful things do, with money, with ambition, and with deceit."
To quote Rian Johnson, Canto Bight is "a playground, basically, for rich assholes." It's a coastal city on the desert planet of Cantonica that attracts the wealthy and the privileged. However, there is more than meets the eye. Canto Bight is corrupt as fuck. War profiteers, gangsters and gamblers inhabit the legendary city.
The four novellas within this collection work well together as one continuous world-building piece of the puzzle. Although I do not think each one stands as strongly on their own, this is still a decent assortment. Shocking no one, Mira Grant's was the one I enjoyed most! Of the respected authors that are included (John Jackson Miller being one of my top favorite Star Wars authors of EVER), Saladin Ahmed is the only one that I hadn't read anything by before. Although I do follow him on Twitter and I think he's pretty amazing! I will for sure check out more of his work after this!
As I sit here listening to The Last Jedi soundtrack while I write this review, I can't help but wish for even more stories surrounding the casino city of Canto Bight. There are certainly more to tell, especially down the road with the opportunity to expand on the story of the stable boy with a broom.
Hope. Always there is hope.
February 13, 2018
The first two stories were GREAT. The last two were duds. I was kind of tired of hearing about Canto Bight by the end, and I am one of the rare few who actually enjoyed Canto Bight in the film.
December 8, 2017
I started to get depressed reading Canto Bight. So I furiously started mapping out the new canon with magazine clippings and twine and big question marks like Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. Then I got online and started making petitions, spent all my money on billboards, and turned on fandom like a jackal nipping at the tail of an elephant. I sank down into a deep, dark, lonely hole. Just screaming into the abyss. Finally I awoke from this fever dream. I realized that just like the EU there are going to be stories that are awesome, and well some like the last couple that I've read. Still more good than bad... for now...
THROW IN THE SARLAAC PIT (3 Piles of Poodoo)
Canto Bight
Adventures of Luke Skywalker
Inferno Squad
Life Debt
Aftermath
Heir to the Jedi
NOT BAD FOR A LITTLE FUR BALL (1 Pile of Poodoo)
Rebel Rising
Thrawn
Empire's End
Ahsoka
Before the Awakening
Moving Target
Smuggler's Run
Tarkin
A New Dawn
Lords of the Sith
GREAT SHOT, KID! (No poodoo! Thank the maker)
From a Certain Point of View
Leia, Princess of Alderaan
Phasma
Catalyst
Bloodline
Twilight Company
Lost Stars
THROW IN THE SARLAAC PIT (3 Piles of Poodoo)
Canto Bight
Adventures of Luke Skywalker
Inferno Squad
Life Debt
Aftermath
Heir to the Jedi
NOT BAD FOR A LITTLE FUR BALL (1 Pile of Poodoo)
Rebel Rising
Thrawn
Empire's End
Ahsoka
Before the Awakening
Moving Target
Smuggler's Run
Tarkin
A New Dawn
Lords of the Sith
GREAT SHOT, KID! (No poodoo! Thank the maker)
From a Certain Point of View
Leia, Princess of Alderaan
Phasma
Catalyst
Bloodline
Twilight Company
Lost Stars
April 26, 2020
I have to say, this was an off series of stories. But in truth I sort of like living in the Star Wars universe so I'm fairly happy with any content. I think the first two stories were the ones I enjoyed the most. The one with the wine and the odd sisters was by far my favorite. Their arrogance sort of solidified that they may in fact be from the very place where the force "lives" one of my favorite clone wars episodes was when anakin, obi-wan, and Ashoka find them living embodiments of the force. And just the pure arrogance that comes with that power was exactly what those sisters were. Their insistence on balance also was odd-- even as they caused chaos in their wake. Yet they gave the wine to the one who was truly deserving. Definitely interesting stories-- I would never travel there, but I'm a simple girl.
December 7, 2017
This “prequel” in the road to the Last Jedi features a location that will be a setting in the upcoming movie. It features 4 novellas that take place in Canto Bight. Canto Bight reminds me of the many Cantinas and Casinos in the Star Wars games, i.e Knights of the Old Republic etc. It also makes me wonder why Lando Calrissian isn’t in this movie. This is his kind of place. Han, too would have been right at home. The 4 stories are very good. They certainly give you a feel for this city. I would also be very surprised if the characters in these stories aren’t featured in the background or in some way in the movie. I enjoyed the book.
December 8, 2017
Bleech. This did not have the feel of being Star Wars related. This could have been any generic 'casino' science fiction book. Maybe the "Last Jedi" movie will change that. I am posting this 1 week before movie comes out. It might have been better to listen after the movie.
