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Star Wars: The Corellian Trilogy #1 - 3
The Corellian Trilogy
Book by Roger McBride Allen
Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
7 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Roger MacBride Allen
55 books102 followersRoger MacBride Allen is a US science fiction author of the Corellian Trilogy, consisting of Ambush at Corellia, Assault at Selonia, and Showdown at Centerpoint. He was born on September 26, 1957 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He grew up in Washington D.C. and graduated from Boston University in 1979. The author of a dozen science-fiction novels, he lived in Washington D.C., for many years. In July 1994, he married Eleanre Fox, a member of the U.S. Foreign Service. Her current assignment takes them to Brasilia, Brazil, where they lived from 2007 to 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 14, 2020
I truly think that this trilogy is every bit as good as the Thrawn Trilogy... maybe even better.
The Corellian Trilogy does for Han Solo what the Thrawn Trilogy did for Luke Skywalker. It shows that his character has grown. Lesser writers have treated Han Solo as perpetually the same character audiences first met in the Mos Eisley cantina in A New Hope. That is a bad way to write Han. He hasn't just turned respectable, he believes in the things he fights for. He is a different man.
That is why I love the idea of sending Han back to his home planet of Corellia. He gets to see the life he left behind, and the villain presents a foil to his character that makes him see the life that could have been. Moreover, you really get to see how much of a softy Han Solo really is at heart. Think of Corellia in this book as Gary Indiana or Flint Michigan, a once thriving manufacturing and trading center whose glory days are long past. Han feels nostalgic for the place and is genuinely sad for what is happening to it.
As far as Han's interactions with other characters... they are fantastic! We have to talk about Chewbacca, mad credit to Roger Allen for not just writing Chewbacca as a character that is just kind of there. No. Han and Chewbacca were partners, there are several scenes in the book where other characters think that there is trouble and Han is just like "nah, Chewie's got that." Moreover though, you understand that Chewie is Han's best friend. It ain't Lando. It ain't Luke. It's Chewie, and that really comes through in this book. Honestly, I think that Allen writes Chewbacca better than George Lucas.
Going on to the twins, I know the EU gets a bad rap for the twins being perpetually annoying. They really aren't in this book. Part of the book's charm is that none of Han's family really know anything about Han's past, so they get to peel off the layers as the book goes on. Jacen and Jaina have several scenes where they really feel like heirs of Solo. It is really cool. Anakin Solo is kind of interesting too.
Luke and Leia are serviceable in this book. They do typical Luke and Leia stuff. Mara Jade is here for some reason too, she doesn't really need to be, but they were probably gearing up for her relationship with Luke later on and needed more time with her and Luke together.
I will say that the stuff with Lando in the first book is somewhat tiresome. However, the payoff in the second and third books is worth it. I like the sweet, southern belle-esque nature of Tendra Resant, and I like the idea of Lando finally settling down.
Some of the new characters are good too. I liked Ebrihim and his droid Q9 especially. Q9 was actually some funny comic relief. Belindi Kalenda was interesting in the first book, but pushed to the side as time went on. Dracmus was awesome and alien in a way that hasn't ever really been explored in Star Wars. She doesn't feel like a human with fur, she feels like a real alien with a different society and customs. Hortel Osselege was great too.
In regards to plot, I really love this one. The first book is great because it sets up a compelling mystery while also having something meaningful to say about racism and how minority groups can be blamed for the majority's problems. The second book really does some great world building. Han's interactions with the Selonians are particularly interesting. The third book goes back to the racism element, and you get to see how fringe groups can be given more power in the interest of elitist goals (particularly pertinent in today's media-rich society).
If I could offer one critique, I think that the last book resolves too quickly. The first two books and much of the third build up to this epic ending, and it is over in ten pages. It felt very end-of-the-Hobbit to me. I would have loved a little more payoff. Also, there is a character suicide, and I really don't understand the logic for why the character thought that they had to kill themselves. I think if the surrounding final battle circumstances were more fleshed out, it would have made much more sense. Finally, as a nitpick, I don't like how the epilogue is told from Luke and Lando's perspectives. This was not their trilogy, it was Han's! It makes no sense why they get the last word. In the forward to the third book, Allen mentioned that he wrote the third one during an international move, so I understand how it could have gotten discombobulated, I just wish that it wasn't.
