Star Wars the Rise and the Fall of Darth Vader Review

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(More customer reviews)This book was listed as used for a very little cost. The book was in fantastic shape with a slip cover that looked brand new. Very, very pleased.

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A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker Review

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(More customer reviews)I really enjoyed this book. I have followed all of the Star Wars series books from Scholastic (Jedi Apprentice, Jedi Quest, Last of the Jedi, and Rebel Force)and I believe this book links into those stories as well as what happened before, and after the movies. For those who haven't read the Star Wars comics, Have you ever wondered what Luke was doing prior to the events in Star Wars: A New Hope? Have you ever wondered about his relationship with Owen Lars? Do you want to know how the rebels found Hoth? Do you want to see Luke uncover information about Anakin Skywalker? All of these events are depicted in this book. The only negative thing about this book is that the events prior to The Empire Strikes Back are briefly cover. I would have liked to have had this area explored in more depth. Other than that I really enjoyed this book. A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker

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Star Wars- Fate of the Jedi: Allies Review

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(More customer reviews)I will comment on the plot in the comments of the text format of the book. As for Marc Thompson's reading, his work is EXCELLENT!!! Each character is distinctive, and the emotions are real. I loved Anthony Heald's reading in the 90s (and of course, sounds effects were minimal compared to now), but Marc does even better. While I liked Alexander Adams (to a point), I HATED Jonathon Davis as a reader-so it's so refreshing to have someone again who can put life into the story!

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What began as a quest for truth has become a struggle for survival for Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben. They have used the secrets of the Mindwalkers to transcend their own bodies and speak with the spirits of the fallen, risking their very lives in the process. They have faced a team of Sith assassins and beaten the odds to destroy them. And now the death squad's sole survivor, Sith apprentice Vestara Khai, has summoned an entire fleet of Sith frigates to engage the embattled father and son. But the dark warriors come bearing a surprising proposition that will bring Jedi and Sith together in an unprecedented alliance against an evil more ancient and alien than they can imagine.While the Skywalkers and their Sith allies set off on their joint mission into the treacherous web of black holes that is the Maw, Han and Leia Solo risk arrest and worse to aid the Jedi imprisoned back on Coruscant. Tyrannical Chief of State Natasi Daala has issued orders that will open a permanent schism between her government and the Jedi Order—a schism that could turn all Jedi into renegades and wanted criminals. But it is in the depths of the Maw that the future of the galaxy will be decided. For there the Skywalkers and their Sith allies will engage a true monster in battle, and Luke will come face-to-face with a staggering truth.From the Hardcover edition.

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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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Rebel Force #3: Renegade (Star Wars) Review

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(More customer reviews)Another great installment of Rebel Force. An attempt on Luke's life leads him and Leia to leave Yavin Four to keep him safe when it comes clear someone among the Rebels is the one who tried to kill him. They travel to Tatooine where Luke meets up with old friends, visits old homes and finds a little trouble. It was an awsome book except Han is immediately suspected of trying to kill Luke. That's right Han. Even though the ending is really good I still don't understand how anyone would think Han would try to kill Luke.

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Tales from the Empire: Stories from Star Wars Adventure Journal Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, this was a good, entertaining book. Not great, but good. Most of the stories tie in some way into the "mainstream" Star Wars universe, and even those that don't still make sense. I would not however, recommend this to someone who is not well versed in the "Expanded Universe" of Star Wars, but if you have read most of the books than this one is certainly a jewel. Though I think the title is somewhat misplaced, (most of the stories take place long after the the Empire has fallen.) besides that I have no real complaints. The stories are:
First Contact: My favorite, tells how Mara Jade hooked up with Talon Karrde.
Tinnian on Trial: A spoiled rich girl quickly becomes a hardened fighter when her family is murdered by the Empire.
The Final Exit: Yet another smuggler's confused encounter with a Jedi Knight of old.
Missed Chance: A Corran Horn story taking place before he was in Rogue Squadron.
Retreat from Coruscant: During Dark Empire a mail cargo captain is trapped on Coruscant during the Emperial invasion.
A Certain Point of View: A young woman with Imperial upbringing meets up with an old love, but has a change of heart when she finds out his true loyalties.
Blaze if Glory: A somewhat confusing story about a group of smugglers.
Slaying Dragons: An interesting depiction of what it might have been like for an ordinary imperial family, and the effect the war had on them.
Do No Harm: A Rebel doctor is forced to break his oath to do no harm in order to save one of his patients.
Side Trip:(four parts) This long but fascinating story is a collaboration between the two best Star Wars authors, Timothy Zahn, and Michael Stackpole.
Anyway, this book is highly recommendable if you know your Star Wars. Good for fans of any age.

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Street of Shadows (Star Wars: Coruscant Nights II) Review

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(More customer reviews)I probably should have given up on this series after the first one, but there was just enough with Darth Vader to keep me hooked. However, the second book in the Corsucant Nights series was just as average as the first one.
Again, scenes with Darth Vader keep my interest, as well as the appearances by Jedi hunter Aurra Sing. So much more could have been done with Sing over the years, but she's remained largely in the background until now. Sing is hunting Jax Pavan, the main character, and Vader is being hunted himself, this time by Padme's love-struck protector, Captain Typho.
Once again, the author attempts to impress us with his large vocabulary, and his story moves very slowly in places. Most Star Wars novels I find myself staying up late at night, eager to read the next chapter. So far, these two novels have helped put me to sleep at night.
Now I've given both books in this series three stars, which means they're not completely unreadable. I love the Star Wars universe outside the movies, but this series hasn't done much to flesh out the Star Wars universe after the prequel trilogy. Hopefully the final novel will have a payoff worthy of one more star.

