Silver Star (Seals: The Warrior Breed, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)H. Jay Riker starts of his SEALs series with a great book about the start of the legendary program. This book draws you in, and grabs you. The end is so shocking and suspenseful, that I was almost in tears after I put it down! Read this book, it is great.

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Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters Review

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(More customer reviews)Dick Staub makes some very good points and conections to the training of a Jedi in the ways of the Force in Star Wars and the walk of a Christian following God in life today. However, he does misquote and misinterpret many quotes from the Star Wars movies, and I even found a misquotation from the Bible. He makes good points, but these details were distracting to me as I read. I am not yet finished and will leave more once I am done.
After finishing this book it occured to me that Dick Staub needs to take some time to do a couple of things. First he needs to re-read the Bible and get facts correct (He quoted Moses as saying something to Joshua, but Moses was dead at the time and God told it to Joshua). Second, he needs a simple commentary for the passages he misinterprets (He says David had Uriah killed to be the only one Bathsheba loved, He had Uriah killed to cover up his sin). Third he needs to re-watch the Star Wars movies and not bend the quotes of the characters to fit his book (He talks about Obi-Wan asking Yoda for help in Episode II and portrays the event differently than it happens, as well as bends Yoda's reaction to fit what he is trying to show). This book is not what I thought it was, and any Christian who is young in their walk should not read this.

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All the Windwracked Stars (Sci Fi Essential Books) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is set in the same world of her stories 'Ice' & 'The Devil You Don't' from her collection The Chains That You Refuse. In fact, 'Ice' seems to be an excerpt or something that expanded into the novel, & from side references in Windwracked Stars it looks like 'The Devil You Don't' actually happened too. But you don't need to have read either story to read the novel.
Muire is a waelcyrge, a valkyrie in the Norse sort of world of the book. Ragnarok happened. Unfortunately, she ran away. She comes back after the battle to find everything she has ever known dead, except for an almost-dead valraven (two-headed intelligent pegasus) and the empty place where the body of Mingan the Wolf (sort of Loki & Fenris combined) had lain. The valraven convinces Muire to make a stab at living, at least as an emotional cripple, & in turn is reborn when Muire asks for a miracle.
Fast forward a few thousand years to a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the last city alive on Valdygard (the earth/planet). It's protected from the wastes outside by the Technomancer, & Muire is living a quiet life when she suddenly meets both the reincarnation of Strifbjorn, the einherjar (angel/Norse god) she had loved from afar, & the still-dangerous old incarnation of Mingan, who vampyrically kills a man before disappearing. Muire has to deal with a shock to her emotional stability & the threat of her old enemy's reappearance.
Elizabeth Bear seems to like Norse mythology, as it was also the background for A Companion to Wolves, co-written with Sarah Monette. This is a novel about surviving and about being reborn, & reminded me at various times of parts of Bujold's A Civil Campaign ('the trouble with oaths of the form, death before dishonor, is that eventually, given enough time and abrasion, they separate the world into just two sorts of people: the dead, and the forsworn'), my favourite Fire Logic, by Laurie J Marks, & parts of Diane Duane. It also has intelligent animal-people (including a catgirl with a whip) who serve the Technomancer, called moreaux in a nod to HG Wells. I was waiting the whole book for some kind of reference to C'Mell (which didn't come). It was a really hard book to put down, & I liked it very much.

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The Bialien Trilogy: Rise of the Bialiensapien: Human Evolved Review

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(More customer reviews)"'The Bialien Trilogy - Rise of the Bialiensapien: Human Evolved' by Vlane Carter is not your typical sci-fi novel. Think of a comic book that uses words instead of illustrations and you might come close. One thing that the writer certainly has is imagination. It is written very visually. Bialien follows the journey of a nineteen-year old named Jaden, who travels to a far galaxy and back to Earth. Along his travels he meets up with creative characters and clever technology. If you are a reader that enjoys details, Vlane writes convincing science to back up his creativity.
Bialien begins quickly and doesn't let up. Jaden's journey ends up back on Earth with him having super human powers and the help from an entertaining sidekick. Due to time distillation, he finds himself young while the planet has changed rapidly. Technology has changed, but ignorance still rears its ugly head. Jaden, knowing of the impending danger approaching, must battle to save the planet with a corrupt government in power and also save the girl. The rapid pace keeps the reader moving forward, but I found that some of the action scenes were a drawn out.
You may tell by his style that Vlane is very passionate about his writing. It takes time and effort to envision and write a novel of this length without losing the energy throughout it. Bialien is his first novel, and, from his marketing material and website, certainly not his last. It is always interesting to see the first story written and how writing styles evolve from book to book. Let's see where Volume Two takes us." - TBR TopBookReviewers

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*PLEASE NOTE*
"The BIAlien Trilogy" is now called "BIAlien Series" and is a total of 12 books.

