The Force Awakens The Weapon of a Jedi - A Luke Skywalker Adventure

Not any new ground here. A post eps IV pre esp V story that was a short but enjoyable read. Nothing that really comes out and screams this is what Luke has been up to between Jedi and now. I could not pick up any clues as to the new movie.

This was a really great, quick read and I highly recommend it. Jason Fry did a good job of capturing the Luke Skywalker we all know and love. I can't wait to see how this story will tie into The Force Awakens.

Finally a tale the captures Luke Skywalker. Simple to the point and what seems to be a turning point in his journey to be a Jedi. For a young adult novel I found it the right length and leaving me wanting more. A must read Star Wars tale.

This book boiled down to "Just how did Luke get so good at using a lightsaber, anyway?" Which is an important question to ask, in the continuity between the films A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Unfortunately, the reality of the the limitations established in the Star Wars universe at that point in time meant that the author of this book didn't have a lot to work with.

He definitely did the best he could. The writing is of excellent quality, reading smoothly to this adult despite my being outside the intended audience's age range. The planet Luke explores is also wonderfully detailed, expanding the Star Wars galaxy that bit much more. Unfortunately, it was everything that happened around the point of the book that intrigued me the most, whereas Luke's actual training ended up feeling like the longest unnecessary training montage in a movie, ever.

Finally, an additional personal pet peeve is that Luke knows enough "droid" that it is irritating to be reduced to the same limitations as if we were watching this story play out on film, rather than being in Luke's head. Though this is a media tie-in novel, it is still a novel, and a deeper point of view is possible.

Everyone beyond the Hero is another throw away and the actions of Luke Skywalker become diluted in trying to recapture the innocence of young Skywalker in A New Hope. And yet, this fails by making Luke take a step backwards in growth as a character and a step too far forward as a Jedi. His character has yet to meet Yoda, and yet, his little bit of training with Kenobi, I am supposed to believe that he can hang in there by his own guile?

The villain was also without purpose and the 'mission' without anything more than a chance for Threepio to tell yet another, 'been there, done that' story of Master Luke.

These short stories are horrible attempts at trying to give the powerful trio of the original trilogy one last hurrah before the new heroes of the new Trilogy take over the lore and story telling.

This is fan fiction at best, and not even good fan fiction. I am reading the third now, but this looks to be another in a string of bad choices being made to sell books and not to tell stories. Telling stories is supposed to be the reason to write a novel to begin with, not to earn a paycheck or slap your name onto the cover underneath STAR WARS. Pass on this drivel.

EDIT: A better Luke Skywalker story would have been his journey as a Jedi to craft his new lightsaber after his father's was lost at Cloud City. I know that the company usually guides the authors, so I will not blame him as much as the money machine Disney for a poor choice in stories to tell of Young Skywalker.

Here we go again! The Weapon Of A Jedi is the second of three YA novels featuring the protagonists of the original trilogy in that time period while simultaneously seeding characters and locations from the upcoming film. This time we follow Luke Skywalker as he strives alone to figure out his destiny as the last of the Jedi in the wake of the death of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Though he is hailed as a hero by the Rebellion for destroying the dreaded Death Star, Luke Skywalker cannot shake the nagging feeling that his destiny is larger than the cockpit of his X-Wing fighter. When an encounter with an Imperial patrol cuts short a diplomatic mission and forces him to set down for repairs, Luke finds himself drawn to the ruined Jedi temple Eedit. Has the Empire managed to eradicate everything of use at the sight? Or will Luke find valuable information and training to aid his masterless quest to become a Jedi Knight? Perhaps more importantly, will he manage to evade the Imperial dragnet searching for him all over the sector?