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With the Jedi all but wiped out in the grim aftermath of Order 66, the Empire's power seems unchecked. But one lone Knight continues to fight the good fight–against all odds and when all else fails.Deep in the bowels of Coruscant, Jedi Jax Pavan ekes out a living as a private investigator, a go-to, can-do guy for the downtrodden. Now a mysterious Zeltron knockout named Deejah approaches Jax with a case that needs to be cracked: to find out who killed her artist lover Volette, brutally murdered hours after his triumphant unveiling of a dazzling new light sculpture with obvious links to lightsaber pyrotechnics.Finding Volette's killer won't be easy–too many secrets, too many suspects, and all kinds of motives. But with the droid I-5YQ's help, and ex-reporter Den Dhur's excellent snooping skills, the investigation is soon operating like a well-oiled machine.Unfortunately, there's a far more efficient machine hunting Jax. It's a deadly game of cat-and-mouse as the clock starts ticking toward the final explosive showdown . . . to see who strikes first and who will die first.

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Patterns of Force (Star Wars: Coruscant Nights III) Review

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(More customer reviews)...but was simply too ridiculous to pull it off.
Another reviewer on here wrote about the "silly" things in this series and I agree with that review. Reaves, who did so well with the MedStar books, should have stayed out of Jedi lore and delivered more Star Wars through another perspective. Much like Traviss really shines when she deals with non-Jedi (the Clones and Mandalorians) Reaves' medical personnel and media hounds were truly interesting to read. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to muck about with lightsabers and Force-religion.
The Coruscant Nights Trilogy tries too hard. I appreciate the attempt at having a noir feel - in fact, I think it's a great idea. I don't think that having a Jedi play Private Eye is such a good idea. It comes off completely silly, trite, and campy. Were the character of Jax Pavan a normal citizen, or perhaps a law enforcement agent, a reporter, or even a person with just a slight affinity for the Force, these books could have been fantastic. The conflict could have existed on a level of a lone do-gooder against a corrupt system. We could have seen the bad guy be an Imperial agent, an Imperial enforcer - something. However, since he's a full-fledged Jedi Knight, we get such ridiculous things thrown in here for "excitement" (enter, the Inquisitors, and the "Inquisitorius"- an entire legion of Dark Side users) that this turns into a complete turn-off. The Inquisitors were one of the worst additions to Star Wars lore that I have ever come across. Suddenly we have Vader training dozens (perhaps even hundreds?) of Force-users in the Dark Side to hunt down other Force-users and rogue Jedi. I mean, there's the whole "Rule of Two" thing, plus one would think that any Force-users would be seen as a threat to the Palpatine/Vader regime. Plus, the idea of an Inquisitorius is such a big one that it makes a strange gap in continuity that we've never heard about it at any point until now.
And one character's use of the Force is so beyond a level we've ever seen before and he's not even fully trained? This kid, who's never had any instruction, mind you, is vaporizing people with the Force. How many Masters of the Force have we seen or heard of doing this? And some teenage kid is pulling it off with "just instinct."
Light sculptures shielding the Force from detection? Ugh. Don't get me started.
And Vader going on a "bad trip" (an actual quote from the book) when he takes some bota? Good God, the last thing I want to see is the Dark Lord himself having some drug freak out.
Plus, Reaves' characterization of Vader is just awful. His dialogue is never right, his motives and actions are so un-Vader-ish that I had to keep reminding myself that it was the same character. At one point, he asks if his display of an imprisoned character's post-torture state is too disturbing and distracting, and so he removes the character from view with a very sarcastic sense of "is that better, now? insert-evil-laughter-here." It was much too Bond-villain for me. He tortured Han and Leia and let the reverberations in the Force be enough punishment/lure for Luke. Why the petty display through hologram for Jax? It's just lame.
And Reaves is apparently in love with his own grasp of vocabulary. The sentences are often long, clunky, and way too wordy to even be enjoyable to read. At times I had to put the book down and stop reading simply because I felt as if I were reading a thesaurus.
This series isn't the worst Star Wars I've ever read, but it's fairly close. I would recommend this to people who are die-hard only since anyone who doesn't have an extremely strong sense of love for the Star Wars franchise will see that love extinguished by this trilogy.

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After the Empire's bloody purge of the Jedi, one lone Knight still fights for those who cannot, unaware that he's about to be swept into a cataclysmic battle against the Master of Darkness himself.Throughout the galaxy, a captured Jedi is a dead Jedi, even in Coruscant's most foul subterranean slums, where Jedi Knight Jax Pavan champions the causes of the oppressed with the help of hard-nosed reporter Den Dhur and the wisecracking droid I-5YQ. But Jax is also involved in another struggle–to unlock the secrets of his father's death and his own past.While Jax believes that I-5YQ holds some of those answers, he never imagines that the truth could be shocking enough to catapult him to the frontlines of a plot to kill Emperor Palpatine. Worse yet, Darth Vader's relentless search for Jax is about to end . . . in triumph. The future looming over the valiant Jedi and his staunch pals promises to be dark and brief, because there's no secret whatsoever about the harshest truth of all: Few indeed are those who tangle with Darth Vader . . . and live to tell the tale.

