If you liked From a Certain Point of View, you’ll love Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Stories of Light and Dark, which is in the same vane as the former. This book has a great variety of stories from The Clone Wars, told from the perspective of many fan-favorite characters. Every story starts with a beautiful illustration of the character that the story focuses on, which is a great way to signal the reader as to the topic before reading a single word. Even though these stories were retellings of episodes of The Clone Wars, they didn’t feel redundant in any way. I enjoyed all of the stories, but my favorite in particular was “The Shadow of Umbara” by Yoon Ha Lee. That arc was one of my favorites of the entire show, and to get a retelling of it entirely from Captain Rex’s perspective was enjoyable for me. Overall, this book is a terrific read for any fan of The Clone Wars.

This book is a straightforward, faithful adaptation of The Clone Wars episodes with not much content outside their animated counterparts. At its best, the stories add some depth through their main characters' inner thoughts and perspectives. The "Pursuit of Peace" and "The Lost Nightsister" are the standouts in this respect. The NetGalley copy did not include "Bug," which is the the original story in the book.

If you're a fan of The Clone Wars and want to relive your favorite episodes in short story form, this book is for you.

As a die-hard Star Wars fan, I couldn't be happier that Netgalley has allowed me to read this ARC! A huge THANK YOU to you!

I have been reading Star Wars anthologies since "A Certain Point of View." That collection set a high standard for me. I am pleased to report that The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark was just as fantastic, if not better! I LOVED the Clone Wars: the series and everything about this collection is fantastic. What makes this unique is that though we know what happened during the Clone Wars, we haven't seen everyone's perspectives on it. Therefore, what a treat it is to read the lesser characters achieve their spotlight! Hear their stories and see the war from their point of view!

I already ordered a hardback copy and will be getting the Audible version as well to hear Matt Lanter narrate! Zoraida Cordova is a fantastic author as well! I'm hoping they create more!

Perhaps a Rebels anthology.....?

In “Star Wars: The Clone Wars¬¬—Stories of Light and Dark,” eleven talented authors combine to deliver a fitting tribute to a much beloved (and much binged) element of the Star Wars franchise. While there are no new stories here—each chapter closely follows an episode or an arc from the television series—the authors take advantage of the short-story anthology format to present new and interesting perspectives on what we’ve already seen. While I wouldn't have minded some new adventures sprinkled in (like we got from the first "From a Certain Point of View"), what we do get is a fresh look inside the heads of some of the series’ most beloved characters, highlighting their motivations, their fears, and personalities in a way that’s both suitable for younger readers and rewarding for older fans. A must read for fans of the show.

If you love Star Wars, and especially the television show The Clone Wars, then you will absolutely love this little anthology.

This series of stories is set in The Clone Wars timeline, and man is it good. We visit many familiar faces and continue learning more about their stories. Yoda, Padme, Ahsoka, so many good characters are revisited! It's a great way for nostalgic feeling for old fans and a great way to make new ones. It is also an amazing way to dive into some old stories in a new light. Especially with a variety of new authors to check out since they each bring their own spunk to this marvellous universe.

I highly recommend picking this book up if you love Star Wars! I loved sneaking back into the magical world I grew up with.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Clone Wars Stories of Light and Dark (Mostly Spoiler Free) Review

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney for supplying the advanced copy!

When I first heard about this middle-grade book, I was cautiously excited. On the one hand we would be returning to The Clone Wars but on the other hand, we would mostly be getting retellings of older stories with the addition of one completely original story.

Thankfully this book exceeded all my expectations. Each chapter takes on a different Clone Wars episode or story arc but none of them are simple retellings. Rather, each story features a first-person narrative from one character involved in the respective episodes, adding depth and richness to the Clone Wars.

For example, the first story is a Yoda-focused adaptation of Ambush, the first episode of The Clone Wars. Contemplating Yoda’s thoughts about the clones while they doubt themselves is captivating and makes the story worth visiting, even if you are a fan of the show and have seen the episode. Plus, prepare for some cool extra bonus Yoda scenes. Each story mines for similar insights, making them all worth reading.

Two of the best stories are seen through the eyes of unexpected characters. The Obi-Wan bounty hunter arc is shared through the eyes of Cad Bane which provides a unique perspective. Perhaps the most random perspective is that of Katooni, one of the padawans who ran into Hondo after undertaking the trials on Ilum. Reading that story imbued with her thoughts made for a rewarding and fun experience.

None of this is to say the book was perfect for me. It is a middle-grade book and sometimes that was evident in the writing. If you can get past that and the fact that only one of the stories is an original, then you are golden and should definitely check this book out. Despite the middle-grade writing, this book captures the Star Wars and Clone Wars magic for all audiences.

8.5/10

Disclaimer: The original story, the Nightsister-centric “Bug” was not included in the advanced copy but if it is anywhere near the quality of the rest of the book, it is sure to be great.

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark, recounts important events from the eyes of favorite characters. Basically, you get a bit more insight into some of the big episodes from The Clone Wars series.

I have not finished the series yet (I know... but I’m almost done👍🏼) so I’m assuming the later stories are also like the beginning ones and part of the show, but can’t confirm. Regardless, I liked reading them.