As with Smuggler's Run, The Weapon Of A Jedi was a solid if simple story. The characters all ring true, and it's always interesting to see Luke fumbling about in his quest to master the Force. This particular tale falls into the niche between Heir To The Jedi and Skywalker Strikes, covering his increasing skill with the lightsaber and showing why he (mistakenly) felt confident enough to face Vader on Cymoon I. We meet a number of characters from the upcoming film, including Jessica Pava in the prologue/epilogue and Sarco Plank (aka "The Scavenger") in the main body of the novel. I will be surprised if Farnay doesn't show up again at some point, but as yet there's no indication of when that will be. Interestingly, Luke's role in the new movie continues to be somewhat obscure. Whereas the prologue/epilogue to Smuggler's Run actually featured Han and Chewie, the same segment here instead features C-3PO telling the story to Resistance pilot Jessica Pava instead of featuring Luke himself. What do we make of that? No idea. Just a curious observation. On the whole, I'd recommend the book.

CONTENT: Mild violence, not too graphic. No sexual content or profanity.

In "The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure", Jason Fry presents a middle-reader novel about Luke Skywalker learning to better use his father's lightsaber, territory that the new expanded universe canon has yet to explore. Fry's story feels like a continuation of themes begun in Kevin Hearne's "Heir to the Jedi", which focused on Luke learning how to use the Force for telekinesis. The overall feel of the narrative is introspective, with Luke musing on the nature of the Force and Fry manages to give the fight scenes a sense of tension, despite the fact that Luke must survive to appear in "The Empire Strikes Back". Though not marketed to an adult audience, Fry's writing is among the best of the various junior novels released under the "Star Wars" banner over the years and will entertain adults.
The glimpses of continuity leading to "The Force Awakens" come in the form of the bookended nature of the story. The entire tale, though written in the third-person, is told by C-3PO sometime nearer to "Episode VII" and after he received his red arm. This is a nice narrative device, but, unless one of the side characters should tie into "The Force Awakens", it is the only thing linking this novel to the future films. That shouldn't deter or disappoint readers, however, as the story is fun and adds to the canon. Fry also helps link some prequel-era concepts with the original trilogy in a way that adds to the story without calling too much attention to them. Probably the best callback occurs when C-3PO picks up the broken head of a battle droid and R2-D2 encourages him to exchange his head.
The art by Phil Noto is a lovely touch. The black, white, gray, and red tones condense the action down to its most basic elements and give this book, and its three companions, a distinctive look. Hopefully future "Star Wars" middle-reader novels continue to blend story with art to such great effect.

Spoiler alert: This book, the second, sequentially, in the three original trilogy main character young adult novels leading up to Episode VII, was great fun! With the feeling of Episode IV intact - something that many writers strive for - this novel takes many logical steps in Luke's growth from farmboy to the place he will be as complete padawan in Episode V. Elements of all three trilogies are present, as well as a temple featured in The Clone Wars animated series. Luke is shown to be adventure-seeking, something Yoda will chide him for later, but he is also deeply committed to finding his way as an apprentice without a master. After his successes in the novel "Heir to the Jedi," Luke was eager to grow, and in this novel, he gets what he wants by uncovering a secret Jedi training area. His lightsaber skills and connection to the Force expand, and we are introduced to Sarco Plank, a mysterious alien who becomes the story's primary villain. With his action figure released, we know that Sarco will appear in "The Force Awakens," so his appearance in this story is a part of the "Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens" angle under which the book was released. What makes this book special is its rapid pace, the excitement and wonder of Luke's Jedi discoveries and advancements, the insight into Sarco Plank, and the flashback style of the book's format (set around the time of Episode VII but implied to be told as a story by C-3PO). A must-read!

As I said with <i>Smuggler's Run</i>:
The art is awesome. A huge and bold Rebel symbol spans the cover and featured at the start of each chapter. The additional images were done well and really helped with the visualization.

3PO tells a pilot named Jessika a story of Luke that isn't well-known. He lands on the planet of Devaron for Y-Wing repairs , neglecting his mission for a short while. He wants to go to an area that's considered cursed by the locals, but finds a guide in a strange and mysterious alien named Sarco.

The place turns out to be a destroyed Jedi Temple, ransacked by the Empire. Then all Luke does is learn more of the Force and practice against training droids. It's a fairly boring book.

I will say that Wedge is snarky and the X-Wing pilots' dislike for Y-Wings is portrayed very well. There were hints of the 'X-Wing' series here that made me smile.

