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Star Wars
Most Wanted
Set before the events of Solo: A Star Wars Story! Han and Qi'ra don't have a lot in common other than not having a lot. They're street kids on the industrial planet Corellia, doing whatever it takes to get by, dreaming of something more. They each jump at a chance to prove themselves in the perilous world of Corellia's criminal underbelly, only to discover they are on the same mission for the same unscrupulous boss. When the job goes disastrously wrong, Han and Qi'ra are on the run--from pirates, a droid crime syndicate, the Empire, and their boss--and will have to learn to trust each other if they are going to survive.
Audible Audio
First published May 25, 2018
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About the author
Rae Carson
37 books5,899 followersRae Carson was born in 1973 in California and now lives in Arizona. She developed an enthusiasm for storytelling in her earliest childhood. She studied social sciences and worked in various industries after graduating from university before she realized her dream and became a writer. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is her debut novel.
In her own words, she "write[s] books about teens who must do brave things. [Her] books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. [She] especially love[s] to write about questions [she doesn't] know the answers to."
Has also published as Rae Carson Finlay.
In her own words, she "write[s] books about teens who must do brave things. [Her] books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. [She] especially love[s] to write about questions [she doesn't] know the answers to."
Has also published as Rae Carson Finlay.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews
February 1, 2025
Thank you, Rae Carson, for getting Han Solo spot on. After reading Last Shot, I was a little worried about reading another Han Solo book. I think it makes a big difference when a book is written by a fan.
I enjoyed this book right from the beginning, Rae, I think, managed to capture all the aspects of Han’s personality. He is cocky but loyal and compassionate. A “scoundrel” but with great leadership qualities. Han is famous for his piloting skills, we see his natural aptitude for it in this book, but others skill Han has but are a bit overlooked on the movies and books is his ability to think quickly (improving), his understanding of languages and he is a pretty handy mechanic as well.
The side characters are done really well, too. I think Qi’ra was also introduced very well. I liked the fast-paced setting of the book. I also like how Han and Qi’ra’s relationship changes and their characters develop through the book.
An excellent introduction to a very (possible 18 year old) young Han Solo definitely shows the traits of the legendary character he is to grow into.
I enjoyed this book right from the beginning, Rae, I think, managed to capture all the aspects of Han’s personality. He is cocky but loyal and compassionate. A “scoundrel” but with great leadership qualities. Han is famous for his piloting skills, we see his natural aptitude for it in this book, but others skill Han has but are a bit overlooked on the movies and books is his ability to think quickly (improving), his understanding of languages and he is a pretty handy mechanic as well.
The side characters are done really well, too. I think Qi’ra was also introduced very well. I liked the fast-paced setting of the book. I also like how Han and Qi’ra’s relationship changes and their characters develop through the book.
An excellent introduction to a very (possible 18 year old) young Han Solo definitely shows the traits of the legendary character he is to grow into.
April 27, 2021
Am I biased in loving anything that has to do with Emilia Clarke? Absolutely. But I did really enjoy this book. It was a fun adventure and a nice inside look at Han and Qi'ra's lives before the events of the film.
Also, I'm a firm believer now that Han's true soulmate is Qi'ra, sorry not sorry. Although Leia and Qi'ra do share a lot of qualities. It just seems that their talents go in different directions (the rebellion and Crimson Dawn) and I gotta say, love me a bad bish anti-hero. I hope we find out more about her in the future.
Overall, it was a fun read.
Also, I'm a firm believer now that Han's true soulmate is Qi'ra, sorry not sorry. Although Leia and Qi'ra do share a lot of qualities. It just seems that their talents go in different directions (the rebellion and Crimson Dawn) and I gotta say, love me a bad bish anti-hero. I hope we find out more about her in the future.
Overall, it was a fun read.
July 4, 2018
Set some time prior to the Solo film, Most Wanted features Han and Qi'ra before they became the charismatic characters on the screen as they struggle to eek out an existence in the sewers as members of the Lady Proxima led White Worms on the planet Corellia.
When a position opens up as second to Lady Proxima, both Han and Qi'ra, who at this stage have little in common aside from life beneath the surface, are pitted against one another on separate missions to acquire a piece of Imperial tech which would make Lady Proxima and her gang one of the more formidable factions in the Star Wars universe. Of course, it all goes bad and Han and Qi'ra are left to fend for themselves, dodging both laser blasts and Lady Proxima's wrath.
Most Wanted captures the essence of Han which isn't easy to do off-screen, and expands upon Qi'ra's agenda as glimpsed in the Solo film to emphasize her importance in the Disney cannon, while also strengthening the bond between her and Han as was a focal point in the film.
The plot is straight forward and feels like a well planned story arc in Star Wars Rebels while capturing that New Hope feel. There's no filler content, just action, great characters and that unique Star Wars geekery I love so much.
My rating: 5/5 stars. I strongly recommend watching the Solo film before reading Most Wanted as the place-setting and characters (such as Lady Proxima) are much easier to visualize.
When a position opens up as second to Lady Proxima, both Han and Qi'ra, who at this stage have little in common aside from life beneath the surface, are pitted against one another on separate missions to acquire a piece of Imperial tech which would make Lady Proxima and her gang one of the more formidable factions in the Star Wars universe. Of course, it all goes bad and Han and Qi'ra are left to fend for themselves, dodging both laser blasts and Lady Proxima's wrath.
Most Wanted captures the essence of Han which isn't easy to do off-screen, and expands upon Qi'ra's agenda as glimpsed in the Solo film to emphasize her importance in the Disney cannon, while also strengthening the bond between her and Han as was a focal point in the film.
The plot is straight forward and feels like a well planned story arc in Star Wars Rebels while capturing that New Hope feel. There's no filler content, just action, great characters and that unique Star Wars geekery I love so much.
My rating: 5/5 stars. I strongly recommend watching the Solo film before reading Most Wanted as the place-setting and characters (such as Lady Proxima) are much easier to visualize.
June 6, 2018
Dear Disney and Lucasfilm,
If you're really going to take a bit of time to reflect and revise on your whole Star Wars strategy, let me suggest you also reevaluate your line of novels. Lately, they're been really boring, and lately you've been giving novels to authors who don't know how to write Star Wars novels. The characters are bland, the plots are so very thin, and the writing is cliched and uninspired. In particular, your crop of recent YA writers are just awful. Please just give some novels to established adult writers. I want so desperately to like the new novels, and for a few years I did--but man, the last year of novels have been really bad.
Neil
If you're really going to take a bit of time to reflect and revise on your whole Star Wars strategy, let me suggest you also reevaluate your line of novels. Lately, they're been really boring, and lately you've been giving novels to authors who don't know how to write Star Wars novels. The characters are bland, the plots are so very thin, and the writing is cliched and uninspired. In particular, your crop of recent YA writers are just awful. Please just give some novels to established adult writers. I want so desperately to like the new novels, and for a few years I did--but man, the last year of novels have been really bad.
Neil
June 26, 2018
This felt more like I was reading a juvenile Star Wars novel, than a novel dedicated to an adult audience. I got to know some about Solo's background, which was enjoyable enough, and the introduction of Solo's -possibly - first love interest showed me a more human side. The book wasn't bad. The writer just wasn't good enough to write a Star Wars novel.
