Rebel Stand (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order - Enemy Lines, Book 2) Review

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(More customer reviews)Aaron Allston was one of the two main authors involved in the X-Wing series, and he brings the magic of that series back with this entry in the New Jedi Order series. This is probably one of the better books in the NJO series. Like the X-Wing books, much of the story revolves around the characters of the pilots. Wedge Antilles makes a strong appearance here - finally! The other characters come out as more nuanced and textured than many of the NJO books. Jania continues to shine, now that her brothers are dead or MIA. She also develops a romantic relationship, the first serious one I believe. Kyp and Jag Fel stop being cardboard characters and actually reveal some of their fears and passions. However, the best thing about this book is the plot. Wedge and the rest of the Republic heros decide they have to fight the Yuuzhan Vong using alternative, Rebellion-style tactics. It makes the plot all the more interesting to know that both sides are trying to maneuver the other into a trap, but never quite knowing what it is or when it will spring. I'm looking forward to reading Allston's next entry in the series.

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The second of a mass-market original duology charting the reaction of the New Republic to the conquest of its capital world, Coruscant, at the hands of the alien invaders called the Yuuzhan Vong. With so many worlds fallen to the invaders, and the hunt for the Jedi still on, Luke, Mara, Han and Leia are hanging on in the eye of the storm, trying to hold their galaxy together. This adventure includes major storylines for favourite characters such as Wedge Antilles.

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Force Heretic Trilogy: Remnant, Refugee, & Reunion (Star Wars: New Jedi Order) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was surprised this book got so many bad reviews. I for one like the direction Dix and Williams are taking the New Jedi Order series. Their entry is a trilogy about the search for Zonama Sekot, the living planet. This first book follows the team as they enter Imperial space and fight off the Vong. Also, Han, Leia, and Jania go scouting the New Republic for systems that lost contact with the main government. Both are slower plot lines and allow the story to really develop. However, my favorite part of the book is all the attention paid to Nom Anor. His story of meeting the Shamed Ones and the Jedi heresy is the third major plot line of the book and really reveals more about his character. Of course, we see Nom Anor scheming to get back into power, but also some glimmers of other feelings. Overall, I'm glad the series is getting away from the major battles of the Vong war and allowing the characters to take these side quests.

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Force Heretic II: Refugee (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 16) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a waste of money. I cannot fathom how nearly 400 pages can contain NOTHING to advance a storyline. Even if you are a fan who would normally buy it for your collection, my advice is to skip it altogether.
As with the first book in this trilogy, there are numerous spelling and grammar errors (particularly split infinitives, which might be acceptable for speech, but not for narration), fixations on particular words and/or phrases (e.g., "Be that as it may..." is used WAY too often), and inconsistencies. I still am unaware whether CEDF stands for Chiss Expansionary Defense Force or Chiss Expeditionary Defense Force, since it switches between them repeatedly. Or perhaps there are two such bodies, one with each name, that share the same acronym; it certainly is not clarified in this book.
As with Remnant, book 1 of the trilogy, there are three separate storylines. One following Luke and others on a quest to find The Rogue Planet (see that book for a story actually worth reading), the second follows Han and Leia et al. investigating comm breakdown from former New Republic Allies, the third focuses on Nom Anor and his infidel uprising on the former Coruscant.
All three story lines go nowhere. For Luke, there is an absolutely pointless and unresolved conflict that occurs on the Chiss homeworld, which we don't even get to see on the star chart, with everything still referred to as the Unknown Regions. Nevermind that they mention many planets and such, leaving the reader to guess where they might be. For Han and Leia, on Bakura, there is about 100 wasted pages of poor exposition, again with battles simply for their own sake, serving no plot advancing purpose. The resolution is disappointing, again with no surprise. Meanwhile, NOTHING happens with Nom Anor except that he gains an informer.
Honestly, this story reads as though written both by AND for a twelve year old. It is insulting that this is included in the storyline populated by quality writing earlier in the series. The best thing this book might be used for is recycling.

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The Unifying Force (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 19) Review

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(More customer reviews)It is very hard to review this book on it's own as it is the wrap up to the ambitious New Jedi Order Series. I'll try to comment on both of them in their appropriate place.
There are some problems with this book, I felt it was too long for one and the first 300 pages dragged. I'm reviewing it now and I got it in hardcover when first released. However the ending picks the pace up and manages to keep the reader enthralled.
There are obviously no real surprises here. The ending has been telegraphed fairly well over the last 4 novels or maybe more. That being said although we know where the journey is taking us, Luceno, not one of my favorite authors, makes the journey a pleasant one. We get to see Luke absolutely kick butt, we see the annoying Solo children of the previous publisher's books come into their final fruition. Though I didn't like Jacen's temporary godhood it was the telegraphed culmination that he would be the new "balance of the Force".
The ending was particularly well done, bittersweet farewells of tired damaged warriors in a tired damaged galaxy with some very nice human moments.
What can we say about the NJO? I don't think it did all it set out to do, but it came pretty close. It was light years above the New Republic series of the previous publisher. The lows of the NJO came nowhere near the many many lows of the previous series. We saw main characters die, we saw characters change, we saw the philosophy of the Force through many viewpoints. We saw a high level of writing overall and some pretty good editing to contain the very large story arc. We got new stories in the Star Wars universe with an intriguing culture in the Vong. We got Nom Anor, the most despicable creature ever who went from being an absolutely loathed cardboard villain to someone the reader knew inside out. We saw many characters have very real crises of faith, hit rock bottom and come back in a fashion that didn't make it seem predictable or cliche.
Thus it is somewhat sad to see it end. It needed to end, don't get me wrong, it had gone on long enough and it was time. The Clone Wars novels are now the spiritual successors to the NJO, showing the greater depth and complexity of the shaded morality of the universe that we first saw here.

