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Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Reeling from their disastrous defeat on Hoth, the heroic freedom fighters of the REBEL ALLIANCE have scattered throughout space, pursued by the agents of the sinister GALACTIC EMPIRE.
One rebel task force protects PRINCESS LEIA, bearing her in secrecy from star to star. As the last survivor of Alderaan's House of Organa, Leia is a symbol of freedom, hunted by the Empire she has opposed for so long.
The struggle against Imperial tyranny has claimed many rebel lives. As the Empire closes in, Leia resolves to make a sacrifice of her own, lest the cause of freedom be extinguished from the galaxy....
Reeling from their disastrous defeat on Hoth, the heroic freedom fighters of the REBEL ALLIANCE have scattered throughout space, pursued by the agents of the sinister GALACTIC EMPIRE.
One rebel task force protects PRINCESS LEIA, bearing her in secrecy from star to star. As the last survivor of Alderaan's House of Organa, Leia is a symbol of freedom, hunted by the Empire she has opposed for so long.
The struggle against Imperial tyranny has claimed many rebel lives. As the Empire closes in, Leia resolves to make a sacrifice of her own, lest the cause of freedom be extinguished from the galaxy....
231 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2015
About the author
Cecil Castellucci
195 books718 followersCecil Castellucci is an author of young adult novels and comic books. Titles include Boy Proof, The Year of the Beasts (illustrated by Nate Powell), First Day on Earth, Rose Sees Red, Beige, The Queen of Cool The Plain Janes and Janes in Love (illustrated by Jim Rugg), Tin Star Stone in the Sky, Odd Duck (illustrated by Sara Varon) and Star Wars: Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 457 reviews
November 6, 2015
A look at one of Leia's missions between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I quite liked the characterization of Leia and her crewmembers are pretty interesting too. As is pointed out several times in the story, they are fighting a war and that means a lot of tough decisions, and I think this book did a good job of portraying that (while staying acceptable for its middle grade/YA target audience).
I totally bought this on release day just to do my part for "Hell yeah Leia is awesome please don't ignore her for merch and tie-ins! Also yay women in scifi more please!" and I'm glad it turned out to be a good story too!
I totally bought this on release day just to do my part for "Hell yeah Leia is awesome please don't ignore her for merch and tie-ins! Also yay women in scifi more please!" and I'm glad it turned out to be a good story too!
August 1, 2022
“Moving Target” is another book in the current “new canon” of Star Wars novels released as lead-ins and tie-ins to the new movie “The Force Awakens”. It is written by Cecil Castellucci and Jason Fry, whose other contribution to the new canon, “The Weapon of a Jedi”, was mediocre at best.
“Moving Target” is somewhat better than the previous novel but not by much. Set between “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Return of the Jedi”, “Moving Target” follows Princess Leia as she leads a small group through the galaxy on a secret mission. The rest of the crew---Luke, Lando, Chewie, and the droids---are absent, presumably on Tattoine planning a way to free Han from his carbomite prison in Jabba's palace.
Like the previous book, Castellucci/Fry’s “Moving Target” begins with a framing device, set in the “current” time period of the new film. Leia is older, wiser, and somewhat sadder (which could be explained by certain unmentionable events in the new film), and she is being asked to record her memoirs.
I’m not sure what purpose the framing device in either novel serves other than as a way to drop clues about the new movie. Unfortunately, the “clues” aren’t incredibly revealing, and they are wasted on those of us who have actually seen the film. Castellucci/Fry probably could have done away with them entirely without breaking up the narrative flow, but I have a feeling that some of the decisions about what to include and not include in the book were not entirely Castellucci/Fry’s.
The story within “Moving Target” is ho-hum, at best. It introduces a few new characters, who may or may not have any relevance to the new movie. My feeling is that they don’t. Unlike Sarco Plank, who was introduced in “The Weapon of a Jedi”, and was featured in the new movie for almost an entire second (you can literally blink and miss his “cameo”), I don’t think any of the characters in “Moving Target” are mentioned or appear in the new film at all. I could be wrong. Perhaps I blinked during their scenes.
Overall, the two books that I have read within the “new canon” have been disappointing, but it will not deter me from reading more.
It does, however, cement my view that the “old canon” was some of the best writing within the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Perhaps it is because most of the old canon was not written for a young adult audience, which appears to be the target audience for the new canon.
Fair enough.
I have nothing against young adult fiction. Indeed, I think some of the best stuff is going on in young adult literature nowadays. I certainly have nothing against Fry’s writing abilities.
The problem I have is that these two books by Fry read more like ad-copy and marketing ploys for the new movie than actual novels.
Not that the novels in the old canon weren’t written to sell merchandise and broaden the franchise, too. George Lucas probably had a lot of input in what was to be included or not included in those novels, but it never really felt heavy-handed or, well, so franchise-y. (I just made that word up.)
For the most part, Lucas seemed to give the writers of the SWEU enough creative freedom to write what they wanted, within a wide parameter, of course. This is why authors like Timothy Zahn, Michael Stackpole, R.A. Salvatore, Greg Keyes, Barbara Hambly, Elaine Cunningham, Vonda McIntyre, Joe Schrieber, Michael Reaves, Aaron Allston, James Luceno, Troy Denning, Kathy Tyers, Kevin Anderson, and numerous others were able to write great books that consistently made their way onto bestseller lists and garnered huge followings of fans. That didn’t happen solely because the words “Star Wars” were on the covers.