August 8, 2018
"What keeps you flying is having one person in all the galaxy to fly with. Someone you can trust to have your back."
I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK. Wow, okay. Where to start? Let's start with the characterizations.
This YA novel does an incredible job of helping the reader understand Qi'ra as a person and what motivates her. Solo: A Star Wars Story kept her as en enigma, which was perfect for twists and turns in the story. But I feel like after reading MOST WANTED, I can connect with why she makes the decisions she does in the movie and find her relationship with Han more believable. They go through so much in this short novel and find a real path to friendship. Qi'ra benefits from having him around and she respects his ability to make decisions on the fly and take risks. The information about her secret hideout gave me a lot of feelings and broke my heart.
Han in MOST WANTED is basically perfect characterization. So much of the smug, attitude driven scoundrel with a good heart that we all love. You understand why he clutches onto Qi'ra so much in Solo by seeing their friendship blossom in this novel. He is desperate to reach the stars but doesn't find it to be a real possibility until the end of MOST WANTED. His secret speeder adds so much depth to the chase on Corellia in Solo, and it warmed my heart. I just love him.
Now, onto Han and Qi'ra as a duo. I absolutely LOVED that this book didn't focus on their romance, but instead built upon their friendship. The last page of MOST WANTED shows how it was plausible that their friendship eventually turned into romance down the line, but spent this novel building them from the ground up as friends and partners.
It is SO SAD to me that the quote at the top of this review is how Han feels about Qi'ra at the end of the book. Since we can see into her head, we know that she thinks Han would never betray her, but also that Qi'ra would never give up her life for his. Her priority is becoming comfortably rich and in a position of power. She turns down an offer in this novel, not because of Han, but because she would not have her own autonomy. And wow, that is delicious characterization. I haven't seen a complicated character like Qi'ra in a long time.
Unfortunately for him, Han would do almost anything to make sure that she is safe with him. Because that's how he treats his friends. And she is one of the only people he trusts in the world. It is even more devastating to look at the end of Solo after reading this, since he absolutely believed that he found his partner in exploring the universe. And maybe if she had gotten off Corellia in Solo it would have been different, but I don't think so. The two of them wanted such different lives. They both just wanted to get off that planet and onto something else. They care for each other and find some peace there - but Han and Qi'ra are not meant to be each other's one person in the galaxy to fly around with. And that's okay.
The secondary characters all had unique voices and I really enjoyed getting to know the crime syndicates better. A little Rodian who believes in the Force stole my heart. I'm sure I will be able to find so many easter eggs in Solo now that I didn't before! This book added such richness to the planet in this new canon and I really appreciate that. I feel like I know Corellia so much better now after reading MOST WANTED.
The ending felt a bit rushed, that's the only critique I would really have. It was just a lot to take in and I wish there would have been about 20 more pages showing the aftermath of everything.
Han is going to fly around the galaxy with a princess who will become his loving wife someday, finding the happiness he deserves - and Qi'ra will be in a position of power and influence, gaining riches and climbing the ladder just like she deserves. It'll all work out for them in the end. That makes MOST WANTED a more enjoyable and heartbreaking novel to read, I think. But that's just my experience.
4.75 stars!
September 19, 2024
4 Stars
Knowing that the movie prequel Solo wasn’t as well received as Rogue One breaks my heart a little because Han is one of the best characters in the universe, and I absolutely loved the movie. So, it’s only fitting to take one step back and dive into his story showcasing his life as a scrum rat before he and Qi’ra were even an item, let alone allies.
Life is definitely hard in the bowels of Corellia. Friends are scarce to none, and trusting anyone to have your back is a sure way to get you killed. However, when Han and Qi’ra are given a task with a promise of promotion, they have no choice but to rely on each other when things inevitably go tits up.
Filled with plenty of action and suspense, these two realize that being all for oneself is not always possible nor smart, and having a partner with a different skill set helps immensely in stacking the deck towards their favor. Any advantage is survival for another day.
This capitalizes on Han’s innate charm and instinctual impetuousness that seems to always work out for him, and it also gives insight into the mysterious Qi’ra, shedding light on those tough decisions she makes at the end of Solo.
Overall, I’m happy I took the time to further explore these two as this is a worthy addition to canon lore!
Star Wars Universe
Resistance Reborn - 5 Stars!
Crimson Climb - 4 Stars
Most Wanted - 4 Stars
Scoundrels - 4 Stars
A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy - 3.5 Stars
The Princess and the Scoundrel - 3.5 Stars
The Rise of Skywalker - 3.5 Stars
Doctor Aphra - 2.5 Stars
Knowing that the movie prequel Solo wasn’t as well received as Rogue One breaks my heart a little because Han is one of the best characters in the universe, and I absolutely loved the movie. So, it’s only fitting to take one step back and dive into his story showcasing his life as a scrum rat before he and Qi’ra were even an item, let alone allies.
Life is definitely hard in the bowels of Corellia. Friends are scarce to none, and trusting anyone to have your back is a sure way to get you killed. However, when Han and Qi’ra are given a task with a promise of promotion, they have no choice but to rely on each other when things inevitably go tits up.
Filled with plenty of action and suspense, these two realize that being all for oneself is not always possible nor smart, and having a partner with a different skill set helps immensely in stacking the deck towards their favor. Any advantage is survival for another day.
This capitalizes on Han’s innate charm and instinctual impetuousness that seems to always work out for him, and it also gives insight into the mysterious Qi’ra, shedding light on those tough decisions she makes at the end of Solo.
Overall, I’m happy I took the time to further explore these two as this is a worthy addition to canon lore!
Star Wars Universe
Resistance Reborn - 5 Stars!
Crimson Climb - 4 Stars
Most Wanted - 4 Stars
Scoundrels - 4 Stars
A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy - 3.5 Stars
The Princess and the Scoundrel - 3.5 Stars
The Rise of Skywalker - 3.5 Stars
Doctor Aphra - 2.5 Stars
February 7, 2020
Must say, that was a solid read! It struck a great balance between adventure, intrigue, humour, and heart, with stakes juuust big enough to feel like part of the overarching narrative of the rise of the Empire and Galactic conflict, but just local enough to feel like a proper origin story for a couple of knockaround Corellian scrumrats.
Yeah, I know, I was surprised myself!
I want to spend more time with Han and Q'ira now, sad to think it's likely not a high priority either for Lucasfilm or the publishing houses.
Sorry Han, that's just how the Corporate Force works
On a related note, knowing that the same author wrote the Rise of Skywalker film novelization has made me even keen to dig into it when it gets released next month.
Yeah, I know, I was surprised myself!
I want to spend more time with Han and Q'ira now, sad to think it's likely not a high priority either for Lucasfilm or the publishing houses.
Sorry Han, that's just how the Corporate Force works
On a related note, knowing that the same author wrote the Rise of Skywalker film novelization has made me even keen to dig into it when it gets released next month.
November 16, 2019
MY RATING⇢ 5 STARS | GRADE A+
FEATURING⇢
Han & Qi'ra's Story...Prequel to Solo
A Galaxy Far Far Away
My First Star Wars Read!
