Galaxy of Fear #1: Eaten Alive (1997) by John Whitman

Holo Covers, so hot right now

Summary: Zak and Tash Arranda are Alderaanian orphans that've been adopted by their shapeshifting uncle *Redacted* Hoole. They go to a planet that eats people.

What it introduces:

Project Starscream: Imperial bioweapon project number 9001. Makes living planets now.

Zak Arranda: The sporty boy twin.

Tash Arranda: The not-quite-nerdy girl twin.

Uncle Hoole: Spooky shape shifting alien uncle with vaguely implied dark past.

DV-9: The least annoying C3PO stand in yet!

Commentary:

This is a smorgasbord of mid 90s YA. Cliff hangers every chapter, body horror, shape shifting, skateboarding. It's the Star Wars, Animorphs, Goosebumps hybrid that I was probably asking for at the time? I read this as a kid, but don't really remember it. Whitman's writing is functionally solid, better than most of the other juvie novel writers I've looked at so far (and a few of the adult ones). Luke, Han, Chewie, Leia, and the droids feature pretty heavily here, and actually do stuff, which is nice.

The twins are swapped from the traditional Nerdy boy/sporty girl positions that most series from this time (Magic Treehouse) used, which is interesting. They're obviously Force-sensitive in the opening chapters, but Luke is too inexperienced (set pre-ESB) to do much with it.

Rating: 3/5. It's kiddie, but it's not bad. Hope the series can keep the momentum.

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