Category: Space Opera - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell and the Book of Doom

16/8/2026

Luke Skywalker and the Shadow of Mindor (Star Wars Legends)
by Matthew Stover

Haunted by the recent events at Mindor, Luke Skywalker enlists the services of an inspector from the Judicial Service to investigate him for war crimes. What follows is the account of a dangerous adventure involving the villain Lord Shadowspawn, an old villain who has returned to use holodramas to enact his dark agenda. Will Luke be judged fairly for his deeds at Mindor? Who can say...

The 70s/80s Star Wars comics are a fun read, but they stray into silly territory a lot. Bringing back a villain from those pages... I suppose it matches the schlocky tone of the book, though I can't say I enjoyed either aspect. Stover employs bombastic writing that might've been amusing for a page or two. But it's the whole damn book. So much wasted space of explaining/telling when a few lines of dialogue would have sufficed. So many "exotic" similes and metaphors bogging down the prose. So many out-of-character moments. However, I will admit that Luke landing a ship the same way Anakin once did was a stroke of genius and I'd like to see that happen again in Disney canon. And uh... at least there's fewer racist moments than in Stover's Clone Wars novel? (See my review of Shatterpoint).

Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor is an unapologetic farcical slog that accomplishes what Stover set out to do. It's this way for a reason. I get it, but it's not my thing.

Cue "Across the Stars"

10/8/2026

Eyes Like Stars (Star Wars Disney)
by Ashley Poston

Ardent Quay was just looking for the last instalment of her favourite series, but instead she finds trouble - in the form of Sian, an archeologist in need of a quick escape from the First Order. Ardent helps him stowaway on her father's tour ship and soon things get even more complicated when her brother reappears after an absence. Ardent's life may now be in danger... and so too is her heart.

I absolutely adore YA sci-fi/romance and I also adore Poston's YA novels, so this purchase was pretty much a foregone conclusion for me. It's a fun ride that doesn't really deviate from the usual genre blueprints. There's no real surprises here. However, the Star Wars setting is what truly makes it an engaging read... visit the planets you know and planets you don't know. Encounter legendary heroes and villains (happily, they aren't overused here). And fall in love like you're a teenager..

Expanded Universe Round-Up #34

8/8/2026

Jedi Prince series by Paul Davids & Hollace Davids

#1 - The Glove of Darth Vader

Dark Greetings, fellow readers! I have a confession to make: as a kid, I LOVED this series. It was a shock to realise that these books were universally hated (I assume I made this discovery on TheForce.net). I owned books #1-4, while my brother owned books #5 and #6 - he was ever so stingy in letting me borrow them, but many years later he gifted them to me as an adult.

So. The Glove of Darth Vader. This is the book that radicalised me to be anti-whaling at a very tender age. I also devoured it enough times that I could remember practically every paragraph on this re-read (and it's also literally falling apart, alas). I admit...it hasn't held up well. I laughed out loud when the Glove was first brought up. I mean...why only make ONE glove indestructible? But it's still fun and has a cracking pace. It's 82 pages of entertainment aimed at kids. It does the job - or, at least, it did for me.

#2 - The Lost City of the Jedi

This was one of my favourite books in the mid-1990s. I was enamoured with the idea of the Lost City, though now I think it was a silly thing to run with, even in the wild (sometimes unhinged) years before the prequel trilogy. And then there's Rey - I mean, Ken. When I tell you I groaned out loud in the cinema while watching The Rise of Skywalker, it's because I couldn't believe they'd take inspiration from this series, of all things. I hope they didn't. Wow, what a horrible coincidence if not.

(On second thought, the mention of a character called "Snoke" in this book does make me very suspicious.)

Okay. Confession time. Kid!me wanted to be Ken and honestly, that was the whole point of his character. A reader insert. He performs that function well.

This book is objectively bad, but I will honour the love I once felt for it with a high rating lol

PS: The illustrations throughout are incredibly good!

