What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear #1
Eaten Alive
Enter the Star Wars universe....Zak and Tash Arranda, and their guardian, Uncle Hoole, have landed on the planet D'vouran. Nothing seems out of the ordinary at first. D'vouran is a beautiful planet, rich in natural resources and inhabited by friendly, hospitable creatures. And meeting the famous Rebels Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker in the local cantina is very cool. But something about the planet is not quite right. People seem to be disappearing into thin air. Can Tash find the courage to trust her gut instincts...before it's too late?
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
12 people are currently reading
619 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 29, 2016
Pre-Read Throughts: And so the breadcrumbs on my "YA Star Wars" trail has led me here. A "Goosebumps-style" Star Wars series? Yes, please.
Though I confess to reading and being underwhelmed by , this series sounds right up my alley, as long as I go in with reasonable expectations.
Read/review to come.
***
Post-Read:
While this was an interesting premise, and definitely readable (thought the prose is slightly less sophisticated than some of the other YA Star Wars I've been reading), this was a bit of a let-down overall.
You would think "Horror" and "Star Wars" would be a natural fit, but this felt kinda... forced? (And it certainly lacked the charm that RL Stine gives the "Goosebumps" series [which is presumably the inspitation?)
That said, I did like the relationship between the main characters; I totally bought into the brother/sister dynamic of the pair.
Since these look to be quick reads, I'll probably stick with the series for the moment, see how the rest fare for me.
3.5 stars (rounded down to 3.)
Though I confess to reading and being underwhelmed by , this series sounds right up my alley, as long as I go in with reasonable expectations.
Read/review to come.
***
Post-Read:
While this was an interesting premise, and definitely readable (thought the prose is slightly less sophisticated than some of the other YA Star Wars I've been reading), this was a bit of a let-down overall.
You would think "Horror" and "Star Wars" would be a natural fit, but this felt kinda... forced? (And it certainly lacked the charm that RL Stine gives the "Goosebumps" series [which is presumably the inspitation?)
That said, I did like the relationship between the main characters; I totally bought into the brother/sister dynamic of the pair.
Since these look to be quick reads, I'll probably stick with the series for the moment, see how the rest fare for me.
3.5 stars (rounded down to 3.)
March 2, 2020
I missed the “Goosebumps� train. I have, surprisingly, never read a single R.L. Stine junior horror novel, of which he’s written hundreds, I think. Nothing personal against him, I just never got around to it.
I think it’s because Stine had his heyday sometime in the mid-�90s. I had stopped reading junior and young adult novels by then, mainly because I was in college and out in the real world in that time frame, so my reading choices had changed somewhat.
It was also around this time that the Star Wars Expanded Universe was just starting up, thanks to Timothy Zahn’s wonderful “Thrawn� trilogy. Numerous authors (with the blessing and approval of George Lucas, of course) were contributing their own story ideas to the SWEU.
For the children’s market, several authors were writing junior and kids� books to attract a generation of kids who, unlike their parents, never grew up awaiting a new “Star Wars� movie to hit theaters every two to three years. They’d have to wait until 1999 for the fun and excitement (and colossal let-down) of “Episode I: The Phantom Menace�.
John Whitman, perhaps in preparation for the long-awaited prequel and also an attempt at riding the “Goosebumps� train, wrote a series of junior novels, starting in 1997, under the series title “Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear�, which would feature horror stories set in the SWEU.
“Eaten Alive� was the first book in the series. It featured two young kids, Tash and Zak, and their mad scientist uncle, bopping about in the galaxy having adventures. In “Eaten Alive�, their ship is pulled to a planet that doesn’t seem to be on any star charts. Their ship isn’t the only one to be grabbed by the mysterious gravitational pull. A certain Corellian freighter with a crew of three humans, a Wookiee, and two droids are also drawn in.
It should help to know that the planet’s name is D’vouran. (Pronounced “Devourin’�) Get the joke?
Those who have landed on the surface are greeted by a friendly species who accommodate their every need. Every once in a while, though, one of the visitors disappears without a trace. Eventually, the kids discover that the planet itself is swallowing up and eating people alive. Gross.
Also awesome. I love this series, and if I was a kid, I’d be “devourin’� every book in the series. (See what I did there? This is a running gag, so just go with it...)
I’m not sure how many books Whitman wrote in this series, but I want to read them all. And I have no idea how they compare to “Goosebumps�, but I can only imagine that Stine might have felt a twinge of anxiety that Whitman might threaten his #1 spot on the bestseller list.
I think it’s because Stine had his heyday sometime in the mid-�90s. I had stopped reading junior and young adult novels by then, mainly because I was in college and out in the real world in that time frame, so my reading choices had changed somewhat.
It was also around this time that the Star Wars Expanded Universe was just starting up, thanks to Timothy Zahn’s wonderful “Thrawn� trilogy. Numerous authors (with the blessing and approval of George Lucas, of course) were contributing their own story ideas to the SWEU.
For the children’s market, several authors were writing junior and kids� books to attract a generation of kids who, unlike their parents, never grew up awaiting a new “Star Wars� movie to hit theaters every two to three years. They’d have to wait until 1999 for the fun and excitement (and colossal let-down) of “Episode I: The Phantom Menace�.
John Whitman, perhaps in preparation for the long-awaited prequel and also an attempt at riding the “Goosebumps� train, wrote a series of junior novels, starting in 1997, under the series title “Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear�, which would feature horror stories set in the SWEU.
“Eaten Alive� was the first book in the series. It featured two young kids, Tash and Zak, and their mad scientist uncle, bopping about in the galaxy having adventures. In “Eaten Alive�, their ship is pulled to a planet that doesn’t seem to be on any star charts. Their ship isn’t the only one to be grabbed by the mysterious gravitational pull. A certain Corellian freighter with a crew of three humans, a Wookiee, and two droids are also drawn in.
