Before the Awakening (Star Wars)

Really gives interesting backstories to Finn, Rey & Poe and shows you a bit more of the humanity and character of each individual beyond what the film presented. Overall 3 great short stories for this book.

Bought this the day after I saw the movie (I hadn't even heard of this book).

If you haven't seen the movie this is a great book to get you excited about the movie (if you aren't already excited) and if you have seen the movie this is a great book to find out a little more about Finn, Rey & Poe.

To be honest this book won't spoil any plots for you if you haven't seen the movie and it won't reveal much of anything if you have seen the movie. The book is very well written and a very easy read. It does provide you an insight on these three characters since the book takes place just before the movie starts. The most revealing information is on Poe but that is a plus since there seems to be so little about Poe in the movie.

What you get
You get additional information about Finn, Rey & Poe
It might shed some light on the why or the how the characters came to be in The Force Awakens
More exposure to the characters
Better understand the characters emotions

What you don't get
Answers of their origins (with the exception of Poe)
Details insights in the movie
Spoilers for the movie

This book gives a look at Poe, Rey, and Finn before the events that take place in The Force Awakens. If you love these characters as much as i do, you have to read this book! It adds depth and context to what made them who they are and will leave you wanting to dig deeper in this amazing story. I wish the book was longer but i understand it is meant to wet your appetite.

Great back story to Episode 7. You learn about who the characters are before they are all mixed together. Answers some of the questions you have at the beginning of the movie.

Great to see who these 3 were, because then their transformations in the movie are more palpable.

A nice little book that fills in some of the unknowns around Finn, Rey, and Poe. The motivations of Finn and Poe are particularly interesting, although Rey's narrative remains undeveloped for obvious reasons.

Each story is better than the previous one. I didnt cafe much for Finns story but I enjoyed Rey and poe's story a lot. Poet's story takes you right up to swfa. I recommend it. It's a fairly short read but really good!

A decent book telling three short stories about Finn, Rey and Poe. Of the three, I liked them in order, exactly as they're written. Finn's was the most interesting, Rey's was somewhat interesting and Poe's was the least interesting. Greg Rucka is a good writer and it shows. Worth reading.

The overall writing wasn't bad, the book comprises 3 short stories about Finn, Rey, and Poe leading up to their introductions in the movie. Spoiler warning (not too major) if you haven't seen the movie by now. Finns tells us about life during training and how not only did he but his friends notice that maybe he wasn't cut out to be a storm trooper. I think his story had the most connections with the movie as I think the storm trooper that leaves the bloody mark on his mask in the movie is pry his friend Slipps, and the one during the attack on Mazs cantina that yells traitor is either Nines, or Zeroes. The book also goes into detail about not only his training but why he goes by a digit name. Rey was one of my favorite charecters in the movie but the story really doesn't add much to the movie. It does show her struggles and how desperate others are to get away from Jaaku, it also shows how easily her faith has been taken from her. The dogfights were cool in Poes story and it shows how he came to work with the resistance. A plot from the first order to have a senator who works for them, (I guess taken from Palpatine). Overall not a bad read, better then Star Wars aftermath and a good tie in. Rating 6.3/10.0

As a 37 year old that has been visiting a galaxy far, far away for almost as long as he is old, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's easy enough to understand that I can read it to my 3 kids & have them enjoy it with me. Yet it's immerses & entertains me so much that I very much enjoyed reading it the 1st time through by myself.
I'm a reader of all of the new comics that tie into the movies as well as a watcher of the movies. This is the 1st tie in novel that I've read & if the rest are as enjoyable as this 1, then it most certainly won't be the last. Especially any from Greg Rucka. I've long been a fan of his from the Comic book world & now I'm a fan of his novels.
I rated this 5 stars not because it is a flawless novel, but because of my enjoyment level as I read it. I truly felt that I was in this beloved galaxy adventuring with these characters that I have come to love through multiple viewings of Episode VII & my reading of the comics. It also deepened my connection to & understanding of these new characters.
All-in-all, it was a great read, in my opinion.

