Rancors Love to Read: Star Wars Book Reviews

David: Rancor Spotting #20

2010-09-08T13:50:00.003-04:00

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance by Sean Williams

Page 70 - Shigar, now clad in the snarling visage of a rancor racer, blended in perfectly.
(Shigar is a Jedi Padawan.)

Page 74 - They squeezed into a niche and Shigar gratefully rid himself of the mask and a large amount of his leather rancor-riding gear, leaving him wearing just pants, boots, and a tight black vest on his upper body.
(Hard to imagine trying to travel incognito wearing rancor-riding gear. Actually, it is hard to imagine riding a rancor at all.)

Page 148 - She felt like a rancor had gripped her in its jaws and was shaking her back and forth.
(That cannot have been a good feeling. Larin Moxla, a former Republic trooper, is under attack by the Mandalorian warrior Dao Stryver.)

Pages 164-165 - Ax skirted the edge of a deep rancor pit. The massive beasts snapped and roared at her, enraged by all the commotion. The handlers did their utmost to restrain them, using chains, hooks, and heavy weights, but the rancors' wild natures weren't so easily subdued. The truncated scream of one of the handlers followed Ax as she Force-leapt across the enclosure in pursuit of her quarry.
(Ax is a Sith apprentice.)

Page 257 - If his deal with Tassaa Bareesh had gone awry, she would have ended up rancor food for certain.
(Shigar, the Jedi Padawan, is worrying about his friend Larin Moxla, a former Republic trooper. Tassaa Bareesh is a notorious leader of the Hutt crime cartel.)

David's Review of The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance

2010-09-07T20:28:00.005-04:00

4/5 Rancors - Fatal Alliance is based on the hugely popular Knights of the Old Republic video game that takes place about 3,500 years before A New Hope. The key event in the tale is an auction put together by Tassaa Bareesh, a monarch in the Hutt crime cartel. The only items in the auction are from a mysterious ship that was destroyed by Jet Nebula, an extremely capable and wily smuggler existing through his own efforts and cleverness. Pieces of the cargo on the destroyed ship survive and are thought to be extremely valuable to certain groups even though their exact purpose remains a mystery. As a result, the auction draws a great deal of attention. Representatives come from both the Republic and the Sith Empire, along with a Jedi Padawan, a disgraced trooper from the Republic's elite Blackstar Squad, and a mysterious Mandalorian with a private agenda. This makes for a very interesting and combustible mix of characters.

Of course, some of the groups interested in the items have no intention of bidding in an auction. They simply mean to acquire the items by any means necessary. Mr. Williams develops the action nicely and the story builds consistently without even telling us what the valuable items are until well into the story. The different groups compete vigorously with each other until they reach a point where a significant common enemy appears. The relationships from that point on are extremely interesting.

I found many of the characters in Fatal Alliance to be unique, and their efforts to cooperate do not go well many times. The author also introduces us to a new type of droid that is almost impossible to destroy. The history of the development of the droids is a key part of the conclusion to the story, and the strength and intelligence of the droids are amazing. Even the Sith and the Jedi are in trouble.

Mr. Williams has told a wonderful story. My only reservations were that the ending seemed to be a little contrived and involves a little too much explanation. The tale moves along rapidly for most of the book, but then bogs down a little. Even so, I found Fatal Alliance to be great fun to read, and I recommend it highly to the Star Wars readers.

David's Review of Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil

2010-08-27T17:51:00.005-04:00

4/5 Rancors - Dynasty of Evil is the third book in Drew Karpyshyn's trilogy about Darth Bane and the Old Republic. The action in the three books takes place about a thousand years before the time of A New Hope. The first book was Path of Destruction which introduced us to Darth Bane when he first became a Sith and developed the maxim of having only two Sith - a master and an apprentice. The second book was Rule of Two with Darth Bane training his apprentice Zannah and growing ever stronger in the Dark Side with the help of the barnacle-like orbalisks.

Now, in Dynasty of Evil, we see Bane become even more powerful as he waits to see if his apprentice is ready to challenge him. If Zannah is not up to the challenge, Bane may need to find other alternatives. One that particularly appeals to him is to find a means of extending his own life. His scheme intertwines with a mission that he assigns to Zannah, and additional characters play important roles. Serra is the daughter of Caleb, a healer who once saved Bane's life. She is now a princess of the mining world of Doan. Lucia is Serra's bodyguard and, interestingly enough, used to be a member of the Gloom Walkers regiment at the same time as Bane. Then we have The Huntress, who is a Force-sensitive assassin, and Set Harth, an artifact hunter who used to be a Jedi. They all are interesting characters who are heavily involved with the tale.

Mr. Karpyshyn does an excellent job in moving the story along and has some great action sequences as well as an ending that is open to interpretation by the reader. I look forward to seeing what he writes about next in the Star Wars universe.

David: Rancor Spotting #19

2010-08-15T20:11:00.003-04:00

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Character Encyclopedia
Page 16

We learn that the infamous pirate and bounty hunter Aurra Sing is wearing a pair of well-worn boots made of rancor skin. No information is provided as to who dealt with the rancor in order to obtain the skin.

David's Clone Wars Bonus Reviews: The Complete Season One (DVD), The Official Episode Guide - Season 1, The Character Encyclopedia

2010-08-15T18:17:00.002-04:00

5/5 Rancors - I have recently watched Season One of The Clone Wars on DVD while, at the same time, reading The Official Episode Guide to see if I missed anything while I was watching. The DVDs are wonderful, and it has been great fun to watch the episodes again after seeing them originally on TV. Each episode includes a featurette showing director Dave Filoni and other key members of the production team talking about the development of the episode. All were very interesting. Also, a few of the episodes are presented as director's cuts, so they show some footage we have not seen before. Great fun. The package also includes a booklet showing drawings and pictures.

The Official Episode Guide is very useful. Each episode is covered separately with a synopsis, pictures, background information, and lists of the cast, characters, weapons, and vehicles. I found the book to be helpful if you read about each episode after watching them on the DVD.

Then there is the Character Encyclopedia for Clone Wars. The book covers more than 200 characters and gives you a description, statistics, a picture, and specific background information for each. The characters are listed in alphabetical order so you can always look up a particular one you might be interested in. As is true with most Clone Wars items, the book has a great look to it.