It should help to know that the planet’s name is D’vouran. (Pronounced “Devourin’�) Get the joke?
Those who have landed on the surface are greeted by a friendly species who accommodate their every need. Every once in a while, though, one of the visitors disappears without a trace. Eventually, the kids discover that the planet itself is swallowing up and eating people alive. Gross.
Also awesome. I love this series, and if I was a kid, I’d be “devourin’� every book in the series. (See what I did there? This is a running gag, so just go with it...)
I’m not sure how many books Whitman wrote in this series, but I want to read them all. And I have no idea how they compare to “Goosebumps�, but I can only imagine that Stine might have felt a twinge of anxiety that Whitman might threaten his #1 spot on the bestseller list.
September 23, 2023
Spoko, trochę dziwne, ale zdarzały się dziwniejsze rzeczy. Ale nie powala na kolana
January 3, 2018
Full disclosure: I wasn't expecting much out of this series of books. I knew going into them that they were an attempt to cash in on the popularity ofGoosebumps, so I figured they would be a little cheesy and ridiculous.Eaten Alive reassured me that yes, they would be just that, but I also found that it's a pretty solid read, too.
The series is about Zak and Tash Arranda, survivors of Alderaan, traveling with their uncle, Hoole, a shapeshifting alien, and DV-9, their droid. Hoole is secretive (the kids don't even know his first name), and DV-9 has become their de facto caretaker, but they travel somewhat randomly through the universe. Their travels take them to D'vouran, where people are mysteriously disappearing, and that's where this book begins.
The characterization in this book is good, and the plot, while simplified, is decent. It's no Jude Watson, understand, but Whitman does more showing than telling in the story, which, in my experience, is rare in juvenile works. Also, the plot resolution involves parts of the story that have been revealed previously in the story, which is always nice; nothing spoils a story for me like an important detail that only becomes clear when it's needed to wrap up a conflict.
I've heard that the key to happiness is lowering your expectations, andEaten Alive shows this might be true. Had I gone into the series expecting an equivalent toJedi Apprentice, I would have been disappointed, but it's nice to be surprised when you're expecting a poor story. I'm not sure I would recommend the series to anyone but the most die-hard ofStar Wars fans, but it's off to an entertaining start.
The series is about Zak and Tash Arranda, survivors of Alderaan, traveling with their uncle, Hoole, a shapeshifting alien, and DV-9, their droid. Hoole is secretive (the kids don't even know his first name), and DV-9 has become their de facto caretaker, but they travel somewhat randomly through the universe. Their travels take them to D'vouran, where people are mysteriously disappearing, and that's where this book begins.
The characterization in this book is good, and the plot, while simplified, is decent. It's no Jude Watson, understand, but Whitman does more showing than telling in the story, which, in my experience, is rare in juvenile works. Also, the plot resolution involves parts of the story that have been revealed previously in the story, which is always nice; nothing spoils a story for me like an important detail that only becomes clear when it's needed to wrap up a conflict.
I've heard that the key to happiness is lowering your expectations, andEaten Alive shows this might be true. Had I gone into the series expecting an equivalent toJedi Apprentice, I would have been disappointed, but it's nice to be surprised when you're expecting a poor story. I'm not sure I would recommend the series to anyone but the most die-hard ofStar Wars fans, but it's off to an entertaining start.
September 10, 2021
Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear "Eaten Alive" is a great mystery of trust and honesty. In the book, it shows that even though siblings can be so annoyed of each other, they can just as easily help each other out in life. These brother and sister find out how useful it is to have trust in somebody by finding out that the the people of the planet they are on not only have a secret of their own but the planet does too. I recomend this book to any reader or person who likes something that has to do with great characters, Star Wars, suspense, or great mysteries.
April 15, 2024
Ein kurzer Horror-Roman, der stark an die Gänsehaut-Reihe erinnert, nur eben im SW-Universeum.
Es liest sich (zumindest auf englisch) sehr schnell, da es eindeutig für jüngeres Publikum geschrieben wurde.
Die zwei MCs, beides sehr junge Teenager, landen notgedrungen auf einem Planeten, der auf keiner karte eingezeichnet ist, und der sie aus dem Hyperraum gerissen hat. Die furchtbar übernetten Bewohner kümmern sich um die Gestrandeten (und es gibt ein Cameo-Auftritt von den alten SW-Chars (4-6)). Aber es wird sehr schnell klar, dass irgendwas auf dem Planeten nicht stimmt, als Leute spurlos verschwinden.
Die ganze Idee des Horrors ist sehr gut gemacht, aber aufgrund der kürze des Buches wird es leider nie wirklich RICHTIG gruselig und die Hintergründe für den Horror werden leider nur angerissen und nicht weiter ausgearbeitet (vermutlich damit es mit keiner damaligen Canon Lore sich überschneidet).
Es liest sich (zumindest auf englisch) sehr schnell, da es eindeutig für jüngeres Publikum geschrieben wurde.
Die zwei MCs, beides sehr junge Teenager, landen notgedrungen auf einem Planeten, der auf keiner karte eingezeichnet ist, und der sie aus dem Hyperraum gerissen hat. Die furchtbar übernetten Bewohner kümmern sich um die Gestrandeten (und es gibt ein Cameo-Auftritt von den alten SW-Chars (4-6)). Aber es wird sehr schnell klar, dass irgendwas auf dem Planeten nicht stimmt, als Leute spurlos verschwinden.
Die ganze Idee des Horrors ist sehr gut gemacht, aber aufgrund der kürze des Buches wird es leider nie wirklich RICHTIG gruselig und die Hintergründe für den Horror werden leider nur angerissen und nicht weiter ausgearbeitet (vermutlich damit es mit keiner damaligen Canon Lore sich überschneidet).
