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Star Wars: The Han Solo Adventures #2
Han Solo's Revenge
SLAVERS BY CHANCE
There's always work for a space-faring freighter captain who doesn't ask awkward questions, and Han Solo quickly got a job that would pay him a cool 10,000 credits. It would also, he discovered as soon as he made planetfall to pick up his cargo, earn him and Chewbacca summary execution. The Corporate Sector Authority could overlook many crimes, but the slave trade carried with it mandatory capital punishment.
Thanks to the quick thinking of Blue Max, a computer-partner of Han's work 'droid Bollux, Han was able to turn the tables on the slavers and free their captives. But he and Chewie were dead broke, with not many prospects in sight.
Figuring that somebody still owe him 10,000 credits, Han kept a rendezvous the slavers had arranged with their shadowy boss. But the lovely girl who kept the date didn't fit his idea of a slave trader. And she wasn't. Rather, Fiolla was a full-fledged officer of the Sector Authority...most of whose laws Han had already broken. Now he was in real trouble!
FIRST PAPERBACK EDITION
There's always work for a space-faring freighter captain who doesn't ask awkward questions, and Han Solo quickly got a job that would pay him a cool 10,000 credits. It would also, he discovered as soon as he made planetfall to pick up his cargo, earn him and Chewbacca summary execution. The Corporate Sector Authority could overlook many crimes, but the slave trade carried with it mandatory capital punishment.
Thanks to the quick thinking of Blue Max, a computer-partner of Han's work 'droid Bollux, Han was able to turn the tables on the slavers and free their captives. But he and Chewie were dead broke, with not many prospects in sight.
Figuring that somebody still owe him 10,000 credits, Han kept a rendezvous the slavers had arranged with their shadowy boss. But the lovely girl who kept the date didn't fit his idea of a slave trader. And she wasn't. Rather, Fiolla was a full-fledged officer of the Sector Authority...most of whose laws Han had already broken. Now he was in real trouble!
FIRST PAPERBACK EDITION
198 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 12, 1979
31 people are currently reading
1527 people want to read
About the author
Brian Daley
46 books97 followersBrian was born in Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey on Dec. 22, 1947. A blizzard kept him and his mother at the hospital over Christmas, and the nurses sang "Away in a Manger" to them.
His middle name is Charles. He grew up in Rockleigh, NJ. His mother's name was Myra and his father's name was Charles. He has an older brother, David, and a younger sister, also named Myra. He had no children of his own, but he was always great with his two nieces and four nephews.
He went to Nathan Hale Elementary School in Norwood, NJ, and a consolidated High School - Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, NJ.
Brian loved to read, drive his '74 Corvette Stingray, spend summers with me on Martha's Vineyard, and travel to wild and exotic places like the jungles of Guatemala and Mexico, and the mountains of Nepal.
He said he wanted to write from an early age, about third grade. He also read a LOT of science fiction as a kid, and that inspired him.
After he graduated from high school in 1965 he joined the army and went to Vietnam for a year's tour of duty. Then he went to Berlin, Germany.
After the army he went to Jersey City State College, majoring in media. While attending college and working as a waiter at a local steak house, he also wrote his first novel, Doomfarers of Coromande. Del Rey Books accepted it and started him on his writing career. The editor picked Brian's manuscript out of the "slush" pile (unsolicited manuscripts) because it was the most neatly typed, but it wasn't accepted right away. The editor made Brian do a lot of re-writing.
When the first STAR WARS movie came out Brian saw it, and he was elated. He said he came out of the theater fundamentally changed. His editor asked which character he would like to write about for a movie-related novel. Brian said he picked Han Solo because Han was the only one who made a moral decision... he started out on the wrong side of the law, but joined with the good guys. And to tell you the truth, Brian was a whole lot like Han, a maverick.
He died of pancreatic cancer in February of 1996. He had just turned 49. He wrote the adaptation for National Public Radio drama THE RETURN OF THE JEDI while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He died at his house in Maryland the night the Jedi radio cast was toasting him at their wrap party, having finished the taping of the shows that day.
When they posted the notice of his death, messages began coming in from all over the world. The gist of them was that his passing created a "disturbance in the Force."
Brian Daley's first novel, The Doomfarers of Coramonde, was published on the first Del Rey list in 1977. It was an immediate success, and Brian went on to write its sequel, The Starfollowers of Coramonde, and many other successful novels: A Tapestry of Magics, three volumes of The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, and, under the shared pseudonym 'Jack McKinney', ten and one half of the twenty-one Robotech novels. He first conceived of the complex GammaL.A.W. saga in Nepal, in 1984, and worked on its four volumes for the next twelve years, finishing it shortly before his death in 1996.
His middle name is Charles. He grew up in Rockleigh, NJ. His mother's name was Myra and his father's name was Charles. He has an older brother, David, and a younger sister, also named Myra. He had no children of his own, but he was always great with his two nieces and four nephews.
He went to Nathan Hale Elementary School in Norwood, NJ, and a consolidated High School - Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, NJ.
Brian loved to read, drive his '74 Corvette Stingray, spend summers with me on Martha's Vineyard, and travel to wild and exotic places like the jungles of Guatemala and Mexico, and the mountains of Nepal.
He said he wanted to write from an early age, about third grade. He also read a LOT of science fiction as a kid, and that inspired him.
After he graduated from high school in 1965 he joined the army and went to Vietnam for a year's tour of duty. Then he went to Berlin, Germany.
