A Review of Tales of the Bounty Hunters

After that disaster of a read that was The Truce at Bakura, Tales of the Bounty Hunters looked like it would be a breath of fresh air. Surely this would be a better read – it was edited by Kevin J. Anderson who had written an excellent story for the Halo franchise. And, as it turns out, the first of the five tales in this book is written by him.

The casual Star Wars fan might wonder who these bounty hunters are and why the masters of the Star Wars universe determined they should have stories written about them. These bounty hunters are the five that Darth Vader summons to his ship, the Executor, to hunt for Han Solo and Princess Leia after they have escaped from the planet Hoth.

The stories cleverly tie in with events in both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The five stories interact with the moment that Darth Vader issues the bounty for Han Solo. They all give interesting insights into these hunters and show what makes them tick.

Here are some brief summaries: 

Therefore I Am: The Tale of IG-88 by Kevin J. Anderson     

This is a stand-out sci-fi short story, regardless of it being from the Star Wars universe. A chilling tale of how a killer robot intends to take over the universe. Well written by Anderson, as you read it one can actually feel the cold that comes from the heartless IG-88. This character has gone on to feature in The Mandalorian show.

Payback: The Tale of Dengar by Dave Wolverton

What started off as a dull assassination story became a warm love story with a fine ending where Dengar fought for his life and new love amidst the backdrop of Jabba the Hutt’s crumbling empire. At the time of writing, it was canon and the story was the first official reference to Boba Fett escaping the Sarlacc pit. Dengar is someone we should all be keen to learn more about, as he's a great character.

This story is hard to follow in the sense that it's full of convoluted plots to rescue Wookies from Imperials on another planet while molded around a story to take down Bossk. The most annoying thing about it is that there's no way there could have been time to set up with the contrived situation on hearing about the Bounty offer from Vader, as the rescue of the Wookies would have been a well-planned exercise.

It was also silly that Bossk’s ship was full of so many sensors which allowed for a cat and mouse to come on board – that part of the story was a dull and slow-paced Tom and Jerry skit. The ending rounded off fairly well, however. When you think about the fact that the story was written by Kathy Dyers, it all makes sense.

Two scum bounty hunters make good. A story of two tales really – the crew of a wrecked Rebel ship struggles to survive whilst a robot comes to grips with his “feelings.” An odd contrast but one that ties together quite nicely. Unlike “The Prize Pelt,” this story wasn't painted too broadly in its scope making it crisp and concise, how short stories should be.

The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett by Daniel Keys Moran

Possibly a wasted chance to tell a really good Boba Fett story, it does give us an insight into an aged Fett who, having survived the Sarlacc pit, undertakes one last bounty to see him into retirement. An itchy Han Solo serves to prove a worthy foe once more.

Summary

These short stories are suitable for those who are keen to explore deeper into the Star Wars universe. However, you should definitely bear in mind this stuff is no longer considered canon. Check it out on Amazon.

Extra for experts

• Where did Bossk's jumpsuit come from?
• IG-88 was made from parts from the Cantina bar.

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.