Lucas could have continued to publish crap based on current market research and target demographics, but the fans would have seen through that quickly. Instead, he picked talented writers and let them play freely in his sandbox.
It seems to me that the people involved in the “new canon” books are letting the writers play in the sandbox but confining them to only a small area and not giving them many toys and tools with which to play.
“Moving Target” is somewhat better than the previous novel but not by much. Set between “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Return of the Jedi”, “Moving Target” follows Princess Leia as she leads a small group through the galaxy on a secret mission. The rest of the crew---Luke, Lando, Chewie, and the droids---are absent, presumably on Tattoine planning a way to free Han from his carbomite prison in Jabba's palace.
Like the previous book, Castellucci/Fry’s “Moving Target” begins with a framing device, set in the “current” time period of the new film. Leia is older, wiser, and somewhat sadder (which could be explained by certain unmentionable events in the new film), and she is being asked to record her memoirs.
I’m not sure what purpose the framing device in either novel serves other than as a way to drop clues about the new movie. Unfortunately, the “clues” aren’t incredibly revealing, and they are wasted on those of us who have actually seen the film. Castellucci/Fry probably could have done away with them entirely without breaking up the narrative flow, but I have a feeling that some of the decisions about what to include and not include in the book were not entirely Castellucci/Fry’s.
The story within “Moving Target” is ho-hum, at best. It introduces a few new characters, who may or may not have any relevance to the new movie. My feeling is that they don’t. Unlike Sarco Plank, who was introduced in “The Weapon of a Jedi”, and was featured in the new movie for almost an entire second (you can literally blink and miss his “cameo”), I don’t think any of the characters in “Moving Target” are mentioned or appear in the new film at all. I could be wrong. Perhaps I blinked during their scenes.
Overall, the two books that I have read within the “new canon” have been disappointing, but it will not deter me from reading more.
It does, however, cement my view that the “old canon” was some of the best writing within the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Perhaps it is because most of the old canon was not written for a young adult audience, which appears to be the target audience for the new canon.
Fair enough.
I have nothing against young adult fiction. Indeed, I think some of the best stuff is going on in young adult literature nowadays. I certainly have nothing against Fry’s writing abilities.
The problem I have is that these two books by Fry read more like ad-copy and marketing ploys for the new movie than actual novels.
Not that the novels in the old canon weren’t written to sell merchandise and broaden the franchise, too. George Lucas probably had a lot of input in what was to be included or not included in those novels, but it never really felt heavy-handed or, well, so franchise-y. (I just made that word up.)
For the most part, Lucas seemed to give the writers of the SWEU enough creative freedom to write what they wanted, within a wide parameter, of course. This is why authors like Timothy Zahn, Michael Stackpole, R.A. Salvatore, Greg Keyes, Barbara Hambly, Elaine Cunningham, Vonda McIntyre, Joe Schrieber, Michael Reaves, Aaron Allston, James Luceno, Troy Denning, Kathy Tyers, Kevin Anderson, and numerous others were able to write great books that consistently made their way onto bestseller lists and garnered huge followings of fans. That didn’t happen solely because the words “Star Wars” were on the covers.
Lucas could have continued to publish crap based on current market research and target demographics, but the fans would have seen through that quickly. Instead, he picked talented writers and let them play freely in his sandbox.
It seems to me that the people involved in the “new canon” books are letting the writers play in the sandbox but confining them to only a small area and not giving them many toys and tools with which to play.
April 22, 2017
I enjoy Star Wars books, but this one was not one of my favorites. I did the audio and usually that is a plus for these books, but I didn't care for the narrator. She couldn't quite get the voices down. The story also felt a little one dimensional and it felt overly orchestrated. This was probably 2.5 stars but I'll round up to 3 stars.
January 2, 2017
Surprisingly good. Yes, it's a YA book, but it doesn't pull many more punches than I remember "adult" EU books doing. Castellucci is very blunt about this being war, with sacrifices being required on scales large and small. Leia's arc is really about just how much sacrifice is acceptable, both sacrifices she'll ask others to make and the ones she'll make herself. And it actually does fill a bit of a hole left behind in the original trilogy: what was Leia doing while Lando and Chewie were tracking down Han, and how did they get that shuttle?
November 21, 2020
I was sure excited when I saw this book and was hoping for a great Star Wars novel. However, I got a good read. It’s a novel which was very simple and very predictable.
The plot was focused on Princess Leia You can see what happened to her between Empire and Return of the Jedi, ( episodes 5 and 6). Where she is worrying of Han Solo. Overall, a superb insight into Leia’s strength as a leader.
A must for Star Wars geeks.
The plot was focused on Princess Leia You can see what happened to her between Empire and Return of the Jedi, ( episodes 5 and 6). Where she is worrying of Han Solo. Overall, a superb insight into Leia’s strength as a leader.
A must for Star Wars geeks.
September 9, 2015
Now that's what I'm talking about! This story had real stakes and real consequences, and Leia had to make some difficult decisions. The best of the three new books about the OT trio. I also really liked that it acknowledged the trauma Leia experienced while imprisoned on the Death Star.
