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Read by Jonathan Davis Princess Leia Organa wants nothing more than to forget she is the daughter of Darth Vader. But even Vader's death cannot release her from her memories -- or her hatred of the man. Married for six months to Han Solo, Leia is on her way to the planet of Tatooine when she experiences a dream-like vision of her brother Luke wearing Vader's black helmet. Is it a warning of things to come, or simply a premonition of danger? The Imperial warship orbiting Tatoonie certainly spells trouble for Han and Leia, but with the help of Chewbacca and C-3PO, the couple once again escape the clutches of their enemies. Landing on Tatooine, they disguised themselves and attend an auction where a piece of Alderaanian art is up for sale. They aren't the only ones bidding on the piece. Representatives of the Empire are present at the auction, and a bidding war soon begins between them and the three furry aliens representing the disguised Princess Leia. Leia is determined to recover the artwork lost when her planet was destroyed. Not only is it a precious keepsake, but it also contains a key to the code used by the New Republic's spies. When the soldiers of the Empire try to take the piece by force, Han attempts to destroy it with a bomb. A man named Kitster rescues the artwork, though, and escapes into the Tatoonie desert with it. Han and Leia pursue the man, as do the troops of the Empire. They soon learn that Kitster was a boyhood friend of Anakin Skywalker, aka, Darth Vader. Kitster's memories of Anakin are far different from Leia's. When Leia is given a diary once belonging to Anakin's mother, she learns that Kitster is not alone in his feelings. Shmi's love for her son moves Leia to reconsider her own feelings for her father. The more she learns about his childhood and youthful beginnings as a Jedi, the more she realizes how painful was his journey through life. She also begins to face up to her own Jedi powers, unrealized until now. Filled with the characters Star War fans have come to love, Tatooine Ghost represents the best of the many Star Wars spinoffs. There's action aplenty in the book, several scenes of romance between Leia and Han, and the kind of humor injected into each of the previous Star Wars epics by selected minor characters. In this case, the humor is provided by the three furry aliens, money-grubbing little beasts who partner themselves with Han and Leia to recover the lost piece of art. Luke Skywalker plays a very minor, and unnecessary, role in the story. The intrusion of Luke, and the often times sappy readings in Shmi's diary, were a drag on both the dialogue and action. This can be overlooked, though, due to the high quality of the rest of the story. All in all, fans of Han and Leia should relish this latest edition to the Star Wars series.
Reviewed by Mary V. Welk, May 2003
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