January 30, 2022
I do like the series hook, following two orphans from Alderaan, stuck drifting through the galaxy with their mysterious adoptive uncle. That's a good setup for a young readers line, and at 12 books, this certainly had a decent run. Even the initial plot is fairly interesting with its mystery about a living planet. But the writing is terrible. Yes, this is for younger readers, but it's so choppy and stilted, with people just blurting out lines, and that bad 90s RL Stine trope of every tiny chapter needing to end with a cheap and often deceptive cliffhanger. The story is messily constructed and resolved. The cameo from the main Star Wars cast feels poorly stitched in. I want to like this book in concept, but in execution, it's an extremely sloppy presentation.
March 31, 2018
It good
November 1, 2020
Star Wars themed horror series. I loved the thrills and aliens in this story.
February 23, 2023
I remember this book giving me nightmares when I was like 9 lol. It’s definitely for younger readers but for nostalgia’s sake I picked it up & it was good !
December 12, 2016
When I was young, kids horror was big. Goosebumps ruled the roost and everyone wanted a piece of that spooky pie. Star Wars thought, why not get in on it? And thus was born Galaxy of Fear. As an adult I've been rereading Goosebumps books for a laugh, and you know what? They aren't that good! (though they are good for a laugh.) But guess what, Eaten Alive is actually better! Now I'm not saying this is a great work of art, but for a kids series based on Star Wars meant to cause a little fright, it's not too shabby. Granted, I think you probably need to know the basics of Star Wars to properly enjoy it. I mean, at least you gotta know the main characters and happenings of the original trilogy. But it's fun, it's nostalgic, and if you know young people into Star Wars, why not grab a cheap used copy off ebay or amazon and see if they are into it.
June 18, 2020
Really tight!! I enjoyed it a lot, and was shocked by how brutal it got. Just started book two in the series and am stoked!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2020
great, fun read!
EXCELLENT START TO SERIES
EXCELLENT START TO SERIES
June 27, 2021
We finally finish up our cycle of the series I covered in Ripoff Month 2, with the series the month started on. Galaxy of Fear's The Brain Spiders proved to be one a very well constructed narrative, that balanced things mostly well. Since this series has an arc and all that, I figured I'd start from the first one for my next one.
I'd say I liked it about as much as the one I reviewed. It's solid for similar reasons, even if it highlights the formula of the series that Brain Spiders leaned into a fair bit. So we get our proper introducti0n to siblings Tash and Zack Arranda, whose happened to live on Alderran before that got blown up. Infact, they were on vacation when that went down, so they came back to see that whoops their parents and everyone else they knew are dead.
Their only family left is Uncle Hoole, who here is introduced as a shady type, and they aren't sure how fully trustworthy he is. Along with them is the drove Deevee, who here is amazingly snarky. I love him. One day they get sucked by the gravity force of a strange planet. They end up having to stay there and find out it just appeared a while ago, but seems to be nice and is even attracting tourists.
However, people start vanishing, while no one besides Tasha seems to think anything odd is going on at first, and the local most vocal about this is written off as a coot. Naturally, things indeed as wrong. As for what is going on...the planet is called D'vouran.
Gee, I wonder what its deal is.
Yeah, that name makes it too obvious. That aside, it is a solid story. For one, it sets up things well. Trash and Zak are good leads, and we get some emotional maturity. We see how they are affected by the death of their parents in their own ways. It's interesting to see, and they even get along well here. It's an interesting contrast to Brain Spiders, since that leans into their differences more.
And by that point Hoole is much calmer, while here he is shrouded in mystery. There's basically a whole subplot regarding his past, as it turns Jabba isn't the only hut he met, and there is a gang lead by one who wants his head. Heck, they basically try to kill the kids more than once.
That part was mixed for me. It made the story more involved, but did fizzle out a tad later on, felt like it was there just to add more pages, even if it did serve a solid purpose in a way. While we are on flaws, I will character wise there isn't too much here once the threat becomes clear. It simply introduces us to the cast pretty well, and leaves it open for others like Brain Spiders to explore that further.
It just makes it so the final chapter doesn't leave you with some character stuff like in that one. Also, there's this device that is basically just a cheap way for them to stay safe in certain parts, even if it is at least explained. And as I said, the formula this establishes is clear. Especially in the end with Hoole coming to save them, and a bit where it's a happy ending but then a final creepy paragraph happens elsewhere. That causes a flaw, kinda in others more than this one, but it is worth noting.
Back to positives, things flow well with minimal padding. The mystery is obvious but still builds well. There's more horror given what the planet does and there's decent creepy stuff here and there. Plus, good setup and payoff with Zak being good at skimboarding. Again, so far as there are better constructed narratives than you may typically see in these.
It builds to a pretty good climax, that gets wild at a certain point. Oh and Luke, Han, Leia and Cheewie makes an appearance. That was cool.
Overall, it's a good start for the series. It sets up the characters well, and tells a solid story that builds well. There's a few weak points but nothing too bad in the end. I think I found Brain Spiders more interesting due to the character stuff despite how similar it can be this one.
I think I have a slight preference to other series due to being more creative/fun, but this is proving to be well thought out and solid to me. Oh and again we get some dark moments that I appreciated. Not much more to say.
That finishes that cycle. No idea what is next, or if I'll have a whole cycle of this completed soon, I'm gonna pick more at random instead caring about finishing cycles of these. Wanna get back to the other series next really, but before that I have housekeeping when it comes to modern GB throwbacks to get done before I think about other things.
See ya for that I guess.
I'd say I liked it about as much as the one I reviewed. It's solid for similar reasons, even if it highlights the formula of the series that Brain Spiders leaned into a fair bit. So we get our proper introducti0n to siblings Tash and Zack Arranda, whose happened to live on Alderran before that got blown up. Infact, they were on vacation when that went down, so they came back to see that whoops their parents and everyone else they knew are dead.