#3 - Zorba the Hutt's Revenge

What a delightfully unhinged read that was. The only thing funnier than this book are the reviews far wittier readers have written and posted on this site. This time, we get bucketloads of sexism, a random detour to Tatooine for a housewarming gift, and Zorba the Hutt, who is the best gift of all. He and Trioculus have a hilarious confrontation scene. And Trioculus... well, his pickup lines make Anakin look as suave as Lando lol.

So bad it's good. No... so terrible it's brilliant.

#4 - Mission from Mount Yoda

I am highly amused by the idea of a school being established on Dagobah. And naturally, it's called Dagobah tech. Brilliant. Unfortunately, I didn't find this book as fun as the previous three, though it certainly had its moments. The overarching plot does seem to be getting somewhere, at least; Triclops meets the Rebels and heads back with them to Dagobah Tech! I mean... their lab/base/school. He misses his beloved Kendalina. Ken, wake up! You know what this means, right?

Another silly, zany adventure from the infamous Jedi Prince series. Not the best instalment, alas, but honestly which instalment isn't wonderfully horrifying?

#5 - Queen of the Empire

What a wild ride. I enjoyed practically every minute of it, too, because the batshit insanity dial was turned up again for this instalment. Let's go to Hologram Fun World! Which will later feature in the Galaxy of Fear series, as some sort of prequel (though I assume Lando ironed out all those wrinkles from his purported first visit). Trioculus also performs the classic "kidnap a woman to make her marry me" gambit that was already overdone way back in comics from the first half of the 20th century... but I digress. My boy Zorba returned and I can never be mad about that.

I recall less of this book than the others because in the 1990s my brother owned this copy, which meant I had to beg him to read it (or wait until he was out of the house). But it's still just as ridiculous and fun as the rest of the series.

This book gets 5 stars purely for the Moffs having a Mofference on the Moffship. I CAN'T EVEN

#6 - Prophets of the Dark Side

And finally, we reach the end. Three more books were planned, but mercifully they were not commissioned - or maybe I should be sad about that, because the entertainment value of this series is incredibly high. The environmental themes were very welcome, but the constant ableism and sexism... ack. None of the loose plot threads were ever tied up so that's a bit frustrating. Apparently, the wedding at the end was going to be interrupted...because we can't have two Han/Leia weddings in the Legends canon!

Zorba is hilarious, as always. I'll miss him. I'll even miss Trioculus and Hissa. Who knows when I will laugh this hard again? Ahem. Now Ken...eh, he was not a well-written character, so I'm going to say that I'll continue to show favouritism towards Palpatine's other grandchild (AKA Rey). I will never be happy about the sequel trilogy pulling a Jedi Prince, but at least Rey doesn't eat random food given to her by the bad guys.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #33

8/8/2026

Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand

Mara Jade is a Legends fan favourite - and for good reason. As a kid exploring the Expanded Universe, I just couldn't get enough for her. Too bad her characterisation was a bit uneven throughout the years, notably whenever someone other than Zahn or Stackpole was at the helm - so yes, it's probably obvious that I really enjoyed this TPB collecting their Mara Jade series. It really highlights her motives. What makes her tick. Perhaps the story isn't the most engaging... but I loved it anyway.

PS: Is it just me or was Mara drawn to resemble a certain other 1990s redhead? lol

Shadows of the Empire: Evolution

Since I wasn't a huge fan of Shadows of the Empire, I knew I probably wouldn't like this sequel either. I was right. Mind you, I did feel more for Guri and kind of wanted to see more of her, though I'm glad we never got that chance in the Expanded Universe. As for Steve Perry... he should never be allowed to write female characters. Ever.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron Series

Vol 1

I'll always have a soft spot for Wedge and Rogue Squadron, thanks to Stackpole's novels. So while these comics are perhaps not the best I've read (I think they're average, even for the day), they are a fun, nostalgic read for a fan like me. I also appreciated the "handbook" in the back. It helps one keep track of all the characters who come and go.

