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.

My teen is the biggest Star Wars fan, & getting to read advance reader copies of these titles thanks to Netgalley & Disney Publishing Worldwide has been such a highlight of his time at home during the pandemic. 

He devoured this series of stories in less than a day, and absolutely loved it. From stories he knew, and new versions of stories already done this one was one he immediately asked for a hard copy of. 

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this title with my teen in exchange for our honest review, and being a bright spot in this weird time!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark is a collection of short stories set in the Star Wars universe (in case that wasn't obvious). This collection is much like the animated series, showcasing smaller moments within a much larger time frame.

In total there are eleven stories to this collection, with some huge names worth noting. Actually, the authors involved are half the reason why I was so interested in this particular collection. The titles in this collection include: Sharing the Same Face by Jason Fry, Dooku Captured by Lou Anders, Hostage Crisis by Preeti Chhibber, Pursuit of Peace by Anne Ursu, The Shadow of Umbara by Yoon Ha Lee, Bane's Story by Tom Angleberger, The Lost Nightsister by Zoraida Cordova, Dark Vengeance by Rebecca Roanhorse, Almost a Jedi by Sarah Beth Durst, Kenobi's Shadow by Greg Van Eekhout, and Bug by E. Anne Carvery.

Below you'll find individual reviews for each short story in this collection. It is worth noting that the fans of the Star Wars: Clone Wars television series will be (very) familiar with many of the stories included.

Sharing the Same Face by Jason Fry
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Sharing the Same Face is a tale focused on the long and varied experience of the one and only Yoda. Here Yoda is working alongside several new Clone Troopers in order to thwart Ventress's current plans.
“He'd let his senses be flooded by the life energies around him. And everywhere he visited, he found beauty and wonder.”
This was a quick and fun read, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's a plot I'm familiar with, but it was still nice to see it all through Yoda's eyes. It added a new perspective to the mix, and let me appreciate the series of events that much more.

Dooku Captured by Lou Anders
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Dooku Captured is another familiar event, though it's told in a unique format. The entire short story reads like a message written by Count Dooku. It's an odd mixture of formal and informal, all while recounting his latest battle against Anakin and Kenobi.
“I thought I sensed an unpleasant disturbance in the Force.”
This was another fun and quick read, though it's definitely one of the more unique stories in this collection. Not because of the format itself, but because of the storytelling method. It's told in first person, which worked for such a quick story, but I don't think this format would have worked as well for a complete novel.

Hostage Crisis by Preeti Chhibber
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Next up is Hostage Crisis. We're back to following Anakin Skywalker for this story. His dedication to Padme knows no bounds, even during trying times. Though sometimes that creates more complications for him and his path of being a Jedi.
“He rolls his eyes. If they could get away from all this secrecy and have a few moments to themselves, the great weight of their responsibilities would evaporate, even just for a short while.”
Okay, so this is another one of those stories I distinctly remember from the show. Still, it's nice actually getting a chance to see Anakin's thought process during this whole scene of events – that's something the show could never have done. It simultaneously makes the whole thing sweeter – and more concerning.

Pursuit of Peace by Anne Ursu
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Pursuit of Peace portrays all of the struggles that Senator Amidala went through while attempting to bring peace. There are times where it feels like she's the only one trying to find a solution that doesn't involve bloodshed – this is one of those times.
“But this time were was a new wrinkle: the Senate's war funds were nearly extinguished: they simply could not afford more clones. Padme had entertained a small hope that this, finally, might lead the Senate to discuss peace – but she should have known better.”
Any story that contains Padme is an automatic read in my book, I adore her character. Ursu did justice to a wonderful character here, showing the complexity that comes with Padme's position – and her virtues.

The Shadow of Umbara by Yoon Ha Lee
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
The Shadows of Umbara is a harsh reminder that to many, the Clone Troopers are not real people. They are tools, and they are weapons, but little more than that. This story focuses on Rex, and the bias that he had to battle on more than one occasion.
“It was too late for caution to save them”
This is one of those stories that makes my skin crawl. Not because it was poorly written – if anything, the opposite is true. Just the idea of the Clone Troopers being disregarded in such a way. Getting into Rex's head for this tale made it even more chilling (even while knowing how it was going to play out).

