Trouble finishing - anything

I seem to be having trouble finishing books - or anything else right now. I've got several books on the go and I can't settle in to any of them.

• Star Wars At War With The Empire vol. 1.
  I've been intrigued off and on by the Star Wars graphic novels even though I'm not very much of a graphic novel reader. Mostly this was inspired by the Star Wars Panel To Panel book I got last year. The artwork and short descriptions of the stories told in the graphic novels were quite intriguing. And, actually, I'm finding that I've been really enjoying reading this one. Problem is, I'm sharing the read on the graphic novel.
• Stalking Darkness (Nightrunner vol. 2) by Lynn Flewelling
  The sequel to Luck in the Shadows, which I really enjoyed reading. I've only gotten a few pages into this one though as of now. Not enough to have an opinion yet.
• The Elite by Kiara Cass
  The sequel to The Selection, which came out last year - and is a book that I'd been looking forward to. I think I really needed to re-read The Selection before I picked this one up to really enjoy it.

The same thing is true with crochet. I've got a baby blanket I'm working on for my best friend's new son. It's not even half way, and the child was born over a month ago. The rounds for it are quick enough to do, just tedious - and I need to get a hundred and sixty eight of them. Then I have to join them. Not looking forward to that at all. And I thought this would be an easy project.

Looking at the instructions (which I've memorized for each "square") the Puffs Baby Blanket, is simple enough, just as I said before, tedious - to the extreme. I've gotten over 60 of the puffs done though.

Rather than buckle down and really work on finishing the baby blanket, I started a new project: the Hilo Shawl from the March issue of Inside Crochet magazine. I'm using two lovely skeins of Madelinetosh yarn in Cousteau (shades of deem tourquoise) for this one and the more I work on it, the more I love the colours and the feel of the yarn. Still only on the first full row, but I started it last night. And, of course, I had to wind the skeins before I could start. I tell you, having my own swift and winder is a wonderful thing, both for the yarn I spin, and for the yarns I'm buying now. More and more, they don't come in pre-wound balls as the price goes up. And sometimes, the store's swift is broken. The biggest issue with this pattern is that it's from a UK magazine and some of the terminology is different. Triple Crochet stitch for the US Double for example. I've learned on the US stitch terminology so far, so I'm sitting here with a conversion chart. Thank goodness for the pattern diagram as well.

Part of the problem with all of this (books and crochet) is that I feel like I should been working on the readings and assignments for the indexing course I'm taking whenever I'm not actually working - guess I'm feeling a bit guilty. So, as much as I want to be reading or crocheting, I feel as though I can't, that I'm wasting time I don't have. And therefore, I can't settle to any one hobby/project.

Star Wars: X-Wing: Mercy Kill - Aaron Allston

Star Wars: X-Wing: Mercy Kill
Aaron Allston
LucasBooks
Copyright Date: August 7, 2012
978-0345530592

The amazon.com product description:

The intrepid spies, pilots, and sharpshooters of Wraith Squadron are back in an all-new Star Wars adventure, which transpires just after the events of the Fate of the Jedi series!

Three decades have passed since Wraith Squadron carried out its last mission. Taking on the most dangerous and daring operations, the rogues and misfits of the elite X-Wing unit became legends of the Rebellion and the Second Galactic Civil War, before breaking up and going their separate ways. Now their singular skills are back in vital demand—for a tailor-made Wraith Squadron mission.

A powerful general in the Galactic Alliance Army, once renowned for his valor, is suspected of participating in the infamous Lecersen Conspiracy, which nearly toppled the Alliance back into the merciless hands of the Empire. With orders to expose and apprehend the traitor—and license to do so by any and all means—the Wraiths will become thieves, pirates, impostors, forgers . . . and targets, as they put their guts, their guns, and their riskiest game plan to the test against the most lethal of adversaries.

