STAR WARS NOVELS BACK ON TRACK
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Having just gotten round to reading this book I was pleasantly surprised. After the variable quality of the New Jedi Order Series I found this book difficult to put down. Characters are well written and the journey through Tatooine well constructed. The fact that Han and Leia visit all the major movie locales rang warning bells for me. However I am glad that I was proved wrong. This plus the links to the prequel trilogy, the final New Jedi Order novel and the forthcoming Tomothy Zhan (Outbound Flight Project) novel were nice touches and will help to cement this story into the expanded universe timeline. I would recommend this novel to any fan of the movies. Well done Troy. We need more authors like you in the Star Wars universe!
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Fantastic
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Troy Denning in my opinion has written one of the best SW books ever with Tatooine Ghost. Han newly married to Leia is dragged into a mission that gets tougher and tougher all the time. We see Leia struggle with her new role as a wife and her long time role as a hero of the New Republic. We see Han realising that to change Leia from that hero would be to change the woman he loves. Yet at the same time Leia is confronted by people who regard Anakin Skywalker as a hero. How could someone regard the young Darth Vader as a hero? Leia comes into the possesion of Shmi Skywalker's video diary and slowly learns why. Through the effect Anakin had on his friends and mother. Just to keep things interesting Stromtroopers are everywhere, under the command of a new and previously unknown Admiral Paelleon and a group of rodent-like Squibs keep Han, Leia, Chewbacca and Threepio on their toes while they chase the 'Killik Twilight' moss painting, which contains a vital Rebellion secret within it's moisture control unit. The only problem with this book is that it brings to the fore new information that obviouslty isn't refered to in books that were written earlier, such as Shmi's diary. So Denning walks a continuity tightrope but in my opinion he suceeds, superbly. Regular SW fans will get a kick out of reading this novel, being taken back in time to when everything was new is a fantastic novelty in this book. The humour in it has me giggling for ages too. Well done Troy Denning.
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"The Force is strong in my family..."
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Set four years after Return Of The Jedi, Han and Leia travel to Tatooine to secure a wonderous painting that holds the key to the New Republic's spy network. As they chase the 'Killik Twilight', impeded by sandstorms, Tusken Raiders and Stormtroopers, Leia learns who her father had been before she met him as the evil Darth Vader. This story lacks the epic scope of many of the better Star Wars novels, but trades it for a depth and wealth of detail that will have you feeling the heat of Tatooine's twin suns (I actually felt thirsty reading about Han's plight!). Also, the development of the prequels has meant that there is naturally a gap in the expanded universe between them and the classic trilogy, a gap that this book begins to close. Han and Leia's opinions on young Anakin's activities mean that we finally get to see the prequels and the classic trilogy sounding off against one another; for instance Han's assertion that had he been in Anakin situation (as of Episode II), he might also have slaughtered the Sand People. Another touching and enlightening part of the story is Leia's getting to know her grandmother through Shmi's own journal. All together, with the Imperials adding pace and the Squibs adding humour, this book is an excellent, well-rounded read. *For fans of the EU, there's a wealth of subtle cameos including Teemto Pagalies, Ody Mandrell, Kitster and Wald from Episode II, the Darklighter family from 'The Bacta War' and (best of all) a brief appearance by Grand Admiral Thrawn!*
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Old Friends Return and Gaps Filled
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Troy Denning has not only written a very good addition to the Star Wars saga, he has brought back old friends long before the worst of the post empire problems started, and favorite characters were lost, or even born. This story also surprises as it brings back characters from Episode I, and fills in a great deal of information between the first trilogy that has yet to be completed, and the second trilogy that fans experienced so long ago. The book raises views of central characters that are at odds with traditionally held opinions. The friends young Anakin had when he won the Boonta Eve Race make appearances and their memories and thoughts of the boy who became Vader are in opposition to those that Leia has brought with her on her mission to Tatooine. This story takes place less than a year after Leia was courted by Prince Isolder, and only several months after her marriage to everyone's favorite smuggler. Chewbacca of course is prominent, and shortly after you begin the book you will forget for 403 pages that he will be lost many years in to the future when the Vong enter the galaxy. Troy Denning does a great job of bringing back the dialogue that reads so true to the original films. The adventure this book describes is hardly without its lethal dangers, but unlike the NJO series you need not constantly hold your breath for fear some catastrophe will strike a favorite character. These are the original heroes of Star Wars, they are still young, and while not invincible they almost seem that way. The book answers all manner of questions that fans have been curious about, from why the headstones that appear in Episode II are not seen in Episode IV, and to the meaning of seemingly innocent dialogue from Episode II as well. Characters you think you know well turn out to be much different than imagined, and the author takes you to a certain Pod Racing stadium now falling apart that was once so special and so critical to the path of the future of the galaxy. The book is not perfect but I gave it 5 stars for the method the author used to keep the interest of the reader so high. Leia is bombarded with information about people she never knew, and is forced to go places she has never been, and meet people that are familiar to fans but unknown to her. This book fills in the life stories of characters I never expected to find in the book, and it will require you to revaluate your opinions about characters you may have thought you knew. The Empire with its Star Destroyers, the species that took the life of Anakin's mother, Stormtroopers, and a protocol droid that always manages to annoy those he is with, all play prominent roles in this tale. About the only familiar Star Wars sound you may miss is that of a lightsaber, but then there is Shadowcast, and it is as important to the New Republic in this story as any lightsaber would be.
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