Brian DaleyThe Han Solo Adventures: Han Solo at Stars' End / Han Solo's Revenge / Han Solo and the Lost Legacy (A Del Rey book)

I read this about 30 of so years ago. One of the best Star Wars books.

I had very fond recollections of these novels from when I was a kid, and decided to grab a fresh copy to re-read. I loved the intro by Pablo Hidalgo and have to say how amazing it is not just that these are a better representation of Solo than the actual Solo movie, but that there is SO MUCH that has informed other Star Wars projects since... It's really quite amazing that these were written after the first movie and yet seem to have been an influence on the other films and TV shows that have come after. Bounty hunters, even some specific alien races seem familiar (the genetic engineering clone race seems awfully like the Kaminoans, even down to their stormy planet.) The Corporate Sector Authority has also been revamped as part of the new Andor series... In any case, my childhood self was not wrong, these novels are still great and have more creativity than a lot of things that have passed for Star Wars in the last 20 years.

I'm a bigger sci-fi moviegoer than I am a novel reader, but I've read many landmark sci-fi novels. I thoroughly enjoyed Brian Daley's "Han Solo at Stars' End," and I liked it primarily because it was a pulp adventure epic in the spirit of the old Saturday afternoon serials that used to be shown in movie theaters back before I was born. There is a difference between sci-fi fantasy and classic literary sci-fi like "War of the Worlds." I've read most of the "Star Wars" film novelizations, and I wanted to learn more about Han and his relationship with Chewbacca. Unfortunately, I didn't find what I was initially looking for--how did Chewbacca and Han meet. Mr. Daley writes with an authoritative pen, and he elicits emotions with his vivid descriptions and the dramatic predicaments that Han and Chewy find themselves in no matter where they go as smugglers. This was written back before an Expanded Star Wars literary universe existed, and that was another reason that I enjoyed it. I didn't think it was the greatest "Star Wars" novel ever written, but I found it easy and interesting to read. Let me explain that when I read a book, I want to be entertained, and Mr. Daley entertained me. As far as smugglers go, they have a bad reputation, but Han has a good reputation because he helps the underdogs. He may be in it for the loot, but he is basically a hero with a little bit of smudge on his heroism. One of the important things about this book is that it establishes that Han prefers to shoot first and not take chances. The recent Han Solo prequel "Solo, A Star Wars Story," portrays Solo as the kind of character who shoots first when he is caught in a dangerous situation. In the first "Star Wars" movie, Han shot first in the cantina, and then George Lucas decided to make him into a hero with a white hat and reedited it. Thankfully, he changed it back to what originally happened in the first version of "A New Hope."

I miss the original art work, but that's the only downside. All three books are here, don't seem to be shortened or condensed, and a great read. If the meth head porch pirates that can't read hadn't stolen the first delivery, it would've been even better, but that's not the fault of the seller.

This was one of the first Star Wars Expanded Universe novels ever to come out, even before Empire Strikes Back. As such, there's a risk that they would be outdated and the characterization of Han Solo inconsistent. However, by and large the books work and Brian Daley captures Han well. We don't get too many of Han's famous one-liners, but we do get to see Han as he was before A New Hope - as a scoundrel interested in money, but also with a hidden idealistic streak. The stories involve Han going off on wild adventures outside of Imperial space and his hanging out with rogues and outlaws. Ironically, they're actually more like Indiana Jones stories than the typical Star Wars fare, but given the similarity between Han Solo and Indiana Jones they're a good fit. There are also some fun secondary characters, including Bollux the droid - whom oddly enough Han likes - and Gallandro who sadly don't reappear in the later EU. For more on Han Solo's backstory, I recommend A.C. Crispin's Han Solo Trilogy.

Good book, but old.Book 1. Fun read, really feels feels like Han Solo.Book 2. Ok, little tough to read, but still good.Book 3. Great way to finish the series, feels more like an Indiana Jones story but with a fun Star Wars twist.

I own the paper back version of these stories from when they were originally published, but it was nice to see them in kindle format at an affordable price. This re-read was quite enjoyable, bringing me back to Han Solo as I enjoy him. It is a shame Disney did not try and turn these into movies, they would have had a better result.If you are Star Wars fan and like a good adventure, give these a read.

