Death Star

In 1992 and 1993, I read two new books based on Star Wars. They weren't that bad but I was going through a stage where I was growing out of Star Wars so I didn't bother buying the last book in that new trilogy of novels.

Since 1992, there has been a lot more literature from the Star Wars canon published. My appreciation for the movies was also revived in that time.

I still didn't read any of the spin-off books, though.

Until recently.

I read a review of a novel titled Death Star written by Michael Reaves & Steve Perry and thought it sounded interesting so I put it on my 'to buy' list.

My 'to buy' list is a list of the books I like the reviews of and I intend to purchase them once I see them in paperback or in a sale. There are exceptions to this rule, however.

In the case of Death Star - I found it in paperback and in a sale. Winner!

The story is set during the time of the first movie (the 1977 one) and is based upon the creation of the Empire's demonic space station that appears in said movie.

The trick of this novel is it features a story which could have played out as the sub-plot of the film.

Despite appearances by Darth Vader and military leaders of the Empire that are in the 1977 story, the main characters in this book are not featured in the movie. Had they been in the film, they would have been insignificant. That's what makes Death Star so appealing.

Some of the key characters in the story - in no particular order - are; a doctor, a landlady of the cantina on the base, a TIE fighter pilot, a prison guard. and a few more.

There is also Tenn Graneet. A key character of this novel and is also a small, yet significant, tool in the plot of the movie as he is the man in charge of the laser which obliterates the planet of Alderaan in the film. You get to read how his conscience feels after doing such an act of genocide.

I think the way the authors created this story and made Star Wars: A New Hope an ironic sub-plot was clever and should be attempted again. This time working with the plot of the other movies in the series.