Scan barcode
A review by twilliamson
Tales of the Bounty Hunters by Kevin J. Anderson
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Tales of the Bounty Hunters is the first anthology of stories that doesn't feel like it's all just trying to rehash the same exact scene from dozens of different angles. Of course, there are moments in this anthology in which every one of the characters ends up trying to chase down Han Solo, but it's less about that particular instance than it is about trying to flesh out more of the world of the franchise, populating it with more characters and interesting backstories that fit into the worldbuilding.
And it's mostly really good, with some extraordinary standouts. Kevin J. Anderson gives a bananas take on IG-88, Dave Wolverton handles the emotional beat of Dengar pretty well, and M. Shayne Bell gives a phenomenal account of Zuckuss and 4-Lom. But Kathy Tyers' take on Bossk felt a little long in the tooth, and Daniel Keys Moran's characterization of Boba Fett feels incredibly off for the character as established even for 1996.
But each of the novelettes making up this collection work pretty well in spite of some obvious differences in canon. While Moran's take on Boba Fett will never be sufficient for me in terms of the character, I think this is a worthy look at some of the most unique characters in the Star Wars universe. It may not be required EU reading and certainly conflicts with later canon events, it's a great exploration of mid-90s world-building for Star Wars.
And it's mostly really good, with some extraordinary standouts. Kevin J. Anderson gives a bananas take on IG-88, Dave Wolverton handles the emotional beat of Dengar pretty well, and M. Shayne Bell gives a phenomenal account of Zuckuss and 4-Lom. But Kathy Tyers' take on Bossk felt a little long in the tooth, and Daniel Keys Moran's characterization of Boba Fett feels incredibly off for the character as established even for 1996.
But each of the novelettes making up this collection work pretty well in spite of some obvious differences in canon. While Moran's take on Boba Fett will never be sufficient for me in terms of the character, I think this is a worthy look at some of the most unique characters in the Star Wars universe. It may not be required EU reading and certainly conflicts with later canon events, it's a great exploration of mid-90s world-building for Star Wars.