This is a good book to read if you like the Star Wars canon. If you have already seen all the Clone Wars episodes, I don't know if you'll like it as much. It doesn't seem to add a lot.

The stories in this book, whilst not being new stories, they are clever retellings from alternate perspectives. Written by a great team of collaborators and illustrated interludes that really embelish the look and feel of the book.
If you love the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, you'll love this book.

Fantastic. The authors each captured the voices of the characters that they wrote and the format for this was great. I think Disney has done a fantastic job curating authors for the characters of the Star Wars universe.

This was a fun collection of stories! I think fans of the Clone Wars series will enjoy reading retellings of favorite episodes from the POV of different characters. I do wish there was more 'newness' and some writing from moments we didn't see as viewers.

War! This book brings together a talented group of writers who all put a unique spin on stories from "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (as the title suggests). Like many books of this nature, it's kind of a mixed bag, but each story has its own merits. Anne Ursu's "Pursuit of Peace" is probably my favorite of the bunch. (Note: this galley edition does not include E. Anne Convery's original story, "Bug.") If there's a young "Star Wars" fan looking for a good read, I'd recommend picking up this title for a breezy and well-portioned read!

Overall, I was disappointed in this title. I went in expecting new stories about my favorite Clone Wars characters, but found rehashes of the existing episodes. Yes, these renditions were written by excellent writers, but I needed something fresh from them.

I love these anthology series! It so cool to see these little side stories about some of our favorite characters or places.

The ending of THE CLONE WARS in many ways still feels like a fresh wound in its early stages of healing. I don't know if I'll ever recover from "Victory and Death," if I'm being honest. Moments from that finale will stay with me for a very long time. But the same goes for some earlier episodes of the series - which is why I was so excited about this anthology.
STORIES OF LIGHT AND DARK features a group of retellings of familiar episodes of the show, aside from the one original story at the end that truly makes the book as a whole stand out (MORE, PLEASE). From Obi-Wan's brief stint as a bounty hunter (if you know, you know) to Maul's brutal occupation of Mandalore (NOOOOO), this book hits many of the series' high points. And it's the perfect way to revisit the show if you're not in the mood for another full rewatch.
But the stories themselves aren't all that make up this anthology, which is why it works so well. The art, both on the cover and within the pages themselves, is stunning. I want it all on my wall? Also, it's a beautiful book to display. Especially if you have a few Funko figures to pose with it.
Some stories add more depth and intrigue to the original, while others are more of a straight retelling - and that's OK. The great thing about an anthology is that even if you don't love every story in it, it doesn't take away the value of the whole package.
Now if we could get a REBELS version, and ALL THE SABINE POV ... that would be wonderful.

This book was a mixed bag for me. But that seems to be common with short story anthologies. There were some stories that I enjoyed greatly. Others, not so much.

One high points of this anthology is the variety of stories within. Some of my favorite characters from both the light and dark side had stories including Yoda, Padme, and Bane.

It is a solid addition to the Star Wars Canon series. And one I think fans old and new would enjoy.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide in exchange for this review.

I was excited to hear about a new Star Wars short story compilation set during The Clone Wars called Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark. I couldn’t wait to check out this anthology featuring tales by Jason Fry, Zoraida Cordova, Rebecca Rhoanhorse, Lou Anders and more. When this book was offered up on Netgalley, I jumped on the chance to review it.
But as I started reading the book, I realized something: this wasn’t a fresh set of new stories set in the Star Wars Universe during The Clone Wars. This was a novelization of episodes of the animated television series. The more I read, the more annoyed I got. Sure, the writing was great and it transported me back to the time when I watched the series. The descriptiveness of each of the eleven writers enabled me to picture every scene in their assigned episode all over again. And it was nice to see these episodes written in certain character’s points of view. My favorites included Zoraida Cordova’s Asajj Ventress tale (Bounty), Padme’s attempt at ending the war in The Pursuit of Peace by Anne Ursu and Yoon Ha Lee’s Shadow of Umbara.
That being said, I was expecting NEW stories, whether they featured characters I knew in the animated series or all new characters created by the authors set in the time frame of the series. Even more disappointing was the fact that most of the novelizations really did nothing to reveal thought processes or emotional influences behind character actions in each story. That’s the beauty of a film novelization that makes you want to read it – there are always bits of insight added that allow you to get into certain characters’ brains. This anthology had none of that. Had I purchased Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark, I would have considered it a rip-off at $16.00. Definitely not worth the money.