After the army he went to Jersey City State College, majoring in media. While attending college and working as a waiter at a local steak house, he also wrote his first novel, Doomfarers of Coromande. Del Rey Books accepted it and started him on his writing career. The editor picked Brian's manuscript out of the "slush" pile (unsolicited manuscripts) because it was the most neatly typed, but it wasn't accepted right away. The editor made Brian do a lot of re-writing.
When the first STAR WARS movie came out Brian saw it, and he was elated. He said he came out of the theater fundamentally changed. His editor asked which character he would like to write about for a movie-related novel. Brian said he picked Han Solo because Han was the only one who made a moral decision... he started out on the wrong side of the law, but joined with the good guys. And to tell you the truth, Brian was a whole lot like Han, a maverick.
He died of pancreatic cancer in February of 1996. He had just turned 49. He wrote the adaptation for National Public Radio drama THE RETURN OF THE JEDI while he was undergoing chemotherapy. He died at his house in Maryland the night the Jedi radio cast was toasting him at their wrap party, having finished the taping of the shows that day.
When they posted the notice of his death, messages began coming in from all over the world. The gist of them was that his passing created a "disturbance in the Force."
Brian Daley's first novel, The Doomfarers of Coramonde, was published on the first Del Rey list in 1977. It was an immediate success, and Brian went on to write its sequel, The Starfollowers of Coramonde, and many other successful novels: A Tapestry of Magics, three volumes of The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, and, under the shared pseudonym 'Jack McKinney', ten and one half of the twenty-one Robotech novels. He first conceived of the complex GammaL.A.W. saga in Nepal, in 1984, and worked on its four volumes for the next twelve years, finishing it shortly before his death in 1996.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
January 5, 2012
Think back to that first time we see Han Solo in the Mos Eisley Cantina.
We've a bar full of "scum and villainy" in a desert town with some swaggering Federales (a.k.a. Stormtroopers). We've the big, mute(-ish) sidekick. We've local hicks seeking out a gun-for-hire. And we've a bounty hunter about to bring our pseudo-hero in alive (somewhere), or dead if necessary.
So our gunslinger leans back in his chair, preps his gun, and casually and remorselessly blows away the bounty hunter. The archetype is clear. Han Solo is a "space cowboy."
There's still some of that in Empire Strikes Back, yet he's already a bit more like Shane -- the retired and reluctant gunslinger -- and it's pretty much all gone by the time he's out of carbon freeze in Return of the Jedi.
Never fear, though, space cowboy, gunslinging, bad ass Han Solo is still on full magnificent display in 1979's Han Solo's Revenge, and thanks to Brian Daley's robust telling, Han gets to wear the cowboy as a second skin.
Solo shows off his piloting (riding) skills in a couple of breathtaking chases. He gets into some dirty-fighting hand-to-hand combat, dishing out bites and head butts whenever required. And he even winds up in a duel (which ends in a nice little twist) with a classic, moustachioed interstellar gunslinger named Gallandro.
Sounds good, doesn't it? It is, but there's more.
If you like Han Solo as he is meant to be, you will love Brian Daley’s Chewbacca. Forget the cuddly oversized puppy dog, this Chewie is the Wookie of legend -– a furry behemoth who really is capable of pulling people's arms out of their sockets. He is a kick-ass first, don’t bother asking questions kinda Wookie, and it is easy to believe that he’d be an intimidating character hovering over Han’s shoulder.
So if you want a Han Solo tale that tells it like it was, that offers Han as he was meant to be, Han Solo’s Revenge is for you. And if you think it is better that Greedo shoots first you need to stay away, and I am sorry, but there is no cure for your affliction.
We've a bar full of "scum and villainy" in a desert town with some swaggering Federales (a.k.a. Stormtroopers). We've the big, mute(-ish) sidekick. We've local hicks seeking out a gun-for-hire. And we've a bounty hunter about to bring our pseudo-hero in alive (somewhere), or dead if necessary.
So our gunslinger leans back in his chair, preps his gun, and casually and remorselessly blows away the bounty hunter. The archetype is clear. Han Solo is a "space cowboy."
There's still some of that in Empire Strikes Back, yet he's already a bit more like Shane -- the retired and reluctant gunslinger -- and it's pretty much all gone by the time he's out of carbon freeze in Return of the Jedi.
Never fear, though, space cowboy, gunslinging, bad ass Han Solo is still on full magnificent display in 1979's Han Solo's Revenge, and thanks to Brian Daley's robust telling, Han gets to wear the cowboy as a second skin.
Solo shows off his piloting (riding) skills in a couple of breathtaking chases. He gets into some dirty-fighting hand-to-hand combat, dishing out bites and head butts whenever required. And he even winds up in a duel (which ends in a nice little twist) with a classic, moustachioed interstellar gunslinger named Gallandro.
Sounds good, doesn't it? It is, but there's more.
If you like Han Solo as he is meant to be, you will love Brian Daley’s Chewbacca. Forget the cuddly oversized puppy dog, this Chewie is the Wookie of legend -– a furry behemoth who really is capable of pulling people's arms out of their sockets. He is a kick-ass first, don’t bother asking questions kinda Wookie, and it is easy to believe that he’d be an intimidating character hovering over Han’s shoulder.
So if you want a Han Solo tale that tells it like it was, that offers Han as he was meant to be, Han Solo’s Revenge is for you. And if you think it is better that Greedo shoots first you need to stay away, and I am sorry, but there is no cure for your affliction.
February 9, 2021
Early Star Wars story.