This is a middle grade book, so for me, the stories were easy to get through and it was a fast read. As they were short stories, there wasn’t a lot to them, but again, I thought they were well written and I loved jumping back into the universe.

I do think you should read this with the show. The show is amazing, and dare I say, better than the movies. To get the full experience of the short stories, it is nice to have the full timeline and set of events.

This will be available on 25AUG2020

Fans of The Clone Wars, unite! It seems that every time The Clone Wars fades away, it returns triumphantly. From the Lost Episodes on Netflix to the novel Dark Disciple to season 7 on Disney+, it's the story that keeps on giving. That tradition continued with Stories of Light and Dark.

This collection of short stories takes some of the most famous arcs from the television series and hands the reigns over to new authors for re-telling. Not only was it fun to re-live some of the best moments from the series, it was refreshing to get such beloved stories from a new perspective. First-person Cad Bane? Yes, please!

I sincerely hope that there will be more stories to come. Whether in short story format or in a full-length novel like Dark Disciple by Christie Golden, these stories just have a way of grabbing the reader from the very first word and effortlessly throwing them into that galaxy far, far away.

While the TV series may be officially over, there are still many, many more stories to be told (and re-told) from The Clone Wars. Here's to getting some of them with this collection, and here's to getting many more in the future.

Long live The Clone Wars!

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark is a fresh take on the animated series that has become a often-binged staple of Star Wars fans young and old. A talented stable of authors has adapted iconic episodes and story-arcs for inclusion in this anthology. Some are from a different character’s perspective from what we see in the tv show: the Senate hostage crisis is told from Anakin’s point of view rather than Padmé’s, for example. Other stories are told in a first-person-POV so as to lend a heavily-stylized slant to the familiar story. This is at the same time interesting, entertaining, and surprising—especially when we get inside the mind of a character such as Count Dooku!

As is to be expected with a collection of short stories, some stories work better than others. In this case, Rebecca Roanhorse’s Darth Maul story especially a standout for its deliciously dark grasp of the character and its gravitas.

The story isn’t all adaptations, though. One original Clone Wars story was written specifically for this book. While more original stories as opposed to adaptations would have been welcome, all in all this is a very entertaining and delightful Star Wars book, giving insight into the minds of several characters who are underserved in Star Wars storytelling, such as Yoda, Asajj Ventress, and Count Dooku.

I would recommend this book to younger readers looking for something quick, fun, and digestible; for fans of the Clone Wars; as well as for long-time fans as an example of a fresh perspective in Star Wars storytelling.

Thank you to Disney/Lucasfilm Press and Netgalley for the early review edition.

'The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark' retells some of the classic animated Star Wars stories and unfortunately is nothing more than an adaptation.

The approach of some authors (Rebecca Ronahorse, Lou Anders) allows you to look at famous stories from a slightly different perspective, but a lot of stories are just dry repetition of the series.

If you are a Star Wars fan, I recommend that you spend your time and money on some other, more interesting books, which have been published recently.

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark is the latest anthology to be published in that fandom. There’s a long tradition of books reliving classic scenes from the films but seeing them from a different point of view; maybe even a minor character. In July 1995, what’s now known as the Legends canon released Star Wars: Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina with assorted stories. Twenty-five years later, Stories of Light and Dark has the distinction of being the first anthology based off a television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Each story comes from a different episode. It’s also aimed towards younger readers, aged 8-12 years old unlike the other adult compilations.

In a proper ice cream store can be an endless number of choices. Sometimes, they might even give away a sample in small spoons. Some ice cream is scrumptious. It must be had in a proper size. Some ice cream isn’t an individual’s personal taste. It’s too sweet, too bitter, too much bits or too little. Stories of Light and Dark feels like those sample servings. The stories are about thirty pages long. Almost half the authors have their own Star Wars book, and all have other works. The short stories are like a sampler for finding which style a reader likes better and who a reader should look for at their bookstore or library.

On one hand, having an anthology with very different authors and styles means a little something for everyone. If one story isn’t your cup of tea, perhaps the next one will be. On the other hand, it can be annoying or jarring to go from a story with depth of character and vivid descriptions to one where the author focused on dialogue and pacing. It can also be a bit hard going from an omniscient narrator to first person. However, this could make the book work well as a book just before night-time, with just one story a night instead of binging it in one go.

One of the stories that stands out the most is “Dark Vengeance” by Rebecca Roanhorse. It’s a tale told by Darth Maul himself. At times, it feels like a ghost story told around a campfire while gorging on s’mores. Creepy word usage, life beyond death, ruined bodies, revenge and “witches” makes for a traditional gothic horror story within its Star Wars confines. It’s a treat to behold. Maybe one day there could be a gothic romance?
Another favorite was “The Lost Nightsister” by Zoraida Córdova. Of course, Córdova has a definite advantage in writing about the Witches of Dathomir and one that’s found herself far from home. Still, the images painted by her words and the emotions captured feel like it’s part of a much larger book than just a short story. Not all the authors treated their contributions the same way.

