Young Poe Dameron’s life is drastically altered after the death of his beloved mother. For years since her passing, Poe’s still been struggling to find and keep a connection with his fighter pilot father. Eventually,  Poe decides it’s better to put some distance between the pair of them. Poe’s only option is to run away from home and do his best on his own. Unsure of what to do and what exactly he hopes to find, Poe ultimately knows that whatever his path is, the journey will show him the kind of person he wants to be. 

For all the fans of Star Wars who wanted to learn more about the dashing pilot who we first saw in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Poe Dameron: Free Fall is certainly for you. The novel by Alex Segura focuses on a teenaged Dameron after he leaves home and sets off on his own adventures. While there are some parts of Poe’s life that readers are familiar with after watching the latest Star Wars trilogy, there are still parts of his life that remain a mystery and Segura does a good job at bringing to life the story that was hinted at during Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Of course, without giving too much away, the book mostly focuses on what brought Poe into contact with the Spice Runners of Kijimi. You will likely recall the banter between Poe and Zorii Bliss in The Rise of Skywalker which revealed the brief glance into the pilot’s past life as a smuggler, and it is in Free Fall that readers discover what Poe’s life was like during this time. Being 16-years-old, Poe doesn’t truly know what he wants but he clings to the idea of adventurousness and spontaneity alongside the Spice Runners. However, it doesn’t take Poe long to discern the fact that the Spice Runners aren’t the kind of people he should be surrounding himself with. 

Free Fall truly shines with Segura honing in on the characters in the book, specifically Poe and Zorii. While the book is about Poe, Segura did a good job of also relaying Zorii’s background to readers, showing that she is just as complex and interesting as Poe. In The Rise of Skywalker, my interest in the character was piqued and it was great to learn about her history. The dynamic between the duo gets more and more interesting as the book progresses, while the two are both battling inner turmoil and trying to find themselves. I wouldn’t be opposed to getting another book that focuses on the pair in the future, for sure.

Very much an origin story, readers will get to learn a lot more about a young Poe and just how he came to be. Ultimately, Segura created a fun adventure for readers. Anyone who is a fan of Poe should certainly check this book out.

Poe Dameron: Free Fall is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo and your local independent book stores!