4 Stars

The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku was a fun joyride about treasure-seeking pirates who compete in a deadly race against the natural elements, each other, and time. 

This fast-paced, very short read was part of a series of books tangentially related to the film The Force Awakens. Although readers of almost any age can delight in this action-packed adventure, it’s written with an eye for Star Wars fans who know their lore. Be sure to familiarize yourself with aliens such as Gamorreans, Twi’leks, Weequays, and more. Author Landry Q. Walker places neat easter eggs to many details in the Star Wars universe, whether it be the ubiquitous phrase: “I have a bad feeling about this,” to more humorous references, like yet another planet covered in that stuff that’s coarse and rough and gets everywhere:

“Ponemah was not known for its hospitable climate. Nor was it renowned for its incredible wealth of goods and resources. It did, however, have a vast overabundance of one thing: sand.”

The Sith and Jedi conflict is, for me, the most compelling aspect of the SW universe, but I love me some bounty hunters, smugglers, and pirates!

In this little episode, the Crimson Corsair, a mysterious captain who wears a red Kaleesh mask, leads his crew across the hostile desert as they fight off other pirates who seek to find riches among the ruins of a crashed CIS ship from the long-ago Clone Wars.

The mystery behind Count Dooku’s secret stash is revealed after most of the treasure-hunters are dispatched via violent methods. Only the strongest will survive to be victorious. There’s a neat twist surrounding the precious cargo the winners find, one which should have had greater ramifications in the Disney sequel trilogy, but, alas, was another missed opportunity.

The current state of Star Wars is a mixed one and I wish the political drama surrounding this IP didn’t exist. This stuff is supposed to be a campy fantasy that provides joy to your inner child, no matter what age you are. I’m grateful that there are little nuggets of gold like this that can be found. And best of all, it was free to borrow on Kindle, so why not read it?