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At long last, the New York Times bestselling series that launched the Star Wars saga into the next generation and into thrilling new territory reaches its spectacular finale. Side by side, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, their children, and their comrades in the Galactic Alliance rally for their last stand against the enemy that threatens not only the galaxy, but the Force itself.The Galactic Alliance's hard-won success in countering the Yuuzhan Vong onslaught has proven all too brief—and the tide has turned once more to the invaders' advantage. Having overcome the sabotage strategies of the Jedi and their allies, the marauding aliens have pushed deeper into the galaxy and subjugated more worlds in their ruthless quest for domination. Coruscant has been remade into a Yuuzhan Vong stronghold. The remnants of the resistance are struggling to form a united front. Luke, Mara, and Jacen are missing in action. Clearly the stage is set for endgame. Now, as Han and Leia receive the chilling news that hundreds of high-ranking Galactic Alliance prisoners face slaughter in a sacrifice to the enemy's bloodthirsty gods, Luke and his team try desperately to convince the living world of Zonama Sekot to join the Jedi's final campaign against the Yuuzhan Vong. Yet even as they speak, a lone space station is all that stands between Alliance headquarters on Mon Calamari . . . and wave after wave of ferocious enemy forces waging their most decisive assault.At the same time, the Jedi's alliances throughout the galaxy are being tested—and the chances of victory jeopardized—by rogue factions determined to deploy the lethal weapon that will exterminate the Yuuzhan Vong . . . and perhaps countless other species. And among the Yuuzhan Vong themselves, the threat of revolt has reached a boiling point—as the oppressed underclass and powerful officials alike fear their Supreme Overlord's mad actions will provoke the wrath of the gods.Ultimately, for both the forces of invasion and resistance, too much has been sacrificed —and too much is at stake—to ever turn back. And now, nothing can stand in the way of seizing victory . . . or facing annihilation.

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The Final Prophecy (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 18) Review

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(More customer reviews)The end of this horrible, genocidal Yuuzhan Vong/Galactic Alliance War is coming to a close. After months and years of the Yuuzhan Vong pushing and conquering the New Republic/Galactic Alliance inhabitants all across the galaxy (including capturing the capital homeworld, Coruscant, now known as Yuuzhan'tar), the Alliance finally struck back and began putting the Vong on the defensive. These two opposing forces have finally created the irresistible force meeting the immovable object syndrome. The tension builds and one of the sides will have to break.
The forces in play on both sides portend of a spectacular climax. An Alliance Expeditionary Force, led by Luke Skywalker, finally located the living planet Zonoma Sekot, seeming the last hope for ending the hostilities that have plagued the galaxy. On Yuuzhan'tar, dissention continues to permeate the ranks of the Yuuzhan Vong. A politically motivated move by disgraced executor, Nom Anor, to regain power has now gained a force stronger than anything he can control. Using a 'masquer' to conceal his identity and playing upon the reverence the Shamed Ones of the Vong have for the Jedi, Anor created a rebellious movement that has infected all levels of Yuuzhan Vong culture, including certain members of the inner circle of Supreme Overlord Shimmra. What's more, Shimmra's claim of an alleged mandate from the gods to continue to pursue this genocidal conflict is slowly coming under scrutiny. It's becoming obvious to some that Shimmra may actually be a fraud and much of what he preaches, and much of what is central to Yuuzhan Vong culture, may prove to be earth-shatteringly false. So lays the groundwork for the events that take place in the penultimate story of the New Jedi Order series, "The Final Prophecy".
Though there is a space battle around the famed Bilbringi Shipyards that involves favorites like Wedge Antilles, Garm Bel Iblis, and Jaina Solo, the primary focus of "The Final Prophecy" deals with an unlikely truce between higher members of the Yuuzhan Vong and select Alliance members (the oft-absent Corran Horn and the enigmatic Tahiri). These Yuuzhan Vong, specifically master shaper and heretic, Nen Yim, wish to seek the truth about the existence of the living planet, the honor of the Jedi, and possible treachery committed by Shimmra. With assistance from High Priest Harrar (a powerful Yuuzhan Vong whose dissident nature is still clandestine), Nen Yim makes contact with the Prophet Yu'Shaa, the leader of the Shamed Ones movement, with the intent of making a secret plea to Galactic Alliance to seek out Zonoma Sekot. Unbeknownst to anyone, Yu'Shaa is really Nom Anor, and Anor plans to use this truce as a means to further his own political agenda. The results of this unlikely and unholy alliance are among the most compelling twists so far in the New Jedi Order series.
There are a few things to be said. For starters, it is nice to see Corran Horn back in the fold. He has essentially been MIA since the "Edge of Victory" duology and he was sorely missed. It helps that he was not forced back into the series with an unnatural storyline. He is paired with Tahiri to 'capture' Nen Yim and proceed on to Zonoma Sekot. In Corran's last significant appearance in the NJO, Tahiri was a major factor and there was much that happened between them. Putting them back together and referencing their past was a very smart move. Tahiri has become an even more intriguing character now that she is becoming more at one with the combination of her human and Yuuzhan Vong personalities. She continues to the wild card that keeps events intriguing.
What is most fascinating about "The Final Prophecy" is seeing the divide that is taking place among the Yuuzhan Vong. Nom Anor's antics are nothing new, so his actions throughout are no surprise. However, the fact that Vong as high up as a Master Shaper (Nen Yim) and a High Priest (Harrar) doubt Shimmra and begin to develop a respect for the Jedi foreshadows greater dissention among the Yuuzhan Vong. It's become clear that the end result will not be the eradication of Yuuzhan Vong from the galaxy, so it becomes necessary to adjust to the concept of the Vong and the galaxy residents co-inhabiting peacefully. Zonoma Sekot holds the secrets of how this might actually happen, but it's the interactions between Tahiri and Corran with Harrar and Nen Yim that make it seem as though this is a possible destiny.
"The Final Prophecy" is a quick read at 300 pages. The end seems near, yet it seems still very much in doubt. It leaves the reader hungry for the final novel "The Unifying Force" and gives a fascinating look at what the future could possibly hold for the galaxy.

