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Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear #2
La città dei morti
Hoole, Zak, and Tash have come to the planet Necropolos, hoping to buy a new ship to replace the Lightrunner. Necropolos is kind of creepy--it has the biggest cemetery in the galaxy, which doesn't exactly make it much of a tourist spot. When nefarious bounty hunter Boba Fett comes into town, claiming that people he has killed in Necropolos have come back to life, Zak and Tash know something very weird is going on. Zak accepts a dare to go into the Necropolos cemetery at midnight. But maybe he should have thought twice. Just because the bodies are buried, that doesn't mean they're dead.
104 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 3, 2020
Zak and Tash, the young protagonists of John Whitman's Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear series for young adults, with their mysterious Uncle Hoole, arrive on the planet Necropolis in Book 2, "The City of the Dead".
Necropolis is creepy for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that the planet's surface is one giant cemetary, with headstones as far as the eye can see. The living inhabitants are also pretty creepy, with a weird belief that the dead will someday rise if they are disturbed, which is why they have almost-daily rituals meant to appease the dead and keep them in their grave.
The kids and their uncle are in need of a new spaceship. Their visit to Necropolis's shipyard happens to coincide with another visitor, a Mandalorian bounty hunter looking for a wanted criminal by the nickname of Dr. Death. (I'll let you guess which Mandalorian bounty hunter I'm talking about.)
This is another fun read in an "old canon" series targeted for middle school readers. It's basically Whitman's attempt at stealing some of R. L. Stine's "Goosebumps" fans by putting the horror in the Star Wars universe.
Plenty of zombie action in this one. Despite the fact that it's targeted to younger kids, I wouldn't recommend this for kids who are squeamish about blood and guts. I know some adults who probably couldn't handle the gore either.
Necropolis is creepy for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that the planet's surface is one giant cemetary, with headstones as far as the eye can see. The living inhabitants are also pretty creepy, with a weird belief that the dead will someday rise if they are disturbed, which is why they have almost-daily rituals meant to appease the dead and keep them in their grave.
The kids and their uncle are in need of a new spaceship. Their visit to Necropolis's shipyard happens to coincide with another visitor, a Mandalorian bounty hunter looking for a wanted criminal by the nickname of Dr. Death. (I'll let you guess which Mandalorian bounty hunter I'm talking about.)
This is another fun read in an "old canon" series targeted for middle school readers. It's basically Whitman's attempt at stealing some of R. L. Stine's "Goosebumps" fans by putting the horror in the Star Wars universe.
Plenty of zombie action in this one. Despite the fact that it's targeted to younger kids, I wouldn't recommend this for kids who are squeamish about blood and guts. I know some adults who probably couldn't handle the gore either.
May 7, 2023
My brother checked this out from our local library when I was a kid and took it on a family road trip. After he finished I picked it up, mostly because I was SO BORED, but also because the holographic skeleton on the cover was intriguing. It captivated me, and this book, combined with that one episode of Pokemon with spoon bending tricks started a lifelong love of horror and esoteric magic--after I worked through the intense fear of cemetaries this book gave me.
Saw this at the library and was curious how it would read as an adult. Holds up surprisingly well, and I enjoyed the nostalgia trip. And hey! I read it during Star Wars week. A solid, enjoyable read for older kids, with a surprising and somewhat messy reference to The Tempest.
Saw this at the library and was curious how it would read as an adult. Holds up surprisingly well, and I enjoyed the nostalgia trip. And hey! I read it during Star Wars week. A solid, enjoyable read for older kids, with a surprising and somewhat messy reference to The Tempest.
October 10, 2023
Zombie 🧟♂️🧟♂️
August 29, 2021
Galaxy of Fear time again. I'm going in order, as I may have said before. So far, these have been very well constructed, but not my favorite. They take longer to get through due to the moving parts, and this one is like 140 pages. I just like the slightly soppier quicker reads more. Anyway, this one was again pretty solid. I liked it more than Eaten Alive and it almost tops Brian Spiders in places.
Tash, Zak and the gang end up on the planet Necroplois, because these names don't get any more subtle, where they take the dead seriously. They believe in an old legend that states that an old witch's curse will cause the dead to rise if someone disturbs the dead. And the witch can bring anyone back, perhaps even certain dead parents they have?