Droids, Wookies, Storm Troopers and Of Course, Han
Way Cool Sound Effects In The Narration
With Audio Performed by Saskia Maarleveld
MY THOUGHTS⇢
Full Disclosure: This is my first ever Star Wars read...but it won't be my last. I've seen all the movies, except Solo. And while I really like the Star Wars movies, I'm not a die-hard fan, like some others out there are...you know those people, they know who every character is, and what planet they came from, and all their stats, basically. I don't follow the stories that well...in fact, when I saw Rogue One in the theatre, I didn't even know that they were all going to die in the end...I was like, what, they just died? My husband rolled his eyes at me. Furthermore, I don't even care that Disney took it all over. It totally works for me.
The sound effects on the narration is phenomenal, I loved it...and Saskia Maarleveld was pretty freaking fantastic...even when she did Han's POV. Anything that the story might have been lacking was more than made up with the audio performance. Not that the story is really lacking either...if you're even a casual fan of Star Wars, I think you'll like this...especially if you're a regular reader of YA space-themed stories. I think Rae Carson did a more than adequate job with the many nuances that make Han Solo the charismatic character that he is. He was just so Han...and he will forever be my favorite character in Star Wars, so it was only fitting that I started my sojourn into Star Wars-themed novels with this book.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 4.5/5
Narration Performance⇢ 5+/5
Characters⇢ 5/5
The Feels⇢ 4.8/5
Pacing⇢ 4.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 5/5
Ending⇢ 5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Well...
_____
Book Cover⇢ I like it...
Setting⇢ Mostly Planet Corellia
Source⇢ Libby Audiobook (Library)
Length⇢ 7 hours, 56 minutes
FEATURING⇢
Han & Qi'ra's Story...Prequel to Solo
A Galaxy Far Far Away
My First Star Wars Read!
Droids, Wookies, Storm Troopers and Of Course, Han
Way Cool Sound Effects In The Narration
With Audio Performed by Saskia Maarleveld
MY THOUGHTS⇢
Full Disclosure: This is my first ever Star Wars read...but it won't be my last. I've seen all the movies, except Solo. And while I really like the Star Wars movies, I'm not a die-hard fan, like some others out there are...you know those people, they know who every character is, and what planet they came from, and all their stats, basically. I don't follow the stories that well...in fact, when I saw Rogue One in the theatre, I didn't even know that they were all going to die in the end...I was like, what, they just died? My husband rolled his eyes at me. Furthermore, I don't even care that Disney took it all over. It totally works for me.
The sound effects on the narration is phenomenal, I loved it...and Saskia Maarleveld was pretty freaking fantastic...even when she did Han's POV. Anything that the story might have been lacking was more than made up with the audio performance. Not that the story is really lacking either...if you're even a casual fan of Star Wars, I think you'll like this...especially if you're a regular reader of YA space-themed stories. I think Rae Carson did a more than adequate job with the many nuances that make Han Solo the charismatic character that he is. He was just so Han...and he will forever be my favorite character in Star Wars, so it was only fitting that I started my sojourn into Star Wars-themed novels with this book.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 4.5/5
Narration Performance⇢ 5+/5
Characters⇢ 5/5
The Feels⇢ 4.8/5
Pacing⇢ 4.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 5/5
Ending⇢ 5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Well...
_____
Book Cover⇢ I like it...
Setting⇢ Mostly Planet Corellia
Source⇢ Libby Audiobook (Library)
Length⇢ 7 hours, 56 minutes
June 5, 2018
Super fun "prequel" to the Solo movie, showing how Han and Qi'ra first started working together! Would actually stand alone as a sci fi book without the "hook" of Star Wars, which is rare! But Carson is just such a slick writer, of course she managed to pull off both a fun YA book and a fun Star Wars book without either suffering.
May 26, 2022
Interesting backstory for Han and Qi'ra. They're both part of the White Worms gang, and Lady Proxima, the leader, pits the youngest members of the gang, of which our main characters are part, against each other as a way of picking her second in command. Things go wrong for both Qi'ra and Han almost immediately, who, coincidentally, are on the same job but meeting different buyers for a datacube. When a droid consortium wins, violence ensues, and the two end up on the run together, desperately trying to find out why there's such interest in the datacube. A friend of Han's gets dragged in, a Rhodian named Suolo (I have no idea how his name is actually spelled as I listened to this book), a brilliant fellow who has dreams of being an engineer.
Qi'ra struggles to trust the other two, having no experience in her life with anyone whom she can rely on. Han, meanwhile, has been quietly cultivating relationships with a disparate bunch of individuals, and this comes in handy as the three try to stay alive. Because this is a prequel to the Solo story, we know Han and Qi'ra make it through this situation, so there was no tension there, but what I did like was seeing the droids slowly working towards their freedom (we know that there's no real progression with this storyline as droids are still slaves years later during Rey's time.) While Han has a droid friend, he doesn't really have any empathy for the droids' predicament, though he's shown to have a softer, more open character, unlike the guy we first see in Mos Eisley years later. We also get to see Han's ability to improvise under great tension, which was great.
The biggest pleasure for me was getting to know Qi'ra better. While Star Wars has never been particularly good to its women (and yes, it's changing, but too slowly,) from what I've read about the Solo movie, women, as usual, don't fare well (big surprise!) Qi'ra is terrific at planning. In fact, without her ability to think through all sorts of possibilities, the three would not have survived a number of situations. Working together, with Han improvising what Qi'ra's plans didn't cover, the three manage to get themselves into a position of some strength.
The adventure ends probably shortly before the movie picks up, and there's plenty of adventure, danger, some humour, and the beginnings of a friendship by the end of the novel. Enjoyable, light, and actually kind of fun.
Qi'ra struggles to trust the other two, having no experience in her life with anyone whom she can rely on. Han, meanwhile, has been quietly cultivating relationships with a disparate bunch of individuals, and this comes in handy as the three try to stay alive. Because this is a prequel to the Solo story, we know Han and Qi'ra make it through this situation, so there was no tension there, but what I did like was seeing the droids slowly working towards their freedom (we know that there's no real progression with this storyline as droids are still slaves years later during Rey's time.) While Han has a droid friend, he doesn't really have any empathy for the droids' predicament, though he's shown to have a softer, more open character, unlike the guy we first see in Mos Eisley years later. We also get to see Han's ability to improvise under great tension, which was great.
The biggest pleasure for me was getting to know Qi'ra better. While Star Wars has never been particularly good to its women (and yes, it's changing, but too slowly,) from what I've read about the Solo movie, women, as usual, don't fare well (big surprise!) Qi'ra is terrific at planning. In fact, without her ability to think through all sorts of possibilities, the three would not have survived a number of situations. Working together, with Han improvising what Qi'ra's plans didn't cover, the three manage to get themselves into a position of some strength.
The adventure ends probably shortly before the movie picks up, and there's plenty of adventure, danger, some humour, and the beginnings of a friendship by the end of the novel. Enjoyable, light, and actually kind of fun.
May 18, 2019
“Han was in space. He could hardly believe it. He’d always thought it would be dark and black. Instead it was as bright as day, and he could see everything from the hull of the shuttle to Qi’ra’s face to Corellia’s nearest moon in bright relief and perfect detail. The planet grew distant, becoming a tiny shining dot. Unlike the planet, the sun Corell didn’t seem any smaller from here, just whiter. Maybe brighter. Space, it turned out, was huge. A man could have a lot of room all to himself out here.”