All in all, I love this series. I think that the Corellian sector is my favorite part of the Star Wars universe now. Why? Because more than Coruscant or Tatooine or any of the other Star Wars planets, I feel like I know the Corellian sector now. It is well worth the read my friends, and mad props to Roger Macbride Allen. You sir, rival Master Zahn.
The Corellian Trilogy does for Han Solo what the Thrawn Trilogy did for Luke Skywalker. It shows that his character has grown. Lesser writers have treated Han Solo as perpetually the same character audiences first met in the Mos Eisley cantina in A New Hope. That is a bad way to write Han. He hasn't just turned respectable, he believes in the things he fights for. He is a different man.
That is why I love the idea of sending Han back to his home planet of Corellia. He gets to see the life he left behind, and the villain presents a foil to his character that makes him see the life that could have been. Moreover, you really get to see how much of a softy Han Solo really is at heart. Think of Corellia in this book as Gary Indiana or Flint Michigan, a once thriving manufacturing and trading center whose glory days are long past. Han feels nostalgic for the place and is genuinely sad for what is happening to it.
As far as Han's interactions with other characters... they are fantastic! We have to talk about Chewbacca, mad credit to Roger Allen for not just writing Chewbacca as a character that is just kind of there. No. Han and Chewbacca were partners, there are several scenes in the book where other characters think that there is trouble and Han is just like "nah, Chewie's got that." Moreover though, you understand that Chewie is Han's best friend. It ain't Lando. It ain't Luke. It's Chewie, and that really comes through in this book. Honestly, I think that Allen writes Chewbacca better than George Lucas.
Going on to the twins, I know the EU gets a bad rap for the twins being perpetually annoying. They really aren't in this book. Part of the book's charm is that none of Han's family really know anything about Han's past, so they get to peel off the layers as the book goes on. Jacen and Jaina have several scenes where they really feel like heirs of Solo. It is really cool. Anakin Solo is kind of interesting too.
Luke and Leia are serviceable in this book. They do typical Luke and Leia stuff. Mara Jade is here for some reason too, she doesn't really need to be, but they were probably gearing up for her relationship with Luke later on and needed more time with her and Luke together.
I will say that the stuff with Lando in the first book is somewhat tiresome. However, the payoff in the second and third books is worth it. I like the sweet, southern belle-esque nature of Tendra Resant, and I like the idea of Lando finally settling down.
Some of the new characters are good too. I liked Ebrihim and his droid Q9 especially. Q9 was actually some funny comic relief. Belindi Kalenda was interesting in the first book, but pushed to the side as time went on. Dracmus was awesome and alien in a way that hasn't ever really been explored in Star Wars. She doesn't feel like a human with fur, she feels like a real alien with a different society and customs. Hortel Osselege was great too.
In regards to plot, I really love this one. The first book is great because it sets up a compelling mystery while also having something meaningful to say about racism and how minority groups can be blamed for the majority's problems. The second book really does some great world building. Han's interactions with the Selonians are particularly interesting. The third book goes back to the racism element, and you get to see how fringe groups can be given more power in the interest of elitist goals (particularly pertinent in today's media-rich society).
If I could offer one critique, I think that the last book resolves too quickly. The first two books and much of the third build up to this epic ending, and it is over in ten pages. It felt very end-of-the-Hobbit to me. I would have loved a little more payoff. Also, there is a character suicide, and I really don't understand the logic for why the character thought that they had to kill themselves. I think if the surrounding final battle circumstances were more fleshed out, it would have made much more sense. Finally, as a nitpick, I don't like how the epilogue is told from Luke and Lando's perspectives. This was not their trilogy, it was Han's! It makes no sense why they get the last word. In the forward to the third book, Allen mentioned that he wrote the third one during an international move, so I understand how it could have gotten discombobulated, I just wish that it wasn't.
All in all, I love this series. I think that the Corellian sector is my favorite part of the Star Wars universe now. Why? Because more than Coruscant or Tatooine or any of the other Star Wars planets, I feel like I know the Corellian sector now. It is well worth the read my friends, and mad props to Roger Macbride Allen. You sir, rival Master Zahn.
September 1, 2015
This trilogy is perhaps one of the most under-rated sets of books from the New Republic era of the Star Wars expanded universe. The action is consistent, the characters aren't annoying, and the stakes aren't astronomically high. I'll take this over that newfangled Legacy era garbage any day.
