The Price of the Stars, by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald, is an old favorite which is out-of-print in paperback but is currently on sale for the Kindle for $2.99, one of Amazon’s 100 Books for $3.99 or Less for May. I snagged a copy, and spent some pleasant hours getting re-acquainted.

How to explain the Mageworlds series, of which this is the first book?

Suppose that Han Solo and Princess Leia got married, and had three kids. The first was born during the war itself, and was raised by Chewbacca’s family; he’s a medic in the navy. The middle boy is a Jedi, apprenticed to Luke, the current head of the Jedi order; and the youngest, a girl, is a pilot like her father.

Then Leia is murdered, and Han gives his daughter the keys to the Millenium Falcon if she’ll find out whodunnit. Of course, all three siblings get involved.

That’s sort of the premise of this book, except that it isn’t actually Star Wars fan fiction. The backstory is somewhat similar in its broad outlines, but even if the inspiration is clear the authors have taken it and done something distinctly different with it. I’ve enjoyed the whole series, and especially this book and its immediately sequel. Recommended, if you like space opera.