Yesterday we received the news that Peter Mayhew had passed away. I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Mayhew at Celebration Orlando 2017. With Carrie Fisher’s passing just months before Celebration, I realized that I never got to say hello to her or Kenny Baker or get their autographs in person while getting the chance to say “Thank you for all the great memories you’ve given me.” As I walked to Mr. Mayhew’s table I tried to think of what I could say in the short amount of time that might make an impact and I came to the conclusion that it’s best to just be gracious instead of trying to be clever (I saved that moment for Steve Blum) and so I said exactly what I quoted above. Mr. Mayhew shook my hand and gave me that unforgettable smile of his and said “Thank you for making that possible and for all this” while gesturing at the large crowds. I’ll never forget that as long as I live. Rest in peace Peter, we’ll miss your smile and enthusiasm.
As for what I read recently:
Tales From A Galaxy Far, Far Away Aliens Vol. I is a collection of 6 short stories aimed at a younger reading audience and are centered around aliens from The Force Awakens. Although intended for a younger audience, don’t let that deter you from reading this. The stories are very enjoyable. My favorite was All Creatures Great and Small which cleverly wove a morality tale within the Battle of Yavin from A New Hope. Being an animal lover, that story struck a chord with me.
I followed that up with The Perfect Weapon by Delilah Dawson. While Bazine Netal only had a few moments of screen time in The Force Awakens, this prequel story is a very good read that gives a bit of background on this character. What I found most impressive is being able to write a story about an obscure character and captivate the reader’s interest. Dawson accomplished that with this story.
Finally, I read the short story “Bait” from Insider #162 by Alan Dean Foster. This one didn’t grab my attention, not because of the writing but because of the subject matter. Again, I’m an animal lover so trophy hunting is not my bag at all.
Up Next:
Star Wars – Phasma (Chapters 1-3, 5, 7, 9, 11-13, 20, 29, 31-35, 37-43)
Hyperspace and Holocrons 