Take a photo of a barcode or cover
tridentj33 's review for:
Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia
by Dave Wolverton, Dave Wolverton
This is the second book in my book club’s Pre-NJO Reading Project. I first read it about 25 years ago and remembered parts of it fondly. On rereading, I’d say the highs are pretty high, but the lows are definitely low.
Starting with the positives: Wolverton’s prose is better than I expected and stacks up well against *The Truce at Bakura* by Kathy Tyers. His mix of romance, comedy, and action doesn’t always land, but it’s a unique approach in the Star Wars canon and, at times, a lot of fun. This book even has some of the best C-3PO moments in all of Legends. A few of the new characters really shine too, especially Isolder and Teneniel. And although the pacing is uneven at times, Wolverton deserves credit for how much he expands the galaxy. The introduction of the Hapes Consortium and Dathomiri society really gives the EU more depth and scope. These additions are still paying off years later, with the Nightsisters even showing up in Ahsoka last year.
Now for the downsides. The way Han Solo is written is supremely frustrating. He spends much of the book mopey, brooding, and acting out of character. His kidnapping of Leia with the Gun of Command feels like a baffling choice that almost derails the whole story. Leia doesn’t get much better treatment. For a book with her name in the title, she has surprisingly little agency, character development, or meaningful dialogue. The final third of the book, while exciting, feels rushed and crams in plot points at a breakneck pace. I found out this was originally meant to be a trilogy before being condensed into a single novel, which explains some of the rough spots, but not all of them.
For Star Wars fans, The Courtship of Princess Leia offers enough world-building and entertaining moments to make it worth picking up. For any other readers, especially those looking for a strong Star Wars romance, it’s probably one you can skip.
Starting with the positives: Wolverton’s prose is better than I expected and stacks up well against *The Truce at Bakura* by Kathy Tyers. His mix of romance, comedy, and action doesn’t always land, but it’s a unique approach in the Star Wars canon and, at times, a lot of fun. This book even has some of the best C-3PO moments in all of Legends. A few of the new characters really shine too, especially Isolder and Teneniel. And although the pacing is uneven at times, Wolverton deserves credit for how much he expands the galaxy. The introduction of the Hapes Consortium and Dathomiri society really gives the EU more depth and scope. These additions are still paying off years later, with the Nightsisters even showing up in Ahsoka last year.
Now for the downsides. The way Han Solo is written is supremely frustrating. He spends much of the book mopey, brooding, and acting out of character. His kidnapping of Leia with the Gun of Command feels like a baffling choice that almost derails the whole story. Leia doesn’t get much better treatment. For a book with her name in the title, she has surprisingly little agency, character development, or meaningful dialogue. The final third of the book, while exciting, feels rushed and crams in plot points at a breakneck pace. I found out this was originally meant to be a trilogy before being condensed into a single novel, which explains some of the rough spots, but not all of them.
For Star Wars fans, The Courtship of Princess Leia offers enough world-building and entertaining moments to make it worth picking up. For any other readers, especially those looking for a strong Star Wars romance, it’s probably one you can skip.