re: Star Wars book reveals how Palpatine returned in Rise of Skywalker

It can work, sure. I didn't really mind the First Order assumption because I enjoyed TFA at the time. But the sudden departure from what everyone assumed at the end of Return of the Jedi to what we got really called for a bit more examination. It would have served the story better to know more why decisions were made and how and why things happened. Of course that was really glaring due to TLJ sucking so bad in hindsight.

I don't really blame him in ROS either, because he was trying to salvage the suck, but so many questions presented with little or no explanation can make for a confusing movie. It seemed rushed and out of place to have the Emperor there with a legion of Star Destroyers just now surfacing. Why? How? That should always be a part of the story.