Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry.

This story is time set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Han is frozen in carbonite. Leia mounts a rescue mission with Luke and Lando. Dash, a pilot, is also a member of the rescue group. A second story line pits Darth Vader against rival Xizor, a leader of a powerful crime syndicate who wants to be the Emperor's right hand man. Luke is a wanted man from both Vader (who wants him alive) and the Emperor (who wants him dead).

This book was fast paced with some good action that kept me interested. I would have rated it higher, but wow, the character of Xizor was creepy, in a sexual way, toward Leia, just icky. Just didn't like that storyline at all. He was an easy character to not like.

I gave this one 3 stars.

Compared to other Legends novels, the substance here is minuscule, but it’s fun, fast paced, and action packed. It’s also a very easy read. I love the idea of filling the gap between ESB and ROTJ. I wanted to see Luke develop into the capable Jedi Knight he is in ROTJ, and while I did get that to a degree, my head canon was better. Luke never goes back to Dagobah to train more with Yoda, or really trains in this novel much at all, which was what I would have preferred. In fact, there is not enough slower moments or reflection with the character. Everyone, including Luke, is constantly on the run and I wish the novel could have given these characters’ more time to breathe. Prince Xizor, while a bit goofy and one dimensional at times, is a very entertaining villain. The guy is an insanely rich mob boss with hyperbolic descriptions of wealth that actually made me chuckle. The rivalry between him and Darth Vader was the best part of the book in my opinion. Everything with Vader was a blast to read, and Xizor is a such a narcissistic twat, that you actually root for Vader. His redemption in ROTJ is also set up quite nicely here. As for our heros’ perspective, the book is fine. Dash Rendar is a meh character. I don’t understand why you would create a character extremely similar to Han Solo when you can create a more unique character with a different personality instead. It just seemed a bit lazy. And Lea having to be rescued once again felt repetitive. But over all, it’s an insignificant, yet fun Star Wars adventure that neatly fits between films and helps transition our characters into the final theatrical installment of the timeline.

Oh my, my, my, my!
My relationship with Star Wars is an incredibly complicated one.
Like basically everyone my age, I saw Episodes I-VI basically before I could walk. I loved them all equally--don't blame me, I was a dumb child. A little later, I watched the Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars RELIGIOUSLY, then I watched the Filoni Clone Wars. And to me, they still fit together, even though Ahsoka's absence is a bit jarring. As I grew older, I came to realize that there were only really three or four good Star Wars movies.
Then the Disney trilogy came out.
And, unpopular opinion, the prequels are still way worse, they're still not good movies, but they're better than the horseshit that is The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.
That being said, I still wasn't satisfied with the ending Disney gave us.
So, I started to read the EU. I started with Darth Plagueis and I loved it. Then I saw this in the bookstore next to the Thrawn trilogy and checked where it took place in the timeline. So I decided to pick it up and started reading it.
And it was quite good.
It feels like this is a missing chapter in the original trilogy. Dash Rendar feels like a reskin of Han Solo and is most enjoyable. Prince Xizor is a gross, but great villain, with motivations for why he does what he does. What I enjoy the most about this book, is the stuff with Vader and the stuff with Lando and Luke. Vader doesn't really get a lot of attention in the canon, because he's dead--sorry if I spoiled a movie that came out 40 years ago. The scenes with Vader about being a father are brilliant, we get to dive deep into his psyche and it is so interesting to read. The Luke and Lando stuff is great too. Luke and Lando are both great together, their chemistry is fantastic and neither of them knows each other too well. This really builds their relationship and you really get the impression that Lando wants to help Luke get Han out of Carbonite.

La creación de esta novela y todo lo que tuvo a su alrededor tiene más jugo que la novela en sí. Cuando el Universo Expandido de Star Wars empezó a tener el éxito que tuvo a comienzos de los noventa. Con la salida de todos los libros, comics y videojuegos y el juego de rol que empezaron a agrandar y profundizar aún más las películas originales. Lucasfilm decidió realizar un proyecto potente que aunara las tres principales herramientas que tenía el UE ya mencionados. Se realizarían una novela, esta que reseño, una serie de comics, y un videojuego. Y en cada uno se contaría una parte de una historia que se complementan entre si y que igualmente puede ser disfrutada por separado. Con la buena voluntad de George Lucas que dio el visto bueno y el cual le entusiasmo tanto la idea, y como buen hombre de negocios que es, decidió aumentar la importancia de este proyecto, canonizando la historia que se narraba en este proyecto e incluso reconoció que era una historia que le hubiera encantado filmar. Si, el mismo que luego renegó de todo lo que se hizo cuando Disney compro Lucasfilm e hizo su borrado del UE, como cambian las cosas amigos.

