Science Fiction Novel
Star Wars: Book Two
Authors: Paul Davids and Hollace Davids
Illustrated By: June Brigman, Karl Kesel and Drew Struzan
Published By: Barnes and Noble Books, Inc.
by arrangement with
Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by Melissa Minners
Star Wars: Book Two is a compilation of three separate volumes written by the husband and wife tam of Paul and Hollace Davids. With the success of the Star Wars novels for young readers released in 1992, even more novels were produced in 1993 geared toward bringing a new generation of science fiction lovers into the world of Star Wars.
Paul Davids is well known for his work on Roswell, The Transformers, C.O.P.S., and more. Hollace Davids is known for her work at Columbia Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures and Sony Entertainment Pictures. As in Star Wars: Book One, Star Wars Book Two is heavily illustrated by artists Karl Kesel (artist for works like Superman, World’s Finest, and Dark Horse Comics miniseries The Terminator and Indiana Jones), Drew Struzan (known for his poster art for movies such as Star Wars, E.T., the Indiana Jones series, An American Tale) and June Brigman (creator of the Marvel Comics’ Powerpack series, and artist for DC Comics’ Supergirl, Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars).
Picking up where Star Wars: Book One left off, Star Wars: Book Two furthers the adventures of Luke Skywalker and the heroes of the Rebellion in their struggle to form a new government and overcome the evil Empire. This is also the story of the Jedi Prince Ken, a boy we meet in Book One who Luke Skywalker first met while searching for the Lost City of the Jedi. Ken was brought to the Lost City of the Jedi as a baby by an unidentified Jedi Knight. His parentage is unknown, but Ken believes that he may have been named after the famed Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In the first of the three stories, Mission from Mount Yoda, our Alliance heroes leave their secret base on the planet Dagobah, known as Mount Yoda (named posthumously after the Jedi Master / Teacher), and travel to Duro on a special mission. Supreme Dark Prophet Kadann has taken control of the Empire, making himself Emperor and declaring that all of Duro’s ancient relics should be brought to him in tribute. The Alliance received a call for help from the archeologists on Duro, begging the Alliance to help them before Kadann wipes out the last traces of their culture. Meanwhile, High Prophet Jedgar and Grand Moff Hissa are dispatched to Duro to find a prisoner who has escaped from the Imperial Reprogramming Institute. That prisoner is Triclops, the true descendant of Emperor Palpatine. (In Book One, we were introduced to Trioculus, who lied about his connection to Palpatine to gain the position of Emperor.) Triclops had been hidden by the Empire under the excuse that he was insane and dangerous. However, the real reason Triclops has been hidden away soon becomes apparent to the heroes of the Alliance, accompanied by Jedi Prince Ken. Triclops is actually a pacifist who denounces his father’s dark rein. The Empire has been doing all they can to reprogram Triclops rather than destroy him outright. When Triclops aides our heroes in escaping Duro, the Alliance brings him back to Mount Yoda with them, saving him from a life of torture at the hands of the Empire.
In Queen of the Empire, a terrible accident involving an experimental decoy droid forces Han, Leia, See-Threepio, and R2D2 to conduct an emergency mission, transporting a fallen scientist to his home planet for emergency surgery. Meanwhile, the Alliance has learned why the Empire kept Triclops alive rather than destroying him for his pacifist views. While sleeping, Triclops dreams up plans for horrible new weapons. In the past, the Empire took advantage of the fact that Triclops talks in his sleep, and recorded his rantings to be used later in weapons construction. Luke, Ken and Chewbacca remain on Dagobah to monitor Triclops more clearly, in an effort to discover whether he is truly a friend of the Alliance or an Imperial spy. On Cloud City, Zorba the Hutt discovers that his profits are waning due to competition from a new amusement park called Hologram Fun World. He travels there with the intent of destroying his competition and is shocked to find Han and Leia, having completed their emergency mission, have traveled to Fun World with plans of marriage. Still desiring revenge for what Leia did to his son Jabba, Zorba hatches a plan to capture the Princess. The plan is foiled by Grand Moff Hissa. It is then that we discover that the carbon-encased Trioculus is actually alive and he has plans for Zorba and Princess Leia. Can Han rescue Leia before she becomes Trioculus’ bride?
In Prophets of the Dark Side, Kadann has once again regained the throne as Emperor of the Imperial Empire. Kadann has prophesied that the Jedi Prince will lead him to the Lost City of the Jedi. There, he will steal all of the ancient knowledge of the Jedi and become the most powerful man in the universe. In this tale, we finally learn the truth of the Ken’s (the Jedi Prince) parentage – a truth that could very well destroy him.
The stories contained in Star Wars: Book Two are well-written and intriguing for children. They provide just enough entertainment to keep the child wanting more. The illustrations are very well done and the artists are commended in their portrayals of our favorite heroes, as well as the newly introduced characters.
However, Star Wars: Book Two shows very
little care for continuity. The very fact that they unite Han and Leia in
marriage in a completely different way from that in The Courtship of Princess Leia
As a part of a Star Wars fan’s collection, the book is handsomely designed and would make a nice addition to the collection in appearances only. To the fan of the Star Wars canon, this book is so much Bantha fodder.
For more about Star Wars, check out:
Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines
Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way
Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic
Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: The Final Prophecy
Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force
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