Padme Amidala has quickly become one of my favorite characters in the entire Star Wars universe and this book took another deep dive into her character and her past before she became known as the wife of Anakin and the senator of Naboo. I loved how much we got to learn about her and how she really is her own character. I loved the writing and the setting and E.K. Johnston always manages to make the characters come to life.

Queen’s Peril starts as the story of how Padme becomes queen of Naboo. What I expected to be a feminine focused book on the beginnings of Padme, quickly became more than just that in surprising ways. 

A prequel to Queen’s Shadow, this novel takes place in the year 32 BBY, not long before The Phantom Menace. While the focus is on Padme and how she becomes queen, it is also heavily focused on her handmaidens and their relationships (especially Sabe). I began reading this story expecting the previously mentioned topics and also understanding that this YA novel is focused on female readers and reads as much. 

What I was not expecting was how this story is much more than just a prequel to Queens Shadow, but also a prequel to The Phantom Menace. Not only does it lead into the movie, but it overlaps and shows things from new perspectives. 

But, the surprises did not stop there. While you mostly read from Padme’s perspective, you also get into the heads of around ten others, and some were an absolute delight to read. 

I believe this book was written with YA girls in mind, and I think it is written well. However, I have to compliment E.K. Johnston because, with this novel, I believe she has added just enough elements to appeal to a much wider audience than her previous novel. 

While this novel will never be considered one of my favorites, I give it a high recommendation for any young woman who is interested in Star Wars, or maybe is looking to get interested. For everyone else, there are enough surprises and new additions to the lore that I believe everyone should give it a chance.

EK Johnston is getting better with each entry in the Star Wars universe. I did not enjoy Ashoka, but Queen's Shadow was decent, albeit a bit bland and devoid of conflict. This was a much more enjoyable read with a bit haphazard of an ending. I wish the ending had the same attention to detail that the rest of the novel did as it felt extremely rushed. It painted a much clearer portrait of the handmaidens individual personalities and I wish this had released before Queen's Shadow as it would have added a lot to the sequel book.. Overall, definitely worth taking the time to read and explore as it adds depth to characters that were barely developed in the prequel films.

Among the first Star Wars books that I read were the prequel novelizations. What I loved about these was the added depth of storytelling and insight into the perspective of the characters in the films, especially their emotional lives. I also appreciated how characters whose scenes consisted of walking down the hallway or standing in the background suddenly came to life. This added context changed how I viewed them, made the Galaxy Far, Far Away seem more real and in some cases, all the added insight almost made it feel like watching the film again for the first time.

In Queen’s Peril, Padmé transitions from an independent and confident teen to a powerful woman that has considerable influence over the future direction of her planet. And while the transformation to Amidala was fascinating and new insight into Padmé is certainly provided, the stars of this book are the handmaidens. Who they are, where they came from, how they related to each other and also, how important they actually were to the events that we witnessed in the films. If you found Sabé interesting in Queen’s Shadow I recommend reading this book. I also loved learning more about Naboo and the culture, customs, and politics.

Interestingly, this book integrates into a film to a degree I have not seen before. If it has been a while since you watched The Phantom Menace you may want to consider revisiting to refresh your memory before reading. There is considerable overlap with the timeline, though the these are largely the events that happen in the background. There were a few moments when I had to stop and think about where we were at in the timeline of the film but there are prompts to guide you. Overall, I thought that this was a creative approach and I appreciate the risks taken to try something more experimental.

This book was an all-around decent read. I read Queen's Shadow a few months after its release, so it's been a while and I had to take a moment to remember who the characters were. I enjoyed the handmaidens' dynamic, and being back on Naboo was wonderful - it's my favorite planet from the SW universe. 

However, this story was not as engaging as the first. It wasn't nearly as fleshed out as book one. I didn't feel like we got to see the beginning of Padme's relationship with her handmaidens in any detail. Same with the plot. Everything was just very skimmed over. The events that unfolded in The Phantom Menace were glossed over in this book, and at times I was quite confused by the time jumps since these important events weren't described at all; the book relied solely on readers' knowledge of the movies. 

Some OG characters were visited but hardly touched on - Maul and Palpatine/Sidious, in particular. as well as Anakin + Shmi and the Jedi, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. I feel like they were shown so briefly that the author shouldn't have even bothered. I remember wishing, as I read Queen's Shadow, that we could see the beginning of Padme's reign since we explored the end of her reign. But with Queen's Peril, we really didn't get into any details most of us fans already know.  

I was confused by Yane and Sache's relationship as well because from the very start they didn't get along very well, but there was no explicit reason for this. I still am not sure why they avoided each other. What was the reason?! If it was stated or implied somewhere I don't recall reading about it, and don't they also start seeing each other at the end of Queen's Shadow once their time as handmaidens came to an end? Very confused. 