Vaya que este proyecto se vendió como una película de Star Wars, sin haber una película siquiera. Por tener, tiene hasta una banda sonora, en mi opinión mucho mejor que el libro en si jaja. En fin, que la historia sucede entre el Imperio Contrataca y el Retorno del Jedi. Luke, Leia, Chewbacca y Lando van en busca de Han Solo, que está encerrado en carbonita y es transportado por Boba Fett que pretende entregárselo a Jabba el Hutt. Darth Vader pretende hacer todo lo posible para que su hijo se una a él en el Lado Oscuro y juntos derroquen al Emperador, o entregárselo al Emperador si se niega. Pero un oponente se le presenta, el Príncipe Xizor, el líder de la mayor trama mafiosa de la Galaxia, el Sol Negro. Una organización criminal tan poderosa y antigua que rivaliza casi con el mismo Imperio Galáctico en peligro. Este personaje, Xizor, tiene unas aspiraciones estratosféricas, y cree poder sustituir a Vader como mano derecha del Emperador, este no le impide sus caprichos políticos puesto que le encantan probar la valía de su aprendiz en el juego de tronos. Además Xizor tiene una inquina personal con el Señor Oscuro del Sith por un acontecimiento de su pasado. Todo esto desentrañara una nueva aventura que afectara a todas las partes del juego, a los héroes y al villano.

Ahora, que ya está todo presentado, procedo a la reseña de la historia. Meh, así se resumiría todo, en un gran meh. No es una mala historia, pero tampoco es una buena historia. Es entretenida, pero al mismo tiempo muy predecible y sencilla. Se ha quedado algo anticuada y tiene mucho relleno para lo que quiere contar. Se lee rápido sin duda, y debo reconocer que tener un villano que es un trasunto entre el Padrino y un “galán” espeluznante tiene su punto. Pero queda al final como un personaje demasiado caricaturizado por su autor, perfecto en casi todo y al mismo tiempo no muy memorable en nada. En lo único memorable al menos para mí es el autor de la novela que recurre a su raza exótica para traernos escenas que no pretenden ser graciosas pero que a mí me han hecho gracia en el mal sentido. Para aclarar este punto, Xizor, que es un alienígena de la raza Falleen, una raza humanoide reptiliana, es capaz de soltar feromonas que atraen a los humanoides del sexo contrario. ¿Porque menciono esto? Porque Xizor es un bribón que está obsesionado con la belleza, sobretodo femenina. Obviamente usara esta herramienta para atraer a la Princesa Leia en su juego, en una escena tan tórrida como ridícula a día de hoy. No digo que no sea una idea descabellada, total, en el universo de Star Wars se ha visto de todo, no es algo que desentone de magos espaciales y demás parafernalia. Pero como está escrito en papel, no deja de ser un recurso muy noventero que al menos a mí me ha sacado alguna sonrisita tonta y a otros seguramente le sacara de la historia y les provocara rechazo. No les culpo, pero vaya que el problema de la novela no es esa solamente, en general es un libro que fuera de la nostalgia y del impacto que tuvo en su día todo este proyecto, ha quedado relegado al olvido. Hay historias dentro de la franquicia Star Wars mucho mejores, creedme.

Tiene cosas buenas sin duda, rellena datos entre películas que no llegamos a ver. Como a Luke creando su sable de luz verde. Él porque el Emperador decidió filtrar los planos de la segunda Estrella de la Muerte, y los bothanos que murieron para que esta información llegara a manos de la Alianza Rebelde. Los capítulos de Darth Vader están graciosetes, aunque sea un Vader descafeinado. Toda la trama criminal del Sol Negro y lo que aporto al UE.
Pero las cosas negativas superan a las positivas. Como un personaje femenino llamado Guri, que es un androide perfectamente irreconocible de un ser humano, al estilo Blade Runner. No solo desentona totalmente con el Universo Star Wars que exista estos androides (que yo sepa nunca se ve uno igual en otras historias), si no que el personaje no tiene mucho más. Una androide guardaespaldas de Xizor que es una rubia que está muy buena (en la historia siempre se menciona esto xD), y que lucha y mata de una manera muy letal. Luego esta Dash Rendar, un personaje a lo Han Solo que es eso, un Han Solo sin gracia y estereotipado. Con una historia de su pasado de lo más ridícula que solo esta porque es el personaje de acción metido con calzador y porque es el protagonista del videojuego de este proyecto multimedia.