Their only family left is Uncle Hoole, who here is introduced as a shady type, and they aren't sure how fully trustworthy he is. Along with them is the drove Deevee, who here is amazingly snarky. I love him. One day they get sucked by the gravity force of a strange planet. They end up having to stay there and find out it just appeared a while ago, but seems to be nice and is even attracting tourists.
However, people start vanishing, while no one besides Tasha seems to think anything odd is going on at first, and the local most vocal about this is written off as a coot. Naturally, things indeed as wrong. As for what is going on...the planet is called D'vouran.
Gee, I wonder what its deal is.
Yeah, that name makes it too obvious. That aside, it is a solid story. For one, it sets up things well. Trash and Zak are good leads, and we get some emotional maturity. We see how they are affected by the death of their parents in their own ways. It's interesting to see, and they even get along well here. It's an interesting contrast to Brain Spiders, since that leans into their differences more.
And by that point Hoole is much calmer, while here he is shrouded in mystery. There's basically a whole subplot regarding his past, as it turns Jabba isn't the only hut he met, and there is a gang lead by one who wants his head. Heck, they basically try to kill the kids more than once.
That part was mixed for me. It made the story more involved, but did fizzle out a tad later on, felt like it was there just to add more pages, even if it did serve a solid purpose in a way. While we are on flaws, I will character wise there isn't too much here once the threat becomes clear. It simply introduces us to the cast pretty well, and leaves it open for others like Brain Spiders to explore that further.
It just makes it so the final chapter doesn't leave you with some character stuff like in that one. Also, there's this device that is basically just a cheap way for them to stay safe in certain parts, even if it is at least explained. And as I said, the formula this establishes is clear. Especially in the end with Hoole coming to save them, and a bit where it's a happy ending but then a final creepy paragraph happens elsewhere. That causes a flaw, kinda in others more than this one, but it is worth noting.
Back to positives, things flow well with minimal padding. The mystery is obvious but still builds well. There's more horror given what the planet does and there's decent creepy stuff here and there. Plus, good setup and payoff with Zak being good at skimboarding. Again, so far as there are better constructed narratives than you may typically see in these.
It builds to a pretty good climax, that gets wild at a certain point. Oh and Luke, Han, Leia and Cheewie makes an appearance. That was cool.
Overall, it's a good start for the series. It sets up the characters well, and tells a solid story that builds well. There's a few weak points but nothing too bad in the end. I think I found Brain Spiders more interesting due to the character stuff despite how similar it can be this one.
I think I have a slight preference to other series due to being more creative/fun, but this is proving to be well thought out and solid to me. Oh and again we get some dark moments that I appreciated. Not much more to say.
That finishes that cycle. No idea what is next, or if I'll have a whole cycle of this completed soon, I'm gonna pick more at random instead caring about finishing cycles of these. Wanna get back to the other series next really, but before that I have housekeeping when it comes to modern GB throwbacks to get done before I think about other things.
See ya for that I guess.
January 10, 2021
Star Wars Legends Project #249
Background: Eaten Alive was written by and published in January of 1997. This is the first of the Galaxy of Fear series, all written by Whitman. In addition he wrote about a dozen other Star Wars books for kids.
Eaten Alive takes place 6 months after the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Tash and Zak Arranda, their adoptive Uncle Hoole, and their droid caretaker, DV-9. There are also brief appearances by Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, R2-D2, C-3PO, and Darth Vader. Most of the story takes place on the planet D'vouran.
Summary: It's been 6 months since Zak and Tash Arranda's lives were turned upside-down by the loss of their parents when their planet was destroyed. Now they travel the galaxy with their anthropologist uncle, whose latest expedition takes them to the newly-discovered planet D'vouran, a seeming paradise inhabited by hospitable natives and a brand new colony of off-worlders. Tash has a terrible feeling about the whole place, but everything seems fine . . . until a Hutt gangster from her uncle's past appears with an offer he thinks they won't be able to refuse. But according to the wild-eyed warnings of a half-crazed ship captain who was among the first off-worlders to discover D'vouran, murderous criminals are the least of everyone's worries.
Review: I won't say my expectations were necessarily low for this book. I've certainly enjoyed some Star Wars YA series in the past, though they can be hit-or-miss and have to be appreciated on their own terms. But everything about this series concept sounds like a marketing ploy to ride the lucrative Goosebumps wave (which I never caught), so I was definitely uncertain.
For the most part, this was a pleasant surprise. The characters are likable and the story never drags. Calling the planet "D'vouran" was pretty on-the-nose, but the book is already called Eaten Alive so it's not like the direction the story is going is supposed to be a big surprise. The book strikes a good balance of thrills and chills without tipping over into traumatically scary. Still, the situations are legitimately more frightening than those faced by the usual Star Wars YA protagonist . . . who also, come to think of it, tend to be Jedi.
Actually, that's another nice change of pace. Tash Arranda, the book broadly hints, is definitely Force-sensitive, and I expect that to be a recurring plot element. But she's not a Jedi and doesn't have any of that skill set that would likely make it never feel like the characters are in serious danger. In general, those kinds of details, which might normally annoy me, didn't bother me here. Of course there's a character who's Force-sensitive. Of course the main characters are from Alderaan. Of course the main heroes put in an appearance out of nowhere. Actually, as far as that goes, I really enjoyed that brief cameo. It didn't overwhelm the story, it just felt like when you're watching a spin-off show and they launch it with the characters from the main show doing a walk-through in the first episode.
The one detail that really bothered me is that Tash and Zak's uncle is a Shi'ido, which is an alien shapeshifter. They handwave that by saying he's an uncle "by marriage." No idea how that's supposed to work, but it's obviously not important. The main thing is, he's not a shape-shifter in any reasonable sense of the term. He can literally morph into anything and gain special abilities accordingly. He can turn into a little rodent and weigh next to nothing or squeeze through small spaces. He can turn into a muscular Wookiee and gain super-strength. Like . . . what on earth. But once you accept that as a plot device, it's not overused or abused to resolve every conflict. It's silly, but it's fine.