Most Wanted takes place shortly before the standalone film, Solo: A Star Wars Story. This is Qi’ra and Han's backstory, which further expands upon their relationship. It adds some much-needed depth into their dynamic, before setting up where we find them in Solo. Although, I was expecting more of their romance and not just how they became friends. If I'm looking at the timeline (and I am) they didn't actually know each other for long before Solo. I guess that surprises me more than anything, because I had assumed they had known one another for years. It felt like they did in the movie!
Han and Qi'ra live in the sewers of Corellia and are both in contention for a promotion within the White Worms, Lady Proxima’s gang. Along with Tsuulo and Rebolt, they have the best chance of getting promoted to Head. Lady Proxima sends Han and Qi'ra on different assignments, with the promise that whoever completes their respective task will gain the title of Head of the White Worms. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned in Star Wars and they end up on the run. With a data cube. Dodging certain death. Because why not!
“When you had nothing, your secrets were everything.”
Most Wanted enhances the story of Solo, but it falls a bit short in the overall execution for me. The prose was somewhat janky, the dialogue felt *quite* young at times and although there is a ton of action throughout this, it was lacking excitement. This had a similar vibe to Lost Stars, but the emotional impact was desperately missing for me. I did enjoy the world-building. It was interesting to see the underworld of Corellia and just how rough the streets were that Han grew up on.
I liked it, didn't love it.
Solo the movie, however? That I loved. FIGHT ME!!
Most Wanted takes place shortly before the standalone film, Solo: A Star Wars Story. This is Qi’ra and Han's backstory, which further expands upon their relationship. It adds some much-needed depth into their dynamic, before setting up where we find them in Solo. Although, I was expecting more of their romance and not just how they became friends. If I'm looking at the timeline (and I am) they didn't actually know each other for long before Solo. I guess that surprises me more than anything, because I had assumed they had known one another for years. It felt like they did in the movie!
Han and Qi'ra live in the sewers of Corellia and are both in contention for a promotion within the White Worms, Lady Proxima’s gang. Along with Tsuulo and Rebolt, they have the best chance of getting promoted to Head. Lady Proxima sends Han and Qi'ra on different assignments, with the promise that whoever completes their respective task will gain the title of Head of the White Worms. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned in Star Wars and they end up on the run. With a data cube. Dodging certain death. Because why not!
“When you had nothing, your secrets were everything.”
Most Wanted enhances the story of Solo, but it falls a bit short in the overall execution for me. The prose was somewhat janky, the dialogue felt *quite* young at times and although there is a ton of action throughout this, it was lacking excitement. This had a similar vibe to Lost Stars, but the emotional impact was desperately missing for me. I did enjoy the world-building. It was interesting to see the underworld of Corellia and just how rough the streets were that Han grew up on.
I liked it, didn't love it.
Solo the movie, however? That I loved. FIGHT ME!!
March 23, 2019
Based only on this book (I haven't seen Solo yet) I FREAKING LOVE QI'RA. Give me all the problematic faves. She's so smart, she's ambitious, she has done a lot to survive and she really cares about Han, even if it takes a lot of danger fot that to happen. She's what Rey could have been with a little more personality.
Han is amazing too, smart, always the lucky one, the bad with words that makes friends everywhere he goes. There's a lot of mumbo jumbo he doesn't believe, but he's the most loyal and soft character. We can actually see him on space for the first time ever and after all the misery that his life has been, it's a scene quite beautiful.
All in all, this book was a lot of fun and the perfect worldbuilding for the last movie in the Star Wars universe.
Han is amazing too, smart, always the lucky one, the bad with words that makes friends everywhere he goes. There's a lot of mumbo jumbo he doesn't believe, but he's the most loyal and soft character. We can actually see him on space for the first time ever and after all the misery that his life has been, it's a scene quite beautiful.
All in all, this book was a lot of fun and the perfect worldbuilding for the last movie in the Star Wars universe.
November 29, 2018
Disney has really disappointed me with their take on Star Wars. Other than the first two films and the Marvel comics, everything has been disappointing...even this book. The franchise jumped the shark with The Last Jedi, and this dreck continues the downhill trend. Someone else needs to take over Lucasfilm, and reboot the film franchise by bringing the Thrawn trilogy to the big screen; now there's space opera as it's supposed to be!
May 19, 2019
Loved it. Really Really loved it.
A really good addition to the SW universe because it does just that. Adds to the universe.
The world building as always is brilliant. Whether it's a gang hideout, space ship or whatever it's just perfect. I always say it's world building that sets SW apart and makes it as popular as it is. This book reinforces that perfectly.
Characters are great and of course it centres around the early days of Han and Qi'ra (from the Solo movie if you're not sure) and gives some back story to what's in the movie. The secondary characters are great too and really add to the story.
The plot is brilliant as is the pacing. Lots of action and plenty of easter eggs for fans of the series.
We were supposed to get more movies in the Solo arc but they got shelved when the movie didn't do so well. I'm hoping they still will make more movies about Han and Qi'ra eventually but if not more books about them would be a perfect replacement.
This book reminded me of exactly why I love Star Wars.
Highly recommended.
A really good addition to the SW universe because it does just that. Adds to the universe.
The world building as always is brilliant. Whether it's a gang hideout, space ship or whatever it's just perfect. I always say it's world building that sets SW apart and makes it as popular as it is. This book reinforces that perfectly.
Characters are great and of course it centres around the early days of Han and Qi'ra (from the Solo movie if you're not sure) and gives some back story to what's in the movie. The secondary characters are great too and really add to the story.
The plot is brilliant as is the pacing. Lots of action and plenty of easter eggs for fans of the series.
We were supposed to get more movies in the Solo arc but they got shelved when the movie didn't do so well. I'm hoping they still will make more movies about Han and Qi'ra eventually but if not more books about them would be a perfect replacement.
This book reminded me of exactly why I love Star Wars.
Highly recommended.
June 4, 2021
*3.75
Well, that would be the last time he got swindled into believing in a cause. "Cause" was just a fancy word for war, and war always got people killed. Innocent people.
For someone who didn't love Solo, that was a lot more interesting than I expected to find it.
Maybe one day Han would learn to think things through a little better. But then again - where would the fun be in that?
Full RTC
Well, that would be the last time he got swindled into believing in a cause. "Cause" was just a fancy word for war, and war always got people killed. Innocent people.
For someone who didn't love Solo, that was a lot more interesting than I expected to find it.
Maybe one day Han would learn to think things through a little better. But then again - where would the fun be in that?
Full RTC
January 23, 2021
This book was okay. I like Star Wars, but I'm not some super huge fan. I've watched all the main movies (1-9) but I haven't seen any of the side story movies that give you the backstory of characters or anything like that. My sister's really into all of it though, so she read this book, loved it, and forced me to read it. And in my opinion, it was just okay.
The story itself was pretty good, but I just couldn't get past the writing style. You can't enjoy a story if the person telling it is annoying. And that's what this author's writing style felt like to me. That's nothing against the author herself, it's just that the writing itself was a bit too childish for my tastes. But the story was actually quite interesting, and if it was made into a Star Wars side story movie, I think it would actually be pretty good.