This novel is:

"VOLUME I.RISE OF THE BIALIENSAPIEN: HUMAN EVOLVED PART 1"

There are three parts/books to volume I.1/3.
----------------------------------------------

A New Sci-fi, Space, Action, Adventure and Romance graphic novel series.

There are over 45 illustrations and two animation videos for this Volume I series.

[PROLOGUE BELOW]

BIAlien - (An alien of two worlds) Where fiction, science, religion and technology collide.

Some of the topics BIAlien covers are: Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Exotic Matter, Nanotechnology, future green energy saving technologies, plasma fusion, string theory, quantum mechanics, future relationships, space exploring, new ways of traveling through space (optic-warp), UFO theories, government conspiracies, future government weapons, gravity manipulating and human body evolving.

The series is broken down as follows:

VOLUME I 'Rise of the BIAliensapien: Human Evolved" part 1

VOLUME I 'Rise of the BIAliensapien: Human Evolved" part 2

VOLUME I 'Rise of the BIAliensapien: Human Evolved" part 3

VOLUME II 'Revenge of the Darclonians" part 1
VOLUME II 'Bellona's Rebellion" Part 2
VOLUME II 'Galactic wars " Part 3

VOL IIIPart 1,VOL IIIPart 2,VOL III Part 3Spin offs: 'Andromedian Wars" mini-series.'The original BIAlien", 'Bellona chronicles"

PROLOGUE

An average teenager Jaden Marino discovers a UFO landing one evening in upstate NY. The government is also looking for the mysterious UFOin the area. The government eventually follows him to it while trying to kill him. He hides inside of the advanced nanotechnology UFO while the government tries to take it away to Area 51 on a trailer. His mind goes into a comatose state and he has an out-of-the-body experience.The spaceship translates his English language from his mind into its language, enabling him to control the UFO with his mind. As he tries to fly away, the government sends all of their best and top-secretaircraft to intercept this very advanced spacecraft. Jaden quickly learns what this spaceship is capable of and goes against the best pilots in an intense chase over NY. Eventually he leaves Earth andtravels 2.1 million light-years into the Andromeda Galaxy. He learns of an advanced alien species called Andromedians, who are 70,000 yearsahead of humans. The Andromedians are peaceful explorers and their thinking is very far ahead of our own.
Jaden comes back to Earth eighteen years later and is aware of an alien conspiracy that is about to take place on Earth. He tries to warn people, but everyone thinks he is crazy. They lock him up in a mental ward. Society, relationships, values and technology has changed on Earth. He has a microscopic artificial intelligence alien companion in his mind helping him along the way, called AI. His body begins developing its advanced alien nanotechnology weapons system to work onEarth. After the government and citizens do not listen, he tries to help the people he cares about while the government places him on a terrorist list and uses their full military forces to kill him. Hegoes against the government's future weapons, Motherdrone (a supercomputer that controls all UAV drone crafts), super exoskeletonsoldiers, SWATbots, thermobaric weapons and himself. At the same time, a bad alien race, called Darclonians, are implementing their silent planned strike on humans. An energy knight is the Darclonians new powerful weapon that can manipulate dark energy. Unbelievable moviestyle action sequences throughout the book and an ending you won't stop talking about. Jaden Marino's adventure of a lifetime begins.

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Read synopsis and more about this exciting new novel at the www . BIAlien . com website.

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Missing, Presumed Wed: An Elizabeth Pepperhawk/Avivah Rosen Mystery (Five Star First Edition Mystery) Review

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(More customer reviews)I thought I'd found all the good mystery series. This title is the first one of this series I've read, and I'm looking forward to going back to read the others. The writing and storytelling are right up there with any of the major authors. It's too bad that the publisher didn't take the book as seriously as it deserves. The print style and page layout are more in line with a self-published volume, and there were several homonym errors, such as "vice" when "vise" should have been used. With proper attention and promotion, I would have discovered this author sooner. Thank goodness for my public library, which purchased and featured the book. I would recommend this book to fans of anyone from Lee Child to Agatha Christie.