This could very well end up being a good series, definitely worth checking out.
C
Background: Eaten Alive was written by and published in January of 1997. This is the first of the Galaxy of Fear series, all written by Whitman. In addition he wrote about a dozen other Star Wars books for kids.
Eaten Alive takes place 6 months after the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Tash and Zak Arranda, their adoptive Uncle Hoole, and their droid caretaker, DV-9. There are also brief appearances by Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, R2-D2, C-3PO, and Darth Vader. Most of the story takes place on the planet D'vouran.
Summary: It's been 6 months since Zak and Tash Arranda's lives were turned upside-down by the loss of their parents when their planet was destroyed. Now they travel the galaxy with their anthropologist uncle, whose latest expedition takes them to the newly-discovered planet D'vouran, a seeming paradise inhabited by hospitable natives and a brand new colony of off-worlders. Tash has a terrible feeling about the whole place, but everything seems fine . . . until a Hutt gangster from her uncle's past appears with an offer he thinks they won't be able to refuse. But according to the wild-eyed warnings of a half-crazed ship captain who was among the first off-worlders to discover D'vouran, murderous criminals are the least of everyone's worries.
Review: I won't say my expectations were necessarily low for this book. I've certainly enjoyed some Star Wars YA series in the past, though they can be hit-or-miss and have to be appreciated on their own terms. But everything about this series concept sounds like a marketing ploy to ride the lucrative Goosebumps wave (which I never caught), so I was definitely uncertain.
For the most part, this was a pleasant surprise. The characters are likable and the story never drags. Calling the planet "D'vouran" was pretty on-the-nose, but the book is already called Eaten Alive so it's not like the direction the story is going is supposed to be a big surprise. The book strikes a good balance of thrills and chills without tipping over into traumatically scary. Still, the situations are legitimately more frightening than those faced by the usual Star Wars YA protagonist . . . who also, come to think of it, tend to be Jedi.
Actually, that's another nice change of pace. Tash Arranda, the book broadly hints, is definitely Force-sensitive, and I expect that to be a recurring plot element. But she's not a Jedi and doesn't have any of that skill set that would likely make it never feel like the characters are in serious danger. In general, those kinds of details, which might normally annoy me, didn't bother me here. Of course there's a character who's Force-sensitive. Of course the main characters are from Alderaan. Of course the main heroes put in an appearance out of nowhere. Actually, as far as that goes, I really enjoyed that brief cameo. It didn't overwhelm the story, it just felt like when you're watching a spin-off show and they launch it with the characters from the main show doing a walk-through in the first episode.
The one detail that really bothered me is that Tash and Zak's uncle is a Shi'ido, which is an alien shapeshifter. They handwave that by saying he's an uncle "by marriage." No idea how that's supposed to work, but it's obviously not important. The main thing is, he's not a shape-shifter in any reasonable sense of the term. He can literally morph into anything and gain special abilities accordingly. He can turn into a little rodent and weigh next to nothing or squeeze through small spaces. He can turn into a muscular Wookiee and gain super-strength. Like . . . what on earth. But once you accept that as a plot device, it's not overused or abused to resolve every conflict. It's silly, but it's fine.
This could very well end up being a good series, definitely worth checking out.
C
April 29, 2019
Goosebumps this sure as hell ain’t.
In and of itself Eaten Alive isn’t particularly horrible. It’s actually pretty average for a Star Wars young reader novel from the late 90s. Nothing amazing but nothing flat out awful.
The issue with this one is that it’s a blatant and unapologetic rip off of Goosebumps, only using familiar characters and tropes from Star Wars, which, of course leads to a whole slew of issues.
I can’t blame Lucasfilm and Scholastic (or whoever it was that was publishing Star Wars stories for a younger audience way back when) for trying to hop on the youth “horror� train that R.L. Stine almost singlehandedly created with Goosebumps. Those books were sales juggernauts and, even to this day, 20 something years later, they still get picked up by elementary school kids and read until their pages are barely hanging on. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that phenomenon?
The problem with that thought though is that trying to create horror in the already familiar Star Wars genre just doesn’t work. I’m not saying the Goosebumps books are the pantheon of awesome writing, but at least they feel original and, though cheesy to more adult readers, they’re still fun and can have some pretty clever little fun scares and spooky moments. Star Wars on the other hand, just isn’t a good vehicle for that kinda writing. Yes, Joe Schrieber pulled of a surprisingly gory and dark zombie/plague story with the insanely awesome Death Troopers and, to a lesser extent (though no less violent and even more gory) Red Harvest but those were definitely geared towards a more mature audience. Obviously the Galaxy of Fear series isn’t marketed towards those kind of readers and it just fails.
I think Goosebumps was never supposed to be taken seriously. If I’m not mistaken even Stine himself said that he found his own creation to be more along the lines of comedic horror and never outright terror. Because of that, the entire series had a tongue in cheek feel and even if it was kinda stupid and cheesy, at least you knew it was never supposed to be awesome. And, even if he didn’t think he was that great, at least Stine was a halfway decent author. I don’t get the same feel with Eaten Alive. I have a feeling that with this series, the publisher was just trying too hard to grab young readers attention and say “hey, look at us, we can be cool like those other books you like. We make Star Wars .�
This one book is enough for me to see that I’m not missing a single thing if I don’t read another of these...which is really kind of a disappointment because they’ve been on my “to read� list for quite some years. Oh well. Can’t win them all I guess.
In and of itself Eaten Alive isn’t particularly horrible. It’s actually pretty average for a Star Wars young reader novel from the late 90s. Nothing amazing but nothing flat out awful.