The story itself was pretty good, but I just couldn't get past the writing style. You can't enjoy a story if the person telling it is annoying. And that's what this author's writing style felt like to me. That's nothing against the author herself, it's just that the writing itself was a bit too childish for my tastes. But the story was actually quite interesting, and if it was made into a Star Wars side story movie, I think it would actually be pretty good.
January 31, 2021
I read the 2018 hardcover of Most Wanted, and it is a fantastic Young Adult book! It starts off with action and a bit of mystery, keeps the exciting pace up very well, has interesting twists and turns and ends on a sober, yet appropriate and satisfying note. Most importantly, Most Wanted captures the spirit and feeling of Han and Qi'ra, and every other character we have the joy of encountering. Rae Carson crafts a solid foundation for these two characters in their young lives. Their personalities come alive in the writing quickly. The adventure they have in this novel keeps the tension at a high level. And, this story is about the characters.
Carson takes a risk by toning down the Star Wars theme and language. She pulls this off well and for the best. The novel's characters already tell us we are in a Star Wars tale. We've got Han, wookiees, rodians and brief brushes with stormtroopers. It is abundantly clear we are in a Star Wars story. This allows Carson to focus on the characters and their development! Carson does not jam the fact that this a Star Wars novel down our throats, the way I often feel Luceno does. Another salient point on the reliance on characters to tell this book's story is that Carson does not answer every question about Han and Qi'ra's exact origins. The reader can hold onto that mystery and those questions. However, she expertly weaves the tale and history of the character Tsuulo into the narrative to 'scratch that itch,' and it works sublimely.
I applaud Carson for presenting us a Young Adult novel that, while simple in scope and story, feels a bit more grown up and treats the story's elements and characters maturely. The novel progresses at a fast clip and is fun to read. I think it eclipses Ahsoka and blows past the perfunctory Poe Dameron: Free Fall .
If you can get past the terrible cover art I strongly recommend Most Wanted for any fan of the Star Wars saga and especially to those entering the saga's literature. This book is a great place to start. I give it four stars for what it is: a well written story about young people trying to survive in a harsh world. Most adults might be put off for its simplicity and predictability, but I remind them that this is a Young Adult novel, not George Martin.
"If in doubt, brazen it out." Han, in Most Wanted
Carson takes a risk by toning down the Star Wars theme and language. She pulls this off well and for the best. The novel's characters already tell us we are in a Star Wars tale. We've got Han, wookiees, rodians and brief brushes with stormtroopers. It is abundantly clear we are in a Star Wars story. This allows Carson to focus on the characters and their development! Carson does not jam the fact that this a Star Wars novel down our throats, the way I often feel Luceno does. Another salient point on the reliance on characters to tell this book's story is that Carson does not answer every question about Han and Qi'ra's exact origins. The reader can hold onto that mystery and those questions. However, she expertly weaves the tale and history of the character Tsuulo into the narrative to 'scratch that itch,' and it works sublimely.
I applaud Carson for presenting us a Young Adult novel that, while simple in scope and story, feels a bit more grown up and treats the story's elements and characters maturely. The novel progresses at a fast clip and is fun to read. I think it eclipses Ahsoka and blows past the perfunctory Poe Dameron: Free Fall .
If you can get past the terrible cover art I strongly recommend Most Wanted for any fan of the Star Wars saga and especially to those entering the saga's literature. This book is a great place to start. I give it four stars for what it is: a well written story about young people trying to survive in a harsh world. Most adults might be put off for its simplicity and predictability, but I remind them that this is a Young Adult novel, not George Martin.
"If in doubt, brazen it out." Han, in Most Wanted
May 2, 2021
Well, another one that was already finished a few days ago, but took me some time to review. Much like Rebel Rising, I listened to "Most Wanted" earlier this week through the Libby app and waited to review it until the weekend when I wasn't working.
For both good and bad, I don't have nearly as much to say about Most Wanted as I did for Rebel Rising. And I know it doesn't seem fair to directly compare to rebel rising, but I read both books back to back one day apart and both were *the* YA novel serving to tie in to their respective movie releases. Either way, lets begin.
THE STORY: Most Wanted is a prequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story taking place shortly before the prologue with Han and Q'ira on Corellia. It tells the story of how the two of them became friends- both of them are members of Lady Proxima's White Wyrms gang, and the book opens with Han and Q'ira on similar errands for Proxima. A new position of leadership has opened up in the gang and Han and Q'ira are in competition for the promotion- which will guarantee a better lifestyle than the miserable and grimy life that they currently have. However, things go wrong and they are forced to work together as various entities want their heads.
THE BAD: I didn't find the plot all that engaging. I liked the setup at the beginning but the interesting dynamic that was initially established between Han and Q'ira was kind of dropped pretty quickly. You would think that them competing with one another would lead to an interesting story arc for both them as individual characters and the relationship that is destined to form between them to match up with the film. I think the story would have left more of an impact and the ending would have been a stronger payoff if the tension between them lasted a little longer.
I didn't really find any of the other characters outside of Han and Q'ira all that interesting either. It was hard to get invested in S'uolo, Han and Q'ira's companion throughout the book, because after how close he becomes to the movie characters the direction his story was going to take became rather clear and predictable.
Most of the action scenes didn't really stand out either.
THE GOOD: Unlike Rebel Rising where a strong opening was squandered with a terrible ending, Most Wanted begins on a promising note and ends on a strong note to make up for the rather boring middle.
In the opening, the characters are set up pretty well. I liked how both Han and Q'ira were out for themselves and competing between one another, which helps to enhance both characters in the overall canon by strengthening the contrast between how their paths ultimately diverge by the end of Solo.
The ending was the best part of the novel, and I thought Carson ended this book on a really solid note. It works both as an ending to the character arcs that Han and Q'ira went through in this story and as a strong tie in to the film and Mur Lafferty's novelization. Most importantly, I like how natural the relationship between Han and Q'ira is developed in this book overall .
And while Han gets an arc that feels compelling and consistent with Alden Ehrenreich's portrayal in Solo, it's Q'ira who is given the lion's share of additional character development. We really get some insight into the beginnings of her ambitious nature, but because of the confines Carson has to work within with this story it actually serves to make her characterization in Most Wanted more interesting.
THE AUDIO: I'm sorry to report, I forgot the name of the woman who narrated this book. I even checked the audio edition page for Most Wanted to try and find out, and this site doesn't even list her. A real shame, because I thought she was pretty good. Her voice for Han is solid and the voice she did for Q'ira was perfect. While I don't remember the character of "The Engineer", I do remember the voice that this narrator did, and it made the character stand out better. Most importantly, I'm fairly impressed at the male voices the narrator managed to pull off here. I don't want to sound sexist, but I've often had my immersion temporarily broken when the female audiobook narrators I've listened to attempt voices for male characters. However, to be fair, I've listened to more male narrators and I tend to forgive them when they try a voice that doesn't work. It's difficult when you have to do every voice for every character regardless of genders. I didn't overly criticize Rebecca Soler (I eventually figured out that's how to spell it) for her Saw Guerrera voice in Rebel Rising. I may enjoy listening to Jonathan Davis narrate audiobooks but looking back I can't really remember any voices he did for female characters that particularly stood out. If anything, the only narrator I've seen pull off voices consistently well for both genders is Marc Thompson (Keeler Lee did a pretty good job with character voices all around with A Test of Courage, but practically every character she had to work with was a kid. So she had an easier task in that regard). But yeah, Lucasfilm, if you're seeing this and you want to balance out the gender gap with your audiobooks and hire more female narrators, the woman you picked for Most Wanted is a good choice. Hire her more often.