Vol 2

The stories in this omnibus are less engaging than those that can be found in the previous instalment. Plourr's arc was enjoyable (and she's the reason I've rated the omnibus as high as I did), but everything else was either too ho-hum or just too silly to hold my attention for long. Mystical temples and Sith energy - keep that stuff away from my X-Wing adventures!

Vol 3

Sure, the stories in this omnibus have their weak points, but they are still undoubtedly the best in the entire series. Soontir Fel is an engaging character. I'm still mad that he didn't appear more in the EU, because he really is that cool. I'll also add that Syal deserved better as a character, but Legends did have a bad track record regarding female characters...even towards the end. Ahem. In short, I loved this omnibus.

Tython Time

8/8/2026

Legacy (Star Wars Disney)
by Madeleine Roux

Rey's lightsaber is broken and, troubled by her failure to fix it on her own, she believes that a trip to a mystical Jedi forge on the world of Tython will help her. General Organa insists on accompanying her. There are things Rey would rather keep hidden from the general. Meanwhile, a First Order major who survived an assassination attempt is on a hunt that will also lead her to Tython.

Oh. I feel delated. Disappointed. But I'm not sure how much of that disappointment was caused by this book or by the decisions made in the sequel trilogy. Roux had a mountain to climb in terms of trying to appease me.

That said, I did get some of what I wanted here - Leia acting as a master of sorts to Rey, whose journey was full of guilt and turmoil. Frankly, the whole book should have been about that. Instead, we were constantly interrupted by a subplot that might have been more satisfying in a separate novel (emphasis on might). More flashbacks to Leia's training would have been nice. I've also just discovered that this part of Leia's life will be covered more extensively in a book coming out next year and I'm a tad annoyed about the missed opportunity to tie it properly into this one (as Roux reportedly had no knowledge of what was in the pipeline). Someone is making poor decisions somewhere and it's not the authors. So I won't hold Roux accountable for that.

If you're desperate for more Rey and Leia interaction, this is as good as you're going to get. Bonus ancient Jedi ruins (my great weakness, no matter the canon).

Legend Lost

5/5/2026

The Heart of the Jedi (Cancelled Star Wars Legends novel)
by Kenneth C. Flint

In the wake of the Battle of Endor, the Imperials are running scared - especially if they see Luke Skywalker heading the boarding party (a la Darth Vader). So some of them have proposed a ceasefire to the Alliance. Leia will of course be sent as an ambassador, with her friends in tow...except Luke, who has his own mission to follow. But both paths are perilous, since certain Imperial elements don't want the fighting to end.

The Heart of the Jedi is an oddity. Written in the early 1990s, it was meant to be published and might have become a beloved entry of the Legends canon ("might" is doing some heavy lifting, if I'm honest). But it was cancelled and superseded by The Truce at Bakura. Somehow, it returned... first by being posted online in 2015, then by being illegally sold on Amazon in 2021. For this review, I have read the most widely distributed ebook version. I believe some people are scouting eBay for physical copies. I won't be one of them.

Why not? Well, it's not official...and it's also not that great. The Truce at Bakura is thematically similar, in terms of Luke's Jedi journey, but manages to carry it off much better. No mystical "heart" on some mystical planet. Sure, I do like that kind of thing in small doses, but it was overused in Legends. Unlike Heart, Bakura also didn't turn Han Solo into a sniping toddler or use eye-rollingly obvious shapeshifters (I hated the fact that I spotted them so quickly lol).

This is a below average read that could have - and hopefully would have, if published - benefited from more editorial feedback. The plot gets waylaid while scene after scene is presented to us. Frankly, I don't mind that The Heart of the Jedi was cancelled.

You can absolutely give this one a miss. For completists only.

Princess Firebird Meets Luke Skywalker

3/5/2026

The Truce at Bakura (Star Wars Legends)
by Kathy Tyers

Right after the Battle of Endor, the discovery of a message pod intended for the Emperor sends Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie and the droids to far-flung Bakura, an Imperial territory that is under siege by aliens who use human souls to run their tech. Leia hopes that a truce with the Empire will be the first step towards something greater. But if they all end up dead, it'll be for naught.

