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.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book - detailing Padme's relationships with her group of handmaids - was very interesting to me, and I think was initially well-executed. However, about halfway through the book, the plot was fumbled with a good deal of point-of-view shifts that were not clear or necessary. I realize that this was to cover plot overlap with Phantom Menace; however, I think a consistent narrative from Padme and the handmaids would have better served the initial point of the story.

Additionally, the Kindle edition of this title is full of formatting errors, making this difficult to get through; I hope that this is straightened out prior to publication.

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and Netgalley for this ARC!

E.K. Johnston is no stranger to the Star Wars universe, nor is she a stranger to writing about Padme Amidala’s story. In her 2019 story, “Queen’s Shadow,” she wrote about Padme stepping down from her rule as queen and her transition to a senator. In “Queen’s Peril,” though, Johnston takes a step back to view the beginning of Padme’s rule as queen of Naboo, creating a fun, though at times lackluster, story about the beginning of the Skywalker saga that fans of the series will have a great time revisiting.

“Queen’s Peril” primarily follows the newly elected Pamde and her handmaidens as they meet and come together for the first time, and how they navigate the overlooming problem of the book, the forces of the Trade Federation.

What I found particularly great about this book was how it showcased Padme’s personality and abilities at such a young age. Amidala's resilience and flexibility are two of her main driving personality traits in this book as well as her kind heart and the care she shows for her handmaidens.

Her handmaidens are another great part of this book that was interesting and new. 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.

It wouldn’t be E.K. Johnston either without a couple of character perspective changes, and this book is no exception. There are a couple of times the book switches perspectives to show characters such as Darth Maul, Qui Gon and a young Obi Wan, as well as a very young, pod racing Anakin Skywalker. Whatsmore, there are even more cameo appearances by a couple of other beloved characters from the prequels, which brings up another fascinating point.

While I am in agreement the prequels were not the greatest movies in the history of film, I still believe the story they tell is both important to the Star Wars universe and has a very interesting story to tell! This book, which happens during the time of Episode I, fills in some of the gaps and makes them easier to look fondly at.

That being said, no book is fully perfect and there were some minor problems with it. The main one being that the middle is a little lackluster and had me dozing off at times. It was easy to read the words and not process what was happening which made me a little confused later on in the story, but it was easy to guess what was going on.

To fans wanting to learn more about the extended Star Wars canon and about the characters of the prequels, specifically Amidala, this is a great book to read. It’s a quick and easy read that is not only fun, but enjoyable and will have you wanting to go watch the prequels or the Clone Wars series again. It brings back attention to a lesser-loved movie trilogy and is another win for author E.K. Johnston.

Queen's Peril follows Padmé Amidala right after being elected Queen of Naboo. We get to see the establishment of the Royal handmaidens, delving deeper into each individual and what exactly their role is, while also learning more about how Padmé governs. As someone who isn't the biggest fan of Padmé, the book did a good job of keeping me engaged with her story. The development of each Handmaiden was also done well, with each Handmaiden receiving a chapter talking about their past. However, I'm not all about praise as I do have criticisms which I address below.

This book serves as a prequel to E. K. Johnston's past novel Queen's Shadow, which highlights Padmé's transition from Queen to Senator. I think Queen's Shadow was more interesting to me because Padme has to tackle problems that she has little to no control over. The problems that Padmé face in Peril are relatively inconsequential when compared to the bold problems in Shadow. Also, in Shadow, there's a greater opportunity to show the first time characters meet Padme, such as Bail Organa or Clovis.

At some point the novel does cross over with The Phantom Menace, very much in the vain of the Siege of Mandalore by showing us moments we didn't get to see in the movie & extensions of certain scenes. Going into the book, I was most excited for this crossover. However, so many interesting arcs were beginning to develop, such as Padmé coming to grips with being the queen, her relationship with the handmaidens and Chief of Security Quarsh Panaka, and a romance. These are all story threads that get cut off when the book overlaps with Episode 1; from that point, the book either forgets about those past story arcs or they get a hasty ending. While seeing the movie in a different way was fun, it wasn't worth the sacrifice of the prior developing story.

One of the last things I want to cover is a bit nitpicky but I thought I'd address it anyways. During some chapters, I felt like some of the problems characters had were more in the vein of our world rather than a galaxy far far away. It's similar to when you see a word that's apart of our society, such as computer or phone, in a Star Wars book and it completely takes you out of reading. If you read or have read the book, hopefully you'll know what I'm talking about.

The book ends pretty abruptly and I was hoping for a bit more in terms of a conclusion. After reading the novel I can't really say I learned anything new about Padmé that I didn't already know. In a time where we are getting amazing Star Wars stories so often, I see Queen's Peril being overshadowed quickly. I would recommend reading Queen's Shadow first, and if you enjoy that then going on to read Queen's Peril.

I loved Queen's Shadow, and while there were things I loved about Queen's Peril, on the whole it fell a little short for me. I enjoyed the first two-thirds much more than the last third. Seeing the handmaidens come together, learn each other, build their functional cohort out of their disparate skills, that was all magnificent. But I kept waiting for *more* than never came -- some challenge that involved all of them, that would let us see them click together and synchronize. We never quite get there, though. The sector-wide summit which might've given us that opportunity is instead a somewhat stunted affair.

Instead, the last third of the novel careens into the plot of The Phantom Menace. If you do not know TPM very, very well, you're going to be lost. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, a lifelong memorizer of trivia and world-building details, I last watched TPM a few months ago, and I still had trouble tracking what was going on. The scenes jump place and time with no preamble and very little stage-setting. Because, to its credit, it's not trying to novelize the movie, we instead get scenes that feel like they were left on the cutting-room floor, but with no material to stitch them back into a cohesive narrative.

