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cyris_reads's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
jaredkwheeler's review
1.0
Star Wars Legends Project #317
Background: Zorba the Hutt's Revenge was written by [a:Paul Davids|20276453|Paul Davids|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Hollace Davids|30365|Hollace Davids|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and published in July of 1992. It is the third book in the Jedi Prince series. The Davids wrote the whole series.
Zorba the Hutt's Revenge begins right after The Lost City of the Jedi (my review), a year after the Battle of Endor (5 years after the battle of Yavin). The main characters are Ken the Jedi Prince, Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, Artoo, Threepio, and Chewie, plus with the evil Trioculus and Zorba the Hutt. Most of the story takes place on Tatooine and Bespin.
Summary: Taking Ken under his wing, Luke starts to show him around the wider galaxy after a life spent confined to the underground Lost City of the Jedi. Unfortunately for them, trouble is brewing when Zorba the Hutt learns of his son Jabba's death and swears revenge against his killer, Princess Leia. Meanwhile, Trioculus continues to plot his own rise to power through the death of Ken and the destruction of the Alliance.
Review: Somebody help me, I'm trapped in the middle of the Jedi Prince series. It's horrible in here. Maybe the most baffling thing about these books, amid a whole host of baffling things, is the way they're written. As I've said before, the core concepts driving the story forward have elements of promise in them. And even some of the nuttier ideas, albeit terrible, are not beyond the pale for what I've read in some Star Wars stories, particularly (as previously mentioned) the Marvel comics of the early years. But what I can't get around, above everything else, is the way the Davids write these books as though they were summarizing their own plots for a Wookieepedia article. I don't know how else to describe the way they just glide through bullet-point lists of events with very little descriptive language or connective tissue. It's just "one thing happened and then another happened and then another" for several dozen pages and then it's over. And still at no point does it give the impression that the book took any longer to write than it does to read.
So, what's the environmental concern du jour this time around? Well, I'll let Lando tell you:
Ken squinted and tried to pick out more details, but he could scarcely see the house, the air was so brown with haze.
“We call it braze,” Lando explained, as if reading Ken’s thoughts. “Short for brown haze. It's air pollution. And it's becoming a serious problem here in Cloud City.”
Yes, an Imperial factory on Bespin is polluting the air, which is particularly a shame because Han Solo has just finished building a skyhouse on Bespin and he was hoping to settle down! Because all of that sounds very much like Han Solo, right? A skyhouse? Really? An embarrassingly large portion of this book is concerned with prepping for and then enjoying a housewarming party in Han's new skyhouse, where everyone cuts loose and drinks bottle after bottle of zoochberry juice (yes, really) while they wait with us for the promised revenge to get started.
Unbearable. Maybe I should drink . . . something . . . while reading and see if that numbs the pain.
F
Background: Zorba the Hutt's Revenge was written by [a:Paul Davids|20276453|Paul Davids|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Hollace Davids|30365|Hollace Davids|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and published in July of 1992. It is the third book in the Jedi Prince series. The Davids wrote the whole series.
Zorba the Hutt's Revenge begins right after The Lost City of the Jedi (my review), a year after the Battle of Endor (5 years after the battle of Yavin). The main characters are Ken the Jedi Prince, Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, Artoo, Threepio, and Chewie, plus with the evil Trioculus and Zorba the Hutt. Most of the story takes place on Tatooine and Bespin.
Summary: Taking Ken under his wing, Luke starts to show him around the wider galaxy after a life spent confined to the underground Lost City of the Jedi. Unfortunately for them, trouble is brewing when Zorba the Hutt learns of his son Jabba's death and swears revenge against his killer, Princess Leia. Meanwhile, Trioculus continues to plot his own rise to power through the death of Ken and the destruction of the Alliance.
