Splinter of the Mind's Eye

The story is set on a swampy world, with a minimal cast. According to my sources (meaning: Wikipedia) ADF's job was to write a story which could pass as a cheaper sequel to Star Wars if (what is now known as) SW IV: A New Hope did not prove to be very successful.

That does not make this book a cheap Star Wars story though. It feels like it could be part of a George Lucas world. But perhaps it feels more like an Indiana Jones adventure with the Star Wars personnel. The interesting thing is that very little about the Star Wars universe was known at the time. At the moment of writing we have an official canon decreed by the Disney-folks: 7 movies in a series and a Star Wars story: Rogue One. Alan Dean Foster was trying his best to create an interesting world with creatures that fit into the first movie.

And in my opinion he succeeded. The world immediately called to mind the Dagobah system of “The Empire Strikes Back” (my favourite movie).

The book is a fun read, an adventure story that makes you flip pages quickly. Battles that last long enough, but not too long. The only thing that is weird is that it does not really fit into the Star Wars stories of today. Luke is in love with Leia and it seems she with him. and some of the battles or Force uses seem strange and out of place.

Other than that, if you're a fan of sci-fi and adventure this is a fun read that could neatly fall in between Star Wars IV and V.