Zak wants to test this and on a dare he goes into the local graveyard and whoops zombies exist. I expected it to be a fake out since zombies fully existing in this universe fells weird despite everything we've seen but spoilers, indeed real zombies come into play. So this is the darkest one so far, as expected from a zombie story.
This has a body count, and it's wild. The extent they go to with some is interesting,but I won't give too much away here. This gets into some emotional stuff, as we explore more of how Zak feels about the death of his parents. It leads to some nice stuff and the ending wraps it up nicely.
There's a bit of the background stuff releating to Hoole's mystery nature but there's less of it and it doesn't waste too much time here. I kinda loved the villain. He's a mad scientist that is very old school, rather over the top which I enjoy. His plan is out of an old B movie and it's great, but fairly twisted too.
Pacing is fine, with some good scares along the way. As for complaints, there's this friend Zak makes and while there is some nice stuff with that, we don't to know him super well which is a bit of an issue given what happens. It drags a bit and feels a bit too long but not horribly so. There's a twist that is a dark idea but from what I can tell, it is never explained further and I do have questions with it.
Overall, pretty solid. It's the darkest one so far and that makes it work, along with a fun villain and some solid heart. There's less of the formula too, Hoole doesn't quite magically save the day here. So yeah, series continues to be solid. I don't look forward to it as much as others but it's shaping up fairly well. (Oh and Boba Fett has an extended appearance, neat)
Next time, Deadtime Stories, see ya then.
Tash, Zak and the gang end up on the planet Necroplois, because these names don't get any more subtle, where they take the dead seriously. They believe in an old legend that states that an old witch's curse will cause the dead to rise if someone disturbs the dead. And the witch can bring anyone back, perhaps even certain dead parents they have?
Zak wants to test this and on a dare he goes into the local graveyard and whoops zombies exist. I expected it to be a fake out since zombies fully existing in this universe fells weird despite everything we've seen but spoilers, indeed real zombies come into play. So this is the darkest one so far, as expected from a zombie story.
This has a body count, and it's wild. The extent they go to with some is interesting,but I won't give too much away here. This gets into some emotional stuff, as we explore more of how Zak feels about the death of his parents. It leads to some nice stuff and the ending wraps it up nicely.
There's a bit of the background stuff releating to Hoole's mystery nature but there's less of it and it doesn't waste too much time here. I kinda loved the villain. He's a mad scientist that is very old school, rather over the top which I enjoy. His plan is out of an old B movie and it's great, but fairly twisted too.
Pacing is fine, with some good scares along the way. As for complaints, there's this friend Zak makes and while there is some nice stuff with that, we don't to know him super well which is a bit of an issue given what happens. It drags a bit and feels a bit too long but not horribly so. There's a twist that is a dark idea but from what I can tell, it is never explained further and I do have questions with it.
Overall, pretty solid. It's the darkest one so far and that makes it work, along with a fun villain and some solid heart. There's less of the formula too, Hoole doesn't quite magically save the day here. So yeah, series continues to be solid. I don't look forward to it as much as others but it's shaping up fairly well. (Oh and Boba Fett has an extended appearance, neat)
Next time, Deadtime Stories, see ya then.
May 28, 2025
Star Wars: Legends: Galaxy of Fear 02 City of the Dead by John Whitman
challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense
Fast-paced
Plot or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
3.5 Stars
I'm having fun with this Junior novel (Middle Grade) adventure in Star Wars (Legends / Extended Universe).
The struggles of the main two characters is well done. Tash and Zak are good point of view characters. Uncle Hoole and Deevee are also great supporting characters.
The idea of "zombies" and being infected is scary. The last paragraph in the story...sets up what could possibly be in store for us (as readers), as we share in the adventures to come.
Next up is Star Wars: Legends: Galaxy of Fear 03 Planet Plague by John Whitman.
challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense
Fast-paced
Plot or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
3.5 Stars
I'm having fun with this Junior novel (Middle Grade) adventure in Star Wars (Legends / Extended Universe).
The struggles of the main two characters is well done. Tash and Zak are good point of view characters. Uncle Hoole and Deevee are also great supporting characters.
The idea of "zombies" and being infected is scary. The last paragraph in the story...sets up what could possibly be in store for us (as readers), as we share in the adventures to come.
Next up is Star Wars: Legends: Galaxy of Fear 03 Planet Plague by John Whitman.
