Boba Fett has been an incredibly popular Star Wars character ever since his first appearance in the Star Wars Holiday Special. Originally left for dead in Return of the Jedi, he was revealed in the Expanded Universe to have escaped the Sarlacc and survived, continuing to be an enemy (and occasional ally) to the main characters even long after the Star Wars films.
In Episode II: Attack of the Clones, George Lucas further explored the character of Boba Fett. In the film, Boba is a ten-year-old clone of the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett, raised as Fett's son. The Boba Fett series of young readers novels -- which begins with The Fight to Survive by Terry Bisson -- explores Boba Fett's backstory and explains how he became such a skilled bounty hunter.
Summary of The Fight to Survive
The first half of The Fight to Survive retells some of the events in Attack of the Clones from Boba Fett's point of view. Some things we didn't see in the movies are now revealed: for example, Boba Fett's conversations with the aliens on Kamino, his love for reading and his relationship with his father and Zam Wessel (the shapeshifting bounty hunter who attacks Padme on Coruscant).
The second half of the book follows Boba Fett after the young boy, now left without a father, escapes from Geonosis and attempts to find Count Dooku. Although his work is inexperienced and sloppy, he eventually reaches his goal, and Dooku promises to take Boba under his wing.
Review of The Fight to Survive
Although The Fight to Survive and the rest of the Boba Fett series are quick reads for adults, the first half of the book feels slow and dull, perhaps simply because we already know what's going to happen from the movie.
Both the story and Terry Bisson's writing style are very simplistic -- great for young readers who want an entertaining Star Wars story, but not much substance for older fans. In addition, some of the moral ambiguity is censored (again, for the kids) in order to set Boba up as a sympathetic figure, rather than someone who knows that his father is a killer and encourages him to kill Jedi.
The second half of the book, however, picks up immensely, and it's easy to overlook the flaws. Ten-year-old Boba's actions are realistic and understandable, and the ending sets up some interesting character dynamics for future Expanded Universe works. Even though it's meant for kids, The Fight to Survive marks the beginning of a series that should be an entertaining read for adult Star Wars fans.
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