It's been a long time since the last X-Wing novel, Starfighters of Adumar, also by Aaron Allston. A long time not just in our years, but between the events of Star Fighters of Adumar and Mercy Kill. As a result, there's the entirety of the New Jedi Order books and more to be taken into account with the newest of the X-Wing stories. As a result, much of the Wraith Squadron we see in this book is made up of the next generation of characters - still led by Face, and there are a couple of the old Wraiths that show up - not to mention Piggy. In a sense, this is his book.

There were a lot of things in this book that I liked - the Wraiths way of getting things done, some of the jokes that were familiar running jokes from the earlier books etc. On the other hand, I felt quite lost while reading Mercy Kill. I think this book more than the previous books in the X-Wing series hinges on being familiar with the rest of the Star Wars canon. And I'm not. After reading the first few books in the New Jedi Order series, I found I didn't care for the new style as much. Therefore, I'm almost completely unfamiliar with the new structure of the galaxy, not to mention most of the cast of characters.

Mercy Kill is still readable without that knowledge, but I did feel rather lost at times. Sort of a "who is this? what caused this?" kind of thing. Apparently, for example, the Wraiths had been decommissioned at some point before the story starts, and from what I gathered, it was for supporting the wrong side in a conflict. That's about all I know though.

So, I'm about middling on this book. I liked it, but not as much as I'd hoped to. The thing is, I don't know how much of that is the fault of the book, or my lacking familiarity with the Star Wars world as it is at the time of Mercy Kill. I'm finding it hard to really judge Mercy Kill, but I don't know if I'm making my opinion based on the merits of the book itself or not.

What's your opinion of the book? I know most of the Amazon.com reviews I've seen are more or less positive.

Wraith Squadron: Star Wars: X-Wing 5 - Aaron Allston

Wraith Squadron: Star Wars: X-Wing 5
Aaron Allston
Bantam Books
Copyright: 1998
978-0553578942

The amazon.com product description:

They are the galaxy's most elite fighting force. And as the battle against the Empire rages, the X-wing fighters risk life and machine to protect the Rebel Alliance. Now they must go on a daring undercover mission--as the crew of an Imperial warship.

It is Wedge Antilles' boldest creation: a covert-action unit of X-wing fighters, its pilots drawn from the dregs of other units, castoffs and rejects given one last chance. But before the new pilots can complete their training, the squadron's base is attacked by former Imperial admiral Trigit, and Wraith Squadron is forced to swing into action--taking over an Imperial warship and impersonating its crew. The mission: to gain vital intelligence about Trigit's secret weapons, to sabotage the admiral's plans, and to lure him into an Alliance trap. But the high-stakes gamble pits Wraith Squadron's ragtag renegades against the Empire's most brilliant master of guile and deception.

Are they up to the challenge?

If not, the penalty is instant death.

The X-Wing series is my favourite of the numerous Star Wars novels, and this is one of the funniest. Aaron Allston has a knack for leaving me laughing out loud at all of the characters - and the running jokes, some of which span all of the books. Ewoks come to mind as do a few others.

The X-Wing series of novels is rather broken into two different sets. There`s the Rogue Squadron novels, and then, with Aaron Allston's contribution, the creation of Wraith Squadron. There`s some overlap, between the two, but not much.

In this one, Wedge Antillies takes a group of misfits and makes it work. I love the way they end up working together, even though there are quite a few problem-characters. In fact, it could be said that the whole lot of them are problem characters.

Honestly though, I haven`t laughed as hard repeatedly at a novel series as I have with this one. I've lost track of the times I've read Wraith Squadron and the others over the last years. This is, again a series that I started out by borrowing from the library, and ended up buying after I'd borrowed them all multiple times.

Wraith Squadron introduces us to the characters, and sets up situations for the next several books, but at the same time, it also tells an enjoyable tale in itself. Kell Tainer, Face Loran, Grinder, all of them had me grinning at the least, if not outright laughing.

Definitely recommended for any Star Wars fan, especially with the release of Aaron Allston's newest Star Wars novel: X-Wing: Mercy Kill.

