Festival of Warriors

Star Wars Episode I Adventures #10

by Ryder Windham

The Festival of Warriors is the most challenging athletic competition in Otoh Gunga. Hundreds of Gungans, including Boss Nass and Jar Jar Binks, participate in its main event, the Big Nasty Free-For-All. This year's Free-For-All is the nastiest yet, because of the unexpected arrivals of some very unfriendly droids.

Who will win the race…and save the Gungans?

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Gamebooks, Fiction, Childrens

92 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

About the author

Ryder Windham is an American sci-fi author who has written over sixty Star Wars books, including novels, comics, reference books, and so on. He has also written junior novelizations for Indiana Jones movies. Since 1993, he has been working on Star Wars projects either by himself or with other authors. His reference book Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide had been on the New York Times Best Seller list for three weeks in 2005. Although he has written lots of books, accepted interviews, and appeared at several fan-conventions, little is known about his personal life.

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is part of a series. The last book was the starting point of a new story arc. That being said, one could use this book as a starting point and be okay. In this one, the Gungans have their version of a spartan race.

I know this series is meant for children and maybe I shouldn't take these so seriously. I haven't been the biggest fan of this series as I actually gave up on it awhile back. I never do that. This book is a prime example of why I gave up on this series. After reading it I still don't know the purpose of this book. There were sentences that it seemed like they were going to go into the crux of the drama. The problem was that it never followed through with it. This book was similar to an opening act of a movie. During the opening act I would like to know the dilemma our heroes will face. I don't know what the dilemma is that will be explored in the upcoming books.

Actually saying this is like the opening act of a movie is giving it too much credit. This is the cold open of a movie before the credits even roll. If that was all that was shown in a movie people would want their money back. That is how I feel about this book.

[Robert Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐ A Noisy and Empty Adventure

Festival of Warriors is a weak and frustrating entry in the Episode I Adventures line. While the pacing is fast, that is the only positive element. The writing is dull, the festival framework is unconvincing, and Naboo as a setting is barely explored. Worldbuilding is thin, logic gaps are obvious, and the story never establishes meaningful stakes. The plot moves forward, but it does so mechanically, without clarity or purpose.

The reading experience is actively unpleasant. Jar Jar’s name is repeated constantly, and the heavy use of Gungan language quickly becomes grating. None of the characters feel distinct, relatable, or worth investing in, and there is no growth, conflict, or emotional payoff. The book fails to make the Gungans appealing or interesting, which is a serious problem given its focus. This is best suited only for very young Star Wars fans, and even then it is likely to be forgettable. Adult readers working through Legends will find little reason to recommend or remember it.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 1 out of 5]

Set in 32BBY

This one reads like an exam were the student had to write 35.000 words and he just used half of them with repeating the names again and again and again and.. again!

[Barbara Oudová Holcátová · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great job, someone realised Jar Jar as a book protagonist really doesn't work, and so we get a bunch of others cool gungans in this. Now if only they talked to each other in the gungan language, as would make sense (and could be "translated" into regular English), it would actually make a pretty good short adventure book for kids...

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 1 out of 5]

A slightly more coherent plot in this one, but the dialogue still makes me want to stab my eyes out. I remember being pleased to find secondhand copies of these books that looked completely unread. I envy the previous owners their blissful ignorance.

[Kat V · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a particularly great book. Should be read with the book before it, though it isn’t necessary.

[Gary Varga · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mini adventure which is made more interesting by exploring different characters and developing each of them, even if only a little.

[Shawn Fairweather · Rating 1 out of 5]

More non sense set out to give more background to Jar Jar Binks's character even though it is far from needed.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kid's novel is all about Gungans. My students loved hearing it just because of the funny way the Gungans talk.
The Gungans are having their annual Festival of Warriors, an athletic competition in Otoh Gunga. The main event is called the Big Nasty Free- For- All. Jar Jar decides to enter the competition to impress Boss Nass' niece, Major Fassa. This is a continuation story from the previous book, but if you haven't read the previous novel it really won't throw you off any.
Just before the Big Nasty is to begin Boss Nass gets the news that mackineeks (droids) have been spotted in Lake Umberbool where the competition is taking place. Boss Nass decides to continue with the competition and issues a challenge to the participants to bring back any mackineeks they find for extra points.
There is a role play companion book that goes along with this book (and this series) but the role play books are not necessary if you just want to read the novels.
Fun read for kids. Lots of action and lots of crazy Gungan talk :).

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a kid's role playing book that has a companion novel to give the beginning and ending of the story. You can do the role play without the novel, but the novel will enhance the story. In order to play you need dice (one ten-sided and one twenty-sided) as well as character, vehicle, weapon, and power cards. It is possible to 'lose' and have to restart the adventure, but this is rare.

In this adventure you are a Gungan competing in the Big Nasty Free-For-All, the main event of the Festival of Warriors. At the start of the Big Nasty it is discovered that the swamps have been invaded by meckaniks, or droids. As a result Boss Nass has asked all contestants to be on the look out for the invaders and will reward extra points to those who bring any back to the finish. You encounter several obsticles along the way, some because of droids and some because that's just how the Big Nasty works.

This is a fun, active book for kids and will help improve their reading and math skills as they work through the role play.