Star Wars: The Clone Wars- Ambush adapted by Zachary Rau

Yoda is going to meet with the King of the Toydarians, Katuunko, to forge a treaty with them that will let the Alliance forces use this strategic world. But when Count Dooku sends Asajj Ventress to meet with the Toydarian King to try and persuade Katuunko to join with the Separatists, he claims that the Jedi are weak- so weak that they cannot even defend themselves!

Above the planet, Separatist forces attack the ship Yoda is travelling on. They are outnumbered, but Yoda takes three clone troopers with him and orders the captain to eject all the escape pods- including the one Yoda will be in. When he makes it to the surface, he tells King Katuunko that he looks forward to meeting with him. Asajj Ventress proposes a duel- she and her troops will try to kill Yoda on the way to the meeting place. If she succeeds, the planet will join with the separatists. Otherwise, the Toydarians will join with the Alliance. Yoda agrees to the test, and King Katuunko tells Asajj that she must make it a fair fight. She agrees.

Yoda and the Clone Troopers slowly make their way across Toydaria, ambushed at every turn by combat froids, tanks, and the other members of Asajj's arsenal. Thanks to the weapons of the Clone Troopers and Yoda's Jedi skills, they are able to overcome every obstacle in their way until nightfall, when the troopers warn him that they are running low on Ammo and should abandon the mission. Yoda asks to see their faces, and tells them that even though they are clones and look alike, they are different through the force and in their personalities. He tells them to stop depending on their weapons and focus on their other strengths. But can they outwit the last of the Separatist combat droids and win the test? And if they do, will Asajj Ventress take this lying down?

The book ends with a small side story. Princess Amidala has captured Nute Gunray, and two Jedi are escorting him to Coruscant. But an attack on the ship to free him means that both Jedi will have their hands full. Can Luminaria Unduli and Ahsoka Tano keep Nute Gunray alive and in custody when the attackers do their best to make sure he never testifies?

I never saw "The Clone Wars" movie, but reading this short graphic novel, which uses the same sorts of graphics, I can honestly say I wasn't all that impressed. The characters look downright ugly and deformed, and this made me only more determined *not* to see it.

The writing is okay but uninspired, and while I suppose kids wouldn't mind too much, the story is rather thin on the ground. I'm not sure if either story actually came out of the movie or if this was made up new for the comic. Again, having not seen the movie I don't know.

If you ask me, wasting time and money on this book is a laughable proposition. With Ugly art, a very short story that yet seems padded and bloated, I'd rather put my dollars elsewhere. Avoid if you can.