April 17, 2018
Great fun with three authors trying a Star War story for the first time and one old hand. All tales are set in Canto Bight , the Las Vegas style city seen in the Last Jedi. Saladin Ahmed tale involves a Salesman of the Year who get more than he bargained for in this trip of a lifetime, Mira Grant aka Seanan McGuire spins a tale about a bottle of rare wine whose vintage is to kill for. Rae Carson tale involves a Spa worker and blackmail. One of my favorite Star Wars authors is John Jackson Miller, whose A New Dawn gave us the first introduction to Kanan and Hera, and who has books in both the Legends and the New Canon gives us a down in the luck gambler whose has 24 hours to pay off a debt but whose luck may haved turned thanks to 3 clueless Suerton brothers.
August 23, 2018
This book is part of the new canon and its setting is the casino city that we saw in the movie The Last Jedi. It is a collection of four short stories that details four lives of a Canto Bight resident and each story has a connection with another story.
Do you like your Star Wars have lightsaber duels, spaceship battles, or good versus evil? Then this book is not for you. These stories are decent stories but the only real Star Wars connection is that a character was a member of the many species we have seen from this universe. We would also get a name drop of the First Order or something like that. If the writers never mentioned a wookie one would not know that they were reading a book from this universe. It felt like I was reading a book more about Las Vegas in its infancy than a book from a galaxy far,far away. Like I said, the stories were decent but they were not what I was expecting either.
The new canon has not really impressed me so far besides Claudia Gray's offerings. This one continues that trend. It seems like every book is playing it safe and not really adding anything to the story. That is the case with this one and it was just okay.
Do you like your Star Wars have lightsaber duels, spaceship battles, or good versus evil? Then this book is not for you. These stories are decent stories but the only real Star Wars connection is that a character was a member of the many species we have seen from this universe. We would also get a name drop of the First Order or something like that. If the writers never mentioned a wookie one would not know that they were reading a book from this universe. It felt like I was reading a book more about Las Vegas in its infancy than a book from a galaxy far,far away. Like I said, the stories were decent but they were not what I was expecting either.
The new canon has not really impressed me so far besides Claudia Gray's offerings. This one continues that trend. It seems like every book is playing it safe and not really adding anything to the story. That is the case with this one and it was just okay.
March 30, 2018
5 stars
I really enjoyed this and was quite surprised how well the stories gelled together even though they were by different authors .
In Star Wars world building is always key and this is no different. Its expansive , expressive and huge and just so engaging.
The characters are strong and even though we don't get any fan favourites the new ones are excellent. I love the diversity of characters you get in Star Wars and this is no exception.
For me each story built on the last and i really enjoyed the last. It was excellent. I will also be checking out more books not in the Star Wars universe by these authors as i think they will be worth it.
An excellent addition to Star Wars cannon and could easily be read as a stand-alone.
Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed this and was quite surprised how well the stories gelled together even though they were by different authors .
In Star Wars world building is always key and this is no different. Its expansive , expressive and huge and just so engaging.
The characters are strong and even though we don't get any fan favourites the new ones are excellent. I love the diversity of characters you get in Star Wars and this is no exception.
For me each story built on the last and i really enjoyed the last. It was excellent. I will also be checking out more books not in the Star Wars universe by these authors as i think they will be worth it.
An excellent addition to Star Wars cannon and could easily be read as a stand-alone.
Highly recommended.
May 3, 2019
The stories we see in this book each do a good job of of keeping you interested while making you care about the characters. Being able to see a planet so thoroughly built and described is a rarity in the EU, and it is very refreshing.
However, given that it is full of short stories it is still difficult to get too invested in characters and you more of feel the obligatory "good guy should win" feeling. Overall, a good read for those already invested in the Star Wars Universe.
However, given that it is full of short stories it is still difficult to get too invested in characters and you more of feel the obligatory "good guy should win" feeling. Overall, a good read for those already invested in the Star Wars Universe.
December 15, 2017
Due to finishing this in the car I’m actually writing this review after having seen the last Jedi. While I won’t give any spoilers Tyler I will tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed the novellas in this book. I especially liked how they tied into each other. And I also enjoyed how they tied in to the last Jedi. The final novella in here by John Jackson Miller especially for some reason just made me smile and have a good time right along with the characters.
October 20, 2018
I loved this book. The telling of these individual stories of life on Canto Bight. Did it have great impact on The Last Jedi? No. But I found myself getting lost in each story. And I feel it really painted a picture of that world! Harkening back to the Legends expanded universe!
I'm not gonna lie, I had to flip ahead on Kedpin's story, cause if he was gonna end up hurt or taken advantage of, I was gonna be out!!! I really loved that story in particular!
But each one was uniquely interesting!