September 12, 2025
This is the second of three Han Solo novels that Daley wrote for Del Rey books. It was published in 1979, and the mass market edition hit the stands just about the same time that The Empire Strikes Back opened in theatres. At the time there were less than a handful of Star Wars books of any kind available, so Daley was pretty free to create as he chose. His Chewie is a badass who pulls peoples' arms out of their sockets upon occasion and his Han shot first, not their later watered-down iterations. In this one he gets involved with the slave trade but does the right thing for the side of freedom even though he still looks to get paid. Han works well on his own, before he met the other iconic characters, and he's a smug and happy-go-lucky man of action who'd have given Captain Future himself a good run for his money. (He and Chewie dint need no stinkin' Force.) It's a quick read, packed with action and adventure, worth an extra bucket of popcorn with extra butter all on its own.
June 24, 2021
I have to admit these early Han Solo novels have decent plots. They aren't just thrown together space fights as they have twists, turns and surprises along with some humor and plenty of action.
Han Solo finds himself unwittingly involved in the slave trade, and then things just build from there. One thing I noted in my review of the first novel in the series is that due to the fact these novels came so early (right after A New Hope and well before The Empire Strikes Back) we didn't get a lot of familiar Star Wars planets and races as the Star Wars world was still being built, so to speak. The writer did a good job of creating his own Star Wars universe and really at no point did it not feel like a Star Wars novel. Honestly, the lack of continuity backlog probably helped these stories as you never feel bogged down in information as is the case with some of the later Star Wars novels with the weird Jedi names and long histories being referenced.
If you prefer your Star Wars novels a little on the lighter side without some of the "hard sci fi" feel of later novels, this series is for you. And as always, Han Solo is arguably the coolest hero in the Star Wars universe. (Some would argue Lando, and Luke has the force, but still, it's hard to beat Han.)
Han Solo finds himself unwittingly involved in the slave trade, and then things just build from there. One thing I noted in my review of the first novel in the series is that due to the fact these novels came so early (right after A New Hope and well before The Empire Strikes Back) we didn't get a lot of familiar Star Wars planets and races as the Star Wars world was still being built, so to speak. The writer did a good job of creating his own Star Wars universe and really at no point did it not feel like a Star Wars novel. Honestly, the lack of continuity backlog probably helped these stories as you never feel bogged down in information as is the case with some of the later Star Wars novels with the weird Jedi names and long histories being referenced.
If you prefer your Star Wars novels a little on the lighter side without some of the "hard sci fi" feel of later novels, this series is for you. And as always, Han Solo is arguably the coolest hero in the Star Wars universe. (Some would argue Lando, and Luke has the force, but still, it's hard to beat Han.)
June 5, 2018
The first two-thirds of this early "Star Wars"novel comprises some of the best sci-fi storytelling I've ever experienced reading a Lucasverse book...this is proper, sprawling, old school science fiction. The final third is a bit more disappointing, as the setting and characters become less interesting, and the ending seems rather sudden. But I'm incline to be generous, especially as Brian Daley provides the best characterization of Han Solo I have ever read. That alone pushes the final rating to four stars.
September 29, 2021
This trilogy is more about the pew pew than about anything fundamentally interesting or profound about Han Solo's backstory, but it does have tons of Chewie&Han friendship and the occasional nuggets of character insight. They're not incredibly interesting to me, but they're not too long.
I want to thank Brian for providing the mental image of Han Solo wearing a sweatband!
I want to thank Brian for providing the mental image of Han Solo wearing a sweatband!
January 3, 2026
This was surprisingly enjoyable, better than the first one. Twists and turns, and Chewie gets a lot to do. It’s a lot of fun, just knowing that this is created basically out of nothing. If they ever made an early han solo series, this would be a good story to adapt.
October 13, 2010
I don't know how Brian Daly got involved in writing a series of prequel books featuring the adventures of Han Solo and his wookie partner but he was the perfect man for the job. Each of these books is distinguished by fast paced action, snappy dialog and old fashioned cliffhanger plotting to keep the reader interested.
July 2, 2018
I continue to be impressed with this trilogy, especially considering how long ago it was written. Any single chapter of this book contains more fun, more excitement, and more pure STAR WARS than the entire 2-hour running time of Disney's SOLO. Why Disney decided to start over from scratch instead of licensing some of these old novels is completely beyond me.
HAN SOLO'S REVENGE is almost good as Book #1 of the trilogy, except for the fact that the story threads don't tie together very well at the end. There's also a distinct lack of revenge, title be damned.
I also could have lived without the part where Chewie uses a pterodactyl's corpse as a hang glider. But whatever.
Minor criticisms aside, Brain Daley was obviously the perfect choice to be writing the Han Solo character and expanding the STAR WARS universe back in 1979 while fans waited for a follow-up to A NEW HOPE. This book is everything that a Han Solo standalone adventure should be, not to mention a great way to further build upon the events of HAN SOLO AT STAR'S END.
HAN SOLO'S REVENGE is almost good as Book #1 of the trilogy, except for the fact that the story threads don't tie together very well at the end. There's also a distinct lack of revenge, title be damned.
I also could have lived without the part where Chewie uses a pterodactyl's corpse as a hang glider. But whatever.
Minor criticisms aside, Brain Daley was obviously the perfect choice to be writing the Han Solo character and expanding the STAR WARS universe back in 1979 while fans waited for a follow-up to A NEW HOPE. This book is everything that a Han Solo standalone adventure should be, not to mention a great way to further build upon the events of HAN SOLO AT STAR'S END.
