The Star Wars Episode 1 children’s books featuring the
titles: Anakin’s Fate, Dangers of the Core, Jar Jar’s Mistake, Anakin’s Pit
Droid, Darth Maul’s revenge, Anakin to the Rescue, and Anakin’s Race for
Freedom were no more interesting than the last series of children’s books I
looked at. Of the seven I’ve just mentioned,
the most interesting were Darth Maul’s Revenge, Anakin to the Rescue, and Anakin’s
Fate.
The other four titles generally stayed inside the narrative
of The Phantom Menace with the exception being Dangers in the Core. It included within its pages the cut-scene of
Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Jar Jar’s escape from the bongo before it fell over the Theed
waterfall. Anakin’s Pit Driod contained a cute narrative of DUM-4, and Anakin’s
Race to Freedom featured some good art by Jose Miralles, but that is really
about it.
The only thing really interesting about Darth Maul’s Revenge
was that its narrative contained the story of Maul being attacked by the Tusken
Raiders found in the Journal of Darth Maul. Tommy Lee Edward’s illustrations of
Maul facing off with the Tuskens was good.
Anakin to the Rescue was the most original of all the
stories. Surprisingly, this was a
touching little tale about Anakin helping a lost boy named Finn on Corusacant.
Finn, a boy of about 5 or six years old, became lost because his nanny droid went haywire. Anakin agreed to help the boy, and the droid
lead Anakin, Jar Jar, and Finn on a wild chase through the streets of
Coruscant. They finally caught up with
the droid wherein Anakin fixes it. Anakin
and Jar Jar make it back to the temple before the Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan depart for Naboo. Anakin then explained to Qui-Gon where was and what he was up too. Qui-Gon nods
and gives Anakin some fatherly approval.
Chris Trevas was the artist in this story, and I always enjoy his work.
Anakin’s Fate was the most enjoyable of the seven books I
looked at. Interestingly, is that
Quinlan Vos in the background on page 9?
I’ve often wondered about this.
What was Quinlan Vos doing on Tatooine when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were
there? Someone please tell me if that
backstory was eventually filled in.
Qui-Gon was steps away from Quinlan, but there was no interaction. We know why this is; because the Quinlan Vos
we see in the Phantom Menaced is not yet known to be the Quinlan Vos from the
EU. The naming of the “man at the cafe with the yellow stripe across is face”
came later. But again I ask: is this
narrative later addressed?
The art was great in this book. My favorite scene was from pages 18-19, where
Anakin and C-3P0 are speeding across the dessert carrying scrap to trade with
the Jawas. In the background are the
scraggly cliffs of Tatooine framed by the two suns in the sky. There are some banthas over the horizon and Tusken
raiders raising their arms in protest.
In the foreground is the skeleton of a kryat dragon. It’s
a shame Marc Cerasini left out the part about Anakin helping the wounded Tusken
Raider on his way back from trading with the Jawas. In the novelization of The Phantom Menace I
thought this whole scene was the best part.
Also included in this story was Anakin’s conversation with the
old spacer (though in this book he didn’t look very old and he was presented
differently than the “old spacer” from the Episode 1 comics) and the bit about
the kids getting fruit drinks. However, there is a bit of a continuity error in
this story. As found on Wookieepedia: “This
story goes over the race that Watto refers to in Episode I where he says,
"He smashed up my pod in the last race!" It also contains a major
continuity error. Anakin flies Watto's pod, which looks exactly like his own
pod that he flies in Episode I despite the fact that his racer was unfinished
and under construction at the time”.
I’ll be glad when I can put these children’s books
behind. As I’ve said before, being a
completionist is mildly insane.
Sorry for the long period between posts. As you’re well aware of by now, when
September rolls around and the new school year begins all my free time goes out
the window. What free time I do have after
the children go to bed is wasted in front of the TV where I get to shut off my
brain. My ability to concentrate in the
evenings is horrendous. This post took
forever to write.
As it is, I’m one step further out of 32 BBY.
For my next post I’m going to take a look at more Episode 1
storybooks. Until then my friends, may
the Force be with you.
*** Is anyone else seeing random words highligted in my post with an add? This is not my doing and how do I make it stop?