I wish this story had gone more in-depth with the events of Padme's ascension to queen of Naboo. We see some new things with the handmaidens and a few "behind-the-scenes" with Padme as Amidala, but otherwise I don't think this book was enlightening at all. I was pretty disappointed.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

~Quick Statistics~
Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Plot: 3/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars

~Quick Review~
I absolutely loved Queen’s Peril by E. K. Johnston and cannot wait to see other Star Wars novels that E. K. Johnston will release in the future.  However, fans and/or readers who have not watched The Phantom Menace (Episode 1) will most likely be confused in the second half of the novel.

~Other Information~
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Page Count: 288 pages
Release Date: June 2, 2020

I would recommend reading Queen’s Peril only if you have watched the Star Wars movies (at least The Phantom Menace).  The first half of the novel is focused entirely on Padmé becoming queen and how she acted thereafter.  Halfway through the novel it starts overlapping with the events in The Phantom Menace, so watching the movie before reading Queen’s Peril is a really good idea.

~Quick Synopsis~
Padmé Naberrie is a young girl from Naboo who becomes queen at the age of fourteen.  She takes on the personality and life of Queen Amidala, relying on her handmaiden’s friendship and skills to not only keep her safe, but provide her with a life outside politics.  Everything is going well until the Trade Federation, run by Viceroy Nute Gunray, invades and takes over Naboo, causing her citizens to suffer.  Now Padmé must take back her planet before it’s too late.  And with the help of her handmaidens, it might just be possible.

~Characters~
Queen’s Peril has multiple points of view throughout the novel.  These include Padmé, her handmaidens (honestly, I forget the names but I’ll get to that later), Padmé’s parents, Captain Quarsh Panaka (and his wife, Mariek), Senator Palpatine, Jar Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul, Darth Sidious, etc.  

However, our main character, Queen Padmé Amidala Naberrie, is amazing.  Obviously, if you are a Star Wars fan you most likely know about how incredible and powerful Padmé is.  If you don’t, well, let me just say that Padmé is a strong, empowering, protective, compassionate, selfless woman.  I think we should just appreciate that Padmé became the queen of Naboo at the age of fourteen, and she rocked at it.  Seriously.  Her love for Naboo is unparalleled, and that love for her home planet fuels her to solve all of it’s problems.  I can’t express enough how strong and powerful Padmé truly is.  Also, since I grew up watching her in Star Wars episodes 1-3, it was really awesome to get to see how she became queen and what she did in her new position immediately after.

An issue that I had with the characters was that there are so many introduced in Queen’s Peril, and yet we hardly get any information about them.  Pretty much the other characters besides Padmé are in the novel purely because they were in the movies.  Even Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker do not get any huge recognition or parts in the novel, even though in The Phantom Menace they are a huge part of the movie and it’s ending.  Considering that Anakin Skywalker was the entire reason they won the Battle of Naboo, I find it odd that him winning the war for Padmé isn’t even mentioned.  However, many parts in The Phantom Menace were skipped over in Queen’s Peril, which I’ll talk about later.

Personally, it was really hard for me to keep all of the handmaidens straight, which I guess their plan was to make it hard to distinguish who was who for the safety of Padmé, but still.  I constantly had to go back to the page where the girls decide what their new names are going to be so I could understand who was who throughout the book.  It was inconvenient but I guess their plans worked?  Anyways, I loved how there was more attention on the handmaidens than there was in the movie.  Also, I should mention that there is LGBTQ+ representation in the novel, which I loved (as there is very little representation in the Star Wars universe).  Sabé falls in love with the daughter of a neighboring planet’s ruler, and Yané and Saché confess their love for each other before the Battle of Naboo.

Overall, the character building was good, just not perfect.

~Writing and Setting~
I had no issues with the writing; E. K. Johnston described everything perfectly, and I had a clear understanding of what was going on throughout the book.

The setting in Queen’s Peril is amazing.  Practically every planet mentioned was described to some amount of detail, even the ones that weren’t necessarily important to the plot.  The entire novel is about Padmé doing what she can for Naboo, her home planet, so I’d say that the setting definitely affected Padmé and her choices.  We learn a lot more about Naboo than we do in The Phantom Menace, which I greatly appreciated.  Not only do we learn about its politics, but we also learn about what Naboo is known for throughout the galaxy, what the citizens do for a living, and how involved Naboo is with other planets in its sector.  While not everyone might find this information interesting, it satisfies me to finally be able to learn more about Naboo and how it made its mark on Padmé.

~Plot~
The major issue with Queen’s Peril lies with the plot.  Honestly, I feel like E. K. Johnston tried to pack too much into one novel which ended in leaving key details and events out.  As mentioned before, Queen’s Peril takes place before and during The Phantom Menace (Episode 1 of Star Wars).  The beginning of the novel was at a perfect pace for me and all made sense.  However, once you get to the second half of the novel (where it overlaps with The Phantom Menace), it is really hard to keep track of what is happening, even if you have watched the movie.  So many events and information is left out during the second half of the book that I constantly had to refer back to my knowledge of The Phantom Menace to understand what was happening.  For example, all in one chapter we see Padmé get captured by the Trade Federation, then all of a sudden she is in space with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, then they’re stranded on Tatooine, and all of a sudden they’re at Coruscant.  Not a chapter later they’re back on Naboo and in the next chapter they’ve won the battle, but Qui-Gon’s dead so they have to host a funeral for him.  There is no mention of how Padmé escapes the Trade Federation, why she’s stranded on or gets off Naboo, why Anakin is at Coruscant and the battle with them, how they win the war, or even how Qui-Gon dies.  There’s so many places where critical information is missing that it was slightly confusing to read (even though I’ve watched the movie a bunch of times and knew what was supposed to be happening).  I don’t know whether E. K. Johnston didn’t want to bore fans with information they already knew, but then why have the second half of the novel overlap with The Phantom Menace?  It would have been much better for the novel to recreate The Phantom Menace but have it from Padme’s point of view.  However, I was able to overlook the fact that major events were missed and appreciate the first half of the novel.

