AFICIONADO REVIEW: 'MASTER & APPRENTICE'

Having capably written adventures for key Star Wars saga heroes within the Classic and Sequel Trilogy Expanded Universes, the acclaimed Claudia Gray now gets the lucky opportunity to enter the Prequel-sphere, to build on its own unique realms and characters in crafting an all-new tale of mystery, intrigue and danger for Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his dutiful Padawan learner, Obi-Wan Kenobi, set at a time before the events that see them encounter The Phantom Menace. Master & Apprentice, out now in UK hardback from Century, is another fan gift delivered in this year's notable 20th Anniversary celebrations for EPISODE I.

Our popular Jedi heroes- ready for action.

Kick-starting the book off on an action note, Gray has our heroes in conflict with a slimy member of the Hutt clan on Teth, effectively re-establishing the two Jedi's original, formidable pairing, yet also the tense, uneasy relationship between them. Seventeen-year old Obi-Wan has the reckless streak he'd remind Yoda about years later, as well as making the odd cheeky comeback about dangerous situations we'd be used to during the opening to EPISODE I. But there is deep uncertainty nonetheless on whether his tutelage and friendship with the older, seasoned veteran in Qui-Gon Jinn will endure, his never seemingly able to do right by him, Qui- Gon, himself is as equally insecure, ponders whether he should have been given a learner, the maverick in him remembering his unusual teaching and partnership during his younger years with the enigmatic Count Dooku, who, at this point in the saga, has showed his disappointment with the Order and quit to return to his ancestral home on Serenno. In this time of internal crisis, a place is vacant in the Jedi leadership, and an offer is made to Qui-Gon that may change his and Obi-Wan's lives indefinitely.

The dutiful yet troubled young Obi-Wan Kenobi still has the chance to raise a smile or two during their assignment.

Meanwhile, on the far-off realms of the planet Pijal, another unorthodox Jedi- Rael Averross - former friend to Qui-Gon, but with a controversial past to prior separate them, is acting as regent to a young, barely out of her teens, crown princess (who has, along the way in tutelage, picked-up some of his best and worst qualities) at a critical time in her planet's history. Far more inexperienced than a certain, later queen of Naboo, Fanry's leadership, and Pijal itself, is soon threatened with terrorism from a rather unusual source by the the eve of her coronation, alongside the signing of an important treaty linked to the recent discovery of a new hyperspace link capable of opening up trade for her once isolationist system. With his concerns building, it isn't long before Averross sends a call for assistance to Coruscant, of which our duo are swiftly dispatched, discovering that there is more to this terrorist scenario than meets the eye.

In their investigations, Qui-Gon will face the greatest of tests: to his friendship and partnership with his Padawan learner, his once loyalties to his old friend in Averross, and to his past prophecy/teachings legacy acquired from Count Dooku. Elements all linked to a series of macabre and violent Force visions of the future related to the Pijal princess and the upcoming coronation.

The legacy of Count Dooku resonates throughout the book.

As with her distinguished work bringing the seasoned General Leia Organa to life in Bloodline, Gray's grasp of the existing iconic Star Wars characters presented in Master & Apprentice remains consistently excellent. Her developing of the noble but flawed Qui-Gon Jinn proves especially satisfying. As too is more information on the disturbing presence and legacy of Count Dooku, a complex, shadowy figure- never one to have had an easy relationship with the Jedi Council, what with his differing viewpoints on certain past and present decisions they have made. The dour and disciplined Dooku, and his strict relationships with the young and eager to please Qui-Gon on Coruscant, as well as his former pupil in Averross - in past prologues - reveal hints of the disturbing nature building within his nature, and whose own unorthodox streak would become a part of his Padawan learners lives and instincts as established Jedi, though in different way. Gray capably develops some of the early through-lines that will lead Dooku on the dark path, her work acting as an additional tie-in to the upcoming audio novel for the enigmatic villain, written by Cavan Scott. Furthermore in the Lucas-created playground, she also provides some intriguing tit-bits and details about the Jedi and their temple environment, expanding on what was seen in the Prequels, alongside those aforementioned clever lead-ins and subtle tributes to EPISODE I.

Prophecies and danger await Qui-Gon Jinn.

The author equally enjoys crafting her own new civilisation with a deliberately different in tone royal leadership to the one seen with Queen Amidala and Naboo in EPISODE I. Sadly, Pijal fares as one of the Expanded Universe's less memorable forays, whilst her new supporting players operating within it failed to be interesting enough to capture any of my personal enthusiasm. The new Jedi in Rael Averross is another of those quirky Han Solo-ish types, not too dissimilar to Kenobi's later Clone Wars comrade Quinlan Vos, created so as to get away from the serious and very dry personalities of the Order on Coruscant, and generate better dialogue, banter and conflict with our existing heroes. It's all been done before - in fact, why didn't Miss Gray just tailor the story for that existing character in the first place! Likewise lacking in originality, a duo of galaxy-traversing gem thieves searching for a special and familiar crystal on Pijal, plus a rather nondescript galactic corporation whose strength and persuasion in the political scheme and destiny of events threatens to upset things further for the Queen's official rule.

Ultimately, the Prequel Trilogy should have had a more thrilling adventure than what we ultimately got with Master & Apprentice. Indeed, this could easily have been a Star Trek novel, for which Kirk and Spock would have been Federation ambassadors instead of our Jedi duo. Despite the notable icon characterisations, the tale lacks that special quality which makes Star Wars so unique and vigorous in comparison to other sci-fi/fantasy. Continuing the originality and huge scale of George Lucas's imagination within the Prequels seems difficult for authors to truly aspire to.

AFICIONADO RATING: Though I eagerly applaud any new Prequel-era set book, I'm overall sorry to say that Master & Apprentice was not quite the page-turner I'd enthusiastically hoped for. To Miss Gray's credit, it is a well-plotted tale that manages to generate a surprise or two by conclusion, but it's unlikely to be pulled down from my book shelf for a re-read anytime soon, especially in comparison to older, more exciting Expanded Universe adventures. 3 out of 5

Get Master & Apprentice here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Master-Apprentice-Star-Wars-Claudia/dp/1780899882/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QMPIKV0VSW6D&keywords=master+and+apprentice+star+wars&qid=1556456839&s=gateway&sprefix=MASTER+AND+APPRE%2Caps%2C309&sr=8-1

Author interview:
https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-master-apprentice-claudia-gray-interview