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Death Star (Star Wars) Review

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(More customer reviews)For the thirty years of Star Wars so far, the Death Star has stood as one of the single most iconic elements of the entire story. It burst upon screens in 1977 early in Star Wars, as an rapid camera cut leapt away from Tatooine to this gigantic menacing space station. We knew it was recently completed but little more. What was the conception of such a monstrous project? Who built it and how long did it take? Was the increasingly-insignificant Senate aware of the Emperor's plans for it? Why did someone with the evident powers of Darth Vader appear to bow to the commands of Grand Moff Tarkin? These questions and more have been bandied about in fans' minds for decades, some being touched upon in the Expanded Universe but most never directly addressed.
Adding to the general interest in the Death Star were its two appearances in the prequel trilogy. Attack of the Clones gives us a glimpse of the initial Death Star plans as Count Dooku takes them from Geonosian Archduke Poggle the Lesser for "safekeeping." In Revenge of the Sith, we see the skeletal frame of what appears to be the real Death Star in progress as the newly-armored Darth Vader and his master Darth Sidious gaze upon it contemplatively. This shot raised new questions for me, chief among them being how did it take an apparent eighteen years to get from this skeletal frame to the finished station?
Based on the level of interest and the many questions surrounding the Death Star, the opportunity was ripe for a comprehensive look at the whole project from start to finish, whether in book, cartoon, videogame, or some other form. I had high hopes for Michael Reaves and Steve Perry's novel Death Star to take that opportunity and run with it. However, after having read it, I'll say the opportunity is still there. Death Star is a mixture of high and low points with some clear strengths and weaknesses, but inarguably it does not answer the many outstanding questions out there.
For starters, the book is set in a surprisingly narrow window of time. It only covers the months right before completion of the station and does not attempt to fill in the intervening time. Perhaps Lucasfilm instructed the authors to stick to this timeframe due to a potential conflict-of-interest with the forthcoming Star Wars live-action television series which will cover events in the years between Episodes III and IV. More likely is that Reaves and Perry wanted time in the book to introduce sub-plots and new characters of their own, which didn't leave much room for a story that jumps through decades of Death Star development.
There are a great many new characters and stories to keep up with in this book. Making this rather challenging is the rapid-fire shifting from scene to scene, sometimes more often than once a page. The movies sometimes move at this pace but it's disorienting in a novel. Midway through the novel, I felt unsettled as I kept wanting it to slow down and let me get to know the characters and settings a little better.
A very strong and memorable storyline from this book is that of Tenn Graneet, the Imperial Navy Master Chief Gunnery Officer who ends up being the one to pull the trigger on Alderaan. I'd never given much thought to how that would feel, since the films focus on the leaders giving the orders, but it's well done here. I love how they even work in the odd double "Standing By" at Yavin IV from the film - a nice touch for those of us who have seen the movies MANY times.
It was interesting to see Doctor Divini return from the authors' Clone Wars-era Medstar Duology and follow his continuing storyline. The inclusion of Admiral Daala seemed a bit superfluous - perhaps this was because her scenes with Grand Moff Tarkin were a little on the grotesque side. The authors do a solid job with Tarkin himself and Darth Vader, and I found myself frequently wishing there were more scenes with them. Most of the other characters were adequate but I'm not likely to remember them very long.
Reaves and Perry did a great job of altering my concept of the station itself. I had never pictured recreational areas, shopping and cantinas as being part of the Imperial facility, but now that they've brought that in it makes perfect sense. Military personnel should always have some place to blow off steam and the requisite civilians to help with those services. There were some scenes in the cantina that felt more Love Boat than Star Wars, but I'm glad they didn't set the whole novel in the hangars, conference rooms, and detention areas we see in the films, as that wouldn't have made much sense.
The climax of the novel aligns with the events of Episode IV. Scenes feature dialogue taken verbatim from the movie, although many new events with the new characters are woven around them. This did not bother me at all - the movies are so familiar that I would find it jarring at this point to attempt a restating of their dialogue. There's plenty of excitement despite knowing the fate of the station beforehand and the authors do a great job with presenting the Imperial perspective on the attack by the small groups of Rebel snubfighters.
Death Star is a reasonably entertaining read but I am still hopeful to someday learn more about the history of this icon of the saga.


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"THAT'S NO MOON."–Obi-Wan KenobiThe Death Star's name says it all, with bone-chilling accuracy. It is a virtual world unto itself–equipped with uncanny power for a singularly brutal purpose: to obliterate entire planets in the blink of an eye. Its annihilation of the planet Alderaan, at the merciless command of Grand Moff Tarkin, lives in infamy. And its own ultimate destruction, at the hands of Luke Skywalker, is the stuff of legend. But what is the whole story, and who are the players, behind the creation of this world-killing satellite of doom?The near extermination of the Jedi order cleared the way for Palpatine–power-hungry Senator and Sith Lord–to seize control of the Republic, declare himself Emperor, and usher in a fearsome, totalitarian regime. But even with the dreaded Darth Vader enforcing Palpatine's sinister will, the threat of rebellion still looms. And the Emperor knows that only abject fear–and the ability to punish dissent with devastating consequences–can ensure his unchallenged control of the galaxy. Enter ambitious and ruthless government official Wilhuff Tarkin, architect of the Emperor's terrifying dream come true. From inception to completion, construction of the unprecedented Death Star is awash in the intrigues, hidden agendas, unexpected revelations, and daring gambits of those involved on every level. The brightest minds and boldest egos, the most ambitious and corrupt, the desperate and the devious, all have a stake in the Death Star–and its potential to control the fate of the galaxy.Soldiers and slaves, loyalists and Rebels, spies and avengers, the innocent and the evil–all their paths and fates will cross and intertwine as the Death Star moves from its maiden voyage to its final showdown. And a shadowy chapter of Star Wars history is stunningly illuminated in a thrilling, unforgettable adventure.From the Hardcover edition.

