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jtashoff's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
the_bitextual's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
A LOT better then the first one. I may give this a real read sometime again, one out of three ain't bad. Still not great, and 3 stars may be generous, but in this abridged form it's solid.
staubina's review
3.0
[b:The Hutt Gambit|598938|The Hutt Gambit (Star Wars The Han Solo Trilogy, #2)|A.C. Crispin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176156137s/598938.jpg|1194985] was a fun read for anyone interested in the Star Wars universe. It was not a literary masterpiece, but it was a fun read. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the history everyone's favorite smuggler Han Solo.
rakoerose's review
4.0
Like I said in my review for The Paradise Snare, I’ll never get tired of learning more about Han Solo.
I went into this with zero expectations and only a desire to keep following his journey. I got what I wanted: a fun adventure in the Star Wars universe! I always have thought of Star Wars as a soap opera but in space, and this series is like getting a little minisode spin-off that isn’t canon but still 100% enjoyable.
Sure, it glazes over Han’s time in the Academy and how he saved Chewie, but Crispin has her own story and focus for this series. I still definitely want to keep an eye out for a book that covers that aspect of his life! Yet I still really enjoyed seeing how Han and Brie are both either avoiding or fighting the Ylesian slave business they escaped in the first novel. Chewie’s appearance in this series also made it incredibly fun to see what the duo got up to. I’m looking forward to seeing how it will all wrap up in the last book.
I think the facet of this series I enjoy the most is how Crispin highlights language. Han knows many a language and I always find it fascinating to learn which he can speak and which he can only understand. In a universe with so many alien species with different speech anatomy, it only makes sense that some languages just can’t be spoken by humans and vice versa. I appreciated the explanation on Hutt speech and gender as well.
Speaking of the Hutts, somehow I got sucked into the political drama of this. I ate up all the fights between the clans and liked seeing the hierarchy and reasoning behind what they do. Jabba, as a character, is (from what I can remember) not highly explained in the movies so it’s nice to gain some insight into how their systems work. The concept of Durga (another Hutt) being “abnormal” because he does things out of love for his parent instead of greed was fascinating. Also Hutts are Lords until they decide to have children and then become Ladies? How interesting. Exploring different Star Wars cultures is always fun!
Overall, I adore this series and can’t wait to see how it ends.
I went into this with zero expectations and only a desire to keep following his journey. I got what I wanted: a fun adventure in the Star Wars universe! I always have thought of Star Wars as a soap opera but in space, and this series is like getting a little minisode spin-off that isn’t canon but still 100% enjoyable.
Sure, it glazes over Han’s time in the Academy and how he saved Chewie, but Crispin has her own story and focus for this series. I still definitely want to keep an eye out for a book that covers that aspect of his life! Yet I still really enjoyed seeing how Han and Brie are both either avoiding or fighting the Ylesian slave business they escaped in the first novel. Chewie’s appearance in this series also made it incredibly fun to see what the duo got up to. I’m looking forward to seeing how it will all wrap up in the last book.
I think the facet of this series I enjoy the most is how Crispin highlights language. Han knows many a language and I always find it fascinating to learn which he can speak and which he can only understand. In a universe with so many alien species with different speech anatomy, it only makes sense that some languages just can’t be spoken by humans and vice versa. I appreciated the explanation on Hutt speech and gender as well.
Speaking of the Hutts, somehow I got sucked into the political drama of this. I ate up all the fights between the clans and liked seeing the hierarchy and reasoning behind what they do. Jabba, as a character, is (from what I can remember) not highly explained in the movies so it’s nice to gain some insight into how their systems work. The concept of Durga (another Hutt) being “abnormal” because he does things out of love for his parent instead of greed was fascinating. Also Hutts are Lords until they decide to have children and then become Ladies? How interesting. Exploring different Star Wars cultures is always fun!
Overall, I adore this series and can’t wait to see how it ends.
fernlhf's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
markhartshorn's review
5.0
All I can say is the Hutts would give any modern gangsters a run for their money.
bookhoarding's review
4.0
Picked this up at a local library book sale and loved it. I'm Star Wars fan and this was my first hint at the expanded universe. Not only does it give you a taste of Han Solo's rebellious life, it doesn't make the reader feel lost. Yes, it mentions different worlds and people, and is part of a series, but it isn't crucial to read the other books in the series for this one to make sense. I thought it was a fantastic read for a sci-fi nerd.
sqeeker's review
4.0
- There was a lot of diplomacy and politics with the Hutts in this one. The stuff usual bores me, but this time it was very intriguing. I loved Han's role in everything.
- I LOVED the introduction to characters we all know and love. Han learning to accept Chewy as a partner was great to see. It was SO epic when Boba Fett hunted down Han Solo. Landa and the Falcon were very exciting to see. I can't wait to read about how Han gambles the Falcon away from Lando.
- I wish Bria's story had been explored a little more, but I'm sure she'll play a larger role later.
- I loved the first book better, but this one was epic in it's own way. I can't put these books down! They are SO good! I wish these were still canon.
- I LOVED the introduction to characters we all know and love. Han learning to accept Chewy as a partner was great to see. It was SO epic when Boba Fett hunted down Han Solo. Landa and the Falcon were very exciting to see. I can't wait to read about how Han gambles the Falcon away from Lando.
- I wish Bria's story had been explored a little more, but I'm sure she'll play a larger role later.
- I loved the first book better, but this one was epic in it's own way. I can't put these books down! They are SO good! I wish these were still canon.
tstreet's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I have always loved Star Wars and this is no exception. I love seeing into the life of Han when he is younger and seeing how he met Chewie. I love the part where he meets Lando. I love how he meets Xaverri and how they end up working together later on. I love how she is able to create such a great illusion that it scares the Imperial force away. I love how we meet Jabba when he is younger and how we figure out what his and Han's relationship is. I love how Han gets through everything despite what he went through. Definitely a great read. 5/5 stars.
pointlessape's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5