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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Review

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(More customer reviews)This book included 12 adventures:
1. A Scandal in Bohemia
2. The Red-Headed League
3. A Case of Identity
4. The Boscombe Valley Mystery
5. The Five Orange Pips
6. The Man with the Twisted Lip
7. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
8. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
9. The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
10. The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
11. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
12. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
Great classic literature. I really enjoy reading Holmes and Watson's adventures, solving the mystery, and putting the puzzles together.

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The Nanotech War (Star Trek Voyager) Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, don't be misled by the cover art. Don't *ever* be misled by cover art! Haven't we all learned this lesson? Although intriguing, it does not mean this is a P/7 story, as some avid P/Ters were certain of when this book first appeared. While the story's key players happen to be Paris and Seven, their plotlines go in different directions.
In fact, this story, set after the Paris/Torres nuptials but before Miral, has enough P/T moments in it to qualify as naughty fanfic, if lines like "And that was all either of them said for quite some time." or "Then she kissed him. Hard." were expanded a paragraph or two. As an avid P/Ter myself, I was able to fill in those particular blanks very nicely, thank you. And speaking of Miral, I don't think this story is set too much before her. Torres is nauseous enough times to make me suspicious, and one time she actually pukes, so, hey, you do the math.
Obviously, a story about people who use nanotechnology almost exclusively would eventually involve Seven rather intimately, but the Paris subplot leaks dangerously into the gratuitous plot device, involving as it does "accidental" kidnapping and amnesia in Our Favorite Pilot. I'll let you figure out what happens when he's returned to the ship without his memory. (These people, by the way, named the Chiar, were described as looking something like St. Bernard dogs, but I kept calling them the Chair and imagining my dining room. Funny what a one-letter switch will do to a word, huh?)
Janeway, unfortunately, does little in this book but stomp from the bridge to her ready room and figure *everything* out in the last dozen pages or so. Fortunately, we've seen this enough times in Trek, so the "too much, too fast," ending is no surprise.
And you can see, after all this, I still gave the book four stars. That's because: a) I love Star Trek Voyager, and b) I thought it was an enjoyable read, if not a memorable one. Despite the numerous typos and odd repeated use of the same word in the same sentence (i.e., "Seven shut the tricorder and headed for the mouth of the alley, her mouth set in a grim line."), there were enough clever moments to make this book worthwhile.
One final note of caution: If you're not a fan of C/7, then you'd better watch your step with this one. It is most certainly pointing in that direction. But at least we're given a clue about how C/7 got its start, something distinctly missing from the show. And that clue was believeable and well-written, IMNSHO.

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Tempest (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 3) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Star Wars Extended Universe (EU) continues to grow. The Legacy of the Force (LOTF) series, written by Karen Traviss, Aaron Allston, and of course Troy Denning seems to be generating about four books a year. In this part of the EU, the old Empire is gone, but forming a new 'Galactic Alliance' is difficult. Local warlords gain control of one or perhaps a few planets and must be corraled into line. And where warlords exist, there will be rebels, insurgents and warfare.
All of this comes into action in the LOTF, along with personal problems between family. In my opinion this is one of the better series in the EU. It has more depth of characters, more interpersonal conflicts that make sense, and a more reasonable setting than many others.
Marc Thompson also adds a good bit of depth to the reading of this book. His voice comes through clear and easy to understand with enough emotion to help you believe in the situations as they develop.

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Star Wars: Panel to Panel Volume 2: Expanding the Universe (Star Wars (Dark Horse)) (v. 2) Review