January 3, 2018
Zak and Tash (and Hoole and DV-9) return in City of the Dead, fresh after having escaped the man-eating planet D'vouran (*groan*) in Eaten Alive. This time they land on Necropolis, a planet where death is a part of life, and the rituals involving death are a long-held tradition. Of course, it's nothing as simple as just landing, resupplying, and moving on, because this is Star Wars, and it's also ... a galaxy of fear! Dun dun DUN.
So, yeah, it's a little hokey, and ends with some hand-waving that makes things a little too pat and easy, but it's still a solid read. Whitman appears to be setting up a larger, over-arching plot to the series, though it's not anything that will get in the way of a separate, book-length adventure. It feels instead like he's working toward an end-game adventure that will wrap up in one volume, instead of writing a story that spans multiple books. Again, this isn't Jude Watson, but it's still pretty fun.
Like I said with the last book, this series is probably best for the most hard-core Star Wars fans, or at least those who are completionists. Obviously, kids will get the most out of the books, but when the offerings from other juvenile writers like J.K. Rowling or Margot Lanagan are so much more nuanced and complex, it's hard to pick this over those. If you can't get enough Star Wars, though, it's worth investigating.
So, yeah, it's a little hokey, and ends with some hand-waving that makes things a little too pat and easy, but it's still a solid read. Whitman appears to be setting up a larger, over-arching plot to the series, though it's not anything that will get in the way of a separate, book-length adventure. It feels instead like he's working toward an end-game adventure that will wrap up in one volume, instead of writing a story that spans multiple books. Again, this isn't Jude Watson, but it's still pretty fun.
Like I said with the last book, this series is probably best for the most hard-core Star Wars fans, or at least those who are completionists. Obviously, kids will get the most out of the books, but when the offerings from other juvenile writers like J.K. Rowling or Margot Lanagan are so much more nuanced and complex, it's hard to pick this over those. If you can't get enough Star Wars, though, it's worth investigating.
February 24, 2020
While I love the idea of mixing Star Wars and horror, this book forgot to be science fiction because it was so busy trying to be Goosebumps. I feel like there are a lot of already established scary Star Wars planets this could have taken place on, so inventing a corny cemetery world (I couldn't stop thinking of Halloween Town) feels kind of unnecessary and disappointing.
I'm also not a fan of children's literature where the children aren't the ones actually solving the problems in the story. Zak and Tash did very little to drive the actual plot, while the adults in the story were the ones to actually overcome all the major obstacles.
I'm also not a fan of children's literature where the children aren't the ones actually solving the problems in the story. Zak and Tash did very little to drive the actual plot, while the adults in the story were the ones to actually overcome all the major obstacles.
September 6, 2021
I guess you can’t blame Lucasfilm for trying to cash in on the ridiculously popular (and lucrative) Goosebumps trend.
It’s just too bad there is neither any originality or heart.
I get the “importance” of the Galaxy of Fear series, but I still don’t like them.
It’s just too bad there is neither any originality or heart.
I get the “importance” of the Galaxy of Fear series, but I still don’t like them.
August 13, 2025
Star Wars zombies! These children Star Wars books continue to entertain. Mix cute kids (one with force potential) + supernatural elements + Characters from the films cameos = a guaranteed good time.
January 12, 2021
Star Wars Legends Project #250
Background: City of the Dead was written by John Whitman and published in January 1997. It is the second in the Galaxy of Fear series, all written by Whitman, who also wrote about a dozen other Star Wars books, mostly for kids.
City of the Dead takes place 6 months after the Battle of Yavin, picking up where Eaten Alive left off (my review). The main characters are Tash and Zak Arranda, their adoptive Uncle Hoole, and their droid caretaker, DV-9. There are very brief appearances by the major movie characters from the last book, along with more substantial roles for Boba Fett and Dr. Evazan. Most of the story takes place on the planet Necropolis.
Summary: After the harrowing events on D'vouran left them without a starship, the Arrandas and their Uncle Hoole stop off at Necropolis in search of new transportation. Necropolis is distinguished by rigid and elaborate traditions concerning the honoring of the dead, a fact which only seems to intensify the vivid nightmares Zak has been having about the recent death of his parents on Alderaan. But even the scariest nightmare pales in comparison to Zak's growing suspicion that the dead of Necropolis are somehow coming back to life. Could this have something to do with the presence on the planet of the notorious Dr. Death? Zak needs to come up with some proof soon, or he and his sister may end up joining the swelling ranks of the walking dead.
