I had a frustrating book week this week. After the colossal “Mao,” it was hard to get motivated about reading for some reason. I probably started 6 different books, anticipating that one of them would attract my interest enough to gulp down page after page of interesting reading. Nothing ever works out like you would hope it would, does it?
So I did what anyone would do: read a captivating fiction book. And please don’t judge me for indulging in one of my guilty pleasures: Star Wars. Yes, this is a Star Wars novel; one that had no message, no thought-provoking ending, just a pure escapist-fantasy Star Wars novel.
But I must say, I read an article last month about the effects of reading a novel, and apparently science is on my side. The article said,
““The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest that reading a novel can transport you into the body of the protagonist,” said Gregory Berns, the lead author of the study. “We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense. Now we’re seeing that something may also be happening biologically.” The changes persisted over the five days after finishing the novel, suggesting that reading could possibly make long-lasting changes to the brain.”
(Read the full thing here: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/01/study-reading-a-novel-changes-your-brain/282952/)
So, judge me if you will. But my brain will be stronger because of it!
This novel follows the series of about 13 books called “The New Jedi Order.” It’s essentially about an alien race that invades the galaxy and begins to take over. This particular book followed the search of a planet called Zonama Sekot, diplomatic relations on a various planets, and further intrigue in the aliens home base. Overall, it was just one of many in the series, perhaps not the best but an essential part of the puzzle.