The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku

Star Wars - Tales From a Galaxy Far, Far Away - Aliens #4

by Landry Q. Walker

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a cruiser transporting precious cargo for the traitorous Count Dooku’s during the Clone Wars crashed into the Sea of Sand on the planet Ponemah, leaving its treasures buried. Years later, Captain Sidon Ithano, known as the Crimson Corsair, and his pirate crew receive a signal from the downed cruiser. The pirates set off after whatever lies beneath the sand, but the hidden ship’s signal has gone far and wide. Can the Crimson Corsair find the buried treasure before his rivals?

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Space Opera, Science Fiction Fantasy

57 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 24, 2015

About the author

Landry Q. Walker is a New York Times bestselling author of comics and books. His work includes Star Wars stories, Batman and Supergirl comics, and the Project Terra series of novels. He also co-created a Saturday morning cartoon called Scary Larry. He likes castles and robots and also pop-tarts. Most days he sits in his office and pushes buttons on a keyboard until stories somehow happen.

Reviews

[Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if the real treasure of Count Dooku is the friends we made along the way?

If you like the Star Wars prequels, The Clone Wars, Rodian biker gangs, or fun things, I strongly recommend this one.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funniest piece of Star Wars I have ever read. With a bonus piece that I absolutely loved. Super dumb but super great.

[Jaye Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay for a quick and entertaining read. Honestly, I read it specifically for a certain Clone Wars character.

[Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.75

Wow, talk about a subversion of my expectations.

This was the last story in the Aliens collection, and from the opening I thought this would just be a collection of various teams going after a mysterious treasure of Dooku’s. And it was that - but this really caught me by surprise.

First off, the different groups fighting each other actually had some interest - I liked the way, one by one, they all exited the equation. And there was actually a pretty sweet moment from one of the captains that got me in the feels.

But, put simply - holy crap, there is SUCH a cameo in here. It was the most unexpected thing, and it’s a character I’ve wanted to see again for ages! Such a treat.

4.75/5 stars!

[ambyr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even by the standards of Star Wars tie-in fiction, this is . . . pretty bad. I understand I am not the target age range, and maybe if I were 8 I would find it funnier, but it mostly made me sigh.

I read it because I wanted to know what happened to Kix. 10/10 on that point, and I hope at some future point the franchise does something interesting with him. In the meantime, this is what we've got. If you don't care about Kix, there is no reason to read this. If you do care about Kix . . . well, there's probably still no reason to read this, Wookiepedia covers the relevant points, but you can if you want.

[Wendy, Lady Evelyn Quince · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku" was a fun joyride about treasure-seeking pirates who compete in a deadly race against the natural elements, each other, and time. This fast-paced, very short read was part of a series of books tangentially related to The Force Awakens. Although readers of almost any age can delight in this action-packed adventure, it's written with an eye for Star Wars fans who know their lore. Be sure to familiarize yourself with aliens such as Gamorreans, Twi'leks, Weequays, and more.

Author Landry Q. Walker places neat easter eggs to many details in the Star Wars universe, whether it be the ubiquitous phrase: "I have a bad feeling about this," to more humorous references, like yet another planet covered in that stuff that's coarse and rough and gets everywhere:

"Ponemah was not known for its hospitable climate. Nor was it renowned for its incredible wealth of goods and resources. It did, however, have a vast overabundance of one thing: sand."

The Sith and Jedi conflict is, for me, the most compelling aspect of the SW universe, but I love me some bounty hunters, smugglers, and pirates!

In this little episode, the Crimson Corsair, a mysterious captain who wears a red Kaleesh mask, leads his crew across the hostile desert as they fight off other pirates who seek to find riches among the ruins of a crashed CIS ship from the long-ago Clone Wars.

The mystery behind Count Dooku's secret stash is revealed after most of the treasure-hunters are dispatched via violent methods. Only the strongest will survive to be victorious. There's a neat twist surrounding the precious cargo the winners find, one which should have had greater ramifications in the Disney sequel trilogy, but, alas, was another missed opportunity.

The current state of Star Wars is a mixed one and I wish the political drama surrounding this IP didn't exist. This stuff is supposed to a camp fantasy that provides joy to your inner child, no matter what age you are. I'm grateful that there are little nuggets of gold like this that can be found. And best of all, it was free to borrow on Kindle, so why not read it?

4 1/2 sand-exploding stars

[szara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I decide to read this short story solely for the character I knew was present for the last 15 pages? Yes. I don't regret it, though, this was a fun, action-packed adventure. I just feel like this would be more enjoyable as medium to watch rather than read - there was an abundance of characters introduced solely to fill a space, impossible to follow in a short story, and there were moments when I was honestly not following who's with who and against who. I still enjoyed the humor and the overall writing style.

