Rating: 
Summary: "Watch your step, this place can get a little rough...."
Review: "Mos Eisley Spaceport," says Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker as they stand on a mesa overlooking the Tatooine metropolis in a transition scene in Episode IV. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be careful."Of all the many eye-catching and memorable sequences in Star Wars (aka Episode IV: A New Hope), the fateful meeting between Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, and a pair of smugglers with a starship for hire is perhaps the most intriguing. It's not only important dramatically or even as far as the change in the film's pacing goes (from this point on, there will be chases, shootouts, rescues, and battles), it's also visually intriguing. The dim lighting, the tense atmosphere, all those aliens, and, of course, that funky cantina band playing Benny Goodman-like tunes. Of course, in the film, the focus was on Kenobi, Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca as they negotiated a charter flight to Alderaan. But there were others in the cantina that day on Tatooine...many other minor players and eyewitnesses on that fateful day. Who were they? What about their stories? What were some of them doing in Chalmun the Wookiee's Mos Eisley speakeasy? Star Wars: Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, edited by novelist Kevin J. Anderson (The Jedi Academy Trilogy), is a collection of 16 original short stories set during and after the events depicted in Star Wars: A New Hope. Within such stories as Kathy Tyers "We Don't Do Weddings: The Band's Tale" there are little tidbits of heretofore unknown data that add depth and nuance to the scene in the film. Want to know the name of the cantina band? (It's Figrin Da'n and the Modal Nodes). What are those two women who look like twins doing in the cantina? (I'm not giving any more free info away here...read Timothy Zahn's "Hammertong" to find out.) All 16 stories are well-written and move almost as fast as the Millennium Falcon, and they all seem to fit into the Star Wars storyline without feeling, well, forced. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this anthology was discovering that authors better known for writing about the Star Trek universe also moonlight in the Star Wars Galaxy. A.C. Crispin, who has written such Trek classics as Yesterday's Son contributed "Play It Again, Figrin Da'n: The Tale of Muftak and Kabe," while Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens wrote "One Last Night in the Mos Eisley Cantina: The Tale of the Wolfman and the Lamproid." Reading these stories and marveling at how they captured the essence of George Lucas' "galaxy far, far away," I realized that they are not only good writers of Star Trek fiction, but they are good writers, period.
Rating:
Summary: "Watch your step, this place can get a little rough...."
Review: "Mos Eisley Spaceport," says Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker as they stand on a mesa overlooking the Tatooine metropolis in a transition scene in Episode IV. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be careful." Of all the many eye-catching and memorable sequences in Star Wars (aka Episode IV: A New Hope), the fateful meeting between Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, and a pair of smugglers with a starship for hire is perhaps the most intriguing. It's not only important dramatically or even as far as the change in the film's pacing goes (from this point on, there will be chases, shootouts, rescues, and battles), it's also visually intriguing. The dim lighting, the tense atmosphere, all those aliens, and, of course, that funky cantina band playing Benny Goodman-like tunes. Of course, in the film, the focus was on Kenobi, Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca as they negotiated a charter flight to Alderaan. But there were others in the cantina that day on Tatooine...many other minor players and eyewitnesses on that fateful day. Who were they? What about their stories? What were some of them doing in Chalmun the Wookiee's Mos Eisley speakeasy? Star Wars: Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, edited by novelist Kevin J. Anderson (The Jedi Academy Trilogy), is a collection of 16 original short stories set during and after the events depicted in Star Wars: A New Hope. Within such stories as Kathy Tyers "We Don't Do Weddings: The Band's Tale" there are little tidbits of heretofore unknown data that add depth and nuance to the scene in the film. Want to know the name of the cantina band? (It's Figrin Da'n and the Modal Nodes). What are those two women who look like twins doing in the cantina? (I'm not giving any more free info away here...read Timothy Zahn's "Hammertong" to find out.) All 16 stories are well-written and move almost as fast as the Millennium Falcon, and they all seem to fit into the Star Wars storyline without feeling, well, forced. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this anthology was discovering that authors better known for writing about the Star Trek universe also moonlight in the Star Wars Galaxy. A.C. Crispin, who has written such Trek classics as Yesterday's Son contributed "Play It Again, Figrin Da'n: The Tale of Muftak and Kabe," while Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens wrote "One Last Night in the Mos Eisley Cantina: The Tale of the Wolfman and the Lamproid." Reading these stories and marveling at how they captured the essence of George Lucas' "galaxy far, far away," I realized that they are not only good writers of Star Trek fiction, but they are good writers, period.
Rating: 
Summary: A must-read for any self-respecting SciFi fan.
Review: "Who was that guy in the bar in Star Wars...?" So many of my discussions about Star Wars have started that way. I always wanted to know who the heck these people were, well, now I know. The tales in Star Wars Tales From Mos Eisley Cantina (SWTFMEC) are woven together into a rich tapestry of knowledge by Kevin J. Anderson. I was most impressed ("Most impressive" -Darth Vader) with how each tale was part of the larger tale we know and love as Star Wars. Events in one story had consequences in all the other stories. Each story stands alone very well, but the WHOLE STORY is much more than the sum of its parts. To better understand the events in Star Wars, one need only read Star Wars: Tales From Mos Eisley Cantina. My advice to you is to drop whatever book might be in your hand and pick up SWTFMEC, right now!!! Well, why are you still reading my review??? GO GET THE BOOK, it's available here. ***This message was not endorsed by anyone but me, you can buy the book wherever Bantam Spectra paperbacks, uh, paperbacks are sold. So once again, I am not in the employ of anyone involved with bringing you this book (that means can really trust my review because I am not getting paid to do this.)**
Rating:
Summary: Great book read it!