I am pleased that The Clone Wars series has been successful enough to spawn all of the books and the DVDs that have been issued. The quality of the packaging has been excellent, and I am optimistic that we have a great deal more to look forward to.

Andrew's Review of Vision of the Future

2010-07-19T12:45:00.003-04:00

5/5 Rancors - Timothy Zahn's Vision of the Future delivers on the excellent setup of Specter of the Past in every respect. The story is sprawling and doesn't drop the ball on the numerous plotlines introduced in the first book of the duology. Some may find these two books a bit slow relative to the typical Star Wars tale, but the extra time spent fully developing the story is quite appropriate to these books' role in wrapping up many loose ends from the earlier Bantam Spectra novels. The pacing lends gravitas to the proceedings in the finale, in particular the moment that finally comes in the first sentence of Chapter 43. This sentence, so wonderfully understated, represents an immensely satisfying moment for both the galaxy far, far away and for any readers who have been following the book storyline post-Return of the Jedi.

Luke Skywalker's journey to confident Jedi Master continues here. Some authors have struggled with Luke's portrayal, erring on diluting his character for fear of making him too powerful. This watering down of Luke's capabilities may have made sense for some storylines, but I'm glad to see Zahn stabilize him here. Mara Jade's personal journey comes to a climax as well as she and Luke draw strength from each other's fears and hopes to forge a new future together. Mara, along with Grand Admiral Thrawn and Talon Karrde, are clearly Zahn's pet characters, but he does an excellent job of bringing them to well-rendered life without stealing any thunder from Luke, Han, Leia and friends.

The civil war plot comes to a head with an epic battle over the capital city of Bothawui. The Caamas document continues to play a key role and the device of this simple document having such far-reaching implications continues to be a sound foundation for the story. The Bothans occupy an enjoyably gray area in the Star Wars universe, generally on the "good" side but with a side dish of virulent scheming, political ambitions, and a dash of selfishness thrown in. A standout new character from this plotline is Elegos A'kla, Trustant of the Caamasi Remnant and a true voice of reason in the middle of madness. His quiet strength in the face of such great suffering for his people underscores the alternatives to vengeance and hatred anyone can choose in the aftermath of a tragedy.

Zahn's Hand of Thrawn duology represents a true turning point in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The Empire has been dramatically reduced and changed. The New Republic has created a chaotic alliance of disparate systems but is managing to hold it together despite many challenges both internal and external. Luke has found love and a new vision for his role in the future of the Jedi Order. After this story, the universe takes a darker turn with the intergalactic invasion story of the New Jedi Order saga. For readers who loved the tone and stories of the Original Trilogy, this duology might be a jumping off point, before the beloved movie characters are thrown into the proverbial wringer once more. I highly recommend this book and the duology, although I will toss in a caveat: I believe these books will be most rewarding to readers familiar with the EU history leading up to this point.

David: Rancor Spotting #18

2010-06-24T19:57:00.005-04:00

Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary by David West Reynolds, James Luceno, and Ryder Windham

Pages 245 and 262-263

We learn that Jabba the Hutt's rancor was discovered in a mysterious crashed ship in the Tatooine desert by Bib Fortuna and his associate. Jabba treated the rancor as harshly as possible in oder to encourage ferocious behavior. The book shows nearly a full-page illustration of a rancor with pertinent details pointed out. The beast looks quite fearsome. It doesn't say anything about how rancors love to read.

David's Review of Fool's Bargain

2010-06-05T20:28:00.006-04:00

4/5 Rancors - Included with Survivor's Quest is Fool's Bargain, previously available only as an eBook. Fool's Bargain tells the story of the legendary Empire of the Hand's 501st Legion as they go on a mission on the planet Kariek. Their objective is to capture a Warlord alive. The planet was traditionally the scene of endless violence due to disagreements among the many tribes of the native Eickarie race. However, since the Warlord arrived with his troops fifty years earlier, he had held all the power. As the 501st arrives, the Eickaries have forged an alliance, and the Warlord appears to be trapped in his fortress.

A unit of the 501st is captured by the Eickaries and presented with an offer to join forces, release a number of political prisoners, and then grab the Warlord. The question is can the Eickaries be trusted or will the 501st be making a fool's bargain.

It's a good story with lots of twist and turns. Mr. Zahn comes through once again. I enjoyed reading about stormtroopers named Twister, Shadow, Cloud, and Watchmen as the 501st tried to fulfill its mission.

David's Review of Survivor's Quest

2010-06-05T18:17:00.006-04:00

4/5 Rancors - Survivor's Quest has Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker as its two main characters, and the action takes place after all of the adventures described in Mr. Zahn's two-volume series The Hand of Thrawn. The author is one of the best in the Star Wars genre, and he has turned out another good book with Survivor's Quest. The plot is focused primarily on the remains of Outbound Flight that have been found on the planet Nirauan fifty years after the flight took place. Outbound Flight was a pioneering Jedi expedition that was destroyed by the alien warlord Thrawn. Up until this point, the reasons for the destruction of the flight have been a mystery. Now the beings who discovered the remains of the flight have contacted the New Republic and Luke in particular with an offer to turn over what is left of the flight to the New Republic. Luke finds the offer irresistible, so he heads off with wife Mara Jade on a long and perilous voyage to see what they can learn from the wreckage of Outbound Flight. Many surprises await.

Luke and Mara run into unexpected enemies and have to rely heavily on their Jedi skills to get out of one tough spot after another. Mr. Zahn does his usual good job with the plot, although I did feel that the action bogged down once in a while, especially when compared to the Hand of Thrawn books. It was great fun to see Luke and Mara fighting together, and a number of intriguing new characters were introduced. All in all, I thought Survivor's Quest was a worthy addition to the Star Wars world.

David's Rancor

2008-09-22T16:05:00.024-04:00

David's rancor showing his current progress through the books.

David: Rancor Spotting #18

2010-04-28T20:46:00.002-04:00

Vision of the Future by Timothy Zahn

Page 135 -
Major Tierce: "I'd remind you that three brand-new treaties is a very good return for a week's work."
Moff Disra: "Only if Coruscant doesn't come down on us like a wounded rancor."

Page 151 -
Luke snorted. "No, his style was to rancor-roll some brilliant strategy over everyone."

