Tales from the New Republic

Combining a collection of never-printed short stories from the now-vaporized Star Wars Adventure Journal with a new novella between Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole, Tales of the New Republic scores. While most readers will probably give Zahn and Stackpole's novella as their favorite story, I would have to go with "No Disintegrations, Please" by Paul Danner. It is just a great little action piece starring Boba Fett, and with his moves, the whole slapstick-"death" scene in Return of the Jedi just looks the more ridiculous. Oh well, Lucas had no idea the character would create a mythos all its own. Anyway, all in all, this is a great time-killer and an easy introduction into the Star Wars world (although some references might be lost to new readers).

"Tales from the New Republic" is the latest in a series of short-story anthologies featuring original and little-seen pieces from both "name" authors and otherwise. These books offer fans an opportunity to see what goes on in the *rest* of the galaxy and meet entirely new characters, and they also introduce readers to lesser-known authors, bringing much-needed fresh talent to the franchise. "New Republic" is no exception. Perennial fan favourites Timothy Zahn ("Jade Solitaire") and Michael A. Stackpole are present here, along with previous anthology author Patricia Jackson, and they do not disappoint. And the newcomers, including Chris Cassidy and Tish Pahl ("Simple Tricks"/"Hutt and Seek"), uphold the high standards of their peers. Overall, the collaboration creates a wonderful web of stories which shed some light on the more neglected corners of the literary Galaxy, from the secretive Hutt crime syndicates to the elusive adventures of Mara Jade. The marvellous diversity of offerings ensures that even the most discerning reader will find something -- or, most likely, several somethings -- to suit her taste. A terrific read, and I can hardly wait for the next one!

I thoroughly enjoyed the newest SW anthology. Being an avid SW fan, it always does my heart good to see that stories featuring new characters can keep the GFFA alive and vibrant. Mike Stackpole and Timothy Zahn's "Interlude at Darknell" were masterfully told, as usual and I greatly enjoyed Zahn's "Jade Solitaire" as well. I also loved the co-writing team of Tish Pahl and Chris Cassidy, who have created two very strong female SW characters oozing with personality. Likewise, I adored Patricia Jackson's "Final Exit" - which tied classic literature by Ambrose Bierce into a GFFA setting (I must admit to confusion to negative reviews on the latter - my only assumption must be that these individuals must not be well read in the classics ). Overall, a wonderful and enjoyable read. I'd highly recommend it to any SW fan!

Tales of the New Republic is to my mind the very best of the "Tales" compilations. The stories in this book all fall in the "New Republic" era. The characters include a favorite from the movies (Boba Fett), many of the most fascinating characters from previous novels, (Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, Garm Bel Iblis), and some very interesting new additions. _Tales_ will immediately interest readers familiar with Zahn's work and the X wing books; the contributions by Tim Zahn and Mike Stackpole are up to their usual standard. But the stories here are also accessible to readers new to Star Wars books, and some of the best work here is by writers new to the Star Wars universe.I especially enjoy this short story format, which lets me read about a wide variety of characters and situations. I want more Tales!

This was truly a great collection of Star Wars short fiction. Each story is totally different, and yet forms a whole, of life in the Star Wars Galaxy. Interlude at Darkknell: By Tim Zahn and Mike Stackpole, this one delivers. It is the big draw to the whole book, and lives up to that. We get to learn more about Hal Horn and Gen. Bel Iblis, against the background of some major galactic events. Good characters and some great tying together of loose threads. (similer to the Zahn/Stackpole in Tales from the Empire)Jade Soliaire: Zahn really has some fun with this one, showing the infamous Mara Jade in action. While there are some tie ins with other stories in the universe (Hand of Thrawn especially), it stands alone by and large. Well written, and a fast read.Gathering Shadows: Kathy Burdette does a great job with this one, showing the very real effects of tourture and imprisonment, with a healthy dose of doubt and disillousionment thrown in. Kind of heavey reading, but very emotional and well done.Hutt and Seek/ Simple Tricks: Chris Cassidy and Tish Pahl, two non-fiction writer SW nuts, pull it off. These two stories feature Fenig Nabon and her partner in crime Ghitsa Dogder, as they swindel denizens of the Galaxy. These two stories are pure fun, but offer an interesting look into the galaxy. Simple tricks has some great scenes with Kyp revealing the depth of his anguish for destroying Carida. Well done ladies.The Longest Fall/Uhl Eharl Khoehng: Patricia A Jackson is a Dark Jedi Nut. Both of these stories feature Dark Jedi she created. While I am sick of Dark Jedi popping up whenever you kick a rock these days, these are good stories. While the Longest Fall is not really my cup of tea, it is a bit obvious, Uhl Eharl Khoehng is a great story. It comes back to the Dark Jedi and family featured in her story from Tales from the Empier. The Emotion and writing is GOOD in this one.No Disitegrations, Please:Paul Danner scores with this story, featuring the only movie character in the ENTIRE book, Boba Fett. It follows Fett as he battles an Imperial garrison for a bounty. Nice to really see Fett in major action. The other stories are- Conflict of Interest, a nice one about the morality of the individuals and their respective govornments, Day of the Sepulchral Night, an interesting exposition on Weequays, and The Last Hand, a really nice story about a great gambler with a big heart, who (gasp!) is not Lando. I would be remiss if I did not commend Paul Youl for his wonderful cover, one of his best. (I still prefer the Bacta War cover) This book is 5/5, even better than its companion.