The issue with this one is that it’s a blatant and unapologetic rip off of Goosebumps, only using familiar characters and tropes from Star Wars, which, of course leads to a whole slew of issues.
I can’t blame Lucasfilm and Scholastic (or whoever it was that was publishing Star Wars stories for a younger audience way back when) for trying to hop on the youth “horror� train that R.L. Stine almost singlehandedly created with Goosebumps. Those books were sales juggernauts and, even to this day, 20 something years later, they still get picked up by elementary school kids and read until their pages are barely hanging on. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that phenomenon?
The problem with that thought though is that trying to create horror in the already familiar Star Wars genre just doesn’t work. I’m not saying the Goosebumps books are the pantheon of awesome writing, but at least they feel original and, though cheesy to more adult readers, they’re still fun and can have some pretty clever little fun scares and spooky moments. Star Wars on the other hand, just isn’t a good vehicle for that kinda writing. Yes, Joe Schrieber pulled of a surprisingly gory and dark zombie/plague story with the insanely awesome Death Troopers and, to a lesser extent (though no less violent and even more gory) Red Harvest but those were definitely geared towards a more mature audience. Obviously the Galaxy of Fear series isn’t marketed towards those kind of readers and it just fails.
I think Goosebumps was never supposed to be taken seriously. If I’m not mistaken even Stine himself said that he found his own creation to be more along the lines of comedic horror and never outright terror. Because of that, the entire series had a tongue in cheek feel and even if it was kinda stupid and cheesy, at least you knew it was never supposed to be awesome. And, even if he didn’t think he was that great, at least Stine was a halfway decent author. I don’t get the same feel with Eaten Alive. I have a feeling that with this series, the publisher was just trying too hard to grab young readers attention and say “hey, look at us, we can be cool like those other books you like. We make Star Wars .�
This one book is enough for me to see that I’m not missing a single thing if I don’t read another of these...which is really kind of a disappointment because they’ve been on my “to read� list for quite some years. Oh well. Can’t win them all I guess.
July 29, 2023
Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear: Eaten Alive
The Galaxy of Fear novel series follows brothers Tash and Zak Arranda on adventures across the galaxy with their Shi'ido uncle, Hoole. Most of these adventures, if not all, will turn out to be anything but normal, because they will be involved in the middle of the Empire's evil experiments that involve everything from living planets, zombies, cannibals, clones, etc.
In this first novel, "EATEN ALIVE", we are introduced to the orphans Tash and Zak Arranda, who are natives of Alderaan and who, due to the destruction of their planet, are now in the custody of their uncle, the Shi'ido Hoole. As a caretaker, they have the droid DV-9, who turns out to be one of the funniest characters in the series. On their journey through hyperspace, their ship is damaged, forcing them to land on the planet D'vouran.
On the planet, they meet the natives of the world, who turn out to be very strange, especially Tash, who suspects that something strange is happening. Receiving help from the cast of the original trilogy to get rid of a Hutt who wanted to kidnap them, the group manages to repair their ship. However, they decide to stay for a while longer so that Hoole can continue to investigate the world. Tash continues to think that something is wrong and coupled with the fact that her uncle is still someone unknown to them, she begins to doubt everyone on the planet. Discovering that the planet is a living world that eats its inhabitants, Tash and Zak are forced to escape the Hutt and the planet's inhabitants, who serve the world by giving them new victims to feed on. Fortunately, Hoole manages to free his nephews just as they were going to be sacrificed by the natives, and with the help of the Millennium Falcon crew, they manage to flee the world. However, the planet begins to follow them through space, but ultimately ends up disappearing from the galaxy forever seemingly; so the crew is recovering from this experience while they resume their trip. Meanwhile, in a part of space, a ship unexpectedly comes out of hyperspace and encounters a mysterious planet never seen before.
The Galaxy of Fear novel series follows brothers Tash and Zak Arranda on adventures across the galaxy with their Shi'ido uncle, Hoole. Most of these adventures, if not all, will turn out to be anything but normal, because they will be involved in the middle of the Empire's evil experiments that involve everything from living planets, zombies, cannibals, clones, etc.
In this first novel, "EATEN ALIVE", we are introduced to the orphans Tash and Zak Arranda, who are natives of Alderaan and who, due to the destruction of their planet, are now in the custody of their uncle, the Shi'ido Hoole. As a caretaker, they have the droid DV-9, who turns out to be one of the funniest characters in the series. On their journey through hyperspace, their ship is damaged, forcing them to land on the planet D'vouran.
On the planet, they meet the natives of the world, who turn out to be very strange, especially Tash, who suspects that something strange is happening. Receiving help from the cast of the original trilogy to get rid of a Hutt who wanted to kidnap them, the group manages to repair their ship. However, they decide to stay for a while longer so that Hoole can continue to investigate the world. Tash continues to think that something is wrong and coupled with the fact that her uncle is still someone unknown to them, she begins to doubt everyone on the planet. Discovering that the planet is a living world that eats its inhabitants, Tash and Zak are forced to escape the Hutt and the planet's inhabitants, who serve the world by giving them new victims to feed on. Fortunately, Hoole manages to free his nephews just as they were going to be sacrificed by the natives, and with the help of the Millennium Falcon crew, they manage to flee the world. However, the planet begins to follow them through space, but ultimately ends up disappearing from the galaxy forever seemingly; so the crew is recovering from this experience while they resume their trip. Meanwhile, in a part of space, a ship unexpectedly comes out of hyperspace and encounters a mysterious planet never seen before.
March 4, 2025
I think I read this book before many years ago, though I did not get around to finishing the series. I do enjoy the holographic covers.
Keeping in mind that Galaxy of Fear came out while Junior Jedi Knights (which I love) was still in progress. In Junior Jedi Knights dark haired Anakin and his blonde friend Tahiri got adventures together at and around the Jedi Academy under the supervision of his uncle Luke Skywalker (and other Jedi).