Finn's story: This story, while well-written in the technical sense, was by far the weakest of this trio. If not for my husband encouraging me onward, I might have put the entire book down. I understand that the book was released before the film, and that the authors don't necessarily get all the information they'd like before writing, but Finn's character presented here didn't quite match up to watch we see in the film. If the story had been about any other stormtrooper, it would have been wonderful.

Rey's story: On the other hand, this next section of the book blew me out of the water. The ending was like a punch to the gut. I could keep using overwrought metaphors, but it was just THAT GOOD. 

This story included all of the information about Rey's life on Jakku that I could have ever wanted, and more. It provides necessary background detail for her technical and piloting knowledge, and truly makes us sympathize for how her life has crafted her into the woman she becomes. If you read nothing else in this book, read this story.

Poe's story: Ironically, reading this facet of Poe's life after seeing The Last Jedi probably made me appreciate both the story and the film more. After all, Poe is a hero in The Force Awakens, but he's not much of a fleshed-out character, which makes his hijinks in the next film all the more irritating. This look into both his history and the history of the Rebellion itself was a great look into the bigger picture of the galaxy outside of the tiny, limited slices that Finn and Rey know about. This story was an adventure full of fun space battles and heart-stopping heist escapades.

Honestly? Don't bother with Finn's story. Just skip to the good stuff on page on 59.

First off, this is not a novel but three short stories each detailing one of our three new leads. It's very similar in content and tone to the other Journey to the Force Awakens short stories (All Creatures Great and Small, The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku, the Face of Evil, High Noon on Jakku, and The Perfect Weapon). Also like those stories these ones are a bit hit and miss.

The first story in here is Finn's. His story is fine, more or less. The basic plot is of Finn's training and first deployment as a Stormtrooper. It captures the regimented lifestyle of a Stormtrooper quite well and conveys Finn's inability to accept or fit into it. And of course, it's hardly a spoiler to say that he's quite effectively disillusioned by the end. There was only one problem I had with it really: that he didn't seem much like Finn. One of the main issues this story deals with is his superior skills over your average Stormtrooper and his compassion and leadership abilities. Apart from compassion I didn't feel Finn particularly embodied any of this. He seems like an average grunt more than a leader, and his so-called extraordinary skills cover over the fact that he always seemed out of his depth and borderline incompetent (in a charming way). It also seems to gel poorly with how Phasma and Hux remember him in Force Awakens. Phasma is very aware of his dangerous compassion here, and Hux has at least talked about him before, contrary to how it seems in the film. Overall, this was a fun story, but it didn't really match the character we were given in the film. At least not to me.

The next one up is Rey's story. I feel much the same about this one, although the problem here is reversed. Rey's characterization is perfectly fine and actually leads us towards the character development we see in the film. It's the plot that's more troublesome. Her basic quest here is to repair a damaged starship she's discovered in the wastes so that she can sell it off to Unkar Plutt for enough food to feed herself for months. Basically the entire story is simply her repairing it. As a sketch of her daily life it works well. It captures her independence and suspicious nature while also showing the idealism and yearning that lies beneath it. Heck, it's probably the best story they could tell for a girl whose life must have been unremittingly tedious. But that doesn't alter the fact that it just isn't very interesting.

Poe's story comes last and it's easily the best of the bunch. It probably helps that Poe's my favorite of the new characters (except maybe Kylo, but he doesn't get himself a story). Poe's a bit older than the other two so he's actually had time for a lot of fun backstory. This only covers a tiny bit of it. The main character arc here covers Poe's disillusionment with the complacent inaction of the New Republic and his recruitment by the Resistance. Surprisingly, this seems to have been a fairly recent thing. I didn't get the impression that this took place more than a few months before The Force Awakens. Characterwise, Poe is Poe. The author captures his cocky eagerness very well while placing it into a slightly different context than we see on film. Here we get to see more of his leadership and piloting skills as well as our first real look at the New Republic. The omission of any insight into that group was one of the more irritating mistakes of the film. It's nice to see someone do something about that. The plot leaves us plenty of room for derring do and brave rescue missions as Poe navigates galactic affairs. It's very well done.

Anyone who saw the film and wanted to know more should check this book out. It's our prime resource for the state of the galaxy at the time of the film. One of the stories is excellent and the other two have very strong positive attributes. Try it.

