Scan barcode
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first Star Wars book I've ever read, and I liked it pretty well. Thing is, I like Star Wars, but I don't LOVE Star Wars, and this was about like watching a Star Wars movie. The characters all seemed true to how they should be. The plot was pretty fun, if a bit predictable. It was a pretty good introduction to this kind of book.
electra_reads's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
Solid Star Wars book.
gndlf's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cyris_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
In the aftermath of The Battle of Yavin, Han Solo takes on a new mission for the Rebel Alliance: pick up a spy named Scarlet Hark on a planet in Imperial space. Since things are rarely simple, he finds a couple bounty hunters that want to take him back to Jabba the Hutt, Scarlet Hark, and the existence of an ancient device the Empire could use to control all of hyperspace travel. Can the legendary smuggler and his Wookie save the day?
There have been a couple periods in my life where I was convinced Star Wars was the best thing since sliced bread. The first time was when I was a very young lad and had 50-something Star Wars action figures. My relatives say I even slept with them when I was 4 but they are known liars. The second period I became enamored with Star Wars was when Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy came out. Between then and my second, much more successful, stint in college arount the year 2000, I read 40-something of the Star Wars novels. Then I lost interest around the time the prequel trilogy was in full swing.
Anyway, when this came up on Netgalley, I decided I'd put the trauma of the prequel trilogy aside and give Star Wars another chance. It was a fun read but I'm not going to dig my old Star Wars sheets and pillowcases out of storage.
Han Solo and Chewbacca rang pretty true to their screen incarnations, although I thought Han could have been a little more capable. The novel does a good job illustrating how the events of Star Wars changed him by having him encounter an old crony and contrasting the two of them. Bassen Ray reminded me of a broken down Han Solo with an English accent. Scarlet Hark felt like Princess Leia with a lick of paint, however.
The plot was a little overly complicated but it was still fun. There were double crosses, the Millenium Falcon malfunctions, and lots of gunplay. There were event a few fairly funny bits. But at the end of the day, it's still a Star Wars novel. You know nobody who has an action figure made in his or her likeness is going to get killed and because of this particular novel's place in the timeline, you know the likelihood of any recurring character getting introduced is pretty slim.
All gripes aside, I was fairly entertained by this book. I wasn't as crazy as a Bantha in heat over it like I was the Zahn Trilogy or I, Jedi, but it was a good bit of pulpy fun that reminded me why I liked Star Wars in the first place. Three out of five stars.
There have been a couple periods in my life where I was convinced Star Wars was the best thing since sliced bread. The first time was when I was a very young lad and had 50-something Star Wars action figures. My relatives say I even slept with them when I was 4 but they are known liars. The second period I became enamored with Star Wars was when Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy came out. Between then and my second, much more successful, stint in college arount the year 2000, I read 40-something of the Star Wars novels. Then I lost interest around the time the prequel trilogy was in full swing.
Anyway, when this came up on Netgalley, I decided I'd put the trauma of the prequel trilogy aside and give Star Wars another chance. It was a fun read but I'm not going to dig my old Star Wars sheets and pillowcases out of storage.
Han Solo and Chewbacca rang pretty true to their screen incarnations, although I thought Han could have been a little more capable. The novel does a good job illustrating how the events of Star Wars changed him by having him encounter an old crony and contrasting the two of them. Bassen Ray reminded me of a broken down Han Solo with an English accent. Scarlet Hark felt like Princess Leia with a lick of paint, however.
The plot was a little overly complicated but it was still fun. There were double crosses, the Millenium Falcon malfunctions, and lots of gunplay. There were event a few fairly funny bits. But at the end of the day, it's still a Star Wars novel. You know nobody who has an action figure made in his or her likeness is going to get killed and because of this particular novel's place in the timeline, you know the likelihood of any recurring character getting introduced is pretty slim.
All gripes aside, I was fairly entertained by this book. I wasn't as crazy as a Bantha in heat over it like I was the Zahn Trilogy or I, Jedi, but it was a good bit of pulpy fun that reminded me why I liked Star Wars in the first place. Three out of five stars.
bookhoarding's review against another edition
4.0
The Death Star may have been destroyed, but our heros must still try to strengthen the Rebel Alliance in the face of all the Empire's spider-like arms that still stretch across the galaxy. Han is sent to make contact with what could be a crucial contact, but soon realizes that the spy, Scarlet Hark, is in demand by forces other than the Alliance. Still being pursued by Jabba and bounty seekers, Han must safely shepherd his precious cargo across enemy lines, away from headhunters and into another death-defying adventure.
I feel like this book really did a lot to show Han's inner-dialogue, something we rarely see in most books, and shows how much he really cares in the moments he pretends he doesn't. His concern for Luke and Leia, and any other hangers-on he manages to pick up along the way, over-power the concern he has for his own livelihood. Throughout the course of this book, especially at the end when a crucial intelligence decision must be made, it becomes clear that the outward appearance of an unconcerned pirate is not a true reflection of the man. Instead there are glimpses into the inner-workings of the military man that Han once was, and maybe secretly wants to be again.
This Empire and Rebellion series serves as a fantastic and needed bridge between the first movies. The Rebels would have had to do everything in their power to maintain secrecy while attempting to court new allies, a hard tightrope to walk. We get glimpses of other missions going on at the same time, see the deaths that occur on a daily basis in skirmishes and the emotional toll each loss takes on the trio, especially Leia. These well-known characters pop off these pages in a fresh way that stays true to the characters, but somehow makes them more human and complex than other EU books have in the past.
I feel like this book really did a lot to show Han's inner-dialogue, something we rarely see in most books, and shows how much he really cares in the moments he pretends he doesn't. His concern for Luke and Leia, and any other hangers-on he manages to pick up along the way, over-power the concern he has for his own livelihood. Throughout the course of this book, especially at the end when a crucial intelligence decision must be made, it becomes clear that the outward appearance of an unconcerned pirate is not a true reflection of the man. Instead there are glimpses into the inner-workings of the military man that Han once was, and maybe secretly wants to be again.
This Empire and Rebellion series serves as a fantastic and needed bridge between the first movies. The Rebels would have had to do everything in their power to maintain secrecy while attempting to court new allies, a hard tightrope to walk. We get glimpses of other missions going on at the same time, see the deaths that occur on a daily basis in skirmishes and the emotional toll each loss takes on the trio, especially Leia. These well-known characters pop off these pages in a fresh way that stays true to the characters, but somehow makes them more human and complex than other EU books have in the past.
le_canuck's review against another edition
4.0
Great Star Wars book. The characters are true to their film iteration, and the plot keeps the book very hard to put down.