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Star Wars: Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor Review

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(More customer reviews)Shadows of Mindor is set in the period after the battle of Endor. Palpatine and Vader are dead, and the New Republic is in charge. However, not everyone agrees that this is the way things should be. Serious bad guys still exist, and Luke Skywalker and his friends are called upon once again to set things right in the galaxy. This time they face a legion of black-armored stormtroopers who are led by Warlord Shadowspawn and who operate from an extremely unusual position on the planet Mindor. To further complicate matters, the Sith appear to be involved as well. Fortunately, Luke has help from Han, Leia, Chewbacca, Lando, R2-D2, and C-3P0 in this mission. Needless to say, having all of these folks back in action is great fun for the reader.
Luke is the reigning hero in the galaxy, but he is still very young and does not have a clear understanding of his role in reestablishing the Jedi, much less a clear understanding of the Force itself. He is now General Skywalker and not at all sure that he should be. Luke's struggles in trying to find his way and win victories for the Republic while minimizing loss of life make for extremely interesting reading.
Mr. Stover is a highly respected author in the Star Wars world. He was responsible for the novelization of Revenge of the Sith as well as the novel Shatterpoint. Both were excellent. For the most part, he does not disappoint in Shadows of Mindor. He does a great job of portraying the characters. Luke is in doubt much of the time, but you would always want to have him on your side. Han is presented as he was in the films - easily bored, extremely loyal, highly effective in pressure situations, and one of the best pilots anywhere. You also have an opportunity to hear Han's true opinion of Mandalorians. Very funny, especially if you have read the Rebel Commando series by Karen Traviss. Chewie remains Han's loyal companion and continues to prove his worth in tight scrapes time after time. Leia remains a remarkable woman - handy in a fight and a true leader. The relationship between Han and Leia is shown as I always thought it should be - loving, respectful, and humorous.
Our favorite droids also play key roles in this tale. C-3P0 does his usual thing and unwittingly provides comic relief on several occasions. R2 is probably the most useful droid ever. You have to love him. Mr. Stover gives him a remarkable scene near the end of the book where he ejects from the Millennium Falcon through the garbage chute to land on an asteroid in an attempt to save Luke from impending doom. In the midst of this, R2 has time to philosophize about his likely final shutdown and his realization that C-3P0 is his true friend. Truly a beautiful scene.
The book is extremely well done. I only had two reservations. The first is that I felt Mr. Stover had a little too much fascination with the technical side of Star Wars a few times. I think some description of ships, weapons, and technology is extremely useful to the reader, but it is possible to go overboard. My second reservation is harder to pin down without giving away some key plot points. Let me just say that I found the concepts of Shadowspan and the meltmassif substance to be difficult to grasp clearly. I believe the story could have been just as effective with Shadowspawn and his evil machinations presented in a different way.
Basically, I am quibbling here. I enjoyed the book very much and I believe any Star Wars fan would have a great time reading Shadows of Mindor.

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Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are dead. The Empire has been toppled by the triumphant Rebel Alliance, and the New Republic is ascendant. But the struggle against the dark side and the Sith Order is not over. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, and their faithful comrades have had little time to savor victory before being called on to defend the newly liberated galaxy.Powerful remnants of the vanquished Empire, hungry for retaliation, are still at large, committing acts of piracy, terrorism, and wholesale slaughter against the worlds of the fledgling New Republic. The most deadly of these, a ruthless legion of black-armored Stormtroopers, do the brutal bidding of the newly risen warlord Shadowspawn. Striking from a strategically advantageous base on the planet Mindor, they are waging a campaign of plunder and destruction, demolishing order and security across the galaxy–and breeding fears of an Imperial resurgence. Another reign of darkness beneath the boot-heel of Sith despotism is something General Luke Skywalker cannot, and will not, risk. Mobilizing the ace fighters of Rogue Squadron–along with the trusty Chewbacca, See-Threepio, and Artoo-Detoo–Luke, Han, and Leia set out to take the battle to the enemy and neutralize the threat before it's too late. But their imminent attack on Mindor will be playing directly into the hands of their cunning new adversary. Lord Shadowspawn is no freshly anointed Sith Chieftain but in fact a vicious former Imperial Intelligence officer–and Prophet of the Dark Side. The Emperor's death has paved the way for Shadowspawn's return from exile in the Outer Rim, and mastery of ancient Sith knowledge and modern technology has given him the capability to mount the ultimate power play for galaxy wide dominion. Dark prophecy has foretold that only one obstacle stands in his way, and he is ready–even eager–for the confrontation.All the classic heroes, all the explosive action and adventure, all the unparalleled excitement of Star Wars come breathlessly alive as the adventures of Luke Skywalker continue.From the Hardcover edition.

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Cloak of Deception (Star Wars) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Chancellor has little real power...he is mired down by baseless accusations of corruption." -- Senator Palpatine of Naboo to Queen Amidala, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
One of the intentions writer-director George Lucas had when writing the current prequels in the Star Wars saga was to illustrate how precarious democracy can be and how it can transform itself into a dictatorship. This little civics lesson, when added to the "main story" of how and why Anakin Skywalker becomes one of filmdom's greatest villains, was intended to answer such questions as "How did the Emperor take power?" and "Why were the Jedi nearly destroyed?" (Unfortunately, for many Star Wars fans, this civics lesson made Episode I seem like a galactic edition of C-SPAN, with all that talky maneuvering and manipulating in the Senate Hall.)
There are, however, some fans who do like the intrigue and political backstabbing that marks the end of the Galactic Republic, and James Luceno's Star Wars: Cloak of Deception gives willing readers a fascinating look behind the scenes of those "baseless accusations" aimed at Supreme Chancellor Valorum...the ones that are distracting the Republic's chief executive just as the Senate is about to be bogged down by the question of the taxation of trade routes in the galaxy.
Set shortly before the events chronicled in Michael Reaves' Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter and Star Wars: Episode I, Cloak of Deception follows Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they investigate the daring space pirate Captain Cohl and his gang, who have been striking at the heavily armed "freighters" of the Trade Federation...that greedy multi-system entity controlled mostly by the Neimoidians who have allied themselves with the mysterious Sith Lord. But is Cohl raiding the disguised warships just to steal from the rich and make a name for himself? Is he allied to those systems that are sick and tired of being extorted by the Trade Federation? Or is he merely one of many pawns being manipulated by Palpatine/Darth Sidious in his endless chain of schemes-within-schemes in order to create a major crisis that will push the well-meaning but ineffectual Finis Valorum out of office, thus paving the way for Palpatine's ascent to the Supreme Chancellorship?
This being one of several literary prequels to The Phantom Menace, savvy readers know the ultimate outcome of this story, but Luceno is one of the best Star Wars writers, and Cloak of Deception masterfully combines much of Lucas' back story and symbolism (Finis Valorum, the Supreme Chancellor's name, in Latin, roughly translates to brave or valiant end) with a suspenseful storyline replete with intrigue, action, and a more detailed look at Senator Palpatine and his cronies' plots and counterplots that will culminate in the Naboo Crisis.

