– Minor Spoiler Review –

Poe Dameron: Free Fall is a young adult novel written by Alex Segura, exploring the character’s newly revealed spice running backstory. With an enjoyable, action-packed pace and great characterizations, especially for a younger Poe and Zorii Bliss, Free Fall hits a few heights, but it can’t escape feeling like it’s crossing items off a list for this new backstory.

To me, Poe Dameron: Free Fall is for Poe what Solo: A Star Wars Story is for Han Solo, wrapping up many various threads of a beloved character’s backstory into one, compressed story that feels more like checks on a checklist than wholly organic, but still manages to be a fun time with great performances, or in this book’s case, writing/characterizations. Basically everything newly introduced to Poe as a character in The Rise of Skywalker, from lightspeed skipping, hot-wiring vehicles, to his fractured relationship with Zorii Bliss gets an explanation here, much like Solo showed us everything from Han getting the Falcon, how he met Chewie, to his fractured friendship with Lando Calrissian. By the end of Free Fall, Poe not only remains a hero of sorts, he’s back on the path we already know he’ll go on, finally following in his mother, and father’s, footsteps, which makes this adventure with a nefarious group of smugglers more of a bump on the road than anything terribly significant in Poe’s life, but this might be a feeling I have from consuming previous Poe expansion materials, like his excellent on-going comic or Before the Awakening, which provide more substantial looks into what drives him/how he handles choosing the right thing. And while the addition of a smuggling background to a Latino character like Poe felt problematic in TROS, thankfully Segura manages to mitigate it to some degree as Poe largely doesn't actually commit any crimes, keeping him cleaner than the film suggests, but this book then also highlights how unnecessary and formulaic this whole part of his life seems. It doesn’t help Free Fall either that the chapters seemingly jump just enough time to give us a glimpse of him learning or trying something seen in TROS, as if lightspeed skipping itself, something similar character-prequel novel Rebel Rising managed to avoid in its exploration of Jyn Erso’s formative years. While many of these shortcomings mirror Solo’s, Free Fall also captures the film’s charm, as Alex Segura brings excellent and varied characterizations to life, while the pace, despite its focus on the checklist, is brisk and enjoyable.

Poe and Zorii Bliss’ burgeoning friendship takes center stage and thankfully Segura has a great handle on both characters, capturing Poe’s naivety and heroic spirit in stride, while expanding on the cold, but caring Zorii that Kerri Russel graced the The Rise of Skywalker with, despite small screentime. For Poe, seeing him in his younger, though still cocky years was entertaining, especially as he grows in maturity about the galaxy at large and earns the ability to be cocky. The expansion on his relationship with both his father, Kes Dameron, and surrogate uncle L’ulo L'ampar, were fantastic additions to Poe’s past, fleshing out some of the unknowns and offering time with characters I’ve been eager to spend more time with…especially L’ulo.* While Poe’s mother, Shara Bey, has already passed by the start of Free Fall, she was arguably the more important and touching parental interactions throughout the novel for me, as Poe frequently reminisces about her and what her teachings mean on his search for purpose and life outside the quiet confines of Yavin IV; it becomes clear by the end of the novel she lives up to the memories and pedestal he puts her on, making me glad we’re getting more time with her.† Every teenager has their rebellious ways, but for Poe not to immediately considering joining up with the New Republic military (which again would’ve drawn a big Solo comparison) made his joining the Spice Runners feel like a stretch, especially as he continuously tries to make peace with his choice, which pits him against the NR and therefore what his parents fought for, something he constantly mentions throughout. Poe is impulsive, and it shows here by making the choice to join the Spice Runners, but Segura does his best with Poe’s rationalizations to help string along the idea he’d stay with the group for the nearly year long time that he does, though of course Poe's main reason for staying is love. The relationship between Poe and Zorii is written well and befits both characters, helping to flesh out why she gives Poe a less than friendly greeting on Kijimi in TROS, though I wish we got more POV time with her. In the end, Poe fans will enjoy Segura's younger take overall, no matter the overall content of the story.

