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Scoundrels
(Star Wars Legends)
by
To make his biggest score, Han’s ready to take even bigger risks.
But even he can’t do this job solo.
Han Solo should be basking in his moment of glory. After all, the cocky smuggler and captain of the Millennium Falcon just played a key role in the daring raid that destroyed the Death Star and landed the first serious blow to the Empire in its war against the Rebel Allianc ...more
But even he can’t do this job solo.
Han Solo should be basking in his moment of glory. After all, the cocky smuggler and captain of the Millennium Falcon just played a key role in the daring raid that destroyed the Death Star and landed the first serious blow to the Empire in its war against the Rebel Allianc ...more
Hardcover, 393 pages
Published
January 1st 2013
by Del Rey
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I have to start out being a bit misleading. Star Wars audiobooks are simply the best - they combine the intimacy of reading a book with the sound effects and music of the movies. Blasters, lightsabers, R2D2 squeals, and the same compositions as the movies! Then they get amazing voice actors who are pitch-perfect when it comes to the voices of the characters we love. That's a pretty big role to fill when books are based on movies since we already know how these people sound and anything different
...more

This is my first tie-in novel since I was in high school. All it took was the genius of combining Star Wars with a heist movie.
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Seriously though. Is there a more easily watchable movie than Ocean's Eleven (Clooney edition)? I can't imagine coming across that movie on cable and not stopping to watch however much is left (I have to imagine it though, since I don't have cable... though I do have the DVD, which has gone unwatched for a decade, but if someone said "hey, let's watch this one!" I so w ...more
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Seriously though. Is there a more easily watchable movie than Ocean's Eleven (Clooney edition)? I can't imagine coming across that movie on cable and not stopping to watch however much is left (I have to imagine it though, since I don't have cable... though I do have the DVD, which has gone unwatched for a decade, but if someone said "hey, let's watch this one!" I so w ...more

This wasn't a bad way to spend six or so hours, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting from my memories of having read previous Zahn books. The heist was a little overly complicated, the characters were more like pieces in the puzzle of his plot than interesting people in their own right, and his characterization of Lando, Han and Chewbacca was weak. They could have been any old smuggler, charmer and ten foot walking carpet. The little twist at the end was pretty fun, though, I'll admit. Defin
...more

I really wanted to love this novel. I love Star Wars and I love crime and thriller novels. This should have been the perfect intersection of the two. I also really enjoyed Zahn's previous works.
However, Scoundrels is a complete dud.
Essentially, it is Ocean's Eleven in space. Han Solo stumbles into a crime worth 163 million credits and assembles a gang to pull off the crime of the era. The cast of characters contains an entirely forgettable smattering of characters that are complete memes - the s ...more
However, Scoundrels is a complete dud.
Essentially, it is Ocean's Eleven in space. Han Solo stumbles into a crime worth 163 million credits and assembles a gang to pull off the crime of the era. The cast of characters contains an entirely forgettable smattering of characters that are complete memes - the s ...more

Originally posted at Deadshirt.net:
I used to be an avid reader of the expanded Star Wars universe, but aside from a leap into the distant future with Star Wars: Legacy comics and a jump into the past with Star Wars: The Old Republic tie-ins, I’ve long since fallen out of touch. Perhaps I grew tired of the doom and gloom that started to permeate the storytelling with the introduction of the New Jedi Order. I’m usually okay with unhappy endings and Pyrrhic victories, and am a huge fan of The New J ...more
I used to be an avid reader of the expanded Star Wars universe, but aside from a leap into the distant future with Star Wars: Legacy comics and a jump into the past with Star Wars: The Old Republic tie-ins, I’ve long since fallen out of touch. Perhaps I grew tired of the doom and gloom that started to permeate the storytelling with the introduction of the New Jedi Order. I’m usually okay with unhappy endings and Pyrrhic victories, and am a huge fan of The New J ...more