[C.J. Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

So is technically a YOUNG READER level short story. A Disney canon short story, it’s short, fun, and a quick read. It can alternatively be found in the collection, Tales From The Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens: Vol. 1


The Crimson Corsair And The Lost Treasure Of Count Dooku: 5*

First of all... what a sick name for a short story in general, I mean really
This story was a great attempt at giving a SW story a real world pirate feel. A Corsair, captains, first mates, barges and skimmers. A sea (of sand?), storms, and monsters too. Rigged barges and boarding parties using hand-weapons for close combat? These are all things I like to see and read.
Not to mention ties to the Clone Wars and Count Dooku? Need I say more?
Maybe even a few other familiar references too... high-FIVES all around amiright?

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was funny. Esp that section about a bad feeling. I liked this.

[osoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Из четырех коротких историй ветки Aliens стопроцентно выстрелила только эта. Контрабандисты и пираты, черный юмор и непринужденный пафос – беспроигрышный вариант :3

Возможно, я слишком погрузилась в мир dark fantasy, что мне даже в смерти незадачливых противников Итано видится нечто забавное. Но серьезно, все эти напыщенные банды, раскатывающие на спидерах и баржах, более чем достойны нелепых и бесславных смертей, поджидавших их за поворотом. Неожиданные проблески гениальности в диалогах между Самым Главным Врагом и командой Итано немало улыбали. Весь рассказ получился на ура – начиная с харизматичного господина Корсара, от которого не дождешься лишнего слова, заканчивая мелкими штрихами, создающими необыкновенную атмосферу. Пиратам из истории некоторые вещи даются слишком легко, во многое сложно поверить на слово, а спасение так вообще не поддается логике, но это все отступает на второй план – потому как уровень очарования всей этой невозможности зашкаливает :3
Если бы SW Rebels были такими же беззаботными и легкими на подъем, то меня можно было бы смело записывать в преданные фанаты. А пока приходится со скрипом пережевывать все эти повстанческие воззвания и откровенно положительных персонажей, которые ожидаемо спасут мир. Ну и довольствоваться редкими сокровищами вроде The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku :-P

Отдельный поклон отсылкам к арке The Clone Conspiracy из SW The Clone Wars. Вот уж что точно не думала встретить в относительно небольшом рассказе нового канона, так это целую ветку, продолжающую ту историю. Респект.

annikeh.net

[Paul Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite of these 4 short stories. Ever since I first saw the Crimson Corsair in the Vanity Fair spread, I thought he looked cool. I wanted to know more about him. This story follows him and his crew in a race across a desert planet against other pirates searching for a lost treasure. Captain Sidon Ithano, as he is also known, is an awesome character. There's a toy coming out of him and his first mate that I think will be one of the few The Force Awakens figures I actually buy.

This story has it all. Like a lot of the new canon, it takes inspiration from all the Star Wars films and tv shows. It even starts with a Hondo quote! Fans of The Clone Wars tv series MUST read this!

I found myself using wookiepedia to get accurate ideas of what the characters looked like. The Ortolan pirate known as One-Eye is such a cool image.

The chapters are very small, which made it very easy to read. This story is full of adventure as well as comedy. I love when Star Wars stories make allusions to classic lines and such in creative ways. I never had a bad feeling about this book while I was reading it.

I give this short story a 5/5. I want more! I am so much more intrigued by the character of the Crimson Corsair. I want to follow his crew on many more adventures. I really hope Walker gets to continue writing their stories.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was torn between two and three stars. It was an enjoyable, quick read but not very satisfying. Too many minor characters cluttered the story and didn't give any time to give more detail on them. Granted, it is a short story so I wasn't expecting grand character arcs and development but I would have liked to see more about the title character and his crew.

That being said, it is enough for me to want to know more about the Crimson Corsair and hope that the author writes a longer story.

[Shadowdenizen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lesser example from the "Journey to the Force Awakens" line, but still an ejoyable, rollicking, pulp-esque read.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, since I'm feeling "Star Wars-y" today.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This short story is less than 60 pages, so it’s a really quick read. It’s a fun short adventure, and the ending was better than I expected (especially if you’ve watched The Clone Wars, because it tied in with something from the show). The main thing I didn’t like was that it was hard to keep the different competing bands of pirates straight from each other. There are two main bands, but one of the leaders has two names (one memorable and one not), plus there are several other bands who appear mainly so they can die in the frantic race to the treasure.

[Ica Nilsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pirater, Star Wars, kryddat med humor och Kix. Vad finns det inte att älska? En kort liten rolig berättelse om rymdpirater är aldrig fel, speciellt inte om det också betyder att Kix fortfarande lever (även om det är sorgligt också)!! Hoppas det kommer någon form av uppföljare. Man kan aldrig få för mycket av Kix ändå.

[Emily Lo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda boring, except for the reveal of what the cargo held. I don't like giving bad reviews though. Thankfully it was really really short, so I got to read what I came for.

[Jessamyn Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had everything you could want from a space pirate adventure: fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, true love, (jk) and sand tornadoes.

