A Crash of Fate: Space-Romance at the Edge of the Galaxy.

After thirteen years apart, childhood friends, Izzy and Jules reunite in A Crash of Fate. Izzy. however, is not the person she once was.

This article contains plot points for Star Wars: A Crash of Fate

Author of the short story, You Owe Me A Ride from the Star Wars anthology book, From a Certain Point of View, Zoraida Cordova makes her full-length Star Wars novel debut with the teen space romance Star Wars: A Crash of Fate (released on August 6th). Cover art by Matt Griffin, and book design by Leigh Zieske.

Much like the Galaxy’s Edge comic book series published by Marvel, and Delilah S. Dawson’s recently released novel, Black Spire, Cordova’s story, A Crash of Fate is part of the Galaxy’s Edge theme park media project, and just like the aforementioned books, A Crash of Fate is a stand-alone story that takes place wholly on Batuu, and takes place about 5 months after Black Spire.

They Call It Puppy Love

A Crash of Fate is a love story/adventure about two childhood friends named Izal Garsea and Julan Rakab. When Izzy and Jules were six, Izzy’s parents packed up and left with Izzy for 13 years. At age 19 the two reunite when Izzy, now a smuggler working for a Rodian named Pall Gopal returns to Batuu for a job. The events of A Crash of Fate felt separated from the rest of the Star Wars galaxy which could be exciting for some as it barely ties into the larger galactic story. Which makes sense if the Skywalker story is ending, introducing new characters, new locations, and new ideas are the way to do it. A Crash of Fate takes place approximately five months after Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, the First Order and the Resistance are present but don’t have a significant presence in the book.

All Is Fair In Love and Star Wars

Star Wars is an amalgamation of many situations, politically, historically, philosophically—they are a representation of what happens in real life. Love also happens in Star Wars. Romance novels aren’t for everyone, but many of us have gone through teenage crushes, and they can be stressful.

Star Wars-ically speaking, there aren’t any space battles or Jedi, but there are a handful of shootouts. Most of what occurs in A Crash of Fate is secluded to Galaxy’s Edge, and for those who’ve been there, it has to be exciting to read about all the locations and know you’ve walked the same sites. And for those who haven’t yet gone to Galaxy’s Edge, it does help bide the time.

A Crash of Lessons

There’s a lot of world-building in A Crash of Fate, we get to know more about the ruthless Oga Garra and his business relationship with Dok Ondar. There are plenty of great themes about friendship, family, and accepting your parent’s; faults and all, and what it means to have a home. Overall, many of the things teenagers think about.

Cordova’s writing is clear and very easy to read. Cordova creates two strong lead characters to push this story forward. Izzy and Jules feel very much like a space-Romeo & Juliet. When they reunite, they are leading two very different lives, but it’s evident how much each one means to the other. They each fill a gap in the other’s life that no one else could.

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

It could be argued that Izzy’s journey has many similarities as Qi’ra from Solo: A Star Wars Story. Izzy and Jules get involuntary pulled apart (just like Han and Qi’ra), and after several years apart they reunite, however, Izzy just like Qi’ra has been through a lot and is not the same person Jules knew her as.

The Rippling Effect

A Crash of Fate has a ton of references to Galaxy’s Edge and other Star Wars titles. To start, Oga’s Cantina and drinks like the Fuzzy Tauntaun, Bespin Fizz, Moof Juice, and Carbon Freeze. Star Tours veteran, DJ R3X appears throughout the novel in holoradio and in person. Joh Yowza, a former member of Max Rebo band from Return of the Jedi, is now a solo artist and is scheduled to perform at Oga’s. Oga is mentioned as a Blutopoian (new species) with brown skin and several pink facial tentacles.