September 15, 2017
Leia: that entire ship of rebels was just sacrificed to protect me. I am sad.
Me: I'm sad too. Poor Leia.
Leia: To distract myself, I will mastermind a plan that will revolve around sacrificing a LOT of rebel sympathizers for the greater good!
Me: wait what
Leia: Hm a lot of rebel sympathizers are dying. That's sad. But I knew this would happen and it's for the greater good!
Me: what
Leia: A lot of rebel sympathizers are dying! This is terrible! We can't stop this but WE WILL GO DOWN FIGHTING
Me: um OKAY?
----
I enjoyed the small details of this book, and Leia and her team, but wtf, plot. Go home. You're drunk.
Me: I'm sad too. Poor Leia.
Leia: To distract myself, I will mastermind a plan that will revolve around sacrificing a LOT of rebel sympathizers for the greater good!
Me: wait what
Leia: Hm a lot of rebel sympathizers are dying. That's sad. But I knew this would happen and it's for the greater good!
Me: what
Leia: A lot of rebel sympathizers are dying! This is terrible! We can't stop this but WE WILL GO DOWN FIGHTING
Me: um OKAY?
----
I enjoyed the small details of this book, and Leia and her team, but wtf, plot. Go home. You're drunk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2015
Jos jedna zabavna pričica. Ali nekako najnaivnija od ove tri. Sama Leja je fino prikazana i njena unutrašnja borba i sumnje su dosta fino realizovane. Ostali likovi su zabavni ali dosta jednodimenzionalni, skoro karikature.
Nije loše ali možete slobodno zaobići.
Nije loše ali možete slobodno zaobići.
April 11, 2022
It was fun to spend some time on a side quest with Leia in the run-up to Episode VI, even if some of the scenarios were a little too familiar.
Sorry Princess, just calling 'em like I see them!
BTW, this book was released and marketed as a "Road to the Force Awakens" tie-in but apart from a framing narrative about am older Leia recording her memoirs at the behest of the Resistance there really isn't much from that movie's era to be read here, in case you were curious.
Sorry Princess, just calling 'em like I see them!
BTW, this book was released and marketed as a "Road to the Force Awakens" tie-in but apart from a framing narrative about am older Leia recording her memoirs at the behest of the Resistance there really isn't much from that movie's era to be read here, in case you were curious.
February 10, 2017
Read more reviews @ The BiblioSanctum.
3.5 stars. Much like Smuggler’s Run, this story features an older Leia relating a story back to another party prior to the events in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In this case, it’s a droid attempting to work on a memoir about one of the most important members of the rebellion. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Princess Leia is the last surviving member of House Organa, and finds herself learning to embrace a new role as a rebellion leader with her diplomat status. Leia comes up with an ambitious plan to help the Rebel Alliance gain some time to bolster their forces and regroup, a plan that requires her to make tough choices as her role expands.
Love, duty, and loyalty play a big role in Leia’s adventure. She finds herself conflicted between putting the needs of the people over the needs of the galaxy. She clings to her feelings for Han who has been captured by Jabba the Hutt while trying to reassure herself that she must think of the galaxy first. She comes to term with the fact that duty and loyalty don’t always mean being loyal to a cause over the people who support you–no matter if it is for the greater good. This is a fast story that any fan can enjoy. It balances the action with the story quite well, and I continue to be impressed that these books don’t treat their target age group as if they can’t understand the complexity of the morals and ideas these books are presenting. Also, this book includes a more direct Easter egg for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
This is the second book I’ve listened to with Jennifer LaVoy as the narrator. The first was also a Star Wars story set in the same canon (The Perfect Weapon). Even though I wasn’t bowled over by that story, I praised LaVoy’s excellent narration, and I have to do the same here. I can be particular about listening to books with characters from movies or games because it can be difficult for me to associate someone else’s voice with a character from a visual media. However, LaVoy’s narration has been my favorite so far of these books.
Narrator: January LaVoy | Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library (September 4, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: No (As of this posting)
3.5 stars. Much like Smuggler’s Run, this story features an older Leia relating a story back to another party prior to the events in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In this case, it’s a droid attempting to work on a memoir about one of the most important members of the rebellion. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Princess Leia is the last surviving member of House Organa, and finds herself learning to embrace a new role as a rebellion leader with her diplomat status. Leia comes up with an ambitious plan to help the Rebel Alliance gain some time to bolster their forces and regroup, a plan that requires her to make tough choices as her role expands.
Love, duty, and loyalty play a big role in Leia’s adventure. She finds herself conflicted between putting the needs of the people over the needs of the galaxy. She clings to her feelings for Han who has been captured by Jabba the Hutt while trying to reassure herself that she must think of the galaxy first. She comes to term with the fact that duty and loyalty don’t always mean being loyal to a cause over the people who support you–no matter if it is for the greater good. This is a fast story that any fan can enjoy. It balances the action with the story quite well, and I continue to be impressed that these books don’t treat their target age group as if they can’t understand the complexity of the morals and ideas these books are presenting. Also, this book includes a more direct Easter egg for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
This is the second book I’ve listened to with Jennifer LaVoy as the narrator. The first was also a Star Wars story set in the same canon (The Perfect Weapon). Even though I wasn’t bowled over by that story, I praised LaVoy’s excellent narration, and I have to do the same here. I can be particular about listening to books with characters from movies or games because it can be difficult for me to associate someone else’s voice with a character from a visual media. However, LaVoy’s narration has been my favorite so far of these books.
