Who was Han Solo before he was dragged into a rebellion against the Galactic Empire? How did he win the Millennium Falcon? What happened with Jabba the Hutt? How did he end up in that bar on Tatooine? These questions, and much more, are answered in these two series of books that focus on Han Solo’s past as a smuggler, and scoundrel.
Star Wars: The Han Solo Adventures (Han Solo at Stars’ End / Han Solo’s Revenge / Han Solo and the Lost Legacy) by Brian Daley
Tim Daley’s three 1979-1980 Han Solo adventures are collected here in one volume (they are also available separately). In Han Solo at Stars’ End Han and Chewie go after the best illegal ship rebuilder in the galaxy after he mysteriously disappears. The journey takes them across the galaxy and ends at a prison planet known as Stars’ End. In Han Solo’s Revenge Han and Chewie, desperate for cargo, take on the first job available only to find out their expected cargo is a group of slaves; unwilling to go along with the deal Solo forms a plan to free the slaves and take down the slavers and get revenge on the man who set him up. Han Solo and the Lost Legacy finds the duo going out with an old-time smuggler buddy after a legendary treasure planet only to have their ship stolen from underneath them and a large group of assassins and bounty hunters on their heels after the price on Solo’s head. For some of the first writing it’s pretty good and gives the reader a look at Solo’s life before he came across a farmboy and an old mystic. [$11.95]
The Paradise Snare (The Han Solo Trilogy Volume 1) by A.C. Crispin
The focus of the series is to examine the past of the galaxy’s favorite smuggler. In the first volume Solo’s childhood on Corellia, growing up as a space criminal, and his dreams of joining the Imperial Navy are described. Han also falls in love and make a name for himself as a hotshot pilot on the planet of Ylesia. The series helps fill in gaps in Solo’s past, for example this book explains his knowledge of Wookie language. [$6.99]
The Hutt Gambit (The Han Solo Trilogy Volume 2) by A.C. Crispin
After being dishonorably discharged from the Imperial Navy, Han and his new friend Chewbacca (the first meeting is not included in the book) begin a life of smuggling, Han meets Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett for the first time, and begins his involvement with Jabba the Hutt. [$6.99]
Rebel Dawn (The Han Solo Trilogy Volume 3) by A.C. Crispin
Han meets the first real love of his life – the Millenium Falcon, and wins her from Lando, travels to Kashyyk and meets Chewie’s family, double-crosses Jabba the Hutt, and finds himself on the run and in a small time bar on Tatoonie looking for a fare. As with the previous two books Crispin weaves in Solo’s origins and tales (including the Delay stories above) to make a more coherent timeline about the smuggler’s early career. [$6.99]