SPOILER FREE
Star Wars: Smuggler’s Run – A Han Solo and Chewbacca Adventure is written by Greg Rucka. This junior novel was published by Disney-Lucasfilm Press as part of the Journey to The Force Awakens.
SUMMARY: The Shrikes, a special Rebel Alliance team that’s tasked with scouting new locations for the rebels to set up bases. The Shrikes have a run in with the Empire! One member is on the run while the rest of the team is gunned down. The Imperial Security Bureau learns of the escapee, and is now searching for the rebel.
Leia asks Han Solo and Chewbacca to retrieve the only surviving member of the team. He holds all the secrets about where the Rebel Alliance’s next destination will be. Han is reluctant to take on the mission, the system he’d be going to is in Hutt territory… and that’s not where Han really wants to be at the moment. He puts aside his personal issues for the greater good of the galaxy and will do what he can.
CHARACTERS: Alecia Beck: She’s one of the few women that holds a high rank within the Empire. She’s a senior commander in the ISB, which is the Imperial Security Bureau. She’s the antagonist, definitely deserving of that title. She is one mean lady with a bad attitude. Beck is cruel and will stop at nothing to bring her subject into custody on the charge of treason. She has a distinctive look, she’s got short blond hair and a cybernetic eye. She lost her real eye in a fight against her former superior… who was trading secrets for credits. Maybe her attitude comes from that confrontation.
Han Solo: Such popular characters like Han, Leia, and Luke are always difficult to write, those are the characters everyone is going to pick apart because we know them too well. Han was written pretty well. He really comes off as a scoundrel, thinking only for himself. His copilot and friend Chewbacca, kind of acts as his conscious.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: This book was actually pretty decent. The dialogue wasn’t too childish. The plot was simple and didn’t stray into weird places. Han was written great, the character was written very well. The book was a quick and easy read. The antagonist was an interesting character, very harsh. I wouldn’t mind reading more stories with her character. The Shrikes are an interesting concept, It’s something that seems legit.
If you’re wanting a short decent canon book. I’d suggest you pick this one up. It takes place between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back.
RATING: I give this book a 3 out of 5.