Narrator: January LaVoy | Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library (September 4, 2015) | Whispersync Ready: No (As of this posting)
May 26, 2021
So last week I ended up giving this a read.... just because I felt like it, really. I had just finished Aftermath and I had a few hours left to kill in my workday and subsequent endurance test of spending well over an hour in traffic. The audiobook was only 3 hours long, so I just went for it.
Given that this was another one of those Junior novels in the set of 3 leading up to The Force Awakens centered on the classic trio of Luke, Han, and Leia, I wasn't expecting all that much. I read The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure a few years ago and it was just meh. Perfectly fine as a kid's book, but nothing to offer for adults or hardcore readers. But I have to say, "Moving Target" was a nice little surprise. I enjoyed this one significantly more than I thought I would.
THE STORY: Just like with "The Weapon of a Jedi", the book opens and ends with a framing device taking place shortly before The Force Awakens, while the main story takes place some time during the Original Trilogy-this is actually one of the first stories in the canon taking place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. While at the resistance base, General Leia is approached by a protocol droid trying to get Leia to prepare her autobiography- the galaxy will want to remember the story of one of the greatest heroes of the Rebel Alliance while there's still time, even though leading the Resistance has made her too busy.
The main story opens with Leia in space on a rebel cruiser, trying to flee the Galactic Empire. As rebel personnel continue to die following the retreat from Echo Base on Hoth, Leia's collective guilt mounts. A chance for her to take action occurs when the rebels discover the plans for the Empire's Second Death Star, as she sets out on a mission to trick the Empire in order to buy time for the rebel fleet to gather above Sullust in preparation for the attack.
THE BAD: There was less to complain about than I thought there would be, but there's a couple issues to point out.
The biggest issue is a moment later in the book involving two of the characters . I understand the thematic elements Cecil Castelucci was trying to convey, but there wasn't enough buildup, it just came out of nowhere.
The other issue is that the climax, while not bad, was predictable. While I was really into the first 3/4ths of the story (not including the prologue and epilogue), the last 4th was a bit less interesting.
THE GOOD: I wasn't expecting much, but I was quite impressed- I intend to give this book another shot in the future with the print version where I will be able to have accompanying illustrations (which I can't comment on in this review because I listened to the audiobook. But Phil Noto's cover looks really good).
Starting off with Leia, Castelucci did a fantastic job writing her character. I loved how we got to start the book in the prologue/epilogue with the older Sequel-Trilogy era leia as a tired war hero who is leading the resistance because she needs to (something that Rae Carson explored with alot of depth in the novelization of The Rise of Skywalker). But unlike with "Weapon of a Jedi" where the Force-Awakens-framing device feels like an afterthought, it feels like a careful choice in "Moving Target"- because then we got to see an Original-Trilogy Era Leia who has begun to suffer from mounting guilt after the countless deaths of rebel alliance personnel, which she feels responsible for. The contrast between that and the way the people who follow her see it (in that they are willing to give their lives to protecting her) is weaved very well into setting up the story. Castelucci eventually pays this off with an excellent character arc.
I also liked Nien Nunb in this story- maybe it's just because I haven't read enough of Legends, but this is the first time I've seen him with some character and a personality. I like the smuggler angle Castelucci takes- it feels distinct from other smugglers I am familiar with like Han Solo or Dash Rendar.
The biggest surprise for me, however, was the new characters. While I did criticize one moment for coming out of nowhere, I still liked Kidi Aderi, Antrot, and Major Lokmarcha considerably more than I thought I would. All of them have interesting, distinct personalities, and Kidi has a character arc of her own. I also really loved the interplay between them and Leia- it puts her leadership skills to the test, but it also plays into the guilt that has boiling over within her. Castelucci could have just paired Leia with familiar character Nien Nunb, but I was surprised at how much effort she put into building these new characters. This lead to more interesting dialogue and a story with more depth than I was expecting.
Finally, there are some really fun bits of connective lore that sets the stage for multiple plot threads for Return of the Jedi. I will list them here:
THE AUDIO: January LaVoy did a really good job with this one. I loved the voice she did for Leia, but she also did a good job with the other voices- both male and female. The music and sound effects were done well too, just like you would expect from any other star wars audiobook.
THE CONCLUSION: Final rating is 4 stars- much higher than I expected to rate it.
After "Weapon of a Jedi", I expected this to be another surface level junior novel, but with a less interesting Original Trilogy Era story because it wasn't a cool jedi quest like Luke's book was. But what I ended up getting was an amazing examination into the character of Leia and giving her an interesting cast of new characters to bounce off off. I also thought Cecil Castelucci did a surprisingly good job tying together the original trilogy Leia story with the Force-Awakens-framing device.
This book really made me appreciate how well the new canon has done with the character of Leia- I don't know if it was a unified vision or a happy accident between the authors who wrote stories about her, but we have gotten a portrayal of Leia Organa that I have loved in practically every era of Star Wars she appears in- and I couldn't be happier.