And of course, the music and sound effects. Just like with other Star Wars audiobooks, the John Williams themes and Star Warsy sound effects are present here. And they work well. Just like expected (seriously I'm starting to get tired of repeating this point in every single Star Wars book review I do where I listened to the audiobook).
THE CONCLUSION: Final rating is 3 stars.
While I'm probably going to forget this book pretty quickly, I'm glad I read it and there were some good aspects to take away from it- namely the great ending and how it fleshes out Q'ira.
If anything, I probably would have gotten more out of this book had I not read the novelization of Solo: A Star Wars story first- because that book strengthens many of the same aspects from the story told in the film that Most Wanted does. Then again, I'm sure most readers will be more inclined to pick up Most Wanted over Mur Lafferty's novelization because it tells an original story instead of a retelling the one we already saw play out in the movie. And to this book's credit, it does offer some new details about Q'ira that weren't in the novelization.
To reiterate, this book isn't amazing. Most of the novel between the opening and the ending is not all that engaging outside of a couple of nice character moments for Q'ira in particular, but Han as well. I forgot most of this book pretty quickly and I actually had to look at the reviews from Star Wars Explained and Tosche Station to jog my memory. So maybe that's just evidence for this book being mediocre.
But it's also important to keep in mind that I read this book coming fresh off the heals of Rebel Rising, a novel that I really didn't like. So in a way, Most Wanted being largely inoffensive with a couple of standout moments even if being ultimately forgettable is an upgrade. Most Wanted never gets as dark or thematically rich as the first half of Rebel Rising, but neither does it fall face-first into the YA trappings that turned Rebel Rising into an overly saccharine train-wreck in its second half.
As far as overall canon novels go, Most Wanted isn't all that essential and if you aren't a completionist you can probably skip it. However, if you are a fan of Solo: A Star Wars Story, I would pick this up. It definitely won't blow you away, but it doesn't waste your time either and it serves as a nice little supplement to the film.
For both good and bad, I don't have nearly as much to say about Most Wanted as I did for Rebel Rising. And I know it doesn't seem fair to directly compare to rebel rising, but I read both books back to back one day apart and both were *the* YA novel serving to tie in to their respective movie releases. Either way, lets begin.
THE STORY: Most Wanted is a prequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story taking place shortly before the prologue with Han and Q'ira on Corellia. It tells the story of how the two of them became friends- both of them are members of Lady Proxima's White Wyrms gang, and the book opens with Han and Q'ira on similar errands for Proxima. A new position of leadership has opened up in the gang and Han and Q'ira are in competition for the promotion- which will guarantee a better lifestyle than the miserable and grimy life that they currently have. However, things go wrong and they are forced to work together as various entities want their heads.
THE BAD: I didn't find the plot all that engaging. I liked the setup at the beginning but the interesting dynamic that was initially established between Han and Q'ira was kind of dropped pretty quickly. You would think that them competing with one another would lead to an interesting story arc for both them as individual characters and the relationship that is destined to form between them to match up with the film. I think the story would have left more of an impact and the ending would have been a stronger payoff if the tension between them lasted a little longer.
I didn't really find any of the other characters outside of Han and Q'ira all that interesting either. It was hard to get invested in S'uolo, Han and Q'ira's companion throughout the book, because after how close he becomes to the movie characters the direction his story was going to take became rather clear and predictable.
Most of the action scenes didn't really stand out either.
THE GOOD: Unlike Rebel Rising where a strong opening was squandered with a terrible ending, Most Wanted begins on a promising note and ends on a strong note to make up for the rather boring middle.
In the opening, the characters are set up pretty well. I liked how both Han and Q'ira were out for themselves and competing between one another, which helps to enhance both characters in the overall canon by strengthening the contrast between how their paths ultimately diverge by the end of Solo.
The ending was the best part of the novel, and I thought Carson ended this book on a really solid note. It works both as an ending to the character arcs that Han and Q'ira went through in this story and as a strong tie in to the film and Mur Lafferty's novelization. Most importantly, I like how natural the relationship between Han and Q'ira is developed in this book overall .
And while Han gets an arc that feels compelling and consistent with Alden Ehrenreich's portrayal in Solo, it's Q'ira who is given the lion's share of additional character development. We really get some insight into the beginnings of her ambitious nature, but because of the confines Carson has to work within with this story it actually serves to make her characterization in Most Wanted more interesting.
THE AUDIO: I'm sorry to report, I forgot the name of the woman who narrated this book. I even checked the audio edition page for Most Wanted to try and find out, and this site doesn't even list her. A real shame, because I thought she was pretty good. Her voice for Han is solid and the voice she did for Q'ira was perfect. While I don't remember the character of "The Engineer", I do remember the voice that this narrator did, and it made the character stand out better. Most importantly, I'm fairly impressed at the male voices the narrator managed to pull off here. I don't want to sound sexist, but I've often had my immersion temporarily broken when the female audiobook narrators I've listened to attempt voices for male characters. However, to be fair, I've listened to more male narrators and I tend to forgive them when they try a voice that doesn't work. It's difficult when you have to do every voice for every character regardless of genders. I didn't overly criticize Rebecca Soler (I eventually figured out that's how to spell it) for her Saw Guerrera voice in Rebel Rising. I may enjoy listening to Jonathan Davis narrate audiobooks but looking back I can't really remember any voices he did for female characters that particularly stood out. If anything, the only narrator I've seen pull off voices consistently well for both genders is Marc Thompson (Keeler Lee did a pretty good job with character voices all around with A Test of Courage, but practically every character she had to work with was a kid. So she had an easier task in that regard). But yeah, Lucasfilm, if you're seeing this and you want to balance out the gender gap with your audiobooks and hire more female narrators, the woman you picked for Most Wanted is a good choice. Hire her more often.
And of course, the music and sound effects. Just like with other Star Wars audiobooks, the John Williams themes and Star Warsy sound effects are present here. And they work well. Just like expected (seriously I'm starting to get tired of repeating this point in every single Star Wars book review I do where I listened to the audiobook).
THE CONCLUSION: Final rating is 3 stars.
While I'm probably going to forget this book pretty quickly, I'm glad I read it and there were some good aspects to take away from it- namely the great ending and how it fleshes out Q'ira.
If anything, I probably would have gotten more out of this book had I not read the novelization of Solo: A Star Wars story first- because that book strengthens many of the same aspects from the story told in the film that Most Wanted does. Then again, I'm sure most readers will be more inclined to pick up Most Wanted over Mur Lafferty's novelization because it tells an original story instead of a retelling the one we already saw play out in the movie. And to this book's credit, it does offer some new details about Q'ira that weren't in the novelization.