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(More customer reviews)Star Wars: Panel to Panel Vol. 2 is an interesting book. It's part comic book, part art collection, and part Star Wars Expanded Universe history all rolled into one gorgeous package. The book takes a look at the Expanded Universe of Star Wars as created by Dark Horse Comics since 1991. Since that time, Dark Horse has done a magnificent job in filling in the history both before, after, and even during the time of the two Star Wars movie trilogies. Dark Horse has released dozens of series over the year, further enriching and fine-tuning the Star Wars universe.
In Star Wars: Panel to Panel Vol. 2, you get a blend of traditional comic panel art along with full page cover and splash page pinups culled from the various Star Wars comic series produced by Dark Horse over the past 16 years. The book is formatted chronologically in terms of the Star Wars Universe timeline. Randy Stradley provides text captions for each piece of art.
The history stretches back five thousand years before the Battle of Yavin as depicted in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope. During this time the Sith were not limited to just a master and an apprentice but indeed, there was an entire Sith empire as depicted in Tales from the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith. The Sith Empire would eventually fall and lie dormant for a thousand years until the events in The Sith War, in which Jedi would battle Jedi.
A thousand years before the Battle of Yavin, the war between the Jedi and Sith all came to a head in the series Jedi Vs. Sith from 2001. Some of the events depicted in this book include the detonation of a Thought Bomb, the most terrible weapon of the Sith which killed nearly every Sith and Jedi on the planet. The dramatic page from this series is included which shows Darth Bane taking the young Jedi girl Zannah as his apprentice and forever after the Sith would only number two.
The Second chapter is Countdown to Empire and starts with a magnificent full page painting of the nefarious Darth Maul by Tsuneo Sanda. Much of this chapter deals with the Jedi hero Ki-Adi-Mundi and the Jedi-hunting bounty hunter Aurra Sing. Ken Kelly, one of the premiere fantasy and Sci-Fi artists around provides a breathtaking painting of Aurra Sing battling Ki-Aki-Mundi.
The Dark Times is that period between the time when Anakin becomes Vader and we first meet Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode IV. Dark Horse began to explore this fascinating period in the 2006 series Dark Times with stunning artwork by Douglas Wheatley. Boba Fett is also fleshed out in 2006's Boba Fett: Man on a Mission with art by Adam Hughes. Fett fans are sure to love the six pages of art featuring their favorite bounty hunter.
The Rebellion is the fourth chapter and is the era that fans are most familiar with, dealing with the original three Star Wars films. Although we know how the story begins and ends, that has not stopped Dark Horse from telling some outstanding stories that take place between each film and even side stories during each film. Biggs Darklighter, a minor character in Star Wars, finally gets fleshed out in dramatic fashion in the Star Wars: Empire series, perhaps Dark Horse's best Star Wars series ever.
As you read through this book two things hit you right away: The first is the care and reverence in which Dark Horse has treated Star Wars. Sure they may be under the careful eye of Lucasfilms but the license has become their bread and butter and they are not about to screw it up. Second, Dark Horse has always provided its Star Wars series with top flight artists and much of it is on display in this book. Panel to panel and cover to cover, this is the sweetest eye candy for Star Wars fans.
REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

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From 5,000 years before Luke Skywalker first picked up a lightsaber to nearly 150 years after the events in Return of the Jedi, Dark Horse Comics has chronicled the major events in every era of the Star Wars galaxy in amazing drawings and paintings by some of the most accomplished artists in our own galaxy.In this all-new companion to the first Star Wars Panel to Panel volume, we've spotlighted not only the stunning work of comics' greatest artists, but also the legion of characters Dark Horse has contributed to Star Wars' Expanded Universe - characters who have not only carried the romance and adventure of the galaxy far, far away far beyond the events in the films, but those who have made the jump from the pages of comic books to television and the silver screen!Every Star Wars fan will cherish this look back, forward and beyond!