“Kenobi’s Shadow” by Greg van Eekhout must also be mentioned. Kenobi is forced to question his beliefs and morals in a way he never had before. He feels the pull of the Dark Side. It’s a wonderful character study. Other favorites will have to wait for the spoiler ban to be lifted.

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark contains just about everyone’s favorite character from Anakin to Hondo to Huyang, the droid voiced by David Tennant. For those less familiar with the series, it could cause renewed interest. For others, a re-watch will be needed to see what they missed that the stories have pointed out. It’s a beautiful marriage that’s sure to be followed by the other series, like Star Wars: Rebels. Be sure to pre-order Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark at your favorite book seller before August 25th!

Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark was marketed as an anthology of adaptations of classic Clone Wars episodes written by an array of authors and told from the point of view of key characters. As a massive Clone Wars fan (it was my first ever Star Wars!), I was excited to dive in. There were certainly stand-out stories and moments, but overall I ended up not connecting with much of what we were given.

It seems a lot of these authors had grand plans in mind when starting their adaptations—excited to flesh out the mindset of the characters they were tasked to portray. But with the limited amount of space for each story, they all essentially became retellings of the tales we already know with some bits of insight into the characters’ minds—but not nearly enough.

The best stories were the ones that only focused on one episode, which gave those authors more time to go in-depth into the characters’ thoughts and feelings. If it wasn’t for the one new original story ‘Bug’ by Anne Convery that was not included in my review copy, I likely wouldn’t have spent money on this rather lack-luster anthology. I love world-building and getting deep into the mind of characters new and old. There wasn’t much of that, but where there was, it was certainly those moments I enjoyed the most.

The art of each title character by Ksenia Zelentsova before every story was beautiful. But as a fan of her work for a while now, that came as no surprise to me.

If you want to read my spoiler reviews of each individual story in the anthology, check out my blog post on liamtalksstarwars.wordpress.com

enough they would be bored with the easy readers

This book is for all ages, parents kids, movie and TV series loves of Star Wards this is the perfect read.

Each authors voice, heart and soul in written in the words of this anthology that will bring young to Star Wars fans and future fans.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and netgalley.

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark

While I enjoy the Clone Wars Era this collection of stories felt like a rehash of old Clone Wars episodes. Just the nagging sense that I have seen this before and could easily predict what was coming.

I recommend this book as a collection piece but not necessarily as a must read.

BP

I absolutely loved this book and how can you not ! It all about different episodes from the Clone Wars TV show which is my personal favourite! The characters that got the short stories about them had to be some of my favourites as well, which made the stories much more enjoyable!!! I will never complain about more Star Wars stories, especially if they are from the Clones Wars !!!!!!!

Really good adaptation of some of the best stories from the Disney Star Wars The Clone Wars show. Really well put together, and a must read for fans of Star Wars, and fans of the show!

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Lucasfilm Press for providing an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Star Wars The Clone Wars : Stories of Light and Dark is an anthology similar to Star Wars : From a Certain Point of View gathering stories from The Clones Wars era, between Episode II and Episode III.

I picked this up because my knowledge of The Clone Wars is severely lacking and there is so much content that came from that period in the Skywalker canon that I wanted to add more to it. I really enjoyed the collection, it was a nice balance and as I have seen from other reviews here some of the stories were just novelizations of the TV show? Seeing how I've only watched a couple episodes here and there, due to the crazy watch order that people are pushing, some of the stories were new to me.

Okay, so I do know some spoilers and have the basic understanding of the storyline, but this did help fill in some of the blanks for me and I really appreciated it. If you're looking for new content, be aware of what I mentioned above, these might just be novelizations of Clone Wars episodes, but if you're coming into it without any knowledge of the era, you'll learn something new.

This is a must read for all Clone Wars fans! It is a retelling of various Clone Wars episodes but there is still so much to absorb from these written retellings. The best part of this anthology is the variation. All fans are bound to find a story they love.

The anthology showcased stories from Yoda, Dooku, Anakin, Padme, Rex, Cad Bane, Ventress, Maul, Ahsoka and Kenobi. Some of these are perfect pairings with novels (especially Padme and Ventress’ stories). My favourite stories were Anakin, Padme, Ventress and Kenobi. These stories did a fantastic job at adding character motivation and emotion that is impossible to get from the animated medium. Each author did a really good job with characterization. My only criticism of the book is it’s missing a true Ahsoka story. Ahsoka’s story wasn’t my least favourite but it had me scratching my head to why it was in Katooni’s point of view. The lovely Ahsoka illustration mislead me to think it would be an Ahsoka story.

Overall, this is a must read for Clone Wars fans. The illustrations are lovely and each author brought something unique to the Star Wars universe.

I will be reviewing this book on my podcast Lipstick & Lightsabers along with my co-host in August. I will add that link when released.

While I appreciate having access to as much Star Wars content as possible, I was admittedly disappointed that these were mostly adaptations of episodes from the TV series.

This book is a compilation of Star Wars stories set in the Clone Wars time. I think most have appeared as Clone Wars cartoons. The stories are a good complement to the cartoons in that they provide more insight and detail than the the cartoons can convey.