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No Prisoners (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) Review

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(More customer reviews)Del Rey is publishing a series of five tie-in novels to accompany the highly successful Clone Wars cartoon series, which kicked off in the fall of 2008. Authorial duties are rotating between two Karens: Karen Traviss, notable Star Wars author with a penchant for clones and Mandalorians, kicked things off with an excellent novelization of the feature film. Karen Miller, a newcomer to the Expanded Universe, followed up with Wild Space, a harrowing but overlong tale of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa journeying through the galaxy in search of a Sith planet. Now Traviss delivers the third novel, No Prisoners, coupling an intriguing exploration of differing Jedi philosophies with a juicy dose of clone and battle droid action.
One striking feature of the three novels published to date in this particular mini-series is the juxtaposition of their serious and introspective tone with the light-hearted adventure of the TV show. I appreciate that the authors are working to deepen the EU by not simply offering shallow tales of Jedi heroics. At times I find it a bit challenging to marry the TV show to these stories in my mind, but overall this is a great strategy and sometimes makes me see the TV episodes in a new light. For example, clone officer Captain Rex is given a meaty and provocative role in No Prisoners. He wrestles with some fundamental issues concerning the role of the clone army, what their purpose is in life, and whether there is any hope for them to be something more. These themes will be familiar to readers of the superb Republic Commando series, also by Karen Traviss, but playing them against the adventurous fun of the cartoon made them more poignant than ever, at least for this reader.
Beyond the intellectual examination of Rex and his clone squad, there are many intense action sequences scattered throughout. One particularly vivid scene involves the clones rescuing one of the main characters who is being held hostage. The pace at which they take over the situation and Rex's brutally firm leadership make for compelling reading. Traviss deftly paints the clones as a military force to be reckoned with and the saga is all the richer for it.
Readers of Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy will be interested to know Captain Gilad (new first name!) Pellaeon is a featured character in No Prisoners. In fact, his forbidden relationship with intelligence agent Hallena Davis and what he's willing to do to save her from danger is the prime driver of the plot. Their relationship echoes the forbidden marriage of Anakin and Padme. Pellaeon is portrayed as a smart and capable officer. Arguably, he is portrayed as TOO smart and capable: I found myself picturing the old, experienced, post-Thrawn-and-Daala Pellaeon more than a young officer making his way through the ranks. There are an awful lot of years between the Clone Wars and the Thrawn Trilogy in which he doesn't seem to have grown much, but still, it's a treat reading his interactions with Anakin, Ahsoka, and Rex.
Another place where the book veers tonally away from the show is in its treatment of Ahsoka. Many characters here are surprised or even shocked that a half-dressed fourteen-year-old has been given a leadership role. Pellaeon even forces her to change into military-issue clothes in an awkward little scene. Ahsoka also undergoes some mental turmoil when she is introduced to a rogue sect of Jedi who permit relationships and do not fear attachment. These Jedi, led by Master Djinn Altis and featuring Callista Masana from the Bantam novels, go against many of the precepts she was raised to unthinkingly accept.
These challenges to Ahsoka's beliefs (and later in the story, to Anakin's as well) underscored a theme I see woven through the Traviss stories. She seems to favor book characters over movie ones, and her anti-Jedi Order viewpoints are a strongly recurring motif. While there are times I feel she is excessively weakening characters like Ahsoka to demonstrate the Order is rotting from within, I do appreciate that she is willing to introduce and flesh out alternative views of the prequel era. She is correct that many people would likely have more negative views of the Jedi than we as movie viewers tend to, and certainly there is fertile ground to be plowed with the bred-to-fight and enslaved clone army. So while I don't always agree with the viewpoints she espouses, I value them highly.
No Prisoners presents a balanced mix of philosophical musings about the nature of clones, Jedi, and warfare with gripping action sequences and a fast-paced storyline. Karen Traviss has made quite a mark on the Expanded Universe and shows no signs of letting up, and I am pleased Del Rey is open to publishing stories such as hers that don't necessarily toe the line of the other media including the cartoon. No Prisoners is highly recommended.