I'm not gonna lie, I had to flip ahead on Kedpin's story, cause if he was gonna end up hurt or taken advantage of, I was gonna be out!!! I really loved that story in particular!
But each one was uniquely interesting!
December 20, 2017
Over all none of these are bad stories, but none of them are that great. Kind of a reoccurring thing in the New Canon. None of the books are bad (well, except for the Aftermath books, a majority of them are bad sadly), but they just aren’t that interesting to me. And, Phasma aside, the ones I do like have to do with the Jedi. Which apparently is something the New Canon just doesn’t want to follow.
June 20, 2024
I love Star wars but this was not it this was so boring DNF at 48%
January 23, 2018
Canto Bight... the casino in the Last Jedi. This book is a collection of 4 stories of different goings-ons around the world.
I went into not knowing what to expect, although I hoped for it to be a little like the Tales from the Cantina from a long time ago... that told stories of all the inhabitants of the first Star Wars cantina. Here, you get to know some characters that I'll have to take a look for... I just looked in my visual dictionary and found almost all of the characters in the stories, so next time I watch the film I'll keep an eye out. It was nice that these characters weren't "made up" but were in the casino while TLJ was happening.
I wasn't a HUGE fan of the wine story, but there was enough conning, blackmailing, underdog gambling, murder, intrigue, and down-on-your-luck characters that made this world so much more alive.
I went into not knowing what to expect, although I hoped for it to be a little like the Tales from the Cantina from a long time ago... that told stories of all the inhabitants of the first Star Wars cantina. Here, you get to know some characters that I'll have to take a look for... I just looked in my visual dictionary and found almost all of the characters in the stories, so next time I watch the film I'll keep an eye out. It was nice that these characters weren't "made up" but were in the casino while TLJ was happening.
I wasn't a HUGE fan of the wine story, but there was enough conning, blackmailing, underdog gambling, murder, intrigue, and down-on-your-luck characters that made this world so much more alive.
January 19, 2018
Coyer Winter Switch
This volume ties into The Last Jedi and focuses on the brief glimpses of the aliens briefly featured in the casino scene of the film.
Four authors share four different stories that sometimes overlap in little cameos. My favorite story in this collection was The Wine a dreams, a story featuring four women of power negotiating over a rare bottle of wine. This story by Mira Grant had me wishing for more adventures with these ladies. I loved that one of the characters has the qualities of manipulation. They make the story so exciting!
This volume ties into The Last Jedi and focuses on the brief glimpses of the aliens briefly featured in the casino scene of the film.
Four authors share four different stories that sometimes overlap in little cameos. My favorite story in this collection was The Wine a dreams, a story featuring four women of power negotiating over a rare bottle of wine. This story by Mira Grant had me wishing for more adventures with these ladies. I loved that one of the characters has the qualities of manipulation. They make the story so exciting!
June 5, 2020
All four of the stories are written well, but it was hard to get into them. Rae Carson's was by far my favorite. Though the other three stories fit in with the Canto Bight setting, they did not have the usual Star Wars feel to them.
October 26, 2020
This book had its ups and downs, but it was fun. It doesn't have an exact Star Wars-esque feel, as it is all focused on the individual struggles of people in Canto Bight, but it wasn't bad. It just feels a little unnecessary in terms of Star Wars canon.
Full RTC
Full RTC
December 16, 2017
I liked the sommelier's story, but was meh about everything else.
August 15, 2019
Really entertaining and happier than I expected
October 16, 2019
"I wish I could put my fist through this whole lousy, beautiful town."
December 6, 2018
This collection of four novellas has some interesting stories, but it's surprisingly devoid of the Star Wars feel. They could have taken place in pretty much any Science Fiction/Fantasy universe with little alteration - the aliens are new, the technology is distinct (no comlinks in sight), and aside from a few mentions of galactic politics and the city of Canto Bight itself (whose features in these stories really share little in common with those of The Last Jedi's featuring of the city [aside from the fathier races], it never gives off that Star Wars feel.
That's not to say that it's bad - the stories go from middling to very good. Ahmed's story about a man who spent a century following the rules finally getting an adventure out of breaking them is the weakest of the bunch, but it still has its moments. Mira Grant's story about a sommelier starts off overweighted with florid prose, but it fits the characters and by the time the central conflict comes into play, all of the characters have enough detail to lead to some strong investment over the sale of a bottle of wine. Rae Carson's story features a unique protagonist (an alien masseur) whose unique abilities are central to his 'Taken'-like story, and make for an interesting tale. And John Jackson Miller's story was the highlight, as a proposition player with a sunrise loan deadline falls into play with a trio of very interesting alien brothers.