This brings us to Zorii, a character I was looking forward to exploring more in Free Fall than Poe, and the book largely didn’t disappoint. Zorii, about Poe’s age, has grown up living the life of the Spice Runners, so she comes from a much different place than Poe, but the two find a bond over having to prove themselves to their superiors and figuring out what they truly want in life. She may be pragmatic, less impulsive than Poe, and committed to the cause, but she isn’t all heartless, as we saw in TROS, and we get even better glimpses here, like a situation that involves uncovering a slavery ring run by one of the Runners’ contacts. Free Fall offers sections in her POV, but they are too infrequent, as Segura makes her even more compelling character once we get to see her rationalizations and feelings about Poe, the Runners, and her part in its legacy. Zorii’s sections are so good, it’s even more glaring we don’t get more time with her POV, as while I know the title is technically Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the overall book would feel even stronger with more time spent in the new character’s head. There’s a reveal late in the book, though it’s not hard to guess early on, regarding Zorii’s ties and importance to the Runners that offers even more intrigue and potential to have focused more on her, while the storyline provides a new angle and exposure to something Star Wars doesn’t cover often. It also feels like it comes into play far too late in the novel, robbing the moment of really hitting home before the thread is wrapped up shortly after. What goes down between Poe and Zorii, hence their icy confrontation in TROS, does remind me of Qi’ra and Han in Solo to some extent, which is meant as a compliment as it’s one of the film’s stronger aspects, and it’s why I wish this whole section was expanded on. Free Fall adds to and expands on Zorii Bliss in excellent, though somewhat limited ways, revealing the unfortunate brevity of her TROS appearance and making me wish for more of the character.

One of the other big characters in the novel is its antagonist of sorts, Sela Trune, an officer in the New Republic Security Bureau. She has a personal history with the Runners, while her relentless pursuit of them, in an attempt to bring them to justice and stop them from becoming the next big gang, pits her against Poe, Zorii, and their little Runners cell throughout the novel. She’s also a character I would’ve loved more time with too, as I enjoyed her crusade and how Segura framed and handled it. The rest of the Runners crew that Poe and Zorii deal with aren’t particularly memorable, but all enjoyable for the parts they play. There’s a confrontation with an escaped Pyke slave Ledesmar, who takes over a fleet of ships from a strange race, in the middle of the novel which is one of the highlights of Poe’s whole Runners experience, and of the book for me, as it's a section of plot that isn’t part of the checklist feeling that permeates the rest of the story; it focuses on the developing feelings between Poe and Zorii, Poe's allegiances to his past and future, and Trune's ambitious attempts at vengeance. In the end, I can't really blame Free Fall for having this story to tell, that's on the writers of TROS, so it's admirable how Segura manages to make the story engaging and fast paced, with great characterizations centering the narrative, but the limited scope of Poe's choice holds the overall story back, making it feel more of a diversion than anything terribly important to the character's life.

Here are a few other things:

*We first meet L’ulo in Shattered Empire, alongside Shara Bey and Kes Dameron. L’ulo didn’t get much panel-time then, though he does help convince Shara to retire, but later he has a starring role in the Poe Dameron on-going comic, though it ends in tragedy with a big sacrifice. Getting more time with him in Free Fall was some much needed therapy, though it re-opened the wound a bit too!
†Besides Shattered Empire, Poe’s parents haven’t been in too many appearances. Thankfully, they're a part of the 2nd Volume of Star Wars, so if you want to see more of them, check that out!
Covers have been known to change, but I’m curious about the switch from Alice X. Zhang's in the original announcement to Phil Noto’s for the final one. I like both: Noto’s has more from the novel than just Poe, but Zhang's I felt better depicted a younger Poe; either way, good covers both.
This is not a knock against the novel at all, but having to read the “Spice Runners of Kijimi” hundreds of times in Free Fall certainly made the name feel even more uninspired and dull than originally imagined when mentioned in the lead up to TROS. Most gangs and crime syndicates have imaginative names (Crimson Dawn, Black Sun), or interesting sounding ones even if it's just the name of their species (Hutts, Pykes, etc.), but the criminals out of Kijimi put the name of their business right on the box, a name which doesn't jive well with what happens in Free Fall, as I can't remember them actually smuggling any spice. We get a lot more background on the organization, like how they swooped in on the Pykes' Kessel situation post-Endor, but it doesn't help the name "Spice Runners" from feeling so...bland. If I don't have to read about them for a while, I'll be much happier.
Yes, there is more Babu Frik and it’s as great as you’d expect.
There’s some crossover with Galaxy’s Edge tie-in novel Black Spire at the end, interestingly enough.

