Star Wars: A New Hope - The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy (Star Wars Enters into a new Universe)

 If you have read some of my reviews of EU Star Wars you will know I like when I see a female author writing in the universe.

   I first saw the new Star Wars EU books back in 2015 in a Walmart in Mohegan Lake NY which I recorded in this POST HERE

   I normally don't buy books until they a 2nd hand or greatly reduced. I simply could not afford to read them otherwise! Most of my book are from Ebay or surprising hauls at Goodwill where someone clearly donated a number of them at once. I did buy paperbacks of Catching Fire and Mockingjay from a store as it was the only way I could get them at the time, I did later acquire hardbacks of both second hand later on because I loved the series so much! I have yet to find the 1st book in hardback... maybe one day when we are no longer in a pandemic, and we can go to stores normally again...

   It was unknown at the time I saw these how the EU would be handled in the new movies and at this point I had read quite a few EUs by then.... So, my plan was to finish the old EU and then start on the new whatever way it went. I started reading the EU back in 2011 (first book I read was the Clone Wars in 2010 which I took to NY with me when I moved) because I wanted Star Wars to continue to live not knowing it was going to be bigger than I have ever seen it in my lifetime very very soon! Star Wars was NOT a thing in 2011... but I got the news in 2012 things were going to change!

   But yes, I was around for the sequels when they came out, but I don't remember it being as big of a hype as these movies became plus finally, we reached a time where it was at last acknowledged there are FEMALE lovers of Star Wars and item were put on the market for them. And as I said in the beginning... having women involved was something I wanted to see because I was a girl fan since I was a child and kept it on the down low because it wasn't looked at as a girl thing.

   There were several women author in the old EU such as writing Tatooine Ghost & The Planet of Twilight  

   But as I said I don't normally buy books new... however I found this one and several others at the Dollar General for $2! Not too long after I found a couple at Dollar Tree, meaning I only paid ONE DOLLAR for them! I'm not sure what that says about the books but glad to get my hands on them to find out!

   Now for thoughts about this particular book.

   It is basically a retelling of A New Hope. Each section focuses on a different character, The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy... It talks of adding new incite to the story, but I just wasn't too excited with the added content. It's a fine retelling but not a great read if you are already very familiar with the story.

The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy
by Alexandra Bracken

  Here's what got me though... the Author's note part that talks about Star Wars has been in much of her life... you learn the author started out with writing fan fiction... now I don't have anything against fan fiction... but when did Disney start hiring fan fiction writers? I mean Fan Fiction is kind of legally questionable... I'm sure many good writers have done Fan Fiction but who actually talks about it in their bio in a legit book??? It's just weird! Anyway...

   This is the first book in a series of 3. I have not gotten my hand on books 2 & 3 nor really motivated to do so. I would read it if I found it cheap somewhere but still... not a must read. If you have a young fan just starting out in reading Star Wars this might be a good start but not so much for a more established fan.

   There are illustration in this book.
They look to be concept art.
As you can see, Leia is a blond here?
... and who is the person walking with Luke and Han?