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Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi, Vol. 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)Of the many Star Wars comics issued by Dark Horse, the Tales of the Jedi line was far and away my favorite. The series' setting (5000 years before A New Hope) let authors Kevin J. Anderson and Tom Veitch really go wild in creating the early tales of the Jedi Knights and their Sith adversaries, and resulted in the creation of some of the Star Wars Universe's most memorable characters.
Since many of the original Tales of the Jedi trade paperbacks are out of print, Dark Horse has issued Omnibus collections of the Tales of the Jedi comics. This is the first volume, and it collects the following stories:
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - The Golden Age of the Sith
This series was useful in recounting the original schism between the Jedi and the Sith as well as the Sith's defeat and exile across the galaxy. In this series a pair of Force-sensitive hyperspace explorers accidentally discovers the Sith homeworld. After a power struggle among the Sith Lords, the explorers are used to bring the evil of the Sith back to the Republic. As important as these events are to Star Wars continuity (never mind that the prequels would undo much of what Anderson had established regarding the Sith), the series just runs too long and has too many bland characters. The artwork is downright ugly too, which doesn't help.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - The Fall of the Sith Empire
This series picks up where Golden Age left off, with Sith Lord Naga Sadow's invasion of the Republic. This series was plagued by uninteresting characters, ridiculous dialogue, and the same dreadful artwork as Golden Age. Honestly, they could have combined the two series and made the story far more effective. It also hurts that there really aren't any Jedi to speak of, which kind of defeats the purpose of the title.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Ulic Qel Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon/The Saga of Nomi Sunrider (previously collected in the original Tales of the Jedi tpb)
Finally we get to the good stuff! These were originally the first TOJ stories, and they are the focus for all of the TOJ stories that follow. Set 4000 years before A New Hope, the series introduces an exciting group of young Jedi Knights whose adventures would change the galaxy. The epic battle between good and evil, Jedi and Sith begins here.
Even though the first and second parts of the book aren't as connected as later TOJ series were, they are included in chronological order. If you can make it through the disappointing first part of the book, the second part will have you eagerly awaiting the second Tales of the Jedi Omnibus.
I love the idea of these mid-priced Omnibus volumes, but am not crazy about their size. Compared to Marvel's larger Omnibus hardcovers, these smaller (they shaved roughly an inch from the height and width of the trade paperback size) paperback collections fall a bit short (no pun intended). Still, if you're new to the Tales of the Jedi series, or like me never got around to buying all of the trade paperbacks, they are an ideal way to get the most bang for your buck.
PS - For what it's worth, my copy of this Omnibus has a different cover than what is pictured. I'll try and upload a scan to show the difference.


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Discover the earliest known stories of the Jedi and the Sith in this massive collection!Five thousand years before Luke Skywalker's successful assault on the Death Star, the Sith Lord Marka Ragnos ruled the galaxy. That is, until his death ignited a battle for ascension that would spell the end for his empire and nearly the entire galaxy! It would be another thousand years before two young Jedi novices Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider would rise for the cause of justice, first in the case of a Jedi-killing Hutt, and then against a dark Jedi spirit threatening to engulf an entire planet!Containing the Tales of the Jedi stories "The Golden Age of the Sith," "The Fall of the Sith Empire," and "Knights of the Old Republic" this humongous omnibus is the ultimate introduction to the ancient history of the Star Wars universe!

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Hunted (Star Wars: Boba Fett, Book 4) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is about Boba and his adventures with Jabba the Hutt!
If you want to read it, I suggest that you read #1 (The Fight to Survive), #2 (Crossfire), and #3 (Maze of Deception) first!
I recommend the whole series!


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In the Classic Star Wars movies, Boba Fett works for the legendary Jabba the Hutt, tracking down bounties (including Han Solo).Fans have never known how this partnership began . . . until now. Young Boba Fett has nowhere to go -- and is being hunted for what he knows about the evil Count Dooku.Before Boba's father died, he left instructions for his son to find Jabba the Hutt.Now Boba tracks Jabba down -- and must pass the ultimate test in order to prove he is truly a bounty hunter for the ages.

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Star Wars, Episode II - Attack of the Clones Review

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(More customer reviews)R.A. Salvatore is pretty much accredited to re-launching the stagnant Star Wars novels with Vector Prime (the first novel in the continuing New Jedi Order series) and killing off Chewbacca. With his style of writing, and previous work within the Star Wars universe, it was probably pretty easy for Lucasfilm to get Salvatore to pen the second movie.
I won't bore you with what you already seen in the movie, but I do believe that the novel of Attack of the Clones is required reading for all Star Wars fans, as it fills in many blanks that seemed to be missing from the movie. It also ties the spanning years between Phantom Menace and AOTC. Actually the reader won't even recognize the start of the movie until he is in chapter 5.
The first four chapters explains where Obi Wan Kenobi and a 10 year older Anakin Skywalker have been up to. We are also introduced to Padme Amidala's family back on Naboo and learn much more on how she became a queen. The detailed conversation between Padme and her sister (never seen in the movie) are a great set up on how she eventually falls for Anakin.
Also we learn how Shmi Skywalker was abducted by the Tusken Raiders, and much more origin information is given on Beru and Owen Lars (Luke's eventual uncle on Tantooine) and the dynamics of the Lars/Skywalker connection.
Throughout the remaining novel the reader is treated to more bonus material (much of which was indeed filmed, but hit the cutting room floor before release) that seems to open your eyes to the bigger political picture of that famous galaxy far, far away. Questions such as: Who were the lost 20 Jedi? How did Dooku ascend to power? Why Jango had Boba created, and how was young Fett trained? How did the Separatist factions begin? It was this great filler material which earned 4 stars for me.
However, there were a few drawbacks. Salvatore seems to rush through many of the epic battle scenes....I realize reading a novel is not the same as seeing your favorite characters and millions on CGI effects in a theatre, but I felt cheated reading the Obi-Wan/Jango Fett confrontation, the chase scene in the skylines of Courascant, and most of all the very rushed feeling of the climatic battle. I couldn't shake the feeling that Salvatore was rapidly approaching the 300 page mark, and hadn't got to the main battle at the arena on Geonosis so he had to rush the writing taking a lot of steam and strength out of what should have been the mother of all battles for the book. After that, the remaining plot points were only given a paragraph or two to be wrapped up, end of book. This should only be worth three stars, as it could have easily been expanded properly with another 30-40 pages.

