Long before Ann Crispin fleshed out Han Solo’s life, someone else had already explored some of his adventures.
The trilogy of books about Han Solo was by Brian Daley, who also scripted the radio drama versions of the Original Trilogy.
Han’s adventures are in the Corporate Sector, which is semi independent from the Empire. He has both Chewbacca with him and his beloved Millenium Falcon. He is free to fly, but cash poor. He is on the run from the Corporate Sector authorities who take a dim view of smugglers as well as from loan sharks.
Introduced and reappearing years later:
The Corporate Sector itself is mentioned repeatedly over the years, even in the prequel stories where they are clashing with Naboo artisans and Padme has to negotiate with them.
Badure, an instructor from the Imperial Academy Han once attended. He reappears in New Jedi Order. We also hear hints of how Han was court-martialed from the Imperial Navy over a certain wookiee. The story of Han and the Imperial Academy is expanded on by Ann Crispin’s Han Solo trilogy.
Also expanded on is why he fled to the Corporate Sector in the first place. One of his missions was to look up Doc and his Outlaw Techs, who would be mentioned in Dark Empire as being the best in the business for hot starships with owners who don’t want any questions asked.
Roa and his wife Lwyll also are expanded on as Han’s former smuggling mentor in the Ann Crispin books. Roa makes another appearance in the New Jedi Order.
The Freedom’s Sons is a throw away line in the books about a heroic group, but is used in West End Games for an organization of vigilante sorts who supported the Republic in the Clone Wars. We meet them and their leader at last in Jedi Trial fighting alongside Anakin Skywalker and Nejaa Halcyon.
Ruria, homeworld of Skynx, a fellow adventurer on one of the Falcon’s quests, is mentioned in later stories.
Bollux, the labor droid, is mentioned again when Han meets a similar droid again in New Jedi Order.
Z-95 Headhunter, this ship began here but continued to be a workhorse of a fighter, being used by the rebellion and on into the New Republic. Mara Jade has one in Jedi Academy by Kevin Anderson, Luke flies one undercover in Allegiance by Timothy Zahn. Wedge Antillies flew one in Dark Horse Comics (though the name was Z-95 it was mistakenly illustrated as an X-Wing.) According to the episode guide, it also appears in The Clone Wars TV series. It is used or mentioned in stories from the Bantam era as well as the Del Rey era, and was expanded on by West End Games
Spray / Odumin, a Corporate Sector leader, introduces his homeworld of Tynna, which comes under attack in the New Jedi Order.
Han’s encounter with Kamar insects leaves him with issues years later, when his daughter becomes involved with the killik species of insects in the Dark Nest Crisis.
Gladiator Droids as Bollux the Labor Droid was forced to face and the concept of Droid fighting reappears in Dark Horse Comics Droids Graphic Novels.
Han and Chewbacca’s issue with slavers is first revealed here, with them going head to head with slavers who try and force them to move their ‘wares’. It’s later brought up that Chewbacca was a slave, and their opinion of slavers is reinforced in both Ann Crispin’s trilogy and mentioned in the Thrawn trilogy.
The Corporate Sector’s Star’s End prison used stasis fields to keep prisoners suspended in time, long before The Empire Strikes Back used carbon freeze to do the same to Han.
Lift Tubes, elevators that use forced air instead of a moving platform to shift between floors are used Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy
Nashtahs, hunting beasts, are mentioned in other stories. Aurra Sing, the bounty hunter in the Dark Horse Comic books was nicknamed Nashtah.
The Corporate Sector would be visited again in Agent of the Empire: Iron Eclipse (Dark Horse Comics) starring Imperial agent Jahan Cross. Han Solo and Chewie also make an appearance. This story is set during the same time period as the Han Solo Adventures.