September 1, 2022
I had a very good time reading this book. Roger MacBride Allen is clearly a very talented science fiction author as well as being quite skilled with characterizations. I do not have much to say about this book that isn't good. I enjoyed it all the way through. I did not enjoy reading about the twins in the first two Jedi Academy books, but this trilogy had me liking them by he end.
The explorations of the Corellian Sector's culture and species was definitely one of the best parts for me. I'm always interested in the customs, unique biology, and interactions with each other and with other species. There is a plethora of such information in this trilogy. The Drall and the Selonians are fascinating and I loved seeing the humans being challenged in realistic ways to be more understanding of the behaviors and personalities of aliens.
The first book was full of a lot of details that initially seem confusing or pointless to mention, but that end up being a good setup for the culmination of the plot.
The explorations of the Corellian Sector's culture and species was definitely one of the best parts for me. I'm always interested in the customs, unique biology, and interactions with each other and with other species. There is a plethora of such information in this trilogy. The Drall and the Selonians are fascinating and I loved seeing the humans being challenged in realistic ways to be more understanding of the behaviors and personalities of aliens.
The first book was full of a lot of details that initially seem confusing or pointless to mention, but that end up being a good setup for the culmination of the plot.
June 27, 2018
I forgot how much I enjoyed these
books until re-reading them. Han, Leia. Luke. Lando, the twin, Anakin, Mara. Just fun all the way thru!!
Ambush at Corellia: A trade conference on Corellia. A chance to reopen up trade in the Corellian sector. Also a chance for Han, Leia, Chewie and the kids to take a family vacation to spend time on Corellia before the conference. If only it could be that easy.
Before they leave Coruscant Han is asked to be suspicious, be himself. NRI is having issues getting agents in and they hope that will help.
The family is fake attacked on the approach. The NRI agent is shot down on approach. The New Republic governor has his hands full. The humans, Dralls and Selonians aren’t getting along when they have for centuries. The kids find an odd machine buried deep in the ground while at an excavation site.
Meanwhile, Lando and Luke are off in search of a rich woman for Lando to marry before meeting up with everyone at the Trade Conference.
When all Hell breaks loose, Chewie takes the kids and the Falcon out of harms way, Han is off to meet his cousin who has just taken control of the sector and renounced the New Republic, Leia is left to try and sort everything out while Luke and Lando head for Coruscant and help.
Assault at Selonia: book two of this trilogy takes us right back to the action. Our heroes are spread out. After reporting back to Coruscant To only Akbar and Mon Mothma, Luke, Lando are sent to Bakura. The New Republic can’t get a task force together to send into Corellia, but the Bakurans can. And Luke know Gaerial and that could help.
Han and the Selonian Dracmas are rescued from the Human League. Using the tunnels under Corellia they eventually head off plant towards Selonia.
Leia and Mara escape from Corona House and also head to Selonia since they can’t agree on anywhere else.
The kids and Chewie are safe on Drall. However they find a similar archeological dig with the same hidden device. While they try to figure out what it is and how it works the others are all heading to a battle point. But why Selonia??
Showdown at Centerpoint is the finale of the trilogy. Centerpoint Station is a huge Station that sits between the double worlds of Talus and Tralus at the barycenter. It turns out this Station is the key. The key to the exploding stars, the repulsors that have been found on Corellia, Selonia and Drall. Anakin discovers how to work the Drall repulsor. But him, the twins and Chewie are taken hostage by Thracken Sal Solo. He shuts down the interdiction field and enables the comma to give Leia an ultimatum. Meanwhile Leia, Han and Mara are “guests” of the Selonians while they work to gain control of the repulsor from the Triad Selonians from Saccoria. The Saccorian fleet head to Centerpoint to meet in battle against the Bakurans. But can their 3 battleships win the day? Can the repulsors be brought under control so that the next blast from the Star buster won’t kill another system?
books until re-reading them. Han, Leia. Luke. Lando, the twin, Anakin, Mara. Just fun all the way thru!!
Ambush at Corellia: A trade conference on Corellia. A chance to reopen up trade in the Corellian sector. Also a chance for Han, Leia, Chewie and the kids to take a family vacation to spend time on Corellia before the conference. If only it could be that easy.
Before they leave Coruscant Han is asked to be suspicious, be himself. NRI is having issues getting agents in and they hope that will help.