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Force Heretic III: Reunion (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 17) Review

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(More customer reviews)Holy cow I am glad this series is over. Almost nothing happend in the entire series. That to me was the most annoying part.
And I personally didn't care for the authors syle of writing. I prefere chapers as opposed to lenthly sections. And I have never been so frustrated in a book as this one. About half way through the book, he (the author) would write a few paragraphs of what is going on with these people get it all good and then jump to a totally different story line with different people. I don't mind that so much if you space it out some, but "blah blah JUMP!, blah JUMP, blah JUMP, bl__ JUMP! I was going nuts. You have to read the first few maby one inbetween and last few pages out of 40 or so to find out what happend to anybody. Heaven forbid you do a entire story about what happend to this person at this time and then go on to another person/story. Very frustrating
Like I said in my title, thank goodness this series is over; worst 3 books in NJO.

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The Jedi move one step closer to saving the embattled galaxy— only to confront a formidable wall of resistance. The harrowing search for Zonama Sekot is finally over for Luke Skywalker, Jacen Solo, and the others aboard the Jade Shadow. But joy turns to alarm when the living planet sends a defiant message: it refuses to follow them back to a galaxy full of war, exploitation, and misery.While Luke works feverishly to persuade the elusive planet to reconsider, the Yuuzhan Vong launches a full-scale attack aimed at the heart of the new alliance. Sent to defend a major communications base, Han and Leia find themselves hopelessly outnumbered. Reinforcements are just too far away to help before everything is destroyed. So the courageous pair must now fight an unrelenting battle against staggering odds. Whether they actually survive is another matter. . . .

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Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 12) Review

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(More customer reviews)Allston again writes an excellent addition to the NJO series. Rebel Stand is more concentrated then Rebel Dream, with the subplots focussing more clearly on the main characters. While he adds in a few returning faces (Wes Janson makes his NJO debut), Allston never loses focus of his story. Every NJO author writes a specific character better than others, Stackpole writes Corran Horn the best, Keyes wrote Anakin the best, etc, Allston wrote Han and Leia the best in this book. No other author in the NJO series so far has captured the essense of who Han and Leia are, not merely legend they represent. I am trying not to give any of the plot away, but the scene where Han and Leia escape from the Peace Brigade is pure Star Wars. Luke and Mara are not forgotten on Curuscant, and though again nothing is mentioned of the captured Jacen Solo, an old enemy is resurrected, and general chaos reigns. Its really great stuff. Allston also focuses on the tactical side of the war with the Vong, his depiction of Wedge Antilles is masterful, as is the battle plan presented. Jaina Solo comes into her own, no longer under the influence of the Dark Side, and healing from the losses of her brothers. Overall after the darkness of Star by Star and Dark Journey, Allston's two books have been a welcome change, and are simply excellent. Perhaps he will write again for the Star Wars universe, and if he does, I will be among the first to buy the book. Rebel Stand is highly recommend, not just as a great addition to the NJO series but as a Star Wars book in general.

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Rebel Dream: Enemy Lines I (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order #11) Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, I'll say that few of the New Jedi Order books have managed to convey what this book did even in it's first few chapters; emotion, powerful relationships, heart-pounding action sequences, all the while keeping with and expanding on the complex overall plot of the series.

The book backtracks slightly, opening about two-thirds of the way through Dark Journey, which was fine with me, since that book focused so singly on Jaina and her personal angst that I tended to lose the big picture in my mind. Rest assured, Allston is a terrific author, perhaps the best yet, and he definitely shows his talents in this one. While much of the attention is still reserved for Jaina, it also gives a sweeping, overall look at the whole war, which isn't looking good for our heroes at present. Anakin Solo, one of the best hopes for victory, is dead; Jacen is captured and presumed dead by just about everyone except his mother, Leia. Jaina, torn by grief and rage over the death of her brothers is off fighting her own demons; and the Yuuzhan Vong have finally taken the capitol, the crowning jewel of the galaxy, Coruscant. Luke and Mara are becoming increasingly protective of their infant son, which makes them both less useful as leaders to the Jedi.

