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

Book Description
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 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.

From the Inside Flap
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 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.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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. The Mandalorian Armor.

As the Rebellion gathers force, Prince Xizor proposes a cunning plan to the Emporer and Darth Vader: smash the power of the Bounty Hunters Guild by turning its members against each other. Only the strongest and most ruthless 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.

FROM THE CRITICS

VOYA - John Peacock

This first installment of The Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy revolves around Boba Fett, the helmeted bounty hunter who captured Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back and was apparently killed during the opening act of Return of the Jedi. Although Boba Fett appeared in only a handful of scenes in the last two Star Wars movies, the character has always been a cult favorite. Jeter, who first came to critical attention with 1984's Dr. Adder (o.p.), has been favorably compared to Philip K. Dick; he even wrote two sequels to Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Del Rey, 1996, (c)1968), the novel that inspired the film Blade Runner. This story follows two time lines: one during the events covered by Star Wars and one during Return of the Jedi. The later events deal with Fett's near-death experience in the belly of the Sarlacc, and his rescue by another bounty hunter and an escaped slave girl. The earlier time line deals with Fett's infiltration of the Bounty Hunter's Guild to cause its destruction at the behest of the mysterious Kud'ar Mub'at. Unbeknownst to Fett, he is actually being set up by Prince Xixor, an ally of the evil Emperor as well as the leader of the criminal organization Black Sun. This volume suffers from the weakness of many trilogies in that it is mostly setup, and very little of substance occurs. The events that do occur, such as an attempt to kidnap a former mob accountant, are mostly set pieces to show how vicious and uncaring Boba Fett is, even toward his nominal allies. It is possible that the subsequent volumes in the series will have a better handle on this mysterious character, and all of the plot elements liberally scattered about will be connected in a more satisfying fashion. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9).

A. L. Sirois - SF Site