The Hutt Gambit (Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy, Vol. 2) by A. C. Crispin

The Hutt Gambit (Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy, Vol. 2) Reviews

• 
  Andrew P.

  The story of Han Solo's life prior to Episode IV: A New Hope continues in Volume Two of the Han Solo Trilogy, The Hutt Gambit. Author A.C. Crispin's second book in the trilogy is a seamless stylistic successor to The Paradise Snare. This book picks up several years after the first one, omitting any real time recounting of Han's time in the service of the Empire at the Imperial Academy. We garner some glimpses of this time through flashbacks, enough to understand where the experience left Han and probably sparing the reader a fairly cut and dried military academy story.
  
  This book takes a major leap toward A New Hope with the introduction of Chewbacca in the second paragraph. Chewbacca's vocalizations are always a challenge for a Star Wars author to recreate, and Crispin uses the approach of having Han paraphrase aloud most of what Chewbacca says to him (essentially how Chewie was handled in the films). Han's initial interactions with Chewie are quite entertaining, and Crispin deftly handles how he quickly grows to accept Chewie as an almost constant companion while still illustrating Han's growing wariness of relationships with the opposite sex.
  
  Han is still struggling with losing Bria Tharen prior to his entry to the Imperial Academy. He finds solace in the arms of Xaverri, a beautiful traveling illusionist with a deep seated hatred of the Empire. Sadly, this relationship is doomed to follow the trajectory of his affair with Bria, its failure acting as reinforcement of Han's "every man for himself" attitude he strives to project to the world. Bria herself periodically pops in and out of the book, rapidly rising through the ranks of the Rebellion; her role in The Hutt Gambit feels primarily like a setup for a payoff in the third volume, Rebel Dawn.
  
  In an interesting turn of events, Han is introduced to Boba Fett and Lando Calrissian virtually simultaneously. There's a terrific start to the relationships between the three that were alluded to in The Empire Strikes Back and have later been fleshed out by various novels and comics. Kudos to Crispin for interweaving elements of The Lando Calrissian Adventures into this trilogy, including everyone's favorite starship shaped droid Vuffi Raa. Fett and Jabba the Hutt also have their first meeting here. There are a couple of minor continuity problems with the Fett descriptions, which use the pre prequel Jaster Mereel story that was overwritten by Attack of the Clones, but this is inevitable in novels written before Episodes I III and is easily forgiven.
  
  Much of The Hutt Gambit is set on the Smuggler's Moon, Nar Shaddaa, which orbits the pestilent Hutt homeworld Nal Hutta. Several characters from the excellent Dark Empire comic series, including Mako Spince, Salla Zend, and Shug Ninx, make substantial appearances, and the reader learns far about them than the comics had room to provide. Nar Shaddaa is presented as a sort of criminal version of Coruscant. It's easy to visualize and provides a compelling setting for the story, including the major climatic battle sequence.
  
  The Hutt Gambit is a compelling continuation of the multiple storylines kicked off in The Paradise Snare. While it's not entirely clear dramatically where volume three, Rebel Dawn, will go, Crispin has done a fine job of laying essential groundwork for the character of Han Solo thus far in the trilogy. The writing is remarkably engaging for a series of books that act entirely as backstory to a character 99% of readers will already feel they know quite well.
• 
  Brian A. Skeats

  As always, this author fails to capture what details I care about. It's like I'm half in half out with the story and that just doesn't work for me.
  
  The story is generally ok and the characters feel how they should so I can't fault the book there.
  
  If you like the style this author uses, I am sure it's a great book. But for me personally, it just doesn't cut it.
• 
  a customer

  The Solo Trilogy was the first none novelization trilogy I read, and a major step in my becoming a fan of the Star Wars Books.
  
  This chapter tells how Han and Chewie met, and why they teamed up. Explains why Han became a smuggler and how he and Chewie came to work for Jabba. Also how Han and Lando met, and shows the first time Han saw the Falcon it was love at first sight.
  
  This brings the audience into the minds of Hutt Rulers and the Empire's Moffs and Generals. Intense social warfare is waged between Hutt Clans. Later there is a major space battle between the smugglers and the empire. The very end includes a brief appearance by Darth Vader.
• 
  goodreads Customer

  I loved the interaction Han has with Chewie, Boba, Jabba, and Lando at first contact, well worth the wait!
  
  Reading about Xaverri makes me want to re read The Crystal Star again although it's not the best novel of the EU. I'm glad to have seen Bria Tharen striving to improve her life by serving a noble cause.
  
  I enjoyed the connection to Dark Empire with the inclusion of Salla, Shug, and Mako who was a better man decades ago. Roa I remembered from the books of The New Jedi Order: I revere the honorable smuggler now just as much as I did then.
• 
  gjsx51

  There is not much to be said, other than that this is an impressive end to a great trilogy, and a superb transition to A New Hope. The incorporation of Brian Daley's original Solo trilogy in the timeline was a welcome touch, and makes me want to re read those old faves from high school days. The arrival of both Boba Fett and the Millennium Falcon adds a full star alone! If Han Solo makes it to movie screens in the future, one can only hope that A. C. Crispin's trilogy will be the source material, and that it will have half the grit and backbone the books have, and the child friendly Return of the Jedi sorely needed. Obviously, we are collectively ignoring the sequel trilogy
• 
  Will

  I read the Han Solo trilogy to prepare myself for the Han Solo movie. My favorite Star Wars character but I never knew his back story. Although canon and legends have deviated origins for Han, these books are a great intro into what makes Han Solo into Han Solo.
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  redhawk

  This was a great book with plots within plots, betrayal, and just plain greed.The second book in the Han Solo trilogy has suspense and action in the story. Han is now a freelance pilot, who is working for the Hutts, as they are competing with each other over the smuggling operation in the galaxy. Han begin his adventure by being thrown out of Imperial Navy for insorbination. He becomes friends with Chewbacca, who believes in a life debt for saving his life. The two of them struggle to survive in their enviroment. Han finds there is a planet called Nar Shadda where other smugglers operate to apply their trade. This is where Han learns the best trade routes and hones his skills as a pilot. This makes him the most famous smuggler in the galaxy. The most enjoyable parts of the book to me is the planning and battle narration of Nar Shadda.
• 
  Dean M.

  Even though this series isn't official canon in the Disney Star Wars story line it's still worth the read. The book is written well, but I feel like it was written for young adults which to me made it move kind of slow. But don't let that stop you. The action is great and even though it's not official it's fun to read how Han got in with the notorious Jabba the Hutt. If you've read and enjoyed the first, you'll like this one as well.
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  platinummind

  Read it before had it in paperback good to have it on kindle.
• 
  goodreads Customer

  great!
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  goodreads Customer

  Solo.. My favorite Star Wars character.. Is back in his second book. This has a lot to offer. The author doesn't miss Star Wars Mythology and infuses it with brilliant characterization and cheeky humor.. We get to know about Chewbacca in this book. Go on and dive through their Star Wars adventures.
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  goodreads Customer

  Great book , the autor does a great job capturing the legend of Han Solo. I love the story