Bane's Story by Tom Angleberger
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Bane's Story revolves around the one and only Cad Bane, and you just know that this is going to be an epic adventure from start to finish. Bane's been imprisoned, but that won't last long. He's going to break out, even if that means working with people he doesn't trust. Followed by a whole new series of events – and crimes.
“But I'll tell you what really happened: the true story of the biggest crime ever attempted this side of Kessel.”

The Lost Nightsister by Zoraida Cordova
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Asajj Ventress has been many things. The Lost Nightsister is a reminder of her past, while a battle for the future begins. It doesn't matter what's coming at her next, Ventress will find a way to survive. She always does.
“Ventress survived because the only other choice was not surviving, and she was too stubborn for that.”
You know a story is well written when it (almost) makes you feel bad for the villains. That is the case for Ventress's story. She may do wicked things, but nobody deserves to have gone through as much as her, or to have lost so much. I really do love the way Zoraida Cordova brought this journey to life.

Dark Vengeance by Rebecca Roanhorse
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Dark Vengeance is the reminder we all need, that one should never count an enemy dead. Especially if their body is not sitting right in front of you. People like Darth Maul are much too difficult to kill, after all.
“Do they whisper my name in the classrooms of your academy, down the winding halls of your space station, in the hollows and fields of your farming planet, or across the dunes of your desert home?”
This story follows the battle of Darth Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and yet it is still a surprising story. There are many elements I enjoyed about this read, including the unique storytelling style. There's something chilling about the idea of Darth Maul addressing the reader.

Almost a Jedi by Sarah Beth Durst
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Ahsoka Tano didn't expect to find herself fighting or running from pirates, not when she signed up to be a Jedi. Yet that is the story that unfolds in Almost a Jedi. She's bound to protect Jedi younglings, in what should have been a relatively easy mission. Now, it's anything but.
“I drew a poster of her signature double lightsabers for my room at the Jedi Temple. Okay, I drew three posters of her.”
This is a retelling of one of my favorite Ahsoka moments from the Clone Wars series. Not only does it highlight a beloved character, but it gave many younglings a chance to shine as well. This short story does that tale justice, while adding a few details that I adored.

Kenobi's Shadow by Greg Van Eekhout
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Obi-Wan Kenobi has long been famous for his stalwart portrayal of the perfect Jedi. Yet there's no doubt that he is also a human, and he has his moments of weakness, as well as room to feel things such as affection, and loss. Kenobi's Shadow is about the events that occurred on Mandalore, and how/why Kenobi got involved.
“Obi-Wan resisted the urge to charge out of the chamber, board a ship, and make the hyperspace jump to help his friend.”
From the moment her name came up, I knew exactly what story was going to unfold on these pages. It was a great story, even knowing what was going to happen (and why). I love this tale for it adds more humanity to Kenobi than many others out there, which is saying something.

Bug by E. Anne Carvery
Rating: N/A
This is the only story I wasn't able to rate, as it wasn't included in the free review copy I received. I'll probably (definitely) end up picking up a copy, though not just to I can read the final short story in this collection.

https://whatsnewonjakku.wordpress.com/2020/08/25/star-wars-the-clone-wars-stories-of-light-and-dark-review/

Stories of Light and Dark is a gorgeous book full of retellings of some of the stories we know and love from the TV series The Clone Wars. Sadly, it did not include some fan favorites like the “Siege of Mandalore,” but it did include some other really great stories. “The Lost Nightsister” and “Almost a Jedi” are two of my favorites. The book added little details like some of the characters thoughts we would not have previously known, but other than that it did not differ much from the show.

