Corey, James S. A.

About the Author:

James S. A. Corey is the pen name used by collaborating authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.

AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:

2 out of 5

(1 book)

Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves

Set less than a year after 'A New Hope', this book was originally part of the non-consecutive Empire and Rebellion series (before Disney wiped slate clean and only 'Heir to the Jedi' made it into the new canon).  The story focuses on Han Solo, struggling to find the balance between his involvement in the Rebellion and his mercenary lifestyle, as he embarks on a mission to recover Rebel spy Scarlet Hark from Imperial space.

I read this book immediately after finishing Timothy Zahn's 'Scoundrels' and compared to the depth and complexity of that story, this one is a perfectly transparent puddle.  There's a vague plot about a superweapon and vague hints that the villain of the piece is not very nice, but none of it is ever explored enough to actually allow you to appreciate them as threats.  Similarly the two new protagonists introduced are a great disappointment.  Baasen Rey is completely lacking in believable or even understandable motivations, going from moustache-twirling hack villain to (badly) bantering best buddy in the turn of a chapter.  And don't forget that HAN SHOOTS OFF HIS HAND between those things!  The bigger disappointment was Scarlet who often seems on the verge of becoming an engaging character before that moment passes and is lost.  I can't help but feel that the attractive spy could've been the perfect opportunity to explore Han's transition from easy lover to Leia's paramour, but once again the chance slips away just as it seems to be developing.

It's not all bad, of course, and I really enjoyed the scenes where the authors became the first ones in thirty years to explore the fact that Han is exactly the sort of person who would have no interest in restoring the Republic.  Why would this man living on the fringes of society care who's running the government?

For me, this book's biggest failing is that it turns Han into a buffoon who shows no signs of having been surviving and thriving in the criminal underworld since he was 19.

2 out of 5

Collaborations & Anthologies:

Star Wars Insider: The Fiction Collection - Volume 2 (here)

Read more...

Star Wars (here)