Page 218 -
"Of course they're dangerous," Mara snorted. "You ever hear of the topshot in any clan who picked a name that made him sound calm and reasonable? This has to be the Qom Jha version of kick-the-rancor."
"Kick-the-rancor?" (Luke)
"A slang term in Palpatine's court," Mara said. " Any stupid stunt where the risks were way out of proportion to the gain."

Page 328:
The moment of shock passed, and Disra's expression of stunned disbelief suddenly changed to that of a crazed rancor. "Back!" he snarled at Dreyf, his hand slashing at him as if trying to ward away a dangerous animal. "I'm all right. Just stay back." (Moff Disra, during a private meeting with Admiral Pellaeon and his aide, has just received a most disturbing message from his desktop comm informing him that the pirate Zothip was in his private quarters.)

Page 377:
His own people had been overridden, nudged aside, superseded, or flat out run over as this oversized rancor of a restoration crew lumbered through his ship. (Booster Terrik - as he lets the New Republic borrow his Star Destroyer for a mission in return for upgrading the ship's systems)

Page 415:
Mara nodded. "If the Outer Rim was a torture cell, the Unknown Regions was a fully populated rancor pit," she said

Page 573:
Bel Iblis shrugged slightly. "We are an Imperial Star Destroyer," he reminded him."I think we'll be able to rancor-roll our way out without too much trouble."

David's Review of Specter of the Past

2010-04-26T22:37:00.011-04:00

5/5 Rancors - About four years ago, two of us launched a blog at "rancorslovetoread" in which our goal was to read all of the books in the Star Wars Expanded Universe in as close to chronological order as we could and then publish reviews of each book. So far we have read about 90 of the just less than 150 books on the list. My personal feeling is that the best author writing in the Star Wars world is Timothy Zahn. His stellar efforts have included Outbound Flight, Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command. Those last three, of course, make up The Thrawn Trilogy.

In Specter of the Past, Mr. Zahn continues his winning ways. This first volume in a two-part series is outstanding. It is set in a time when the Empire appears to be on the verge of a complete collapse. New Republic forces are busy around the galaxy dealing with a myriad of problems, and the Empire turns out to have a few tricks left. A plot is in place that could destroy the New Republic in a civil war. Plus, the truly disturbing news is that Grand Admiral Thrawn, a military leader of unparalleled skill and cunning, appears to have returned from the dead to lead the Empire's forces once again.

Mr. Zahn's plots are always excellent, and the tale in this book is certainly no exception. On the one side, we have most of our favorite heroes going off in different directions to see what is actually going on and what can be done. Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, Mara Jade, C-3P0, and R2-D2 all have major roles to play. On the other side, Admiral Pellaeon, Moff Disra, and Grand Admiral Thrawn (apparently) are leading the way. Other characters come along for various stretches of the book and play important roles. Character development is one of the author's strengths, and he certainly does well with it here. He also can tell an excellent story. Some of the Star Wars authors go overboard with philosophizing and trying to analyze the motives of key individuals. Mr. Zahn does not get bogged down in such things. His story moves along and holds the reader's attention.

Specter of the Past is a must-read book for any fan of Star Wars. I look forward to the second volume, Vision of the Future.

David's Review of Vision of the Future

2010-04-28T20:20:00.004-04:00

5/5 Rancors - In my review of Specter of the Past, the first book in the two-volume series The Hand of Thrawn, I offered my opinion that Timothy Zahn was the best author in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Vision of the Future, the second book in the series, does nothing to change my mind. Mr. Zahn has done an outstanding job once again as he gives us remarkable action with memorable characters while at the same time actually making the reader think a little bit.

The setting of the tale is during a time when the New Republic is on the verge of civil war and the remains of the Empire are putting together a master plan to get back in power. According to rumor, the legendary Grand Admiral Thrawn has returned from the dead to lead the Empire's troops once again. He has joined forces with Moff Disra and Major Tierce to build a formidable fighting force that is creating chaos for the New Republic.

Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Lando Calrissian are all facing significant challenges in trying to deal with the Empire's new strategies. Luke joins with Mara Jade to penetrate a mysterious fortress and find out who is there and what trouble they are causing. Leia, Han, and Lando go their separate ways to deal with major threats against the New Republic. They all have to overcome huge hurdles to have any chance of success.

The book is full of Machiavellian dealings, and problems seem to arise one after another. The action in the story rolls right along, and the characters easily maintain the reader's interest. Mr. Zahn even gives us a little romance under perilous circumstances as Luke and Mara find their way into the imposing fortress.

I highly recommend both books in The Hand of Thrawn series - Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future.

Andrew's Review of Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil

2010-03-10T14:02:00.004-05:00

4/5 Rancors - With Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil, Drew Karpyshyn ends his trilogy chronicling the powerful Sith Lord's ascension to power and formation of an order based on the Rule of Two. In the second book, Bane and his apprentice Darth Zannah firmly established their working relationship and additionally managed to deceive the galaxy into believing the Sith Order was extinct. Bane had ostensibly trained Zannah to one day overthrow him and take an apprentice of her own, furthering the Sith cause and continuing the slow progression to overthrowing the galaxy. As Dynasty of Evil starts, Bane is still waiting on Zannah to challenge him, and indeed has begun to wonder if she has what it takes to be the next Sith Lord. Therefore, Bane is looking for alternatives, one of which would be prolonging his own life to ensure the future of the Sith (and of course perpetuate his own power).

Two key elements from the prior books feature in this story. One is Serra, the daughter of Caleb the healer who saved Bane's life in years past. She is living a new life as a princess on the harsh mining world of Doan (a place reminiscent of Bane's own childhood world Apatros). The other is Lucia, a member of Bane's old Brotherhood of Darkness regiment the Gloom Walkers: she's now Serra's bodyguard and friend. Completing the main cast is The Huntress, a Force-sensitive assassin who revels in the hunt and uses her latent Force abilities to her advantage, and Set Harth, an ex-Jedi artifact hunter who lives purely for his own pleasure. These two play into the plot as candidates for new apprentices as Bane and Zannah scheme to their own ends.