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The Swarm War (Star Wars: Dark Nest, Book 3) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was on the fence regarding the whole of the "Dark Nest" trilogy. While I share Han's attitudes towards bugs (terrestrial and otherwise), I kept an open mind throughout. If Denning's trilogy was as much a depature from the status quo as it seemed--well, I endured all nineteen of the NJO series, so what harm is there in a Killik-centric trilogy?
Seeing as how this was both an epilogue to events left unfinished in Denning's novels "Star by Star" and "Tatooine Ghost" (not to mention Luke learning the circumstances surrounding his mother and father during the rise of Darth Vader), the trilogy worked well enough.
As for "The Swarm War," Denning manages to bring the oft-mentioned Myrkr mission/disaster to an emotional close; indeed, that Raynar was able to call the survivors to his side shows that the boy will undoubtedly play a potentially significant role in the upcoming "Legacy of the Force" saga. Yet this hook, with the whole Joiner subplot, really wasn't as great as I was hoping. The conclusion, that final showdown between Luke and Lomi Plo (honestly, doubt as a weapon is a grand idea. But not in the hands of an incompetent Nightsister with insectile prostheses) was a disappointment, as was the confrontation between Jacen and Luke. While the Solo child may never receive his comeuppance, it was disheartening to see that Luke could be so dissuaded by his nephew. Indeed, it seems that Jacen has somehow managed to turn Luke's doubt into a tool towards Jacen's own ends; this is one of those little threads that left me wondering what was next. Mind you, I liked that not everything was resolved, and that's what will bring me to press on.
Now, as for the Jaina/Zekk Joiner/Love interest subplot...it needed to die in "Swarm War." It didn't appear to provide any substance to the overall saga save for hitting home for the Alliance what being a Joiner meant. It was that I found hardest to tolerate; despite the three years that had passed since the recapture of Coruscant, Jaina seems to have forgotten what the war cost her emotionally.
But, we do see more of the Jedi turmoil--I'm curious to see where the Grand Master honorific will lead, not to mention the ultimatum issued by Luke in regards to the establishment of the Order. And we've apparently a resolution between the Galactic Alliance vis-a-vis Chief Omas and the Jedi.
Perhaps most gratifying was the return of Admiral Pellaeon as Supreme Commander of Alliance forces and his devotion to the Jedi.
If there is a Jedi Civil War on the horizon, this book was a good setup. If there's nothing more than another alien threat or new Dark Jedi on the rise (we've all heard the rumors of Lady Lumiya (sic?) from the X-Wing comic series making a return), than this might very well be the last time we'll see our heroes at their fighting best.
Still, this book has what one expects from Denning: clear-cut prose, a fast pace, and on-spot characterization that makes one confident that the rich characters of the Star Wars universe are in the hands of a fine author who is, as we know, capable of delivering much more.

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In the explosive conclusion to the Dark Nest trilogy, Luke Skywalker summons the heroes of the New Jedi Order from near and far, as the Star Wars galaxy teeters on the edge of eternal war. Yet even the combined powers of the formidable Jedi may not be enough to vanquish the deadly perils confronting them.The Chiss-Killik border war is threatening to engulf the entire galaxy and raising the awful specter of Killiks sweeping across space to absorb all living creatures into a single hive mind. The only hope for peace lies with the Jedi–and only if they can not only end the bloodshed between two fierce enemies but also combat the insidious evil spread by the elusive Dark Nest and its unseen queen.Leia's newly acquired Jedi skills will be put to the ultimate test in the coming life-and-death battle. As for Luke, he will have to prove, in a lightning display of Force strength and swordplay, that he is– beyond a shadow of a doubt–the greatest Jedi Master in the galaxy.