~Overall Review~
I really enjoyed Queen’s Peril by E. K. Johnston, but would recommend that the reader be familiar with The Phantom Menace and Star Wars before reading, otherwise they most likely will be confused with the second half of the novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Lucasfilms Press for providing this eGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Queen's Peril shows Padme Amidala's becoming the Queen of Naboo including moments before her election to the selection of her handmaidens and molding the group of girls into her own personal body doubles and bodyguards if need be. It runs just up to and parallel to The Phantom Menace so there is a lot to digest in the later half of the book.

First I'm going to talk about what I liked. In contrast to Queen's Shadow, there was a lot more action and less politics, even though politics do take up the first half of the book give or take. I felt the pacing was a bit better and it was less dry. I understand something that revolves around intergalactic politics would be a bit dry and boring and it was great to have that perspective in relation to The Phantom Menace, especially with the various figures, Palpatine for one pulling a certain set of strings.

Other than the pacing I did feel like E.K. Johnston captures the characters well. I could almost hear Padme's voice when I read her words the same went for Obi-wan and Qui-gon when they made an appearance. I really liked their banter.

As for everything else. I'm going to parrot other reviewers that I peeked at and say that it does gloss over The Phantom Menace when it is slowly building up the events in the first third or so of the book. All the players were slowly stepping into their places and I felt like there was going to be more of a adaptation or perspective than there really was. You know, from a certain point of view. The events were rushed through at such a rate that I had to wait for certain landmarks from the film to figure out where we really were in the timeline, but maybe that was just me.

That and I felt that some of the plot points were a bit contrived, especially with the selection of Padme's handmaidens before she was elected, this isn't a spoiler it happens within the prologue. Also, the girls do seem to be a bit juvenile but I overlooked it because Padme was 14 years old even though she did carry herself as much older in some ways. The girls bickered and fought at a couple points and while I did enjoy seeing what happened to her handmaidens during The Phantom Menace when Padme was off with Qui-gon and Obi-wan, I did want to see more of her and Sabe who is the current rising star of the era.

In true Star Wars fashion, while the pacing was good the plot did meander but that is kind of the style of the writing and the movies. They gave you glimpses that stitched together to tell a larger story over the vast expanse of space. I just felt like it was building up, as I said earlier and kind of puttered out. I would have liked to see more.

The handmaidens like in Queen's Shadow were a blur to me. I could really only pick out a couple of them other than Sabe and I did appreciate having them around because it did show how the girls would interact, protect and cover for each other in a way. Some of the girls kind of blended together in my imagination to become one handmaiden. More time or focusing on one other than Sabe might have benefited the plot instead splitting them up and jumping around during The Phantom Menace events.

You're looking at my review then at my rating and going, wait, you gave it four stars. Well, I love Star Wars. I eat this up and I get teary eyed when I read about my favorite characters. I feel this did the era and the characters justice and I did enjoy it and felt like it resonated with me more than Queen's Shadow. I know others are having differing opinions, but those are mine.

I didn’t enjoy Queen's Peril as much as Queen’s Shadow. It felt a little too scattered and like it was trying to do too much. Queen's Peril takes place a little before and during the events of The Phantom Menace; in which we see Padme be elected and then try to navigate Naboo’s political sphere. I did really enjoy learning more about the queens of Naboo, and seeing Padme’s relationships with her handmaidens develop. They are all just young, teenage girls underneath the hoods and the make-up and I loved being able to see that. There is even a fun scene where they sneak out to go to a concert and Padme ends up covered in glitter. Did we need that in a Padme book? No, but it was still fun all the same.

Where I think this book suffers is that nothing really happens and yet it’s also trying to do way too much. Where Queen’s shadow was pretty much all quiet moments with all the plot stuffed in at the end, Queen’s Peril tries to do a bit more foreshadowing. Unfortunately, this takes the form as unnecessary extra POVs from Obi Wan, Yoda, and Maul, to name a few. All of which take time away from Padme. Then when we get into The Phantom Menace, it’s basically just a retelling with huge chunks missing. Specifically the PADME chunks. 

I think this could have been better if it had just focused on Padme learning to be the queen and building relationships with her handmaidens. Because at the end of the day, that’s what we are here for. Overall, Queen’s Peril is a solid 3 stars; it’s fun, but definitely could have been better. And I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to see what a different author could do with Padme.

3.5 stars!