Y para un personaje que me hubiera gustado ver más, como es el cazarrecompensas Boba Fett, personaje muy molón del UE que ha sido tristemente machacado y acribillado por Disney en la decepcionante serie de El Libro de Boba Fett, convertido en un memo y patético “señor del crimen” de AliExpress. Yo que quería limpiarme el mal sabor de boca respecto a cómo han tratado al personaje últimamente y ver como tuvo que zafarse de la competencia de asesinos, cazarrecompensas y demás ralea que quería el cuerpo de Han como botín. Van y esa historia está en el comic (que paso de leer), no en la novela, aquí solo aparece de refilón una vez. Que se piren hombre.

En conclusión, una historia memorable la creación de este megaproyecto conjunto, que aporto mucho en su día al Universo Expandido, pero que a día de hoy ha sido superada en todos los ámbitos.

I lasted through 40 pages or so of this novel. The concept sounded interesting; a rival vs Darth Vader for the affections of the Emperor.

But the problem is that the concept wasn't fully mined nor not even partially enough to make it interesting enough. Furthermore, every other chapter jumped to the Star Wars characters in which they rehashed stuff from the movies just like the crime lord character who was opposed to Vader. I get that he hates Vader but do I have to hear it for pages and pages of internal thoughts? Moreover, half of what Vader and the Emperor talk about is . . . wait for it . . . from the movies! No thank you.

WHEN READ: January to February 2012

OVERALL GRADE: C minus.

Terminé de leer esta novela de lo que alguna vez fue el Universo Expandido —ahora relegado a la categoría Legends— de Star Wars.

Habiendo pasado parte de mi niñez y mucho de mi adolescencia releyendo los cómics de Dark Horse y jugando en PC la versión del videojuego para Windows, únicamente me faltaba esta entrada para llenar el hueco narrativo de lo que ocurre entre The Empire Strikes Back y Return Of The Jedi. Mientras que la serie limitada de Dark Horse muestra principalmente las andanzas de Boba Fett hasta que logra entregar a Han Solo a Jabba el Hutt, así como las de otros cazarecompensas y mercenarios, esta obra sí se enfoca en los héroes (Luke, Leia, Lando, Chewbacca), así como en la rivalidad entre Darth Vader y el Príncipe Xizor. Y mientras que el videojuego se enfocaba en Dash Rendar, su participación en la novela es limitada y elimina mucho de la ilusión que el videojuego genera alrededor del personaje. Asimismo, Boba Fett aparece sólo en un par de menciones indirectas, y un "avistamiento" de la Slave I; incluso, el mismo Jabba tiene un papel más grande que Fett.

Por otra parte, es interesante cómo se trata el tema, mencionado por Mon Mothma en ROTJ, de que "muchos bothans murieron para traernos esta información". Se trata de una lectura entretenida aunque, como ocurre con gran parte del material del UE, depende en gran medida de referencias a la trilogía original, al grado de que ocasionalmente se sienten un poco forzadas. El personaje de Xizor podría haber resultado más interesante, pero no pasa de ser un capo pretencioso, narcisista, y misógino. Aún así, sigo considerando que SOTE es material muy rescatable para su integración al canon oficial. Imperdible la experiencia de realizar la lectura acompañada del soundtrack de Joel McNeely.

"Book, you have the right to a speedy trial" review

n  THE DEFENSEn

- Author does a great job portraying the battle between the Dark Side and the Light Side of the Force - I just reread that sentence...I'm starting to think it's possible that I might be a... GEEK! :o

- Personalities of the classic Star Wars characters are captured very well...particularly Lando! - Me, a geek? I always thought I was as suave and sophisticated as Lando as I strut around in my dress shirt and Scooby-Doo tie!

- Fills in the gaps between "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" nicely - So if you're like me and ever wondered where Leia got her bounty hunter costume from "Jedi"...oh my god Lucas, who asks questions like that?!? I AM A GEEK!!!

- Action sequences flow nicely...especially the exciting dogfights between the spaceships - If only there been some indication I may be turning into a geek at my high school prom when I spent the whole night sitting in the corner reading comic books...oh, okay, now I get it!