Aesthetically, this is one of the prettiest books I have ever laid eyes on. The color scheme, formatting, and art work combined really sell it. It is easy on the eyes and smooth to touch. I felt like I was receiving a Christmas gift when I first opened it up. It fits the overall visual theme of The Clone Wars well.

If you are a casual fan of Star Wars or haven’t seen The Clone Wars, this book probably isn’t your thing. However, if you are a “prequel stan” and obsessed with The Clone Wars, Ahsoka, and that era of Star Wars, you will love this book. It is an anthology, so you can totally crack open any chapter and read it to yourself or your kids before bed. I grew up watching The Clone Wars and am elated to see some of the older arcs still being shown some love. I quite enjoyed this book and I hope you do too!

Children's Fiction ~ Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark
Review by: Bluninja29

Opening Thoughts:
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark is a collection of stories based off the TV show Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2003 TV series.) It has 11 Short Stories all based off episodes from the TV show. with more view points that we didn't get to see in the show. One of the Short stories im are gonna look at is about Count Dooku.

Story:
Count Dooku was surprised attacked by the Republic.

Presentation:
I do like how these are in the characters point of view like Count Dooku. I also like how all the stories are based off the show. What I didn't like is how these are short stories, but it is a nitpick so I won't get crazy over it. I honestly liked this book.
If you are a star wars nerd or want to give your kid a star wars book to read. then this is the book for you!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Stories of Light and Dark is a fun take on some of our favorite stories from the beloved television series The Clone Wars. As a die-hard fan, I was itching to spend more time with characters like Captain Rex, Ahsoka, Padme, Maul, and Hondo Ohnaka, and I was not disappointed. Even if I am not in the target audience, I had a wholly enjoyable time and immediately queued up my rewatch on Disney+.

This book will undoubtedly draw comparisons to the Star Wars: From A Certain Point of View anthology book. While, yes, they are both anthologies, Stories of Light and Dark is written with a younger reader in mind. FACPOV sets out to give us fresh-takes on classic scenes from background or minor characters and is catered to a general audience. Stories of Light and Dark is written to service the younglings who are coming of age and ready to experience the series for the first time or with fresh eyes.

While the advanced copy did not come with the eleventh story included, I enjoyed different aspects of the ten I had the privilege of reading. "Hostage Crisis" by Preeti Chhibber, "The Lost Nightsister" by Zoraida Cordova, "Dark Vengeance" by Rebecca Roanhorse, and "Almost a Jedi" by Sarah Beth Durst are among my favorites. The best novelizations allow you to live inside the mind of the characters in a way that enhances what you see on screen. This collection of stories does just that. Readers will get to experience a new sense of the depth of emotions our characters feel, and they'll stick with you long after you've finished reading.

As I mentioned above, I am not this book's target audience. Having grown up on The Clone Wars, I found myself wanting to return to the series over reading particular sections of the book. While some may view this as a negative, I think it is a testament to the authors and stories selected that I wanted to relive the arcs in their original form. Easily accessible and wholly entertaining, this is a perfect bridge between the padawan and the Master readers out there. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

The stories surrounding Star Wars: The Clone Wars have quickly become a staple in the Star Wars franchise. Earlier this year, season seven of the animated series delivered a well-received end cap that gave fans another round of adventures with our favorite characters.  If you are still looking to have that Clone Wars itch scratched, look no further than Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark. Published by Disney–Lucasfilm Press, Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark features stories directly from episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars focusing on the perspective of one character. The eleven stories come from eleven different authors: Lou Anders, Tom Angleberger, Preeti Chhibber, Zoraida Córdova, Jason Fry, Rebecca Roanhorse, Anne Ursu, Sarah Beth Durst, Yoon Ha Lee, Greg van Eekhout, and E. Anne Convery. This powerhouse team of authors is joined by  Ksenia Zelentsova who provides both the cover art and the illustrations throughout the anthology.