I was pleasantly surprised when this novel took place from Queen Amidala’s Election Day. I absolutely love reading about politics in Star Wars so it was wonderful to see how Naboo’s elections work. Because of this starting point, you also get to see how Padmé’s group of handmaidens was formed. 

I think my favourite thing about the Padmé novels by E.K. Johnston, Queen’s Peril and Queen’s Shadow is getting a deeper look into the group of handmaiden bodyguards. My favourite aspects of the novel were when we got to dive deeper into the handmaidens lives before The Phantom Menace film. The bonds between the girls was so interesting. I laughed, I almost cried, and I found myself always wanting more from this group of fiesty teenagers.

Some of the comedic relief also came from Panaka’s wife, Mariek. There were some decisions and comments that Panaka makes that she rebuttals with humour. I don’t want to go into details and spoil anything but Mariek is truly a wonderful character that I’m so glad was included in this novel.

Despite me loving the parts about the handmaidens and absolutely loving Panaka’s wife, I didn’t enjoy the parts that referenced the film as much as I expected to.

THE BOOK VS THE PHANTOM MENACE

Despite the fact that I was excited to read the invasion of Naboo from Padmé’s perspective, this was the part I was most disappointed with. It was clear there was an assumption that the reader has a deep understanding of the first chronological film in the Star Wars universe. This is where the novel fell short for me.

While I enjoyed the novel overall, it could have benefited from spending a bit more time in the events from the film. Anything that is included in the film is quickly glossed over, including crucial information being left out. This ruined the pacing of the book for me as the time jumps in the second half of the story felt unnatural, which could have been fixed with a little bit more information about the plot of the film included.

In fact, if you aren’t extremely familiar with the events of The Phantom Menace, a lot of the second half of the book could be extremely confusing. It is assumed that the reader has a deep understanding and strong memory of the film. It would have helped the story a lot if the jumps in time were connected by a quick summary paragraph describing what happens in the film. I know some readers may not enjoy that but I feel a bit of exposition here would have greatly improved the reading experience.

Because of these things, the ending of the book was ultimately unsatisfying for me. After reading Queen’s Shadow, I had a lot of expectations for this book because of how much I enjoyed it. I think I enjoyed Queen’s Shadow more because it was not grounded so strongly in a main film. A novel heavily grounded in an existing film and popular canon comes with a lot of expectations.

One of the things that I did enjoy was the little details that I missed in previous viewings of the film. Before reading this book, I never noticed that only 3/5 handmaidens fled Naboo to avoid the Queen being killed and to plead to the senate. After finishing the novel, I immediately started to rewatch The Phantom Menace because I wanted to verify a few facts. This is one of the things I was paying close attention to and was surprised it was a little details I didn’t notice before.

I like that Johnston took that small details and created another storyline from it. It was interesting to see the handmaidens work in camp four (referenced in the film) to prepare for their fights against the invaders. In my rewatch of the film, it really makes me wish that the main films had spent more time diving into the handmaidens. I can only hope that we get a film (like Solo) to go into these strong and fascinating women more.

E.K. Johnston delivers what is, without a doubt, a bonafide hit in Star Wars Queen's Peril! Following up on the wildly successful and beloved Queen's Shadow, Johnston takes us back in time to the foundation and formation of our favorite Queen and handmaidens in that galaxy far, far away. Many of the things we loved about Queen's Shadow are here, but with some refreshing twists.

Wholly fun, and sometimes heartbreaking, Johnston deftly gives us the set up to and Queen's cut edition of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Shortly after becoming queen, at only 14 years old mind you, Amidala has to deal with an impending crisis on her home planet of Naboo. Queen's Shadow gave us some teases as to what the handmaidens experienced during this time, but Queen's Peril spells it all out quite clearly. From hijinks to horror, it is all here.

Of course, at the forefront are Padmé, Sabé, Rabé, Eirtaé, Yané, and Saché. In this novel, we get into each of their minds a bit more. Recruited individually to serve the Queen, we get to watch the parts become the whole. Quarsh and Mariek Panaka are also back, and they are surprisingly becoming two of my favorite characters in the expanded universe. The banter and camaraderie explored between them and alongside the handmaidens are fun to witness. There are also many background characters in play here, but I'll save those surprises for you to discover!

If this book did anything for me, it reminded me why I fell in love with Padmé all those years ago. She is strong, smart, brave, compassionate, and relentless. She is prepared for anything and everything and sensitive to the changing of the tides. Most importantly, it reminded me that we wouldn't have the Skywalker Saga without her.

I read this cover to cover in about two days. It is an absolute page-turner that will send you hurtling towards a re-read of Queen's Shadow immediately. Please do not discount it because it is a Young Adult labeled book. As of late, the YA books in the Star Wars universe are some of my absolute favorites. When you finish, you'll want to pick up Queen's Shadow and Ahsoka (also by Johnston), and Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray. These are all great novels, featuring the empowered female characters we love who absolutely own their place in this universe.

