“Lando’s Luck” is a fun adventure that highlight’s Lando’s charm A Star Wars Lando Calrissian (Captain) and L3-37 (First Mate / Navigator) story.

This story happens before the original movie Star Wars and focuses on Lando and his navigator droid L3-37.

Often with novels that lose the reader’s interest there seem to be filler chapters or sections that added way too much detail about a plot point or go through every rivet detailing a ship. I was surprised to find that there were no filler chapters and the characters were well thought out and described in just enough detail so as to see them in your mind’s eye but not so much detail that you knew what they ate for breakfast every day.

My idea of Lando is the Billy Dee Williams’ version seen in the original movie but I found that the younger version, which may have been more reckless than the one later seen on Cloud City, was easy to like (even if he was a scoundrel). This Lando had the same concern for his ship, appearance (and love of (48) capes) seen in the later older Lando. It later turns out that he also cares for L3-37 too and that she is vital to the running of the ship and often getting him out of trouble, or in this case, actual jail.

Essentially the story tells of one of Lando’s adventures before he became the swashbuckling mayor of Cloud City seen in the first Star Wars movie. The author, Justina Ireland, writes in a casual style so as a reader you feel like you are watching just over the shoulder of whomever is speaking at the time or perhaps watching in the corner to see how the story plays out.

There are some assumptions in the novel. It assumes you already know who Lando is in the Star Wars universe, but it subtlety explains the other characters in the story without too much exposition but just enough so you feel for each character and may even agree with the reasons he/she has before completing some (often rash) action.

When the reader catches up with Lando, he is doing what he loves to do, when not smuggling- er being an “entrepreneur”- of fine goods, and that is playing the card game that is similar to Poker- Sabacc! Lando does have talent at this point in his life: by using charm, credits, and a scam or two to get what he thinks he wants at the time and if he has to add in an extra card to improve his hand- so much the better!

The story also does a good job with other characters that the reader has never met before such as the Queen Forsythia and Princess Rinetta of the current world (planet Hynestia) Lando is smuggling in banned juice to (in exchange for priceless furs that Hynestia is known for). The personality of both the queen and princess are true to life since teenagers and parents do not always get along, especially if royalty duties/responsibilities are involved. It would be easy to get lost in Outer World politics but that does not happen in this novel; politics are used to explain how the Empire is involved and how it can keep the queen at a distance instead of being the mom that the princess remembers before the Empire came into their orbit and the queen had to bargain for the world’s autonomy.

The princess has a promise to keep to a dear friend and instructor (which involves convincing Lando to help take her to a faraway planet with a royal “treasure” (aka Solstice Globe mystery box) that is promised to the Empire- her first attempts do not go as expected and are entertaining) and Lando has his own issues trying not to get caught cheating at cards or having other “clients” eat him for lunch (literally) for not paying his debts. Both plot points are developed well and then combined well when needed to move the story along; and didn’t notice many plot holes.

The audiobook was well acted and I could hear each person’s different voice with no issue knowing who was speaking or having them seem “out of character” from what I was used to. Lando & L3-37 had similar voices and attitudes seen in the movies and the two characters played well off one another which added to the humor and ease of working together.

My only quibble is that in the first 4 chapters there was an annoying sound effect used quite often as background noise that pulled me out the story each time I heard it; because all I could think of was the annoying rat creature that sat to the right of Jabba the Hut and would laugh/cackle when Jabba the Hut would do something horrible to someone. The background sound effect went away by chapter 5 and was a minor annoyance. I still give the story & audio book 5 stars. The acting out of the story by Soneela Nankani (Narrator) made my hour commute fly by and the ending even left an opening for future books.

I watched the movie Solo to prepare for the reading and review of this novel and the author, Justina Ireland, captures the essence of both Lando and L3-37 and I now understand why he hated Han when L3-37 was injured during the movie. The interplay between the suave Lando and L3-37 came off as genuine affection (and later sounding like an old married couple but endearing) and I enjoyed the humor throughout the book. It is hard to pull off the balance of action, humor, and plot while still moving the story forward. There were some twists and turns that I didn’t expect but I was pleased with the resolution of the story and feel I have gotten to know both Lando and L3-37 better. I will look for this pairing in the future and any other books that Justina Ireland may publish.

When Lando Calrissian gets caught smuggling on the planet Hynestia, the queen agrees to let him go if he delivers something called the Solstice Globe to the Empire on her behalf. Lando is relieved that his punishment is a simple delivery mission-but he soon discovers things are not as simple as they seem. The queen’s daughter, Princess Rinetta, has stowed away on the Millennium Falcon and demands Lando and L3-37 take the globe back to its home planet, which needs the globe to survive. Now Lando has to choose: Do what’s right, or do what’s best for Lando. But if he’s lucky enough, he just might be able to do both….

Star Wars: Lando’s Luck (Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon) by Justina Ireland
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7
Series: Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press (October 2, 2018)
ISBN-10: 9781368041508
ISBN-13: 978-1368041508
ASIN: 1368041507

Star Wars: Lando’s Luck (Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon) by Justina Ireland
Audible Audiobook
Listening Length: 3 hours and 50 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Audible.com Release Date: October 2, 2018
Whispersync for Voice: Ready
Language: English, English
ASIN: B07G3GSKHW