That plot twist though. It opens up some really interesting possibilities that I hope the new canon will continue to explore.

This story contains major spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 6.

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long string of interesting ideas, uninterestingly told. A lot more excitement and zaniness than is typical for a Star Wars story but it really reads more like an author's outline than an actual narrative. All in all, an enjoyable enough romp that had the potential for so, so much more.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly wish there had been more to Kix's story, but I guess that's not really the point anyway? But if this had been fleshed out into a full-length novel I would like to see what happens after the Crimson Corsair and crew rescue him. Poor guy :(

[Ozakiaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

เรื่องสั้นพล็อตย่อยง่ายไม่ซับซ้อน อ่านได้เพลิน ๆ มีกิมมิคจากอนิเมชั่นโคลนวอร์ส

เรื่องย่อมีอยู่ว่า ลือกันว่าในดาวทะเลทรายซักที่นึงเนี่ย มียานของฝ่ายแบ่งแยกดินแดนที่บรรทุกสมบัติของเคาทน์ดูกูฝังอยู่นะ แก๊งของไซดอน อิธาโน่ (คริมสัน คอร์แซร์) เลยเกิดสนใจขึ้นมา แล้วก็ฝ่าพายุทรายไปตามหาค่ะ แต่ทีนี้แก๊งของไซดอนก็ไม่ใช่พวกเดียวที่ตามหาสมบัตินั้น พวกโจรสลัดก๊กแก๊งต่าง ๆ เองก็ออกตามหาด้วยเหมือนกัน ก็เลยเกิดเป็นเรื่องราวอึกทึกครึกโครมปะทะกันตูมตามค่ะ ตอนแรก ๆ ที่อ่านก็ยังจูนไม่ค่อยติดเท่าไหร่ แต่อ่าน ๆ ไปก็สนุกดีค่ะ ไม่ต้องมีความรู้สตาร์วอร์สเชิงลึกก็อ่านได้ แต่ว่าถ้าใครเป็นแฟนโคลนวอร์สมาอ่านอันนี้จะเซอร์ไพรส์มากค่ะ

[Myles Gerber · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5/5 😵‍💫

Decided to give this a read because I’m doing a whole “novella a day” thing for the month and I wanted to scratch that May the Fourth itch. This… sucks though. I can’t exaggerate. It’s terrible. Sooo unfunny and barely creative at all. If this was a junior novel type thing I’d understand but this is for ADULTS?? It would probably still only be a 2-2.5 in that case but at least that would help redeem the quality. The characters are all the same and incredibly forgettable and the story is sooo whatever. I guess there’s a mildly interesting clone wars connection here but it doesn’t go anywhere and we’ve already seen it before so… yeah. Don’t bother with this one. Bad!

[Sailor Maiasaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Cute little short story with some goofy moments, throwbacks to the prequels, and a race to find treasure. I wish it had been a full story, as there are a lot of characters and a bunch of different POVs, which made it hard to follow.

Apparently the titular Crimson Corsair(Sidon Ithano) was in the movies in the background, and now I wish he appeared more because he's pretty cool. Also, Crimson Corsair is just a cool title, period!

[electronic-concept · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Short Story

Pretty interesting short story in the Star Wars universe. The story follows a gang of pirates as they try to hunt for some treasure based on a message broadcast they received.

In the beginning, it may be a bit difficult in keeping track of the characters. But it becomes easier as you read on.

[Stacey Kent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Possible one of the worst books I’ve ever read. Impossible to keep track of characters, ridiculous story telling that turns the cool concept of alien pirates on Dune into something that reads like baby’s first fanfic. A few sprinkles of good humor but nothing that mad it worth the time. Don’t bother with this just watch a yt recap if you really want the story.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Juvenile and obnoxious

If this book was intended for 3rd graders, it was great. If it was written by a 3rd grader, it was great.
If it was written by an adult, for adults, it was juvenile and obnoxious.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick and fast-paced short story, but it was excellent. It started with a quote from Hondo and everything went uphill from there. Lots of pirates, straight chaos and action all the way through, all the best action tropes, and Kix the best clone trooper ever.

[Jacki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced, short and sweet. Although this short story did rip my heart out. Seeing Kix alive, and him reliving Five's death and his panic to warn the jedi about the inhibitor chips made my heart hurt all over again. It was almost like reliving order 66 again.

[Dunke · Rating 4 out of 5]

An awesome little Star Wars-pirate adventure with great Clone Wars connections. Sidon Ithano's design always struck me in a way, ever since The Force Awakens came out. Cool to now read more about him.
"Welcome back, trooper."

[Maddie Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

KIX ILY THANK YOU FOR NOT BEING DEAD SORRY THO EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND LOVE IS DEAD <3
that aside, its a quick read, obviously for younger audiences, though it is cool to read and find out what happened to the medic of the good ol' 501st.

[John Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

It was an amusing short story, no real bearing on the force awakens just a nice story. I would recommend it to a few friends.