Review: Pre-dating Death Troopers by over 12 years, I guess this is the original Star Wars zombie novel. And I have to say, I really liked it. There's a definite formula to this series which readers will either enjoy sliding into, like a comfortable pair of slippers, or figure out pretty quickly that they don't care for. I am apparently in the former category.
Part of the formula that I actually appreciate is that apparently each book will feature some kind of run-in with some famous Star Wars characters, and Boba Fett and Dr. Evazan make for a fun combination that feels more like random happenstance than having all of the major heroes of the franchise come trooping through. Of course, I say that . . . Having your characters interact with someone from the movies in every single novel is the sort of thing that makes the galaxy feel more like a small town, and that's the sort of thing I'd normally complain about. But this is a YA novel, and it works . . . particularly in this book, where Whitman really found a way to weave those characters into the fabric of the story he is telling.
The other thing I really like is how this story ties its scares into the emotional arc of the characters. Zak is struggling with the death of his parents, and with his lack of closure, and this ties very naturally in with the choices he makes as the plot thickens. At the same time, his vulnerable emotional state does explain why his family has trouble believing him. At this point, Zak and Tash still don't know their Uncle Hoole very well, and he definitely keeps them at arm's length in some ways, so the lack of trust between them still works. However, after Hoole's failure to trust Tash in the first book nearly resulted in disaster, and then he repeats the same mistake here with Zak, I'm hoping that there is some character growth in future installments and this won't be a recurring frustration.
The zombie rules in this book are a bit odd, definitely non-traditional, but mostly in an interesting way. Once again, having the dead rise on a planet called Necropolis that's basically a giant necropolis is . . . very on-the-nose, but that complaint feels fairly minor. Overall, this was really enjoyable, and I'm starting to develop some anticipation for the next installments. If any part of this pitch sounds appealing to you, definitely check it out.
B
Background: City of the Dead was written by John Whitman and published in January 1997. It is the second in the Galaxy of Fear series, all written by Whitman, who also wrote about a dozen other Star Wars books, mostly for kids.
City of the Dead takes place 6 months after the Battle of Yavin, picking up where Eaten Alive left off (my review). The main characters are Tash and Zak Arranda, their adoptive Uncle Hoole, and their droid caretaker, DV-9. There are very brief appearances by the major movie characters from the last book, along with more substantial roles for Boba Fett and Dr. Evazan. Most of the story takes place on the planet Necropolis.
Summary: After the harrowing events on D'vouran left them without a starship, the Arrandas and their Uncle Hoole stop off at Necropolis in search of new transportation. Necropolis is distinguished by rigid and elaborate traditions concerning the honoring of the dead, a fact which only seems to intensify the vivid nightmares Zak has been having about the recent death of his parents on Alderaan. But even the scariest nightmare pales in comparison to Zak's growing suspicion that the dead of Necropolis are somehow coming back to life. Could this have something to do with the presence on the planet of the notorious Dr. Death? Zak needs to come up with some proof soon, or he and his sister may end up joining the swelling ranks of the walking dead.
Review: Pre-dating Death Troopers by over 12 years, I guess this is the original Star Wars zombie novel. And I have to say, I really liked it. There's a definite formula to this series which readers will either enjoy sliding into, like a comfortable pair of slippers, or figure out pretty quickly that they don't care for. I am apparently in the former category.
Part of the formula that I actually appreciate is that apparently each book will feature some kind of run-in with some famous Star Wars characters, and Boba Fett and Dr. Evazan make for a fun combination that feels more like random happenstance than having all of the major heroes of the franchise come trooping through. Of course, I say that . . . Having your characters interact with someone from the movies in every single novel is the sort of thing that makes the galaxy feel more like a small town, and that's the sort of thing I'd normally complain about. But this is a YA novel, and it works . . . particularly in this book, where Whitman really found a way to weave those characters into the fabric of the story he is telling.
The other thing I really like is how this story ties its scares into the emotional arc of the characters. Zak is struggling with the death of his parents, and with his lack of closure, and this ties very naturally in with the choices he makes as the plot thickens. At the same time, his vulnerable emotional state does explain why his family has trouble believing him. At this point, Zak and Tash still don't know their Uncle Hoole very well, and he definitely keeps them at arm's length in some ways, so the lack of trust between them still works. However, after Hoole's failure to trust Tash in the first book nearly resulted in disaster, and then he repeats the same mistake here with Zak, I'm hoping that there is some character growth in future installments and this won't be a recurring frustration.