So I do have some criticism that Zak, a dark haired boy, and Tash his blonde haired sister are running around having supernatural hijinks with their uncle... I don't think every series needs Captain Planet diversity, but I do think it's fair to criticize the series for default to white syndrome. This would have been a really good series to insert some more variety of human skin tones into lead characters... and it wouldn't have changed the dynamics of the series at all. And this isn't me hopping on the DEI train, these are thoughts I had back in 97/98 when I first read the books... I like variety.
I also kind of wish they had held off on the Han, Luke, and Leia cameo...but I reserve the right to change my mind about that later. I do love the trio, but I think the galaxy feels bigger when they aren't everywhere.
What I do like is following Alderaanian survivors who aren't connected to Leia. I like glimpses into how "normal" people in the GFFA live...I'm on the fence about Tash being Force sensitive, but we'll see how that develops.
I'm not a huge fan of shapeshifters in Star Wars, though they've been here since Ewok films and again in Attack of the Clones, so I can't really fault the author for including them.
On the story, I like simple adventures and definitely think they have a place. I am sucker for puns and word humor, so D'vouran and "We are here to serve" made me giggle. While the horror element is toned down a bit for the audience (which I prefer), there is a fair bit of death for the first book. They kick off destroying a planet after the planet ate an entire small town, so the books do have more teeth than the hoverboard might lead you to believe at first.
Keeping in mind that Galaxy of Fear came out while Junior Jedi Knights (which I love) was still in progress. In Junior Jedi Knights dark haired Anakin and his blonde friend Tahiri got adventures together at and around the Jedi Academy under the supervision of his uncle Luke Skywalker (and other Jedi).
So I do have some criticism that Zak, a dark haired boy, and Tash his blonde haired sister are running around having supernatural hijinks with their uncle... I don't think every series needs Captain Planet diversity, but I do think it's fair to criticize the series for default to white syndrome. This would have been a really good series to insert some more variety of human skin tones into lead characters... and it wouldn't have changed the dynamics of the series at all. And this isn't me hopping on the DEI train, these are thoughts I had back in 97/98 when I first read the books... I like variety.
I also kind of wish they had held off on the Han, Luke, and Leia cameo...but I reserve the right to change my mind about that later. I do love the trio, but I think the galaxy feels bigger when they aren't everywhere.
What I do like is following Alderaanian survivors who aren't connected to Leia. I like glimpses into how "normal" people in the GFFA live...I'm on the fence about Tash being Force sensitive, but we'll see how that develops.
I'm not a huge fan of shapeshifters in Star Wars, though they've been here since Ewok films and again in Attack of the Clones, so I can't really fault the author for including them.
On the story, I like simple adventures and definitely think they have a place. I am sucker for puns and word humor, so D'vouran and "We are here to serve" made me giggle. While the horror element is toned down a bit for the audience (which I prefer), there is a fair bit of death for the first book. They kick off destroying a planet after the planet ate an entire small town, so the books do have more teeth than the hoverboard might lead you to believe at first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2025
There's no overstating the cultural importance of the Goosebumps series when it comes to talking about kid's literature from the 1990s. Back in the mid-'90s, Goosebumps was handily selling millions of copies monthly, a massive cash-cow for publisher Scholastic. In the wake of its huge success, other publishers were scrambling for an answer, and Bantam, which held a license to Star Wars, cooked up its own scheme.
It's hard to say whether or not that scheme was ultimately financially successful; there's no doubt Galaxy of Fear, the series they cooked up, sold copy, but 1997 was already pretty late in the cycle for a Goosebumps style series for Star Wars readers, and the book carried for 12 novels and then was quickly forgotten by all but the most dedicated Star Wars fans.
The debut novel in the series, Eaten Alive, is actually a really fun read, though, full of action and adventure and references to the greater Star Wars canon, even if the series itself would be stricken from any sort of canonical record. All the major cast show up in important cameo appearances in this one, and the book's scare-filled plot feels much more cohesive than the Goosebumps novels it is clearly emulating.
Credit to Whitman for the cohesion; it's not easy to write in this specific style of suspense and keep things feeling fresh or entertaining, but the novel is a breezy read, driven forward by good suspense beats and its terrifying premise. In the world of children's Star Wars fiction, Eaten Alive stands very firmly in the middle of the good stuff, much more coherent than the Junior Jedi Knights novels, while perhaps not quite as expansive as the Young Jedi Knights' first arc.
But this one launches a series with an amazing premise, full of weird and spooky ideas, a strange but wonderful direction for an established IP to explore.
It's hard to say whether or not that scheme was ultimately financially successful; there's no doubt Galaxy of Fear, the series they cooked up, sold copy, but 1997 was already pretty late in the cycle for a Goosebumps style series for Star Wars readers, and the book carried for 12 novels and then was quickly forgotten by all but the most dedicated Star Wars fans.
The debut novel in the series, Eaten Alive, is actually a really fun read, though, full of action and adventure and references to the greater Star Wars canon, even if the series itself would be stricken from any sort of canonical record. All the major cast show up in important cameo appearances in this one, and the book's scare-filled plot feels much more cohesive than the Goosebumps novels it is clearly emulating.
Credit to Whitman for the cohesion; it's not easy to write in this specific style of suspense and keep things feeling fresh or entertaining, but the novel is a breezy read, driven forward by good suspense beats and its terrifying premise. In the world of children's Star Wars fiction, Eaten Alive stands very firmly in the middle of the good stuff, much more coherent than the Junior Jedi Knights novels, while perhaps not quite as expansive as the Young Jedi Knights' first arc.
But this one launches a series with an amazing premise, full of weird and spooky ideas, a strange but wonderful direction for an established IP to explore.