Luke, desperate to do something to make the galaxy safer for his son to grow up in, decides to take on a near suicide mission to Coruscant, both to investigate a strange and frightening infestation of the dark side there, and to confirm whether or not Jacen is still alive, and if so to free him, or die trying.
The government is in shambles, our heroes are dying, and the Vong now have the majority of the galaxy. Even so, despite the ominous and painful direction the series is taking, Allston still lightens it from time to time with slight inflections of humor. Barely noticeable, but there. While I never caught myself laughing out loud like I did over some of his X-Wing books, it lightened this dark tale considerably, and kept it from depressing me out of my mind the way Star by Star did.

Also, thanks to the author for making Tahiri a mildly interesting character again. After Star by Star (when she played the typical jealous teenage girlfriend, Ugh) and Dark Journey (the whining weeping mourner everyone feels sorry for) I was really starting to dislike her, but this book restored her in my relative favor. Jaina as well was better here, instead of being portrayed as she usually is (the sort of bratty teenage daughter that's every parent's nightmare, determined to bring her parents to early graves) but rather, we finally see the true warrior that she is; the better halves of both her parents, as she wages phsycological warfare on the Vong, determined to make them pay for hurting her brothers.
Even so, some parts of this book really did annoy me, hence my four star rating. First and foremost is the lack of Jacen-action. How long are they going to keep us in limbo like this? Bring him back or kill him permanently, and soon. If they don't intend to let him be rescued yet, at least let us see what they're doing to him in captivity. The suspence is killing me!
Also, what has happened to Mara? Where is the toughness, the dark humor, the inner strength and vitality that made her so endearing in the first place? Yes, I realize that now that she is a mother she needs to start putting her child first; especially in the middle of a horrible war, but that doesn't have to mean she should suddenly dissolve into a complete weakling, I mean, was there a scene in this book when she was not holding Ben? As for her relationship with Luke, I won't even go there. They need to give her something of her own to do, besides wiping her baby's rear.
Third, I really disliked the Jaina/Jag developments in this book. Of course, anyone who's read the Dark Tide dualogy could see this coming a mile away, but it still bothers me. Of course, I'm probably biased on this subject, since, being a long time fan of Young Jedi Knights I always thought Jaina should end up with Zekk. But really, it isn't that I don't like Jag, in fact I've gotten to be quite fond of him, I just think he's all wrong with Jaina. Jag is a rule follower; a by the books, take-your-hat-off-inside, Yes Ma'am kind of guy. Jaina is adventurous, a risk taker, most of the time not bothering to think of the consequences of her actions before she makes them, and frankly I think Jag would bore her out of her mind in a week, and her constant heedless recklessness would drive him insane. Much as I hate to say it, even Kyp would be better. :-( Oh, well. For fans of the series, this book won't disapoint you.

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Remnant: Force Heretic I (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was the first of the NJO series that I just couldn't finish. I kept putting the book down. The authors couldn't keep my attention. I guess I'll have to force myself to re-read it, if I'm going to endure their next books. Maybe this would have been better if only one author had worked on it, rather than the tag team of Williams and Dix.
I noticed there were some parts that I really enjoyed, like the story about the slave transport in the prologue, and the Imperial Remnant. There were other parts, like the story about Nom Anor and the Shamed that weren't very interesting, nor were they plausible. I just wish they were able to write the rest of the book with as much passion as they put into the prologue. Maybe this reflects the strength or weakness of the authors? Perhaps they each wrote different parts of the book, rather than collaborating on the entire novel?
I bought the book based on the teaser about Luke and Mara searching for Zonama Sekot. I wish I had opened to the last page to read that, even at the end of the book, Luke has not found the "force" planet. You get to read the next one or two or ten books to find out what happens.
Argh! I've followed the NJO series from the beginning. I don't mind waiting, but this is a new low. If you're going to tease us like this, at least let him find the planet, even if it takes another book to flesh out the story. I realize that maybe this isn't the author's fault. Perhaps I should get mad at the editor or publisher. Still, after 400 pages you expect that some part of the teaser will be resolved!!
I can understand stretching out the Vong story for 10 or 15 books, although my patience is starting to wear thin. However, trying to write 2-3 books about the subplot of Luke and the force planet, or Nom Anor and the Shamed Ones just won't work. There just isn't enough there to keep you entertained.
If the original trilogy had been done like this, "Star Wars: A New Hope" would have been written as a series of 10 books... the back cover would have a teaser about the destruction of the Death Star, and the last page would end with "Luke Skywalker turned off his targetting computer and trusted in the Force. Would he be able to destroy the Death Star? Whatever it took, he was going to do it. THE END"

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

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(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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Conquest: Edge of Victory I (Star Wars, The New Jedi Order #7) Review