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The Clone Wars rage on. As insurgent Separatists fight furiously to wrest control of the galaxy from the Republic, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine cunningly manipulates both sides for his own sinister purposes. Torrent Company's Captain Rex agrees to temporarily relieve Anakin Skywalker of Ahsoka, his ubiquitous–and insatiably curious–Padawan, by bringing her along on a routine three-day shakedown cruise aboard Captain Gilad Pellaeon's newly refitted assault ship. But the training run becomes an active–and dangerous–rescue mission when Republic undercover agent Hallena Devis goes missing in the middle of a Separatist invasion.Dispatched to a distant world to aid a local dictator facing a revolution, Hallena finds herself surrounded by angry freedom fighters and questioning the Republic's methods–and motives. Summoned to rescue the missing operative who is also his secret love, Pellaeon–sworn to protect the Republic over all–is torn between duty and desire. And Ahsoka, sent in with Rex and six untested clone troopers to extract Hallena, encounters a new and different Jedi philosophy, which shakes the foundation of her upbringing to the core. As danger and intrigue intensify, the loyalties and convictions of all involved will be tested. . . .

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Slave Ship (Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book 2) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book continues the {mis}adventures started in Book 1 of the Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy, The Mandalorian Armor with varying success. Neelah is still on her quest to piece together her past, Fett and Bossk are still up to same old, same old, Xizor and Mub'at are still plotting, and on it goes. This book also follows the same storylines - one right after A New Hope and one during Return of the Jedi - started in the first one.
First off I'd like to recommend not reading this book immediately after finishing Mandalorian Armor. I tried to do that twice, and was utterly unable to get into it. The author assumes the reader hasn't read the first book, and thus does too much recapping of previous events. Jeter is almost Lumley-esque in this regard. An author should assume that when a reader starts the second book in a trilogy that the reader is intelligent enough to have read the first one.
The most annoying thing about this book is what made the first book so difficult - many of the familiar characters and very misrepresented. Dengar is and emotional, cowardly idiot-wimp, Fett is very talkative, prone to giving `idiot-sheet' speeches, Vader doesn't have enough control over his emotions, etc... However, there is some very good character development in the new characters, which is overshadowed by their mere boringness.
Whereas the assembler Kud'ar Mub'at was interesting in the first book and Kuat unutterably boring, in this book their roles have changed. The arachnoid in this book is predictable, and boring, while Kuat has many interesting thoughts and foresights. Too many in fact. This is another problem with the book. It is hard to read conversations when there are two pages of though between each line of spoken dialogue, for some reason it just doesn't flow that way.
The author also makes the mistake of assuming the readers are inept. He has to have the characters spell out every vestige of every plan, and the dialogue often is overlong and rather speechy. The writer's writing style itself is quite basic, but he covers that up with a lot of adjectives and big thesaurus words. Another filler that he uses is that he repeats physical descriptions and names over and over again, as if afraid that the reader will forget basic stuff from paragraph to paragraph.
Despite all its flaws, however, this is still a pretty good and interesting tale, raising a lot of interesting points, questions and views, while answering other which were opened in the first book. This should be read by fairly serious Star Wars fans, but it's not `necessary' reading.

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Wild Space (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy this book, despite my attempts at doing so.
I know there's a lot of griping from other reviewers about "no action," and "no fight scenes." It's true. There isn't. Is this a diversion from the normal Star Wars EU fare? Yes, it is. Does that make this a bad book. Certainly not. I was rather excited at the idea of getting a very character-based center for this book. I don't mind reading conversations between characters and getting their emotional insights. I do, however, mind when an author misses the characterization of characters so completely as Miller does here.
Let's start with the obvious: Obi-Wan Kenobi. I like Obi-Wan. In fact, I love Obi-Wan. He's a fan favorite and for good reason. He's calm and collected, he's genteel, has a wry sense of humor and a graciousness that is what many of us see as "the" Jedi way. He cares about Anakin, of course, but he's always done his duty as a Jedi. Miller's Obi-Wan is just simply un-likable. He is constantly "angry" and provoked to rash, abrupt, and simply non-diplomatic responses. He argues with Anakin, he argues with Padme, he argues with Bail Organa (a LOT) - and he does it in a rather annoying fashion. When did Obi-Wan start carrying a grudge for anybody that wasn't a Jedi? Is he REALLY getting bent out of shape about someone "intruding" on his "private" meditations? I mean, these are actions that are just not in Obi-Wan's character. I like the idea here - Bail Organa and Obi-Wan not necessarily seeing eye-to-eye on things but coming through a difficult situation with grudging respect and even some fondness for each other. I just don't understand why Obi-Wan had to be made into such an ass to accomplish this.
We also start immediately following Geonosis. Anakin and Obi-Wan are both gravely injured and take some time to heal from this - both physically and emotionally. I love this. They both took a huge blow in more than one sense. Obi-Wan is disappointed in Anakin's actions, Anakin is reeling in pain and frustration - it's great. I liked seeing Jedi that were left hurting, confused, and in need of recuperation.
I did NOT like seeing Obi-Wan constantly hurt. He recovers from Geonosis then gets himself blown up and almost killed. Then he runs off to a planet that plays mind games with him - causing him to have terrible headaches, react violently (he almost kills himself and Bail more than one time), he collapses in fatigue and pain, he bleeds from the eyes and nose - it's just ridiculous. He's an angry invalid for most of the book. This is not Obi-Wan and it's not what I want to spend 300+ pages reading.
Padme is supposed to be a pillar of civic responsibility and duty - a testament to personal sacrifice for the better of the people. Here we see her swearing nobody can keep her apart from Anakin - she seems almost violently selfish of her relationship with him. She resents the Jedi, their devotion to duty, and their belief system. Where is the Padme who respects the Jedi's defense of the Republic? Where is her love of her government and her own pride in responsibility? Where is the belief that she and other loyalists can make things better? It's not here - here we have Anakin and Padme acting like they're staring in a romance novel - with lovey-dovey dialogue that made me cringe to read and a selfish self-involved attitude that made me hate their relationship.
All of the characterizations are off (though none as blatantly insulting as that of Obi-Wan). Yoda is a snippy, stingy, control-freak who shows almost no compassion for anyone at any point in the novel. Padme is a selfish, love-sick puppy who snaps and barks at anybody who disagrees with her (including Anakin). Ahsoka is hardly in the novel and while she's not my favorite character ever, I'm curious if Miller has even SEEN any of the media with Ahsoka in it. Anakin's Padawan is supposed to be spunky, smart, and capable. The Ahsoka in this novel spends all her time internally wishing and begging for Anakin's approval, running errands like some personal assistant, and cringing anytime Anakin gives her instruction. There's no banter between the two, there's no relationship there.
Bail Organa - while very briefly seen on film - never struck me as a brash, hard-liquor-drinking, arrogant, gullible jerk and that's certainly the way he comes off here. The "information" he receives about the Sith plot is so ridiculously vague and he accepts it on such blind trust that I was amazed he hadn't been assassinated earlier. He goes on a quest with Obi-Wan and is so cavalier about it, I half expected him to walk out of the ship's cabin with spurs and a cowboy hat, a shot of whiskey in his hand, and a six-shooter strapped to his leg. He's reckless and foolish, he provokes arguments, he responds argumentatively - where's the diplomacy here? I mean, this guy is a Senator and he's tossing around insults and rash statements like he's Han Solo or something. He should be smooth and polished - calm in a verbal argument and able to dissolve tension, not adding to it.
And, on a much nit-pickier level: has Miller even familiarized herself with the terminology (and time-line) established in Star Wars novels? It really threw my enjoyment off to see elevators - dubbed "turbolifts" in all other EU works - called "swift-tubes" here. "Glowrods" are being termed "night-sticks," and the obvious breach of continuity - the timing of Anakin's Knighthood. These are things I probably could have overlooked, had it not been for the truly insulting characterizations.
I appreciate the effort here - a character-driven story that sacrifices action for more in-depth, emotional focus is not a bad idea. But the execution in "Wild Space" is just appalling. Anything that has me feeling a dislike of Obi-Wan (and every character here, come to think of it) is just not good Star Wars fiction.