July 23, 2021
Read and loved this series as a kid, and I still think it holds up! Of course it follows the Goosebumps formula of cheesy cliff-hanger chapter endings, but it does a lot more to enhance the thrill of the story as well. There's some masterful foreshadowing in the beginning with the zoology lesson of the birds who fly around a rancor's mouth, which thankfully is not overdone but left as a breadcrumb for discerning young readers' eyes. Some of the details (the mysterious slurping sounds at night) are downright skin-tingling.
One of my favorite things about this series, and many other horror novels for middle grade readers, is that it encourages young people to trust their instincts. There are definitely occasions in the real world--bullying situations, abuse, etc. when young people may be ignored by older people around them, written off as overreacting or being immature. It's important for these kids to trust themselves enough to stand up and speak out.
One of my favorite things about this series, and many other horror novels for middle grade readers, is that it encourages young people to trust their instincts. There are definitely occasions in the real world--bullying situations, abuse, etc. when young people may be ignored by older people around them, written off as overreacting or being immature. It's important for these kids to trust themselves enough to stand up and speak out.
June 13, 2022
Good fun. Trying to relive some of the nostalgia of my youth, although I long ago had lost the books I was able to find them to read online.
As an answer to goosebumps (but it’s Star Wars!) this book is really good. Fast moving, entertaining and respectful of the franchise with a killer twist. And also I picked up the name of the planet this time “D’Vouran, as in devouring, get it?�
Yes it’s a bit silly with every chapter ending on a cliffhanger and how Tash is force sensitive (aren’t we all) and the introduction of the New Hope crew is a little forced, but it all adds to the fun and scares. Shame this never went further than the 12 books because the main characters introduced for this series are all very interesting and well rounded.
As an answer to goosebumps (but it’s Star Wars!) this book is really good. Fast moving, entertaining and respectful of the franchise with a killer twist. And also I picked up the name of the planet this time “D’Vouran, as in devouring, get it?�
Yes it’s a bit silly with every chapter ending on a cliffhanger and how Tash is force sensitive (aren’t we all) and the introduction of the New Hope crew is a little forced, but it all adds to the fun and scares. Shame this never went further than the 12 books because the main characters introduced for this series are all very interesting and well rounded.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2024
This was one of my favourites series when I was a kid, so I'm always going to be biased when I re-read it. I also enjoyed Goosebumps at the time, which is the obvious inspiration behind these books (heck, even the typical GB older sister-younger brother dynamic got ported over), but Galaxy of Fear always triumphed in my eyes - the same characters developing in new situations, with bonus Star Wars settings and cameos!
Eaten Alive shows us the blueprint of what all the books will be like. Yes, there are ridiculous cliffhangers at the end of every chapter. Yes, there are cringey hints (D'vouran is devourin'). But the mystery behind Hoole is interesting. Tash and Zak feel like real kids. Perhaps I enjoyed this more than I ought to have... ;D
Eaten Alive shows us the blueprint of what all the books will be like. Yes, there are ridiculous cliffhangers at the end of every chapter. Yes, there are cringey hints (D'vouran is devourin'). But the mystery behind Hoole is interesting. Tash and Zak feel like real kids. Perhaps I enjoyed this more than I ought to have... ;D
December 7, 2023
Very readable SW book. I think I may have read it as a youngster (at least I know I owned it) but I don't remember ... Well, as I'm reading all published SW novels in published order, I read this one. To my surprise, it was much more enjoyable than I expected. The sibling characters are well-written as to be likable-- Tash seems to be Force-sensitive. Cute cameo of the OG characters Han, Chewie, Luke, and Leia that ties in neatly with the story without taking the spotlight away from the new characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2021
Star Wars: Goosebumps as expected and therefore this short story met all of my expectations. I would say that the story wasn't as quirky as an R.L. Stine but it did have its Star Wars charm. Droids, Hutts, Ganks, Wookies and even a few familiar heroes.
This was my very first dip into reading Star Wars and I enjoyed it. The pace is fast and the action is piled on as the story progresses. The aliens and their world were fun if not entirely original.
This was my very first dip into reading Star Wars and I enjoyed it. The pace is fast and the action is piled on as the story progresses. The aliens and their world were fun if not entirely original.
November 30, 2020
The first entry in the Galaxy of Fear series sets the precedent of heavy-handed cameos and cheesy horror, and...it's lots of fun!
Eaten Alive manages to be creepy, corny, and solidly Star Wars. It was never going to be my favorite series, but it promises to be an enjoyable ride for young readers.
Whitman keeps me guessing enough to make the kiddie elements more than bearable.
Eaten Alive manages to be creepy, corny, and solidly Star Wars. It was never going to be my favorite series, but it promises to be an enjoyable ride for young readers.
Whitman keeps me guessing enough to make the kiddie elements more than bearable.
January 17, 2022
This book resurfaced like an amnesia scene in a horror movie. I had completely forgotten about this until someone brought it up at work. These books were definitely on the crazier side of the Star Wars EU, but I had a lot of fun with it as a kid � I’ll stick to a middle of the road 3 starts until/unless I reread it for a new review. Side note: I loved the holographic cover of this book!
November 17, 2023
It doesn’t really feel fair leaving a star rating because I only picked up this series for the nostalgia. I read them back in like 3rd grade and they were part of the reason I fell in love with books. I figured even though they’re average kids books, they get 4 stars because 20 years later I still remembered enjoying them.
October 4, 2019
I like star wars but this book was not my cup of tea. I don´t really like reading about something that I have already seen all if the live action movies, they have more action than thinking about it in your head.
May 9, 2020
Pretty decent! I don't even think I minded the constant "don't forget, this is a Star Wars book!" poking and prodding from the author (it is for kids, after all). A fun way to get ahead on my challenge. Also, some parts that genuinely made me shudder as a 26-year-old person.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.