Back in 2023, I - for some reason - took it upon myself to read every novel Kathy Tyers released in the 1980s and 1990s, so I have become well versed in her style from that period. I found myself noticing the usual elements she favoured back then, which frankly became repetitive in her original work, but here she does a decent job of adapting them to the nascent Expanded Universe (this book was published in 1994, just as the EU kicked into overdrive). The only exception is Gaeriel, who is not unique to Tyers' writing or particularly interesting. Ignoring that issue, I'd say the weakest element of this book was the battle sequence at the end. It felt a bit muddled.

As a kid, who hadn't yet discovered Firebird et al, I adored this book. The corners on the cover of my copy have fairly worn away. Even now I have to admit that Tyers' style does make it stand out among the others of its era. It's memorable. Interestingly, her use of an invading alien force is revisited later in Legends, while the concept of a religion where using the Force is seen to harm the galaxy has cropped up in Disney's High Republic project.

She was either ahead of the curve or extremely influential. That kind of wins my respect, regardless of the quality of this book.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #32

1/5/2026

Droids and Ewoks (omnibus)

I've never watched either of these shows, but I suspect they were typical of the era - and so are these comics. The Ewok stories are pretty cute. There are more of those than the Droids stories, which is a bit of a shame, though I wonder if they were running out of ideas because they foisted a retelling of A New Hope on their readers. The crossover doesn't make sense, but ahh... who cares? This is over 500 pages of amusing tales aimed at children.

Ewoks: Shadows of Endor

One could hardly expect to find a continuation to a 1980s show published in 2013, but here it is. I'm glad I read the other Ewoks comics beforehand so I could get a feel for the characters. This is really good! Giallongo competently bridged cutesy characters with dangerous situations - and he also managed to bring back the OG Nightsister from the Ewok movie The Battle for Endor(okay, Charal wasn't a Nightsister until a 1990s retcon, but still).

In a nutshell... this is a retro throwback with flawless execution.

The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader
by Ryder Windham

This is a Legends retelling of the original trilogy and prequel trilogy from Anakin's/Darth Vader's perspective, with some extra bits at the start. You'd think "what is the point of reading it, then?" but Windham does a good job of connecting the trilogies. Mostly, this works. The pacing is a bit odd at times since some moments are skipped over and others are played in full. I will say that some of Windham's retcons are clumsy (but was there any way to make Splinter of the Mind's Eye jive with a canon that outgrew it in the 1980s? lol); however, the real standout here is the scene Windham wrote for when Darth Vader discovered that the moisture farmers who'd obtained the droids in A New Hope were Owen and Beru Lars. Magnificent.

The Life of Luke Skywalker
by Ryder Windham

This is by far the weakest of the "biographies" that Windham wrote for the Legends canon. It starts out really well, but his decision to avoid rehashing the movies (potentially a good thing) was followed by his decision to devote entire chunks to the old Marvel comics (definitely NOT a good thing). I've only rated it this high because of the scenes where Luke is trying to find out more about his father on Tatooine. Oh, and that gem of a moment, courtesy of Han Solo right near the end.

Tales from the Empire

When I spent my pocket money on this book, back in the 1990s, it was so I could get my hands - and eyeballs - on the Corran Horn stories inside it. I didn't find the other stories all that relevant or interesting. Now, much older and wiser in that I actually read the introduction this time (lol), I can understand my initial reaction. The majority of these tales were inspired by role-playing games and were intended to provide inspiration themselves. I think they might be successful in that way... although not all of them were successful in holding my attention even as an adult.

Come for the backstory stuff (i.e. stories including Mara Jade, Talon Karrde, Thrawn & Corran Horn). Grit your way through the other stuff.

Tales from Jabba's Palace

As is always the case with an anthology, there are hits and there are misses. I do think a couple of these stories could easily have been excised, but there were other, much stronger contenders that made this book worth reading in its entirety.

"A Boy and His Monster: The Rancor Keeper's Tale" is probably the best... and the Dannik Jerriko one is just pain awful (and amateurish to boot).

