Daley, Brian

About the Author:

Brian Daley died of cancer on the 10th February 1996.

AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:

4 out of 5

(1 book)

Star Wars: The Han Solo Adventures

An omnibus containing 'Han Solo At Star's End', 'Han Solo's Revenge' and 'Han Solo And The Lost Legacy', set between 3 and 1 BBY.  Unlike the other early Star Wars novels (the Lando Calrissian Adventures by L. Neil Smith and 'Splinter Of The Mind's Eye' by Alan Dean Foster), Daley's stories manage to perfectly capture not only the feeling of that distant galaxy, but also the spirit of the characters. 

The Han presented here is a man of principles and charm, but who is capable of ruthlessness in line with the circles in which he operates.  Also, the settings for the stories are interesting, the first two being in the beauraucrat-ruled Corporate Sector and the third being in the financially declining Tion Hegemony, both of which exchange the implacable threat of the Empire with more human foes.  The first story has Han gathering allies in order to break Chewie and the rogue mechanic Doc out of a high security prison and features a great scene in which Han has to solve a murder aboard the Falcon.  The second story is probably the best as Han sets out to take revenge on a group of slavers who attempt to swindle him.  It also introduces a great new enemy, the deadly gunslinger Gallandro.  The final story is a more whimsical tale in which Han and Chewie join a hunt for the ancient treasure of Xim the Despot and features the return of Gallandro, who is now after Han for personal reasons. 

Despite their age, Daley's stories are some of the best Han Solo tales ever written and are an essential read for anyone who, like me, wanted to be Han as a boy (it was either him or Indiana Jones).

4 out of 5

Collaborations & Anthologies:

Star Wars: The Protocol Offensive (here)

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Star Wars (here)