My daughter picked this book out at her then middle school. She read it and loved it. Two years later; I decided to read it, and boy I am glad I did. This has three short stories that tie all the characters fates together. Especially when the Force Awakens was released; you can see what each other characters backstory really meant. Very well written. This is not just for children or children at heart . This was like watching a whole new Star Wars movie in my mind. Pure fun, and imaginative. I always screen what my children read, and this was a breath of fresh air for children's literacy. Highly recommended. I hope to read more from this Author.

I enjoyed the book Star Wars Before the Awakening written by Greg Rucka.
I think this science fiction story is a great book for movie character origins.
I like the way the author leaves at a certain point in each chapter and then moves on to the next person's background. I think this is a great book especially if you like star wars but even if you don't it's still great.

There are three main characters FN-2187,Rey,and Poe. FN-2187 is a storm trooper in the First Orders army who follows commands without question him and his buddies are ready to fight the resistance or so he thinks. Rey is a scavenger for spaceship parts on a desert planet that has a graveyard of ships. Poe is a former republic now a resistance pilot who wants to keep the galaxy at peace with the help of his commander and his pilot buddies. In conclusion this book is great and I would recommend it for any age willing to read.

The book Before the Awakening introduces us to three new characters in the Star Wars universe. The book consists of three backstories about Finn, Rey, and Poe. Finn is a storm trooper from the First Order. He is one of the better storm troopers in his unit but eventually begins to demonstrate a little too much empathy which is a cause of concern for Captain Phasma. Rey ekes out a living in the desert wastelands of the planet Jakku. She manages to recondition a space ship and attempts to improve her lot in life. Poe is a pilot for the New Republic who gets involved with the Resistance. I did like the stories in this book but the character development is a little weak and bit superficial at times; I was hoping for a little more background on the motivations and personalities of the characters of Finn and Rey and so I will admit this book is a little disappointing. Still, this is an important book for fans of the Star Wars universe as it gives us some background to important characters and events in the movie The Force Awakens as well as any subsequent films/books featuring Finn, Rey, and Poe.

With the announcement of Disney's acquisition of Star Wars came the rebranding of the EU's canonicity and the news of Episode VII. To help prepare fans for the new era that would come with the new movie, Disney came up with the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens marketing platform - books and other miscellaneous items that would give clues to the story. Before the Awakening is a "companion piece" to the marketing, released on the same day as the movie. In my opinion, it should had been the first of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens marketing materials as it has given us the most information into the new world of Episode VII that isn't the Visual Guide.

The book contains three stories, each one following new characters Finn, Rey, and Poe before the movie. Finn's show us his time in training and gives us a look into the day-to-day of the First Order. Rey's gives us a look into her days as a scavenger on Jakku and explains how she knows to fly. Poe's shows us his time as a New Republic fighter jock and how he joined the Resistance.

Out of enjoyment, I would have to rate the stories from most to least as follow: Finn's, Poe's, and Rey's. However, rating them out of importance to the universe, I would have to rate them as follow: Poe's, Finn's, and Rey's. Poe's and Finn's stories actually gives information about the state of the universe post-Episode VI that I was wondering about since the first announcement of VII's story. Namely, the relations between the First Order, New Republic, and the Resistance and what the First Order and Resistance are. It wasn't until I saw the movie that I got the answers I was looking for (I was able to see a Thursday screening so the book wasn't out yet nor the information on Wookieepedia).

Rey's story, on the other hand, doesn't do much to expand the universe or Rey's character. Everything revealed can be found in the movie or the other stories set on Jakku. Other than revealing how Rey learned to fly it doesn't add anything, compared to the other stories. Finn's and Poe's stories end about right where they start in Episode VII while Rey's could happen anywhere in her timeline before the movie.

Overall, I quite enjoyed the book. It gave us a look into our new protagonists' lives before the movie and needed information on the state of the universe. The only problem I had with it was Rey's story and that's only because it is average overall.

The book consists three strories: Finn's, Rey's and Poe's. They describe the events directly before TFA.
I picked up this book thinking it'll give me more insight into the characters. I'm not disappointed but I'm not also satisfied either.

