Star Wars Death Star

Book: Star Wars Death Star

Authors: Michael Reaves and Steve Perry

Date Finished: April 10, 2010

First Line: The alert siren screamed, a piercing wail that couldn’t be ignored by any being on board with ears and a pulse.

Summary from inside cover: The Death Star’s name says it all, with bone-chilling accuracy. It is a virtual world unto itself – equipped with uncanny power for a singularly brutal purpose: to obliterate entire planets in the blink of an eye. Its annihilation of the planet Alderaan, at the merciless command of Grand Moff Tarkin, lives in infamy. And its own ultimate destruction, at the hands of Luke Skywalker, is the stuff of legend. But what is the whole story, and who are the players, behind the creation of this world-killing satellite of doom?
The near extermination of the Jedi Order cleared the way for Palpatine – power-hungry Senator and Sith Lord – to seize control of the Republic, declare himself Emperor, and usher in a fearsome, totalitarian regime. But even with the dreaded Darth Vader enforcing Palpatine’s sinister will, the threat of rebellion still looms. And the Emperor knows only abject fear – and the ability to punish dissent with devastating consequences – can ensure his unchallenged control of the galaxy. Enter ambitious and ruthless government official Wilhuff Tarkin, architect of the Emperor’s terrifying dream come true.
From inception to completion, construction of the unprecedented Death Star is awash in intrigues, hidden agendas, unexpected revelations, and daring gambits of those involved on every level. The brightest minds and boldest egos, the most ambitious and corrupt, the desperate and the devious, all have a stake in the Death Star – and its potential to control the fate of the galaxy.
Soldiers and slaves, loyalists and Rebels, spies and avengers, the innocent and the evil – all their paths and fates will cross and intertwine as the Death Star moves from its maiden voyage to its final showdown. And a shadowy chapter of Star Wars history is stunningly illuminated in a thrilling, unforgettable adventure.

Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I find a lot of Star Wars novels are hit and miss, this one was more hit than miss. There was a good mix of characters and the story was pretty good. You follow the stories of several characters through the construction and destruction of the Death Star and with the exception of the likes of Vader, Tarkin, and Motti you are rooting or at least sympathetic for them. There were a lot of characters to keep track of. Also the timeline gets a bit wonky in places, what is a day for one character seems to be a week for another (but then again I felt that way in the movies sometimes too.) There was some pretty good humor as well, like gunners and storm troopers complaining their helmets cause them to walk into things, which happened in the movie or as the heroes attempt their escape the tower asks the pilots name and he tells them Fayk Nom (loved that one.)