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Exile (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force) Review

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(More customer reviews)There were only two real noteworthy things that happened in Exile, Ben being sent unknown to him on a Sith test and the Skywalker-Solo (minus Jacen of course) clan coming to realize that their family being split may be exactly what the enemy is wanting. I liked Ben's test being him alone on a Sith planet where he and only he can choice which path he'll follow and struggling to survive. The second part it was nice to see the Skywalkers-Solos come to the realization. I had hoped with this being the fourth book we would have more answers about the war, the reasons behind it, about Lumyia or something instead the rest was nothing more then Jacen still deciding who his Sacrifice would be and setting up for his plan at the end of the story at painstaking slowness that by the time the it got to the point I was asleep. I hope the next book will better. More answers, more things happening and less endless slowness.

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In the Stars Wars galaxy, evil is on the move as the Galactic Alliance and Jedi order battle forces seen and unseen, from rampant internal treachery to the nightmare of all-out war.With each victory against the Corellian rebels, Jacen Solo becomes more admired, more powerful, and more certain of achieving galactic peace. But that peace may come with a price. Despite strained relationships caused by opposing sympathies in the war, Han and Leia Solo and Luke and Mara Skywalker remain united by one frightening suspicion: Someone insidious is manipulating this war, and if he or she isn't stopped, all efforts at reconciliation may be for naught. And as sinister visions lead Luke to believe that the source of the evil is none other than Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith, the greatest peril revolves around Jacen himself. . . .

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Hard Contact (Star Wars: Republic Commando, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)In a rather ironic moment, Hard Contact is so far the Clone Wars novel that best exemplifies the common conception of the Wars--but it doesn't have the logo on the cover. As befits a novel based on a first-person shooter, Karen Traviss's Hard Contact is not a novel about sitting around and talking, as others have been. Much as MedStar was "a day in the strife" for the non-combatants in the war, Hard Contact does the same for another neglected group: the clones themselves. (Perhaps this is why the earlier novels have seemed peripheral, plotwise: for all their seeming importance, the Jedi don't seem to do much in the war.)
Hard Contact is a showcase for Traviss's abilities. Her worldbuilding talents were used to create the environment of Qiilura, with its new flora and fauna that play a non-trivial role in the story. The background of the commandoes--of the clones in general--is also essentially produced from whole cloth, and manages to be distinctly, though not overtly, Imperial. She also managed to create distinct characters among the commandoes--and provide justification for it, something not really seen before. None of the four come across as cardboard. Another point worth mentioning is the sense of humor--Traviss doesn't go overboard with it, but the clones offer us some of the best quips since the Wraiths.
The same can be said of the other characters, as well. Unlike other recent novels, the "villain" is a complex character in his own right, as are the other antagonists. Traviss does a good job of showing the breadth of the Separatist movement. Some of the minor characters (read: the two-scene cannon fodder) are a bit flat, but there's really not much opportunity to avoid that, either.
All in all, Hard Contact is an excellent read, being what many were expecting from the Clone Wars. Don't be fooled by the ties to a video game; Hard Contact is the best SW novel since Shatterpoint (and perhaps earlier, depending on what you're looking for). We're lucky to have Karen Traviss writing Star Wars.

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As the Clone Wars rage, victory or defeat lies in the hands of elite squads that take on the toughest assignments in the galaxy–stone-cold soldiers who go where no one else would, to do what no one else could. . . .On a mission to sabotage a chemical weapon research facility on a Separatist-held planet, four clone troopers operate under the very noses of their enemies. The commandos are outnumbered and outgunned, deep behind enemy lines with no backup–and working with strangers instead of trusted teammates. Matters don't improve when Darman, the squad's demolitions expert, gets separated from the others during planetfall. Even Darman's apparent good luck in meeting an inexperienced Padawan vanishes once Etain admits to her woeful inexperience.For the separated clone commandos and stranded Jedi, a long, dangerous journey lies ahead, through hostile territory brimming with Trandoshan slavers, Separatists, and suspicious natives. A single misstep could mean discovery . . . and death. It's a virtual suicide mission for anyone–anyone except Republic Commandos.

