4.5 stars - rounded up because I really liked it and a lot of other ratings seem to be bashing it for reasons I consider unfair (the inclusion of a gay character, for example)

I loved Star Wars as a kid, up to and including the books from the canon that was retconned in favor of the new trilogy. (I had two and a half shelves of those books that I read multiple times each; I think they're still in my parents' house.) I'm not the biggest fan of the new canon, so it's taken me a while to check out any of the books. What persuaded me to pick up Aftermath was, ironically, an attempt at re-reading one of my old favorites. It turned out to have aged poorly (or maybe my worldview has changed). Anyway, I turned to Chuck Wendig for an updated take on the Star Wars universe, and I wasn't disappointed! Aftermath contains all the aspects of sci-fi I love: space battles; struggles between good and evil (or at least between varying shades of moral grayness); and best of all, stories that draw from and relate to real life.

I'm excited to move forward in the Aftermath trilogy and I think the series has a lot of promise. Who knows, maybe the new canon will win me over! I'd definitely recommend this book to fans of Star Wars and sci-fi in general.

(Note: I alternated between reading my hardcover copy and listening to the audiobook. The narrator is solid and the sound effects are great!)