January 7, 2020
I read this way back when I first discovered the original EU, but in a three-in-one paperback. I was able to scoff this original hardcover from a library book sale, so it seemed a good time to give it a re-read.
I didn't really remember much at all... the droids seemed vaguely familiar, but that's about it. It's about what you'd expect in a pastiche (now that I know what they are, this clearly is one).
This was the 'birth' of the Corporate Sector in Star Wars mythos, which was used in some later EU stuff, but I don't think ever got mentioned in any of the movie or the new Disney canon. It always seemed a bit weird to me that there was this huge area outside the Empire, but it sure is a great place to put Han and Chewie for some smuggling adventures.
While there's nothing earth-shattering here, Han and Chewie are nicely in character, and it's a quick, fun story.
I didn't really remember much at all... the droids seemed vaguely familiar, but that's about it. It's about what you'd expect in a pastiche (now that I know what they are, this clearly is one).
This was the 'birth' of the Corporate Sector in Star Wars mythos, which was used in some later EU stuff, but I don't think ever got mentioned in any of the movie or the new Disney canon. It always seemed a bit weird to me that there was this huge area outside the Empire, but it sure is a great place to put Han and Chewie for some smuggling adventures.
While there's nothing earth-shattering here, Han and Chewie are nicely in character, and it's a quick, fun story.
August 23, 2023
Meh. Things started off with a bang, but then slumped into a really tedious sag through much of the middle, so much so that I felt very little motivation to actually finish. However, Daley turned it around and finished with a flourish: a tight, surprisingly elegant conclusion.
Also, the title is misleading. This isn't so much Solo's Revenge as "Solo's Nagging Until He Gets Paid", though I guess that's not nearly as catchy.
Also, the title is misleading. This isn't so much Solo's Revenge as "Solo's Nagging Until He Gets Paid", though I guess that's not nearly as catchy.
July 24, 2018
Honestly this felt more like Han Solo than any recent novel I have read that included him within. (Chuck Wendig I am looking at you). This novel just seems to capture that awesome sci-fi feel and a feel of "anything can happen" as it was published before Lucasfilm strictly controlled the stories published. A great blast from the past.
March 3, 2021
Once again, Mr. Daley scores a hit on his endeavors to enlarge the lore surrounding Han Solo. Some have compared this to a Western style novel, and I can see the resemblance in many areas. The villain Gallandro is a Lee Van Cleef style of bad guy, and has become a sort of personal favorite villain for me in the Sci-Fi world. The storyline is reasonable and action packed, and Han lives up to his "real" persona of being a shady smuggler with a heart.
This is no Disney approved plot and thank God! It is vastly better than any of the last 3 movies to be honest... though that is not saying much. Chewie is given more attention in this book too, which was nice.
This childhood book of mine was a nice read and has me longing for the days of when you could look forward to the next Star Wars movie (more than 20 years ago). I think anyone who loves the original trio of movies would greatly enjoy a dive into this book. Solid 4 Stars.
This is no Disney approved plot and thank God! It is vastly better than any of the last 3 movies to be honest... though that is not saying much. Chewie is given more attention in this book too, which was nice.
This childhood book of mine was a nice read and has me longing for the days of when you could look forward to the next Star Wars movie (more than 20 years ago). I think anyone who loves the original trio of movies would greatly enjoy a dive into this book. Solid 4 Stars.
December 13, 2021
One of the main characters is a droid called 'Bollux'.
November 11, 2022
In de Nederlandse versie van dit boek hebben ze "Chewbacca" vertaalt in "Pruimtabak" en "Blaster" in "Spuitpistool" en dat vind ik zeer vervloekt.
May 10, 2018
It was okay. Nice short fun little romp with Han and Chewie.
November 15, 2022
Very good star wars book. Loyal to the universe and its rules. I found it paced very well, just like a blockbuster movie and I think Hollywood could make it into the next Solo movie.
Would recommend!
Would recommend!
December 9, 2022
Tricked into transporting slaves and throwing away the charter because of it, Han Solo is chased by informants, romanced by a mysterious woman, separated from Chewbacca, and confronted by a deadly threat to his life.
I’m a long time coming to this second book in the Han Solo trilogy from 1979 (Daley also wrote the Star Wars radio show, but wasn’t allowed to mention Luke Skywalker in these novels so they’re completely standalone). I’ve had the trilogy on my shelf for more than twenty years but it was the chance purchase of this single volume that made me give it a go - I’m a massive Star Wars fan but don’t generally read sci-fi - and I’m really pleased I did. It’s briskly told, the world building is precise and uncluttered and the story is a good one, with plenty of action and twists and turns. Solo and Chewie are well drawn and so is the supporting cast, especially Fiolla and it amused me no end that the robot Zollux is renamed from the American editions (where he’s called Bollux). A cracking read, I’d thoroughly recommend this.
I’m a long time coming to this second book in the Han Solo trilogy from 1979 (Daley also wrote the Star Wars radio show, but wasn’t allowed to mention Luke Skywalker in these novels so they’re completely standalone). I’ve had the trilogy on my shelf for more than twenty years but it was the chance purchase of this single volume that made me give it a go - I’m a massive Star Wars fan but don’t generally read sci-fi - and I’m really pleased I did. It’s briskly told, the world building is precise and uncluttered and the story is a good one, with plenty of action and twists and turns. Solo and Chewie are well drawn and so is the supporting cast, especially Fiolla and it amused me no end that the robot Zollux is renamed from the American editions (where he’s called Bollux). A cracking read, I’d thoroughly recommend this.
