ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel’

A romance following the marriage and honeymoon of Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo, Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel is written by Beth Revis and published by Del Rey, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The Princess and the Scoundrel is Revis’ second foray into the world of official Star Wars novels.

The Princess and the Scoundrel picks up directly after the events of Return of the Jedi. The Rebels have won; the Deathstar is destroyed, and Darth Vader and The Emporer are dead. It’s the perfect time for a wedding between Princess Leia and Han Solo, two icons of the Rebellion.

And with the war against the Empire winding down, Leia reluctantly accepts the idea of going on a cruise, seeing the opportunity to celebrate her honeymoon and attempt a diplomatic mission. The adventure begins when their cruise ship, the Halycon, docks on the ice planet Madurs. The Emporer may be dead, but the Empire still stubbornly holds on.

Revis expertly navigates the timeline set by the existing movies, shows, and books by creating a memorable love story for these iconic characters without contradicting the existing canon. Not only do Han and Leia match their voices in the movies, but this adventure fits flawlessly into their story.

Because of the novel’s place in the timeline, readers know Han and Leia will survive The Princess and the Scoundrel. Despite this, Revis manages to make the stakes feel high for these characters. I worried about them, wondering how they’d escape a bad situation.

Another fantastic addition to this story is Revis’ look into Leia’s connection with the Force and how her parentage affects that. While Luke went on his Jedi journey, Leia played politics and led the Rebellion. But with the Deathstar destroyed and Vader not only dead but revealed to be her father, it’s time for her to come to terms with the Force. And to try and come to terms with the knowledge that such a monster was her father.

Throughout the book, Leia recalls how Vader tortured her, not just emotionally but physically as well. What’s implied to have happened in A New Hope before she was rescued is addressed in The Princess and the Scoundrel. But, unlike Luke, she cannot forgive Vader.

Because of Vader, she’s reluctant to call upon the Force. Revis shows readers how deeply Vader directly affected Leia. While she did make it out of the Death Star, Leia acknowledges that the mental scars from that encounter have never left her. Likewise, the pain of losing her entire home planet never left her. And Revis explores how Leia’s perception of herself changes after learning who her father was. It’s a chance for her character to receive more profound development that didn’t happen in the original movies.

Unfortunately, Revis’ storytelling falters a bit when it comes to pacing. Despite being touted as the most essential part of the book, the wedding itself is practically over before it happens. Han and Leia’s marriage is far more relevant and important than their actual wedding. Once they begin their honeymoon, the pace is acceptable for most of the book; when it comes time for the climax and to start wrapping the plot up, things feel rushed. But all of the loving interactions between Leia and Han all but make up for this.

I shipped Han and Leia from the moment I first saw A New Hope. They were, as the kids say, “the blueprint.” This is to say that I cannot get enough Han/Leia content, and this book offers it in spades. While The Princess and the Scoundrel suffers from poor pacing in some areas, it’s ultimately very close to being the perfect combo of Star Wars and romance.

Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel will be available wherever books are sold on August 16th, 2022.