1. Finn was one of my fave characters in the movie and I was excited to read about him. This story didn't meet my expectations though. We don't actually learn anything about him except of that he doesn't show the "real stormtrooper treats" - he doesn't want to leave any man behind,he CARES and he's an excellent fighter. Well, yes, thank you, I knew that already.

2. Rey's story had so much potential but I feel like it was wasted. We learn that she's a good mechanic, that she's an excellent pilot. Ok, again, I knew that already.
What was interestin was the ending of the story, I actually didn't anticipate it to happen like that.
But overall, even though I totally understand the limitations, we didn't actually get any backstory there.

3. Poe's story was my favourite. In contrary to Rey and Finn we don't get to know Poe in the movie all that well, so his character left me curious. Who are you, Poe Dameron?
His story gives us his backstory not only telling us how he joined the Resistance but also about his past, his family, how he got to be a pilot.
The story is really fast paced and it kept me on my toes.
Not to mention that Poe is cute af.

I was secretly hoping that there will be more of Kylo Ren in the book than one sentence in Finn's story.
Like, a lot of more!

Overall it's a good book, totally worth reading. It will give you more insight and it's great to meet those characters again.
Well, I think I'm gonna go and watch the movie once more.

Like many who watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I feel the need to read as many of the new stories coming out which both flesh out the new mythology and add to that which we already know. I've just been a bit slow about it. (Blame my teeny-weeny budget.) Most especially, though, I want to find out about the newest members of the Star Wars family, Finn, Rey, and Poe. When I saw this book at my local Walmart a couple of weeks back, I snatched it up, making it my impulse buy of the day. Though I'd say this book is aimed more toward the YA crowd, there's no reason why readers of all ages won't enjoy this set of three short stories, each one exploring the slice of time in the characters' lives directly before the events of the movie.

We lead off with Finn, before he became Finn, when he was still known as stormtrooper FN-2187:

From the book:
"FN-2187 was simply Eighty-Seven whenever one of the team wanted to shorten his designation. They didn't do it very often. He was, as far as the training cadre and his peers were concerned, one of the best stormtroopers anyone had ever seen. He was everything their instructors wanted--loyal, dutiful, brave, smart, and strong. Whatever the test, whatever the evaluation, FN-2187 consistently scored in the top 1 percent. So he was FN-2187, well on his way to becoming the ideal First Order stormtrooper. That was what everyone thought, at least.
Except FN-2187 himself."

See, Eighty-Seven's got this one pesky problem plaguing him: empathy. And the First Order has no use for a stormtrooper who protects every last man. Even when it's one of his own team. The story was a fascinating look at the mechanics of stormtrooper training, life under the helmet so to speak, and it gives us glimpses of Captain Phasma and General Hux as well.

The second story revolves around Rey, an imaginative and resourceful scavenger on the desert planet Jakku. When we meet her, Rey's riding out a massive sandstorm in the wreckage of a walker she's made into her home. But instead of doing nothing for those three and a half days, Rey uses the computer she'd jury-rigged into functioning and her precious data chip of a flight simulator to teach herself to fly. (Which explains, to all those who cried "plot hole" at the movie screen, how Rey was able to fly the Millennium Falcon. So there!)

From the book:
"So when she wasn't sleeping or just sitting and listening to the storm or tinkering at her workbench, she flew. It was a good program, or at least she imagined it was. She could select any number of ships to fly, from small repulsor-driven atmospheric craft to a wide variety of fighters, all the way up to an array of stock freighters. She could set destinations, worlds she'd never visited and never imagined she would, and scenarios, from speed runs to obstacle courses to system failures.
At first, she'd been truly horrible at it, quite literally crashing a few seconds after takeoff every time. With nothing else to do, and with a perverse sense of determination that she would not allow herself to be beaten by a machine that she herself had put together with her own hands, she learned. She learned so much that there was little the program could throw her way that would challenge her now. She'd gotten to the point where she would, quite deliberately, do everything she could think of to make things hard on herself just to see if she could get out of it. Full-throttle atmospheric reentry with repuslor-engine failure? No sweat. Multiple hull breach dep-space engine flameout? A walk in the park.
It was, if nothing else, a way to pass the time."