This is fun read for fans of The Clone Wars TV series, but I wanted more from it. I was hoping to read new adventures and gain new insights into the characters that didn't make it into the show. However, each story was essentially a retelling of an episode of the series from one character's point of view, but there wasn't enough in these stories that you couldn't infer from watching the show. I also don't think all of the story arcs included in this anthology were necessarily the most important or interesting for the characters.

Maybe I would've enjoyed this collection more if I hadn't watched the whole series so recently. This is a well-written and fun concept for Star Wars fans of all ages looking for a new medium to revisit The Clone Wars; however, the execution doesn't offer enough new material to the canon to make this a must-read.

I think the book is great for the intended audience of middle-school readers. I wish there would have been a bit more consistency in the stories - all 1st person vs some 1st, some 3rd, etc..

This anthology sparked excitement among fans of all ages when it was first announced. Not only did we finally get a fitting ending to the series, but we were getting a book too? Star Wars book twitter was ecstatic. I was momentarily a bit disappointed upon finding out these would not be new stories, but retellings of episodes told from a specific character’s point of view. That changed when I heard who was writing for this anthology and what characters had been chosen. Plus, who wouldn’t want to get inside their favorite character’s head during key moments?

We get perspectives of Maul, Cad Bane, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Asajj Ventress, Captain Rex, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and more. My personal favorites were Padmé’s version of the events of “Pursuit of Peace” (Season 3 Episode 11), Obi-Wan’s of “The Lawless” (Season 5 Episode 16), and the delightful surprise of Jedi Youngling Katooni’s during part of the Younglings arc (Season 5 Episodes 6-9). Admittedly, I skipped Bane’s as I was never a fan of his and wasn’t interested in his POV of the Rako Hardeen story arc (Season 4 Episodes 15-18). I would have preferred Obi-Wan’s perspective of his time undercover until I got to his story that is.

The Galaxy According to Padmé and Obi-Wan
Padmé has been a favorite character since she was introduced. I was a year younger than the young queen when The Phantom Menace came out and was very excited for her character, and even more so when I spotted the lone blonde handmaiden. However, I have since been a bit disappointed in the lack of Padmé content, and unfortunately am not impressed with the author Disney Lucasfilm press has chosen to write her stories. So I was excited to see a different author was writing her here, and I very much enjoyed – and preferred- this author’s version of this strong young woman. Her determination and dedication to peace really shine through, as does her struggle at trying to prove herself to the Senate at large and Chancellor Palpatine. We also see her fighting spirit as she evades those pesky Bounty Hunters. This story gave us the Padmé I know and love from The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. The young woman who takes matters into her own hands when traditional means fail.

In Obi-Wan’s story, we get a perspective I’ve longed to see: his thoughts during “The Lawless” episode of Season Five. As a Satine fan and Obi-Wan/Satine shipper, this is a major part of their story. We are given insight into Obi-Wan’s decision to disobey orders and rescue Satine, his thoughts during the rescue, and his emotions during their final confrontation with Maul. Obi-Wan quickly cycles through fear of losing her, to anger at Maul for what’s he done, to hating him, and wanting to kill Maul once and for all. But in true Obi-Wan fashion, he realizes he would be betraying his beliefs – and Satine’s – if he does give in to his dark emotions. He triumphs as the better man, and Jedi. Obi-Wan and Satine’s relationship has long stood as a foil to Anakin and Padmé’s, and this difference between how Master and Apprentice deal with losing a woman they deeply care for drives this home. Obi-Wan can love without attachment and come out the other side of loss without losing himself to darkness.

Katooni’s point of view was an added delight. I did not expect to get the point of view of a Youngling, not to mention my favorite one. This one jumps in as they are attempting to escape from Hondo’s crew after rescuing Ahsoka. The author perfectly captured the personality of this fan-favorite, showing a girl who was almost a Jedi as she learns to trust in herself and the Force, even when she thinks she’ll fail.