Jules is a former employee at Kat Saka’s farm, which is vital to the plot. The surabat grain they grow is the source of Kat Saka’s kettle. Jules also picks up side jobs for Dok Ondar at his Den of Antiquities. The statues outside Dok’s were also described with one being a former grave marker. Even the backroom of Dok Ondar’s private collection where visitors aren’t allowed to enter are described. Oga and Dok are the two big bosses of Galaxy’s Edge and two people that no one wants to cross.

Star Wars Animation Is Still Star Wars

One of the strangest items Dok recently procured is an old metal tube with a fashioned head of a Zilo beast on both ends. The baby Sarlacc tank (first seen in Galaxy’s Edge #1) is mentioned, Savi’s workshop is mentioned a couple of times, but no mention of the secret lightsaber building business. It’s assumed the citizens of Batuu don’t even know what goes on inside there. Bina’s creature stall is where a friend of Jules works. Kowakian monkey lizards and puffer pigs are seen and can be purchased as well as a Loth cat. A fyrnock is also seen caged up. All of which have made appearances in the first season of Star Wars Rebels.

Momong or Trandoshan monkeys from The Clone Wars and Dokma’s from Rebels were also mentioned. Docking Bay 7 and Cookie the chef appear in the book several times. Cookie complains about the First Order destroying his last place of employment; Kanata’s Castle on Takodana. Wamba’s Milk Stand is mentioned. Ronto Roasters is also brought up.

Do As The Batuuans Do

Local greetings such as Bright Suns and Rising Moons are spoken throughout the book. Batuu’s three suns and two moons are also mentioned. May the Spires keep you is a local colloquialism much like May the Force be with you. Batuuan currency is called Spira. Hondo Ohnaka is mentioned several times but never actually makes an appearance. Ohnaka Transport Solutions is said to be losing business.

Batuuans aren’t sure which side of the war to support though it’s clear they don’t like the presence of the First Order who are simply there to recruit. The small skirmish near the end of the book between the First Order and Resistance could be a precursor to the Rise of the Resistance ride coming to Galaxy’s Edge in December. Surabat river is where the entrance to that ride could be located, which is also where the Resistance is hiding out within the ruins. Dok has some sandstone wall hangings that are thought to come from those same ruins.

We’re Canon!

There is one Resistance member mentioned, a Mon Calamari named Lejo. Jules talks about how much he enjoys watching new arrivals gawk at everything in Black Spire Outpost when they enter. This could be a friendly jab at those visiting Galaxy’s Edge when we walk through the entrance.

Several legacy aliens are mentioned to be living in Batuu, but as visitors have realized, aliens are the only thing Galaxy’s Edge is lacking. A Karkarodon is present which is very cool since we haven’t seen these since season 4 of The Clone Wars. One of Dok’s assistants drives a 74Z speeder bike, which is the same model speeder driven by the Imperial scout troopers on Endor. The same assistant mentions how his hat always stays in place, a characteristic very similar to Indiana Jones whose fedora amazingly always stays in place.

More Connections

Much like Luke in A New Hope, Jules talks about his friends who have left to join the New Republic Defense Fleet or the Resistance. This is the first mention of the New Republic Academy. A blue-skinned Balosar makes an appearance. A Balosar is the species of Elan Sleazebaganno, the guy who tried to sell Obi-Wan death sticks in Attack of the Clones. The planet Raysho was one of the planets in the Hosnian system that was destroyed by Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens. And the speeder model XP-38 was first mentioned in A New Hope.

Love Is A Battlefield

By the end of A Crash of Fate, war has come to Black Spire, and though some will join the fight (Izzy and Jules) against the First Order, some will decide to be spectators. A Crash of Fate is not shy on the affection aspect of Jules’ and Izzy’s love for each other, which will turn some readers off and excite others. Either way, Cordova pens a fun, well-paced story that isn’t centered around galactic conflict, instead, the revolving nucleus is a pair of long-time friends whose bond is strong enough to help save their friends and Black Spire Outpost. Maybe the Force wasn’t technically mentioned, but what exactly brought Izzy back to Batuu? Was it fate or the Force?