Dynasty of Evil features two particularly page-turning action sequences (along with quite a few other battles, naturally). The first is an ambush where the Huntress and some minions attempt to actually capture the Lord of the Sith in his own mansion. It's grippingly cinematic and realistically portrayed, with sound tactics employed by both sides. The second big action beat is in the gloomy and secretive Stone Prison on Doan, as all six of the main characters are brought together, each with their own agenda. Great chase scene and a very intense interrogation sequence showing Serra overwhelmingly out of her depth.

From the comics detailing ancient times in the Old Republic Mr. Karpyshyn borrows Darth Andeddu's holocron. Within this relic is the secret to life transference and possibly the key to Bane's ambitions. Bane visits Prakith in the Deep Core to forcibly retrieve the holocron while distracting Zannah with a separate assignment. The pacing is excellent as the two each start to realize what the other has in mind and as they accept their inevitable confrontation to determine primacy.

Speaking of the end, there is a fascinating twist in the climactic battle. I won't detail it any further in an effort to avoid spoilers, but suffice to say it's one that will inspire debate as to its true nature. Personally, I felt there were enough cues provided that the outcome was fairly clear, but I'll leave that discussion to messageboards rather than this review. I was satisfied with this ending for the trilogy but it does leave at least one significant question mark about the continuity of the Sith line.

Mr. Karpyshyn did an excellent job in the Bane trilogy of rendering an evil protagonist in a balanced and intriguing manner. He gave plenty of background and insight into what made Bane tick and after the first book showed a talent for taking the story sketched out in the older Jedi vs. Sith comics and running with it. This set of books is over for now, but I would welcome further Star Wars contributions from Mr. Karpyshyn in the future.

Andrew's Review of Specter of the Past

2010-03-19T16:33:00.004-04:00

5/5 Rancors - With Specter of the Past, Timothy Zahn returned to the Star Wars Expanded Universe and starting tying a neat little bow around the Bantam Spectra era of the publishing license. Bantam published a wide array of Star Wars stories in the 1990s starting with the superb Heir to the Empire. The majority of Bantam's novels were set in the post-Return of the Jedi era and took a wide variety of directions while still maintaining a reasonably cohesive overall storyline. Just as he kicked off the Star Wars literary renaissance with his Thrawn Trilogy, here Mr. Zahn is afforded the opportunity to provide some closure to this era and set the stage for the new (at the time) publisher Del Rey's gritty New Jedi Order saga.

Despite Grand Admiral Thrawn's apparent demise at the end of The Last Command, his persona haunts this story in a gripping and imaginative way. His mysterious reappearance frightens the New Republic deeply and breathes new life into the dwindling Empire. Beyond that, though, his mentorship of Admiral Pellaeon motivates the Admiral into making a necessary but humiliating decision regarding the future of the Empire's remnants. Pallaeon determines that making peace with the New Republic represents the Empire's only hope for the future. He bravely puts aside his own feelings and ego to lead the way down this bold path.

Concurrent with Pellaeon's plan to surrender is a fascinating storyline centered around the devastation of the planet Caamas decades earlier (an event brought to further light in the second Coruscant Nights book Street of Shadows). This plot could have been ripped from today's contentious and vindictive headlines, as the entire Bothan race takes heat for the actions of an unknown number of individuals years ago. Politicians scramble to benefit from the controversy and across the galaxy numerous petty grievances flare up, using the Caamas debate as an excuse to revisit ancient vendettas.

I relished the use of the Caamas document as a primary plot device. While I enjoy the scheming of evil Sith and Imperial warlords as much as anyone, this was an engaging change from the villain- and superweapon-of-the-week stories found fairly often in the Bantam era. Battle lines are drawn but good and evil are often not clearly delineated, a theme shown on a micro scale by the numerous local conflicts and on a macro one by the overall shift in the New Republic's leadership compared to the spark of benevolence found in Pallaeon's vision for the Empire. Of course, lest anyone think the entire Empire has suddenly changed character, we do get the evil Moff Disra, his co-conspirator Major Tierce, and the actor Flim trying to flare up the minor disagreements in the New Republic's constituencies into the downfall of the galactic government.

Mr. Zahn brings back several favorite/pivotal characters from throughout the Bantam books. Smuggler Talon Karrde returns along with Mara Jade, both still aiding and abetting the New Republic despite trying to keep their distance. Duplicitous-but-not-quite-evil Borsk Fey'lya is back and finds himself the center of an unwelcome spotlight with the resurgence of the Caamas holocaust. There are many minor nods to other stories and Zahn also lifts bits from Star Wars short stories he wrote for the Tales books and other sources.

Specter of the Past is an excellent start to the Hand of Thrawn duology. Strong and accurate characterizations, an intelligent plot, and a rapid pace set a rock-solid foundation for the sequel Vision of the Future.

Complete Star Wars Novel and Review Index

2008-09-22T12:27:00.055-04:00

This is the full list of the books and e-books we're reading, sorted by in-universe chronology. The Expanded Universe sets all dates as relative to the Battle of Yavin, which is the pivotal battle in which Luke Skywalker and friends destroy the Death Star in the original movie. This list shows dates as Before Battle of Yavin (BBY) and After Battle of Yavin (ABY).

When we started the Rancors Love to Read program on May 25, 2006, we had a list of 96 books that were currently available. The original intent was to stick to that list the whole way, since new books are constantly being published that may or may not fit where we are in the overall chronology. However, we've ended up reading new books as they are published (with the exception of the new books at the far end of the timeline: we'll read those in their natural order when we get there).

This list mirrors the sequence and dating presented in the official Del Rey timeline at the front of most Star Wars novels.