Poe Dameron: Free Fall is the title character's own Solo: A Star Wars Story, an overall enjoyable adventure romp that can't escape feeling like it's ticking off boxes on the backstory sheet.

+ Poe and Zorii characterizations shine/Segura's writing overall

+ Takes some of the good from Solo: A Star Wars Story...

- ...and some of the meh as well

- Overall feels like a diversion, not important backstory

(I haven't posted my review yet but I've included the link below!)

This was a fun Star Wars story. It was great to get some background on Poe. In most of the new Star Wars books you can tell what points the author was told they needed to hit to explain things in the movies. The points weren't hit quite as subtly in this book as in some but it didn't take me out of the story too much.

I loved how this expanded Poe's story. He's an engaging character in the films, but like so many Star Wars novels, this book fleshes out his tale. If Segura wrote more of Poe's tale, I'd read it!

If you're like me, you absolutely love the Star Wars sequel trilogies. I was super excited to get an early reading copy of this book, and I loved learning more about Poe Dameron before the events of what we see in Star Wars episode seven. The writing really jumped off the page, and I could see everything super clearly. What I loved the most was the way the author sticks to Poe's voice-- but not only that, we get a sense of a younger Poe. It flowed seamlessly, and I think anyone reading this book will have a greater appreciation for the movies. I would highly recommend this one.

Poe Dameron: Free Fall is a coming-of-age tale packed with the perils of teenage rebellion.

If you left The Rise of Skywalker with a lot of questions about the eleventh-hour inclusions to Poe Dameron’s backstory, then Alex Segura’s young adult novel, Poe Dameron: Free Fall is the book for you.

“You can love your family and still want to be far from them.”- Zorii Wynn

Poe Dameron’s upbringing is a familiar Star Wars origin story. In the years following his mother’s death, Poe finds himself feeling trapped at his family’s farm on the moon colony of Yavin 4, longing for a life among the stars. Dameron’s mother, Shara Bey, was a heroic rebel pilot and that thirst for adventure and flight runs hot through the sixteen-year old’s veins. He’s a kid with big dreams that can’t be contained by his father’s wishes for a quiet reprieve from the Rebellion.

“He doesn’t want me to die like Mom did,” Poe said. “In space. Alone.”

Some of the best moments within Free Fall are the scenes between Poe and his still-mourning father, Kes Dameron. In the wake of Shara’s death, their relationship has fractured and the grief that exists between them is palpable. So much of that strain is rooted in their inability to openly express their pain with each other. Kes desperately wants to keep Poe safe, to preserve his wife’s sacrifice by keeping their son sheltered. Ultimately, that’s what drives Poe headfirst into an unplanned life of crime with the Kijimi Spice Runners.

The novel goes to great lengths to explain several plot points from The Rise of Skywalker; from Poe’s relationship with Zorii Bliss, his involvement with the spice running, and hyperspace skipping. Babu Frick manages to steal every scene he’s in, just as he did in the film. It was exciting to see familiar planets appear throughout the story including Kijimi and The Mandalorian’s forested planet of Sorgan.

Some elements of the interactions with the Kijimi Spice Runners felt watered down to satisfy a young adult audience. They were certainly a group that had no qualms with associating with slavers and murderers, and murdering their own. At some points, I wished they leaned more into that gritty criminal underbelly, but it served its purpose by showing Poe the dangers that lay beyond Yavin 4.

Poe Dameron: Free Fall is Poe Dameron’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. The novel is an exciting space-romp with all the makings of a classic Star Wars story. There are fast-paced starship chases, heart-pumping firefights, doublecrossing and betrayal, a smattering of romance, and a healthy dose of Senator Leia Organa inspiring the next generation with hope. Alex Segura manages to put to the page all of the charm Oscar Isaac pours into his portrayal of Poe Dameron.

Your Money Geek thanks Del Rey Publishing & NetGallery for providing us with a free copy for review.