This book was not what I was hoping for and sadly I can boil it down to a list of why:
1. There was no meaningful character development for Han Solo, Lando, or Chewie throughout the whole story. Essentially all of these characters end the book being exactly the same people they were at the beginning which, in my opinion, is the definition of poor writing. With the possible exception of giving Solo a reason to return to the Rebel Alliance (this book takes place between Episode IV & V)there is real ...more
1. There was no meaningful character development for Han Solo, Lando, or Chewie throughout the whole story. Essentially all of these characters end the book being exactly the same people they were at the beginning which, in my opinion, is the definition of poor writing. With the possible exception of giving Solo a reason to return to the Rebel Alliance (this book takes place between Episode IV & V)there is real ...more

http://www.rantingdragon.com/review-o...
I’ve read a lot of Star Wars books by a lot of authors. There are many I’ve enjoyed, but nearly all my favorites are by one author: Timothy Zahn. When I heard he was writing a new standalone novel, I immediately knew I would have to read it! And, as a bonus, this novel is all about everyone’s favorite scoundrel: Han Solo. Scoundrels is no standard Star Wars adventure, though; it has no Jedi, nobody using the Force, no lightsaber fights. Instead, it is a he ...more
I’ve read a lot of Star Wars books by a lot of authors. There are many I’ve enjoyed, but nearly all my favorites are by one author: Timothy Zahn. When I heard he was writing a new standalone novel, I immediately knew I would have to read it! And, as a bonus, this novel is all about everyone’s favorite scoundrel: Han Solo. Scoundrels is no standard Star Wars adventure, though; it has no Jedi, nobody using the Force, no lightsaber fights. Instead, it is a he ...more

I picked this book up at B&N a day or two after it was released while on a vacation in Maui. People often say that you remember first. Well, that was certainly true here. Scoundrels was my first foray into the Star Wars expanded universe. I had heard a lot about Zahn's writing and his epic Thrawn trilogy (edit: and read them not long thereafter; see them here: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command).
At the time I read Scoundrels, I had a fairly good grasp of the core movies ...more
At the time I read Scoundrels, I had a fairly good grasp of the core movies ...more

To Star Wars fans, the name Timothy Zahn is revered. His original three-book "Thrawn" series basically started the whole Expanded Universe, and he has since written almost a dozen more books set within the Star Wars universe. "Scoundrels" is his most recent.
While it has all the fun and excitement one has come to expect from Zahn's writing, "Scoundrels" is not his best work. Clearly modeling the story after the film "Ocean's Eleven" (the George Clooney/Brad Pitt version, not the '50s Rat Pack ver ...more
While it has all the fun and excitement one has come to expect from Zahn's writing, "Scoundrels" is not his best work. Clearly modeling the story after the film "Ocean's Eleven" (the George Clooney/Brad Pitt version, not the '50s Rat Pack ver ...more

Scoundrels is that rarest of Timothy Zahn Star Wars novels - one that doesn’t mention Thrawn or Mara Jade. Instead, it tells the story of a heist and the team of ne’er-do-wells that Han Solo gets together to pull it off.
As usual, Zahn’s characterisations of Han, Chewie and Lando are spot-on. Quite a difficult feat to pull off, given that this novel slots in the Legends timeline between the end of the Han Solo trilogy (where Han inadvertently deprives Lando of his pay-off) and The Empire Strikes ...more
As usual, Zahn’s characterisations of Han, Chewie and Lando are spot-on. Quite a difficult feat to pull off, given that this novel slots in the Legends timeline between the end of the Han Solo trilogy (where Han inadvertently deprives Lando of his pay-off) and The Empire Strikes ...more

I cut my science fiction teeth on the novelization of the Star Wars film, back when it was simply called “Star Wars”, on Alan Dean Foster’s Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, and on the trilogy of books by Brian Daley featuring the exploits of Han Solo and his first mate Chewbacca in the years to prior their “no questions asked” cargo run for the Rebellion. In Han and Chewie I found a buddy team that appealed to a young boy who valued close friendships and continues to appeal to a fortysomething man wh ...more

I’ve written about this before: any author – new or established – takes great risks when tinkering or tampering in established universes. Especially sci-fi properties. Especially Star Trek worlds. Even more so with Star Wars galaxies. After all, much of the audience is lured to the book on the premise alone, as they’re hoping to vicariously experience the latest and greatest adventures with their favorite heroes with all-new settings and consequences. So when they show up and find out that not o
...more

