Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

A long time ago (mid 1990s), in a place far, far away (a suburb of Houston, Texas), a little girl fell in love with Star Wars. That little girl was me, and since then I've had a very complicated relationship to this "IP" as the kids are calling it these days. My love for it seems to ebb and surge; I'm equal parts awkwardly trying to tie my pigtail braids into Leia buns and quivering, despair-rage storming out of Rise of Skywalker.

Lately I've found myself reminiscing about that golden time when the theatrical re-releases of the original trilogy were happening and the prequels were in production, and about all the Extended Universe novels I read back then. I remember marveling at how all these different writers had sort of agreed-upon rules and a rough timeline. I remember some of the best characters like Thrawn and Xizor. I remember how everyone wanted Luke romantically entangled with their OC. Most of all, I remember feeling a sense of wonder at what could have happened in this universe next, a wonder that was all but obliterated by the lazy crap that Disney passes off as movie plots these days.

And so I decided this would be an excellent time to revisit some of these old stories. Partly I hope to overwrite the emotional traumas the sequel trilogy inflicted on me. Partly I hope to chuckle at, or freshly admire, the novels with older eyes. Mostly I just want to have fun with Star Wars again.

So, here's my formula for reviewing the "Legends" Star Wars novels that my younger self may or may not have read 20 something years ago:

Truce at Bakura
Threat of the Day: Aliens beyond the outer rim are coming to turn people into batteries, and they raised a brainwashed young human to help them turn Luke into the biggest battery of them all. I especially liked the cult factor as a plot device. 7/10
Thirsty for Skywalker, You Are: Gaeri is a cheap Princess Leia knock-off: a young, well-bred senator who has religious aversions to the Jedi and some never-explained Force perfume. My biggest complaint is that while her objections make sense...Luke never addresses them. 2/10 Nerfs Herded
Best part: Anakin's force ghost appearing to Leia and she is TRIGGERED.
Worst line: " 'I want to be your ally, Luke, but from a distance.' " From a distance. He pushed away the quiet desolation. He mustn't think of spending forever alone."
Would I revisit in 20 years: unlikely
Overall 4/10