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(More customer reviews)`Conquest' is the shortest novel in the New Jedi Order line thus far, but don't let that discourage you - it's also in many important ways one of the best. Like `Hero's Trial' before it, `Conquest' follows only one character, Anakin this time, through the bulk of the book. Though it is short, this entry reveals more to us about the Vong as a people, as a culture, than any three novels before it. In addition, it's nice finally to see a New Jedi Order novel that actually focuses on the Jedi. Greg Keyes certainly isn't the best author who's been inducted into the Star Wars fold recently, but he definitely *is* one of the most engaging. At times, Keyes' style seemed a little "fan fiction-ish" rather than "profic." The sentence structure and word choice sometimes just didn't feel professional, but that is easily overlooked because it didn't detract from the novel, it was just different.
The plot is straightforward: Several months after Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster Tsavong Lah's offering to end the invasion if all the Jedi are turned over to him, the Peace Brigade, as well as planetfuls of desperate people near the path of the invasion route, are out hunting Jedi - pretty much completely unhindered by the New Republic government. Because of this, the schism that has been growing between the Jedi deepens drastically. Figuring that Yavin IV, home of the Jedi Academy, will be a Vong target, Luke sends Karrde to evacuate the trainees, but Anakin knows he won't get there in time, and rushes off, against Luke's direct orders, to help his friends. He arrives in the Yavin system to find that Karrde has not yet arrived, but the Peace Brigade has. Thus begins Anakin's trials and tribulations, which will last the rest of the book. As his quest continues, Anakin teams up with a renegade Yuuzhan Vong, a "Shamed One" who has apparently lost the favor of "gods and family" (although he quite vehemently denies it), through whom the young Jedi really begins to understand what the Republic is dealing with. Meanwhile, Tahiri, Anakin's best friend, has been captured by the Vong and is being brainwashed by members of their "Shaper" caste who want not only to understand what the Force is, but also want to have their own, Vong, Force-user.
Previously, many Star Wars fans have complained that the New Jedi Order sequence has been to dark, too gruesome for their tastes. Despair not!, for `Conquest' is much more upbeat both in terms of tone, style, and content. There is a little Vong brutality, but it mostly happens off-camera, and what is shown is handled tastefully, not in the over-the-top manner which we have seen so often previously. As I said earlier, Keyes is a very engaging author, with an easy-to-read style that allows you to fall right into the book. The action and suspense are gripping, but instead of following the move-by-move descriptive formula favored by R.A. Salvatore and Michael Stackpole, Keyes tended to focus on what the characters involved with the action were thinking and going through. In many ways the style of this novel would feel more at home in the Bantam or Young Jedi Knights series than in the New Jedi Order.
In fact, character is what Keyes seems to do best. Luke, Mara, and Borsk all acted (or didn't act, as the case may be) in character, although sometimes their dialogue didn't sound quite right, but all the other characters were perfectly portrayed. And there were quite a few characters, mostly Jedi and others hailing from the Young Jedi Knights and Junior Jedi Knights lines of YA novels. The twins, Anakin, his best friend Tahiri, and others were all perfectly on-target in terms of characterization and attitude, and some previously unremarkable characters, such as diminutive Jedi Master Ikrit and Dorsk 82, were completely salvaged. In addition, look for a cameo by Corran Horn.
As I have noted, this is an "Anakin novel," in much the same way that `Balance Point' was a "Jacen novel." In fact, in many ways this book feels more like a follow-up to `Balance Point' than it does a prelude to the events of the next novel, `Rebirth.' In BP, Jacen essentially went on a journey of self-discovery, and while at it he learned much about the nature and balance of the Force. `Conquest' builds on that, and complements it. Here, Anakin, while working to help his fellow Jedi, also "finds himself," and through his interaction with the Yuuzhan Vong begins to understand them, their actions, and their place in the Force.
Yet although this is very much a character-driven novel, there is plenty of action in this book. Anakin starts the novel with the highest Vong hand-to-hand kill count, and that number rises drastically over the course of this novel. We get to see various offensive and defensive measures of the Force, some of which we have seen previously and some of which we have not, but all of which are quite interesting. As well as ground combat, there are plenty of aerial and space-born skirmishes and battles to keep even the most impatient of readers happy. And if Anakin learns a lot about the Vong, we as readers learn a whole lot more through the eyes of one of their Shapers."
On the down side, Lando still has not showed up, and also notably absent are Han and Leia. Overall, Keyes is an extremely entertaining author with a fun style and a good grip of the Star Wars universe and the characters he was dealing with. This book was tight, fun, suspenseful, and very rereadable. Although 'Conquest' is not quite as good as `Hero's Trial' or `Balance Point,' it's a far cry above the abysmal `Ruin' or the less-than-great `Jedi Eclipse.' I can't wait for the next book. Definitely buy this one, even (or especially) if you have been feeling skeptical about the direction this series is taking overall.

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Edge of Victory II: Rebirth (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, No. 8) Review

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(More customer reviews)The much-awaited sequel to Keyes' Conquest, Rebirth is worth reading even as a stand-alone. In this novel, Han and Leia (seem to) patch things up and the death of Chewbacca is now a quiet ache in both their lives.Anakin explores his relationship with Tahiri, and takes Corran Horn, who went into hiding after the Ithor disaster, along for the ride.Jacen comes to grips with his views on the Force, seeing just how arrogant he was, fighting alongside his mother and father in their own war against the Peace Brigade, the galaxy's most vengeful collaborators.On the Vong side, Nen Yim, disgraced shaper adept, has been exiled to a ship of disgraced Yuuzhan Vong, a ship that is now dying. However, she receives a visit from a Master Shaper who is more than he seems, leading Nen Yim further on the path towards murder and greater heresy.Also, Vergere returns...but not to the New Republic. She boards the Sunulok to meet with Warmaster Lah in an attempt to capture Jacen Solo aboard the Millenium Falcon.And not to be outdone, Mara comes to term with her pregnancy (literally) and with the birth will either be a new hope, or a greater darkness than the Jedi currently face.Nonstop action, coupled with Keyes' elegant prose, makes Rebirth the standout novel of NJO so far. Highly recommended to the fans of The New Jedi Order and those who just like things the way they were.

