Tales From Vandor by Jason Fry
Tales From Vandor written by Jason Fry, illustrated by Sam Gilbey
What an exciting book with so many wonderful tales all told by Midnight the bartender at Fort Ypso on Vandor! I really enjoyed this book even despite the severe continuity error surrounding Lando's arrival at the Fort--it conflicts drastically with the Lando: Double or Nothing comic. Unlike most replica journal type books, this one was told in a much more narrative format with stories from a variety of different folks (mostly our Solo heroes) told from different times in their lives. It appears that this story is being told still during the Imperial age but after Han has already engaged in Rebellion heroics. So his time at Fort Ypso is being told in the far past tense.
We get stories on Beckett/Rio/Val, Qi'ra, L3-37, Lando, Dryden Vos, Enfys Nest, Chewbacca, and Han. But first we get Midnight's story. He grew up in an overcrowded favela on Corellia. After realizing his lot in life was going to be rough at best, he saved up and signed up to work aboard the Rampaea Horizon. He first worked off the price of his ticket to get aboard the ship, then sought out a planet he wanted to set roots down on. He fell in love with Vandor at first sight and worked many jobs there until he landed his position as bartender at Fort Ypso. The guy who runs Fort Ypso is Tibbs Ospe, an old Commerce Guild scout who sought out valuable planets. He took a risk on Vandor and it paid off in spades.
An interesting tidbit about Midnight, he has the brain of a protocol droid named SV-38P hooked up below his counter so that he can read translations of all the different languages being spoken in front of him! As would be expected, when L3 finds out about this, she is beside herself with indignation.
Apparently Beckett's gang was responsible for the Berullian Checkpoint fiasco, the Llon Shoals fuel heist, the Bhuna Sound Heist, and the Mairenhelm Deception. I want to know more about all of these!!
Many different stories about Han are told, most of which we know are not true from simply being aware of what is actually in canon. There's even a story that he grew up on Kashyyyk and Chewbacca was the one who called all the shots (see picture to the left of them frolicking through the Wroshyr trees--oh for this to have been Han's true upbringing *sigh*).
I love this line about the Empire: "Of course, the biggest, baddest gang of all is the Empire. The Imperials have the firepower, control the credits, and have shown world after world that getting in their way is a fatal mistake." Such a true but different way of looking at them!
An interesting bit on Qi'ra: "Remember that name. Something tells me we'll all hear it again." Could this be speaking to more canon material coming out on our girl? One can only hope!
Midnight makes a sweet statement about Han: "He pretended he was one of them, but he wasn't. I knew he was a good-hearted kid who only thought of himself as an outlaw, rather than being the real thing. I hope he stayed a good-hearted kid--and that he figured out something to believe in besides himself." Such sweet wishes!!
Okay, so the continuity error. According to this book, Lando arrived at Fort Ypso with just two credits to his name and had used a ship ID that had major docking fines attached to it so the Millennium Falcon was in Tibbs' impound lot. It also says that he just completed a smuggling run from Felucia. Well, according to the Lando: Double or Nothing comic's series finale, he had just returned from Kullgroon where he freed a bunch of Petrusian droid factory workers. The Millennium Falcon had been taken by the Empire and put in an impound on Vandor. Luckily, the storygroup has clarified that the Lando: Double or Nothing comic should be taken as the correct canon story so at least we're not left wondering which one is the actual truth.
We get foldouts of Midnight's Inspection Card, Vandor's planetary file, Tactical/Medical/Regulations/Equipment information on Mimban, a detailed fact sheet on unrefined Coaxium, an update diagram for the Millennium Falcon, Sabacc rules from the Yarith Bespin Casino, a droid rights poster, and different routes a variety of pilots believed Han actually took for the Kessel Run--none of them as low as 12 parsecs. These are all wonderful additions to the story. I absolutely love the foldouts in these replica journals!
Planets:
-Venustria: very cold
-Ulness Prime: no greenery
-Great Aglamerti: no air
-Deneba: close to Vandor
-Manda: close to Vandor
-Socorro: homeworld of Lando
-Drogheda: a mining planet
-Livno III: mentioned in regards to Lando being its savior...maybe???
-Ulmatra: near Kessel
-Mandrine: refinery or spice purification plant located here
-Zerm: refinery or spice purification plant located here
-Injopan: refinery or spice purification plant located here
-Tilurus: refinery or spice purification plant located here
Species:
-bageraset: possibly a short creature, Midnight says Qi'ra would doubtfully come up to the knee joint of one
-luftgriffs: apparently carnivorous creatures, Tibbs wanted to feed Lando to a flock of them for not paying his debts...haha!