June 14, 2020
The cover of this book looks like a record album. Chewbacca probably played the keytar. Han Solo sang and jumped into the crowd and also he sang poorly. Sometimes his pants would rip and you could see his junk pressing against his sheer space underwear. But this book isn't about Han Solo's new wave space band. It is about Han Solo getting revenge. And even though I finished this book, I don't know if he got it. I'm not even sure who he was getting revenge on. If he was getting revenge on Zlarb the slaver then the book was over in the first few chapters.
That isn't a spoiler because I don't think spoilers count if they're about stuff that happens in the first few chapters. Unless you're the kind of person who thinks the synopsis on the back of the book is also a spoiler. Then fair point, mate. I just spoiled this book.
One chapter is just an entire chapter of Chewbacca acting like MacGyver except more gross. He turns the corpse of a flying lizard into a hang glider with the help of some surveying equipment. The chapter wasn't as exciting as it would have been in the movie of this book; it just made me think, "Brian Daley really knows a lot of hang-glider vocabulary. He must really be into hang-gliding."
I suppose not every chapter has to be completely relevant to the revenge plot (although during the chapter where the entire mystery is explained by the sentient otter, we learn why this chapter was included). Some times when Garfield sits around hating Mondays, I just enjoy the cynical resentment of an arbitrary day of the week and I don't complain that Garfield isn't moving the plot. So I guess that's a good defense for the Chewbacca hang-gliding from a corpse chapter. Although that sentence is also a good defense for that chapter. Why wasn't that scene in the movie "Solo"?
That isn't a spoiler because I don't think spoilers count if they're about stuff that happens in the first few chapters. Unless you're the kind of person who thinks the synopsis on the back of the book is also a spoiler. Then fair point, mate. I just spoiled this book.
One chapter is just an entire chapter of Chewbacca acting like MacGyver except more gross. He turns the corpse of a flying lizard into a hang glider with the help of some surveying equipment. The chapter wasn't as exciting as it would have been in the movie of this book; it just made me think, "Brian Daley really knows a lot of hang-glider vocabulary. He must really be into hang-gliding."
I suppose not every chapter has to be completely relevant to the revenge plot (although during the chapter where the entire mystery is explained by the sentient otter, we learn why this chapter was included). Some times when Garfield sits around hating Mondays, I just enjoy the cynical resentment of an arbitrary day of the week and I don't complain that Garfield isn't moving the plot. So I guess that's a good defense for the Chewbacca hang-gliding from a corpse chapter. Although that sentence is also a good defense for that chapter. Why wasn't that scene in the movie "Solo"?
August 29, 2016
So, immediately after reading I gave the book 3 stars, but as is generally my habit waited to write this review till I had some time to digest things and think about what I wanted to write. Unfortunately perhaps for "Han Solo's Revenge", I immediately started reading Dune following this. Now, while I do my absolute damndest to judge everything within the context of it's own genre and it's author's intent, meaning that I don't think it's even remotely fair to compare something like this book to anything written by Shakespeare or Dickens for instance, as the various authors set out to accomplish very different goals in my opinion, I don't think I'm cheating the readers of this review by judging this against something like "Dune". And boy does it fall short. So the long and short of it is that I changed my original 3 stars to 2 stars. My sincerest apologies Brian Daley, but you just don't stack up.
All that being said, I think this one was far better than the first novel in the series, "Han Solo at Star's End". That book may have been the most mindlessly boring, poorly written drivel I've ever read. The only reason I stuck it out and read the sequel is because I'm slightly OCD when it comes to such things in that once I start a book or series it will bug the hell out of me if I don't finish it, irrespective of how terrible it is. So, like I said, much better than the first in the series. The ancillary characters were a little more fleshed out, and as a result you cared about them a wee bit more. The plot wasn't quite as silly, and the character's motives were far more in line with what we would expect from the Han Solo that Lucas gave us in the original film. Also, it was a blessedly short and fast read, allowing me to not feel like i was wasting too much of my limited reading time.
But as I said, I've started "Dune" prior to writing this review, and wow is the quality of the writing glaringly poor comparatively. I suppose the best way to put it is a lack of sophistication with Daley's writing, very unpolished, as if he either churned these out quickly to meet a deadline perhaps, or just hadn't had much writing experience to this point. Although I suppose it's also possible that these books were intended for a younger audience, in which case I'm probably being very unfair to the author, and if that is the case I apologize to him and the readers of this review that may be misled. If the books are intended for a young teenage audience then the writing style is likely right on target. It's fast paced with almost no extraneous prose that would allow someone with a short attention span to space out while reading.
So I guess to wrap things up, I'll not change my 2 star rating, but as I said, if the books are intended for a young audience, then it's probably deserving of 3 1/2 stars. Definitely no more than that though, as I've certainly read plenty of other novels targeted at that age group that were far better written.
All that being said, I think this one was far better than the first novel in the series, "Han Solo at Star's End". That book may have been the most mindlessly boring, poorly written drivel I've ever read. The only reason I stuck it out and read the sequel is because I'm slightly OCD when it comes to such things in that once I start a book or series it will bug the hell out of me if I don't finish it, irrespective of how terrible it is. So, like I said, much better than the first in the series. The ancillary characters were a little more fleshed out, and as a result you cared about them a wee bit more. The plot wasn't quite as silly, and the character's motives were far more in line with what we would expect from the Han Solo that Lucas gave us in the original film. Also, it was a blessedly short and fast read, allowing me to not feel like i was wasting too much of my limited reading time.