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Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me make two things clear: I am a diehard Star Wars fanboy, and a bigtime Stover groupie. A such, when this novel was announced months ago, it quickly became my most anticipated Star Wars novel ever. As the months wore on, the anxiety grew; I needed this book, and simply couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I trusted that Stover would give me a fantastic novel. My trust was not unfounded.
Right from the outset, this book is something special. Stover is a compulsively readable writer, and his prose and writing style are head and shoulders above many of the other authors writing Star Wars novels. He knows how to turn a phrase and shape a paragraph so that it sticks in your mind long after you've finished reading the book.
And what a book! From the Holy [cow]! opening (which finally explained Jacen's emanations from Dark Journey) to the stunningly awesome climax (featuring one of the coolest lightsaber fights ever) to the outstanding three-against-the-galaxy ending (and you'll NEVER guess who the third one is), Traitor proved impossible to put down. Literally. I read it in one sitting and have since read it twice more. Jacen's feats in this book put to shame similar conquests by his siblings in the novels focusing on them, and Vergere absolutely blossoms as an interesting, enigmatic character. Jacen's revelations throughout the novel, often spurred by Vergere's observations, are consistently interesting (and pretty consistent with what you'd come to expect from a Stover novel). With Nom Anor it's pretty much just more of the same, which is getting kind of old, but Ganner really shines here. You can expect a cameo or three from a long lost pal, as well as a whole lot of Stover-style philosophizing on the nature of the Force and its Dark Side, as well as what makes a Hero, and what makes a Jedi, and a whole bunch of other questions that haven't, or haven't often, been tackled before in a Star Wars novel. You'll be surprised at the answers offered, when they are offered, which isn't always, considering that, as is said, the question is often more telling than the answer. The action is fantastic, as is to be expected from a Stover novel, and for you skeptics out there - put your fears to rest; there's only one fight scene (out of many) that's described at all graphically or gorily. Do not mistake graphicness for intensity, however - these fights are as intense as anything you've seen in a Star Wars novel. Overall, yes, this is easily my favorite New Jedi Order novel so far; my only real complaint is that there's not more of it. And it could have used a little more humor.
If you're a Star Wars fan, or a Stover fan, or just a fan of good Literature (yes, I daresay that this, a Star Wars novel, qualifies as Literature), you can't go wrong with this book. It is, quite simply, the best Star Wars novel yet published.

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From the depths of catastrophe, a glimmer of hopeAfter the capture of Coruscant, the mighty heart of the New Republic, a stunned galaxy fears that nothing can stop the Yuuzhan Vong. Still, that crushing defeat produces one small miracle: Jacen Solo is alive. Yet he can scarcely imagine himself in stranger circumstances.The young Jedi Knight is in the care of Vergere, a fascinating creature of mystery and power, her intentions hard to fathom, her cruelties rarely concealed. But this master of inscrutable arts has much to teach the young Jedi . . . for she holds the key to a new way to experience the Force, to take it to another level—dangerous, dazzling, perhaps deadly.In the wrong hands, the tremendous energies of the Force can be devastating. And there are others watching Jacen's process closely, waiting patiently for the moment when he will be ready for their own dire purposes. Now, all is in shadows. Yet whatever happens, whether Jacen's newfound mastery unleashes light or darkness, he will never be the same Jedi again. . . .

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Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 4) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll keep this short and sweet because I don't want to spoil anything... I have never read any of Luceno's work, but he does a good job continuing the New Jedi Order series. Where the previous books were more directed towards the Jedi and their contributions towards this new enemy, Hero's Trial gives us a new respect and admiration towards our lovable hero, Han Solo. He has been sorely missed due to the death of Chewbacca and now has to overcome his grief and fight in the name of Chewie. Sometimes it seems as though Han could be "Force-sensitive" for all the situations that he seems to get himself in and out of... but, that's the Corellian luck for ya. Anyway, it was an excellent book with some great insights to the character of Han and how deep his relationship with Chewie really was. The rest of the cast is also built upon nicely which promises a great follow up in Jedi Eclipse. Happy Hunting!

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Merciless attacks by an invincible alien force have left the New Republic reeling. Dozens of worlds have succumbed to occupation or annihilation, and even the Jedi Knights have tasted defeat. In these darkest of times, the noble Chewbacca is laid to rest, having died as heroically as he lived--and a grief-stricken Han Solo is left to fit the pieces of his shattered soul back together before he loses everything: friends, family, and faith.Refusing help from Leia or Luke, Han becomes the loner he once was, seeking to escape the pain of his partner's death in adventure . . . and revenge. When he learns that an old friend from his smuggling days is operating as a mercenary for the enemy, he sets out to expose the traitor. But Han's investigation uncovers an even greater evil: a sinister conspiracy aimed at the very heart of the New Republic's will and ability to fight--the Jedi.Now Han must face down his inner demons and, with the help of a new and unexpected ally, honor Chewbacca's sacrifice in the only way that matters--by being worthy of it.