---- 5000 BBY ----

Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice (e-book)
John Jackson Miller
Lost Tribe of the Sith: Skyborn (e-book)
John Jackson Miller
Lost Tribe of the Sith: Paragon (e-book)
John Jackson Miller

---- 1020 BBY ----
Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
Drew Karpyshyn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Darth Bane: Rule of Two
Drew Karpyshyn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil
Drew Karpyshyn
- Andrew's Review

---- 33 BBY ----
Darth Maul: Saboteur (e-book)
Michael Reaves
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 32.5 BBY ----
Cloak of Deception
James Luceno
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
Michael Reaves
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 32 BBY ----
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Terry Brooks
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 29 BBY ----
Rogue Planet
Greg Bear
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 27 BBY ----
Outbound Flight
Timothy Zahn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 22.5 BBY ----
The Approaching Storm
Alan Dean Foster
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 22-19 BBY ----
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
R.A. Salvatore
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Clone Wars
Karen Traviss
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Clone Wars: Wild Space
Karen Miller
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Clone Wars: No Prisoners
Karen Traviss
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth
Karen Miller
The Clone Wars Gambit: Siege
Karen Miller
Republic Commando: Hard Contact
Karen Traviss
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Republic Commando: Triple Zero
Karen Traviss
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Republic Commando: True Colors
Karen Traviss
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Republic Commando: Order 66
Karen Traviss
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Imperial Commando: 501st
Karen Traviss
Shatterpoint
Matthew Stover
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Cestus Deception
Steven Barnes
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Hive (e-book)
Steven Barnes
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
MedStar I: Battle Surgeons
Michael Reaves & Steve Perry
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
MedStar II: Jedi Healer
Michael Reaves & Steve Perry
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Jedi Trial
David Sherman & Dan Cragg
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
Sean Stewart
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Labyrinth of Evil
James Luceno
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Matthew Stover
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
James Luceno
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight
Michael Reaves
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows
Michael Reaves
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force
Michael Reaves
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 10-0 BBY ----
The Paradise Snare
A.C. Crispin
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Hutt Gambit
A.C. Crispin
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Rebel Dawn
A.C. Crispin
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 5-2 BBY ----
Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu
L. Neil Smith
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon
L. Neil Smith
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka
L. Neil Smith
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Han Solo at Stars' End
Brian Daley
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Han Solo's Revenge
Brian Daley
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Han Solo and the Lost Legacy
Brian Daley
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 2-0 BBY ----
The Force Unleashed
Sean Williams
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Death Troopers
Joe Schreiber
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Death Star
Michael Reaves and Steve Perry
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- Battle of Yavin ----
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
George Lucas/Alan Dean Foster
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 0-3 ABY ----
Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina
edited by Kevin J. Anderson
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Allegiance
Timothy Zahn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Star Wars Galaxies: The Ruins of Dantooine
Voronica Whitney-Robinson & Haden Blackman
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Splinter of the Mind's Eye
Alan Dean Foster
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 3 ABY ----
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Donald F. Glut
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Tales of the Bounty Hunters
edited by Kevin J. Anderson
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 3.5 ABY ----
Shadows of the Empire
Steve Perry
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 4 ABY ----
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
James Kahn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Tales from Jabba's Palace
edited by Kevin J. Anderson
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Tales from the Empire
edited by Peter Schweighofer
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Tales from the New Republic
edited by Peter Schweighofer
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Bounty Hunter Wars I: The Mandalorian Armor
K.W. Jeter
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Bounty Hunter Wars II: Slave Ship
K.W. Jeter
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Bounty Hunter Wars III: Hard Merchandise
K.W. Jeter
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Truce at Bakura
Kathy Tyers
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 4.5 ABY ----
Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor
Matthew Stover
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 6.5-7.5 ABY ----
X-wing: Rogue Squadron
Michael Stackpole
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: Wedge's Gamble
Michael Stackpole
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: The Krytos Trap
Michael Stackpole
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: The Bacta War
Michael Stackpole
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: Wraith Squadron
Aaron Allston
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: Iron Fist
Aaron Allston
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: Solo Command
Aaron Allston
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 8 ABY ----
The Courtship of Princess Leia
Dave Wolverton
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
A Forest Apart (e-book)
Troy Denning
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Tatooine Ghost
Troy Denning
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 9 ABY ----
The Thrawn Trilogy I: Heir to the Empire
Timothy Zahn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Thrawn Trilogy II: Dark Force Rising
Timothy Zahn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Thrawn Trilogy III: The Last Command
Timothy Zahn
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: Isard's Revenge
Michael Stackpole
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 11 ABY ----
The Jedi Academy Trilogy I: Jedi Search
Kevin J. Anderson
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Jedi Academy Trilogy II: Dark Apprentice
Kevin J. Anderson
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Jedi Academy Trilogy III: Champions of the Force
Kevin J. Anderson
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
I, Jedi
Michael Stackpole
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 12-13 ABY ----
Children of the Jedi
Barbara Hambly
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Darksaber
Kevin J. Anderson
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
Planet of Twilight
Barbara Hambly
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
X-wing: Starfighters of Adumar
Aaron Allston
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 14 ABY ----
The Crystal Star
Vonda McIntyre
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 16-17 ABY ----
The Black Fleet Crisis I: Before the Storm
Michael P. Kube-McDowell
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Black Fleet Crisis II: Shield of Lies
Michael P. Kube-McDowell
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Black Fleet Crisis III: Tyrant's Test
Michael P. Kube-McDowell
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 17 ABY ----
The New Rebellion
Kristine Rusch
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 18 ABY ----
The Corellian Trilogy I: Ambush at Corellia
Roger MacBride Allen
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Corellian Trilogy II: Assault at Selonia
Roger MacBride Allen
- Andrew's Review | David's Review
The Corellian Trilogy III: Showdown at Centerpoint
Roger MacBride Allen
- Andrew's Review | David's Review

---- 19 ABY ----
The Hand of Thrawn Duology I: Specter of the Past
Timothy Zahn
The Hand of Thrawn Duology II: Vision of the Future
Timothy Zahn

---- 22 ABY ----
Fool's Bargain (e-book)
Timothy Zahn
Survivor's Quest
Timothy Zahn

---- 25 ABY ----
Boba Fett: A Practical Man (e-book)
Karen Traviss
The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime
R.A. Salvatore
The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide I: Onslaught
Michael Stackpole
The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide II: Ruin
Michael Stackpole
The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial
James Luceno
The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
James Luceno
The New Jedi Order: Balance Point
Kathy Tyers
The New Jedi Order: Recovery (e-book)
Troy Denning
The New Jedi Order: Edge of Victory I: Conquest
Greg Keyes
The New Jedi Order: Edge of Victory II: Rebirth
Greg Keyes
The New Jedi Order: Star by Star
Troy Denning
The New Jedi Order: Dark Journey
Elaine Cunningham
The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream
Aaron Allston
The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand
Aaron Allston
The New Jedi Order: Traitor
Matthew Stover
The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way
Walter Jon Williams
The New Jedi Order: Ylesia (e-book)
Walter Jon Williams
The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic I: Remnant
Sean Williams & Shane Dix
The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee
Sean Williams & Shane Dix
The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic III: Reunion
Sean Williams & Shane Dix
The New Jedi Order: The Final Prophecy
Greg Keyes
The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force
James Luceno

