The downward spiral of the new Star Wars canon continues on. I read Shattered Empire, horrified to see that with a couple tweaks it could be considered a fifteen year old girl's fanfiction. Aftermath is something I wouldn't consider fanfiction, which is a plus, but it's definitely not a direction I want to see the Star Wars franchise heading in. 
 This takes place after Episode 6, after the second Death Star has been blown up. Instead of focusing on any of the movies' main characters, we get a random handful of people slapped together. Yes, we see Admiral Ackbar and Wedge, however, they are almost non-existent. Instead, we get Norra, a rebel pilot who returns home to reunite with her son; Sinjir, a drunken former Imperial; Jas, a bounty hunter; and Temmin, Norra's smartass kid. The villains include Admiral Sloane, who is as boring and dry as unbuttered toast, and a bunch of random Imperials that are made to seem as if they were important before this book, but you've likely never heard of any of them. 
 It takes about half the book to set up these characters and bring them together. The other half is the group running around from place to place because reasons. Norra wants to save Wedge. Jas wants to collect her bounty. Sinjir is just along for the ride. Temmin is a brat. None of these characters are very endearing, so it makes it hard to care what happens to them. Sinjir is amusing, but in a comic relief, butt of the jokes way, not in a positive way. There are also many interludes about happenings around the galaxy, focused on people who are nobodies and will most likely never be mentioned again. It's meant to show the changes that having the Empire defeated and the New Republic installed will bring, but it takes me out of the story. 
 I was expecting a character death. Well, there wasn't one, but it is teased not once, but twice, that a main character of Aftermath dies, and it's the same person both times. It was bad enough I didn't care about this character to begin with, but way to suck all of the tension and suspense out of two dramatic moments. 
 The writing is not to my liking at all. I thought that I couldn't despise anything more than first person, present tense narration, but I do: third person, present tense narration. I understand that present tense is supposed to elicit suspense and constantly being in the moment, but wow, it reminds me of that old dude from Family Guy that sings about everything he sees happening. Not to mention the writing is very choppy, like full sentences aren't cool anymore. It makes for a very jarring read. 
 I'd advise anyone thinking about picking this up to read the preview. If the style choice is not to your liking, skip this book. Nothing meaningful really happens anyway. There is a brief interlude about Han and Chewie going to Kashyyyk, which I'd rather read instead of this drivel.