Terry Brooks
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Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
by Terry Brooks 
George Lucas finally returns to the Star Wars
universe that he launched in 1977. As promised, the current trilogy of
movies will deal with Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and his conversion to the
Dark Side of the Force by the emperor.
Senator Palpatine (currently Darth Sidious and
later to be the emperor) makes a grand play to increase his power in the
imperial senate. He encourages the Trade Federation to besiege his home
planet. The Jedi council dispatches a young Obi Wan Kanobi and his Jedi
master to negotiate with the Trade Federation to end the blockade. The
Jedi knights are attacked and flee the planet with Queen Amidala and her
entourage in tow. Due to a malfunction of their starship, they land on
Tattooine for repairs. Here they discover young Anakin Skywalker who is
a slave. The Jedi Knights realize that Anakin is strong with the Force and
could be the greatest Jedi ever. Can they free Anakin and stop the war
with the Trade Federation?
Terry Brooks does a credible job with this novel
despite the obvious limitations placed on him by George Lucas. Brooks was
forced to flesh out the anemic screenplay given to him by Lucas. Although
the movie was enjoyable, I thought it was just a rehash of the original Star
Wars movie. I expected Lucas to have developed a better story in the
sixteen years since Return of the Jedi was released.
Brooks writes in his usual descriptive style and
adds scenes not included in the movie. There is an additional pod race
sequence in the beginning of the book that I found interesting. Also,
Darth Sidious provides background on the evil Sith lords of whom he is a
follower. The book is a fairly quick read and a must read for all Star
Wars fanatics since it provides additional information not found in the
movie. If you don't consider yourself a fanatic, just watch the movie.
Hopefully, Brooks will be asked to write the next
episode. However, I would prefer to see Brooks write the book and then
have Lucas develop a screenplay from it. I believe the public would be
rewarded with a much more engaging story.
Reviewed by: Alan
Terry Brooks
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Star Wars: Rogue Planet
by Greg Bear 
Buy This Book Hardcover
Rogue Planet
is a disappointing entry
into the Star Wars universe for Greg Bear, an established writer of science
fiction. It is hard to tell the extent of the constraints placed on Star Wars
authors by Lucasfilm Ltd. Therefore, I am uncertain whether this lackluster
volume was the result of severe creative limitations thrust upon the author or
whether Bear just didn’t do his homework regarding the Star Wars genre.
The "action" in this book takes place three years after The
Phantom Menace. Anakin Skywalker, now 12 years of age, is being taught the
ways of the Jedi by Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anakin is struggling to suppress his fear
and anger…two emotions sure to lead to the Dark Side of the Force. To provide
a distraction for Anakin and a break for Obi-Wan, the two are sent on a mission
to the obscure planet Zonama Sekot, producers of the fastest ships in the
galaxy. Once there, they must investigate the disappearance of another Jedi sent
to the planet years before. Meanwhile, sinister forces led by Commander Tarkin
(yes, the same Tarkin who was the commander of the Death Star) are at work
trying to undermine the stability of the Jedi council…starting with the
assassination of Anakin Skywalker! Will Obi-Wan and Anakin discover the secrets
of Zonama Sekot in time to defeat the evil forces arrayed against them?
The book jacket sounded like a good plot. Unfortunately, the book falls far
short of the jacket in its execution. The story meanders along at a snail’s
pace and Bear generates very few exciting moments. The character development of
the villains is insufficient to propel them beyond cartoonish buffoons that
appear anything but menacing. The story fails to shed much light on the Jedi
training that Anakin is undergoing. In addition, the "big dilemma"
that Anakin has with the Dark Side of the Force (he kills one of the bad guys
with the Force…big deal) fails to generate any heat whatsoever. Nor does it
shed any light on Anakin’s eventual turn towards the Dark Side.
So, unless you are a die hard Star Wars fan who has to read every scrap ever
written about the Star Wars universe, keep your wallet in your pocket and give
this yawn festival a wide berth.
Reviewed by: Alan
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