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A review by jaredkwheeler
Shadow Games by Michael Reaves, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
3.0
Star Wars Legends Project #223
Background: Shadow Games was written by [a:Michael Reaves|12537|Michael Reaves|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1272842062p2/12537.jpg] and [a:Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff|247692|Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1522884251p2/247692.jpg] and published in November of 2011. Reaves is the author of several Star Wars novels beginning with Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, most of which feature a few of the same set of recurring characters. (This is the exception, featuring instead a character created by Reaves's frequent co-author, Steve Perry.) Counting this one, Bohnhoff has co-written three Star Wars novels with Reaves (one uncredited). They are her only Star Wars work.
Shadow Games takes place during the weeks before the battle of Yavin. The main character is Dash Rendar. Han Solo and Prince Xizor also play major roles. There are several other major characters, but pretty much all of them are one-shots. The story takes place on several planets, including Alderaan, Christophsis, Rodia, and Tatooine.
Summary: Ace pilot and smuggler Dash Rendar is grounded after his ship, the Outrider, is severely damaged in a Kessel Run he's lucky to complete alive. Unfortunately, he lacks the funds to fix it, and without a ship, he's short on the means to get the funds. An unexpected solution presents itself when holostar Javul Charn comes looking for a bodyguard. Her galactic tour has been plagued by anonymous threats and near-lethal sabotage. Nevertheless, Dash feels confident he and his crew are well up to the challenge . . . only Javul hasn't told him the whole story, and her entire entourage may be in far greater danger than any of them understand.
Review: Well, not so very long ago, in my review of Death Troopers, I went through this whole thing about Star Wars books about new characters that have to also shoehorn in movie characters, probably at the insistence of the publisher . . . and that's actually exactly what happened with this book. Apparently Reaves and Steve Perry originally pitched it in 2007, but abandoned the idea when they heard they'd have to change their idea to include major characters from the films. A few years later, the publisher approached them to see if they'd do it (with the changes), and Perry still passed, but Reaves agreed. The title was decided via fan poll. So, there you go.
In the last Reaves/Bohnhoff collaboration I reviewed, I noted that I preferred their writing together to what I'd recently been reading of Reaves solo work, but that the plots seemed to meander a bit and spin their wheels. I'd say that's basically true here, as well. Reaves is pretty good at character creation, and I really liked the original characters here. The writing was good. But it all just seemed to go in circles for most of the middle. And then there was a really confusing post-climax burst of danger that made no sense whatsoever on several levels, and that left a bad taste in my mouth.
I think I'd have minded it all a lot less if the destination had felt more worthwhile. There's what feels like an interesting mystery at the heart of this story, and a series of revelations that get us closer and closer to learning what it is . . . but the solution isn't remotely interesting. It's just another Star Wars book that's about what is apparently the only thing Star Wars books are allowed to be about. Maybe it bothered me more here because of the dangled promise of something a little bit different.
C+
Background: Shadow Games was written by [a:Michael Reaves|12537|Michael Reaves|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1272842062p2/12537.jpg] and [a:Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff|247692|Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1522884251p2/247692.jpg] and published in November of 2011. Reaves is the author of several Star Wars novels beginning with Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, most of which feature a few of the same set of recurring characters. (This is the exception, featuring instead a character created by Reaves's frequent co-author, Steve Perry.) Counting this one, Bohnhoff has co-written three Star Wars novels with Reaves (one uncredited). They are her only Star Wars work.
Shadow Games takes place during the weeks before the battle of Yavin. The main character is Dash Rendar. Han Solo and Prince Xizor also play major roles. There are several other major characters, but pretty much all of them are one-shots. The story takes place on several planets, including Alderaan, Christophsis, Rodia, and Tatooine.
Summary: Ace pilot and smuggler Dash Rendar is grounded after his ship, the Outrider, is severely damaged in a Kessel Run he's lucky to complete alive. Unfortunately, he lacks the funds to fix it, and without a ship, he's short on the means to get the funds. An unexpected solution presents itself when holostar Javul Charn comes looking for a bodyguard. Her galactic tour has been plagued by anonymous threats and near-lethal sabotage. Nevertheless, Dash feels confident he and his crew are well up to the challenge . . . only Javul hasn't told him the whole story, and her entire entourage may be in far greater danger than any of them understand.
Review: Well, not so very long ago, in my review of Death Troopers, I went through this whole thing about Star Wars books about new characters that have to also shoehorn in movie characters, probably at the insistence of the publisher . . . and that's actually exactly what happened with this book. Apparently Reaves and Steve Perry originally pitched it in 2007, but abandoned the idea when they heard they'd have to change their idea to include major characters from the films. A few years later, the publisher approached them to see if they'd do it (with the changes), and Perry still passed, but Reaves agreed. The title was decided via fan poll. So, there you go.
In the last Reaves/Bohnhoff collaboration I reviewed, I noted that I preferred their writing together to what I'd recently been reading of Reaves solo work, but that the plots seemed to meander a bit and spin their wheels. I'd say that's basically true here, as well. Reaves is pretty good at character creation, and I really liked the original characters here. The writing was good. But it all just seemed to go in circles for most of the middle. And then there was a really confusing post-climax burst of danger that made no sense whatsoever on several levels, and that left a bad taste in my mouth.
I think I'd have minded it all a lot less if the destination had felt more worthwhile. There's what feels like an interesting mystery at the heart of this story, and a series of revelations that get us closer and closer to learning what it is . . . but the solution isn't remotely interesting. It's just another Star Wars book that's about what is apparently the only thing Star Wars books are allowed to be about. Maybe it bothered me more here because of the dangled promise of something a little bit different.
C+