"There are things I cannot do."
- Queen Amidala

When I watched The Phantom Menace for the first time in '99 I was a happy dude. While it's easy to imagine how excited I was for triple lightsaber fights and more backflips there was more I something else I enjoyed. Watching a young queen doing what she must to protect her people. Seeing her make decisions and adapt as her faith in democracy is tested. Witnessing her take up arms herself to join her people in their battle for freedom. There are a lot of reasons that Queen Amidala made an impact on me back then. If you've read E.K. Johnston's previous book Queen's Shadow, then you already have an idea of how well she is able to write Padmé but in this book we really get to know the Queen.

And a lot of teenage girl-highly-trained-loyal-decoy-bodyguards.

Which is a good thing.

This story has a lot of humor and an entirely different tone than any other. I don't wanna credit it all up to being basically about teenage ninjas but... here we are. I'm a pretty hardcore Star Wars fan who is pretty good with details if I don't say so myself, but the names of these handmaidens have eluded me for a while so the fact that I can now identify each and every one of them (besides Sabé) should really say something I think. Once again Johnston handles Padmé's character wonderfully and really brings a lot of character to everyone in her world. She also puts in lots of details that I loved like the hallikset player, taxation bills, election results, unlikely romances with the local nobility, the queen bee's sting, the apprentice in the dark, podracing crash, teenagers and concerts, ALL THE BIBBLE, Jar Jar and the worst day ever, carbon scoring, the little boy and the angel, Shmi, and the girl in the white dress.

For fans of Padmé, this is definitely a must-read. For anyone serious about the antics and scheming that a group of teenagers can get into, also a must-read. As a father, a few things struck VERY close to home. For anyone else who's looking to see the galaxy through some fairly unique eyes, I would definitely recommend this.

“My hands are yours.”
- Sabé

Full review will be up at http://theroguerebels.com/2020/06/02/star-wars-queens-peril-review

E.K. Johnston’s third Star Wars YA novel is, in my personal opinion, her best to date. In this book she picks up the story not long before the events of The Phantom Menace as Padmé Naberrie becomes Queen Amidala. Captain Panaka, her captain of the guard who we already know from TPM, has the idea for Padmé to have a handmaiden to act as a bodyguard. The new queen takes the idea and runs with it, asking him to find more girls to make a team of highly skilled handmaidens.

This is such a fun story of a group of teenage girls thrust into positions of power and authority, and making it their own. We see how Padmé builds her own team to trust with her life, and how they work together to overcome the odds and free Naboo from the Trade Federation and Palpatine's machinations. It blends into the events of The Phantom Menace, tying in the story from a different point of view, and seamlessly including the main characters from the movies in flashes and glimpses which will leave you wanting to watch it again. Whilst we do still get the descriptions of Padmé's fashion, it is less than in Queen's Shadow, and doesn't detract at all from the story. Highly recommended.

Padme Naberrie is fourteen-years old and the new Queen of Naboo. After she wins the election, she takes on the name Amidala and leaves her family and her old life behind in order to rule from the royal palace. As another means of protection, Padme and her advisors devise a plan to recruit a group of girls who slightly resemble the new Queen to serve as handmaidens, personal guards, and if the occasion calls for it, decoys.

Each girl brings their own special set of skills to the table, and have a particular talent that Padme could benefit from. Whether that is lock picking, engineering, or breathing tactics that hide her true feelings. Though the girls were brought together as separate entities, it'll be up to Padme to unite them as one. While trust is slowly building within the group, Naboo is invaded by forces from the Trade Federation. Queen Amidala and her handmaidens have no choice but to face the attack head on, or else let Naboo fall.

If you're a fan of the prequels, namely The Phantom Menace, than this is a book for you. Although, this came out after Johnston's other Padme book, Queen's Shadow, the events in this one actually happen before that. Queen's Peril highlights how Padme came into her power and the formation of her handmaiden security detail. You really get a feel for how much love Padme has for her people and world in this. I loved seeing the backstory for all the handmaids, and how they got recruited to Padme's cause. Every single one is so strong on their own, but when you put them together it takes it to a whole other level. I also liked all the little foreshadowing sprinkled throughout in regards to Palpatine. I loved seeing the events of TPM play out through Padme/the handmaid's perspectives. I did get slightly confused at times with the different perspectives, but other than that I thought this was very solid.

E.K. Johnston's first Star Wars young adult novel, Ahsoka, hit #1 on the New York Times best-seller list, and the companion to this book, Queen's Shadow, debuted at #4 on the New York Times best-seller list in March 2019. Queen's Peril is the prequel to the novel Queen's Shadow, further exploring the life of the iconic Padmé Naberrie Amidala. To put it in further perspective, the events in this novel take place after Master and Apprentice and includes parts of the film, The Phantom Menace. 


Even though most people were annoyed with Jar Jar Binks for his over the top theatrics, it was characters like Queen Amidala, Qarsh Panaka, Senator Palpatine, Qui-Gon, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobhi that won me over. It was the villainous Darth Sidious and his apprentice Darth Maul. It was the little boy who would grow up to become Anakin Skywalker as well as his mother Shmi. But, now, readers get an inside look into Padmés hand picked handmaidens Eirtama, Suyan, Sasheh, Rabene, and Hiyon. 