Rey's story was, I think, the most heartbreaking as it involved her learning to trust others and when that trust was ultimately betrayed, even though I knew it was coming, it made me weep on the inside just a bit.

The last story is about Poe Dameron, ace pilot for the Republic, who believes things aren't quite as calm and peaceful as all his superiors keep telling him. When Poe goes against orders to track down the origins of a freighter attacked by the First Order, his actions bring him to the attention of General Leia Organa of the Resistance. And suddenly Poe finds himself exactly where he'd always wanted to be, but never knew.

From the book:
"The Resistance, Poe learned, was small, but among its personnel were some of the most dedicated and motivated people he had ever met, coming from all over the galaxy. Most of the core command staff surrounding General Organa were veterans themselves, many with experience dating back to the Galactic Civil War, and more than once he found himself speaking to someone who had known his parents, who had flown alongside his mother, who had been in the trenches with his father. It was, strangely, like coming home, as if this was the place Poe had been meant to be all along."

Poe's story is probably the most action-packed, as it involves dogfights in space, daring reconnaissance missions, and by-the-skin-of-the-teeth escapes. We also see a great deal of General (formerly Princess) Leia, and get a sense of how active she's been and entrenched she is with the Resistance and its forces. Toward the end of the story, readers are introduced to the key story element of Leia's missing brother, Luke, whom she compares to Poe in more ways than just his piloting his skills. Of course, I can't forget the most important character introduced in Poe's story, the roly-poly, comical, and descriptively named astromech droid BB-8. There's a reason why this little droid became the breakout star of the movie, displacing even R2-D2 as the most adorable beep-beep-booper in the galaxy. Because he darn near steals Poe's story right out from under the man.

With fantastic lead-in and entr'acte illustrations by Phil Noto, this book is a great companion piece to the film, acting as a prequel of sorts and a way to fill in the blanks.

This is a great little book that contains short stories about Finn, Rey and Poe. They give an insight into each character so you have an idea of just who they are and what they stand for. I found Rey's story to be my least favorite. Finn and Poe's stories both gave great insight into each man's character. I didn't want their stories to end. Rey's was just about salvaging old scrap and you still have no idea of who she is and what she stands for. A short teaser of a book that leads up to the Force Awakens.

This is a fun, short little book that gives a little background story on Finn, Rey, and Poe. It's written on a pretty low reading level, so my 10 year old read it pretty quickly, and it took me only a couple hours to read the 215 pages of the book. It's split up into 3 separate short stories.

I would say that the Finn story is the most important one as far as understanding Episode VII, as it shows a lot more of his thoughts leading up to running from the First Order. Rey's story shows us she is waiting for her parents on Jakku, which we all guessed anyway from the movie, but other than that it's just a fun story that doesn't really add any depth to her character. Poe's story is the same as Rey's, it doesn't really add any depth to the character, but it is fun and shows how he became part of the Resistance, and it also does explain a little more the difference between the New Republic and the Resistance.

It's definitely worth a couple hours of your time to read, but I'm not sure I would buy it. My son brought it home from the library, and that's a good way to read this one, borrow from the library and spend 3 or 4 hours reading it and then return it.

Content wise this book is fantastic, the stories are well done and tie in well with the characters and their motivations from the new film. Value wise, this is a terrible proposition. Maybe 2-3 hours to read. Just not worth $8 in my opinion, rent it or borrow it, but don't buy a 180 page book for this price.

Before the Awakening is a fun, easy read that helps to satisfy your Star Wars withdrawals after seeing The Force Awakens in theaters.

It gives little glimpses into the lives of Finn, Rey, and Poe in what seems to be right before the events in the movie. The stories don't reveal any earth shattering details about the characters but they do provide some insight and background into their past.

Finn's story tells about his training to be a Stormtrooper. It gives some glimpses inside his head and lays some of the groundwork for Finn's actions in the movie.

Rey's story is equal parts enlightening and equal parts disappointing. We learn some interesting little things like how she learned to fly and where she got her goggles. However there is nothing in the book to shed light on her origins or her lineage. The story is more of a glimpse into her life on Jakku.

