Review: an introduction to Bink and Tavia from Scoundrels
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 12, 2012
Full disclosure: I read an advance copy of Timothy Zahn'sScoundrels: Star Warsand so I already know that story. That means I'm probably one of the few people who read Scoundrels before having read Winner Lose All. That certainly colored my perception of this novella and probably allowed me to get more out of it.While Winner Lose All is billed as a story about Lando Calrissian, I think Zahn intended Winner Lose All to serve primarily as an introduction to Bink and Tavia, two of his new creations. Bink and Tavia are twins who are essentially cat burglars ("ghost thieves", in the lingo of Star Wars). They're spunky and have some moments of endearing humor, but I suspect a lot of readers won't really know why it's worth reading a book about these two. Winner Lose All doesn't introduce them nearly as effectively as Scoundrels does. While I love the characters as developed in Scoundrels, here you could be forgiven for wondering why Zahn felt compelled to write this story.However, having read Scoundrels, having gotten to know Bink, Tavia, and Zerba, it was fun to see them on another escapade. This time, Lando joins a Sabacc tournament in order to win a priceless art piece, but discovers a deeper conspiracy. Lando unwittingly gets recruited in Bink and Tavia's attempt to uncover the conspiracy. Granted, the story in Winner Lose All certainly isn't necessary to understanding Scoundrels, but Zahn does a set up an intriguing heist attempt. Nothing special, but a fun romp.Unfortunately, despite the title, this is certainly not "A Lando Calrissian Tale". Lando himself only has a bit role. Some of my favorite Lando moments are when he has to face down a table of players at a Sabacc table. The only saving grace of Neil Smith's Lando trilogy was the great Sabacc scene. However, while the plot in Winner Lose All focuses on a heist attempt during a Sabacc tournament, Zahn doesn't ever take us deep into the game. The game is clearly a sideshow. The tension never builds. I know Zahn needed to tighten the focus of this story given that it's a short novella, but, the lack of a full-scale Sabacc scene seems like a missed opportunity.Overall, alone I'd give Winner Lose All 3.5 stars. It's a fun, quick read and definitely worth it for the price. However, I'd recommend only reading it if you like Scoundrels. It doesn't stand on its own.