The family is fake attacked on the approach. The NRI agent is shot down on approach. The New Republic governor has his hands full. The humans, Dralls and Selonians aren’t getting along when they have for centuries. The kids find an odd machine buried deep in the ground while at an excavation site.
Meanwhile, Lando and Luke are off in search of a rich woman for Lando to marry before meeting up with everyone at the Trade Conference.
When all Hell breaks loose, Chewie takes the kids and the Falcon out of harms way, Han is off to meet his cousin who has just taken control of the sector and renounced the New Republic, Leia is left to try and sort everything out while Luke and Lando head for Coruscant and help.
Assault at Selonia: book two of this trilogy takes us right back to the action. Our heroes are spread out. After reporting back to Coruscant To only Akbar and Mon Mothma, Luke, Lando are sent to Bakura. The New Republic can’t get a task force together to send into Corellia, but the Bakurans can. And Luke know Gaerial and that could help.
Han and the Selonian Dracmas are rescued from the Human League. Using the tunnels under Corellia they eventually head off plant towards Selonia.
Leia and Mara escape from Corona House and also head to Selonia since they can’t agree on anywhere else.
The kids and Chewie are safe on Drall. However they find a similar archeological dig with the same hidden device. While they try to figure out what it is and how it works the others are all heading to a battle point. But why Selonia??
Showdown at Centerpoint is the finale of the trilogy. Centerpoint Station is a huge Station that sits between the double worlds of Talus and Tralus at the barycenter. It turns out this Station is the key. The key to the exploding stars, the repulsors that have been found on Corellia, Selonia and Drall. Anakin discovers how to work the Drall repulsor. But him, the twins and Chewie are taken hostage by Thracken Sal Solo. He shuts down the interdiction field and enables the comma to give Leia an ultimatum. Meanwhile Leia, Han and Mara are “guests” of the Selonians while they work to gain control of the repulsor from the Triad Selonians from Saccoria. The Saccorian fleet head to Centerpoint to meet in battle against the Bakurans. But can their 3 battleships win the day? Can the repulsors be brought under control so that the next blast from the Star buster won’t kill another system?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2011
Troisième livre de ma commande du mois d'avril cette année là. Après voir lu The New Rebellion je me sentait prêt à lire une trilogy. J'avais le choix entre 2 et j'ai choisi celle là (pour ceux qui sont analytique j'avais fait d'autre commande après et j'avais une autre batch de roman de Star Wars). La gaffe mesdames et messieurs. Comme l'internet n'était pas encore très au point dans ce temps là, il était difficile de lire les critiques sur les site de fans. Avoir su je ne me l'aurait même pas procuré.
Ce livre est juste mauvais, il ne sonne pas comme Star Wars, l'histoire fit pas dans le cadre auquel je suis habituer et je crois que c'est même pire que Crystal Star. Pourquoi pire, Crystal Star ne m'a pas décourager de lire des roman de Star Wars.
La Corellian Trilogy commence mal, avance mal et (au dire de personne plus hardie que moi) fini mal. Pourquoi plus hardi, he bien je n'ai même pas eu le coeur de finir le deuxième livre. Il m'arrive très peu souvent d'abandonner un livre car je veux le finir au cas où le final sauverait le temps que j'ai perdu. He bien cette trilogy m'a fait abdiquer.
En plus de me faire abdiquer, elle m'a fait arrêter de lire des Star Wars novels. Depuis cette abération j'ai arrêté de lire tout roman de l'univers de Star Wars. En fait ça m'avait même arrêté de lire des romans. J'ai passé quasiment 2 ans à lire que des Comic Book Américains et rien d'autre.
Donc, pour cette critique je me contenterai de vous dire d'éviter de vous embarquer dans cette perte de temps magistrale qui ne fait même pas avancer l'Expanded Universe. Je ne vous résume même pas l'histoire de peur de vous donner envie.
Passez tout droit et prennez la prochaine sortie.
P.S.: Après 14 ans d'arrêt de lecture je crois qu'en 2012 je vais m'attaquer à trois autres trilogy de Star Wars. La Han Solo Trilogy, La Bounty Hunter War et la Trilogy Originale en anglais car je n'ai jamais pu lire Empire Strike Back. Surveillez mes critiques et vous verrai peut-être revenir des livre de Star Wars dans les années proches.