After viewing THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, I wasn't sure how to make the film's assertion that Poe Dameron had been an illegal spicerunner fit with what we already knew about Poe's background and New Republic service from novels such as BEFORE THE AWAKENING and comics such as SHATTERED EMPIRE and POE DAMERON. Alex Segura's FREE FALL explains this seeming contradiction and also provides a fascinating look at Zorri Bliss, the Spice Runners of Kijimi, and the dawning era of the New Republic. This is a page-turning story of crime, adventure, and mystery that stars an easily recognizable but much younger Poe, restless and frustrated and learning as he goes. Segura's characterization of Poe and description of his journey works well. My main criticism is that the ending comes very abruptly, without resolution of the Poe Dameron-Kes Dameron storyline or explanation of how Poe's record was made clean enough to enable him to volunteer to serve the New Republic. If a sequel is in the works to tie up these loose threads, I'd be delighted! For its characterization, the world building, and the many answered questions, I would recommend this tale to anyone who wants a good Star Wars novel -- or, for that matter, any YA science fiction reader.

***I received an uncorrected proof of this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was a quick, fun read. The writing style was compelling, and the pacing was excellent- it really captured that classic Star Wars high-adrenaline feel. Alex Segura did a really good job at showing us the Poe we know, but at an age while he is still forming. You can really see the hints of his full personality coming through. I was really excited to learn more about about the backstory between Poe and Zorii. I was not disappointed! All in all, this is a fun young adult SW adventure.

The gritty criminal underworld has always intrigued me when it comes to Star Wars. From bounty hunting to spice-running, I’ve always loved learning of the lore behind the various cartels and enclaves that haunt the galaxy between Tatooine and 1313. ‘Poe Dameron: Free Fall’, written by Alex Segura, captured this world wonderfully. Following a 16-year-old Poe Dameron, the story sees a lost boy dreaming of the stars before finally venturing out on a journey that will inevitably lead to the Resistance by the time of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens.

Personally, I loved the novel. It begins on Yavin 4, 20 years after the Battle of Yavin. Over the years, an agricultural focused community has developed on the moon, and Poe dreads the idea of being left to tend to the family farm. He’s swooped up into the life of a Spice Runner of Kijimi and is quickly thrown into the thick of it, battling other crime syndicates and staying constantly on the run from the New Republic Security Bureau. I really loved the balance between Poe and his life of crime, and how he truly feels about the events taking place, desperately wanting to return home but knowing that he’ll inevitably be arrested. One of my issues with 2019s 'Rise of Skywalker' was how Poe was implied to be a Han Solo-esque scoundrel, but the novel made it clear that this was not the case. Watching the Kijimi scenes of that film will definitely hold a heavier impact for me upon rewatch. Not completely game-changing, but knowing the planet and how it operates will definitely shift my perspective.

I felt that Segura developed the character of Poe wonderfully, and showed that his time as a Spice Runner wasn’t two dimensional. As I said, he wasn’t a scoundrel like Han Solo, but a conflicted boy unsure of how to get out of something that he was already too deep into. I felt that the novel captured inner conflict perfectly, and that, by the conclusion, we were beginning to see the Poe Dameron that featured in the 2016-2018 comic book series.

The inclusion of new characters such as Sela Trune mixed nicely with building on characters already found in lore, such as L’ulo L’ampar. Sela Trune in particular was interesting. This novel is likely the only time we’ll logically see her, as her story is told entirely, but I really enjoyed her scenes. She reminded me of the character of Berch Teller from James Luceno’s ‘Tarkin’ in her determination and motivations. I hope there's more to her, and maybe we see her included in further canon down the line, but I would understand if we don't.

The book also shines a fantastic light on Zorri Bliss. We see her undying commitment to the Spice Runners of Kijimi, and get to watch her develop a rocky relationship with Poe, all while battling her own inner turmoil. The mystery surrounding her and the story behind her helmet in the film are great additions to the lore. That, again, will hold more weight upon rewatching 'Rise of Skywalker'. Most of all, however, the novel features the beloved Babu Frik, whom I’m sure will be the deal breaker for many.