I'm sure this book got overlooked by many people when it first came out, but all these years later I think it still holds up really well. Given that this is a junior novel it should be an easy read- and I definitely recommend it.
Given that this was another one of those Junior novels in the set of 3 leading up to The Force Awakens centered on the classic trio of Luke, Han, and Leia, I wasn't expecting all that much. I read The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure a few years ago and it was just meh. Perfectly fine as a kid's book, but nothing to offer for adults or hardcore readers. But I have to say, "Moving Target" was a nice little surprise. I enjoyed this one significantly more than I thought I would.
THE STORY: Just like with "The Weapon of a Jedi", the book opens and ends with a framing device taking place shortly before The Force Awakens, while the main story takes place some time during the Original Trilogy-this is actually one of the first stories in the canon taking place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. While at the resistance base, General Leia is approached by a protocol droid trying to get Leia to prepare her autobiography- the galaxy will want to remember the story of one of the greatest heroes of the Rebel Alliance while there's still time, even though leading the Resistance has made her too busy.
The main story opens with Leia in space on a rebel cruiser, trying to flee the Galactic Empire. As rebel personnel continue to die following the retreat from Echo Base on Hoth, Leia's collective guilt mounts. A chance for her to take action occurs when the rebels discover the plans for the Empire's Second Death Star, as she sets out on a mission to trick the Empire in order to buy time for the rebel fleet to gather above Sullust in preparation for the attack.
THE BAD: There was less to complain about than I thought there would be, but there's a couple issues to point out.
The biggest issue is a moment later in the book involving two of the characters . I understand the thematic elements Cecil Castelucci was trying to convey, but there wasn't enough buildup, it just came out of nowhere.
The other issue is that the climax, while not bad, was predictable. While I was really into the first 3/4ths of the story (not including the prologue and epilogue), the last 4th was a bit less interesting.
THE GOOD: I wasn't expecting much, but I was quite impressed- I intend to give this book another shot in the future with the print version where I will be able to have accompanying illustrations (which I can't comment on in this review because I listened to the audiobook. But Phil Noto's cover looks really good).
Starting off with Leia, Castelucci did a fantastic job writing her character. I loved how we got to start the book in the prologue/epilogue with the older Sequel-Trilogy era leia as a tired war hero who is leading the resistance because she needs to (something that Rae Carson explored with alot of depth in the novelization of The Rise of Skywalker). But unlike with "Weapon of a Jedi" where the Force-Awakens-framing device feels like an afterthought, it feels like a careful choice in "Moving Target"- because then we got to see an Original-Trilogy Era Leia who has begun to suffer from mounting guilt after the countless deaths of rebel alliance personnel, which she feels responsible for. The contrast between that and the way the people who follow her see it (in that they are willing to give their lives to protecting her) is weaved very well into setting up the story. Castelucci eventually pays this off with an excellent character arc.
I also liked Nien Nunb in this story- maybe it's just because I haven't read enough of Legends, but this is the first time I've seen him with some character and a personality. I like the smuggler angle Castelucci takes- it feels distinct from other smugglers I am familiar with like Han Solo or Dash Rendar.
The biggest surprise for me, however, was the new characters. While I did criticize one moment for coming out of nowhere, I still liked Kidi Aderi, Antrot, and Major Lokmarcha considerably more than I thought I would. All of them have interesting, distinct personalities, and Kidi has a character arc of her own. I also really loved the interplay between them and Leia- it puts her leadership skills to the test, but it also plays into the guilt that has boiling over within her. Castelucci could have just paired Leia with familiar character Nien Nunb, but I was surprised at how much effort she put into building these new characters. This lead to more interesting dialogue and a story with more depth than I was expecting.
Finally, there are some really fun bits of connective lore that sets the stage for multiple plot threads for Return of the Jedi. I will list them here:
THE AUDIO: January LaVoy did a really good job with this one. I loved the voice she did for Leia, but she also did a good job with the other voices- both male and female. The music and sound effects were done well too, just like you would expect from any other star wars audiobook.
THE CONCLUSION: Final rating is 4 stars- much higher than I expected to rate it.
After "Weapon of a Jedi", I expected this to be another surface level junior novel, but with a less interesting Original Trilogy Era story because it wasn't a cool jedi quest like Luke's book was. But what I ended up getting was an amazing examination into the character of Leia and giving her an interesting cast of new characters to bounce off off. I also thought Cecil Castelucci did a surprisingly good job tying together the original trilogy Leia story with the Force-Awakens-framing device.
This book really made me appreciate how well the new canon has done with the character of Leia- I don't know if it was a unified vision or a happy accident between the authors who wrote stories about her, but we have gotten a portrayal of Leia Organa that I have loved in practically every era of Star Wars she appears in- and I couldn't be happier.
I'm sure this book got overlooked by many people when it first came out, but all these years later I think it still holds up really well. Given that this is a junior novel it should be an easy read- and I definitely recommend it.
March 4, 2024
"We fight for a cause, but what we're really fighting for is each other."