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Balance Point (Star Wars, The New Jedi Order #6) Review

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(More customer reviews)While the first five books in the New Jedi Order cycle have their emphasis on galactic events, and essentially serve as an introduction to the means and methods of the invading Yuuzhan Vong, this book focusses a lot more on character development. All of the previous entries in this series have pretty much had the characters spread out all over space, only to almost coincidentally end up in the same area at the end for the huge battle finale, this book refreshingly takes place almost exclusively on the planet Duro, where the Solo clan is helping refugees settle in.
This is definitely a welcome change in pace. In most of the previous books, the emphasis on action often lead to unsatisfactory character development, often with key characters being left out of a story entirely. Here, however, each character has ample "screen time," and Kathy Tyers obviously knows every one of them very well.
Balance Point is a "Jacen book." Finally, the kid seems to be coming into his own, and coming to terms with himself. Unlike in previous novels where he's just seemed like a whiny brat, I could actually sympathize with him here. And the author also took a little time to explain why his character is so different in the NJO series than in the Young Jedi Knights line.
Also in this book we have the best Luke/Mara interactions I've yet seen. Unlike the "witty repartee" we saw in Mike Stackpole's books and the somewhat forced dialogue from Jim Luceno's, Kathy Tyers hits their relationship right on the nose, and gives it a surprise twist. Jaina and Anakin also continue to grow believable as characters, and Han and Leia finally spend some time together again. And, for I think the first time ever, I actually felt sorry for a Hutt.
This volume also expands the Yuuzhan Vong culture, making it more understandable, and brings back Nom Anor and Warmaster Tsavong Lah with a vengeance. It was especially refreshing to see how Mara reacted to Nom Anor's presence. The author also tied up some loose ends from earlier in NJO and the SW saga as a whole, most notably concerning Lando, and she had obligatory plethora of cameos.
Don't let all my talk of character discourage you, though...this novel also has plenty of action. Lightsaber fights, ship battles, dogfights, evacuations-under-fire, undercover Jedi, and all kinds of cool stuff.
I guess my only complain about this book is that Danni Quee is still nowhere to be seen. But now that the first year "introduction" to the New Jedi Order has ended, the series is really taking shape, and this book is easily the best one yet. I very definitely recommend picking this one up. Thank you, Kathy, for a great read.

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Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 5) Review

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(More customer reviews)Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse is a worthy addition to the Star Wars mythos, but it's certainly not anywhere near the best. Whereas this book's predecessor, Hero's Trial, focused almost solely on the (mis)adventures of a still-grieving Han Solo, this volume tries to keep track of everyone. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily a good thing.
Han is still on his quest, with newfound sidekick Droma, to find Droma's missing clan. Meanwhile, Leia heads off to the Hapes Consortium to try to win them over to the cause, the Hutts try to play the New Republic off of the Vong for their own benefit, Jacen & Anakin head off to examine the possibility of using Centerpoint Station as a weapon against the Vong, Borsk continues to be Borsk, and there are subplots galore. The author maintains his high standards of writing throughout, and this book could have been absolutely terrific had it been about, say, three times as long as it is. Unfortunately, because of the relatively short length of the book, very few of the plot threads are developed satisfactorily, and sometimes they seem a bit disjointed.
Still, the action is excellent, the characterizations are dead on, Luceno's knowledge of the Star Wars universe is superb, and there are cameo appearances of old favorites galore. The only two plots in this book that really kept me extremely interested were the Han and the Skidder plots, though, with the rest being too underdeveloped.
The cover isn't very good either. While the Vong (Warmaster Tsavong Lah) appears much as he is described in the book, Han is missing an arm, and his beard looks more like a blur than any facial hair I've ever seen.
Overall, this is an okay addition to the New Jedi Order, but the only Great parts of the book were the Han scenes and the last chapter, which almost boosted the book up another point just by itself. I do recommend this novel, but it's not the best.

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A string of smashing victories by the forces of the sinister aliens known as the Yuuzhan Vong has left New Republic resources and morale stretched to the breaking point. Leia Organa Solo, estranged from her husband, Han, oversees the evacuation of refugees on planets in the path of the merciless invaders. Luke Skywalker struggles to hold the fractious Jedi Knights together, even while one of them undertakes a bold but reckless undercover mission. Manipulating their alliance with the amoral Hutts, the Yuuzhan Vong leave a cunning trail of vital information where New Republic agents are sure to find it--information the desperate defenders cannot afford to ignore: the location of the aliens' next target.Then Han Solo stumbles into the dark heart of raging battle, thus beginning a furious race against time that will require every skill and trick in his arsenal to win...