While I found the book to slightly stumble in terms of pacing in the latter chapters, I found the characters to be well developed, the plot to be exactly what it needed to be, and the continuity to be extremely fun (Fans of Star Wars: Galaxies MMO will have a blast). This, to me, has added so much to Poe’s character, and will make a genuine change to the Sequel Trilogy and how I feel about the character upon rewatch. A great addition to canon and I hope we get more Poe-focused stories in future.

As a huge fan of the Poe Dameron character, I was of two minds when I saw this book was announced. The first was being ecstatic about a YA story with Poe Dameron as the main character! The second, well I was one of the people who really did not like the spice runner backstory that was given to us in The Rise of Skywalker, and I knew this story would settle around that time, which meant that I was biased against the book's premise, really before I started reading.

That said, I was still excited to download and read it. This book provides an entertaining and adventurous story with Poe Dameron and Zorii Bliss at the center. There's plenty of Star Wars action, ships, planets, and the pilot that we know and love, while also holding a fair amount of emotional center, coming of age, and showing us how Poe got involved with spice runners in the first place, and conflicts and ethical quandaries along the way.

This story did not sell me on the necessity of this backstory for this character, but it did present a canon version of a backstory that had already been declared elsewhere that I can live with, and it did so in a way that was aware of other canon already present with this character. One of the book's strengths, in my opinion, was an expansion upon what we know about Zorii Bliss, the spice runner we meet for the first time in The Rise of Skywalker. Her backstory and characterization was one of the best parts of this book, and I very definitely would love to see more stories or comics written with her character. She reminds me a great deal of my favorite Star Wars character (Mara Jade) in the best ways.

This brings me to one of my main book quibbles, which is that I feel like the book would have benefited from Zorii as a POV character earlier in the story. I feel like you could have done this without giving away any reveal, and that it would have been nice to have the outside perspective of Poe's actions and challenges, and generally added depth to Poe's story as well. At times Poe's characterization felt a little bit off to me although in most cases I connect this to the backstory itself and the fact that I struggle to really buy it from the character in the first place and that's not necessarily an author issue, but a wider canon issue.

Generally speaking, this book earns a solid three stars for taking a throw away backstory that I hated, and turning it into a book that I overall enjoyed. This book is likely to be enjoyed by casual Star Wars or Poe Dameron fans, and I think if you didn't have strong feelings about the backstory, it's a really fun romp. I appreciate the author taking time to give Zorii a backstory and history that made me want to read more about her and hope to see more of her in future stories and media.

Coming out of The Rise of Skywalker, my favourite new character by far was Zorri, and I'm so glad we have this book to establish more of her character! This is one of my favourite of the new Star Wars books; the story is engaging, and the author really understands Poe and gets his voice across exactly right. Thew new characters, while not given much depth, are all enjoyable and likeable, and while the plot is predictable it is very much a Star Wars adventure. I did have a few issues with the writing, particularly how in dialogue they seem to always use the characters' full names, but overall this was a great read.

"I'm going to be the best pilot the galaxy's ever seen. Bank on it."
- Poe Dameron

Poe "Cutie-Pie" Dameron is currently by far one of the most explored main characters in the Resistance era storytelling. We've had three movies, lots of Star Wars Resistance episodes, an entire comic line, and lots more, but there's a pretty big gap in there.

A pretty big, spice running gap.

The shady times.

If you've kept up with Poe's story in other media there are a few familiar faces. From a bit more info about his family to his days as Poe Dameron: Runner of Spice. There is plenty of space piloting, ship-battling, and blaster shootouts for that classic Star Wars adventure feel. While we are all familiar with who Poe becomes, this is an interesting exploration of a ginormous misstep along that path.

For Poe Dameron diehards this is a must-read. Seeing this early adventure unfold and learning the choices that lead him back to finding his true path is illuminating. Poe shows us what it's like to find yourself in a life that you feel trapped in. The details that I especially enjoyed were L'ulo, the A-Wing, Boshek, the Guavians, Obah Diah, Kessel, hyperspace skipping, Sorgan, the Pyke Syndicate, a Y-Wing, chaka-root, the Dai-Bendu, iced mocoa, and Babu!!

– Sal P.