Poe's story is the most entertaining by far. With a guest appearance by a certain general we find out what, exactly, the resistance is and how it differs from the republic. The events of Poe's story lead almost directly in to the beginning of the movie and provide the answers to a few questions about how his character got to where he is at the beginning of the movie.

It's a young adult book. At 216 pages, most adults will probably read it in an afternoon or two. If you are looking for any major revelations into the characters then you are probably in the wrong place. But if you are looking to kill some time while living in the Force Awakens universe, then this is the book for you.

FN-2187 (who becomes Finn) is a young Stormtrooper in training. He’s a natural leader, but a bit too sympathetic for his fellow colleagues. Rey is a scavenger who comes across a ship that could bring her quite a bit of profit. But she’s not sure she can trust an offer of help. And the third short story follows Poe along the direction of his life to become the most skilled pilot in the Resistance.

Before the Awakening is a fun and fascinating look at each of the new main characters. Finn and Rey’s stories are short and predictable, since we know where they came from and what happens to them in the future. But Poe’s is much longer and gives more background into the New Republic, the need for a Resistance, and how Poe gets recruited. The characters are vivid and engaging. And the stories are fast-paced and exciting. Fans of the Force Awakens will definitely want to check out this set of short stories for middle grade readers on up. I can’t get enough of these characters.

*Review previously posted at SciFiChick.

All in all, this was a pretty good prelude to The Force Awakens. I say "prety good" because to me, by far, the best story in this anthology was the third and final story, "Poe." It felt most like a Star Wars story, with mentions of and cameos from familiar characters. But given the point at which we meet Rae and Finn in the movie, I don't see how this book could have gone any other way. So while the first two stories are just okay, with the second being a bit better than the first, the third story has enough to chew on that makes this a worthwhile purchase, and a worthwhile read. I certainly hope Mr. Rucca takes more prose trips to the Star Wars universe. I'm more than happy to come along for the ride.

This book was incredibly well paced and I felt every scene had a purpose not only to this books resolution but a perfect character study and tie in to the movie and The Force Awkens novel. I really enjoyed this more in depth look about where these character come from and their primary motivations going forward. This answered a lot of questions regarding the skill sets of the characters and the overall situations they find themselves. There are times in the book where it is predictable in the direction its going but the attachment to the characters and their story somehow still makes the ending surprising. I would definitely recommend this read to any Star Wars fan and especially the people who didn't understand how these new characters acquired such experience or knowledge such as Rey and Finn. This book really elaborates and justifies everything seen in the following movie and in the following book. For anyone looking to fill the void until the next film this book is more than worth the read!

What I like about this book was learning the background of the new Star Wars trio (Finn, Rey, and Poe Dameron). Rucka does really well at setting the scene and giving us entertaining stories to provide us with some of the background to these characters. The one I was most interested in was Poe Dameron, since we really didn't get that much of him in THE FORCE AWAKENS. We learn why and how he joined the rebellion, and some background about his childhood, making him a more flushed out character than he is in the movie. Finn and Rey are basically as they were in the movie, but with this addition to the Star Wars canon, we can understand the battle in the beginning of the movie affect Finn so much, and how Rey knows how to fly and repair ships so well.

Before the Awakening, written by Greg Rucka, does one thing particularly well: it provides much needed characterization for many of the principle players in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Set primarily in the months prior to the film, this book contains three individual, unconnected stories focusing each on Finn, Rey, and Poe. Finn's sets up an arc that we see completed early in the film, helping readers broaden their appreciation of the choices he makes later. Rey, who was much criticized as a Mary Sue character when the film was released, is given more presence than we see on screen; indeed, her foibles are more exaggerated in the context of this story, even as we learn the origins of some of her amazing capabilities showcased in The Force Awakens. Poe's story had the most work to do, as viewers were given so little information on him in the movie, and his tale here provides both an origin story and an exciting narrative in its own right.

The book also provides a broader snapshot of the setting that is otherwise a whirlwind in much of the movie. Readers are introduced to some of the inner workings of the First Order through Finn's account. The planet Jakku becomes more alive and treacherous as Rey's story takes shape. Poe's shows readers the galaxy's political map, filling in much needed details left out of the movie.