Captain Panaka finds a group of girls each with different personalities. Amidala’s handmaidens were each chosen due to their abilities and the book goes through each of them to explain how and why they were picked. Padmes' intentions with her handmaidens are to have them protect her with there identities rather than using a blaster. The first handmaiden was Tsabin (Sabé). The Queen and Sabé reached a strong bond between the two sharing everything to understand each other. In fact, the two are near images of the other.


Four more girls had joined the Queen; Rabene (Rabé) Tonsort, a gifted artist and actress, Eirtama (Eirtaé) Ballory, a scientist and engineer, Sayan (Yané) Higin, a seamstress and maker, and Sashah (Saché) Adova the smallest one in the group. Each girl is as distinct as the skills she brings to the group. Their relationships are complicated and real. Captain Panaka is tossed into the deep end when it comes to dealing with a group of teenage girls; when he thinks he’s in control, he’s usually not. 


The Phantom Menace is rehashed in the final 25% of the book but from a different prospective which I think most readers will find enlightening. Do you need to watch The Phantom Menace first? I think it's a good idea since much of the movie doesn't fit into this story. Especially the invasion of Naboo, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan fight with Darth Maul, and the final fight between Amidala's new allies and the Trade Federation.

I really enjoyed the first book, Queen’s Shadow. Queen’s Peril tells the earlier story of Padmé Amidala’s election and how the handmaiden team was formed. This book is focused more for younger readers and has action, a bit of romance and fun, where the girls learn, grow and find the strength that each needs to work together. Characterizations are great and this book is a lighter read, great for introducing teens and youth to the saga, especially if they are new..  The narrative flows easily as well.  You see the compassion and determination Padmé has that Leia will inherit and embody later on.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!

I adored this so much. As someone who was 9 when Episode I came out, and who loved Padme Amidala from the start... It was fantastic to see all these characters fleshed out and come together! I love the story of bringing the handmaidens together and seeing how they adjusted to working together. I also LOVED seeing Padme be a bit of an errant teenager, even while she was Queen of the planet! I certainly hope we get more stories that delve more into Padme's character, as well as that of her handmaidens. (Also, it seems like a great time for a re-read of Queen's Shadow!)

{Please note, included shortlink won't work until posted on the site, Mynock Manor, May 29)

– Spoiler Review –

Queen’s Peril, written by E.K. Johnston, is a prequel to last year’s excellent (and overdue) Padmé-focused novel, Queen’s Shadow. While it doesn't shine nearly as bright as the original due a few aspects, having a little more focus on the handmaidens this time around, while plenty of Padmé as she steps into the various outfits of the Queen, manages to still make it a good entry in Padmé's story.

Whereas Queen’s Shadow dealt with Padmé, Sabé, and the rest of her handmaidens transitioning from Queen life to Senate-hood or their own vocations, Queen’s Peril dials us back to Padmé assuming the throne of Naboo at 14. In collaboration with her new Captain, Quarash Panaka, they begin the process of bringing in the handmaidens and figuring out how to implement them in useful ways, a process which the girls quickly take over and make their own, with Panaka basically stuck only giving the okay for their latest ways to improve and expand the idea. The beginning half of the novel introduces and endears us to Padmé and the cast of handmaidens, Sabé, Saché, Yané, Eirtaé, and Rabé, letting them enjoy relative peace as they figure out the ins and outs of their arsenals for protection of their Queen, and later the novel forges their lasting friendships, connections, and devotion to one another in an unavoidable, and familiar, gauntlet. Much of what I loved about QS, especially opening my eyes to the true depth of the handmaidens’ abilities and roles in the Queen’s life, is expanded on in Peril, as we get to see them come up with the decoy system, naming convention, the Queen’s voice, and so much more. Each handmaiden also has to come to terms with giving up their lives, and learning skills from one another, but it’s a process which goes relatively smoothly. In fact, their adjustments to the new life and setting up their skill sets all comes too easily and quickly, as the book feels like it fast tracks this a bit, but it might be a combination of knowing these developments are inevitable and the length of the book, though Peril does feel like it spins some of its wheels until it runs into the events of The Phantom Menace. That being said, seeing the handmaidens bond and come together as a group, no matter how fast it might seem, is one of Peril’s highlights, as Johnston brings each one to vibrant life at this younger, and more formative time in their careers. The opening of different sections of the book introduces us to the moment Panaka picked each girl, highlighting what makes them special and a good fit for such an unusual, but vital job, and these were much appreciated moments to help flesh out each handmaiden; Rabé's story has to be my favorite. Sabé gets much of the focus throughout, which is understandable given her role as Padmé’s go-to second-hand/decoy, and watching these two learn to trust each other with their lives, while still managing to be friends of a sort, is much of the heart of Peril. Another plus to the overall handmaiden focus is the additional time with those who didn't stay around long in Shadow, exiting when Padmé heads off to the Senate, allowing Peril to expand on background handmaidens from TPM and make their sections in QS have even more meaning and detail. Thanks first to QS and bolstered by QP, the handmaidens are exciting characters; though these books do highlight the need to expand on them because while we get plenty of details about them within, they are gone just as we start to know them.