A Galaxy of Authors
Many authors contributed to this anthology, including already established Star Wars authors and some new to the galaxy. Star Wars Adventures authors Cavan Scott and Lou Anders, Resistance Reborn author Rebecca Roanhorse, Crash of Fate author Zoraida Córdova, Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear author Tom Angleberger, and Servants of the Empire author Jason Fry. New to Star Wars authors include Sarah Beth Durst (Katooni’s story), Preeti Chhibber, E. Anne Convery, Anne Ursu (Padmé’s story), Yoon Ha Lee, and Greg van Eekhout.

There was artwork included before each story, alas, my ARC was read on a Kindle Paperwhite, so it did not show up in color. It looked to be watercolor and match the cover art. I’d love to see it in color and hope that it is included in color in the print copy.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, this anthology is a great insight into the characters of Star Wars that we don’t usually get to see. It’s also a great companion to The Clone Wars series. While geared towards Middle-Grade readers, this would make a great family read. Recommended for Clone Wars fans of all ages.

Fans of the Clone Wars will enjoy this Anthology. Well written but technically not 'fresh' from a story perspective because except for Bug all the stories are POV of the Clone Wars episodes.

I loved seeing Padme in action amongst her peers (much as I loved seeing Leia do the same in Bloodlines).

I felt a deep ache as Matt Lantner gives us prime Ani (back on my WHY ANAKIN BS).

My fist was shaking and the later in the air as Rex and the other clones fought in a war they didn’t ask for under a Jedi who didn’t care for them.

Bb Boba will never not make me laugh but dang do I want more Ventress after her story here (I know, I still need to read her book).

Being inside of Maul’s head is terrifying but also his hatred of Obi-Wan has never been more clear. If you know nothing else, it’s easy to see how this will be his downfall.

Speaking of Obi-Wan, this book didn’t have to punch me in the feels with Satine. I was not prepared for that.

Speaking of feels, the story featuring the younglings made me smile and also come back to my WHY ANAKIN curse. Why. Why Anakin.

This book is marketed as middle grade, which I assume is because the show is designed for that age. Other than that, I’m not finding specific themes that are common in middle grade. This is truly a story for fans who want to see different views on favorite episodes!

I always love to see Star Wars books for younger readers! These stories re-tell the episodes of The Clone Wars TV show from various points of view. The authors work hard to bring the voices of the characters to life, including Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul. The plots themselves are not new, and at times, it felt a little slow, but the insight on the characters was fantastic! This would be great for a younger person excited about Star Wars and working on learning to read more challenging books. The familiarity with the plot allows readers to really live inside the head of the character for a while.

Was this book for me? No. Did I enjoy reading it? Yes.

Throughout the first pages of this book, it became clear that it wasn't for me. I am a big fan of The Clone Wars, so I was immediately excited to see a book about it, and to revisit some episodes and seeing them further explored. However, the stories barely expand on what the episodes already presents. Of course, due to it's format, we do get to go a bit into the character's head, but it's not enough for me to say that it fully recontextualizes things or adds new dimensions to it.

Stories of Light and Dark is clearly aimed at a younger audience. As a fan of the show, I was hoping for a bit more for an older audience member (like myself). However, I do believe it succeeds it appealing to a younger audience. I could definitely see young children using this book as a gateway to other Star Wars stories. I can also see younger Star Wars fans having a blast with this book, and then going to discover the series.

The book assembles veteran Star Wars writers (like Jason Fry and Rebecca Roanhorse), but also brings in new writers to take a first swing at Star Wars storytelling. I am excited to see these new writers working in other projects that allow them to tell original stories and take deeper dives into the themes of Star Wars. The writing is solid, simple and effective.

I recommend this book for younger audiences who could use it to discover the TV Show, or Star Wars overall. For older fans of the show and Star Wars, it is a fun and quick read. But keep in mind that it is looking to reach a younger group, and not us specifically. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark are broken down into easy short stories featuring one main character. As with most compilations, some stories are better than others and I found that the best stories were Rex, Padme and Obi-Wan.

