Star Wars: Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand Book

In the "expanded universe" of Star Wars, Mara Jade has emerged as one of the more complex, satisfying creations in the extended SW Canon. The personal assassin of the Emperor, Jade is imbued with the Force, though not a Jedi, and "executes" her missions with fervent loyalty to the Empire. With Good and Evil so explicitly defined in the movies, Jade's "greyness" has a potential that this series explores well. Set in the immediate aftermath of "Return of The Jedi", the Emperor is dead, yet Jade has one final mission to complete: the assassination of The Black Nebula crime syndicate. With the galaxy in turmoil and facing a massive power struggle, she faces the prospect of being loyal only to herself and her imperial connections giving her a death sentence. Star Wars novel veterans Zahn and Stackpole perfectly provide Jade with an air of ruthless efficiency but with growing uncertainty of her position in a vastly expanded hierarchy. They also weave their tale within the events of Return of the Jedi,so there are fleeting appearances from Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt. Ezquerra's gritty art is suited to the story's grimy setting on Tatooine's gangster enclaves, though purists might bemoan the lack of space-battles and hardware that informs Cam Kennedy's Star Wars work. This explores the depth and intrigue that is only hinted at in the films and, while there is plenty of light sabre play to keep the core faithful happy, this ensures that a galaxy full of adventures awaits this femme fatale of the Force. --Danny GraydonRead More