Scott's Rating:   3.5 out of 4

This is the sixth 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, #6, or #7, 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.

In the last book, Anakin and his friends freed the Ghostling children from the slave pens in Gardulla the Hutt's fortress. Unfortunately, they had to hide the children until they could find some way to transport them back to their home planet. In the meantime, Gardulla and Sebulba are rather ticked at the children and begin searching for them. The penalty for stealing slaves is death, and Gardulla wants blood.

Once Sebulba discovers that Anakin was the culprit, a wild chase takes place through the streets of Mos Espa. After chasing through the market and the pod racer hangar on foot, the action culminates with Anakin and Sebulba racing through the city itself in pod racers. How can Anakin get out of this mess?

Scott:

    Dave Wolverton continues his excellent story from the last book. Just like in the last story, we learn more about life as a slave. We learn about a sort of "underground railroad" for slaves to escape, what happens when there's trouble, and more. One particularly terrifying moment takes place when Gardulla detonates the tracer implanted within one of Anakin's young friends. Pretty heavy stuff!

Wolverton also makes a point of developing the relationship between Anakin and Jira, the fruit stand owner we briefly met in Episode I. She is really like a grandmother to him and we see this in the story. We also learn a little bit more about Sebulba's pod and how it operates.

Overall a good chase through the streets of Mos Espa!

Scott:

    No real complaints about this book. A good story, but it simply helps fill the story in between the books.

Scott:

    The Dug landing in the ronto dung. That's gotta be one big pile of crap.