This book concludes the story arc begun in the first book, and ties up all the loose ends. Chewbacca marries Malla, and Han has to sort out his own relationship with Salla Zend. In order to avoid certain events Han and Chewie move to the Corporate Sector, during which time the events told in Brian Daley's Han Solo Trilogy.

Bria Tharen reappears, and becomes a major part of Han's life again. While he and Chewie attempt to make a dishonest living, Bria turns up and drags them into a Rebellion-sponsored attack on the Hutt-run Paradise Snare colonies.

Things do not run according to Han's plans, and as we know from the movie trilogy he falls out with both his friend Lando Calrissian and his employer Jabba the Hutt.

The book ends just as Han sees an old man and a youth walk into the Mos Eisley cantina...

This is the conclusion to the "Paradise Snare" story arc; it shows that "Hutt Gambit" is just filler. Another note of interest is that the emphasis on and portrayal of "Relationships" illustrates that it is a female author writing the male characters - and their believability suffers as a result.

A third point of interest; Wookiees' constitution is stronger than I thought. Chewbacca and Mala eat a creature's ENTRAILS [usually the first thing discarded in the gutting process]! :)

However, the author has excelled at certain points.

Some people feel that Lando's portrayal of Han in "Empire Strikes Back" was backstabbing and traitorous - but the reason Crispin gives for Han and Lando falling out in the first place more than justifies Lando's behavior.

Finally, this reviewer feels he must comment on the book's obligatory references to other Star Wars books and narrative forms. This book contains less "Fan-wank" than "Paradise Snare", but Crispin's choices are strange. Xizor and Guri from SOTE are acceptable; Dash Rendar is borderline ... But Crispin refers to Jabba's parent from the Davids' series of books! Then she makes subtle references to the Endorian witch [from the "Ewoks" cartoon] and the Ssi-Ruuk ["Truce at Bakura"] within a single sentence!

Rating: 90%

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