Review of "Doctor Aphra and the Enormous Profit," by Kieron Gillen et. al.

 Review of

Doctor Aphra and the Enormous Profit, by Kieron Gillen et. al. ISBN 9781302907631

Five out of five stars

A scoundrel in the spirit of Han Solo

 One very legitimate criticism of science fiction shows such as the original Star Trek and original Battlestar Galactica was that the focus remained on humans. With an entire galaxy of possibilities to select from, the plots of the episodes remained largely human-centric. That was not the case with Star Wars, with the most memorable scene in episode IV being the one where Luke and Obi Wan meet Han Solo and Chewie in the cantina.

 This book is one of a series of books and graphic novels where the imaginations of the creators go well beyond the former bonds in the development of non-human characters as well as nefarious human ones. Doctor Aphra is a human female whose sole goal in life is the raking in of enormous profit. She has few, it any, scruples and she is well-versed in dealing with the most ruthless elements in the galaxy. Her sidekick is a Wookie known as Black Krrsantan, a former champion of the gladiatorial contests.

 Aphra has recovered an artifact known as Rur Chrystal, it contains the consciousness of an ancient Jedi in the form of functional artificial intelligence or AI. Aphra summons the main criminal masterminds of the galaxy to engage in a competitive bidding process for the Rur Chrystal. Normally ruthless competitors are brought together in one location. With so much at stake that involves an ancient Jedi entity, it is only natural that the Emperor and his powerful lord become aware of the event and force themselves in.

 The dialog is snappy and witty, in general far superior to that of the seven main Star Wars movies. There are many curves in the plotlines, as few of the characters stay in their initial lane. It is a great story, once you complete your read, there is a strong urge to research other books featuring Doctor Aphra and purchase them.