I’ve loved Captain Marvel since she was reinvented in Kelly Sue DeConnick’s seminal 2012 comic run. I was so excited to see her in the new film, but also excited for the merchandise and tie-ins like this. I read and enjoyed “Captain Marvel: Higher, Further, Faster” which covered Carol’s first year at the USAF Academy. This book focuses on the character while she is a member of the Kree Starforce and is known by the name “Vers.” Like the other book, this skews to the younger tween end of the YA audience.

Starforce on the Rise ties more closely into the film and focuses on two separate missions Vers goes on as part of the elite team. The first is a mission with Minn-Erva and for those who felt she was seriously underused in the film (like me), this was a nice way to expand on her character. The second is a team mission involving the war with Xandar. This was a great touch for fans of the MCU, since the GOTG film makes a big deal about the (eventual) peace treaty between Xandar and the Kree.

The book was fast paced, with a lot of action. Much like the Infinity War Heroes’ journals, this expanded on the film universe in an unessential but entertaining way. It was a very quick read, which isn’t surprising since I am far older than the target audience. If you enjoyed the film, or like the character, it was a worthwhile read. ( )