Trivia:
-Chewbacca has a wife named Mallatobuck and a son nicknamed Lumpy!
This was a delightful book indeed. With many more stories and insights than I've included here. It's absolutely worth the read and is a quick one at that. Also, the illustrations are captivating in a very journally/sketched sort of style. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants more on our favorite players from Solo...even if some of it is less than true...
We get stories on Beckett/Rio/Val, Qi'ra, L3-37, Lando, Dryden Vos, Enfys Nest, Chewbacca, and Han. But first we get Midnight's story. He grew up in an overcrowded favela on Corellia. After realizing his lot in life was going to be rough at best, he saved up and signed up to work aboard the Rampaea Horizon. He first worked off the price of his ticket to get aboard the ship, then sought out a planet he wanted to set roots down on. He fell in love with Vandor at first sight and worked many jobs there until he landed his position as bartender at Fort Ypso. The guy who runs Fort Ypso is Tibbs Ospe, an old Commerce Guild scout who sought out valuable planets. He took a risk on Vandor and it paid off in spades.
An interesting tidbit about Midnight, he has the brain of a protocol droid named SV-38P hooked up below his counter so that he can read translations of all the different languages being spoken in front of him! As would be expected, when L3 finds out about this, she is beside herself with indignation.
Apparently Beckett's gang was responsible for the Berullian Checkpoint fiasco, the Llon Shoals fuel heist, the Bhuna Sound Heist, and the Mairenhelm Deception. I want to know more about all of these!!
I love this line about the Empire: "Of course, the biggest, baddest gang of all is the Empire. The Imperials have the firepower, control the credits, and have shown world after world that getting in their way is a fatal mistake." Such a true but different way of looking at them!
An interesting bit on Qi'ra: "Remember that name. Something tells me we'll all hear it again." Could this be speaking to more canon material coming out on our girl? One can only hope!
Midnight makes a sweet statement about Han: "He pretended he was one of them, but he wasn't. I knew he was a good-hearted kid who only thought of himself as an outlaw, rather than being the real thing. I hope he stayed a good-hearted kid--and that he figured out something to believe in besides himself." Such sweet wishes!!
Okay, so the continuity error. According to this book, Lando arrived at Fort Ypso with just two credits to his name and had used a ship ID that had major docking fines attached to it so the Millennium Falcon was in Tibbs' impound lot. It also says that he just completed a smuggling run from Felucia. Well, according to the Lando: Double or Nothing comic's series finale, he had just returned from Kullgroon where he freed a bunch of Petrusian droid factory workers. The Millennium Falcon had been taken by the Empire and put in an impound on Vandor. Luckily, the storygroup has clarified that the Lando: Double or Nothing comic should be taken as the correct canon story so at least we're not left wondering which one is the actual truth.
We get foldouts of Midnight's Inspection Card, Vandor's planetary file, Tactical/Medical/Regulations/Equipment information on Mimban, a detailed fact sheet on unrefined Coaxium, an update diagram for the Millennium Falcon, Sabacc rules from the Yarith Bespin Casino, a droid rights poster, and different routes a variety of pilots believed Han actually took for the Kessel Run--none of them as low as 12 parsecs. These are all wonderful additions to the story. I absolutely love the foldouts in these replica journals!
Planets:
-Venustria: very cold
-Ulness Prime: no greenery
-Great Aglamerti: no air
-Deneba: close to Vandor
-Manda: close to Vandor
-Socorro: homeworld of Lando
-Drogheda: a mining planet
-Livno III: mentioned in regards to Lando being its savior...maybe???
-Ulmatra: near Kessel
-Mandrine: refinery or spice purification plant located here
-Zerm: refinery or spice purification plant located here
-Injopan: refinery or spice purification plant located here
-Tilurus: refinery or spice purification plant located here
Species:
-bageraset: possibly a short creature, Midnight says Qi'ra would doubtfully come up to the knee joint of one
-luftgriffs: apparently carnivorous creatures, Tibbs wanted to feed Lando to a flock of them for not paying his debts...haha!
Trivia:
-Chewbacca has a wife named Mallatobuck and a son nicknamed Lumpy!
This was a delightful book indeed. With many more stories and insights than I've included here. It's absolutely worth the read and is a quick one at that. Also, the illustrations are captivating in a very journally/sketched sort of style. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants more on our favorite players from Solo...even if some of it is less than true...
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