Star Wars Panel To Panel Volume 2 - Randy Stradley

Star Wars Panel To Panel Volume 2
Randy Stradley
Dark Horse Comics
Copyright: 2007
9781593077938

The amazon.com product description:

From 5,000 years before Luke Skywalker first picked up a lightsaber to nearly 150 years after the events in Return of the Jedi, Dark Horse Comics has chronicled the major events in every era of the Star Wars galaxy in amazing drawings and paintings by some of the most accomplished artists in our own galaxy. In this all-new companion to the first Star Wars Panel to Panel volume, we've spotlighted not only the stunning work of comics' greatest artists, but also the legion of characters Dark Horse has contributed to Star Wars' Expanded Universe - characters who have not only carried the romance and adventure of the galaxy far, far away far beyond the events in the films, but those who have made the jump from the pages of comic books to television and the silver screen! Every Star Wars fan will cherish this look back, forward and beyond!

This one honestly surprised me. I love Star Wars, but I've never been big on graphic novels. As a result, although I have all three of the Rogue Squadron graphic novel omnibus editions, I've yet to read them - and I never really thought I'd be wanting to read the rest of the comics. Now though, I'm intrigued.

Star Wars Panel To Panel Volume 2 takes the reader on a quick trip through Star Wars history as written in the comics from five thousand years before the movies to a hundred years or so after, showing highlights from all the comics and the artists in a full page format with a brief summary of what's going on: who, when and why etc as well as how it fits with the history as given in the movies etc. As a result, most of this book is art-based, making it a very quick, though intriguing work.

As an introduction to the (confusing) world of the Star Wars comics/graphic novels, I think that Panel To Panel serves very well. Now I have a bit more of an understanding of which series fits where, and a definite appreciation for the various styles of art included in the books. Some are more flat appearing, others are just gorgeous, detailed full-page paintings.

Beautifully illustrated and fun, though I wish there had been more detail in the captions. Oh well, I guess I might have to give the graphic novels another try if I really want to know what's going on in the stories referenced.

Star Wars: The Jedi Path - Daniel Wallace

Star Wars: The Jedi Path
Daniel Wallace
Chronicle Books
Copyright: September 7, 2011
978-1452102276

The amazon.com product description:

Passed down from Master to apprentice, The Jedi Path is an ancient training manual that has educated and enlightened generations of Jedi. Within its pages, the Jedi-intraining will discover the history and lore of the Jedi Order, the ways of the Force and how to wield it, the subtle nuances of lightsaber combat, and the dangers of the Dark Side. The only remaining copy in existence, this hallowed tome features handwritten annotated notes by Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Count Dooku, and Darth Sidious, among many others. Created in collaboration with Lucasfilm along with an acclaimed Star Wars author and revered Star Wars illustrators this volume also introduces never-before-seen ships, creatures, characters, and details about the Star Wars galaxy.

I thought the idea of this book was intriguing, as a window into the world of Star Wars, but for me it was the annotations that really made the book. They also make this one of those books that I just can't see as an e-book - at least not on any e-ink type screens.

Those annotations seem to range through Yoda's life-span until Luke's new Jedi Academy, but the history covered is much greater. I have to admit, I'm not overly familiar with a lot of the early material discussed - I haven't read any of that material, nor have I played any of the computer games that I suspect are being referenced. On the other hand, the personalities of the various characters shines through clearly - especially Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. But, they're not the only annotators there, there's also the Emperor's thoughts shown too. Some of those annotations are almost like a conversation.

The other thing that makes The Jedi Path into a gorgeous book is the way it's illustrated. Nearly every page has lavish illustrations, both in black and white and in colour. The latter are in watercolour, and I really like the chosen colour range, which is fairly subdued and suits the material and apparent age of the book.

Definitely a neat little book for any Star Wars fan, and one that I found left me intrigued and wishing there was more information.