But as I said, I've started "Dune" prior to writing this review, and wow is the quality of the writing glaringly poor comparatively. I suppose the best way to put it is a lack of sophistication with Daley's writing, very unpolished, as if he either churned these out quickly to meet a deadline perhaps, or just hadn't had much writing experience to this point. Although I suppose it's also possible that these books were intended for a younger audience, in which case I'm probably being very unfair to the author, and if that is the case I apologize to him and the readers of this review that may be misled. If the books are intended for a young teenage audience then the writing style is likely right on target. It's fast paced with almost no extraneous prose that would allow someone with a short attention span to space out while reading.
So I guess to wrap things up, I'll not change my 2 star rating, but as I said, if the books are intended for a young audience, then it's probably deserving of 3 1/2 stars. Definitely no more than that though, as I've certainly read plenty of other novels targeted at that age group that were far better written.
July 14, 2019
Released after Star Wars but before Empire Strikes Back, this was the second of three tie-in novels that Brian Daley wrote about the adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca before the events of the first film. Han accepts a job to smuggle unknown cargo for 10,000 credits, but then he refuses to cooperate when he learns it is actually a group of captured slaves. He is able to free them and, figuring someone still owes him money, he sets about tracking down the slaver network.
Nothing about this novel is executed well. There is too much technobabble. Pacing is erratic. There is no connection to the larger mythology of the movies other than a few fleeting references to the Empire, Clone Wars, and Jedi Order. No one uses the Force. There are no lightsaber battles.
The only time this Han character really feels like Han from the movie is one scene where his female companion refuses to give him gambling money; he tells her she would have had plenty of money to spare if she hadn't insisted on separate sleeping accommodations.
The book also feels very deliberately episodic; the formula is that each chapter ends on an action scene--shootouts, chases, space pirate battles, duels, knife fights, and fisticuff brawls.
There is a chase scene on swoop bikes that reminded me of the speeder bikes on Endor in Return of the Jedi. As far as I can tell, Daley invented this vehicle, and it has since become a staple in the movies and the Expanded Universe books, comics, and television shows.
This is not my first time trying to read this book. I distinctly recall checking it out from the Leeds Public Library in 5th grade (approximately 33 years ago) and not getting much past the first chapter. After all these years, I had to google the title and author. What I actually remember is the cover of the 1st hardcover edition, which shows an oddly blue-eyed Chewbacca glaring against a vivid orange background, while Han aims his blaster at the reader.
When I was a young kid, I had the bad habit of stopping midway through books, usually the first time I hit upon a boring stretch of exposition. In high school, I replaced this habit with the slightly more ludicrous one of never leaving any book unfinished, even after I lose all interest.
Nine years ago, I wrote down all the books I had abandoned partially read in grade school. I've been slowly going back to complete them. This has motivated me to finish a number of classics-- David Copperfield, Robinson Crusoe, Around the World in 80 Days, and Last of the Mohicans. Han Solo's Revenge may not have been worth the effort to complete, but now I can say I have only failed to reach the end of one book in my life. (Unfortunately, its title, author, and plot seem beyond my recall, only a few scenes, so it's unlikely I'll be able to track it down).
Nothing about this novel is executed well. There is too much technobabble. Pacing is erratic. There is no connection to the larger mythology of the movies other than a few fleeting references to the Empire, Clone Wars, and Jedi Order. No one uses the Force. There are no lightsaber battles.
The only time this Han character really feels like Han from the movie is one scene where his female companion refuses to give him gambling money; he tells her she would have had plenty of money to spare if she hadn't insisted on separate sleeping accommodations.
The book also feels very deliberately episodic; the formula is that each chapter ends on an action scene--shootouts, chases, space pirate battles, duels, knife fights, and fisticuff brawls.
There is a chase scene on swoop bikes that reminded me of the speeder bikes on Endor in Return of the Jedi. As far as I can tell, Daley invented this vehicle, and it has since become a staple in the movies and the Expanded Universe books, comics, and television shows.
This is not my first time trying to read this book. I distinctly recall checking it out from the Leeds Public Library in 5th grade (approximately 33 years ago) and not getting much past the first chapter. After all these years, I had to google the title and author. What I actually remember is the cover of the 1st hardcover edition, which shows an oddly blue-eyed Chewbacca glaring against a vivid orange background, while Han aims his blaster at the reader.
When I was a young kid, I had the bad habit of stopping midway through books, usually the first time I hit upon a boring stretch of exposition. In high school, I replaced this habit with the slightly more ludicrous one of never leaving any book unfinished, even after I lose all interest.
Nine years ago, I wrote down all the books I had abandoned partially read in grade school. I've been slowly going back to complete them. This has motivated me to finish a number of classics-- David Copperfield, Robinson Crusoe, Around the World in 80 Days, and Last of the Mohicans. Han Solo's Revenge may not have been worth the effort to complete, but now I can say I have only failed to reach the end of one book in my life. (Unfortunately, its title, author, and plot seem beyond my recall, only a few scenes, so it's unlikely I'll be able to track it down).
October 25, 2019
Ok. This one is tricky. I realize the nostalgia that many people have when reading this book. I really feels like classic sci-fi with Star Wars characters. The basic concept is you could take Han, Chewie, and the Falcon and change the names and it would be a typical 60s or 70s Sci-Fi book. The only reason that this book works is because it rely's on the readers love of Han Solo as a character and the desire to simply want more of him.
