Galaxy’s Edge Books: Two Great Reads Give Us Insight into Batuu

August 6, 2019 – Disney-Lucasfilm Press published two new Galaxy’s Edge books for younger demographics that provide entertaining stories. A Crash of Fate, written by Zoraida Córdova, is a young adult novel, while Myths & Fables, written by George Mann, is full of short stories and large print perfect for younger readers. Both of these books also offer stories that take place on Batuu, the planet featured in Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Galaxy’s Edge.

A Crash of Fate

Taking place pretty much entirely on Batuu and mostly in the span of just one day, A Crash of Fate focuses on two teenagers, Izal “Izzy” Garsea and Julen “Jules” Rakab, who were best friends while growing up before Izal’s parents hastily departed from Batuu one night.

By chance, Izal happens to walk into Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, where Jules is unexpectedly working that morning, and their memorable, crazy day happens. Throughout the course of this enchanted day, many emotions bubble up for them and they are forced to confront these feelings. The book builds up the relationship and the emotional tensions between these two central characters as they meet various other Batuu characters and explore Black Spire.

One aspect of the setup of this book that I enjoyed was that each chapter had two parts: one from Julen’s perspective and one from Izal’s perspective, so that the reader is able to understand what’s going on inside of both of them throughout both the story and their building relationship.

This book is notable as it is the first full book to take place entirely (aside from a brief beginning taking place elsewhere) on Batuu. While there have been other books that have mentioned Batuu, this is the first to focus on it.

Star Wars: Myths & Fables

Star Wars: Myths & Fables is a fascinating work. Comprised of nine different stories, the aesthetic of the book feels more like a European middle ages collection of myths, tales, and other such stories. For instance, there are references to swords being wielded by knights, except that they are filled with light. There’s even a Dragon and Knight story, which seems very medieval, yet the knight being referenced is a Jedi knight.

I am greatly intrigued by this book and find it to be a very refreshing take on story-telling within the Star Wars universe, as it makes these stories feel real and intimate, especially with reference to different villages.

There is also a sense of story-telling of etiology, regarding how things came to be a certain way. For instance, a knight came and saved a village of sandpeople and they agreed never to commit raids again (which implies that Obi-Wan Kenobi came and interceded while watching over Luke on Tatooine, as well as describing why sandpeople would have raided in Attack of the Clones, but we don’t find them doing so in A New Hope).

The audience for this book is considerably younger, as either young readers can read it by themselves or parents (or other adults) can read it to the youngest readers or even not-yet reading children.

Batuu

Both of these books are enjoyable on their own, even if they are not particularly significant to the broader Star Wars universe. However, they do provide further insights into understanding what is Batuu and what goes on there, as A Crash of Fate takes place pretty much entirely on Batuu and some of the stories in Myths & Fables take place on Batuu. These stories are helpful in appreciating and understanding Galaxy’s Edge.

Both of these books are available on bookshelves now!

About the Author

Drew Kaplan enjoys Star Wars; his writings may be found on his Star Wars Maven website, as well as other Star Wars-related content on his social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided to Skywalking Through Neverland for review purposes.

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