Kennedy, Mike
AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:
3.5 out of 5
(2 books)
TOP PICK:
Alien Vs. Predator: Thrill Of The Hunt
Alien Vs. Predator: Thrill Of The Hunt
(Art by Roger Robinson, Dustin Weaver, James Pascoe and Randy Emberlin)
A tie-in to the first AVP movie, this book nevertheless has an entirely different story. Set in the far future, following a second Dark Age, a group of enterprising business folk establish a base on a new world, only to discover that there are already two other sets of inhabitants.
The Predators are rarely done justice in crossovers featuring them, but that's not the case here, with the 'ugly mother...s' kicking some major ass whilst luring the humans into contact with the Aliens.
There's the usual sort of cliches about mankind's arrogant approach to territory (ie 'I said it was mine, so it must be') but in general this is a nice little story that is actually far better than the movie that it ties in to.
4 out of 5
Star Wars: Underworld - The Yavin Vassilika
(Art by Carlos Meglia)
0 BBY. Three Hutts decide to send three hired teams in search of the fabled Yavin Vassilika for a wager. Soon the galaxy's most notorious mercenaries are scrambling to get hold of the artifact.
There are two main problems with this book, the first being that Meglia's over-cartoony art makes it very hard to take seriously. This is compounded by the second fault (which, admittedly, will only bother hardcore fans), the fact that it severely messes with Star Wars continuity. Be it the fact that Lando and Han meet following their falling-out and are pretty much friends again (completely messing up the scene in 'The Empire Strikes Back' where they're reunited on uncertain terms) or the fact that Han encounters his lost love Bria Tharen, which messes with the events in A. C. Crispin's novel 'Rebel Dawn'.
In its favour, this book features all the best characters of Star Wars' less lawful society; Han, Chewie, Lando, Jabba, Greedo, Boba Fett and the five other bounty hunters seen in 'The Empire Strikes Back'. So, a fun romp for some old favourites, but not an important or well-integrated part of the overall Star Wars saga.
3 out of 5