Tales of the Bounty Hunters

All the other Tales books I've read before now had many more authors and hence shorter stories. This worked in their favour; if a story wasn't particularly good, at least it was short. Here we have what I would call 5 novellas. It's worth remembering that they were written and published in an era when we didn't know Boba Fett's cinematic origins. Unlike most EU/Legends releases, I had not previously read this one.

First up is IG-88. I wasn't a fan of this one and am glad his fate has been rewritten in the newer canon. As a child, I thought IG-88 was AWESOME... this story made him seem silly. What a pointless death.

Next we have Dengar. It's a weird and unconventional love story, but kind of nice? You really need to read Tales from Jabba's Palace before you attempt this story. Otherwise it doesn't make much sense. Once again, I prefer the Disney canon... particularly when it comes to how Boba Fett survived.

Bossk. You'll need to read a related story in Tales from the Empire first. Or maybe not. Why subject yourself to that? This story just felt so unnecessary. Also... Bossk is so much more fun in the Disney canon lol

Zuckuss and 4-LOM. I have come to LOVE these guys, thanks to the Disney comics. Turns out I love them in the Legends canon as well! What a pair. My clear favourite of the bunch.

Boba Fett. This is not the Boba Fett we know. He's not a clone. He's Jaster Mereel! But even so, this is NOT how I would have wanted him to be characterised in the 1990s. Awful story in every aspect. Refers to events from a story in Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina.

Faulty Merchandise

25/4/2026

Hard Merchandise (The Bounty Hunter Wars #3)
(Star Wars Legends)
by K. W. Jeter

Boba Fett is on the hunt for fabricated evidence that might've been worth more when Prince Xizor was still alive. With him he still has Neelah and Dengar - and they aren't sure if hanging out with Fett is a good idea or not. Meanwhile, Kuat of Kuat tries to keep control of Kuat Drive Yards, intending for them to remain neutral, because of course the Empire will crush the Rebels at Endor. Won't they?

Oh wow. This whole trilogy was frustratingly unnecessary. I laughed out loud when Kodir and Neelah had their confrontation... seriously, why didn't Kodir just kill her? There was no reason to keep her alive, memory wipe or not. And that's just a small issue I had with the whole storyline throughout this poorly constructed trilogy. Did you hear about what's going on at Endor? It was mentioned enough times and, unfortunately, only served as a reminder of this book's glacial pace. Ugh. I feel like my time was wasted. At least Dengar's fate was what I wanted it to be... funnily enough, despite my annoyance with Tales of the Bounty Hunters, I am even more annoyed that Jeter discarded much of it for his own purposes, instead of properly building on those stories.

This might've worked as a single novel. There certainly wasn't enough story to fill three instalments.

I'll take my chances with the Sarlaac

10/4/2026

The Mandalorian Armor (The Bounty Hunter Wars #1)
(Star Wars Legends)
by K. W. Jeter

Dengar has made a potentially deadly discovery: Boba Fett, barely alive on the sands of Tatooine after escaping the Sarlaac. Nursing him back to health might be a very bad decision. Fett has a reputation. He's the sort who once infiltrated the Bounty Hunters Guild and sowed chaos. So even though Fett has agreed to a partnership with Dengar, no decent bounty hunter should ever trust that kind of offer...

I barely remember reading this the first time. Possibly because it's as dull as plodding through the Dune Sea. Come on... this trilogy is called The Bounty Hunter Wars! Why is the action mostly, well, missing in action? What we get is extended scenes of characters talking about how awesomely devious they are. Then there's a ridiculously long chapter in which Xizor spouts so much bullshit and we're supposed to believe that he impressed Palpatine. There are so many better ways to impart information in a story than these tedious conversations (all of which are delivered in flashbacks).

Was there a developmental editor? I doubt it. Or maybe they got tossed into the Sarlaac for suggesting that there's only enough content here for a few chapters (and maybe the trilogy should be condensed into one book)? I don't think the other two books will change my mind about this. But re-read them I shall.