Peril begins right as Padmé becomes Queen, and while we get some insight into how it changes her life and how her family takes the change, the book doesn’t linger long on those aspects and throws us into her first actions as Queen. I felt like QS showed us the transition from monarch to Senator with a little more nuance, as learning to overcome the fallout of her actions from TPM and stop trying to be a monarch seemingly had more difficulties, as here in QP Padmé is basically set for being the ruler of a planet from the opening chapter. It could be done as a way to show how prepared she was for the role, one could say even born for, allowing for other aspects of her rule to take precedence in the story, but still seems too simple. However, the focus for her parts of the book, learning how to deal with her handmaidens as both a Queen and someone they can trust, does makes for more entertaining reading anyways. Much like Sabé's POV is at the forefront of Peril, Padmé's dilemma with her first handmaiden consumes much of her story too, and it's a better way to show her ability to rule then focusing on all her training beforehand anyways. Padmé manages to a way to juggle being a friend, confidant, and boss to these women, as she comes to terms with ordering others to die in her stead, something no training can ever really prepare one for, especially a 14 year old, and it's quite the moment to watch unfold. Peril manages to also set up other little aspects that Shadow later explores, including her desire to free the slaves of Tatooine, as we even get a scene between her and Shmi Skywalker the night before the podrace, and I enjoyed this aspect to the prequel nature of the book. Overall, I felt like QS had more to work with for Padmé than QP, as this prequel feels far too easy for her early days, but it offers more insight into the character without having to put Anakin in the focus at all, a much appreciated aspect to these books.

Not only is Peril a prequel for QS, but it’s also a direct one for TPM, opening to a wide POV cast of familiar characters from the film, from Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to Senator Sheev Palpatine, giving readers little glimpses into how Padmé’s actions are effecting a certain Sith Lords’ plans and what the increased timetable means for the galaxy at large. With the increase of characters, it’s understandable some of them are one-off moments, but plenty we get several sections with, though even characters that seem main to the story drop off unexpectedly. A big deal is made at the beginning of the novel regarding how Padmé’s family is dealing with her new role, and how Padmé is dealing having to be largely cut off from them for anonymity purposes,* and then the Queen doesn’t think of them much nor does the family return to the story at all, which feels glaring at the end considering what happens. Padmé not reaching out to her family, at least to hear how they were affected, feels like a missed opportunity. What isn't missed by Johnston is keeping a handmaiden-first view to events we all know from the films, as QP offers a new and refreshing perspective on TPM that helps flesh out certain aspects, provide clarity, and offer new insights. That being said, how quickly the book shifts into TPM seems to take from the book's potential for original tales from her early rule, and waiting for the film's events to move some of the story along prolongs some conflicts. I did appreciate how it's not a complete retelling of the film, thus keeping the fresh perspective on its events, though it hops far too haphazardly through TPM, even for those who have seen the film more times then they can count, and makes for disjointed reading towards the end.

QP works excellently as a prequel for QS, but it does feel like not reading the latter before the former wouldn't make this as satisfying, though it'll certainly make one want to read Shadow directly afterwards. Even if I might've enjoyed Shadow more, it's not by much, and reading it easily begs one to read Peril, so fans of the original novel, handmaidens, and more Padmé content shouldn't be disappointed by picking this up!

NEXT UP, A FEW SPOILERS SO BEWARE!

TO AVOID THEM, SIMPLY DO NOT PRESS THE SPOILER BUTTON BELOW (this will be formatted to hide the spoilers with a button one can press when posted on my site)

One of the disappointments I had with QS was the implied but never confirmed relationship between Yané and Saché, something QP makes a bit more explicit this time around. It's still not a tactic confirmation, nothing like Aphra's relationships, but they save far more here than the subtext-laden version in QS.

Chapter 9 will likely be a lot of readers' favorite, as it dives into a lot of POVs with many recognizable and bigger name prequel-era characters, including Yoda and Shmi!

The final part of the book, a bookend to the opening of Padmé in a white dress, is a poetic and beautiful way to close out Peril by showing like daughter like mother, honoring a great actress and great character.

Fans of the handmaidens might want to check out the current volume of the Darth Vader comic series, because a VERY familiar face in both QP and QS happens to have a star appearance in its opening arc.


THAT'S IT, THE SPOILERS ARE DONE!

Here are a few other things:

*One of my biggest, though non-important, questions from the prequels and subsequent stories has been how all of Naboo didn't know Queen Amidala is Padmé Naberrie, but Jonhston digs into the anonymity aspect to their electoral process and my long running question now has a very satisfying and understandable answer.
I feel like this is almost my job at the moment, much like Veers Watch on Twitter, but yes, Queen's Peril does mention mynocks (Chapter 3)...though it's not in the most positive way.
For all that Peril does to set up the crisis on Naboo, I mainly appreciated how it helps make the whole taxation/blockade stuff make a lot more sense, and honestly, more interesting.
Cat Taber, voice of Padmé in The Clone Wars, will read the audiobook of Peril!
There's a line in Chapter 5, about a red comet, that's my favorite of the novel; it's a suitably apt description of Padmé.