Ce livre est juste mauvais, il ne sonne pas comme Star Wars, l'histoire fit pas dans le cadre auquel je suis habituer et je crois que c'est même pire que Crystal Star. Pourquoi pire, Crystal Star ne m'a pas décourager de lire des roman de Star Wars.
La Corellian Trilogy commence mal, avance mal et (au dire de personne plus hardie que moi) fini mal. Pourquoi plus hardi, he bien je n'ai même pas eu le coeur de finir le deuxième livre. Il m'arrive très peu souvent d'abandonner un livre car je veux le finir au cas où le final sauverait le temps que j'ai perdu. He bien cette trilogy m'a fait abdiquer.
En plus de me faire abdiquer, elle m'a fait arrêter de lire des Star Wars novels. Depuis cette abération j'ai arrêté de lire tout roman de l'univers de Star Wars. En fait ça m'avait même arrêté de lire des romans. J'ai passé quasiment 2 ans à lire que des Comic Book Américains et rien d'autre.
Donc, pour cette critique je me contenterai de vous dire d'éviter de vous embarquer dans cette perte de temps magistrale qui ne fait même pas avancer l'Expanded Universe. Je ne vous résume même pas l'histoire de peur de vous donner envie.
Passez tout droit et prennez la prochaine sortie.
P.S.: Après 14 ans d'arrêt de lecture je crois qu'en 2012 je vais m'attaquer à trois autres trilogy de Star Wars. La Han Solo Trilogy, La Bounty Hunter War et la Trilogy Originale en anglais car je n'ai jamais pu lire Empire Strike Back. Surveillez mes critiques et vous verrai peut-être revenir des livre de Star Wars dans les années proches.
August 5, 2009
This book is about Han and Leia and their family taking a vacation to Corellia, where their peace is disrupted by Han's cousin and his devious plots. It's nothing special, but I enjoyed it for two main reasons: 1) We get to see our favorite Star Wars characters in a situation that, while still threatening, doesn't have the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, and 2) we get to meet some new characters that play important roles in future Star Wars books.
The book felt a bit long, and the writing wasn't as skilled as other Star Wars books I have read. If you like Star Wars and you a) want to see a little bit of Jacen, Jaina and Anakin's personalities when they were young, or b) would like to learn more about the events surrounding Centerpoint Station's rise to galactic prominence then I recommend this book. If you're not in either of those categories, you're not missing much.
The book felt a bit long, and the writing wasn't as skilled as other Star Wars books I have read. If you like Star Wars and you a) want to see a little bit of Jacen, Jaina and Anakin's personalities when they were young, or b) would like to learn more about the events surrounding Centerpoint Station's rise to galactic prominence then I recommend this book. If you're not in either of those categories, you're not missing much.
September 3, 2011
This book is about the Solo family vacation to the Corellian sector; Han Solo's home star system.
the story was quite good and was the first I have read that included the Solo children.
After the initial slowness, the story became more exciting and had more action as I read about a third of the way into the book.
I'd recommend this book to any Star Wars lover.
the story was quite good and was the first I have read that included the Solo children.
After the initial slowness, the story became more exciting and had more action as I read about a third of the way into the book.
I'd recommend this book to any Star Wars lover.
February 15, 2017
Consolidating:
1) Ambush at Corellia 2/5/1995 - 3.25
2) Assault at Selonia - 3/18/1995 -3.25
3) Showdown at Centerpoint - 10/18/1995 - 3.25
1) Ambush at Corellia 2/5/1995 - 3.25
2) Assault at Selonia - 3/18/1995 -3.25
3) Showdown at Centerpoint - 10/18/1995 - 3.25
September 16, 2012
This is an excellent, but old, collection of Star Wars adventure. The stories take place during the New Republic era (at least the Bantam Books era) and encompass Han Solo's adventures in his old star system of origin. There are some decent battles and a lot of fun between Han and Leia here.
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December 13, 2007N/A
June 1, 2016
Duncan wonders when someone from the movies is finally going to die.
June 25, 2011
I liked it enough that I felt it was a strong candidate for a couple new movies. Of course, that was more than decade ago.
August 27, 2011
This series was ok, nit my favorite. It was not as gripping as some of the expanded universe novels have been in the past.
February 8, 2016
Never thought I'd see anything that resembles my part of the world in Star Wars universe!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews