Han Solo at Stars' End (1979)

When a book is under 200 pages, there really isn't a whole lot to say without giving away most of the plot fairly quickly. Suffice it to say that Han Solo at Stars' End, while not about to win any prizes or anything, was a really fun book to read. Brian Daley throws his reader directly into the action and except for a brief pause now and then it's a frenetic pace from one harrowing situation to the next with our hero Han Solo and his trusty companion Chewbacca the Wookie.

This is a great side-story from the old days of the Star Wars galaxy before the gaps were all filled in by episodes I-III, heck before the Empire Struck Back or there was a Return of a Jedi, the Clone Wars were just an event from the past that were referred to from time to time, but not really understood by the fan/reader/viewer. That's part of what made this story so fun. It took me back to a time when Star Wars was just Star Wars, not Episode IV: A New Hope. Man, I loved that stuff back in the day and this story took me back to the adventure and romance of that far, far away Star Wars galaxy a long time ago.

If you grew up with the Star Wars franchise and loved it as I did, do yourself a favor and pick this up. You won't have any great literary epiphany, but you'll have a rollicking good time with characters and a world that you know and love. ( )

One of the first Star Wars novels ever! This was only about Han and his adventures and not the Jedi, but still a Star Wars novel. I'm always surprised this doesn't get more credit. ( )

Total escapist fun. Well, not totally escapist. There’s a little thing going on where Han keeps insisting he’s just a mercenary out for money and won’t actually join sides. But Jessa and others secretly know it’s just a front. The royal we is just going to ignore that whole thing and remember the fun though.

(Full review at my blog) ( )

Original adventures the best.

Back then there was a novelisation, and Splinter of the Mind's Eye, by Alan Dean Foster. Then came this book, a great surprise, as it is rather good.

It details some of Han's background in a different region of Space, the Corporate Sector Authority the rulers there, and also rather unpleasant.

Spaceships, droids and gunplay to be found. Star Wars and particularly Solo fans should absolutely try and get these.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2007/11/han-solo-at-stars-end-brian-daley.html ( )