Tower Heist meets Ocean's 11 meets Star Wars.
Also, for anyone with any knowledge of the SW!EU, I have a one word bonus for you: Winter. Yes, Winter is in this and is awesome. ...more
Also, for anyone with any knowledge of the SW!EU, I have a one word bonus for you: Winter. Yes, Winter is in this and is awesome. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

“What kind of security has he got inside the vault?” Bink asked.
“Oh, you are going to love this,” Rachele said….”Remember those Zed police droids Kell said Villachor’s got? Here’s where they hang out.”
“Plus the ten on guard outside the door,” Lando said. “Armed with blasters and TholCorp OT-7 neuronic whips, just to make things interesting. Getting past that group is the first step in the entry procedure.”
Chewbacca turned to Han and warbled a question.
“I don’t know,” Han said. “Kell? You know an ...more
“Oh, you are going to love this,” Rachele said….”Remember those Zed police droids Kell said Villachor’s got? Here’s where they hang out.”
“Plus the ten on guard outside the door,” Lando said. “Armed with blasters and TholCorp OT-7 neuronic whips, just to make things interesting. Getting past that group is the first step in the entry procedure.”
Chewbacca turned to Han and warbled a question.
“I don’t know,” Han said. “Kell? You know an ...more

A very fun read, but I'm a little disappointed. The plot is brilliantly twisty, fun and funny, and it kept me guessing. Zahn introduces a ton of subplots and layers them over each other so you never really know how Han is playing it or what the outcome is going to be or what's going on with Black Sun and the Imperials. Since it takes place between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back , it was really fun to see him echo or foreshadow famous moments and characters. It very much felt like Ocean's
...more

Before I go any further, I just want to say that it's fun having Ocean's Eleven done Star Wars-style. Refreshing!
Anyway, I think that sums up the basic plot. Han Solo gets hired for a heist, he gets a crew together, a bunch of stuff goes wrong, and they try to steal a whole bunch of credits so they can all retire and live peacefully for a really long time. Sounds simple.
It's not. Timothy Zahn adds a whole bunch of layers to the mix, and makes the whole idea much more interesting. The story takes ...more
Anyway, I think that sums up the basic plot. Han Solo gets hired for a heist, he gets a crew together, a bunch of stuff goes wrong, and they try to steal a whole bunch of credits so they can all retire and live peacefully for a really long time. Sounds simple.
It's not. Timothy Zahn adds a whole bunch of layers to the mix, and makes the whole idea much more interesting. The story takes ...more

I didn't think I would like Star Wars novels, but then I was given an audio CD copy of Honor Among Thieves and I loved it, so I figured I would give other Star Wars novels a chance. I chose this one because it was also about Han Solo, my favorite character, and it had the same narrator -- it is worth noting that the narrator does an amazing job mimicking Solo's voice, and the Star Wars audiobooks are all great in terms of sound effects like droid beeps, blaster fire, and wookie noises.
But this n ...more
But this n ...more

I was disappointed. Han Solo is the character that allowed me to fall in love with Star Wars. The Brian Daley novels were fun and exciting reads. The stories were well plotted, characters were interesting, and they gave me a sense of the world beyond the films.
I had high hopes for this book. Sadly, I just never cared about anything that was happening. The idea of a heist story is great. The assembled cast of characters was promising, and the reveal about a certain character was fun but the story ...more
I had high hopes for this book. Sadly, I just never cared about anything that was happening. The idea of a heist story is great. The assembled cast of characters was promising, and the reveal about a certain character was fun but the story ...more

1/15 hrs: Star Wars meets Ocean's Eleven. It's as if George Clooney bought Lucasfilm instead of Disney. I just couldn't pay attention in the beginning, but then Han Solo is in chapter two. The audio has some additional music and sound effects. I believe it's similar to some of the Warhammer 40K audiobooks. There's only one narrator though, but he does good voices. There's plenty of authentic sounding wookie grunts. It's too bad they didn't get a woman for the female parts. Plus it's written by Z ...more