Within this book, there are hidden clues about the new movie Star Wars the Force Awakens. The main character of this book is Luke Skywalker and he is in a mission in space. He lands on an Imperial base and turns back to Devaron. On Devaron, he meets a new foe called Sarco. Sarco challenges Luke to a battle. This book is based between Star Wars a New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, so Luke does not have much training in lightsaber fighting yet. Do you think Sarco will win the battle? Read the book and find out.

I give the book 4 stars because of a slow beginning. But if you read on, it gets even better. I recommend this book to kids who love Star Wars and want to know more about the new Star Wars film coming out in December.

Luke follows a call from the force that leads him to a dangerous planet, surrounded by the Empire. Along his journey, Luke meets a mysterious guide who leads him to a cavern that will test his abilities.

The Weapon of a Jedi is a fast-paced, fun story centered on Luke and his training. It reminded me a bit of Luke’s (upcoming) trip to Yoda, yet on a vastly different planet with more suspense coming from more danger surrounding him. Middle readers on up will enjoy this brief story with fantastic illustrations. As the other’s in this series, the book begins and ends with a post-Return of the Jedi sequence, with the bulk of the book telling the story about Luke’s adventure in the past. I hope to see many more of these standalone children’s and young adult books once The Force Awakens arrives. I can’t get enough of them.

This was an interesting book that really closes the gaps between Star Wars: A New Hope and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The book introduces you to great new characters, but also allows you to see Luke in a vulnerable place in his progress in becoming a Jedi.

The author does a great job at placing Skywalker in some very adventurous situations throughout the book.

The story itself was exciting and while the adventure may seem dull at first, it turns into one that you will not forget, with Y-Wings, characters you know and love and new friends and enemies too.

The book was a fast read and any Star Wars fan will love how this story ties the new main cannon lines together!

*I received this for review - all opinions are my own*

Trying to get familiar with the new canon, I picked up this book. Basically, this story takes place between 'A New Hope' and 'The Empire Strikes Back'. Luke has just blown up the Death Star and is doing routine missions for the rebel alliance. However, his mind is on other things; mainly 'The Force' and becoming a Jedi. With C-3PO and R2-D2 at his side, he feels like he's being "called" to the planet Devaron by the Force. Luke eventually ends up in an abandoned Jedi Temple named 'Eedit' and begins training himself in the ways of the Jedi.

Author Jason Fry does a phenomenal job creating a story that fits in perfectly with the tone of the original trilogy. Luke, C-3PO, and R2-D2 act EXACTLY like they do in the films, which gives it a certain credibility that many Star Wars books lack. The new characters, which include a "scavenger" named Sarco Plank, and a Devaronian girl named Farnay, are multi-layered, and fit right in with the characters we love.

Not only does the book fit in with the original trilogy, it expands on many things that we have come to love. 'The Force' is almost a character in itself, as Fry gives many descriptions of its methods; explanations that were lacking from the films.

Artist Phil Noto, best known for his work with Marvel, did work on the cover for this book, as well as a few pages inside. I must say, he has become one of my favorite artists, with a style that stands out on its own. The artwork is one of the many reasons I will keep this on my bookshelf for years to come.

It took me three days to read this book (mainly because I can't concentrate on one thing for too long), but I'm sure that some of you could finish it in a few hours. It was written for a middle/high school reading level, but it might as well have been written for a 27-year-old reading level, because I thought it was great! It's an easy read, and it ties into the upcoming 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' film in more than a few ways.

5 out of 5 - Can't imagine anything that would improve it! Read it and let me know if you agree!

Bought this book and read it in about four hours. It is a great and easy read and I wouldn't say it is just for Young Adults but anyone from the ages of 12 to 112.

I know it says that it contains hints about the new movie but in reality it doesn't reveal anything about the movie if you haven't seen it (don't want to say anything) although I suppose there something about C3-PO in this book that is also revealed in the movie but nothing earth shattering or even anything of consequence.

Regardless of the new movie this is a great and fun read and it does shed some light on young Luke Skywalker.