Review: Somebody help me, I'm trapped in the middle of the Jedi Prince series. It's horrible in here. Maybe the most baffling thing about these books, amid a whole host of baffling things, is the way they're written. As I've said before, the core concepts driving the story forward have elements of promise in them. And even some of the nuttier ideas, albeit terrible, are not beyond the pale for what I've read in some Star Wars stories, particularly (as previously mentioned) the Marvel comics of the early years. But what I can't get around, above everything else, is the way the Davids write these books as though they were summarizing their own plots for a Wookieepedia article. I don't know how else to describe the way they just glide through bullet-point lists of events with very little descriptive language or connective tissue. It's just "one thing happened and then another happened and then another" for several dozen pages and then it's over. And still at no point does it give the impression that the book took any longer to write than it does to read.
So, what's the environmental concern du jour this time around? Well, I'll let Lando tell you:
Ken squinted and tried to pick out more details, but he could scarcely see the house, the air was so brown with haze.
“We call it braze,” Lando explained, as if reading Ken’s thoughts. “Short for brown haze. It's air pollution. And it's becoming a serious problem here in Cloud City.”
Yes, an Imperial factory on Bespin is polluting the air, which is particularly a shame because Han Solo has just finished building a skyhouse on Bespin and he was hoping to settle down! Because all of that sounds very much like Han Solo, right? A skyhouse? Really? An embarrassingly large portion of this book is concerned with prepping for and then enjoying a housewarming party in Han's new skyhouse, where everyone cuts loose and drinks bottle after bottle of zoochberry juice (yes, really) while they wait with us for the promised revenge to get started.
Unbearable. Maybe I should drink . . . something . . . while reading and see if that numbs the pain.
F
shane_tiernan's review
2.0
This was the last in a trilogy of sub-par Star Wars books meant for the YA audience. It was just really cheezy, like the other two books. It just seemed like they said, "Well, it's for kids so it doesn't have to be that good". There is a certain "revisiting Star Wars characters" coolness to it but that's not worth the lameness.
Next up for reading with my 10-year old is "Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hide" which I've never read before so I'm looking forward to it.
Next up for reading with my 10-year old is "Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hide" which I've never read before so I'm looking forward to it.
deirdrekoala's review
3.0
I read this as a kid, when Princess Leia was my all-time hero(ine) and role model. Today, I remembered having read this book while at a used bookstore. I found myself awed by the amount of Star Wars lit on their shelves, and suddenly realized that I had read one. I also remember reading in an interview with George Lucas that he'd wanted to stay away from names like "Zorba" in the films. Alas.
rayn0n's review
4.0
Honestly? I'm just amazed by how far they've pushed these characters into kids' territory while still being completely in character. Again, there's just something extremely nostalgic and freeing about returning to this series and pretending the prequels and sequels don't exist. I had surprisingly good taste in the third grade, there's more to enjoy about these books even now, the authors 1000% knew EXACTLY what they were doing, but I also unironically enjoy the 1960s Batman tv show so take that as you will.
jediprincess's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Again, following the other books in the series, an easy fun read for kids!
verkisto's review
1.0
These books are clunky, awkward, and boring. The narrative is trite and overly dramatic, and the dialogue is cheesy and doesn't fit the characters. There are better juvenile books set in the Star Wars universe if your kids need a fix. Anything by Jude Watson is worlds better than these books.
octavia_cade's review
1.0
"A housekeeping droid isn't like having a wife." Ugh. When I say that this is the least irritating of the trilogy, I trust you can draw your own conclusions. Why these authors think anyone, children or otherwise, is chomping at the bit to read about Han Solo, home owner, is beyond me. The problems of keeping a smog-free house! How will that stain ever be shifted?! It's too much excitement for me.
The twelve year old nuisance is still a twelve year old nuisance, but the main characters are barely recognisable. Better not keep serving Corellian cuisine at your house parties, Han. Leia doesn't care for it... it's just too fattening.
The twelve year old nuisance is still a twelve year old nuisance, but the main characters are barely recognisable. Better not keep serving Corellian cuisine at your house parties, Han. Leia doesn't care for it... it's just too fattening.
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