All of the stories were worth reading, and I enjoyed the book. But I think I would have enjoyed it just as much if Star Wars hadn't been on the cover, and appreciated the well-built world even more if it didn't have the branding behind it.
That's not to say that it's bad - the stories go from middling to very good. Ahmed's story about a man who spent a century following the rules finally getting an adventure out of breaking them is the weakest of the bunch, but it still has its moments. Mira Grant's story about a sommelier starts off overweighted with florid prose, but it fits the characters and by the time the central conflict comes into play, all of the characters have enough detail to lead to some strong investment over the sale of a bottle of wine. Rae Carson's story features a unique protagonist (an alien masseur) whose unique abilities are central to his 'Taken'-like story, and make for an interesting tale. And John Jackson Miller's story was the highlight, as a proposition player with a sunrise loan deadline falls into play with a trio of very interesting alien brothers.
All of the stories were worth reading, and I enjoyed the book. But I think I would have enjoyed it just as much if Star Wars hadn't been on the cover, and appreciated the well-built world even more if it didn't have the branding behind it.
September 5, 2024
This isn't really a Star Wars book. It's four stories set in a gambling planet in the Last Jedi film, Canto Bight. Three stories are fairly good, one less so.
The first, Rules of the Game, is about a salesman who runs into an assassin. The hapless salesman has all sorts of misfortune. This one really had no ending and just stopped. Worst of the bunch for me.
The second story, The Wine in Dreams, about a wine expert was better, though I'm not a wine fan. It got more interesting towards the end.
The third story, Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing, was about a masseuse and underworld entanglements. That one didn't have an expected ending either.
The fourth and last story, The Ride, was about a down on his luck gambler who learns to live a little. That one was somewhat interesting, though I'm not a gambling fan.
The stellar narrators of Sean Kenin, Saskiaa Marleveld, March Thompson and Jonathan Davis really make these come alive. Their talents lift any material they narrate. This isn't a must read book, and with the exception of a few references, doesn't really connect to the larger Star Wars universe. It took me five years to get around to reading/listening to this one.
The first, Rules of the Game, is about a salesman who runs into an assassin. The hapless salesman has all sorts of misfortune. This one really had no ending and just stopped. Worst of the bunch for me.
The second story, The Wine in Dreams, about a wine expert was better, though I'm not a wine fan. It got more interesting towards the end.
The third story, Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing, was about a masseuse and underworld entanglements. That one didn't have an expected ending either.
The fourth and last story, The Ride, was about a down on his luck gambler who learns to live a little. That one was somewhat interesting, though I'm not a gambling fan.
The stellar narrators of Sean Kenin, Saskiaa Marleveld, March Thompson and Jonathan Davis really make these come alive. Their talents lift any material they narrate. This isn't a must read book, and with the exception of a few references, doesn't really connect to the larger Star Wars universe. It took me five years to get around to reading/listening to this one.
October 12, 2018
I've never done this before, but it is 100% justified: My GR friend Josh's review says it all so far as plot and characterization goes for this quartet of novellas. Couldn't do any better, so you should click the link and read it and give him all of the likes.
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I'll limit myself to commenting on the audiobook narration, which transcended some patchy material for the most part, particularly Jonathan Davis' work on the final book in which he created a voice persona for one of the "Lucky Three" that had me cracking up spontaneously, no matter what the dialogue was. Well played, sir. Well played.
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I'll limit myself to commenting on the audiobook narration, which transcended some patchy material for the most part, particularly Jonathan Davis' work on the final book in which he created a voice persona for one of the "Lucky Three" that had me cracking up spontaneously, no matter what the dialogue was. Well played, sir. Well played.
August 19, 2024
"Everything ends. What's important is that you enjoyed the ride."
I was so excited for these, but something about them felt like they were missing something.
Rule of the Game 2.5 STARS - Kind of a bummer of a story
The Wine in Dreams DNF - I could not get over how slow and boring this one was (Which kind of breaks my completionism heart)
Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing 3 STARS - This one was okay
The Ride 3.5 STARS - Definitely the best of the bunch, I think it would have been better if this was a longer story.
I was so excited for these, but something about them felt like they were missing something.
Rule of the Game 2.5 STARS - Kind of a bummer of a story
The Wine in Dreams DNF - I could not get over how slow and boring this one was (Which kind of breaks my completionism heart)
Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing 3 STARS - This one was okay
The Ride 3.5 STARS - Definitely the best of the bunch, I think it would have been better if this was a longer story.
August 8, 2023
While 3 out of 4 stories in this collection are fun, the fact they don't really do much for TLJ or even just the part of the movie that takes place on Canto Bight makes me remove a star from this rating. Even though, this isn't nearly as bad as a lot of people say in my opinion.
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