Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

Steve Perry

Bantam Books. $22.50
(paper $5.99)

Ever wonder what Luke Skywalker was doing between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi? This "Star Wars" novel tells of a daring attempt to rescue the frozen Han Solo that goes awry in a big way.

Shadows of the Empire is not as good as other installments in the multi-author "Star Wars" series. Certainly Steve Perry's choppy writing style and heavy chapter endings are a poor choice when compared to the movies and other "Star Wars" authors. Perry does capture some of the original humor, both visual and in dialogue; the humorous highlight is R2D2 and Threepio's attempt to fly the Millennium Falcon

The book's best appeal is as a curiosity, since it does take place between movies rather than afterward. It is even accompanied by marketing gimmicks, including the release of a CD soundtrack (by Joel McNeely), comic books, and action figures, although Lucasfilm Ltd. decided against making a movie.

 

This review originally appeared in the January 12, 1997 edition of The Roanoke Times.

My reviews of other Star Wars novels

 

This review copyright 1997 by Wendy Morris
Information last updated August 14, 2000

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