A fun little story, I wish it was a bit longer though. A lot of this felt like something was about to happen at the end of a chapter, and the next chapter would start off with it already being done and the characters just discussing what they were going to do next. It is still a nice little read, and adds a lot to the movies. :)
A fun little story, I wish it was a bit longer though. A lot of this felt like something was about to happen at the end of a chapter, and the next chapter would start off with it already being done and the characters just discussing what they were going to do next. It is still a nice little read, and adds a lot to the movies. :)
July 2, 2018
A great filler for the Star Wars saga. Perfect for kids with its tame language and avoidance of carnage. Mature readers would probably rate this lower, but the intended audience of 8-12 year olds will thoroughly enjoy this and thus receives a 4 star rating. I must admit I pilfered this from my youngest son's collection, a reward he received from our local library's summer reading challenge.
October 19, 2015
I liked the prologue and epilogue best. They're good teasers for the upcoming film. However I found the core story lacking. It was too rushed - too many events on too few pages. There was no time for the characters to fully develop or for the reader to come to care for them. Thankfully there were some familiar faces to make up for that. Otherwise the story was good and it gave us a glimpse of Leia's internal battle - duty vs love. It fits well within the overall story. If you're not a hardcore fan you can skip it.
January 31, 2016
These books are amazing! Especially this one. I loved the writing and it showed a different side of Leia which I found out that I really liked. The epilogue is spectacular and the drawings, done by a guy my mom knew, are so perfectly drawn it makes the book even better. Read this book! May the Force be with you!
October 16, 2018
This was absolutely fantastic. Gave Leia some nice emotional depth while introducing compelling new characters and adding stakes that felt real. Highly recommend for someone who hasn't read any EU books who loves Leia and wants somewhere to start.
May 15, 2021
What a great group of protagonists! This has pathos and humor, and it is set in one of my favorite inter-movie periods.
November 2, 2016
This book was a great book! Really great start to November! Overall rating: 4.5 stars!(:
January 25, 2018
Star Wars: Moving Target - A Princess Leia Adventure is one of the four kids’ novels in the Journey to Star Wars: the Force Awakens series, and is therefore one of the earliest entries in the new canon. It tells the story of a covert Rebel disinformation mission involving Princess Leia shortly before the beginning of Return of the Jedi.
The characterisation of Leia is spot on - an inspiring leader as well as a plucky adventurer who has no qualms about dispatching a stormtrooper in cold blood - she is a great central figure for the narrative. Still mourning the loss of the carbon-frozen Han Solo, she nevertheless itches for action in service to the Rebellion’s cause. So many previous novels have got Leia wrong, so it is refreshing to see her portrayal to match the movie character so well.
As well as Leia we are reacquainted with the sullustan pilot Nien Nunb (who would go on to accompany Lando Calrissian in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon at the battle of Endor), and also introduced to Lokmarcha, Kidi and Antrot. The trio of new alien characters (albeit species we’ve seen in the movies) make a good team, and a fine addition to the Star Wars canon, barely mentioned yet still shoehorned-in romance notwithstanding.
The villain, Captain Khiome of the ISD Shieldmaiden, is uninspired, but serves her purpose in the book. She does get a nice karmic punishment, though.
A minor quibble is that the novel is a bit uncertain in the timeline, and implies (albeit subtly) that Return of the Jedi happens very soon after The Empire Strikes Back, or at least the Rebellion finds out about the Death Star II very shortly following the Battle of Hoth.
Nice touches for me included: the theft of a certain Imperial lambda-class shuttle; reference to the Bothan moon of Kothlis; and a couple of interesting and original planets (a tricky feat to pull off in a fictional universe as large as Star Wars.
To sum up - great for its target demographic, and still a fun if lightweight diversion for an adult.
The characterisation of Leia is spot on - an inspiring leader as well as a plucky adventurer who has no qualms about dispatching a stormtrooper in cold blood - she is a great central figure for the narrative. Still mourning the loss of the carbon-frozen Han Solo, she nevertheless itches for action in service to the Rebellion’s cause. So many previous novels have got Leia wrong, so it is refreshing to see her portrayal to match the movie character so well.
As well as Leia we are reacquainted with the sullustan pilot Nien Nunb (who would go on to accompany Lando Calrissian in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon at the battle of Endor), and also introduced to Lokmarcha, Kidi and Antrot. The trio of new alien characters (albeit species we’ve seen in the movies) make a good team, and a fine addition to the Star Wars canon, barely mentioned yet still shoehorned-in romance notwithstanding.
The villain, Captain Khiome of the ISD Shieldmaiden, is uninspired, but serves her purpose in the book. She does get a nice karmic punishment, though.
A minor quibble is that the novel is a bit uncertain in the timeline, and implies (albeit subtly) that Return of the Jedi happens very soon after The Empire Strikes Back, or at least the Rebellion finds out about the Death Star II very shortly following the Battle of Hoth.
Nice touches for me included: the theft of a certain Imperial lambda-class shuttle; reference to the Bothan moon of Kothlis; and a couple of interesting and original planets (a tricky feat to pull off in a fictional universe as large as Star Wars.
To sum up - great for its target demographic, and still a fun if lightweight diversion for an adult.
November 14, 2019
My first Leia pov book in starting this whole massive pile of Star Wars book, and even as a flashback book, I loved how this one was framed from the future and General Leia looking back on a moment in her life, while someone is trying to get her to write her biography for the generations coming after her (and because she is such an important hero of two different wars, a survivor of so many horrors and honors).