Queen's Peril makes for a good addition to these Padmé and handmaiden focused series, as it provides key insight to many of Queen's Shadow's characters and developments, though it relies a little too much on The Phantom Menace and falls prey to a few other prequel problems that it's not as great as the first.

+ More handmaiden goodness!

+ Padmé and Sabé working through things

+ Unique view of The Phantom Menace's events...

- ...though it relies too much on those events

- Ending reads disjointed, jumpy

E.K. Johnston’s Queen’s Peril is set just a little while before Episode 1, The Phantom Menace. This was good and bad for me as a reader of Star Wars novels. Good because the first part of the novel focuses Amidala’s ascent to the throne on Naboo and the hiring of her handmaidens. This is a fascinating process that helped me really understand the famous scene in Attack of the Clones where Corte dies for her queen. And I’ll tell you that it wasn’t until reading this book that I really feel like I know Padme Amidala. The early chapters catch her in an internal struggle between being a politician, a daughter, and having that measured temperment. Johnston has a great way of showing the Queen’s plans mapped out in front of her and the process she takes to determine that path.

But at the same time the setting for me was troubling because I really thought it backed up too close to the action we have already seen in Episode 1. While told from a different perspective, I’d always rather read a new story or experience a unique arc from the SW universe. This has happened before in my reading and at times it is cringeworthy; other times, it can help us gain access to another character’s perspective and set up future actions. Ultimately, I felt this instance was caught up too much in canon for the plot to be compelling.

In short, I loved the character development and the great descriptions of the culture and politics of Naboo, but the plot didn’t develop enough because of it’s connect to canon for me to feel any kind of tension.

3 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Disney Publishing, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

E.K. Johnson’s Queen’s Peril is the prequel to her Queen’s Shadow, but likely more useful for fans. While Shadow followed Padmé as a new senator, befriending her future conspirators, Queen’s Peril fits more directly with main events. Likewise, Shadow sees the heroine bumbling about the senate trying to fit in and failing as the local schemes go over her head, while Padmé of Peril is competent and succeeds in her mission (in a storyline that indeed reflect the contrasting Padmés of Episodes I and II). As soon as she’s elected, the young queen works with Captain Panaka to create her handmaidens — a security detail of widely varied and talented individuals. First among them is Sabé, whose talent, beyond music, is in effacing herself and always willingly coming in second. She becomes the queen’s main decoy, but all learn the part, constructing a joint persona of Queen Amidala with a new voice and royal impassiveness.
Before Padmé has had a chance to make many policy decisions (except perhaps for the one that will leave her people precariously close to starving if their planet is embargoed), the Trade Federation launch their mischief. The book takes the queen and five handmaidens through the events of Phantom Menace, following those left behind on the planet and revealing how Padme’s closest friends faced the crisis with cleverness and courage. Since the events of the story’s beginning precipitate the Phantom Menace crisis, the book hangs together well as a single story, while offering perspective on the events of the film.
Queen’s Peril shows us a teenage girls’ realm where men are unwelcome and the girls shape each other’s identities as well as the planet’s future — it’s a nice change for Star Wars. Padmé takes an active hand in organizing her team’s perpetual deception but also willingly listens to the others and compromises to make them comfortable. As such, they evolve from strangers to friends. While events go on, readers fall in love with the individual handmaidens and discover how the inventor, forger, musician, and weaver all use their talents to reshape their world. Star Wars’ new message, that ordinary people can fight for their planets without being Jedi or chosen ones, thus comes into prominence. The young women are not only distinct but endearing and believable as they joke and sneak out at night. As they train in weaponry and pick locks, they establish themselves as clever and competent. Of course, when several fall in love, the young women must confront how they will handle the conflict between individualism and duty.
A frame references Leia in a sweet, beautiful fashion, playing with readers’ preconceptions as the frame in Queen’s Shadow did. Certainly, the two are a set, featuring the handmaidens as no other works have done (and one might remark on the fact that it’s taken two decades to expand on their and Padmé’s roles from Phantom Menace). At the same time, snapshots of Anakin and Jar-Jar’s thoughts are more distracting than helpful — a nod to fans but a digression from the story. Likewise, Padmé spends little time thinking about or establishing relationships with the Phantom Menace main cast, leaving her feeling a bit shallow in this part. The duology work well together, with Shadow offering the women’s resolutions, as each celebrates the end of Padmé’s queenship by choosing her own path and reassuming the goals she’d once placed on hold.

I tried to read the first book of this trilogy and just could not get into it.  After reading Queen's Peril, I now know that I need to return to Queen's Shadow.  This book was a great introduction to the viewpoint of Padme and her story.  I felt that it developed the characters to a point that I was interested in them.  It was interesting to see the story from a different viewpoint, even if you think that you already know the story.  This filled in some gaps.  There were a couple slow points of the story, but these were mostly used for character development.   I like seeing Padme get the story that she deserves.  Curious as to where the story goes from here after reading the last page.