To reiterate, this book isn't amazing. Most of the novel between the opening and the ending is not all that engaging outside of a couple of nice character moments for Q'ira in particular, but Han as well. I forgot most of this book pretty quickly and I actually had to look at the reviews from Star Wars Explained and Tosche Station to jog my memory. So maybe that's just evidence for this book being mediocre.
But it's also important to keep in mind that I read this book coming fresh off the heals of Rebel Rising, a novel that I really didn't like. So in a way, Most Wanted being largely inoffensive with a couple of standout moments even if being ultimately forgettable is an upgrade. Most Wanted never gets as dark or thematically rich as the first half of Rebel Rising, but neither does it fall face-first into the YA trappings that turned Rebel Rising into an overly saccharine train-wreck in its second half.
As far as overall canon novels go, Most Wanted isn't all that essential and if you aren't a completionist you can probably skip it. However, if you are a fan of Solo: A Star Wars Story, I would pick this up. It definitely won't blow you away, but it doesn't waste your time either and it serves as a nice little supplement to the film.
August 4, 2018
Despite being YA, this novel was so much better than
Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel
. Whilst that book was an incoherent mess, Most Wanted tells a tight, well focused story about Han and Qi'ra during their youth in the city of Coronet on Corellia, when they were part of Lady Proxima's white worms.
The story fits in very well with the events early on in Solo: A Star Wars Story - the characters and the setting match closely, with the Fagin-like Lady Proxima running her gang of sewer urchins with an iron fist.
Importantly, Han still felt like Han, even whilst lacking the the galaxy-weariness and cynicism that he had in Star Wars.
We get lots on insight into the inner workings of Qi'ra's mind, which really adds to the layers of character we see revealed in the movie.
It might not be what everyone wants or expects from a Young Han Solo story (many of the Legends fans are still wedded to A. C. Crispin's Han Solo Trilogy of The Paradise Snare , The Hutt Gambit , and Rebel Dawn ), but I would recommend it to YA Star Wars fans, and anyone who wants to expand their Star Wars canon knowledge.
The story fits in very well with the events early on in Solo: A Star Wars Story - the characters and the setting match closely, with the Fagin-like Lady Proxima running her gang of sewer urchins with an iron fist.
Importantly, Han still felt like Han, even whilst lacking the the galaxy-weariness and cynicism that he had in Star Wars.
We get lots on insight into the inner workings of Qi'ra's mind, which really adds to the layers of character we see revealed in the movie.
It might not be what everyone wants or expects from a Young Han Solo story (many of the Legends fans are still wedded to A. C. Crispin's Han Solo Trilogy of The Paradise Snare , The Hutt Gambit , and Rebel Dawn ), but I would recommend it to YA Star Wars fans, and anyone who wants to expand their Star Wars canon knowledge.
July 1, 2018
Actual rating is 3.5 stars
This book is a prequel to the Solo movie. This tells the story of how Han and Qi'ra become friends and how their dream is formed of leaving Corellia.
I thought the movie was decent and it was worth watching but it doesn't rank with the greats of this franchise. So a prequel based on that movie didn't exactly scream "must read". This book exceeded my expectations. The strength of this book is the characters. One can imagine Han evolve into the character we all know with his "fly by the seat of his pants" attitude. I am impressed that the author made me care about Qi'ra considering I did not care for her in the movie. There also was a new character, Tuulo, introduced that stole the show. As for the story, it fits into the canon that Disney is building. I liked the message of this book as we get to see how our characters begin to dream of a better life even though right now their situation is not the happiest.
This was a quick read that does border on the YA genre. I have not been overly impressed with the new crop of Star Wars novels (there are a couple of exceptions that have been terrific). This one is better than the majority of the new canon and it was a nice little side adventure in this universe.
This book is a prequel to the Solo movie. This tells the story of how Han and Qi'ra become friends and how their dream is formed of leaving Corellia.
I thought the movie was decent and it was worth watching but it doesn't rank with the greats of this franchise. So a prequel based on that movie didn't exactly scream "must read". This book exceeded my expectations. The strength of this book is the characters. One can imagine Han evolve into the character we all know with his "fly by the seat of his pants" attitude. I am impressed that the author made me care about Qi'ra considering I did not care for her in the movie. There also was a new character, Tuulo, introduced that stole the show. As for the story, it fits into the canon that Disney is building. I liked the message of this book as we get to see how our characters begin to dream of a better life even though right now their situation is not the happiest.
This was a quick read that does border on the YA genre. I have not been overly impressed with the new crop of Star Wars novels (there are a couple of exceptions that have been terrific). This one is better than the majority of the new canon and it was a nice little side adventure in this universe.
June 26, 2025
“Because when you had nothing, your secrets were everything.”
Recently I re-read Darth Maul: Sons of Dathomir where I'm surrounded by the Shadow Collective units of Mandalorians, the Black Suns & the Pykes, & now I'm currently playing Sabacc with Han & Qi'ra while reading SW Most Wanted.
This book sets before the events of Solo movie. It’s the backstory of younger Han, Qi’ra & Tsuulo, & their scrumrats adventure on the industrial shipyard planet of Corellia. Their dream for bigger opportunities went sideways & in the chance of surviving, they had to learn to trust each other while unravelling their deepest secrets.
Despite a fast-paced story, I still get to fully experience every characters’ personalities, motivations & friendship. Filled with plenty of familiar references & bites of humor, I’d say Rae Carson did an excellent job portraying all the major characters. Kudos!
I went in total blind but OH MY MOONS, this is not a piece of junk! It’s a breezy, page-turner & enjoyable read. I was also playing SW Outlaws on the side, perhaps with the right mood & timing too, it ticks all the boxes for me.
It’s a crime that this book is SO underrated.
I LOVE this one. Never tell me the odds please.
Recently I re-read Darth Maul: Sons of Dathomir where I'm surrounded by the Shadow Collective units of Mandalorians, the Black Suns & the Pykes, & now I'm currently playing Sabacc with Han & Qi'ra while reading SW Most Wanted.
This book sets before the events of Solo movie. It’s the backstory of younger Han, Qi’ra & Tsuulo, & their scrumrats adventure on the industrial shipyard planet of Corellia. Their dream for bigger opportunities went sideways & in the chance of surviving, they had to learn to trust each other while unravelling their deepest secrets.
Despite a fast-paced story, I still get to fully experience every characters’ personalities, motivations & friendship. Filled with plenty of familiar references & bites of humor, I’d say Rae Carson did an excellent job portraying all the major characters. Kudos!
I went in total blind but OH MY MOONS, this is not a piece of junk! It’s a breezy, page-turner & enjoyable read. I was also playing SW Outlaws on the side, perhaps with the right mood & timing too, it ticks all the boxes for me.
It’s a crime that this book is SO underrated.
I LOVE this one. Never tell me the odds please.
March 19, 2022
I own this book.
"Qi'ra laid down on her cot and pulled the other blanket up to her chin. Her last thought was a boy she hardly knew had come into this place she never shared with anyone, was in fact sleeping beside her and she was glad he was here."
