If you were to ask me what I remembered about the Corellian Trilogy before I started this read through, I could’ve told you three things: Thracken Sal-Solo is a slimy git, Centerpoint Station is bad, and the Solo children should not try to build droids.  In other words, I went into these books with a relatively clean slate which was actually a rather nice change.  Even better?  It turns out that I do rather enjoy reading these books.  And also that I’d really like to steal Roger Macbride Allen’s career and be a Foreign Service Officer AND a Star Wars author.

Ambush at Corellia
If nothing else, you have to appreciate how self-aware and very Star Wars this book is in the very first chapter.  Han and Chewie are working on the Falcon and its plethora of mechanical issues and oh did anyone mention that the Solo children are a bunch of little troublemakers and have a reputation for it throughout the galaxy?

Also, because I am an Alderaan diehard, I will point out my objection to Leia saying that she was only the Organa’s foster daughter because I am 99% sure that she was adopted and raised completely as Bail and Breha’s own.  If anyone is going to be referred to as the Organa’s foster daughter, it’s probably Winter.

That one quibble aside, Roger MacBride Allen seems to understand the Skywalker twins better than a heck of a lot of the Star Wars authors.  One of the complaints that’s been brought up on the podcast lately is that there is no reason why Leia cannot be both a politician and a Jedi.  The first six chapters of this book show her striving to do exactly that.  On the flip side, they also show Mon Mothma urging Luke to embrace the political talents that he might have to better help the Jedi Order.  Although this trilogy was written well before the Prequel Trilogy was released, I do think that there is a good chance Mon Mothma knew or at least strongly suspected who Luke and Leia’s mother was and therefore thought that maybe some of Padme’s political talents had gone to both twins.  In short, the book’s start is a lovely reminder that people do not need to be defined by one job or one skill set alone and that there is no reason why Leia cannot be both politician and Jedi.

I actually found the book to be a decent enough read.  On its own, it doesn’t really stand up as its own story since much of what happens is clearly just all the set up for the next two books.  The Solo Family arrives on Corellia, Lando drags Luke off on his great ‘find a wife’ tour, and trouble really kicks off in the Corellian system.  The story pay off is going to have to happen in books 2 and 3.

Assault at Selonia
The good news is that Lando’s great wife hunt only lasted through the first book.  Thankfully, he met Tendra Risant and they seem to have hit it off which is good because Tendra is both fabulous and gorgeous.

This book is all about everyone trying to get back together again after being separated in the finale of the previous book.  All that useful foreshadowing in the first book about how the Corellian system is so unique and might have been created by someone turns out to be handy because whoops the planets have giant repulsor units in them.

For the most part, I actually rather like how the Solo kids are written in these books.  The twins seems like mostly normal nine year olds and don’t have the crazy Force abilities that they did during the Waru incident.  Anakin, on the other hand, does continue to have some super crazy abilities but I think that’s more just his character in general.  At the very least, he’s an amusing little kid although he sometimes borders on disturbing with his talents.  What a Jedi and a character he could’ve been if not for executive meddling.

And then we have the return of Gaeriel Captison.  I’ve always liked her character but even that couldn’t help me from snarkily tweeting “Lemme cue up ‘Another One Bites The Dust’” when she first appeared in this book.  It is nice to see her again and I’m always happy to learn that she took full advantage and made something of her life in the past fourteen years.  Prime Minister?  High fives all around!

While we’re working the girl power theme, I also rather liked getting to see Leia and Mara have to work together.  There are definitely some trust issues but wow are they a super effective force when they put their minds together for a common goal.  I wouldn’t suggest getting in their way.

Again, this book doesn’t have the great single book plotline like one of the Thrawn books.  Honestly, it’s probably best to just think of this trilogy as one very long novel instead of three.

Showdown at Centerpoint
Aaaaaand the trilogy pays off in the end!  The good guys save the day and the Solo children continue to be slightly terrifying with their abilities.  If the idea of seven-year-old Anakin Solo in control of Centerpoint Station doesn’t scare you a little then I don’t know what to say to you.

To be honest, I actually don’t have much to say about this book in particular because, as I already mentioned, the trilogy is just one big story so I’ve already touched on most of what I would say.  Overall, the trilogy is a solid read.  It’s enjoyable and only borders on ridiculous occasionally but then again, almost every Star Wars book inevitably edges towards ridiculous sometimes.

I’m always sad when Gaeriel dies.  She was a good person who should’ve had the chance to watch her daughter grow up but at least her death counted for something.  Although, Tendra never got to do much in this trilogy, I am rather thankfully that she was introduced because her character certainly pays off in the long run and I can’t picture anyone else married to Lando.  Also, if they’d just locked Thracken Sal-Solo in a very dark cell on Kessel and lost the key right after this?  The galaxy would’ve been much better off.

The end of the Bantam Era is near!  The Hand of Thrawn duology is next up!  As always, you can follow my progress in real time on Twitter @chaosbria or the hashtag #WaruExpress.