Why I Rate Every Star Wars Book At Least 3 Stars (and Why It Matters)
Star Wars book ratings are only part of the bigger picture.
I have a very specific personal policy when it comes to rating Star Wars books: I never give anything less than three stars.
This practice began shortly after I launched my Instagram account, which was created to review and showcase Star Wars books in a positive and welcoming light. The same mindset went into creating the TikTok page of the same name earlier this year.
The accounts, the podcast, and this newsletter are all dedicated to “celebrating Star Wars books of all shapes and sizes.” In other words, everything I do under this social media umbrella revolves around discussing these books, encouraging other people to read them, helping people navigate the landscape, and encouraging a community surrounding the books. All the books. Not just Legends, not just Canon. Nothing gets left out.
It’s a little jarring, therefore, when I encounter someone who doesn’t approach their Star Wars book fandom in this way — and understandably, there are many. Online culture, fandom culture, tricks people into thinking negativity is the only way to make friends, gain followers, and build a brand. Or something like that.
I absolutely don’t mind when people have different opinions than me. In fact, that’s a sign of a healthy, growing community — an environment where a variety of voices and opinions are encouraged. What I do take issue with, however, is something I’m encountering more and more as the show and its fanbase grows: People who expect me to engage with negativity toward something this brand exists specifically to celebrate.
I’ve been asked, in the year and a half since I started the show as well as the five years I’ve launched the Star Wars Book Reviews Instagram account, to answer quite unsettling questions. What are the worst Star Wars books? Which books should be avoided? What is my least favorite book? Which books are a waste of time?
Usually, I ignore these inquiries, but I’d like to address my reasons why in a constructive, informative way.
Star Wars Books Are My Comfort Food
The same way you shouldn’t tell someone enjoying their dessert that they could save countless calories and fat grams by not eating it, there’s really nothing to gain from telling someone why they shouldn’t read a Star Wars book. Except likes and reposts, I suppose.
Life is hard enough without having to spend precious time and energy turning my hobby, something I genuinely enjoy and find comfort in, into a constant need to harshly critique every little thing about it that isn’t perfect. We have to find joy in things in this world. For me, that’s Star Wars books.
Are they all perfect, exceptional, worthy of endless praise? No. That’s why I like them. Opening a book set in a galaxy far, far away, you never know what you’re going to get. To me, that’s a source of excitement, not of dread.
Hating Things Is Exhausting
And it’s already exhausting enough hating the normal everyday things, like capitalism and racism and bigotry and climate change. Why waste your time talking about something you hate that’s just a form of entertainment meant to be, oh I don’t know — fun?
I don’t know why some fans so deeply feel the need to claim one minute they’re a fan of the books and in the next breath start listing off all the books they hate. That’s … not fandom. That’s the opposite. Culturally, it’s pretty normal, but logically, it doesn’t vibe with me.
If I don’t love a Star Wars book, I simply mark is as read, rate it three stars, put it back on the shelf (after snapping a nice photo, of course), and move on to the next one. It’s easy once you get the hang of it.
Making Star Wars Books Is Hard
As a person who creates things for a living, it seems silly to click away from what I’m working on only to rage and rant about something another person took the time to make.
There are a lot of people involved in making Star Wars books happen — from agents to authors to editors, artists and designers, publicists, the list goes on. Chances are, if a book didn’t mesh with you, it’s not because someone didn’t do a good job. Most of the time, it’s just because the book wasn’t your thing, and that’s okay.
But going around flipping tables, dropping names of other people you want to blame for not liking a book — there are a lot of things wrong with that. It’s not going to make you many friends, whether others with loud opinions make it seem that way or not.
One of many reasons I choose to celebrate Star Wars books is the simple fact that I admire the work that goes into them, and I think they all deserve to be praised in their own way.
I recognize, as one must, that online fan culture is not reflective of fandom as a whole. Most people in the real world don’t walk around yelling about the books they hate, which is comforting. I think.
Certainly, you’re allowed to hate anything you want, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop you from loudly sharing those opinions on the internet. It’s just not the way I want to engage with these stories. I prefer conversations that dig deeper into the complexities of Star Wars publishing, rather than attention-grabbing “this book was awful” statements.
But that’s just me, doing my own thing. Carry on.
Now This Is Lit is a podcast (and newsletter!) about Star Wars books, the people who make them, and the readers who just can’t get enough of them. You can find the show wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to the Substack for more deep dives, guides, interview transcripts, and book love.