I was sceptical of this book from the get-go. While I enjoy Solo as a movie a lot, I don't particularly like Qi'ra all that much, her character always seemed more like a plot device for Han's development than a character in her own right, so I understand why there are increasing numbers of stories including her, in an attempt to make her more rounded. But I still don't care about her story at all. Most Wanted shows the roots of Han and Qi'ra, their time working for Lady Proxima in the underbelly of Corellia. I love young Han stories so that's mainly why I read this, and it was just fine. The story basically follows Han and Qi'ra as they are assigned the same mission in slightly different ways, and the fall out when that mission goes wrong.
I read Rae Carson's novelisation of The Force Awakens and didn't necessarily mind it all that much, but I found this novel to be a little more juvenile than I had originally anticipated. The plot was simply told to the reader, it was very simple and to the point and lacked a certain charm that usually comes along with Star Wars stories.
"Qi'ra laid down on her cot and pulled the other blanket up to her chin. Her last thought was a boy she hardly knew had come into this place she never shared with anyone, was in fact sleeping beside her and she was glad he was here."
I was sceptical of this book from the get-go. While I enjoy Solo as a movie a lot, I don't particularly like Qi'ra all that much, her character always seemed more like a plot device for Han's development than a character in her own right, so I understand why there are increasing numbers of stories including her, in an attempt to make her more rounded. But I still don't care about her story at all. Most Wanted shows the roots of Han and Qi'ra, their time working for Lady Proxima in the underbelly of Corellia. I love young Han stories so that's mainly why I read this, and it was just fine. The story basically follows Han and Qi'ra as they are assigned the same mission in slightly different ways, and the fall out when that mission goes wrong.
I read Rae Carson's novelisation of The Force Awakens and didn't necessarily mind it all that much, but I found this novel to be a little more juvenile than I had originally anticipated. The plot was simply told to the reader, it was very simple and to the point and lacked a certain charm that usually comes along with Star Wars stories.
June 20, 2022
C/W:
Star Wars: Most Wanted was a fun romp from start to finish. Carson's writing is propulsive, which made this a fast read. This book is action-packed but also fit in a lot of character development. I loved seeing more of Han and Qi'ra's relationship as it provides a new depth to what we see in Solo.
Star Wars: Most Wanted was a fun romp from start to finish. Carson's writing is propulsive, which made this a fast read. This book is action-packed but also fit in a lot of character development. I loved seeing more of Han and Qi'ra's relationship as it provides a new depth to what we see in Solo.
October 9, 2019
"He needed to stop showing up to a gunfight armed with nothing but charm and luck."
October 16, 2018
This was a fun, though not exactly mind blowing in its brevity and plot. What I liked the most was the interactions between Han and Quira. I really cared about them and their little Rhodian co - conspirator as they make it through this caper that they were thrown into. The heartstrings were tugged a bit throughout the story quite effectively. I think the author excelled at this. The story itself feels like all other Star Wars stories post Disney acquisition: sell books with stories that in no way alter, affect, supplant, or exceed whats been on the screen. So , these self contained adventures at times feel rather mediocre in their problem to solve or in the story telling (take for example Thrawn Alliances - that book was terrible). This book was enjoyable because you root for these scamps living in a Dickensian sewer with the the leader of this Oliver Twist - like group of thieves being Lady Proxima, seen in Solo film, a giant worm like being. These kids, including Han and Quira, are mistreated, malnourished and dream of getting out but cannot. Who wouldn't root for them? Thankfully the story is not boring but plays it safe and could be inserted neatly into the Han Solo extended backstory that no one asked for.
July 30, 2018
Ugh. Oh, wait this is a Star Wars review, let me try that again...
I've got a bad feeling about this. Yeah, that was better. "Most Wanted" is a prequel to the "Solo" film that just came out. It's how Han and the queen of dragons became friends. The story is slight and mostly inoffensive. The most frustrating part was that clearly there is no quality control at Disney or Lucasfilm for these things. Han is introduced to the Force and Jedi many times in this book. The basic concepts of the same are even explained to him. So it makes no DAMN sense that he would be so clueless about them in "A New Hope."
"But Joe, maybe Han was lying!" To what end? For what reason? Small potatoes maybe, but why read these books if not to expand my knowledge of the Star Wars universe. Not undo and undermine things that have already been established. You can change Star Wars facts and events going forwards, not backwards guys. Unless...you're doing a reboot. Was this a reboot? Somebody get J.J. Abrams on the phone!
I've got a bad feeling about this. Yeah, that was better. "Most Wanted" is a prequel to the "Solo" film that just came out. It's how Han and the queen of dragons became friends. The story is slight and mostly inoffensive. The most frustrating part was that clearly there is no quality control at Disney or Lucasfilm for these things. Han is introduced to the Force and Jedi many times in this book. The basic concepts of the same are even explained to him. So it makes no DAMN sense that he would be so clueless about them in "A New Hope."
"But Joe, maybe Han was lying!" To what end? For what reason? Small potatoes maybe, but why read these books if not to expand my knowledge of the Star Wars universe. Not undo and undermine things that have already been established. You can change Star Wars facts and events going forwards, not backwards guys. Unless...you're doing a reboot. Was this a reboot? Somebody get J.J. Abrams on the phone!
May 28, 2018
I had a hard time getting into the beginning but my desire to know all the things about Qi'ra saw me through. Really liked all the turns the plot took and the way the relationship between them wasn't forced at all. I'm excited to see Solo again with this backstory in mind!
October 10, 2018
I really enjoyed the Solo movie… unfortunately I can’t say the same about this book.
This is a forgettable story with some mediocre writing and despite the fact that this is a prequel it doesn’t add anything more to what was already covered in the film.
This is a forgettable story with some mediocre writing and despite the fact that this is a prequel it doesn’t add anything more to what was already covered in the film.
March 26, 2020
So on to the next book and one I picked up cheap while I was being distracted by something else.
I will state for the record that the film Solo - a star wars story was actually really good fun and I enjoyed it (and it didnt deserve the stigma it was given) and so when I saw this book supposedly of a prequel I thought why not.
And to be honest I was not disappointed - it had the same air of fun and adventure as the film - true since because its a prequel you are limited to what it can and cannot do - (for example leave them in a situation that cannot be explained in the film or change characters we will be introduced to and evolve with) but it can build up the world our characters are introduced in.
And this is where I think the book excels at - now you have the change to explore the world only relatively briefly seen in the film and having grown up in the star wars universe there is so much out there to explore (and play in).
This is no classic book that will go down in the libraries of Star Wars but like the film I think it is something people can enjoy when they stumble across it
I will state for the record that the film Solo - a star wars story was actually really good fun and I enjoyed it (and it didnt deserve the stigma it was given) and so when I saw this book supposedly of a prequel I thought why not.
And to be honest I was not disappointed - it had the same air of fun and adventure as the film - true since because its a prequel you are limited to what it can and cannot do - (for example leave them in a situation that cannot be explained in the film or change characters we will be introduced to and evolve with) but it can build up the world our characters are introduced in.
And this is where I think the book excels at - now you have the change to explore the world only relatively briefly seen in the film and having grown up in the star wars universe there is so much out there to explore (and play in).
This is no classic book that will go down in the libraries of Star Wars but like the film I think it is something people can enjoy when they stumble across it
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