Dark Journey (Star Wars, The New Jedi Order #10) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Despite the great ramp up and action packed novel that Star By Star was (book 9 in the New Jedi Order Series), I felt this sequel did nothing to advance the overall plot of the Yuuzhan Vong war.
Hopefully you'll continue to read the rest of my review with an open mind on why I am critical on this latest adventure. First and foremost, there is nothing wrong with the writing style; it is easy to read and descriptions are colorful and fun enough, but it's the actual lack of content that disapoints me.
After events in Star By Star, Jaina Solo, Zekk, Tenal Ka, Ganner and Lobacca have escaped the clutches of the Vong by using Nom Anor's analog frigate and eventually find there way to the Hapes Cluster (introduced way back in the Courtship Of Princess Leia). Once here, Jaina is briefly re-united with Han, Leia, Luke and Mara, but the reunion doesn't last long.
Fearing Jacen Solo met a simliar fate of that to Anakin, the main plot line of this book is the seemingly downward spiral of Jaina towards the Dark Side. Vengance is on her mind, and she demonstrates how cunning she can be by starting to taunt the Yuuzhan Vong into comming to get her. However, this is done at a cost of self-discovery and maybe some heightened tesion between her and her Jedi peers. Ironically, through all this, it is once rouge Jedi, Kyp Durron, who finally sees the errors of his ways over the last few years and decides now he needs to get back on track and bring Jaina back in line as well.
Tied into this is a political scandal with the ex-Queen Mother of Hapes and her bid for power of the Hapes thrown. And if she can't have it, she will find a suitable Queen to be her puppet (enter a typical re-hashed plot of Prince Isolder being manipulated and Han being bumped out of the way).
It was also kinda silly to see that the Vong war-masters son, Khalee Lah, was introduced into the series as someone who may capture Jaina. Well, it could have been a good idea if he was actually utilized much more than he actually was.
Han and Leia play some minor roles in this novel (namely at Anakins funeral which was very anti-climatic for a Star Wars novel), with Luke & Mara playing absolutely none. None of the rest of the familar cast was even present. By the way, with such a large war going on where is the Imperial Remanent, Hutt's, Peace Brigade, etc..etc..? A total lack of any mention or presennce in this novel really detracts from the overall feeling of the war.
The only interesting points in this novel were these: 1) A slight tease of a possible relationship between Jaina and Jag Fel (Baron Fel's son)...which never ends up going anywhere so I have no idea why it was included, and 2) Jaina and Lobacca discover a way using Vong bio-technology to confuse the enemy ships in battles. This may have a dramatic effect on future novels and how the war progresses.
However, despite these two small shiny spots, the novel was pretty slow, little action, and long on Hapes politics.

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