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Destiny's Way (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 14) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is not a bad novel, but one that will probably disappoint the NJO fans - like myself. If you are following the series, then you have to read it - or you 'll miss a lot of important plot points.
But even though the overall NJO story-arc is served very well, the Expanded Universe in general, is not. The problem seems to be that this should have definatelly been a much longer novel - perhaps even a trilogy. As it stands the book feels very rushed.
The story begings strongly, from where Traitor left off. Indeed, the first half does an amazing job of tying up a lot of lose ends, both in particular subplots and the more abstract aspects of the NJO series:
We learn Vergere's story; we find out what happened to Bel Iblis, Kre'fey and Wedge Antilles after Star by Star and the Enemy Lines duology; we witness the developing situation on Coruscant (Yuuzhan'tar), Nom Anor, Chavong Lah, Nen Yim and the rest of scarhead gang; and finally, after four books (since Star by Star) we catch up to the larger state of affairs in the New Republic.
Also, the war seems to reach equilibrium: for thirteen books now I 've been thinking that , the element of surprise aside, there is NO way that a small extragalactic force can beat a galactic scale republic; in all warfare, resources will ultimately determine the outcome, unless the bigger of the two combatants is swiftly eliminated right on the outset. (see WWI, WWII etc.) In Destiny's Way the story finally reaches this rational stage. The New Republic is pulling itself together and switching to war footing, swinging the momentum back.
So the first 200-or-so pages are great. However, after that the story falls apart; or, rather, it gets too rushed, even with the two chapters that became the eBook "Ylesia" ending up being cut. The story seems to get pushed to its predetermined conclusion and the play-by-play becomes color commentary. Diverse characters are used briefly to facilitate the needs of the action and then dropped without explanation. Williams switches from a day-by-day narrative to an event-by-event one, skipping between places and situations with dizzying speed.
The final 200-odd pages should have been 200 + a 400 page Dastiny's Way II. That would have made this a 5-star effort, on par with Star by Star.
The other big disappointment with Destiny's Way (probably related to the lack of space) is that A LOT of the best characters, suspiciously almost all of them having been created by either Timithy Zahn or Michael Stackpole, are portrayed very badly. They following favorites are all out of character:
[ SPOILERS ]
- Grand Admiral Pellaeon, acting like a stiff Imperial biggot all of the sudden, even though he is already Leia' s friend.
- Soontir Fel, who is momentarily referrenced as Jag Fel's father, "an Imperial Baron". Surely, there is waaayyy more to Fel than that! How about the Chiss and their part in the war? the relationship to Antilles? to Garnd Admiral Thrawn and his views on the galaxy?..
- Bel Iblis is asked by Luke to save the day, in a final titanic battle, as the New Republic is still short on ships. He shows up, gets not a single line and seemingly hands control of his entire fleet to Luke. I had to read it twice to try and figure out whether he was present at all.
- Antilles himself, the hero of Borleias, who has more or less singlehandedly changed the momentum of the war, is completely left out. Apparently he is in Kuat with Tycho. He is not recalled for the final battle, despite the fleet's shortages.
- Wraith leader Garik "Face" Loran makes a cameo, says "understood, Major" over his com unit and fades back into annonymity...
.. which brings me to the final (perhaps minor) problem. The technical details of the Expanded Universe, which authors like M. Stackpole use so artfully to bring their stories to life are way off and inconsistent. Here Williams didn't do enough research.
- Fleets are called "squadrons", squadron flights are called "sections", warships are generically "cruisers" or "frigates", the Wraiths are flying "super fast snoopships", whatever that is and the author becomes infatuated with A-Wings.
- Apparently, two (!) new Super Star Destroyers are in existence, yet they are NOT used for anything, inspite the aforementioned ship shortages. Thank God for Booster's Errand Venture, the only Destroyer-class vessel that sees any action.
I realise that these are rather esoteric points, yet consistency and continuity are what has made Star Wars' Expanded Universe so addictive. This novel felt strange and a bit alien, like a PC user experiencing a Macintosh for the first time - to uncomfortable to be fully satisfied.
I would still recommend this any Star Wars fans, but I do wish the editorial staff at DelRay would do a more thorough job in the future.

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The time of reckoning is close at hand. Events in the New York Times bestselling Star Wars The New Jedi Order series take a decisive turn, as the heroes of the New Republic prepare for their most volatile clash yet with the enemy—from without and within.In the war against the ruthless Yuuzhan Vong, the fall of Coruscant leaves the New Republic divided by internal strife, and on the verge of bowing to conquest. But those who steadfastly refuse to consider surrender—Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, and their children and comrades-in-arms—are determined to seize victory against overwhelming odds. And now, finally, there are signs that the tide may be turning in the New Republic's favor.After capturing crucial Yuuzhan Vong intelligence, Jedi fighter-pilot Jaina Solo prepares to lead a daring surprise strike against an enemy flagship. Meanwhile, Jaina's brother Jacen—liberated from the hands of the enemy and newly schooled in an even greater mastery of the Force by the Jedi Knight Vergere—is eagerly poised to bring his unique skills to bear against the invaders. And on Mon Calamari, the New Republic's provisional capital, the retired, ailing hero Admiral Ackbar has conceived a major tactical plan that could spell the beginning of a swift end for the Yuuzhan Vong.Yet even as opposing squadrons face off in the depths of space, intrigue runs rampant: in the heated political race for Chief of State . . . in the shadows where Yuuzhan Vong spies plot assassinations . . . and in the inscrutable creature Vergere, a Jedi Knight whose allegiance is impossible to predict. And as Luke Skywalker sets about reestablishing the Jedi Council, the growing faction opposed to the ways of the Force unveil a terrifying weapon designed to annihilate the Yuuzhan Vong species. But in doing so, they may be dooming the New Republic to becoming the very thing it has sworn to fight against—and unleashing the power of the dark side.From the Hardcover edition.

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