While I greatly enjoyed the book, I had some minor grievances. First, it doesn't go far enough with Finn's and Rey's origins. Poe is given compelling motivations for his actions, but too much of Rey's story is left a mystery that I have to assume is being reserved for Episode VIII or IX. That hurts what is otherwise an entertaining and suspenseful story. Finn's story left me wanting to know more about the First Order itself, and how/when/where it came about; some of that is filled in during Poe's tale, but not from the inside perspective Finn's story would have lent it.

Overall, I would highly recommend Before the Awakening. I was left wanting more, and that is a shallow complaint. It was captivating and touching at the right moments, with imaginative stories that I will not soon be forgetting.

I purchased a copy of this book myself, and the opinions expressed are my own. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

Before the Awakening by Greg Rucka, tells the backstory of FN- 2187, Rey, and Poe Dameron. It gives insight on what these three characters were like and what they were doing prior to Episode VII. Each story is unique, as well as enjoyable, making it hard to pick a favorite story out of the three. If you're a fan of the Star Wars universe and want to know the happenings before The Force Awakens, pick up this book. It is a quick read, filled with inner conflict, and space dogfights that will delight any Star Wars fan of any age.

This book was a quick read. Understanding the beginning life of our characters and how they came to be who they are. Nothing to dislike. Awesome to see how they brought new characters in to tell a story and to bring our old characters back to life. Awesome read. Looking forward to reading the next two.

Three amazing, enlightening stories to enhance your enjoyment of the new movies. I couldn't stop reading. This volume explains a few things about Finn's defection, Rey's piloting and technical skills, and Poe's relationship with Leia as well as how they figured out how to find Luke.

Should be required reading before posting in any Star Wars groups, especially if said post mentions Rey as a "Mary Sue."

The book consists of three short stories meNt to provide additional information for three of the main characters in The Force Awakens. They are Finn, Rey, and Poe. The characters are presented as your typical heroes and there is some inconsistencies between the short stories and the movie.

I enjoyed learning the back stories of Rey, Finn, and Poe. They cast The Force Awakens in a different light for me.

The largest eye opener was understanding how Rey earned her pilot and mechanical knowledge rather than it being something necessary for the movie plot

I admit I'm an old guy and the Star Wars books are true faves if mine. The new series (after the sale to the Mouse) is for me at least every bit as enjoyable as any if the older stuff. If you like to read and like Star Wars read this book.

First of all the "Digital Picture Book" in the title description is a bit misleading as there are only 6 actual pictures within the book: 3 character portraits as seen on the cover only expanded, and 1 half page pictures for each of the stories.

The stories themselves are more fillers than an expansion of the movie, like those you see in anime when they need time to develop a main core story and make a side episode to flush out the characters more. The book goes more into the personalities of the characters: Finn being a sympathetic Showstopper, Rey a resourceful scavenger and Poe an ace pilot.

Overall fun read, just not a direct movie tie in

This book is a GREAT introduction to our new trio! It's exciting, heartbreaking, and fun. It gives backstory without revealing too much which giving us even more insight into our new favorite characters. This is my first Greg Rucka book and I'm definitely excited to read more of his stuff. I read this book in less than a day so it's a good read for things like the bus, a short plane ride, or down time between reconnaissance flights.

This book provides the immediate preamble for the three main characters in The Force Awakens. It helps to explain a bit about why they did what they did in that story. Why was Finn different from a normal storm trooper? How could Rey fly so well? What is Poe's background? Easy to read and interesting.

It is interesting to read the various opinions on which story is best, they are all interesting but I guess it just depends on your individual likes. Poe's story gives us background but his character isn't all that deep, being a leader with kickass flying skills, which gets repeated to us over and over. Like Finn's story it is predictable. Finn's story shows us background but not much detail. For example, why is he an outsider? Agreeing with other reviews, Finn in this book is different than how he was portrayed in the movie. Rey's story is the best in my opinion. She gets lucky, survives, and shows her path, her misfortune as well as the difficulties of those around her. It is a rise, transformation, struggle, self development story where she gains confidence and shows intelligence. It was a fun book.

