by Gretchen Winkler
As many User Friendly listeners may already know, I am a big Star Wars fan. And part of that love for Star Wars is enjoying well-written literature placed within the Star Wars Universe. It does not have to be Disney Star Wars canon for me to enjoy it. I like intelligent stories with good characterization, action-packed scenes, thoughtful plotlines, and respectful use of the Star Wars Universe’s tech, settings, culture, and characters. Starting about 5 years ago, Lucasfilm under Disney instigated a series under the header of the High Republic, which I found terribly disappointing. To me, High Republic implied a time of great technology, advancement, and culture. Just like the European Renaissance of the Enlightenment Period, but it read more like a time when the Jedi became dull and lazy, and the characters made no sense. So I started to look through the older books that had been published under Expanded Universe, now called Legends. This is where I found the book I am now reviewing.
I have just finished reading Star Wars Shadow Games by Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff. The book caught my attention since my late husband had complained about a character named Dash Rendar. I had never heard of the character. When the Iron Squadron appeared in the Star Wars Rebels series, my husband thought that the story would be about Dash Rendar. It wasn’t; it was Mart Mattin, but the mistaken identity introduced me to the character via my husband’s displeasure with him. So, I was really curious when I read the description of the book, and the character prominently featured was this Dash Rendar, a so-called smuggler type that disliked Han Solo. I have to admit, I’d really like to know where Jeremy read about this character because I liked this book. It was fun. And I didn’t mind Dash at all. I keep wondering if Dash improved from where Jeremy originally found him.
But on to my opinion of the book…. It was fun to read. It kept my attention, and there were lots of twists and turns throughout the story. It delves into an area of the Star Wars Universe that I had actually written about, the entertainment industry, and it was nice to see that others thought it was worth delving into and explaining. It made me think of how technology could really change how a performer creates the show with new dramatic effects. This book was respectful to the established characters, setting, and technology and built upon them. I like that. I always wonder why people wish to change the nature of a franchise. Why don’t they start their own franchise and make it what they want or need? So in conclusion….
Nice book for a beginning or long-time Star Wars fan. Easy to read and good pacing.
G. Winkler ©2026