The zombie rules in this book are a bit odd, definitely non-traditional, but mostly in an interesting way. Once again, having the dead rise on a planet called Necropolis that's basically a giant necropolis is . . . very on-the-nose, but that complaint feels fairly minor. Overall, this was really enjoyable, and I'm starting to develop some anticipation for the next installments. If any part of this pitch sounds appealing to you, definitely check it out.
B
October 24, 2021
I know the Galaxy of Fear line of Star Wars Goosebumps ripoff books aren't high literature, but boy is this one rough.
You remember the "I have the death sentences on 12 systems" and "You'll be dead!" Guy from A New Hope? Well, turns out he's a misunderstood genius who actually has found a way to bring anyone back from the dead (regardless of how long they've been dead). Literally anyone. So he has this army of zombies and he's going to sell the revival serum to the Empire, but uh oh Boba Fett showed up and killed him.
Anyway, he injected himself with that serum (essentially making him immortal) so that death didn't count but now he has the strength of 10 men. Then he comes up with a bunch of really elaborate plans to slowly kill some children, but since those children are the protagonists that just didn't work. So the children's robot butler discovered a way to reverse the zombie serum (but many of the zombies have their full mental capacities, so when they use it it's a lot like killing all those people over again and they don't linger on the moral implications of re-murder, or even of killing a child who literally was killed just to be a zombie so he was like 95% the same kid, but let's kill him anyway. Would rather kill a kid than deal with the question of what is mortality, and what does it mean to be "alive". Can't have that in Star Wars).
Anyway, a serviceable lightly spooky book from 25 years ago that's fairly difficult to find anymore and won't ever get reprinted. I can't recommend, but who would.
You remember the "I have the death sentences on 12 systems" and "You'll be dead!" Guy from A New Hope? Well, turns out he's a misunderstood genius who actually has found a way to bring anyone back from the dead (regardless of how long they've been dead). Literally anyone. So he has this army of zombies and he's going to sell the revival serum to the Empire, but uh oh Boba Fett showed up and killed him.
Anyway, he injected himself with that serum (essentially making him immortal) so that death didn't count but now he has the strength of 10 men. Then he comes up with a bunch of really elaborate plans to slowly kill some children, but since those children are the protagonists that just didn't work. So the children's robot butler discovered a way to reverse the zombie serum (but many of the zombies have their full mental capacities, so when they use it it's a lot like killing all those people over again and they don't linger on the moral implications of re-murder, or even of killing a child who literally was killed just to be a zombie so he was like 95% the same kid, but let's kill him anyway. Would rather kill a kid than deal with the question of what is mortality, and what does it mean to be "alive". Can't have that in Star Wars).
Anyway, a serviceable lightly spooky book from 25 years ago that's fairly difficult to find anymore and won't ever get reprinted. I can't recommend, but who would.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2024
Der zweite Teil der Reihe war leider nicht mehr so gut, obwohl es um Zombies ging :/ ich war überrascht, dass es sich um die gleichen Hauptcharaktere dreht, was generell spannend ist, da es offenbar einen overall-Plot gibt. Ich hoffe, die Reihe wurde daher nicht abgebrochen.
Diesmal kommt Boba Fett als Gastcharakter dazu, der auch wirklich richtig super ist, ich hätte mir gewünscht, er würde mehr vorkommen.
Aber generell war die Story sehr vorrausschauend. Diesmal drehte sich alles mehr um Zak, den kleinen Bruder, der leider unfassbar dämlich und nervig war =_= ich weiß nicht, wie häufig er entgegen jeder ERklärung oder Intelligenz gehandelt hat und wieder alleine los ziehen muss.
Ist ntrl klar, ist ja ein Jugendroman, dass die Kinder immer alles selber machen, aber himmel. Der junge ist dumm.
Das einzig gute war die Idee eines Grabstätten-Planeten und der Bösewicht diesmal war auch ziemlich gut gemacht. Aber ansonsten, meh.
Diesmal kommt Boba Fett als Gastcharakter dazu, der auch wirklich richtig super ist, ich hätte mir gewünscht, er würde mehr vorkommen.
Aber generell war die Story sehr vorrausschauend. Diesmal drehte sich alles mehr um Zak, den kleinen Bruder, der leider unfassbar dämlich und nervig war =_= ich weiß nicht, wie häufig er entgegen jeder ERklärung oder Intelligenz gehandelt hat und wieder alleine los ziehen muss.
