Book Series Review: "Star Wars: Jedi Prince" by Paul and Hollace Davids

Authors: Paul and Hollace Davids
Publisher: Bantam Skylark
Published: 1992 - 1993

Synopsis: After Darth Vader's defeat in Return of the Jedi, the galaxy was finally at peace...or so it seemed.  Trioculus, a three-eyed son of the Emperor, intends to bring the Empire back, and will stop at nothing to stop the likes of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia from thwarting his plans.  With Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda both gone, Luke and friends are in for a tough challenge.  Will they be able to bring order to the galaxy again?

Artistic Merit

Plots: 4/5
Yes, the characters aren't like they were in the movies; still, I found these books to be engaging action/adventure stories in the style of old-school Saturday morning serials.  It was so fun and fast-paced that all the "negative" plot elements didn't bother me that much.

Writing: 3/5
Nothing too special in this department; it's written for kids, so, of course the language and details are going to be simplistic, but it was still moderately well-written.

Illustrations: 3.5/5
I read the omnibus editions, so I didn't get to see the actual cover art, but most of the interior line drawings I liked.  Still, the drawing of Princess Leia was a little off.

Moral Content

Positive Elements: 4/5
Good and evil are clearly defined; the heroes show courage and determination to win.  It's pretty much what one would expect from old-school Star Wars.

Sex: 4.5/5
Some kissing between Han and Leia.

Nudity: 5/5
None.

Language: 5/5
None.

Violence: 3.75/5
Most of the violence remains bloodless, just like most of what's in the movies, but there is one scene where dripping blood is mentioned, though not shown in the illustration.  Blasters are fired, lightsabers are whipped out...you know, the usual.

Drugs: 5/5
None.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 3.5/5
If this were a modern-day TV series, it would likely be rated "TV-Y7-FV"; that is, only for children over the age of seven because of fantasy violence.  Still, if a kid is old enough to read and understand this, it's probably not too much for him/her.

Other: 4/5
Burping is used as a gag.  Han and Lando play "sabacc," which is an intergalactic form of poker, and involves gambling.

Final Score: 3.5/5
From what I have seen online, it seems like the Davids' Star Wars books are among the most universally disliked.  However, I found these to be somewhat enjoyable, despite their flaws.  Other adult readers may disagree, but this "kid at heart" found these to be fun intergalactic adventures.  Don't believe all the negative hype; check these books out for yourselves and see if you like them.