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Star Wars, Episode IV - A New Hope Review

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(More customer reviews)First, let's dispense with the myth that Lucas wrote this himself. It was fully written by noted sci-fi/fantasy author Alan Dean Foster (who also wrote the novelizations for Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Krull, Black Hole, Alien Nation and although credited to Gene Roddenberry, he also wrote Star Trek The Motion Picture) Lucas was busy actually making the movie while ADF was writing this novel based on Lucas's working script. This accounts for some of the differences in the story.
ADF is a great writer, with a good voice and a great use of brevity to convey details. This is a quick read and a real treat for star wars fans. When this was first released it was called "Star Wars: From the adventures of Luke Skywalker" and was released before the movie even came out. ADF was already contracted to write a sequel since no one had any idea how the film would do, thus "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" makes a wonderful companion piece (the similar style between the two should be a dead giveaway that Foster wrote both).
This where it all began. If you want to read the SW books, make sure you start here.

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Iron Fist (Star Wars: X-Wing Series, Book 6) Review

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(More customer reviews)Star Wars books sometimes suffer from life- and galaxy-shattering plots, to the point the they are often depressing, unbelievable, and sometimes just stupid. The Wraith Trilogy (Rogue Squadron: Wraith Squadron/Iron Fist/Solo Command) is almost the antithesis, injected with humor and life, even though the characters are self-professed screw-ups about to be washed out of piloting. Instead of being a lot about piloting and aerial dogfights, this unit is made up of commandos who are also great pilots. The characters are mainly new and untried, and desperate to impress their commander, Wedge Antilles, hero of the New Republic, who creates this unit to meet a real need. The Wraiths learn to trust each other, cheer together when they succeed and cry real tears when missions don't go according to their plan, and they lose friends and comrades. Though these stories were obviously conceived to dove-tail into "The Courtship of Princess Leia," they are great stories, with many funny lines and situations. Its not all comedy -- the unit helps one member through manic depression and career-ending insanity, another is a spy who ends up wanting to be just an honest pilot, another is a former slave who is forced to murder a squadron mate, yet another realizes that he is the killer of the father of one of his pilots, another seeks to contact a traitor to learn about his sister, etc. Heady and heavy stuff! Since none of these are main or film characters, there is no fear of contradicting continuity for the characters of this series. I became a Star Wars novel fan through these lines of books. I admit, I am disappointed with most of the other novels, and always wish that more Wraith Squadron books could be written instead, even as children's books, if need be!

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They are the Rebel Alliance's ultimate strike force--sleek, swift, and deadly. For these X-wing fighters, no job is too dirty or too dangerous. Now they must rise to meet an impossible challenge: stop a powerful warlord by pretending to be his ally.Against all odds, the controversial Wraith Squadron has survived its first covert mission. But now they are called upon to cheat death twice. This time Wedge Antilles sends them in to stop the warlord Zsinj and his Super Star Destroyer, Iron Fist. If Zsinj joins the Empire, it could turn the tide of war against the Rebels. The Wraith Squadron's mission: infiltrate the warlord's fleet and uncover his carefully guarded plans. To do so, they must pose as ruthless pirates seeking to join Zsinj's forces. And that means first becoming pirates in space lanes teeming with Imperial Navy patrols. If that isn't enough to get them killed, they'll have to pass one last test--a suicide mission for Zsinj.Can they survive the test and turn the tables on Zsinj?Or is this the end for Wraith Squadron?