---- 35 ABY ----
The Dark Nest Trilogy I: The Joiner King
Troy Denning
The Dark Nest Trilogy II: The Unseen Queen
Troy Denning
The Dark Nest Trilogy III: The Swarm War
Troy Denning

---- 40 ABY ----
Legacy of the Force: Betrayal
Aaron Allston
Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines
Karen Traviss
Legacy of the Force: Tempest
Troy Denning
Legacy of the Force: Exile
Aaron Allston
Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
Karen Traviss
Legacy of the Force: Inferno
Troy Denning
Legacy of the Force: Fury
Aaron Allston
Legacy of the Force: Revelation
Karen Traviss
Legacy of the Force: Invincible
Troy Denning
Crosscurrent
Paul Kemp
Millennium Falcon
James Luceno
Fate of the Jedi: Outcast
Aaron Allston
Fate of the Jedi: Omen
Christie Golden
Fate of the Jedi: Abyss
Troy Denning
Fate of the Jedi: Backlash
Aaron Allston
Fate of the Jedi: Allies
Christie Golden
Fate of the Jedi: Vortex
Troy Denning

Andrew's Review of Death Troopers

2010-02-25T13:45:00.005-05:00

3/5 Rancors - Joe Schreiber's Death Troopers took me by surprise. I am not particularly fond of the horror genre, at least in its gorier aspects. I do enjoy a good thriller, though. So my initial reaction when I heard that Star Wars would be getting its first horror story was quite mixed. I enjoy seeing the saga taken in new directions and stay open-minded as it mutates through many permutations of what I first saw on the big screen in 1977. However, I really wasn't convinced that horror would be an appropriate choice for a universe that has stayed rather, for lack of a better term, family-friendly to date.

It turns out I'm glad I took a chance on Mr. Schreiber's first Star Wars contribution (his second, a Death Troopers prequel, is already underway as I write this). There were points where the gore factor was excessive for my sensibilities, and a particular scene involving a toddler Wookiee didn't sit well with me. Fortunately, these qualms were allayed by a very fast-paced and gripping story that didn't pause to take a breath between chases and creeping around in the dark.

The size and creep-factor of a seemingly deserted Imperial Star Destroyer adrift in space is well underscored. I also enjoyed the time spent on the prison barge Purge in the opening chapters: penal vessels and procedures aren't an aspect of the Expanded Universe that has received much focus in prior novels. The method by which Death Troopers introduces its version of zombies to the Star Wars universe is believable. I liked that the zombies weren't the sole drivers of the horror elements of the story: the actions the prisoners take against each other early on and the choices a group of Imperial survivors on the Star Destroyer have made to stay alive are good examples of things as unsettling or more as the creatures themselves.

The characters are on the thin side, mostly subservient to the action. They filled their purposes well enough, although there isn't much about them that stands out to me after finishing the book. Captain Jareth Sartoris has a nice little character arc at the end, although it is fairly predictable. The Longo brothers and Dr. Cody act as the reader's primary lens on the outbreak, since they have the least life experience and react with presumably the same horror as the reader to what is taking place.

In what is not a well-kept secret at this point, two movie characters materialize midway in the story and have key roles. I recognize that their presence undermines a general principle of a horror story, in that we as the reader know these two will come out relatively unscathed. However, as a Star Wars fan first and foremost, I confess I was pleased to see them arrive on the scene and they helped greatly in establishing this tale as one set in that galaxy far, far away.

Although the darkness of Death Troopers did not remind me of the Original Trilogy, the excitement of Mr. Schreiber's rapid storytelling and focus on dynamic action sequences did, and for me that's high praise. Although I'm not likely to track down his non-Star Wars horror stories, I will be ready for the Death Troopers prequel and look forward to it with much more confidence than I did this first one.

David's Review of Book Three of The Corellian Trilogy: Showdown at Centerpoint

2010-02-24T18:01:00.003-05:00

4/5 Rancors - Showdown at Centerpoint is the final book in Roger Macbride Allen's Corellian Trilogy. In the first two books we followed Han, Leia, and their kids along with Chewie, Lando, Luke, and our two favorite droids as they all took various paths to end up in the middle of what appeared to be a rebellion in the Corellian sector. In this book, Luke and Lando uncover the Starbuster that is part of Centerpoint Station and that is programmed to explode the star Bovo Yagen and destroy millions of people. The Sacorrian Triad started rebellions on each of the five planets in the Corellian system and gained control of Centerpoint Station as part of a master plan to force the New Republic to acknowledge the Corellian sector as an independent state.

Centerpoint Station is an enormous gray-white space station in the Corellian system located at the balance point between the twin worlds of Talus and Tralus. Approximately 350 kilometers long, it is even larger than the original Death Star and can fire a tractor-repulsor hyperspace burst. The Sacorrian Triad discovered that the station could destroy stars, but it had been stable for thousands of years until suddenly two stars were destroyed. The Triad activated massive interdiction and jamming fields over the entire Corellian system and had a fleet of ships ready to do battle with New Republic and Bakuran forces.

All of our heroes were involved with foiling the Triad's plan with different ones of them coming at the problem from entirely different approaches. They were assisted in their efforts by Gaerial Captison, who had been an Imperial Senator from Bakura during the final years of the rebellion and led her planet to freedom. Admiral Hotel Ossilege commanded the Bakuran fleet. Mara Jade also offered valuable assistance.

Some of the most interesting roles in the tale are played by the Solo kids - Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin. We find that, even at their young ages, they are skilled enough to fly the Millennium Falcon, at least well enough to escape from the clutches of Han's evil cousin Thracken Sal-Solo on the planet Drall. Plus, Anakin's force powers enable him to control the planetary repulsor that is on Drall. Pretty impressive kids.

Showdown at Centerpoint is the best book in the trilogy and tells a tale that moves right along. My only real quibble with the book is that I felt it could have been severely edited in a few places.

