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fandom4ever's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Star Wars: Assault on Selonia picks up where Ambush at Corellia left off. Everything is really set into motion now, with Corellia announcing its breakaway from the New Republic and the threats being made.
I loved seeing and learning more of the two other dominant species in the Corellian sector: the Drall and Selonian. To learn their culture and how they interact with the humans and the events going on was great world-building and further filling in of the galaxy. Specifically I really enjoyed the parts on Drall of the Solo children’s tutor Ebrihim and his aunt and getting to read how they’re trying to get to the bottom of what is really going on and the mysterious archeological digs.
I’m happy to report that Luke and Lando’s portions were much better this time as they were indeed pulled into the Corellian crisis, though from the outside which allowed for a fuller picture of how the New Republic was responding. It’s also here that we get callbacks to the novel, The Truce at Bakura.
I was also surprised to find that Mara Jade factors into the story here for the first time (in story timeline, not publication history) since the Thrawn trilogy. I both loved and was annoyed by it. I loved that Mara finally got to show up again, but was annoyed because if I had to listen to Leia and Han voice their distrust of her one more time; I was going to lose it. It’s been years since she tried to kill Luke guys, get over it!
Despite being called ‘Assault on Selonia’, characters only find themselves near (not on) Selonia in the last 40ish pages, which is also where the action starts to take place as everyone makes their final approach into the system. It wasn’t a bad book, it once again kept my attention and kept me reading, and had some really good moments, but it wasn’t an amazing entry either. I wonder if this series should have been a duology rather than a trilogy, to help make it a tighter story. But the book did do its job of further setting up the plot, answering some questions while posing more mysteries, and I’m really curious how this will all play out in the third and final book of the Corellian Trilogy!
mickb's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
twilliamson's review against another edition
2.0
If Ambush at Corellia was a surprise hit, Assault at Selonia may well be a surprise dud. Here, Allen returns to the Corellian sector to continue his adventure trilogy, this time with oddly less action, far less character development, and a whole lot more convoluted plotting.
The problem of the book ultimately collapses around its overly ambitious plotting. We're not given any kind of legitimate antagonist through the novel, even though Thrackan Sal-Solo, Han's estranged cousin, should be the main antagonist; instead, the threat looming over the whole of the trilogy goes completely unnamed and undeveloped as the heroes all stumble around in the dark trying to figure out what's what. It's one huge mess of a book, and actually manages in some ways to undo all that worked really well in the first entry to the trilogy.
That's not to say everything in here is entirely bad; Leia and Mara get some interesting moments together, and Luke's visit with Gaeriel Captison from Bakura is a really fun way to revisit the stories of EU past. Nevertheless, no single strain of the story really works to advance the story any further than the previous novel, and while all of the many characters seem to be doing something, their actions in this middle sequel amount to a bunch of water-treading.
This seems to be a common problem for these Star Wars novels: the impulse to improve sales by releasing a story in a trilogy doesn't really help serve the overall plot of the story, and the result is a novel that is in turns terribly boring and unimportant.
Maybe the final book in the trilogy will help bolster this one's story, but it feels more and more like anything good Allen began in the first book of the trilogy will wither out by the time the trilogy concludes.
The problem of the book ultimately collapses around its overly ambitious plotting. We're not given any kind of legitimate antagonist through the novel, even though Thrackan Sal-Solo, Han's estranged cousin, should be the main antagonist; instead, the threat looming over the whole of the trilogy goes completely unnamed and undeveloped as the heroes all stumble around in the dark trying to figure out what's what. It's one huge mess of a book, and actually manages in some ways to undo all that worked really well in the first entry to the trilogy.
That's not to say everything in here is entirely bad; Leia and Mara get some interesting moments together, and Luke's visit with Gaeriel Captison from Bakura is a really fun way to revisit the stories of EU past. Nevertheless, no single strain of the story really works to advance the story any further than the previous novel, and while all of the many characters seem to be doing something, their actions in this middle sequel amount to a bunch of water-treading.
This seems to be a common problem for these Star Wars novels: the impulse to improve sales by releasing a story in a trilogy doesn't really help serve the overall plot of the story, and the result is a novel that is in turns terribly boring and unimportant.
Maybe the final book in the trilogy will help bolster this one's story, but it feels more and more like anything good Allen began in the first book of the trilogy will wither out by the time the trilogy concludes.
4thcaballero's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
tmarso's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
5.0
Fun and makes me want the end
kimscapturedlife's review against another edition
4.0
Love the escape, and this is by far my favorite post Battle of Endor series. It would make a great movie. Han, Leia and their kids travel to his home world during civil unrest and the adventure begins including all the cast of Star Wars favorites and a planet destroying weapon.
Who is behind the deadly Starbuster plot, Corellia's powerful planetary repulsors? And what is the secret behind the mysterious Centerpoint Station, and ancient, artificial world of unknown origin that has suddenly -- and inexplicably -- come alive?
Spoiler
Imprisoned on the planet Corellia, Han Solo finds himself at the mercy of his evil cousin, Thracken Sal-Solo. Thracken plans to restore the Imperial system and seize total power -- no matter what the cost. Han has one chance to stop him. But to do so he must turn his back on his human cousin and join forces with a female alien. Dracmus was arrested as a ringleader in a plot against the corrupt Human League. Now she and Han will attempt a daring escape to Selonia in time to warn Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Lando of Thracken's plan. But can Han trust the alien to keep her word?Who is behind the deadly Starbuster plot, Corellia's powerful planetary repulsors? And what is the secret behind the mysterious Centerpoint Station, and ancient, artificial world of unknown origin that has suddenly -- and inexplicably -- come alive?
colinmcev's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. I'm really just not feeling this trilogy. Assault at Selonia wasn't terrible, and I've certainly read worse Star Wars novels, but it mostly failed to keep my interest, and at times I found it difficult to motivate myself to finish it. I felt the first book, Ambush at Corellia, was largely lacking in action and mostly focused on setting the scenes for future books, which, while not great, is at least understandable given that it's the first book in a trilogy. But i found Assault at Selonia to be more of the same, and, much like the first book, things didn't really pick up until near the end. (In fact, the final chapter might be my favorite.) I suspect if this was a two-book series, rather than a trilogy, it might be tighter and better paced, and therefore more enjoyable. As it stands, I'd say only die-hard Star Wars nerds (like me) and completionists who want to read all the books (again, like me) need to bother with these. But, that being, I'll obviously read the next and final entry, Showdown at Centerpoint, and hope for the best.
wyrmbergmalcolm's review
5.0
An exciting continuation of this trilogy. This did feel a little bit of being the middle story of three in that, although interesting, not as much happened in this one compared to the first book. A lot of setting up for book three that, while it was good, had little pay-off within this book.
The characters were great, though and everyone felt authentic and had a right to be there.
Another slight issue is simply the age of this story and knowledge of where certain characters end up (not counting that Disney garbage as cannon). There's supposed to be an increased tension surrounding the loyalties of a specific character who, chronologically, is still very much unknown at this point, but knowing now what happens later, there's no doubt as to their motivations so no tension at all.
Bonus points for including a Previously section at the front of the book.
Bring on book three!
The characters were great, though and everyone felt authentic and had a right to be there.
Another slight issue is simply the age of this story and knowledge of where certain characters end up (not counting that Disney garbage as cannon). There's supposed to be an increased tension surrounding the loyalties of a specific character who, chronologically, is still very much unknown at this point, but knowing now what happens later, there's no doubt as to their motivations so no tension at all.
Bonus points for including a Previously section at the front of the book.
Bring on book three!