Star Wars: The Perfect Weapon
Star Wars: The Perfect Weapon by Delilah S. Dawson is the first in a series of novellas being released as part of the journey to The Force Awakens. It was a mostly solid entry in the series with two minor exceptions.
While the main character Bazine Netal was likable enough, she felt a bit like the Generic Strong Female Character so common in science fiction in general and Star Wars in particular. After reading Dark Disciple a few months ago, I can’t help but feel like she bears a strong similarity to Asajj Ventress, though that could also be attributed to some similarities in the narrative.
The ending felt like a bit of a let down as well, but for the sake of remaining spoiler-free I won’t go into detail. It wasn’t necessarily a bad ending but it lacked a certain sense of satisfaction.
Aside from those two downsides, it was an enjoyable read that felt right for the price; it neither seemed rushed nor dragged on, striking a good balanced pace for a novella. Bazine had effective chemistry with the other characters in the book, particularly the is-he-or-isn’t-he potential traitor, Orri Tenro.
The Perfect Weapon delved a bit into what happened to Imperial stormtroopers after the New Republic came to power, giving tidbits to whet the appetite for The Force Awakens without revealing too much. We also got a few unique locations that felt very Star Wars-y, including some fun and gruesome alien fauna.
From the official blurb:
There are plenty of mercenaries, spies, and guns for hire in the galaxy. But probably none as dangerous and determined as Bazine Netal. A master of disguise—and lethal with a blade, a blaster, or bare handed—she learned from the best. Now it’s her turn to be the teacher—even if schooling an eager but inexperienced recruit in the tricks of her trade is the last thing she wants to do. But it’s the only way to score the ship she needs to pull off her latest job.
An anonymous client has hired Bazine to track down an ex-stormtrooper and recover the mysterious package he’s safeguarding. Payment for the mission promises to be astronomical, but the obstacles facing Bazine will prove to be formidable. And though her eager new sidekick has cyber skills crucial to the mission, only Bazine’s razor-sharp talents will mean the difference between success or failure—and life or death.
The Perfect Weapon, despite a few minor faults, was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next few novellas in the series.
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