While character tends to be something that I care for more in books than action and adventure, Han Solo has always been the least interesting of the original 3(I know, that's backwards, but he just is). Therefore, the primary reason that this book resonates with most people is the reason it doesn't resonate with me.
The opening concept of Han Solo not wanting to haul slaves is an interesting one. The concept of Han wanting revenge is also interesting and evokes an almost western style of trope. Even the concept of him tag-teaming with a government employee who's at times more rational than Han is also interesting. The problem is the excecution.
Daley suffered from a lack of information when he wrote this. All he had was the first film and some basic ideas about Empire Strikes Back. He wrote Han Solo at Star's End(which I also didn't care for, but is a much better book) making the only the third piece of literature to draw from in 1979.
The style that Del Rey used is different from the other paperbacks that they started issuing from 1999 on and therefore seemed odd to me. I had trouble focusing on the reading because of how odd the style of the text was(though that is no knock against Brian Daley so I won't hold it against him).
If Daley had more time and more information then he could have made some really impressive storytelling. However, because he had a mandate to write a trilogy of books to be released before Empire released, his writing seems to blend in with all other generic science fiction storytelling. I'm sad to say this because so many people I know have such fond memories of this book series because it was the only thing beside the Lando books during the darkest of the "Dark Times".
Therefore, based off of my assessment of the book, I would give Daley a 5.8 out of 10(which normally would be 4.8 but it gets a 1 point nostalgia point bonus, making it a "positive" review)[3 out of 5 for Goodreads].
While character tends to be something that I care for more in books than action and adventure, Han Solo has always been the least interesting of the original 3(I know, that's backwards, but he just is). Therefore, the primary reason that this book resonates with most people is the reason it doesn't resonate with me.
The opening concept of Han Solo not wanting to haul slaves is an interesting one. The concept of Han wanting revenge is also interesting and evokes an almost western style of trope. Even the concept of him tag-teaming with a government employee who's at times more rational than Han is also interesting. The problem is the excecution.
Daley suffered from a lack of information when he wrote this. All he had was the first film and some basic ideas about Empire Strikes Back. He wrote Han Solo at Star's End(which I also didn't care for, but is a much better book) making the only the third piece of literature to draw from in 1979.
The style that Del Rey used is different from the other paperbacks that they started issuing from 1999 on and therefore seemed odd to me. I had trouble focusing on the reading because of how odd the style of the text was(though that is no knock against Brian Daley so I won't hold it against him).
If Daley had more time and more information then he could have made some really impressive storytelling. However, because he had a mandate to write a trilogy of books to be released before Empire released, his writing seems to blend in with all other generic science fiction storytelling. I'm sad to say this because so many people I know have such fond memories of this book series because it was the only thing beside the Lando books during the darkest of the "Dark Times".
Therefore, based off of my assessment of the book, I would give Daley a 5.8 out of 10(which normally would be 4.8 but it gets a 1 point nostalgia point bonus, making it a "positive" review)[3 out of 5 for Goodreads].
July 17, 2017
Han Solo at Stars’ End was an entertaining, if flawed, novel, though it was much better than L. Neil Smith’s Adventures of Lando Calrissian. For one, Daley has a better understanding of the characters he’s writing; for another, the story feels like it belongs in the Expanded Universe, while Smith’s novels felt like they had been retconned to fit in with Star Wars. One thing I have to credit both authors with is the lightheartedness of some of the scenes; so many of the EU novels take themselves so seriously it’s hard to imagine there being any “walking carpet” scenes in them, but Smith and Daley both made sure to include them.
Han Solo’s Revenge is a slightly better story than Stars’ End, thanks to Daley giving us more depth to Han Solo and Chewbacca. Han is most remembered as a rogue, a miscreant, a space cowboy, but his character arc in the movies makes him very much a hero. Daley chooses to examine Han’s penchant for lawlessness, making him much more a man who does work for payment instead of morality. This isn’t to say he’s remorseless or without a moral compass, but we see more of that side than we do in the movies. True to the movies, though, Chewbacca is the more moral of the two characters, driving Han to do the right thing even when he’s reluctant. It suggests that the longer the two hang around each other, the more heroic Han will become. It segues well into the stories of the movies.
One thing I like about Daley’s books is he pays attention to the kinds of details usually important to science fiction, but overlooked in the Star Wars universe, like planetary gravity and atmosphere. They change from one planet to another, and the characters note the need for breathing gear or lighter steps. This is a big plus for me. I’ve grown accustomed to Star Wars eschewing these necessities, but it’s nice when an author gives it its proper due.
While I wouldn’t put Daley’s books in a top ten list of EU novels, they’re still solid reads. I’d place them a little beneath A.C. Crispin’s take on Han’s earlier life, but they do give us additional insight into Han as a character. For that, I’d recommend them to readers looking to learn more about a character they already love.
Han Solo’s Revenge is a slightly better story than Stars’ End, thanks to Daley giving us more depth to Han Solo and Chewbacca. Han is most remembered as a rogue, a miscreant, a space cowboy, but his character arc in the movies makes him very much a hero. Daley chooses to examine Han’s penchant for lawlessness, making him much more a man who does work for payment instead of morality. This isn’t to say he’s remorseless or without a moral compass, but we see more of that side than we do in the movies. True to the movies, though, Chewbacca is the more moral of the two characters, driving Han to do the right thing even when he’s reluctant. It suggests that the longer the two hang around each other, the more heroic Han will become. It segues well into the stories of the movies.
