Thursday, August 7, 2014

On the Coffee Table: Brian Daley

Title: Han Solo at Star's End
Author: Brian Daley
via Wookieepedia
For all of the Jedi hocus pocus, the success of the original Star Wars movie was due in no small part to its scene-stealing Everyman character: Han Solo.  In historical hindsight, we know Han was also the breakthrough role for Harrison Ford, one of the most commercially successful actors in Hollywood history.  Thus, it should come as no surprise that the first spinoff novel series licensed by the franchise, Brian Daley's The Han Solo Adventures, focused on everyone's favorite space cowboy (and gangster of love?).  Han Solo at Star's End, the first of the series, was first published in September 1979.

While I am predisposed to love all things Star Wars, I tried to be realistic going into this book.  Literary merit is not always a high priority with licensed material.  That said, I was pleasantly surprised.  Han Solo at Star's End is a lot of fun.  The story takes place a year or so before Han and Chewbacca meet Luke and Obi Wan in the cantina.  Wouldn't you know it, they find themselves on a rescue mission, this time for Doc, the best black market mechanic in the galaxy.  Daley's feel for the character - the cadence of speech, the sense of humor, the worldview, the devotion to Chewie - is excellent.  If you seek insight into the character with glimpses of a credible back story, you'll find it here.

If there's an Isaac Asimov influence on Star Wars, it is most clearly evident in Han Solo.  Merchant-adventurers figure prominently in Asimov's Foundation series.  Asimov even had an important character named Han Pritcher - perhaps a coincidence, perhaps not.  Han Solo at Star's End includes some less subtle nods to the SciFi grandmaster.  Even the title and its meaning echoes Foundation.  In both stories, Star's End refers to a star at the far end of a galactic spiral arm (or at least that's the original interpretation in Foundation).  The Han Solo story also features a highly mechanized central authority city that sounds an awful lot like Asimov's Trantor, particularly in the description of its space port.  (If some of this seems familiar to Firefly fans, I don't think that's a coincidence either.)

I leave you with this question to ponder: with Star Wars stand alone movies on the horizon, whom would you cast in the role of a young Han Solo?  Most of the people who come to mind first for me are already too old, including the most obvious: Nathan Fillion.  When I put the question to My Wife, she instantly came up with the man who probably would get the role if it were offered tomorrow: Christopher Pratt.  Ewan McGregor was the perfect choice for the young Kenobi.  Does the current generation of young actors have a Ewan McGregor?

Whom would you choose?

24 comments:

  1. I read those when I was a kid and remember them fondly. I don't think I'd want to read them again, now.

    I'd go with Nicholas D'Agosto as a young Han. He's close enough to the right look, and I think he could pull it off. As much as love Pratt, he's not Han.

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    1. But see, I never read these growing up so I've gotta catch up now. Fun so far.

      D'Agosto's an interesting choice. He's got a good smile, essential.

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  2. Ah! What a great question! (And what a fantastically-written post.)

    I'm gonna go wiiiiiiiiith ... this guy. :)

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    1. Well, you know I'd love that: Childhood Geek Hits Casting Jackpot.

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  3. For a young Han Solo? Without hesitation, Brian Peccia --also known as Brian Grey. Based in Chicago, he works constantly on stage and in short films. I've known him for 10 years.

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    1. Stage success in Chicago is still a rock-solid pedigree in Hollywood. I'd love to see it. Here's hoping!

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  4. Stephen Dorff, perhaps? Michael Fassbender? Orlando Bloom? Joel McHale?

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    1. Interesting list. Of those, I'd pick Fassenbender, though Bloom's an intriguing idea.

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  5. For the record, I said Chris Pine not Chris Pratt.

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    1. I could have sworn you said Pratt but I love you so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. PIne's a great choice. Talk about the casting jackpot: Kirk and Solo? What's left? Next Batman, I suppose.

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  6. Sadly, I don't know enough about the younger generations of actors to know someone in his 20s to take on the role. I'm SO out of touch with celebrities these days. When I was in my 20s, I watched Entertainment Tonight and subscribed to all the entertainment mags, but as I've gotten older, I've stopped following it mostly. I rarely even go to the movies anymore.

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    1. Actually, I find myself limited in my choices for similar reasons. We don't go to movies much either. The Netflix queue brings them around eventually but I'm not up on the current scene the way I used to be.

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    2. Sadly, I too, am way out of touch with real live celebrity actors these days so I have no one to suggest. Though, if they made a movie I'd be seeing it with my kids, and likely love whomever was cast. I'm easy to please that way.

      And, yes we have already become anticipating Episode 7...my 5 y/o has seen the trailer about three dozen times.
      Veronica

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    3. I'm very excited for #7. I'm not in countdown mode yet. After all, it's still over a year away...

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  7. As much as I love everything Star Wars, I have not read this.
    As far as a young Solo...Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Jeremy Renner...It doesn't matter who is chosen the fanboys will eat them alive.

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    1. Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I hadn't thought of him. Excellent choice.

      There's no pleasing the fan boys where Star Wars is concerned. They're unhappy when they're not getting anything new and they're unhappy when what's new is not exactly like the originals. I still contend, though, that for all the criticism of the prequel trilogy, the casting of McGregor is the part they got right.

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    2. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was the first person that came to my mind. But I'm stickin' with JFD.

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  8. Good question. I'd go for someone who's unknown. You're right about Chris Pratt, but I'd like to see the role taken by someone who's personality we don't know. That way he could be a true pirate.

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    1. Yes, as was the case with Ford in the original. I actually really like Geo.'s idea: an unknown but talented stage actor ready to dig his teeth into such an opportunity.

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  9. I agree with Maurice. I would prefer someone unknown. Sometimes it's with the unknown that the viewer has no preconceptions and expectations, and if they come on board with strong talent it just wows us all the more.

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    1. Absolutely. That's what happened with Harrison Ford so it seems only fitting that it should happen again.

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  10. I love Han Solo and Chewie. I don't know of anyone who could take Harrison Ford's place, but thank you for using whom correctly.

    Love,
    Janie

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