Ambush at Corellia

 This is a slower pace novel. I won’t complain about the author’s ability to write because it was written well unlike others where the sentences are constructed so strangely I’m reading it over and over trying to figure out what on earth the author said just happened or it's so simplistic it reads like Dick and Jane reader.

 

In this one the Solo family decides to take a family vacation on Han’s home planet Corellia. While they are gone Luke goes on a mission with Lando completely unconnected to Leia’s trip. The way it is written it sounds that there is a time lapses since the last novel but I’m unsure how much but they talk of there being peace for a while.

 My overall review is that it’s entertaining enough to read but slow and kind of non-eventful. I was disappointed in the author’s ability to make characters likeable. I mean the children come across as out right brats!

(YouTube Video of what the begaining of this book would look like if it was a movie. Thought it was kind of neat!)

 

  The following is spoilers so fare warning….

 

  Ok, this is some of the problems I noticed in this book… Luke gives Leia a light saber cause… well, why did he give her one when she already has one? And evidently she didn’t build either of them when a Jedi is supposed to… plus he gives her a red one at that… RED?! Was it not known at the time that only Sith have red sabers? What is going on with this? And also Leia says she doesn’t carry her old one anymore! That is hard to believe since she has in the past used it quite a bit!

 Then there is this scene with Mon Mothma that I believe happens before he gives his sister the lightsaber where she is giving him some strange lecture… what is that about?! You think her strange behavior must have a reason but then it never does!

 And then there is Lando… now this story was kind of amusing but I have a hard time seeing Luke going along with this but... whatever, it was funny :-)

 On a technical note, you know I never notice typos that much in a book, even when other people do but I found quite a few in this one! I think they slacked a bit on the proof reading on this book! I even started taking pics of them cause I just never see quite that many! (and this isn't all of them...)

The New Rebellion

  3/4 of this one was pretty mediocre. Probably didn't help that it was following such an intence trilogy, The Black Fleet Crisis. It bugged me at first that this author ignored things that had happened in past books that should have continued the growth of the characters. And then half way through the book she started mentioning stuff from past books! It was odd, like she'd just read the others half way into writing her's... :-/




Han helps Leia out of the bombed Senate building

   I found the part with the bombing of the Senate building interesting cause this was written pre 9/11 unlike another I have read, (I think it was Labyrinth of Evil) which used 9/11 as the obvious inspiration. Since this was pre 9/11 it was interesting to see a terrorist like attack portrayed when at the time main land America had never been through one. And unlike Laberath of Evil it was not used as a political statement in the story. As Labyrinth of Evil was.

 

 

 I guess a lot of the mediocre parts did help in building to the end. The last quarter was good and really made the book worth reading!

With that said I will now move on to some comments that are spoilers... so look away if you wish.

Where to start... uh, I'll just start somewhere...

 

Nandreeson with his fire breathers revengefully tries to execute Lando

Lando; Well, make that Lando and Han. I got confused after their smuggler friends switch sides so many times! I've yet to figure it all out! Maybe the point was that money will makes simi-good people do some bad things... but that back stabbing started getting old and confusing! And the dragon people? Come on! I don't know if that is a creation of this author or another being Lando and the dragons had history, but they were rather silly. And the way they defeated them was even worse!

Leia; The problem was it was like all she went through in The Black Fleet Crisis didn't happen. She AGAIN is being sent to a vote to the Senate to remove her. After TBFC this is really nothing new! More should have been mentioned about that because it should have naturally played into her character growth.

Luke; OK, right off I can't think of anything much to complain about. It is nice that the Super Jedi idea has finally died. It totally ruined the Luke created in the films. This author did a pretty good job with Luke. I did how ever notice a copy of Children of the Jedi on let's see how bad we can beat up Luke... It did work but it seemed more like copying another authors work then coming up with something original.

Anakin; Awe, I'm liking this kid!

R2D2 and Threepio; I like how they become heroes though I got confused a few time in the part R2D2 was waging war.

