Greetings to another edition of Ranked Reading.
This month’s review is “Star Wars: Scoundrels” by Timothy Zahn. The setting is just after the events of Episode IV: A New Hope. The Death Star has been destroyed and the reward paid to Han was taken by pirates before he could make it to Jabba. Taking a chance, Han and Chewie agree to help recover 163 million credits that were purported to have been stolen by a local crime boss. The problem: the crime boss has ties to Black Sun (a ruthless crime sindicate that even the Empire is attempting to destroy) and his home is a veritable fortress. Needing the credits badly (before meeting the victim of the crime a bounty hunter hired by Jabba was able to briefly get the drop on Han) Solo recruits a small band of individuals, including Lando Calrissian, each with their own unique specialties and each to receive an equal share of the 163 mill upon the job’s completion. This story also tells us what happened before Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and tells us what happened between Han and Lando which would nearly cause the two to come to blows. How will this band of would be theives do? The book also includes a bonus novella “Winner Lose All” also by Timothy Zahn during which Lando and two other characters meet for a daring heist of their own. My rank for both: Captain
Until next time, the ship’s reading lamp is definitely ON!
DD