PUBLISHER: PENGUIN AUDIO | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
The second original Star Wars drama released by Penguin Audio throws us inside the life of Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, the rogue archaeologist who is equal parts Harley Quinn and Ace Ventura. Told from her own unique point of view, Aphra is always on the lookout for the angle, whether it be in her dealings with her employer Darth Vader (keen to redeem himself after the Death Star’s destruction), his master Emperor Palpatine, rebels Han Solo and Leia Organa, or her sometime associate, the towering Wookiee Black Krrsantan. We may only hear the story from her point of view, so tales of her heroism are assured, but there’s no doubt that Aphra is a survivor and a smart one at that.
Flashbacks to her university years reveal a wasted career in academia and a simmering romance with fellow student Sana Starros, who she later reunites with as her misadventures continue. Her childhood is also investigated and sees a young Chelli travelling the galaxy with her father who is keen to stretch her inquisitive mind, and a cautious mother who she loses in tragic circumstances. Aphra may be a sarcastic, often-frustrating character, but her past was forged in tragedy and loss, like so many notable Star Wars characters.
Emily Woo Zeller leads the show as Doctor Aphra with a pitch-perfect performance, spinning us from future to past in a retelling of the early issues of the first Darth Vader series from Marvel. With so much ground to cover, writer Sarah Kuhn does a stellar job of compiling all of these plot threads, bringing them together into a cohesive whole as we learn more and more about the good doctor. A braggart with a callous streak she may be, but pick away at the façade and you find there’s a more sympathetic character than first appearances might present.
Audiobook legend Marc Thompson is Darth Vader, in a performance not imitating James Earl Jones, but instead evoking the dark lord’s spirit, much like Brock Peters performance did in the radio plays. Sean Kenin as homicidal droid Triple-Zero is a treat, delivering a performance that evokes The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, while Nicole Lewis nails it as Sana Starros. The attraction between Starros and Aphra may come off like your granny’s favourite romance novel, but the attraction between the characters is clear, and Aphra’s need and desire for someone to share her adventures fizzes off the page. She may like to give off the impression that she’s a loner, but she’s fooling no one.
At under six hours, Doctor Aphra is shorter than your regular unabridged book, but that doesn’t harm this tale at all. We’re given a bright and breezy tour through the life and schooling of the character, perfectly timed as the second volume of her Marvel comic launches, to accompany Hasbro figures, Gentle Giant busts, and other media. And yes, a sequel story is very much desired.