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Star Wars: Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth Review

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(More customer reviews)"No matter how bleak things got, or how tempted they were to despair, light would prevail over darkness"
The Clone Wars rages on and Obi-Wan and Anakin continue to lead the front-line assaults against the Separatist. But information is coming in of an operation on Lanteeb. Under the nose of Chancellor Palpatine, Bail Organa and Master Yoda send Obi-Wan and Anakin to investigate.
I Liked:
One thing that has continued to astound me about Karen Miller is her grasp on major characters. When Anakin and Obi-Wan are in her hands, they act and feel like the characters from the movie. Anakin is perfectly tortured, adept and caring while Obi-Wan is nicely struggling with his own set of issues (being a bad master, his relationship to Anakin) and being somewhat aloof.
What is even better is how Karen Miller writes the pair together. The movies never quite got the supposed "joking" but "tender" relationship between the pair. Here, it is obvious the two are brothers in arms, yet they have differences of opinions that quite frequently (due to Anakin's impetuous nature and Obi-Wan's more sedate nature) causes them to butt heads. I could believe that these two could joke, then argue, but then be pals all at the same time.
I am also impressed with Miller's grasp of Ahsoka and Bail. Ahsoka has always been rather annoying to me from the movie and the TV series. But Miller writes her as a caring, young, naïve apprentice and not the know-it-all Mary Sue from the show. Plus, I really liked how Ahsoka went on a mission with Taria Damsin. Bail is positively brilliant. He continues to leap from the page and become a real person, a real friend to Obi-Wan and a friend to the Jedi.
And while I have caveats about it (see below), I actually don't mind the new addition to the list of Obi-Wan's girlfriends. I see no reason why our Jedi couldn't have had multiple liaisons in his life; many people have more than one boyfriend/girlfriend. Heck, many people get married and remarried and married and remarried. Plus, the Jedi only condemn attachment (unfortunately), not a "No strings attached" relationship.
I was astonished at how well Miller wrote the beginning action sequence on Kothlis. A lot of writers have one niche, be it characters or action, and they can't move out of it. Miller does a great job capturing the characters and the movement of the battle as well. It was great to read a nice Clone Wars battle. I even liked how Bail, Padme, Obi-Wan and Anakin gather over dinner to talk about Lanteeb. There are far too many secret meetings, hurried transmissions or whatnot that seeing our characters act like people was great.
I Didn't Like:
As for Miller's original characters, I had a hard time buying them. Taria Damsin wasn't too bad, but she comes perilously close to Mary Sue for my taste (abnormal hair color, abnormal eye color, nearly human alien, dying of an illness that doesn't hinder her abilities whatsoever, a former romantic partner of Obi-Wan...I could go on). Perhaps toning down a few of her characteristics (making her be obviously alien, let her illness actually pull her down and make her fail, making her and Obi-Wan rivals as well as former lovers) might have improved this.
The other original character was Bant'era Fharen, who is supposedly a super-smart biochemist. I say "supposedly", because I could never buy that aspect of her. Firstly, I don't think she was described that well, as I thought she was yet another mid-20's Hollywood scientist, but she actually was a middle aged scientist. Also, and I know this is a problem for writers (I've experienced it myself), but the way Bant'era talks about her "sciency" stuff sounds more like a person trying to act "sciency" than a person who has studied and experimented with science for years. Not to mention, I find her more than a wee bit selfish for putting herself and twelve people over billions.
I must admit, this book had me bored to tears at times. After the intense action at the beginning, the book slows down and segues into a Coruscant scene. While it is nicely done, and has a nice dinner sequence with Anakin, Padme, Bail, and Obi-Wan, it just grinds the story to a halt. The pace doesn't quite return until Taria and Ahsoka rescue one of Bant'era's family members, which is about 50 pages from the end. Not a good sign.
Also, I was more aware of the "angsting" in this book and thus, I had trouble enjoying aspects. While Obi-Wan and Anakin's relationship is superb, they sometimes break into fights or discussions that overstay their welcome. Yes, we get they argue but love each other. Move on. The most aggravating thing to me was how everyone, and I mean everyone, commented on "how tired" Obi-Wan was and "how he should get some rest" and how Obi-Wan would always deny it and avoid it. Good grief! I can understand once or twice, but to have Anakin, then Yularen, then Ahsoka, then Yoda, then Bail, then Padme bring it up...you get my drift.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Barve, there were a lot of barving instances of "barve" in this book.
Taria was a former lover of Obi-Wan. Anakin and Padme have an intimate moment at dinner (no, it's not that intimate).
The book begins with a battle sequence on Kothlis that results in several characters (including Obi-Wan) being injured. Lok Durd abuses Bant'era and threatens her family.
Overall:
After the brilliant Wild Space, Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth doesn't quite live up. There is a bit too much angsting, too much pushing characters beyond the edge of their physical strength, too little movement in plot and action (particularly at the halfway point), and a little too unbelievable characters. Even with these faults, this is much better than a lot of EU, and I will definitely check out the end of this two part series, Siege.
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Planet by planet, darkness creeps across the galaxy. Among warriors and generals, among ordinary beings living in far-flung worlds, the fear will not go away: We are losing this war. . . . Anakin Skywalker feels it, too. The Separatist Alliance, with ruthlessness and treachery, is beating the Republic to every strategic target. But after a costly clash with General Grievous for the planet Kothlis, Anakin has a mission that will focus his anxious mind. Alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi, he is posing as a long-lost native of Lanteeb, an impoverished world on the Outer Rim. This seemingly unimportant planet has drawn the interest of the Seps—and Anakin and Obi-Wan soon discover the disturbing reason: A scientist enslaved by General Lok Durd is drawing on Lanteeb's one natural resource for a devastating bioweapon. Now Anakin and Obi-Wan have entered the eye of a storm. Their presence has been exposed, Lok Durd's plans unveiled, and a fight has begun for survival behind enemy lines—and a chance of winning a war that must be fought at any cost.

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