All three stories in this book were nice little adventures that gave insight into the new characters introduce in The Force Awakens. I could tell it was aimed at a slightly younger audience, around 10 to 12, but that didn't really bring down the quality of the book, though.

It is interesting to read the various opinions on which story is best, they are all interesting but I guess it just depends on your individual likes. Poe's story gives us background but his character isn't all that deep, being a leader with kickass flying skills, which gets repeated to us over and over. Like Finn's story it is predictable. Finn's story shows us background but not much detail. For example, why is he an outsider? Agreeing with other reviews, Finn in this book is different than how he was portrayed in the movie. Rey's story is the best in my opinion. She gets lucky, survives, and shows her path, her misfortune as well as the difficulties of those around her. It is a rise, transformation, struggle, self development story where she gains confidence and shows intelligence. It was a fun book.

All three stories in this book were nice little adventures that gave insight into the new characters introduce in The Force Awakens. I could tell it was aimed at a slightly younger audience, around 10 to 12, but that didn't really bring down the quality of the book, though.

I enjoyed the book alot, you say that reys story was boring because he was trying to repair a ship in the middle of a desert. But this story is filled with various trust and danger encounters.

Finns story did have alot of potential but still delivered on telling us who died in the beginning of the movie and who the man who was facing Finn that said " Traitor ".

And Po's story was very interesting too. Talking about his friends and enemy's setting us up for the movie.

Overall I give this book a 9/10

My family and I ADORED this book!! My wife, Juliet, doesn't love, love Star Wars, but she loved this fabulous book! Hamlet thought it was so cool, and William also thought it was superb. Even the cat seemed to like it. My only regret was that the book was kind of short. Great book though!!

The 3 stories were so-so. Feels like the book was written after the movies to make-up some/fill in content that the movie left out. Not a fan of the new movies. Thought this might change my opinion, "nope".

In Sci-fi/fantasy books, readers often have to put up with a lot of exposition and backstory at the expense of believable characters and interesting stories. That's not the case with Before the Awakening. Star Wars universe aside, this book tells three fascinating and well-written stories. I was hooked from start to finish. The storytelling was phenomenal and completely engrossing. The extra Star Wars insight was a welcome bonus :)

Rey's story did little to fill out the character other than explain how she's a good pilot. Finn's story explained his aptitude and motivation. Poet's story was a good read and set up his character well.

This was awesome - decently written, and SO much detail and backstory, while still leaving plenty of mysteries for future films to fill in. Plus, the characterization is spot on - which (as I'm learning) is not always the standard with Star Wars novelizations :)

Interesting reading. It gives you a bit more insight and background to the Rey and Poe characters.

However, the Finn character in this short story clearly is not the same one as in the movie. The writer makes him out to be a cadet in the top of his class with the highest training marks in all categories and a leader of his squad.

Finn is nothing like that in the movie. The Force Awakens novelization by Alan Dean Foster was a more accurate portrayal of Finn in the movie.

Good background on three new main characters. Too bad didn't include Kylo Ren, but that would have spoiled TFA. I love anything written by Rucka, and wish he would spend less time on comics and more on the characters I love in his novels. I guess authors follow the money too though.

Each story is better than the previous one. I didnt cafe much for Finns story but I enjoyed Rey and poe's story a lot. Poet's story takes you right up to swfa. I recommend it. It's a fairly short read but really good!

"Where once there were hope and peace, now there are fear and the looming clouds of war." Maybe I missed something in class but isn't it supposed to be, Where once there "was" hope and peace, now there "is" fear and the looming clouds of war. Kinda through me off when I started reading the book.

This book is very small with large font. It took me about an hour and a half to finish. It's a really good insight into Finn, Rey, & Poe's lives before TFA, and really makes you empathize more with them. If you're curious about adventures the trio had before TFA, this is a great little book on that!

This is a great little book that contains short stories about Finn, Rey and Poe. They give an insight into each character so you have an idea of just who they are and what they stand for. I found Rey's story to be my least favorite. Finn and Poe's stories both gave great insight into each man's character. I didn't want their stories to end. Rey's was just about salvaging old scrap and you still have no idea of who she is and what she stands for. A short teaser of a book that leads up to the Force Awakens.