- Xizor and Guri make very compelling adversaries for both the Rebel Alliance and the Empire - Know what? If enjoying Star Wars makes me a geek, then I'm perfectly happy being a geek! (Which is good, since fate already made that decision for me a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away!)


n  THE PROSECUTIONn

- Princess Leia spends a little too much time in the "damsel in distress" role - Realizing that instead of kicking butt, Leia was going to spend several chapters sitting in a prison cell? I believe Darth Vader said it best when he said, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

- Some of the Darth Vader POV felt a little...off! - Reading things like, "Vader sighed"...Vader NEVER sighs! That sound wasn't a sigh, dammit, it was him choking the life out of the inept Imperial commander who would have made a lesser villain sigh!!! The Dark Lord of the Sith DOES NOT SIGH!(Easy, Dave, compose yourself...)

- Dash Rendar just might be the most annoying Star Wars character ever...



Alright...second most annoying Star Wars character ever...



*SIGH* (See that, I can sigh, but not Vader...NEVER Vader!) Let's just say Dash Rendar is in the Top Ten Most Annoying Star Wars characters list and leave it at that!


n  THE VERDICTn
An entertaining adventure that captures most of the magic of Star Wars (as well as a few of the missteps), this book is a fun romp for anyone who's already watched the movies and wants more Star Wars!

FULL REVIEW TO COME

I garnered this book from my mother who was going to sell it in her garage sale next month. I saw it and decided to rescue it from the sale block. This entertaining read takes place between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I particularly enjoyed the villian Xizor who made a wonderful counterpoint to Lord Vader. Definitely a must read for the diehard Star Wars fan.

Trip back to the 90s when I played the Shadows of the Empire game on my Nintendo 64. Swoop bikes, Black Sun, and the insufferable Dash Rendar. Silly Star Wars fun!

Star Wars Shadows of the Empire was the first Star Wars book I had ever read. As an extreme Star Wars fan, I can tell you that this book is not one to pass up. If you are an original trilogy fan, I honestly believe that you will love this book. Taking place between Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the story mainly involves Princess Leia coming up with a plan and forming a crew to rescue her recently-captured Han Solo, who was frozen in carbonite as a prize for Jabba the Hutt. But that’s not all the book as to offer. The book does a fantastic job at portraying a new and interesting villain (who is almost on the same level as Lord Vader), named Prince Xizor. Both the Emperor and Vader see the Xizor as a dangerous threat, as he is one of the most powerful entities in the universe.
Luke Skywalker also plays an interesting role in the story. The book goes into heavy detail about his Jedi training and how he learned to use certain force abilities, as well as how he constructed his new lightsaber. This information was much needed as the original trilogy films didn’t really explain these things very well. The book also went into more detail about the Lando Calrissian, who was original introduced as a new character in Episode V. I think the book does an excellent job at portraying Calrissian’s character and adding him as a new addition to the crew.
Overall, there were many things I liked about this book and only a few things I didn’t. I really did like certain aspects of Luke’s Jedi training, such as him returning to Old Ben’s house in order to construct his new lightsaber. I also liked Luke’s thoughts about the light and the dark side, and how the dark sided thoughts tempted him, though he resisted the temptations. I thought these additions added depth to Luke’s character and helped shape him into who he was at the Start of Episode VI. My only complaint would be that the story felt like it was dragged out at certain times, there was a lot of unnecessary storytelling in between specific plot points. Overall, the book felt well thought out and put together. I appreciated the author’s attention to detail and I look forward to reading more of his Star Wars books.

Steve Perry is good at writing tense, exciting action sequences. He also does a good job writing entertaining (if shallow) characterizations for most of the main characters: Luke, Lando, Chewie, C-3PO and R2-D2.

The only word I can come up with for Leia's portrayal in this story, though, is "insulting." Insulting to the character, who constantly makes the worst possible choices for poorly explained reasons, and insulting to the reader who is expected to go along with any of it.

Vader, also, is done a disservice. Every time he does something we get a little window into his head, where he explains his motivation with either a proverb that could have been written by a grade schooler or some equivalent of "the dark side is like that ain't it." The new bad guy, Prince Xizor, is just too stupid to live for like the second half of the book.

I did like the new "rogue" character Dash Rendar. He reminded me of Han Solo if he was played by a smirking, overconfident James Marsden or something. Too bad he SPOILER ALERT gets blown up at the end, after the big battle is over, for no real reason.

Anyway, the main feeling I have after finishing this novel is the desire to read a better Star Wars book.


POSTSCRIPT: Boba Fett is prominently featured on the cover, and not really in the book at all, which was a letdown.

Interesting narrative that fits pretty snug between Episodes V and VI. It was fun for me getting into the story and the heads of Luke, Leia, and even Lando as they piece together the eventual rescue of Han as well as deal with a number of twists and other adversaries in their way.

The treatment of the characters is pretty faithful to their on-screen personas, a fan of the Star Wars saga should enjoy this one.