Review | Unofficial Star Wars novel Catalyst, the prequel’s prequel
James Lucerno returns us to the construction of the Death Star, but can we stay awake to finish it?
by James Lucerno
Century
Apparently, a new Star Wars film is in the post. Titled Rogue One, it’s another prequel, although hopefully not in the same way that The Ph%£$om Men@#”e was. The story returns us to the construction of the Death Star. Will it come in a flat pack? Will we learn whether Darth Vader is a briefs or boxers Dark Jedi? Anyone wanting spoilers beware. James Lucerno’s Catalyst is not the official movie novelisation, but a prequel to this prequel, rewinding to the childhood of Rogue One’s heroine, Jyn Erso. It concentrates on her father, Galen, an apolitical, brilliant scientist who is working on a secret clean-energy project (codename: Steath Dar). This is developed by slimy Orson Krennic, who hopes the planet blaster will promote him above his rival, Moff Tarkin, on the greasy light sabre. The casual Star Warrior will find an awful lot of gubbins about Senator (not yet Emperor) Palpatine’s battle against Count Dooku’s separatists, which made Attack of the Clones such a potent sleeping pill. Roll on Rogue One Two.