I was also confused by the inclusion of side viewpoints that never went anywhere. Chancellor Valorum, for instance, gets a POV segment early on, and then we never hear from him again. We're inexplicably treated to insights from Jar-Jar and Darth Maul, among others. All the side POVs led me to wonder who this book is supposed to be written for -- and I imagine Johnson was trying to thread a somewhat bent needle, addressing fans of TPM, those who don't know it well, those who know Queen'Shadow well, those who don't, fans of The Clone Wars and its expansions to the Star Wars mythos... It's a lot to keep up with, but the random POVs didn't add anything to the overall story of Queen's Peril, and they're all things that, I feel, get covered elsewhere in Star Wars canon. This book would've been stronger with a narrower focus, never turning the camera away from the cluster of handmaidens.

I so wanted to love this book, I really did. I'm so excited for more female-focused entries into Star Wars canon, and there really is some magnificent material in here, showcasing the political applications of traditionally feminine skills. On the whole, though, I kept feeling like something wonderful was being dangled in front of me and then yanked away.

I could not get into this. The writing was disjointed and jumped around between characters so often, and when it did, it was super confusing. I really wanted to learn more about Padmé but I couldn’t get through the writing, and I didn’t feel like sticking through to the end.

For reference, I think I would consider myself a mild Star Wars fan. I have seen all the movies except the latest, though I'm not sure I could tell you what happened in each one. Based on my somewhat limited knowledge, I think this book takes place between Episode I and Episode II. Obviously it follows Padme, but it really dives into her scheme with her maids dressed as her.

I think the intended audience of this book is avid Star Wars fans because I always felt like I only 75% understood what was going on. I followed the main story line easily, but the subplot was very confused me. Also, the synopsis tells us that Naboo is invaded - that doesn't happen until you're 60% through. However, I do recognize that the bulk of the beginning was dedicated to the relationships between Padme and all the maids and her security detail.

I did really enjoy the relationships in this book and the character development, especially between Padme and Sabe. The last 30% or so was so intense and I loved how connected I felt to the characters during that part. I would totally recommend this book if you're into Star Wars and want to understand more of Padme's past. It's a pretty quick and fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Publishing for an advanced readers copy.

A fun four star read. It answers a question I’ve always had: How did Padme become Amidala? Well, as it turns out, not alone. She won the election on Naboo and from the beginning instituted changes that would have greatly aided Naboo had the Trade Federation and Darth Sideous not been part of the equation.

One of the best things about it is the way we get to know her entire retinew of handmaids and the way they work. Each girl is as distinct as the skills she brings to the group. Their relationships are complicated and real. And the almost overbearing guard 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.

I’ll keep this spoiler free: it’s a really fun read. We learn more about Naboo, young Padme and everything and it took to make Amidala the queen she was. It wraps up with the invasion of Naboo, the appearance of the Jedi and Jar Jar Binks, nothing that isn’t already familiar to anyone who will read this book. Those well known events aren’t the only point. How the girls deal with it, with the fall out of the invasion and what it costs them and their people are the things we never would have had a chance to see otherwise.

I’d recommend this book to any Star Wars fan.

Star Wars fan here and very excited to share this book with everyone. The author did not disappoint whats so ever. My favorite Star Wars character is and always will be Padme. I truly believe that Star Wars would not be anything without this character, Padme is and the reason why Star Wars exist. There is no Luke Skywalker, without Padme there is no Princess Leia and that also means no Darth Vader.

This story is out of this world bringing you back to the very beginning of the story before there was a Darth Vader in the galaxy. The author brought us into Padmes world and how she was elected as Queen of Naboo. If you didn't know Padme was only 14 years old elected as Queen. That's a huge responsibility to have for a girl at her age.

The story focuses on Padme also known as Queen Amidala and her handmaidens. Captain Panaka finds a group of girls each with different personalities. Padmes' intentions with her handmaidens are to have them protect her with there identities rather than using a blaster.

"No monarch has had a bodyguard like that since the last dispute with the Gungans, and that was generations ago."

The first handmaiden was Tsabin. The Queen and Tsabin reached a strong bond between the two sharing everything to understand each other. Four more girls had joined the Queen, Rabene Tonsort who is a gifted artist and actress, Eirtama Ballory a scientist and engineer, Sayan Higin a seamstress and maker, and Sashah Adova the smallest one in the group.

The story shares the bond between the young girls with big responsibilities to the Queen. The author did wonderful putting this story together sharing with her readers a bit more about Padme and where she comes from and what she did once she was elected as Queen of Naboo. I enjoyed every second of this book and looked forward to the release date to have this beautiful book cover added to my Star Wars book collection.

Star Wars: Queen's Peril offers a deeper look at Padme in her early years as Queen Amidala. It showcases her relationships with the handmaidens and also looks at how each of them were recruited into the Queen's service. I did not think that it would take us into the events of Phantom Menace, but it did, though it was very fast and sometimes I had to remind myself at what point in the movie the events were taking place in. The characters felt as though they could have been fleshed out a bit more, though I liked the relationship between Padme and Tsabin (Sabe). The novel truly shows how their friendship is formed, and that friendship is shown even further in Star Wars: Queen's Shadow.

While this book is definitely young adult, there were times when it felt more middle grade. The writing was simplistic and quite easy to read, but at the same time there were moments when the teenage characters seemed very grown up, and I had to remind myself they were teenagers and not in their twenties!

Overall, a good addition to the Star Wars canon, especially for those that are fans of the prequels and want more knowledge into the background of Phantom Menace. I definitely recommend to young fans of Star Wars and fans of Padme/Amidala.