Do you want classic gunrunner outlaw Han Solo and Chewbacca stories? Of course you do. You're a red blooded Earth dwelling human being. This book is excellent top to bottom and should definitely be read after completing A.C. Crispin's Han Solo trilogy

As the title suggests, this is an omnibus of three novels that chart the adventures of Han Solo, Chewbacca and the Millennium Falcon sometime before the events of ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’. Although chronologically within the expanded universe of Star Wars they take place before ‘A New Hope’ they are in no way any type of prequels to it; at least not thematically. Their focus is rather to showcase the lifestyle of Han Solo before he finds new meaning with the rebellion.Originally published in the late seventies between the cinematic releases of ‘A New Hope’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, the author of these novels could only base the characters of Han and Chewbacca from what was seen in the original film. The Han Solo of these books is the out and out ‘rogue’ version we first meet in ‘A New Hope’ and the author has done a good job of capturing that. By the end of ‘A New Hope’ Han’s character has already started to develop. But of course such development cannot be included in these novels. There are some efforts at foreshadowing this by providing an insight into his conscience at times. It is little more than revealing a moral side that Solo tries to ignore, but is a nice touch.Although set in the Star Wars universe there isn’t a great deal of content that would be reminiscent of it nowadays. However, some of it is set in the Tion Cluster and there are also mentions of Mindor and swoop bikes; all of which may well have their origins in these books. The Empire is mentioned but doesn’t really play a role. Instead the Falcon’s crew seem to have run-ins with a large corporate organisation known as the Authority that rules a sizable portion of the galaxy (a bit like the Trade Federation, Intergalactic Banking Clan, etc). A corporate enemy does seem somewhat appropriate for Han Solo.The stories are a little clichéd at times and also follow a fairly formulaic structure. There is an initial escapade which has little to do with the rest of the story and generally acts as an introduction to re-establish the characters. This is followed by Han and Chewie getting a dubious job which inevitably goes wrong somehow and results in Han losing something (Chewbacca, the Falcon, ten thousand credits) which he spends the rest of the story trying to regain.Most of the characters tend to be stereotypical bad guys or bureaucrats and there is usually a female character that seems to vaguely be some type of love interest for Han (none of which particularly work). However, some of the alien species (particularly in the third story) are quite inventive. In Gallandro there is a recurring enemy that benefits the story and the character of Han quite well. He does seem like he is basically an antagonist from a spaghetti western though. The symbiont droids, who serve on the Falcon throughout the three novels, are an entertaining and inventive idea. Unfortunately naming one of them ‘Bollux’ isn’t.

I am a big Star Wars fan and have been since the tender age of 12, when I first saw the film, I have this trilogy in three separate paperbacks but I haven't read them in about 30 years. So when I saw the set as one purchase for the kindle I purchased and re-read them and was a little bit disappointed by the odd spelling errors, didn't anyone proof read them beforehand. Saying that though, the stories are not too taxing and an easy read.Han (smuggler/rogue) & Chewbacca (walking carpet) on various exploits on the edge of the Empire, so no Star Destroyers, Tie fighters or Stormtroopers in any of these tales and just a passing mention of the Old Republic and Jedi's. Set in the Corporate Sector with their own security forces called Espos, no real defined villains or space battles to write home about.Stars End is basically a prison break after Chewie is captured and Han is forced to rescue him with the aid of some forgetable characters, except for a droid called Bollux, how did they get away with naming him that,(did they reject Bal-5AC, Go-Nad or Test-E5). Revenge is Han & Chewie in trouble yet again, mixed up with slavers & Lost legacy is a hunt for a despots treasure on a world in the Tion Hegemony.Worth reading if for no other reason than to hang out with a couple of iconic characters from a great story, but don't expect a classic. This is good but not brilliant.

Having never read any of the Star Wars books before but having been a great fan of the films these books are a great way to immerse yourself in a galaxy far far away. Hugely enjoyable fun that provides more detail into the world that is Star Wars

The first of the stories in this trilogy was entertaining enough, despite what I thought was a slightly over the top ending, the second one started off well but I found myself skim reading sections that just seemed to be filler and cumulatively this has left me not starting the third.

Read all three several times in my youth. Loved 'em then. Still love 'em now. Way better characterizations than some of the later novels.