Star Wars: Queen's Peril

This was... alright. Padme in her early days as queen trying to figure out how to make the whole handmaiden-doppelganger thing work was pretty interesting. Or at least, the concept and writing was interesting even if the scenarios were a bit of a drag at times.

Once we get to the core conflict of the book, the Trade Federation invasion, it basically just fast forwards through Episode 1 with interludes in a Trade Federation concentration camp. When the whole camp thing started I realized I'd never thought about what was actually happening on Naboo while the heroes were running around the galaxy. By the end of the first scene I realized I didn't really care.

That's pretty much this book. Hadn't thought about it that much previously, turns out I didn't care to.

This was a good prequel to The Phantom Menace, but 85% from Padme's point of view. It's starts after the election when she wins and becomes Queen. A lot is adjusting to the position, learning to lead, and getting her handmaid team together and learning to live and trust each other. But of course, soon enough, the Trade Federation is coming around... it also does show a scene here and there of some other characters that we also come across in TPM and what they are doing before or during those events. All in all, a nice addition to the library - and also narrated by the voice behind the Clone Wars' Padme.