Full review will be up after release at: http://theroguerebels.com/2020/07/04/star-wars-poe-dameron-free-fall-review

Generally, I thought "Poe Dameron: Free Fall" was a really solid book. It did fall into the YA trap a couple of times, especially with how the relationship of the two main characters inevitably developed into something of a romance. Their bond, frankly, was compelling without it.

The book examined themes of family, of how their expectations shape a person, fairly well with a number of its characters. Grief (at a loss of a parent and of family, as well as the ramifications of such a massive loss) is also touched on.

As an educator, I will be recommending it to our kids during our Reading Adventure challenge. As a Star Wars fan, it was a great reminder why Poe Dameron is one of the best characters to come out of the last couple of movies.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

I cannot stress this enough: I love Poe Dameron! Anything and everything about him.

I have read my fair share of Star Wars novelization and extended universe content and have been disappointed in the past. Poe Damron: Free Fall was even better than I expected! The novel begins with Poe starting trouble and grappling with his failing relationship with his father. The first chapter had me hooked and I couldn't put this down!

After a brief joy ride in his deceased mother's ship, Poe lands in confinement, fights with his father, seeks advice from a mentor, and eventually ends up getting himself a job as a pilot for Spice runners! This is backstory that was alluded to in The Rise of Skywalker, but readers will really get a feel for the interplay between Poe and Zorii Wynn. This relationship was one of the things I was most curious about when I watched the latest Star Wars film. I am so glad that Disney/Lucasfilm is releasing this book to provide that backstory!

Having never read anything by Alex Segura, I was a bit cautious, but from the opening scene, I could tell that he really understood the elements of Poe's character. Throughout the narrative, we see that hotheaded, excitable, but prone to leadership person that Leia mentored and attempted to temper during the latest round of films. I felt like the conflict both internal and external was really well done and softened just enough for a YA audience to digest and be able to relate to. Though many teenagers don't have a fight with their parent and take off to live a life as a smuggler, but many do have struggles with their parents.

This novel presents all of the things a reader wants from a Star Wars story: high flying space battles, emotional conflict, a struggle between right and wrong, and fantastic characters. This is a well written book I would recommend to YA readers and general Star Wars fans alike.

I received a galley copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

Poe Dameron: Free Fall by Alex Segura gives the hero a clear arc — something significantly deeper than in the films. His parents, established in the comics and other tie-in works, get more establishment as well. Young Poe is struggling with his father’s expectations and mother’s legacy, as well as his determination to get offworld. As such, it follows many traditional hero’s journey steps. In this lively children’s novel, Poe teams up with Zorri Bliss and willingly joins the notorious spicerunners. Together the pair have youthful adventures, telling a fast-paced story while setting up events in Rise of Skywalker. As it introduces planets already seen in the larger universe, there are few surprises, but the book entertains well.
This straightforward story still offers some nuance. Poe has his first time comparing being a good guy and a bad guy as he finds the universe offers shades of grey. The book also establishes how one can switch from a law-abiding child to a Han-Solo-type criminal. It’s an interesting topic, approached with authenticity and soul-searching. It’s also a practical, realistic story instead of one of the mystical Force. Adding nuance to the larger universe, Poe’s desperation to escape his parents’ legacy as squeaky-clean war heroes mirrors Ben Solo’s — especially when his father poignantly pleads with him to come home. It’s a good establishing story for Poe, like several adventures in the comics. Though it does feel as if, since the theme park opened, too many books have the characters ordering off Disney’s food and drinks menu.

I enjoyed getting to know more about Poe Dameron and his past, The Spice Runners of Kajimi were a very interesting faction, and seeing Poe’s relationship with them, especially Zorii was super interesting. The book jumped around a bit, going from one scene to a completely different one a little disjointedly, but over that, it was fun, and a nice, quick read to learn more about Poe. I also liked how Poe’s relationship with Zorii was handled, and now, the interactions of the two from The Rise of Skywalker make much more sense to me.

I am one of the fans who were surprised about the not-so-clean past revealed in The Rise of Skywalker. He was a smuggler, one of the worst type of smuggler: a spice runner, which means he smuggled drugs. But if we think more and more about it, Abrams’ innovation fitted the character and connected to the Poe we got familiar in The Last Jedi. He was an autonomous, stubborn guy, not a compliant soldier. In Star Wars, we had an interesting romantic of spice smugglers since Han Solo, who played a character like this in The Force Awakens as well, but in The Rise of Skywalker Poe became this character. Poe is like a mixture of Han Solo and Wedge Antilles; he became a “perfect pilot”.

