I have wonder a long time why these set of books fall into something called The New Jedi Order and in case you are wondering too in Survivor's Quest Zhan eased us into it. Luke has doubts that the way he has been training his Jedi and decides to make some changes. Vector Prime begins a few years later where Leia and Han's children Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin are now teenagers and under the apprenticeship under Luke and Mara. Becoming more like Jedi Padawans.
I've never read a book by R.A. Salvatore. He's ok. Kinda has a style like Zhan. As for the amount of characters... Ah! There was a point when I was happy when they started knocking people off so I could take them off my list of people I had to keep up with and I was still confused a little but it got better. It wasn't till the end of the book where I realized Danni was human and not a Twi'lek. I guess someone that got knocked off was a Twi'lek and I got them confused... anyway...
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| Danni |
This book came out in 1999. I do see parts of the pre-quells peaking through.
I started this little mission of reading through the Star Wars Novels a number of years ago. 2010, I think. Way before the announcement of the next 3 movies to be made. So at the time I thought basically that these books were it... Now though, it almost makes me nervous cause I have to wonder how much of what I'm reading is going to play into the movies or are they just going to scrap them and totally rebuild. I HOPE that will not be the case and I'm sure there are a lot of fans out there that feel the same way. A lot happens in these book. Like I said in my past post HERE that there were guidelines and approvals on what authors could do in the books so, maybe...
A lot happens in this book in it's self... so....There are spoilers ahead.... BIG ONES... so fair warning
Mara Jade has been infected with a very deadly illness in which is a total mystery to what it is and where she got it. That isn't really a spoiler due to that is a fact you are given that fact from the very start of this book. I found that rather abrupt. Did someone plan to write a book about the backstory on this or did I miss something? But what really bothered me was after reading Visions of the Future and Survivors Quest both by Timothy Zhan, Luke and Mara's relationship and how their personalities interact with each other this book just is OFF. So, Let me get this straight... Mara has something that may kill her. She refuses anyone, including her husband to treat her as such. While I might can buy the latter but not with Luke. If they can be stronger together then apart then I would think Luke would at least try to help her with the healing. Doesn't seem like this even cross the authors mind as it is never explained. Plus, we know Luke is highly over protective. I think you'd have to knock Luke over the head with a light saber to stop him from worrying excessively! Sorry, just not plausible. As for Mara being that hard headed... yeah, maybe, but the rest... nope.
In this book we are introduced to a new enemy, the Yuuzhan Vong. It leaves me thinking of the Yevetha from The Black Fleet Crisis by Michael P. Kube-McDowell Which is one of my favorite trilogies in the expanded Universe. It feel like the author was trying to make a ruthless enemy without coping the Yevetha. The name Yuuzhan Vong is obviously in homage to Timothy Zhan. Not sure how I would feel to have a enemy named after me, haha... anyway... I though the Yevetha was more intriguing then these Yuuzhan Vong are but they do have some unusual points like not using any electronics, which again sort of brings you back to The Black Fleet Crisis again with Lando aboard the Vagabond, a ship that seems to be alive.
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| Solo siblings connect through the force |
This is the book where the new Jedi Generation of the Solo kids become main players. While every once and a while they were featured in books but this is the time their permanent personalities are going to be formed. (not including the book written for younger readers. I have not read them.)
Jaina: not a young version of Leia. She inherited all the good piloting skills that run in both of her parents and courage as well.
Jacen: portrayed by this author to be in some type of war with his younger brother about being a Jedi. Jacen seems to be a little more calm in nature then his other siblings.
Anakin: This poor kid is a little bit of a mess... I should note that this author has seemed to drop the part about Anakin having amazing abilities with electronics that you see in earlier books like The Corellian Trilogy when he was still a young child.
But going back to the Luke and Mara subject. The author actually uses to minds merging like Mara and Luke did in Zhan's books but he used the three siblings to do it!
The biggest event in this book came as a surprise to me cause I honestly did not see it coming! I knew Chewy dies in The New Jedi order books but I did not think it was the first book! Wow...
I honestly think it wasn't that bad of an idea to kill a main character off due to the fact that it puts readers on edge a little in not thinking everyone in the stories are safe just because they are a main character. Think of the Star Trek joke of the guy you don't know in the red shirt is about to die... I think the author managed a very honorable death for Chewbacca and Han putting his death on Anakin was a very interesting twist as well.
I'm a bit late getting this review out due to the death of my Grandmother who died during the time I was reading this book. The loss of a family member can knock your brain for a loop for a while. So on a more serious note, in Memory of my Grandmother Irmalene Pierce Howell Parker....
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