Despite being stories from the animated series, the focused perspective on the main character gives a fresh take on stories that fans have come to love. Readers can expect to see  Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Captain Rex, Darth Maul, Count Dooku, Cad Bane, Padmé Amidala, Asajj Ventress, and Katooni in ways that fans may have not quite experienced back in the early 2000s. There is no question that this vast range of characters are on different sides of the Clone Wars conflict. However, by retelling these episodes and arcs from their perspective, the field evens out as we see each character’s motivations without the influence of a structured animated episode.

As a canon anthology, readers won’t glean any new or groundbreaking information outside a different point of view from the events of the animated series. This certainly does not take away from the amazing voice that each author is able to inject into their stories with their unique writing styles. While the majority of the stories are retelling, readers can expect a nice treat at the end of theStar Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark with “Bug” from writer Convery. The story is an all-new story in the Star Wars canon that features a story focused on a Nightsister after the assault on Dathormir at the hands of General Grevious.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark is largely aimed at a younger audience. Coming in at over 300 pages with eleven different stories, this anthology feels largely like the young adult version of Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View. The text takes center stage on each page and is presented in a way that is easy to read. Scattered throughout is art from artist Zelentsova of the character-focused on in each story which provides an easy reminder of what the characters look like. This could easily serve as a nightly bedtime story for children just learning to read or an introduction in the vast world of the Star Wars expanded universe for slightly older children.

Despite its clear intended audience, the new story at the end of Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark may be enough for lore diehards to pick up the anthology. However, if you are fine with a TL;DR of that story and do not care much for reading stories you have already heard, then this may not be the book for you. That said, I found myself going back to watch the corresponding episodes to compare and contrast. This really showed how well this team of authors was able to bring all of the stories together in a cohesive book. From that perspective, it is hard to find much fault with Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark outside of not getting more original stories.

I hope that Disney–Lucasfilm Press adapts stories from the other animated shows like Rebels and Resistance, especially since as those shows have characters that we really don’t know as much about compared with The Clone Wars. Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark shows that telling these stories we have already seen from a first-person perspective can be done and shows that other animated series could also benefit from this treatment while even giving new stories as well.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark is available now wherever books are sold.

Reading The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark had me feeling so nostalgic, and I loved re-living the Clone Wars episodes that were featured! It was interesting experiencing the same episodes from another character’s point of view: Hostage Crisis told from Anakin’s perspective rather than Padmé’s for example. My only criticism of the book is it’s missing a story from Ahsoka’s perspective - that’s also coming from a huge Ahsoka fan. The Ahsoka illustration before “Almost A Jedi” led me to believe it would be from Ahsoka’s perspective; however, seeing ‘The Younglings’ arc from Katooni’s POV wasn’t all bad and turned out to be one of my favorite stories in the book. Furthermore, the art of each title character by Ksenia Zelentsova before every story was beautiful and such a nice touch to the book - not to mention the cover art is absolutely gorgeous as well! If you’re a Clone Wars fan, this book is a must just to have part of your collection, and the stories are the perfect length for a bedtime story for younglings - a good way to introduce them to the franchise.

It's expected for major Star Wars productions to get a novel adaptation. In fact, if a movie premiered without a novel coming soon thereafter I'm sure fans would make their displeasure known. So it seems fitting for Star Wars longest running television series to get the same treatment. 

Enter: Stories of Light and Dark. This is a collection of short stories by a number of very talented authors, many of which are no stranger to writing Star Wars stories.

Stories of Light and Dark is written at a grade school level, so that's the first thing to keep in mind. If you're looking at this book expecting it to be the next Dark Disciple, you should probably pass on it. But if you're looking for an entry point to Star Wars fiction for the young ones in your life, this would be an excellent option - especially if they're already Clone Wars fans. You also might want to check it out if you're an absolute Clone Wars mega-fan. 

What Stories of Light and Dark consists of is basically an adaptation of a Clone Wars story for each "chapter" of the book. For example, the first story is "Sharing the Same Face" by Jason Fry. This is an adaptation of the episode "Ambush," told from Yoda's perspective. Each subsequent story follows the same idea: taking an episode (or a couple episodes in some cases) and boiling it down to a short story from one character's perspective. 