Review: A great book about the most infamous cantina in the corner of the galaxy where you will find criminals, smuglers, gangsters and much more. A very good book READ IT!!!
Rating:
Summary: Everything you just had to know
Review: All those nagging Star Wars questions have now been answered. This fact filled book will give you an in-depth view of the cantina characters who have forged themselves into the darkest, most deepest part of you cerebellum. Imagine! Purchase this book and you'll no longer have to wonder..... 1. Whatever happened to Greedo's body after Han killed him? 2. Whatever became of Ponda Baba and the doctor after their run-in with ObiWan? 3. How did the band get their gig and what were those instruments they played? 4. Learn who the dude is at the bar smoking from a hookah? (Hint: He wants you soup) 5. The two chicks with the dark hair? (Hint: they are in disguise) 6. Why does the bartender hate droids? 7. Hammerhead is an exiled priest who talks to plants? 8. How did Han escape from Hanger 94 so easily? (Hint: A Stormtrooper went renegade and shot his leader in the back) 9. What the hell is that giant polar bear looking thing sitting at the table (Hint: He's a thief, not an albino Wookie) 10. So what's it like to be a Jawa on a mission of death? You'll no longer wonder, now that the truth is finally here!
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: Another fine set of tales that fill in all the gaps left by the movies. The Jawa that wants to lead a rebel, The old man that wants to steal Ben Kenobi's soul and the true history of Gredo.
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: Another fine set of tales that fill in all the gaps left by the movies. The Jawa that wants to lead a rebel, The old man that wants to steal Ben Kenobi's soul and the true history of Gredo.
Rating:
Summary: A book any Star Wars Fan will enjoy
Review: Anyone who has ever seen Star Wars must admit that by far the most facinating part of that movie was the bar scene where young Luke Skywalker and Obie Won Kenobie meet Han Solo for the first time. Above all classic scenes in Science Fiction history, these few minutes are a George Lucas masterpeice. Now consider this, what about all those other characters in the bar that evening? How did they wind up there, and what happened to them before they arrived there or after they left that evening? A facinating concept to say the least! That is what this collection of stories is about. It is compiled by several talented authors with wonderful imaginations and all edited by Kevin J. Anderson to create a most enjoyable and adventurous read. It does fantastic credit to the movie, and at the same time expands your viewpoint of how you look at it. After reading this collection, I was compelled to que up my VCR and review the famous Star Wars bar scene over and over again! I found this book incredibly entertaining and it is still one of my favorites. It's very simple, but good quality entertainment. You will enjoy reading this one again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Some hits and misses; surprisingly reflective...
Review: As long as you've seen the first "Star Wars" movie and can recall the wonderfully bizarre rogues' gallery of the cantina, you know all you need to know to read and enjoy this book. Hits: "A Hunter's Fate" (Greedo's tale), "Empire Blues" (the Devaronian's tale), "Drawing the maps of peace" (the moisture farmer's tale), "Soup's On" (the pipe smoker's tale), "Sand tender" (the Hammerhead's tale), and "At the crossroads" (the spacer's tale). I particularly want to note Greedo's tale by the Veitches here. An excellent story, everything introduced comes back around at the end in an economical and satisfying conclusion. Greedo is revealed to be indeed, as another reviewer said, truly pathetic. The authors write Han PERFECTLY too -- I could accept this story being canon without any difficulty, because the authors know WHO Han and Greedo ARE as characters from the flashes we get of their personalities in the movies. "Empire Blues" and "Soup's On" are highly intelligent and show their authors to be excellent observers of human nature, with all of its neuroses -- I can't wait to read more of Daniel Keys Moran's work in the Star Wars universe. I didn't read "Doctor Death", the "Tonika sisters" story, or "The Jawa's Tale" (Kevin J. Anderson's reputation preceded him and so I didn't bother), but all the rest were misses. I particularly had difficulty with the story of Muftak and Kabe by A.C. Crispin. From what I hear, she's written other Star Wars stories that are good, but there was a lot I couldn't swallow in her story here. First of all, Muftak is a Talz, an obscure race, yet complete strangers including a stormtrooper and a Rebel operative, neither of whom had seen him before, know his language enough to hold detailed conversations with him. Also, Muftak and Kabe get out of a huge firefight in a most improbable (even considering this is Star Wars) fashion. "Be Still, my Heart" (about the bartender) was corny and completely misdrew Greedo. No way Greedo orders water while eloquently insulting the bartender as if he were a prejudiced aristocrat with an ax to grind! Overall, though -- the hits make this collection VERY much worth the price you pay for it. It exceeded my expectations quite wonderfully, and each of those "hits" I listed above kept me thinking hours after I finished the story. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, like living under two suns
Review: At last! A book that has it all, adventure, new characters, develops constantly and steady, like and out of control rollercoaster!! Tales about little seen cantina characters are portrayed here in depth. If you (like me) were thinkin hammerhead was evil, you've got a surpirse coming. The most fantastic cantina scene (Ben defending little Luke) is narrated here from diferent perspectives, which makes it more enjoyable, and you'll get to know Greedo's dark past. Care to know who owns the most famous cantina in Sci Fi? Get this book...In all, a great compilation!!!
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