Episode I Adventures #14
Podrace to Freedom
by A.L. Singer

Published by Scholastic

Scott's Rating:   1.5 out of 4

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This is the fourteenth book in the Star Wars Episode I Adventures series. It is a game created by Scholastic in which the reader follows the story, then plays the RPG game that supplements it. It is only available in one of three ways: by ordering it from the Scholastic school book fair or school order form, through the form stuck within Jedi Apprentice #3, #6, or #7, or by picking it up on the secondary market (eBay, used book stores, etc.). In any case, it is not easy to find at all.

This book is a simple retelling of the Tatooine scenes from Episode I from the point of view of Anakin. It starts with Anakin picking up parts for C-3PO from Jawas, then leads into the junk shop scene, the scene at the Skywalker hovel, and the Pod Race. The book ends with the group going to Coruscant.

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Scott:

    Like Episode I Adventures #13, this book is a disappointment because it only retells the events in the movie. It's a good enough adaptation, but there's nothing outstanding about it. I suppose the game is fun for kids, but that's the only novelty. There are a couple of scenes that were not in the film which were good. There's the scene with Anakin and the Jawas, then a scene where Anakin awakes before the Pod Race to see Padme watching him. But that's about the only new thing it has to offer.

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Scott:

    My gripes are the same as for Episode I Adventures #13 - the book should have been an original story like the first 12 books in the series and it was way too short. Kids aren't getting the amount of book they should for what they pay.

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Scott:

    I don't really have anything to add here.

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