The Paradise Snare

This is the untold story of the young Han Solo, which takes place before the Star Wars films and the epic battles that liberated the galaxy from the Empire's oppressive control. This initial book in an exciting trilogy tells the story of the renowned rogue, swindler, smuggler, and thief as he struggles for survival on a dangerous planet where slavery is the primary export.

He was once a Corellian street kid with no history, abandoned and scrounging for food, until Garris Shrike, a cruel man, took him to a traveling group of space criminals. Han has now spent years under Shrike's brutal rule, but he is motivated by dreams of adventure and glory, so he fights to break free. His ultimate goal is to become a pilot in the Imperial Navy. However, he first needs practical experience flying spacecraft, so he accepts a position on Ylesia, a humid world of religious zealotry, illegal narcotics, and tempting sensuality...where dreams are shattered and escape is impossible.

For almost all of his nineteen years, Han Solo has resided on the Trader's Luck, a pirate ship under the command of the ruthless Garris Shrike. Shrike discovered Han as a homeless child on Corellia and took him in to use him as an actor in fraudulent schemes. Shrike amassed a large wealth by sending Solo and other children into the streets of various worlds to beg for money. Although life on the Trader's Luck is harsh and unforgiving, the young Solo finds comfort and care in the Wookiee cook Dewlanna. She teaches him to understand Shyriiwook and that not everyone in the galaxy is as evil as Shrike. Solo decides he has had enough of Shrike's abuse and starts planning his escape from the Luck. He carefully arranges to hide aboard a droid freighter heading for Ylesia, where he had heard there was a need for skilled pilots. However, Shrike discovers his plan during his farewell to Dewlanna. Shrike becomes enraged, and a violent confrontation ensues. Dewlanna defends the boy and wounds Shrike, but she sustains a fatal injury in the process. Overcome with sorrow, Solo is hesitant to leave her. She urges him to leave and live, so her death will not be in vain. With Dewlanna dead and Shrike unconscious, Solo boards the freighter and sets off for Ylesia.

Han Solo's inherent piloting abilities are the only reason he makes it to Ylesia alive. He manages to land the freighter with only minor damage because the planet's atmosphere is extremely unstable. The t'landa Til priests are impressed by Solo's abilities and interview him; during the interview, he goes by the name "Vykk Draygo." Ylesia is a tropical planet with only a few large islands in a vast ocean that is home to enormous predators. The t'landa Til "priests" had established a religious sanctuary to draw thousands of Pilgrims to experience the "Exultation" as part of a complex scheme orchestrated by the Besadii Hutt clan. Solo is soon hired as a pilot to transport spice to and from Ylesia. Ylesia is not just a religious sanctuary; it also serves as the center of the Besadii clan's spice refinement operations. Large factories process raw spice from Ryloth and Kessel into a consumable form that is sent to Nar Shaddaa and other planets.

To ostensibly "protect" the new pilot, the High Priest Teroenza assigns him a Togorian bodyguard named Muuurgh. Muuurgh, like all Togorians, is extremely tall, has many sharp teeth, and has exceptional hunting skills. Solo is aware that Teroenza values his obedience more than his protection. Solo becomes proficient in the simulator and begins to learn the layout of Colony One before he can begin flying. He visits the spice refineries with Muuurgh and meets Pilgrim 921. He finds out that the so-called religious pilgrims are actually being forced to work as slaves in the spice refineries. 921, who eventually reveals her real name to be Bria Tharen, is a Corellian woman.

The slaves eagerly attend the t'landa Til Exultation each evening, believing it to be a spiritual experience that unites them with "The One and the All." Teroenza, Veratil, and other Ylesian priests perform the Exultation after reciting a scripted sermon. Solo actively fights against the intense waves of pleasure and ecstasy that the t'landa Til produce. The slaves around him writhe in pleasure on the ground and are barely able to return to their dorms. This surge of pleasure, a natural t'landa Til ability used to attract females, develops into an addiction that the slaves are unable to resist. The slaves are kept on Ylesia in this manner.

Solo informs Tharen of the scam when he learns about it, but she refuses to believe him. Solo, however, had secretly recorded a conversation he had with Teroenza regarding the Exultation's secret. This revelation is a turning point for Tharen, who loses all faith in her religious quest and is furious at her own stupidity. She is, however, unable to miss Exultations. Solo has now gained considerable experience as a pilot for the t'landa Til. Solo decides to leave Ylesia with Tharen by his side, having gained the priests' trust.

Muuurgh is enraged and threatens to kill Solo when he learns of his plan. However, when Tharen tells him about a female Togorian who had been at the colony, he agrees to participate in the plan. To Muuurgh's dismay, her description matches that of Mrrov, his mate. Mrrov, according to Tharen, has been relocated to another colony. The three make their move after an Exultation.

Solo, Tharen, and Muuurgh cause a diversion by detonating the largest of the spice refineries. As billions of credits worth of spice is consumed by flames, panic breaks out. Solo and Tharen break into Teroenza's collection and steal the most valuable items. As fire spreads throughout the Colony, secondary explosions damage almost all of the buildings, and the ceiling of Teroenza's collection room collapses on Zavval, the Besadii Hutt overlord, crushing him. The trio then hijacks the Talisman, Teroenza's personal yacht, and rescues Mrrov after completing their mission. They escape from Ylesia, sustaining significant damage from an orbiting CR90 corvette, but they are able to safely reach Togoria.

Muuurgh and Mrrov are married while on Togoria. Solo and Tharen embark on a romantic getaway following the ceremony, where they both declare their love for one another. They decide to go back to Corellia to see Tharen's family and sell the stolen goods from Ylesia. The two lovers bid farewell to Muuurgh and Mrrov before returning to their homeworld.

Tharen, unlike Solo, had a wealthy and privileged upbringing. This became abundantly clear when she visited her family's large estate. Her mother and brother, much to her dismay, find Solo to be despicable and unworthy of being in their home. Tharen's father, Renn Tharen, however, finds a kindred spirit in Solo and takes a liking to him. Solo and Tharen leave Corellia after selling Teroenza's antiques. Solo plans to withdraw the funds from the Imperial Galactic Bank on Coruscant once he applies to the Imperial Academy.

Solo is denied access to his funds at the Imperial Bank after his Retinal scan matches Vykk Draygo, and he is nearly apprehended by stormtroopers. He flees from the authorities into the city's darkest, deepest levels to return to Tharen. Tharen, still battling her addiction to the Exultation, leaves Solo a note explaining that she believes she will only prevent him from realizing his dream at the Academy. Solo, devastated, applies to the Academy with a loan Tharen had obtained from her father. He undergoes cosmetic surgery before entering the academy to prevent any further discovery.

Solo passes the entrance exams and is accepted into the Academy. He excels as a pilot and cadet during his training. On the night of his graduation, while standing high on a rooftop and reflecting on his life, he is ambushed by Garris Shrike, who had become a bounty hunting in search of Solo. Shrike is seeking revenge for Solo's betrayal and audacity in leaving Trader's Luck nearly five months earlier. Solo fights for his life against Shrike. However, another bounty hunter kills Shrike in the hopes of killing Solo. Solo kills the bounty hunter, swaps clothes with the dead man, hoping this will prevent any further acts of retribution and finally set him free.

Author A. C. Crispin was instructed by Lucasfilm during the creation of Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy to not cover Han Solo's time at the Imperial Academy or his initial meeting with Chewbacca.

• ISBN 9780553574159 ; May 5 , 1997 ; Bantam Spectra ; US paperback [1]
• ISBN 9780307796363 ; June 28 , 2011 ; Del Rey ; US eBook [5]