David: Rancor Spotting #17

2010-02-04T17:25:00.004-05:00

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Ultimate Sticker Book, page 8

Clearly, rancors appeal to all ages, and when you use the sticker book, you get to place the rancor yourself. What fun! Here's what the book says.

Jungle rancor These ferocious monsters are covered in rough armor-like skin, which can withstand blaster fire.

David's Review of Book Two of The Corellian Trilogy: Assault at Selonia

2010-02-04T17:05:00.006-05:00

3/5 Rancors - Assault at Selonia is the second book in The Corellian Trilogy. It continues the travails of our well-known and much loved Star Wars heroes as they travel several different paths. Han Solo has been imprisoned on Corellia by his cousin Thracken Sal-Solo and appears to be in serious trouble. Sal-Solo plans to reinstate the Imperial system and seize total power himself. Han must join forces with a female alien in order to escape and warn Luke, Leia, and Lando. Leia is under house arrest in what used to be the Governor's residence and must work with Mara Jade to escape and search for her family. Luke and Lando have returned to Coruscant and are now on their way to Bakura to convince Gaeriel Captison to let them borrow the Bakuran fleet to put down a revolt in the Corellian system. At the same time, Han and Leia's children are with Chewie on yet another world. Serious problems exist everywhere.

The book is an improvement over the first book Ambush at Corellia. We have more action, more plot, and no story involving Lando's search for a rich wife. That particular search was a real weakness in the first book. A number of major questions still remain. Who is trying to use Corellia's powerful repulsors and why? What is going on at the mysterious Centerpoint Station? Who is causing major stars to explode? There is plenty still left to lead one to look forward to the third book in the trilogy.

Andrew's Review of The Corellian Trilogy Vol. 3: Showdown at Centerpoint

2010-01-12T15:17:00.003-05:00

3/5 Rancors - Roger MacBride Allen's Showdown at Centerpoint completes the Corellian Trilogy and neatly ties up the storylines laid out in the first two novels. It continues the accelerated pace found in Assault at Selonia and includes a handy synopsis at the beginning for anyone who hasn't read or doesn't remember the prior books (Star Wars novels rarely contain a synopsis of what's gone before, making it worthy of note). Events in the Corellian system have turned into a race against time, as our heroes struggle to discern the truth behind the murky maneuverings of the Human League and other splinter groups. If they can't solve the plot quickly enough, they will fail to stop the annihilation of millions of sentients whose sun is targeted for destruction by the mysterious starbuster device.

The most intriguing portion of this book deals with the massive Centerpoint station, a facility of unknown origin and purpose sitting in space between Corellia's Double Moons. It doesn't take too much effort for the reader to connect Centerpoint with the destroyed stars and this hunch is quickly confirmed. The only significant new character introduced in this final volume appears on Centerpoint: Jenica Sonsen. She serves primarily as a guide to the station, which has developed a strange little culture unto itself in the isolation of space. The introduction of Centerpoint and the mysteries that still surround it at the end of the book make a lovely little hook for future authors to build upon.

A key storyline of Showdown at Centerpoint (actually started in the prior book) revolves around the three Solo children and their efforts to locate a planetary repulsor on Drall. Once it is located, Anakin Solo cannot resist delving further into the machine's secrets, leading to a great action sequence when it is turned on. Unfortunately, this also leads to one of the nastier events for the kids, when their malicious uncle Thracken Sal-Solo shows up to kidnap them and take control of the repulsor. Thracken doesn't get to do much in this book beyond chew some scenery and show a cold-blooded willingness to harm his own flesh and blood. The notion of Thracken as a sort of "shadow" Han Solo has plenty of promise, but overall the trilogy doesn't take this as far as I'd like. The most interesting interaction between the two is in their shared scenes in Assault at Selonia.

The trilogy delivers a substantial amount of information about the three native Corellian species and their unusual system of five worlds. I enjoyed the exploration of the Selonian culture in particular. They pretend to conform to human societal standards but in reality have a whole separate social system working just under the surface (literally). Their travel by underground tunnels seems rather impractical but it does make for some good entertainment. Also, their reliance on negotiation, especially when contrasted with their impressive physical skills, makes for some unexpected dynamics when they try to come to terms with Leia, Han, and Mara Jade.

Some other good points: the Tendra Risant storyline which originated in Lando's ridiculous search for a rich wife comes to a satisfactory conclusion. There's a terrific escape sequence with the Solo children featuring a nifty little display of a seldom-used Force ability. One character I hadn't mentioned in my prior reviews of the trilogy is Q9-X2, a modified astromech that speaks Basic and exhibits a rather marked streak of paranoia. Q9 continues to entertain here just as in the prior novels, and one pairing I would love to see would be him with I5 of Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, Medstar, and Coruscant Nights fame.

The Corellian Trilogy is not an earth-shaking piece of Star Wars literature, but it is a fun ride and quite enjoyable while it lasts. The books got progressively better and Centerpoint itself is truly an interesting place. The series is worth reading for anyone who is a fan of the Original Trilogy heroes and wants a fairly light and adventurous romp.

Andrew's Review of The Corellian Trilogy Vol. 2: Assault at Selonia

2010-01-12T10:51:00.004-05:00

3/5 Rancors - Assault at Selonia, the second volume in Roger MacBride Allen's Corellian Trilogy, picks up the pace considerably from the leisurely first book. The story opens with our heroes stuck in various predicaments. Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian have left the fringes of the interdiction field blocking all access to the Corellian system and are on their way back to Coruscant to report and formulate a strategy. Han Solo and Chief of State Leia Organa Solo are being held prisoner in separate facilities by Han's treacherous cousin Thracken Sal-Solo. Han and Leia's children have escaped along with Chewbacca and are on the run looking for a hiding hole. The New Republic is working to identify the true puppet masters behind the Corellian situation, on the theory that Thracken's Human League and the other Corellian splinter groups simply don't have the wherewithal to have put together such a large-scale conspiracy.

There is quite a bit more action in Assault at Selonia than is found in its predecessor. The book opens with Thracken conducting an interrogation of Han followed by a forced fight pitting him against an intimidating Selonian named Dracmus. A great sequence, full of typical Han swagger and showing us that even when it is in Han's best interests to throw a fight, he still has trouble backing down. Another excellent sequence features Leia and Mara Jade escaping Thracken's clutches, and Mr. Allen devotes quite a bit of detail to the mechanics of their exodus. Other scenes are more forced, most notably one in which Luke and Lando take an inexplicably dangerous journey through Coruscant's underbelly to attend a meeting (there's an explanation provided for this but to my mind it was thin).

