Episode I Adventures #2
The Bartokk Assassins
by Ryder Windham

Published by Scholastic

Scott's Rating:   3.5 out of 4

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This is the second book in the Star Wars Episode I Adventures series. It is a game created by Scholastic in which the reader follows the story, then plays the RPG game that supplements it. It is only available in one of three ways: by ordering it from the Scholastic school book fair or school order form, through the form stuck within Jedi Apprentice #3 or #6, or by picking it up on the secondary market (eBay, used book stores, etc.). In any case, it is not easy to find at all.

This time around, we pick up where the first book left off. We find that the Trade Federation ordered 50 droid starfighters to be built. However, an insectoid race known as the Bartokks stole them before they could be delivered. But the Talz test pilot of the ships stole them from the Bartokks first, then alerted the Jedi Knights. Unfortunately, the Bartokks have tracked the Talz and the ships down, reclaimed them, and are escaping with them on a freighter. The Bartokks have also taken the test pilot's son as a hostage. It's up to Obi-Wan to stop them.

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Scott:

    Another good adventure for the kiddies and the Star Wars superfreaks. It's mostly an Obi-Wan solo story, but we also get to see Qui-Gon in action and cameos by the Neimoidians and Darth Sidious. We also get to see more of the Jedi powers only hinted at in the films (super speed, etc.) It's pretty well action packed and a good quick read. If you like the Jedi Apprentice books, you'll like this. The next book also promises to be interesting - The Fury of Darth Maul. That should be one of the first Maul adventures we'll see outside of the film.

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Scott:

    As I usually mention, this book is not sold in stores. You'll have to work to get it. I wish they'd sell them in the Insider or something.

I can't pin down anything bad in this novel, but it's not the best of the Star Wars books, so I gave it a 3.5. A solid adventure story, but not the best of the bunch.

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Scott:

    Yet again, slicing the Bartokk assassins into little bitty pieces and the parts still attacking.

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