If you are planning to give this to a younger reader, be warned that there is a significant amount of violence and death. it was more sad to read than expected and definitely displayed the very dark side of war and loss.

Back in 2008 the full-length cartoon “Clone Wars” was released on big screens and then the series followed. Many Star Wars fans initially felt hostility towards all the new things “Clone Wars” brought, but in time most of them actually fell in love. The series have also nursed a whole brand new generation of Star Wars fans. And now that the show has officially ended with the long-awaited seventh season, Disney-Lucasfilm Press is releasing a collection of eleven stories designed to give the fans an opportunity to meet their favorite characters once again.

The book consists of ten retellings on behalf of particular characters, depicting and describing some particular moment in the series, as well as one completely new story dedicated to the Dathomirian witches. It should be noted that there was no new story in the preliminary version of the book that the publisher sends out for review, so this review will focus only on the ten that were there.

Of course, a book with eleven different authors could not have been turned out without any flaws. Some of the writers have managed to unravel the chosen character’s depth and show them from a new point of view, simultaneously revealing new facets of a familiar story, while others simply retold the plot of the series adding almost nothing.

The most original approach was chosen by the Star Wars mastodon Jason Fry, who wrote a story based on the episode “Ambush” — the very first series of the first season of The Clone Wars. Fry recounted the events of the episode on behalf of Master Yoda without any significant changes, but at the very end the readers will be surprised: awaiting them is a small, but completely new scene that connects different “Star Wars”products.

Of course, in a publication that retells familiar stories, the focus should be shifted from the plot to the inner world, thoughts and feelings of the characters on whose behalf these stories are told. In general, there is nothing to complain about, the characters are well recognizable and match their images: Yoda is wise and reasonable, Dooku is cold-blooded and arrogant, Anakin is emotional, Obi-Wan is ready to come to the rescue in any situation, and Maul, as usual, wants to take revenge on Kenobiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

The stories of villains have perhaps been fleshed out best. It is understandable — in the series, fans rarely had a chance to look at the stories from the perspective of the “enemy”. All the more interesting is to learn the point of view of Asajj Ventress, for example. She agrees to work together with a gang of bounty hunters and in the process finds out that everything is not as clear as it seems. It is also exciting to “eavesdrop” on the thoughts of Count Dooku who is captured by the gang of Hondo Onaka along with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. (By the way, what this story really lacks is the point of view of Hondo himself.)

If you want to delve more into the atmosphere and are also good at listening to English speech, consider getting your hands on the audio version of the book, because the stories there are read by the “Clone Wars” voice actors themselves. Listening to the story of Maul’s mental anguish read by Sam Witwer is a particular kind of pleasure.

Summing up, the book “Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark” is intended primarily for the most ardent fans of the animated series who can not accept its end and are ready to absorb any bits of information related to it. It is unlikely for the rest of us to find anything interesting in the book, except for the emotions of the characters and the opportunity to look at the stories from a slightly different angle.

The stories included in this collection are all adaptations of episodes of The Clone Wars animated show. While the stories here are told from the perspective of one character (leaving out any scenes from the shows where that character wasn't present), the stories follow the shows pretty closely, even down to 80% or more of the dialogue. I was able to read along as I watched the episodes.

I read 6 of the stories, but found very few enhancements or *significant* additions to the stories. For example, in the first story, which is a retelling of the first episode of the show, we get Yoda's musings on the nature of clones and individuality. But the additions, for me, didn't add to my understanding of Yoda, or the event in the story, or the larger Star Wars universe in a significant way. I was supremely disappointed. I was hoping for NEW stories with favorite characters from this time period in the saga.

Initially I thought this might be a good fit for readers who have never seen the show. But if a reader's only context is the movies, they might be lost as they encounter Clone Wars-only characters and contexts. The episodes referenced are from seasons 1, 3, 4 and 5. Your mileage may vary if you are brand new to the Clone Wars TV show stories.

I think the best reader for this book would be someone who enjoys novelizations. Reading about favorite moments from the show can be enjoyable for some who loved the series and are familiar with the characters and major events. But readers who are hoping for new content may be disappointed.