Live plurk below:
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I love getting Leila’s POV. I would like it to be General Leia more, but I love all of her life story and I’m already loving this.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I love her irritability with her roles, even as she appreciates them.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
This sensing of her connection with Luke, but not knowing what it is. About how it isn’t attraction but that it is still so strongly there.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I have so many Mon Mothma feeeeellings.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Sfjjhgfasfhj
Mon Mothma talking about Bail.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
“Leia drew herself up to her fullest height. Which actually wasn’t very much [...]”
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Decided while listening through part two and into part three, to make a Leia WeheartIt Board, too. I totally bet I'll end up making boards for like everyone as I try to send myself through a million of these books.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Decided to start the following out of hers (which will likely explode as I get to Smuggler's Run and Weapon of a Jedi):
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
~ only started out of hers, not really made-ready
Luke Skywalker
The Skywalker Twins
Han Solo
I love you i know / leia & han
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Or lies. I worked on a lot of those. >_>
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
IM IN TEARS NOW RUDE
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I knew it was the ships, but having the soft-hearted girl say it was the earned ones. My heart.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
”We fight for a cause, but what we’re really fighting for is each other.”
”We fight for duty, but we also fight because we love each other, and that’s something even more powerful.”
Live plurk below:
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I love getting Leila’s POV. I would like it to be General Leia more, but I love all of her life story and I’m already loving this.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I love her irritability with her roles, even as she appreciates them.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
This sensing of her connection with Luke, but not knowing what it is. About how it isn’t attraction but that it is still so strongly there.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I have so many Mon Mothma feeeeellings.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Sfjjhgfasfhj
Mon Mothma talking about Bail.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
“Leia drew herself up to her fullest height. Which actually wasn’t very much [...]”
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Decided while listening through part two and into part three, to make a Leia WeheartIt Board, too. I totally bet I'll end up making boards for like everyone as I try to send myself through a million of these books.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Decided to start the following out of hers (which will likely explode as I get to Smuggler's Run and Weapon of a Jedi):
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
~ only started out of hers, not really made-ready
Luke Skywalker
The Skywalker Twins
Han Solo
I love you i know / leia & han
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Or lies. I worked on a lot of those. >_>
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
IM IN TEARS NOW RUDE
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
I knew it was the ships, but having the soft-hearted girl say it was the earned ones. My heart.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
”We fight for a cause, but what we’re really fighting for is each other.”
”We fight for duty, but we also fight because we love each other, and that’s something even more powerful.”
March 24, 2022
This is supposedly a book for a youth readership...but it certainly doesn't read that way. In fact, it's a more powerful, more satisfying, more emotional gap filler between Episodes V and VI than the much larger and more grandiose "Shadows of the Empire". It's the ultimate example of how simple, straightforward language and storytelling will always be the most sophisticated kind...and how some authors simply know how to masterfully write for Princess Leia.
May 29, 2024
8.5/10
February 4, 2021
Creo que una de las cosas que mas me gusto de este libro es que te transmite bastante el hecho de que que estas en una guerra, y que tus decisiones traeran consecuencias.
Ver a Leia trabajar con tantos personajes tan distintos y mantenerlos enfocados en la mision fue algo que me gusto mucho. Sin embargo no fue una lectura que me sorprendiera de hecho el principio es muy lento no es si no hasta el final cuando mejora el ritmo, y tuvo partes muy predecibles.
Ver a Leia trabajar con tantos personajes tan distintos y mantenerlos enfocados en la mision fue algo que me gusto mucho. Sin embargo no fue una lectura que me sorprendiera de hecho el principio es muy lento no es si no hasta el final cuando mejora el ritmo, y tuvo partes muy predecibles.
September 6, 2015
3.5 stars
The book is set between The Empire Strike Back and The Return of the Jedi. Out of the three new junior novels, Moving Target is the most complicated in terms morality, personal responsibility and sacrifice.
After seeing people getting hurt while protecting her and learning about the existence of the second Death Star, Leia comes up with the plan to draw the Imperial forces to the other side of the galaxy so that the Rebellion can gather its forces in secret. She poses as a recruiter for the Rebellion. The problem is that her and her chosen group aren't the only one in danger: the people they come in contact with, people who help them, people who answer their (false) call all are. Leia struggles with all of this, but still makes hard decisions.
Castellucci explores the issue of loyalty to the cause versus loyalty to the people. The adventure helps Leia find the balance and accept tha, even in the middle, of the war it is all right to want things for yourself. Which is why, of course, she decides to organize the rescue for Han. :)
Leia's team is interesting because it shows that, like Empire, Rebels are not uniform in thinking: some propose forgiveness if the Empire is defeated, some trials and executions.
The story is framed with Prologue and Epilogue set near the beginning of The Force Awakens. Leia is Excited!
There were some things that were silly too (like tourist-y planet), but, hey, Star Wars. I enjoyed the book nonetheless.
The book is set between The Empire Strike Back and The Return of the Jedi. Out of the three new junior novels, Moving Target is the most complicated in terms morality, personal responsibility and sacrifice.
After seeing people getting hurt while protecting her and learning about the existence of the second Death Star, Leia comes up with the plan to draw the Imperial forces to the other side of the galaxy so that the Rebellion can gather its forces in secret. She poses as a recruiter for the Rebellion. The problem is that her and her chosen group aren't the only one in danger: the people they come in contact with, people who help them, people who answer their (false) call all are. Leia struggles with all of this, but still makes hard decisions.