Ist ntrl klar, ist ja ein Jugendroman, dass die Kinder immer alles selber machen, aber himmel. Der junge ist dumm.
Das einzig gute war die Idee eines Grabstätten-Planeten und der Bösewicht diesmal war auch ziemlich gut gemacht. Aber ansonsten, meh.
April 8, 2025
While I don't like series to rely too heavily on cameos, this actually worked really well (much better than Han/Luke/Leia showing up in the first book).
This is Boba Fett. John Whitman got him down perfectly. The series is getting better at the dark humor thing. It's not heavy handed or knee slap funny. But Boba Fett getting frustrated because his bounty keeps coming back to life and needing to finish the job properly is chef's kiss. The other ANH reference that I won't spoil worked pretty well too.
Honestly this is my level of horror. It's more adventure with a dark twist, and I prefer that to dark for darkness sake. The style of writing lets the readers imagination adjust a lot of details, which I also rather appreciate. There's enough horrifying elements and actual death a more sensitive reader might find these truly chilling, but it's not to the point where I don't think older kids could enjoy it.
This is Boba Fett. John Whitman got him down perfectly. The series is getting better at the dark humor thing. It's not heavy handed or knee slap funny. But Boba Fett getting frustrated because his bounty keeps coming back to life and needing to finish the job properly is chef's kiss. The other ANH reference that I won't spoil worked pretty well too.
Honestly this is my level of horror. It's more adventure with a dark twist, and I prefer that to dark for darkness sake. The style of writing lets the readers imagination adjust a lot of details, which I also rather appreciate. There's enough horrifying elements and actual death a more sensitive reader might find these truly chilling, but it's not to the point where I don't think older kids could enjoy it.
October 16, 2019
What if Goosebumps, was good and set in the Star Wars universe? That's what you get with the Galaxy of Fear series.
This book features everybody's favorite monster: Zombies.
This story was well written and engaging. I didn't feel talked down to which is amazing, I hate children's books that make me feel that way. Yes I'm in my 30's but I remember hating it when I was younger.
I never thought these books needed the inclusion of luke, han, leia, etc. Those sections feel awkward sometimes. (pretty solid in this book though).
This book features everybody's favorite monster: Zombies.
This story was well written and engaging. I didn't feel talked down to which is amazing, I hate children's books that make me feel that way. Yes I'm in my 30's but I remember hating it when I was younger.
I never thought these books needed the inclusion of luke, han, leia, etc. Those sections feel awkward sometimes. (pretty solid in this book though).
November 30, 2020
City of the Dead was another cheesy, fun read that takes steps to explore the trauma our lead kids have gone through with losing their entire family, except for an emotionally distant uncle, managing to tie those emotions in to the horror mystery at play rather well.
Squeamish kids might want to avoid this one.
Squeamish kids might want to avoid this one.
February 17, 2023
Basically a goosebumps rip off. The whole book deals with zombies and boba fett. Since this was before Knights of the old republic this would be the first instance of zombies in star wars unless some star wars book from the bantam era did it first.
Overall 3 stars it's okay there was some enjoyable scenes but nothing special.
Overall 3 stars it's okay there was some enjoyable scenes but nothing special.
May 2, 2021
The adventure continues with this young family who stumble into one bad situation to another. This time Hoole, Tash and Zak are in the city of the dead, trying to buy a new spaceship. Wonderful cameo by Boba Fett and lots of zombie creepiness make this a fun read.
May 16, 2024
Zombies!! Boba Fett!! This book was quite a chilling tale when I was a kid. As an adult, I can appreciate Zack trying to manage his grief after his losing his parents. It was also great to see Dr Evazan meet his end.
February 11, 2020
i didnt like this supid book!!!!!!
May 14, 2020
I don't know if I liked it as much as Eaten Alive since I found the premise a little bit less believable, but to consider that a serious criticism is really splitting hairs.
September 7, 2021
Interesting and fun continuation of the Galaxy of Fear series. However, the story was also rather cliché with the Necropolis, cemetery, and the undead.
March 12, 2022
Too good! Fun read!
May 9, 2023
a desperate attempt to be goosebumps falls pretty flat. cant believe im stuck reading 9 more of these...
August 24, 2023
Amazing!
September 1, 2023
I loved Boba Fett in this.
