David's Review of The Han Solo Trilogy Vol. 1: The Paradise Snare

4/5 Rancors - Ms. Crispin has written a trilogy of Han Solo books to introduce us to the character and give us his background before we meet him in the films in a cantina in Mos Eisley. The first of these books is The Paradise Snare. In this volume we begin with Han's childhood as a street urchin on Corellia when he had no steady source of income, didn't know who his parents were, and survived by foraging for scraps of food. His life changes when the scoundrel Garris Shrike takes him away to join a band of spacefaring criminals. He lives on the ship Trader's Luck and earns his keep by participating in pickpocketing and various types of scams. His only friend on the ship is the Wookie Dewlanna.

However, Han's dream is to become an Imperial Navy pilot. He realizes that after ten years on Trader's Luck he is making no progress towards his goal. He forces his way off of Trader's Luck in a violent confrontation with Shrike and is successful only due to the intervention of his friend Dewlanna. Unfortunately she loses her life in order to help Han get free.

Han then ends up on the planet Ylesia - a steaming world of religious fanaticism where pilgrims are willingly processing spices for the Besadii Hutt crime family. During this period Han becomes an excellent pilot, meets a Corellian pilgrim named Bria Tharen, and plots their escape from Ylesia when they realize that the Hutts are really running a slave trade under the guise of religion. Han and Bria manage an exciting escape from the planet and create chaos as they do it. They end up in love and together on Coruscant as Han attempts to enter the Imperial Space Academy. Of course, as the book ends, things are not going smoothly. But that is what one would expect. After all, The Paradise Snare is the first book of three.

The author has given us an excellent look at the young Han Solo and has created a history for the character where we didn't have one before. Some of his actions in Episodes IV-VI will have more meaning now. I look forward to the next two books.