What you end up with are some interesting takes on the episodes that we're already very familiar with. In the Jason Fry story I mentioned, there is this interesting take on Yoda being disappointed that he'd be facing Ventress. He was secretly hoping to confront Dooku and get the chance to bring him back to the light. It's stories like this that make me feel that even adult Clone Wars mega-fans can find enough to make this worthwhile. 

But like I said before, this book is really intended to reach that grade school audience. And for that audience, it should be a home run. It's easily approachable, and you don't really need much Clone Wars background to get into these stories. They read separately very well. So whether you're looking at this for the kid that knows everything about Star Wars, the kid who has a passing interest, or the kid who's just getting started - it seems this book will appeal to any of them.

"Stories of Light & Dark" strikes the perfect balance between satisfying longtime fans of The Clone Wars and introducing newer fans in an accessible way. This book is not just a repeat of what's come before but greatly expounds upon what we see on-screen by inviting us into the minds of our heroes and villains. Through their inner dialogue, as well as a few added scenes, we get a newfound perspective on the familiar events they face, some of which transform the characters mightily. 

The ones that stood out to me most are "Pursuit of Peace" and "Kenobi's Shadow." The former gives us a glimpse into the mind of Padmé as she struggles to embrace her own confidence on the Senate floor, and she shows vulnerability in a way that we're not always used to seeing. She finds strength through the belief in herself, dropping the mask she so often puts on for her colleagues to be someone she's not, and the belief that democracy will work. Ironically, she spends much of the chapter criticizing the political machinations that corrupt our own world today, and it almost feels like this story is re-told through the context of a post-2016 world. Kenobi's tale, meanwhile, shows his internal battle with the dark side as a festering anger nearly manifests into eventual suffering. However, it's through the strength of Duchess Satine that he finds peace and balance, and it gives us a better understanding of the emotional weight Kenobi carries up through the events of "Revenge of the Sith." Both stories are so beautifully told and they alone make this collection worth the price. 

As a fan of the "From A Certain Point of View" installments, this immediately appealed to me as a television equivalent. I think there's a lot of opportunity for other Star Wars stories, such as the Mandalorian or Rebels, to follow. I'm hoping to pick up the audiobook as well, since it is narrated by the cast. 

Full review to follow on the Friends of the Force podcast (attached link).

Novelizations of visual stories can be as difficult as translating print media to the screen, and not all succeed in capturing the emotions that a viewer translates for themselves. Some pitfalls that plague novelizations are evident in Stories of Light and Dark, but each story manages to highlight something new about each Clone Wars episode or arc. Furthermore, there are some true gems that expertly thread themes or unique storytelling devices through the tales.

Tom Angleberger, Sarah Beth Durst, and especially Rebecca Roanhorse capture the voices of their chosen narrators perfectly. Roahhorse's title alone - the full title - matches the character's self-important swagger. Zorialda Córdova, Anne Ursu, and Greg van Eekhout are the masters at weaving themes into how they told their adaptations, thus providing us a deeper look at the central characters.

This anthology also works as a whole and not just because they are adaptations of the same televisions show. Whether by design or by coincidence, concepts or themes introduced (i.e. not explicit in the original episodes) by one author are followed-up by other stories along the way. There are some stories that are excellent on their own merit, but all of them are uplifted by being bound within the same book.

Full review at link: http://eleven-thirtyeight.com/2020/08/stories-of-light-and-dark-is-there-merit-in-a-clone-wars-adaptation/

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark is an extremely successful adaptation of visual storytelling into a literary medium, preserving the integrity of episodes fans of The Clone Wars know and love while also adding new depth and insight into characters' thoughts, feelings, and motivations. It is a fast, thoroughly engaging read with vivid imagery and clear, concise prose that cuts right to the heart. Each author's individual style is allowed to shine, and each story begins with a beautiful illustration by Ksenia Zelentsova. This book is a definite recommend.