October 21, 2023
It’s a lot of fun and I’d’ve loved this when I was eight, but I’m a grown man now and you can’t seriously expect me to give it more.
(Boba Fett is a badass.)
(Boba Fett is a badass.)
February 19, 2025
DNf . Intresting characters , horrible writing
July 20, 2016
Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5
Consensus: Better than the first book by a decent margin.
Maybe it's the mere-exposure effect of this series wearing on me, but I'm surprised to find out that the characters in these books are starting to grow on me, and that I actually kind of like them and find them endearing. Tash and Zak are actually not half-bad as kid protagonists go, and in this book they get some decent characterization. John Whitman takes advantage of the scary element in this book - zombies - and uses them to further the children's characterization, a smart move.
See, in the first book we were told that recently orphaned Tash and Zak used to live on Alderaan, until it blew up when they were off-planet. Since then, they've been living with only their mysterious and seemingly unfeeling uncle, their 'homeschool' droid, and each other. In this book, I was pleased to see that the children are not only growing in their relationship with their uncle, but also dealing with the relatively recent loss of their parents. Zak, especially, has to come to terms with the fact that his parents really are dead, and his own survivor's guilt and grief. For a young kid's book, that's some pretty heavy stuff.
And that's not the only heavy material found here. While the last book was scary in a general sense, this one has moments that I think might stick more with younger readers. There are lots of descriptions of corpses, icky flesh-eating worms, and some pretty freaky scenes where Zak dreams of his parents and sees their dead bodies with empty eye sockets and peeling, grey skin. Scary stuff!
There's also the (kind of shocking for a kid's book) violent murder of a young child who is only about 10 years old. And it's a surprisingly unpleasant death. We aren't talking of a blaster to the back or a lightsaber injury that cauterizes the wound. It's worse. Kind of disturbing to read about.
One thing I'll give this series is that I really like what they do with their cannon 'movie' characters. This time around, we have Dr. Evazan guest starring...
(Here's a picture in case you don't remember who that is:)
(Yeah, remember him? He has the death sentence on 12 systems! You'll be careful...or you'll be dead!)
But more importantly, this book also features Boba Fett!
And if you're like me, you kind of have to groan at this, because really? Boba Fett? There are so many ways you could botch him up in your 'little kid' book. You know he's only there so that the author can get a cheap, "I remember that!" reaction from the reader.
But surprisingly, I actually really liked Boba Fett in this! He's portrayed exactly the way you want to see him. He has a job to do on the planet that involves killing someone, he's smart, he's efficient, he's shown to be serious and talented and deadly, and most importantly, never 'goes easy' on the kid characters. He doesn't even save their lives unless it involves his own benefit, and I like that. I'm so grateful he doesn't pander to the kids. If you've ever seen the droids TV series, and seen the episode starring Boba Fett, (which, come one, is the best episode of that show) you can know his portrayal here is similar, but a little more callous. And best of all, he's used pretty sparingly. So an A+ on his usage! I am hopeful that he'll cross paths again with Tash and Zak one day in one of the future books. That'd be pretty fun to see.
City of the Dead is not a great masterpiece by any means. The writing flops at times, some of the serious issues are dealt with clumsily, and it's plenty cheesy (The city's name is Necropolis? Really?!) when it comes to the horror. But for me, this series is also surprisingly fun. I'm excited to see where Tash and Zak go next.
Consensus: Better than the first book by a decent margin.
Maybe it's the mere-exposure effect of this series wearing on me, but I'm surprised to find out that the characters in these books are starting to grow on me, and that I actually kind of like them and find them endearing. Tash and Zak are actually not half-bad as kid protagonists go, and in this book they get some decent characterization. John Whitman takes advantage of the scary element in this book - zombies - and uses them to further the children's characterization, a smart move.
See, in the first book we were told that recently orphaned Tash and Zak used to live on Alderaan, until it blew up when they were off-planet. Since then, they've been living with only their mysterious and seemingly unfeeling uncle, their 'homeschool' droid, and each other. In this book, I was pleased to see that the children are not only growing in their relationship with their uncle, but also dealing with the relatively recent loss of their parents. Zak, especially, has to come to terms with the fact that his parents really are dead, and his own survivor's guilt and grief. For a young kid's book, that's some pretty heavy stuff.
