Book Review: 'Phasma' by Delilah S Dawson

Another great addition to the new 'Star Wars' universe of stories.

'The Force Awakens' didn't feature much of Captain Phasma, her coming across as a Boba Fett style character for the new Sequel Trilogy - clearly an intimidating character but ultimately forgettable - but this book begins to take a peek under her chrome helmet as we learn about her origins and how she joined the First Order.

Although the book is about Phasma, her story is framed in the style of the classic Arabian Nights, instead of Scheherazade telling tales to the Sultan each night to stay her execution, here we have Rebel spy Vi Moradi, captured and interrogated by Captain Cardinal of the First Order, who's looking for some kind of intel against Phasma, passing on the tales from Siv, one of the warriors of the Scyre people that Phasma came from, of what happened the time Brendol Hux crash landed on Parnassos and changed the destiny of Phasma.

There is a great mix of tension and action as the story flips back and forth between the present with Moradi and Cardinal, and ten years earlier through the eyes of Siv with Phasma, Hux and the Scyre.

The 'legend' of Phasma is one of someone who will do whatever it takes to get ahead in life, even at the expense of one's family and tribe! She is brutal, a warrior, and a leader. Perfect for the First Order, so thinks Brendol Hux, when he first meets Phasma. But, she is also ruthless, manipulating and calculating, with her own motives, of which she becomes more of during the retelling of her origins, which could prove dangerous for the First Order! Her role, and hopefully there's more of it this time, in 'The Last Jedi' could be very interesting indeed!

Delilah S Dawson has recently said that the playlist she created as she was writing this novel consisted of the soundtracks of two 'Star Wars' movies and 'Mad Max: Fury Road', and knowing this musical inspiration, it does come across in the writing during some scenes. Especially when Phasma, Hux and the Scyre warriors traverse the barren Parnassos in search of Hux's crashed ship. It had the feel that it could easily have been set in a Mad Max movie.

I enjoyed Delilah's previous stories in the new Star Wars EU - 'The Perfect Weapon' and the short story 'Scorched' - and this book does not disappoint! A recommended read, with some great characters, I hope we see more of Moradi, Cardinal and Siv in the future, and a character that is now more wholesome and fleshed out, now that we know her beginnings and her motivations.

****/5