One thing I like about Daley’s books is he pays attention to the kinds of details usually important to science fiction, but overlooked in the Star Wars universe, like planetary gravity and atmosphere. They change from one planet to another, and the characters note the need for breathing gear or lighter steps. This is a big plus for me. I’ve grown accustomed to Star Wars eschewing these necessities, but it’s nice when an author gives it its proper due.
While I wouldn’t put Daley’s books in a top ten list of EU novels, they’re still solid reads. I’d place them a little beneath A.C. Crispin’s take on Han’s earlier life, but they do give us additional insight into Han as a character. For that, I’d recommend them to readers looking to learn more about a character they already love.
November 28, 2017
to be honest, it's more of a 2.5.
Taking place before "A New Hope" Han and Chewie have found themselves in need of a job and take the first one that comes along, not bothering to ask too many details. It's only after taking on the cargo that they learn it's the one thing they won't do... transport slaves.
They take matters into their own hands and find themselves still being owed LOTS of needed money, so they go seeking the ones who arranged the deal in the first place. Causing them some rather uncomfortable entanglements with the regional Powers-That-Be.
This is the 2nd book in a trilogy. I did not know that when I picked up the book, and frankly you don't need to have read the first one to read this one. I had issues. It was slow to start and I found myself constantly going "that's not how Han would react" or "what kind of description is that for Chewbacca's language?" I found myself having to constantly remind myself that this book was written between the release of "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back" and here I am, almost 30 years after the book was written upset that it was not following cannon or even established fandom that hadn't come yet, so the character issues I had were all my own and once I managed to remind myself that was the case, the characterizations were tolerable.
Taking place before "A New Hope" Han and Chewie have found themselves in need of a job and take the first one that comes along, not bothering to ask too many details. It's only after taking on the cargo that they learn it's the one thing they won't do... transport slaves.
They take matters into their own hands and find themselves still being owed LOTS of needed money, so they go seeking the ones who arranged the deal in the first place. Causing them some rather uncomfortable entanglements with the regional Powers-That-Be.
This is the 2nd book in a trilogy. I did not know that when I picked up the book, and frankly you don't need to have read the first one to read this one. I had issues. It was slow to start and I found myself constantly going "that's not how Han would react" or "what kind of description is that for Chewbacca's language?" I found myself having to constantly remind myself that this book was written between the release of "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back" and here I am, almost 30 years after the book was written upset that it was not following cannon or even established fandom that hadn't come yet, so the character issues I had were all my own and once I managed to remind myself that was the case, the characterizations were tolerable.
May 23, 2018
I'm kinda torn on this book. Daley uses such convoluted vocabulary that the writing comes out very dense, and the book took me FOREVERRRRR to read (for me anyway; over a week for a 200 page book). His characterization of Han (particularly in dialogue) seems less "on" to me than Timothy Zahn's, although I suspect there are childhood readers of these books that might fight me on that.
I did like the general plot. I appreciated that there was a female character involved who did a decent job of holding her own and had her own motivations. I also really appreciated getting some scenes of Chewie doing technical work and demonstrating those skills we all know he has.
Biggest pet peeve: the words he uses to describe Chewbacca's speech. "Chewie gobbled at Han" sounds so wrong. He is not a 7 foot turkey.
I did like the general plot. I appreciated that there was a female character involved who did a decent job of holding her own and had her own motivations. I also really appreciated getting some scenes of Chewie doing technical work and demonstrating those skills we all know he has.
Biggest pet peeve: the words he uses to describe Chewbacca's speech. "Chewie gobbled at Han" sounds so wrong. He is not a 7 foot turkey.
May 23, 2018
"Life’s a banquet."
Honestly, I liked this a LITTLE more than Han Solo at Stars' End, but not much. There are a LOT of new alien races to take in here. And while the one side of me is like, "Cool!" the other side is like, "What... what? I need a visual reference guide. I am confused."
But, more Han Solo adventure, more aliens, more women (well, woman), more Chewie, more hijinks. So it's pretty much what I expect.
Sidebar: Space pirate Han Solo going after slavers so strongly reminds me of Firefly's Malcom Reynolds, yes?
Honestly, I liked this a LITTLE more than Han Solo at Stars' End, but not much. There are a LOT of new alien races to take in here. And while the one side of me is like, "Cool!" the other side is like, "What... what? I need a visual reference guide. I am confused."
But, more Han Solo adventure, more aliens, more women (well, woman), more Chewie, more hijinks. So it's pretty much what I expect.
Sidebar: Space pirate Han Solo going after slavers so strongly reminds me of Firefly's Malcom Reynolds, yes?
November 27, 2018
I was going to say this is better than the first in the trilogy, but I read my review of Stars' End and apparently it was better, lol. Neither of them are all that memorable. Ok enough adventure story, Han does draw the line for taking money at hauling slaves, is a good guy at heart, yada yada. Supporting characters fairly flat, although the robots are always cool. Only for diehard fans, this one. Doesn't do much to advance Solo's or Chewie's characters other than showing similar qualities to other books.
April 18, 2017
Not a bad story but it's one that doesn't really have much to do with the Star Wars universe. Outside of Han, Chewie and the Falcon this could've easily been a Sci fi book about any space pilot. Still it was good enough that I'd read the other two books by Daley if I can track them down.
August 30, 2012
Worth reading for Star Wars fans.
July 24, 2013
Good pre-Star Wars tale. Very readable with a good bit of action and suspense.
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