And that's not the only heavy material found here. While the last book was scary in a general sense, this one has moments that I think might stick more with younger readers. There are lots of descriptions of corpses, icky flesh-eating worms, and some pretty freaky scenes where Zak dreams of his parents and sees their dead bodies with empty eye sockets and peeling, grey skin. Scary stuff!
There's also the (kind of shocking for a kid's book) violent murder of a young child who is only about 10 years old. And it's a surprisingly unpleasant death. We aren't talking of a blaster to the back or a lightsaber injury that cauterizes the wound. It's worse. Kind of disturbing to read about.
One thing I'll give this series is that I really like what they do with their cannon 'movie' characters. This time around, we have Dr. Evazan guest starring...
(Here's a picture in case you don't remember who that is:)
(Yeah, remember him? He has the death sentence on 12 systems! You'll be careful...or you'll be dead!)
But more importantly, this book also features Boba Fett!
And if you're like me, you kind of have to groan at this, because really? Boba Fett? There are so many ways you could botch him up in your 'little kid' book. You know he's only there so that the author can get a cheap, "I remember that!" reaction from the reader.
But surprisingly, I actually really liked Boba Fett in this! He's portrayed exactly the way you want to see him. He has a job to do on the planet that involves killing someone, he's smart, he's efficient, he's shown to be serious and talented and deadly, and most importantly, never 'goes easy' on the kid characters. He doesn't even save their lives unless it involves his own benefit, and I like that. I'm so grateful he doesn't pander to the kids. If you've ever seen the droids TV series, and seen the episode starring Boba Fett, (which, come one, is the best episode of that show) you can know his portrayal here is similar, but a little more callous. And best of all, he's used pretty sparingly. So an A+ on his usage! I am hopeful that he'll cross paths again with Tash and Zak one day in one of the future books. That'd be pretty fun to see.
City of the Dead is not a great masterpiece by any means. The writing flops at times, some of the serious issues are dealt with clumsily, and it's plenty cheesy (The city's name is Necropolis? Really?!) when it comes to the horror. But for me, this series is also surprisingly fun. I'm excited to see where Tash and Zak go next.
September 4, 2016
Better than the first: about 3.5 stars.
Hoole, Zak, and Tash are left by the Millennium Falcon crew on a planet called Necropolis. They learn of a legend of a witch and superstitions about the dead. There's a large possibility the dead are coming back to life!
Except the reader knows it's not something terribly eerie. The books opens with a scientist working for Vader and Palpatine thinking about his experiments under the umbrella of "Project Starscreen." D'vouran was one of the five experiments. He calls Dr. Evazan and warns him about Hoole. That alone is enough for the reader to know that Evazan is up to something. The predictability isn't so bad though, since the prologue was done well.
I have to commend Whitman on how he writes survivor's guilt, especially as it manifests in a child.
The most nasty thing about this was the boneworms, worms that dig into flesh and suck out a person's marrow. That really upped the ante on a kid's horror series.
Hoole, Zak, and Tash are left by the Millennium Falcon crew on a planet called Necropolis. They learn of a legend of a witch and superstitions about the dead. There's a large possibility the dead are coming back to life!
Except the reader knows it's not something terribly eerie. The books opens with a scientist working for Vader and Palpatine thinking about his experiments under the umbrella of "Project Starscreen." D'vouran was one of the five experiments. He calls Dr. Evazan and warns him about Hoole. That alone is enough for the reader to know that Evazan is up to something. The predictability isn't so bad though, since the prologue was done well.
I have to commend Whitman on how he writes survivor's guilt, especially as it manifests in a child.
The most nasty thing about this was the boneworms, worms that dig into flesh and suck out a person's marrow. That really upped the ante on a kid's horror series.
March 17, 2025
I really like this series and am doing a re-read because it's such a unique take on the Star Wars universe to have horror-themed settings. It's a bit cheesy and very obviously inspired by Goosebumps but it's written for kids so it works very well. These were some of my favorite Star Wars books as a kid and they hold up really well!
I also had a laugh at the appearance of Boba Fett. Back in the 90's when this was written nothing was known about him so the author decided to not reveal his face (probably in case of future films which did happen). But now that we have the Mandalorian tv series it comes off as very funny that Boba would hide his face like he's of the Children of the Watch.
I also had a laugh at the appearance of Boba Fett. Back in the 90's when this was written nothing was known about him so the author decided to not reveal his face (probably in case of future films which did happen). But now that we have the Mandalorian tv series it comes off as very funny that Boba would hide his face like he's of the Children of the Watch.
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