Just didn't care for it. There were people introduced I didn't care about, and then the one person I did want to care about turned out to be bad (readers were told this early on, but I hoped he would turn good).

Plus, the background noises were SUPER distracting. All the buzzing, beeping, and zooming really detracted from the audiobook experience.

I'd say it's a 4.5, but I rounded up because I think it earned it.

Many of the comments here already say this, but this feels like authentic Luke Skywalker. I was imagining this as Mark Hamill on a screen as I read it and it fit perfectly. Beautiful, elegant descriptions of how the force works for the user and among living things. Definitely pick this book up. It's affordable and worth your time.

Only complaint was it felt a little short, but hey, it's all good.

A story between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back as Luke is guided by the Force to a destroyed Jedi outpost for some basic training on the use of a lightsaber.

As usual, Luke ends friends and betrayal and must use his new found skills to save himself and to complete his mission for the Alliance.

Not too complex of a story, but a nice quick read, with a good part of Lukes learning how to be a Jedi.

Luke Skywalker has just destroyed the death star and is public enemy number 1 for the empire. This book took me back to a galaxy far far away. This book also brought back some of the old characters while introducing some new ones. The dialogue and detail are phenomenal and I could imagine the story in my head as if it were a movie. I loved how Jason Fry described the force along with the grueling action scenes. This book is truly a Star Wars story with Everything the movies have if not more.

Taking place shortly after Episode IV, this book focuses on Luke taking his rookie Jedi skills to a semi-novice level. Reading this as an adult, it was a fun go and much better than its counterpart adult novel starring Luke, HEIR TO THE JEDI. Although at times Luke's skills do come off as a bit more advanced in this book when compared to HEIR (even though they take place roughly months apart), it's probably the best new canon Luke-centric story out right now, perhaps thanks to its brevity (for reference BATTLEFRONT: TWILIGHT COMPANY just came out). The training stuff can get a little long winded, but fans of all ages can get into the story and witness Luke honing his very green Force talents.

A brief adventure about Luke Skywalker, after he'd blown up the first Death Star, as told by C-3PO. This is part of the Journey To The Force Awakens, and seems to have more clues about the upcoming film than one might anticipate. The story truly captures a post-New Hope Luke, and what it was like for him to be without a Master while trying to dig into his training with the Force. It's a mini-mythological Star Wars tale that is well told and certain to please, and tease about the upcoming films.

I read this over a few days walking on a treadmill on my work out days. It went quick and kept me interested as well. Set between Star Wars and Empire it is a decent solo (kinda because he has 3PO and R2D2 with him) adventure as he tries to learn the Force and discover the mystery behind ancient ruins.

FUN!! Although I have been reading the extended STAR WARS universe books since they started, this really early glimpse into Luke's attempts to become the Jedi he eventually evolves into was quite priceless for me! Well written with some pretty amazing artwork by Phil Noto makes this life-long rabid STAR WARS fan very happy. More, please!!

Maybe slight spoilers

Okay so cards on the table, I want to give this book a 4, but I can't justify it based on the fact that it's supposed to supplement other Luke stories, and it doesn't do a great job at that.It's not bad. It's a short, fun read that doesn't really do anything wrong but also doesn't blow my mind. In fact I almost gave this a 4 just to rate it higher than Heir to the Force, which was not that great, but I just couldn't do it. There was not enough meat to the story (though that's not a bad thing in itself here), and way too much Threepio being annoying for my tastes.

So why'd I give it a 3? Because I just felt like this book was a little pointless. I've always had a hard time with Luke-training-to-be-a-Jedi stories set between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back because the two movies don't leave a ton of room for the growth of his character in this regard. That said, this story wasn't bad in it's execution, but it felt ENTIRELY out of place when compared to the two other exactly similar stories we have in the new canon with Luke in the same time period. Every new canon book I've read so far have had a level of inter-connectivity that makes me so thrilled as a Star Wars fan, subtle references to other books and to events from TFA and even two references to the new Star Wars mobile game Uprising (which is great, btw, but back to the review).