Wasn't initially sure what to make of this smaller scale Star Wars story, but Timothy Zahn writes SW like no other. Ultimately I liked the story, and the fact that it was NOT about space battles, Jedi, and Rebels vs. Empire. The SW universe is so vast, so it was refreshing to have a story so far removed from the usual focus.
I really enjoyed the caper aspect of it. Take Ocean's Eleven, add in a bit of Usual Suspects, slap a bit of Star Wars tech on it, and the result is a fun, enjoyable book star ...more
I really enjoyed the caper aspect of it. Take Ocean's Eleven, add in a bit of Usual Suspects, slap a bit of Star Wars tech on it, and the result is a fun, enjoyable book star ...more

This book was kind of fun. I just listened to a Star Wars audiobook last week and was sorely disappointed that the voices were off, especially Chewy's growls. But this one was spot on. Even Han sounded like Harrison Ford. All of the voices were very well done. Landau was also a major player in this one.
Overall this was a fun little story. The plot contained a lot of elements that went all over the place at times. It seemed like a maze that went round and round. But it was all reigned in by the e ...more
Overall this was a fun little story. The plot contained a lot of elements that went all over the place at times. It seemed like a maze that went round and round. But it was all reigned in by the e ...more

This book by Zahn is essentially Ocean's 11 Star Wars Edition (the cover even pays direct homage to the film's poster). Han, Chewy, Lando, Winter, and other criminals plan a crime caper with the promise of a huge score. Things go wrong at several points and the there's a clever twist at the end. Although this is a solid book it's the weakest I've read by Zahn. I could take it or leave it honestly.
3.5/5
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3.5/5
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Not an epic, high-stakes space battle, but a fun Ocean's 11 type adventure that gives some insight into Han/Lando's relationship. The prequel, Winner Lose All, is definitely worth a read as well.
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5 stars
Nice seeing Han, Lando, and the other scoundrels. Hope to see more of their adventures.
Can't wait to read more Star Wars books!!! ...more
Nice seeing Han, Lando, and the other scoundrels. Hope to see more of their adventures.
Can't wait to read more Star Wars books!!! ...more

Star Wars fix, it's over 3rd in a row another with good honest BS with star wars robbery technical useless information, some funny Chewie and Han backstory bit of a giggle.
...more

This is the first Star Wars novel I've read, apart from the novelizations based on the screenplays of the first three movies (Star Wars: A New Hope [personally I hate adding on that "A New Hope" because I'm a stubborn old fart; it's just plain ol' "Star Wars" for me], Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi). I picked Scoundrels because it fell between the action in Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, figuring it would be better to pick a tie-in novel involving a tim
...more

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...a wee lad named Peter was living in 2013 and remembers hearing about a novel called Scoundrels. Being one of the many boys who idolizes both Han and Lando, this lil' boy wanted to give it a go. He did the following year, and was excited; it was his first Star Wars novel. But alas, he was frustrated with how boring it was, and found out he had only read SIXTY PAGES!!! He returned it to the library.
His father Vincent said, "I guess you couldn't read it ...more
His father Vincent said, "I guess you couldn't read it ...more
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Timothy Zahn attended Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1973. He then moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and achieved an M.S. degree in physics in 1975. While he was pursuing a doctorate in physics, his adviser became ill and died. Zahn never completed the doctorate. In 1975 he had begun writing science fiction as a hobby, and he bec
...more
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“As he joined them, Lando felt a frown crease his forehead. It had been hard to tell through all the rest of their murmurings. But he could have sworn Winter had just said--
'Winter?' he asked.
'Yes?' she said, looking at him
Lando felt his lip twitch. 'Nothing, he said, and kept walking.
Because, really, no one said 'May the Force be with us' anymore. No one but Rebels and religious nuts.
And if Winter was one of either group, he really didn't want to know about it.”
—
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'Winter?' he asked.
'Yes?' she said, looking at him
Lando felt his lip twitch. 'Nothing, he said, and kept walking.
Because, really, no one said 'May the Force be with us' anymore. No one but Rebels and religious nuts.
And if Winter was one of either group, he really didn't want to know about it.”
“[Han] glared into his mug. Besides, he didn't add, asking Princess Leia for repacement reward credits would mean he'd have to tell her how he'd lost the first batch. Not in gambling or bad investments or even drinking, but to a kriffing pirate.
And then she would give him one of those looks.
There were, he decided, worse things than being on Jabba's hit list”
—
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More quotes…
And then she would give him one of those looks.
There were, he decided, worse things than being on Jabba's hit list”