I haven’t touched the aftermath stuff, but I loved Bloodline (I listened to it as an Audiobook.) Casterfo is a great character, Leia’s disillusionment with the Republic is given plausible reasoning, the fact the First Order was able to grow to the size it is in the movies is given a decent explanation (Though I do not know how plausible the scheme is). That it helps set up what the OT characters were doing before everything went South is a nice plus.

I honestly believe this book should be read by everyone who wants to understand the direction the Sequel Trilogy might take, and why things are the way they are. Supposedly Rian Johnson helped set up the Centrist/Populist divide, so how it plays into Ep VIII remains to be seen.