Mara Jade; What was going on with this?! She shows up much to Hans dislike to be of no help what-so-ever! She plays no part what-so-ever in saving Luke. One moment she's behind Han. Then the author totally drops her! It's like she wasn't even there :-/ and not mentioned again until they are on their ride back.

Kueller; Ok, now onto the mask. On the front cover there in a disturbing image of a skull. A realistic human skull! The book talks of how realistic it is also. Now check out illustrations of this character and notice all of them show him wearing a mask that looks more like a robot! Hu? Also I in the book it talks about how the mask holds memories but not much else is elaborated on this matter which leaves you wondering what does the mask "remember" and what is the point? How can the mask be used in the future? A lot in this book makes you wonder about things cause they just are brought up but never taken to a conclusion... which bugs me...

Tyrant's Test

  Wow, first off I want to applauded the author of The Black Fleet Crisis! This story is so complicated and detailed with a great talent to create a different universe that really seems like one unlike our own but still a bit like our own!

This book unlike the other two was written in chapters with Interludes's about Lando through out as it take some time to connect his story with everyone else's. The Yevetha ARE unlike any enemy they have faced thus far. I have seen them likened to the Nazis but I would say not really. They are the worst parts put together of the worst of the world that we know. Unlike with The Crystal Star where it was obvious Hitler and the Hitler Youth was the inspiration the Yevetha are a new group to themselfes.These creatures are bad with no apparent redemption quality.

(I would like to note that this trilagy is not for younger Star Wars fans. It gets pretty violent and also has some adult subject matter.)

With that being said, I think now that I have read all three books I can fairly comment on ALL three. I think this story easily could have taken up another book or two and maybe it should have!

(warning, what is coming could be spoilers just so you know)

  In the first book Before the Storm I noted that Leia and Luke seem to lose their minds. I thought this may play into the story later on but it never did but I will say that their minds seem to go back to normal for the next two books so I don't know, you just have to go with it I guess.

 At one point it seems Luke has found a new love interest but... afterwards it's not touched again from Luke's point of view and only mentioned slyly by Akanah. You would think at this point he would be haveing very mixed emotions about this girl by the end but like I said, the author really doesn't approach it again.

 Also something really bugged me about the conclusion to Akanah's story. It seemed like it was a little bit of a let down. The author did a good job building up to the end but it seems like it could have been a little juicer compared to the build up! Your left hanging about Luke's mother... and part of the problem is today we DO know who the Skywalker's mother was, Padme', but when this was written they did not so perhaps back then the ending was a little bit juicer cause the women she speaks of at the time could have been their mother but with the info out now I can see no way it could have been... but even so I still feel the whole Fallanassi was a bit of a let down. Brought into the story just to take place in the battle that does nothing to really help. They go against their beliefs it seems because you are given the impression they do not fight and would rather die then fight and kill but then knowingly take place in a battle and continue as men are dieing... it didn't make since.

Lando, Lobot, R2D2, and C3PO inside the Vagabond

  It also didn't make since as to why the Vagabond is said to keep returning to it's home planet and leaving again when it is it's mission to save the world from the ice... did I just miss something? Why didn't it stay the first time it came back and why did it stay this time it came back... I was confused :-/

  But even if the ending was lacking somehow, the whole thing was quite a read and I'm guessing Nal Spaar or his people in some way will return. The Yevetha are an enemy that I don't believe are that easily rid of!

Shield of Lies

 This author is good! This story has such a complex story line that the 2nd book is written in 3 sections. Lando"s story, Luke's story, and Leia's. All basically 3 unconnected stories which in the end I'm sure will meet. For book 1 I was complaining that I couldn't hardly keep up with the characters! I smiled when I opened this one and found a list of who's who and where! :-)

 I read a portion of the book riding from NJ to AL. I felt like I read for nearly 24 hours straight 8-o Which I stopped after starting on Leia's portion of the book, my mind just couldn't think well enough at that point to continue!

 I'm looking forward to the next book! The author has a wide range in writing talent, if that makes since. He can write about politics with amazing depth and contrast with the emotional search for Akanah's and Luke's family. A very good author!