Castellucci explores the issue of loyalty to the cause versus loyalty to the people. The adventure helps Leia find the balance and accept tha, even in the middle, of the war it is all right to want things for yourself. Which is why, of course, she decides to organize the rescue for Han. :)
Leia's team is interesting because it shows that, like Empire, Rebels are not uniform in thinking: some propose forgiveness if the Empire is defeated, some trials and executions.
The story is framed with Prologue and Epilogue set near the beginning of The Force Awakens. Leia is Excited!
There were some things that were silly too (like tourist-y planet), but, hey, Star Wars. I enjoyed the book nonetheless.
August 13, 2016
Moving Target is a middle grade novel focusing on Princess Leia and takes places between Empire and Return.
The Rebel Alliance has just learned of the second Death Star, and they need a plan…and Leia has one. This story is rather short but it focuses on Leia’s plan to become a moving target for the Empire to focus on while the Rebellion readies itself for another go at destroying the power of the Imperial fleet. We also get to see Nein Nub, and three new characters help her along the way. Leia is still the strong-willed woman who can handle herself in a pinch, and I love that this is book meant for kids because they’ll get to see her do even cooler things than she did in the movies. She’s forced to make a lot of tough calls, and the book really focuses on the cost of the war itself which gives even more character depth to her and her companions as they struggle to cope with it.
The pacing is excellent and I really loved seeing new worlds, and making lists of what I might see in the new movie.
And to make things a bit less creepy in terms of the Luke and Leia thing, each book as clearly stated that they do care for each other and are close but are not in love…which the movies really could have cleared up BEFORE the last movie in the trilogy.
But at any rate, it’s a fantastic short story and one of my favorites from the Journey to the Force Awakens set.
The Rebel Alliance has just learned of the second Death Star, and they need a plan…and Leia has one. This story is rather short but it focuses on Leia’s plan to become a moving target for the Empire to focus on while the Rebellion readies itself for another go at destroying the power of the Imperial fleet. We also get to see Nein Nub, and three new characters help her along the way. Leia is still the strong-willed woman who can handle herself in a pinch, and I love that this is book meant for kids because they’ll get to see her do even cooler things than she did in the movies. She’s forced to make a lot of tough calls, and the book really focuses on the cost of the war itself which gives even more character depth to her and her companions as they struggle to cope with it.
The pacing is excellent and I really loved seeing new worlds, and making lists of what I might see in the new movie.
And to make things a bit less creepy in terms of the Luke and Leia thing, each book as clearly stated that they do care for each other and are close but are not in love…which the movies really could have cleared up BEFORE the last movie in the trilogy.
But at any rate, it’s a fantastic short story and one of my favorites from the Journey to the Force Awakens set.
January 4, 2018
I enjoyed this one more than Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure, it had a bit darker feel to it (which makes it feel less YA-ish) and more known characters (well, some - Nien Nunb and Mon Mothma). It did get a bit too whiney at times though.
Highlighted funny quote:
Highlighted serious quote:
Highlighted funny quote:
"What a ridiculous sentiment. 'Adventures' is just a different name for 'terrible ideas'"
Highlighted serious quote:
"But you can't let your grief stop you from living. I've learned that. We have to live for those we've lost so that their memories are kept alive through us. Particularly those who sacrificed their lives so we could go on."
December 31, 2016
На 27 декември 2016, на 60 годишна възраст завинаги ни напусна актрисата Кери Фишър, изиграла безсмъртия образ на принцеса Лея в поредицата „Междузвездни Войни”. Макар, че за милиони фенове и киномани по света името й винаги ще се асоциира със Star Wars, Кери Фишър се изявява и като сценарист и писател. Смелата й и борбена героиня, вдъхновение за няколко поколения, ще продължава да живее на екрана, както и в многото истории от Разширетана вселена. Като последно сбогом с Кери Фишър, днес публикуваме ревюто на една от книгите, посветени на извънекранните приключения на принцеса Лея.
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https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
September 15, 2015
If this is what passes as a junior novel in the new canon, I am actually impressed and looking forward to reading more of them instead of shrugging them off as lower quality.
This story delivers an entertaining party, a well-executed chase, moral deliberations and plenty of drama from start to finish. It does a fantastic job moving Leia from The Empire Strikes Back to Return of the Jedi, while making the rebellion appear diverse in motivations and outlooks, but united in a common purpose.
A solid, if quick read that I'd recommend to anybody who loved the original trilogy and would like to see some gaps filled in, and more development for Princess Leia. It shouldn't disappoint you.
This story delivers an entertaining party, a well-executed chase, moral deliberations and plenty of drama from start to finish. It does a fantastic job moving Leia from The Empire Strikes Back to Return of the Jedi, while making the rebellion appear diverse in motivations and outlooks, but united in a common purpose.
A solid, if quick read that I'd recommend to anybody who loved the original trilogy and would like to see some gaps filled in, and more development for Princess Leia. It shouldn't disappoint you.
September 4, 2015
Some of the best Leia I've read, with some nice callbacks to the Leia miniseries. Also, it made me really want a political thriller starring Mon Mothma set between ROTS and ANH
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