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The Joiner King (Star Wars: Dark Nest, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)It has been five years since the Yuuzhan Vong invasion was ended. The new government, the Galactic Alliance is working, along with the Jedi community, to restore war-ravaged worlds and bring back peace and order to the galaxy. In the midst of these efforts comes an unusual cry for help through the Force, heard by only a select few Jedi Knights. Hearing this strange call, eight Jedi have departed for the Unknown Regions. Tahiri and Tekli leave their work on Zenoma Sekot; Jaina, Zekk, Lowbacca, Alema, and Tezar discontinue their assignments from the Jedi Council; and even Jacen has ended his journey in search for the meaning of the Force to answer the call.
Luke Skywalker and the rest of the Jedi Council are uncertain why the Jedi have left their current duties to go on an unsanctioned mission of their own. When the Chiss come to the Galactic Alliance to demand an explanation for a group of Jedi becoming involved in a Chiss border dispute, the government asks to Council to investigate. Concerned, Luke, Mara, and Saba, with 8-year-old Ben Skywalker in tow, go to the Chiss border. Worrying about their children, Han and Leia also join the Jedi Masters to look into these claims. There they find more than they bargained for, including an amazing revelation connected to the Myrkr mission (from NJO: Star by Star) to destroy the voxyn queen.
The Star Wars universe continues with another exciting series, featuring the characters from the New Jedi Order. The story quickly plunges into the adventure and continues the whole way through with a fast pace plot. Luke, Han, and Leia are given a large part of the story- good to see these characters back in action again. I haven't bought into the new `enlightened' view of the Force (no absolutes- dark and lights are relative) but this isn't talked about in-depth. The Joiner King was very interesting and enjoyable to read. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does in the next book, which promises to be just as exciting.

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After triumphing in Star Wars: The Unifying Force, the heroes of the New Jedi Order return in a dazzling new adventure!Luke Skywalker is worried: A handful of Jedi Knights, including his nephew and niece, Jaina and Jacen Solo, have disappeared into the Unknown Regions in response to a strange cry for help that only they could hear. Now the alien Chiss have angrily lodged a formal complaint, accusing the missing Jedi of meddling in a border dispute between the Chiss and an unidentified aggressor. Luke has no choice but to head to the Unknown Regions for serious damage control. Han and Leia follow, intent on protecting their children from what could be grave danger. But none of them are prepared for what they find when they reach their destination.A colony of mysterious aliens is expanding toward the edge of Chiss space. The leader of the alien nest is resolute. Adept in the Force, he is drawing old friends to his side, compelling them to join the colony and meld their Force-abilities with his, even if it leads to all-out war. . . .

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Star Wars: Crosscurrent Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this.
Yes, I'm a faithful Star Wars reader. I am a Star Wars freak. I own every Expanded Universe novel, have read them cover to cover. And for some reason, my passion for Star Wars - regardless that I have spent my money on them - has waned. Perhaps it is because the Star Wars line has ALWAYS been about Luke, Han, Leia and the kids, and the same enemies (I have to say I'm not really that impressed with the Fate of the Jedi series, but I will continue to read it because, well, I'm a Star Wars fan).
But I admit this today: Paul S. Kemp has re-affirmed my love for Star Wars in his debut EU release, Crosscurrent.
Kemp takes a fresh look at the Star Wars EU, mixing in names we've heard about and have loved and adds strong pacing that leaves the reader wondering how he got to page 153 when it seemed he was just on page 32. He takes a little-known Jedi by the name of Jaden Korr and mixes him in with a pair of scavengers -- one who was born during the time of Outbound Flight, the other a Cerean with light Force-sensitivity -- as well as a Jedi transported through time 5,000 years from the time of Naga Sadow (a living Holocron, if you will), and turns the tale into an instant Star Wars classic.

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An ancient Sith ship hurtles into the future carrying a lethal cargo that could forever destroy Luke Skywalker's hopes for peace. The Civil War is almost over when Jedi Knight Jaden Korr experiences a Force vision so intense he must act. Enlisting two salvage jocks and their ship, Jaden sets out into space. Someone—or something—appears to be in distress.But what Jaden and his crew find confounds them. A five-thousand-year-old dreadnaught—bringing with it a full force of Sith and one lone Jedi—has inadvertently catapulted eons from the past into the present. The ship's weapons may not be cutting-edge, but its cargo, a special ore that makes those who use the dark side nearly invincible, is unsurpassed. The ancient Jedi on board is determined to destroy the Sith. But for Jaden, even more is at stake: for his vision has led him to uncover a potentially indestructible threat to everything the Jedi Order stands for.

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