REVIEW: ‘Bomber Command’ by Jason Fry
Jason Fry has released two new books that complement the events and characters in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Both Rose Tico: Resistance Fighter and Bomber Command feature diaries, mechanical drawings, photos and maps. The Rose Tico book is obviously about Tico, the scrappy Resistance fighter whose expertise is as a mechanic. Her sister, Paige Tico, is the subject of Bomber Command, an engrossing book that offers a great amount of detail on a little-known person in the Star Wars universe.
Both books are appropriate for most age levels and probably best enjoyed by grades 5-8.
Fry’s two contributions are welcome entries. The author has carefully developed each of the characters and filled in some blanks about their upbringing and eventual decision to join the Resistance.
In Bomber Command, Paige comes across as a much more mature older sister to Rose. There’s limited information about her coming of age; instead, much of the narrative has to do with the ins and outs of the Resistance.
Readers will appreciate the entries about the political dynamics of the First Order and how the New Republic needs to focus on peace negotiations for a while, otherwise Organa and the leadership would look like war mongers (after all, they recently brought down the Empire and promised peace).
There’s a great deal of Bomber Command that focuses on the ships and technology that Paige uses as a gunner. Painstaking detail is given about the schematics behind the bomber known as the Cobalt Hammer. This is where Fry truly adds some great information to the Star Wars universe because the ship is fully fleshed out and not seen as a monolith flying through space. He focuses on how the bomber is a practical warship with clear roles for its limited crew. In other words, by delving deeper, he actually infuses reality into this science-fiction fantasy series.
It might be interesting for a fan to read Bomber Command before watching Star Wars: The Last Jedi, as the final pages lead right into the movie. However, spoilers will abound whether or not the book is read first or second. Fry also drops subtle clues throughout both Paige’s and Rose’s diaries that a sacrifice is on the horizon.
The visuals are wonderful, and they truly let the reader enjoy some of Fry’s world-making. One can get lost in the schematics and rough sketches, all of them seemingly unfinished because he is trying to mimic an actual diary. There are also pull-out pages that offer wider views on certain key ships and maps.
On occasion the color scheme chosen for the fonts can be difficult to read, especially when passages run longer against a light background — but that’s a minor quibble. There’s no doubt that it’s fun to spend some time with the lesser-known Paige Tico, and this diary serves as a wonderful complement to a film that has grown on its audience.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Bomber Command by Jason Fry is now available from Studio Fun International. Click here for more information.