In Poe, however, the desire for freedom and action coincides with the need to do well. This duality and wrestling in character can be seen perfectly in Alex Segura’s Free Fall. Poe is only 16 years old in this story, his desire for adventure is boiling in him, he is fed up with his father’s protective love, he wants to leave a mark in the galaxy. Star Wars is about family, and in this novel, the parent-child relationship also plays an important role, especially between Poe and his father, Kes Dameron. Poe is longing for an adventure, away from their farm. He evokes Luke Skywalker of A New Hope, only here it is not Uncle Owen but Kes Dameron who wants to protect the boy from the horrors of the galaxy. The book is an excellent illustration of the tensions between the two generations’ misunderstanding of each other, the contrast between parental experience and youthful desire to act.

However, the expected adventure came too fast and too concentrated: Poe joins of the most dangerous teams in the galaxy, the Spice Runners of Kijimi, whose principles and actions he may not be able to identify with. Here he meets Zori, the other main character in the novel. And while Poe’s background and family are already known in the canon, Zorii Bliss character gets a real and deep background story, making me one of the favourite characters of the age of the Sequel Trilogy. The dynamics, care and conflict between the two main characters are lifelike, lovable and exciting. Although we know the end of their relationship in Episode IX, the novel guided this very nicely: mixing intimate moments with unspoken secrets, conflicting goals, and sources of tension caused by different family backgrounds.

Another advantage of the book is that we can get to know the New Republic in its full power, what the galaxy became more than ten years after the fall of the Empire. Well, it’s like in The Mandalorian: the central government only reaches the central planets, less the Outer Rim: here the underworld rules. An essential character in the book is an officer from the New Republic Security Bureau. In contrast, the other characters, except for Poe’s family members, are tied to the underworld. The book shows very well how the things changed after the fall of the Empire, how the Pykes were pushed back in the spice business, and how emerging bands like the Spice Runners of Kijimi emerged. Although the underworld of Star Wars movies seems to be romantic and bohemian, and Zorii’s spice runners also seemed like “Cheerful Boys” in The Rise of Skywalker, the book reveals that Kijimi is Nar Shaddaa of the Sequel Era: cruel, violent and sinful.

Alex Segura is excellent at drawing scenes, the book is teeming with action-packed moments, but it also leaves time and space to unfold the personality of the characters. The exciting and entertaining story is, moreover, nicely linked to other canonical content set in the era, be it the Shattered Empire comic series, The Mandalorian streaming series, or even the content related to Galaxy’s Edge. The book is a real masterpiece, one of the best of the canon!

Free Fall is a much anticipated look into the formative years of one of the New Republic’s most talented pilots. It expertly showcases Poe Dameron’s rise from teenage delinquent, to revered smuggler, to a budding New Republic pilot. Plenty of dog fights, and light on the romance, this action packed story sports a plot dense, character driven narrative worthy of the big screen,

Poe Dameron is an unhappy teen. He wants to follow the adventurous footsteps of his long gone mother, but his father won't consent to any of it. After an antic goes awry, a hot-headed Poe enlists with an organization with a notorious reputation, the Spice Runners of Kijimi.

As an outcast and low level member of the cell he is part of, he only finds friendship in Zorii Wynn, another teenager, totally committed to the ideals of the organization. Together they acquire experience and improve their rank, through several missions.

Back on Yavin 4, his father works with Sela Trune, a talented but young investigator from the New Republic Security Bureau. She's been building a case against the Kijimi organization, and will do anything in her power to stop them. But will she be able to keep her personal motivations in check?

Raw action, intrigue and plenty of betrayals make this a really entertaining novel, who will let us understand better the Poe of the trilogy. Props to Alex Segura for his smooth writing and for weaving all the small or big canon connections with the movies, TV series, novels and comics.

Recommended!

Slow quite a bit. I think this one tried but overall it needs a bit more backstory to the character and his origins than it had. Maybe I am wrong, but I wanted so much more than it had.