One welcome reappearance from earlier novels is Gaeriel Captison, featured in Kathy Tyers' The Truce at Bakura. Gaeriel and Luke's reunion forces them to explore what might have been had they followed the burgeoning feelings for each other they felt fourteen years earlier, and also underscores how long Luke has been searching across the galaxy for a meaningful relationship. It's a nice tie to the earlier story to bring Gaeriel and the Bakurans in. We also learn more about the Bakuran military structure and are introduced to the efficient, thrill-seeking Admiral Ossilege. The Bakurans bring a rather intriguing hyperspace technology to the table designed to counter the effects of an interdiction field.

The story of Lando seeking a rich wife is furthered but in an improved manner from Ambush at Corellia. Lando is too busy with the military situation to continue his quest, and besides, he has taken a fancy to Tendra Risant, who he met in the last story. Tendra takes a daring solo flight into the interdiction field to find Lando and spends the book creeping through space alone. Although her plan is not a very sound one, people often do crazy things, especially when L-O-V-E is involved, and Tendra is seemingly no exception. She also brings warning of an outside fleet likely to play a key role in book three.

Mr. Allen's trilogy features a notable level of hatred for droids. Lando is downright nasty toward C-3PO and R2-D2. Luke shows tolerance for the pair, but many of the other characters are shown to despise droids. There are glimmers of a superior attitude many organics feel toward droids in the films, with Han in particular having some choice moments with 3PO, but there is no grounding for the outright prejudice shown here. I got tired of Lando's interactions with them and wished someone would put him in his place. The droids have saved their friends countless times across the films and books and this is simply not believable characterization.

Assault at Selonia is a step up from the somewhat tedious first entry in the trilogy. It is a quick read and sets up a decent mystery involving the true perpetrators of the starbuster plot. We learn more about the three species that comprise the Corellian system's native population and there are several fun action sequences along the way. I look forward to finding out the resolution of the multiple hanging plot threads in Showdown at Centerpoint, especially after the grim climax of this story.

Andrew's Review of The Corellian Trilogy Vol. 1: Ambush at Corellia

2009-12-29T14:13:00.002-05:00

2/5 Rancors - Roger MacBride Allen's Ambush at Corellia is the first volume of the Corellian Trilogy and was published in the heyday of the Bantam Spectra Star Wars license in the 1990s. Set fourteen years after Return of the Jedi, this story sets up a conflict in the Corellian system, which comprises five planets and three distinct sentient species. Han Solo is a native Corellian and a trade conference brings him and his family back home after many years away. Overlooking an early warning of danger brewing in the Corellian system, Han and Chief of State Princess Leia, along with Chewbacca and their three children, all travel together to attend the summit. Events start building towards a crisis and by the book's resolution, full-out war threatens the entire system.

Despite the action implied by the plot summary, I found this book a slow read. At its core, it felt like an elongated setup for the next two books, one that could have been condensed into a few chapters. It's mildly interesting learning more about Corellia, and the system itself is one of the more intriguing of the galaxy far, far away. Its mix of three species plus various outside influences from the Empire and New Republic creates a potent stew of simmering tension. This material is good background and perhaps will pay off in the next two volumes, but taken on its own there simply wasn't that much to this story.

The Solo family is at the center of the novel, especially with the revelation of the identity of the Human League's Hidden Leader at the climax. Leia continues to be a sympathetic and inspiring figure as she deals with balancing work and family life. We explore some of Han's emotions as he revisits his past on the Corellian trip, but this exploration doesn't illuminate anything significantly new about his character. The three children are frequently present but don't get the limelight as often as they did in The Crystal Star. One oddity in the portrayal of the children is Anakin behaves more like a toddler than a seven-year-old, both in speech and in actions (at least, based on my own 2.5 year-old daughter, who talks quite a bit like Anakin in this book).

The "B" plot follows Lando, Luke, R2-D2, and C-3PO as they embark on a quest to find Lando a rich wife. This is as silly as it sounds. I can understand that Luke might need a break from carrying the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders, but a Jedi Master wasting time on a trip like this is a lot to swallow. Lando is a good character but surely Mr. Allen could have found something more meaningful for him to pursue: this plot would have been better left "off-screen," as it were.

Ambush at Corellia is not a difficult read or particularly long. It simply felt slow because of the dragged-out storyline. The stage is set in the climax for the rest of the trilogy to accelerate significantly, so it will be interesting to see what follows.

David: Rancor Spotting #16

2009-12-20T14:16:00.007-05:00

Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide by Ryder Windham, pages 99 and 123

The Ultimate Visual Guide presents wonderful pictorial coverage of all six Star Wars films, including a little bit about rancors.

A birthday gift to Jabba from Bib Fortuna, the fearsome rancor is a semisentient beast who dwells in a pit below the crime lord’s court.

Rod Puppet
To create the rancor monster for Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, creature designer Phil Tippett used a 61-centimeter (2 feet) tall, foam-rubber rod puppet, controlled by three puppeteers.

David: Rancor Spotting #15

2009-12-20T10:19:00.004-05:00

Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary by David West Reynolds, pages 60-61

The Visual Dictionary is a useful guide to Star Wars characters and creatures in the original trilogy. Of course, it includes information about rancors as well as an excellent photo. Here is what we learn.

Standing five meters tall, this fearsome carnivore possesses an armored skin and colossal strength. Jabba keeps this beast in a pit beneath one of his palace courts, feeding it a live diet of unfortunate victims and watching its attacks for amusement. Jabba keeps the origin of his bizarre, freakish pet a mystery, though there are little-known legends of rancor-like monsters on the remote planet of Dathomir.

We are also shown a picture of the rancor’s handler.

The animal handler Malakill became an outlaw when some of his circus beasts escaped during a show and killed much of the audience. Jabba then hired him as keeper of the murderous rancor, which Malakill has grown fond of.

I am still looking in the Star Wars lexicon for an actual reference to the reading habits of rancors. It must be in there somewhere.