The Mandalorian Armor (Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book 1)
by K.W. Jeter
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Book Summary Information
Author: K.W. JeterEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Unabridged
Published: 1998-06-01
ISBN: 0553578855
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Spectra
Product features:
- 1998 - Bantam / Spectra - 1st Edition - Paperback
- Star Wars : The Mandalorian Armor
- Book 1 : The Bounty Hunter Wars
- By K. W. Jeter
- Collectible
Book Reviews of The Mandalorian Armor (Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book 1)
Book Review: Finally a Star Wars trilogy worthy of Star Wars
Summary: 5 Stars
I have no clue as to why this book seems to have so many negative reviews. I absolutely loved it! I was reluctant to read it because previously to picking it up I had just finished "Tales of the Bounty Hunters" and the author that wrote the story of Boba Fett in that collection had made him such a morally retarded pansy that I didn't want to read a whole trilogy about such an overpretentious loser. Thankfully, K. W. Jeter has what Daniel Keys Moran lacks: literate aptitude and imaginative creativity. Not all contentless action, "The Mandalorian Armor" goes into descriptive depth with every character, giving them all a depth that is far from one-dimensional or wooden. The characters are for the most part diverse and fanscinating: Boba Fett is an emotionless, cold, and efficient killing machine with a Spartan taste for asceticism, but without the cloying moralism that had so disgusted me, Jeter returns Fett to the realm of respectability and "coolness." Bossk is even better than I had previously encountered: bloodthirsty, always bordering on exploding into a murderous rage. Jeter goes more into depth about Trandoshan society, giving such morbid details such as how the strongest always eats their brothers after hatching. Zuckuss is rather different from how he was portrayed in "The Bounty Hunter Tales." He is given a more comical personality and is far weaker than his associates at the Bounty Hunter Guild. There is also no mention of his partner 4-LOM or his intuitive skills. Dengar is also one of my favorite characters, even if he is a bit slow witted. Xisor is given a prescence of ominous malevolence and sociopathic intelligence, something I thought Steve Perry tried, but failed to do in "Shadow of the Empire." Probably the only character I didn't really care for was Neelah. She is too weak and whiny, more superfluous than anything else.
The entire book gives the impression of events being perceived through a bounty hunters eyes. Basically, everyone is scum, nobody has any loyalty to anyone but themselves, and a sense of paranoia permeates throughout every page. Its very dark and anti-heroic and that is probably one of the main reasons I enjoyed it so much.
The only problem I had with "The Mandalorian Armor" is a few trivial inconsistencies with other books written about Xisor, Zuckuss, Bossk, and Boba Fett. The glaring contradictions between Jeter's Fett and Moran's much inferior one is too obvious to mention here, however, there is mention of Zuckuss being partnered with Bossk during the period when Darth Vader put a bounty on Han Solo's head, which contradicts the stories in "Tales of the Bounty Hunters." According to that collection, Zuckuss was with the droid 4-LOM and Bossk was teamed up with a girl and a wookie. Also, "The Mandalorian Armor" takes place during "Return of the Jedi" yet toward the end of the book Xisor is talked about almost as if he was still alive, yet according to Perry's "Shadow of the Empire" Xisor was blown into his component atoms and scattered to the winds. I don't know if I'm mistaken, but I hope I am. It looks as if Xisor has a part in the sequel and I'm hoping its only in the flashbacks to the past.
In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
Finally a book that is worthy of being Star Wars!
Summary of The Mandalorian Armor (Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book 1)
He's the most feared and successful bounty hunter in the galaxy. He is Boba Fett, and even the most hardened criminals tremble at his name. Now he faces the deadliest challenge of his infamous career--an all-out war against his most dangerous enemies.As the Rebellion gathers force, Prince Xizor proposes a cunning plan to the Emperor and Darth Vader: smash the power of the Bounty Hunters Guild by turning its members against each other. Only the strongest and most ruthless will survive, and they can be used against the Rebellion. It's a job for the fiercely independent Boba Fett, who jumps at the chance to destroy his rivals. But Fett soon realizes the game is rigged, as he finds himself the target of murderous factions, criminal conspiracies, and the evil at the Empire's dark heart. Boba Fett has always finished first. And in this game, anything less is death.
This story, book 1 of the Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy, intercuts between the time just after Star Wars and events that take place during Return of the Jedi. It's an intricate tapestry of deceit and backstabbing villainy among those scum of the galaxy, the bounty hunters. Principal scum include: Prince Xizor, a Darth Vader wannabe and leader of the ultrasecret crime syndicate Black Sun; reptilian Cradossk, leader of the Bounty Hunters Guild; his son, Bossk, who makes Oedipus look like an underachiever; and finally Boba Fett--faceless, ruthless, and impossible to kill. Thought the Sarlacc consumed him in Return of the Jedi? Guess again.
This first novel only kicks off the trilogy's story, so while there is some action, there's also much talking and scheming, and the overall plot is only beginning to become clear by the book's end. Curiously, since everyone is so wretchedly evil, there's really no hero to root for--a marked contrast to the usually quite romantic Star Wars tales. This explains, perhaps, why K.W. Jeter was chosen to author the trilogy. Jeter, once Philip K. Dick's protégé, tends to avoid anything upbeat or uplifting.
Tony Award nominee Anthony Heald doesn't just read the book, he performs it, using countless different voices. He's backed up by music and sound effects that make The Mandalorian Armor into a full-fledged audio drama. Fans of Star Wars fiction and Boba Fett in particular will be pleased with this further exploration of Lucas's rich universe. Newcomers, though, might want to start with something more traditional. --Brooks Peck
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