Weapon of the Jedi felt like is conflicted with Luke's journey in both Heir to the Force, and the Star Wars comic from Marvel. In each story, he learns something crucial to his development as a Jedi, but then conveniently has no memory of it by the time the next story comes along. I don't want to get too into the details for spoiler reasons, but I definitely felt that whoever is writing the 3 Luke books are the only authors who were not allowed to talk to each other.

That said, this was so far the best of the three, even in its simplicity. Honestly the simplicity of the story may be what pushed it ahead of the others: it wasn't trying too hard. A decent but fun read if you like Luke, but otherwise I didn't think there was much of value to the overall saga in this one. Shout out to Philo Noto, whose art is always amazing.

A great book that has a good flow. A good story that helps bridge the skill level from A New Hope to Empire Strikes back. Like all the books in this series, it could have been longer. One hundred and eighty pages isn't quite enough but for young children its perfect. The author does a very good job letting the reader know what its like to stretch out with and feel the force. With no guide, Luke must explore what calling on the force looks like and feels like. This book does a good job exploring this for both the character and the reader.

I must say this is the first Star Wars book I have EVER read. I decided to pick it up because I’m super excited for the movie. Unfortunately The Weapon of A Jedi didn’t live up to my expectations.
When you think Star Wars, you think action. That’s not just me, right? Well I thought The Weapon of A Jedi would be pretty eventful.
The Weapon of a Jedi, wasn’t. Not a lot happened. Luke mostly walked around, found this place and trained. That’s the whole book in one sentence. Sure, there was one pretty epic part near the end. Finally, something good, it’s got to get better right? Nope. It was pretty uneventful which was disappointing.
I guess the lack of events makes sense because the book is so short. If it where longer I think I would enjoy it more.
But, on the bright side Luke was always one of my favorite characters! I’m glad to read something from his point of view :)

This is a short but very enjoyable book. The story was your normal Luke after episode 4 affair and that's okay as long the story is good. I did like how we explored Luke learning how to control and use the force and I really like the clues in there about the force awakens.

For a grownup reading what I know is a "middle school" book, I found this was a very enjoyable (though unfortunately short) read. The characterizations are all on point with lots of good Threepio one-liners. I like these books and stories that help fill in how Luke progressed as a Jedi, often without any living mentors.

For everyone who is upset about the "sneak peak" into The Force Awakens, you have to really pay attention and do some research. The villain of the story was at Nima Outpost and I believe he was supposed to play a bigger part in the movie because he has a TFA toy complete with a pike. I suspect he'll play a bigger part in The Last Jedi and give us a reason that Rey is _______'s daughter and how she ended up on Jakku.

The Weapon of a Jedi is the story of how Luke Skywalker first used his lightsaber in combat. The book starts just prior to Episode 7, where a Rebel pilot encounters C-3PO, complete with his new red arm, and is told a story of Luke's early days with the Rebellion and his training.

We flash back to just after Episode IV and the destruction of the Death Star. Luke is tasked with retrieving data with the help of 3PO and R2-D2. On Devaron, Luke begins to have visions of a mysterious temple in a jungle. Shortly after beginning their mission and leaving a Rebel base in orbit of the planet, the trio's Y-wing fighter is ambushed, forcing them to return to Devaron. On the planet, Luke is guided to the forbidden and feared spires that have been drawing him back through the Force by a mysterious Scavenger.

All in all a decent young adult novel. Far more simplistic than the excellent Lost Stars novel released at the same time, but with a bit more substance than something like the Jedi Apprentice series released after Episode I. Phil Noto's incredible artwork throughout makes it worth the cost alone. Worth a read for fans and kids, but nothing groundbreaking.

Doesn't live up to some of the old "lagends" canon, but a decent read. And quick, which may be good or bad depending on what you're looking for. I picked it up on Kindle to read on an airplane and didn't last the short flight.

Well this is written on a level that is just childish, it's a story told by a third person C3PO to a charter we've never heard of about a adventure that could of been a comic book story, and to top it off he knows what Luke was thinking and was able to tell the story as a first person account.
Then it just ended pretty lame.