Vector Prime - The New Jedi Order

  I have finally reached The New Jedi Order! While Luke and Leia and the bunch are getting older. Now in their 40's, I think they went a little overboard in ageing Luke on the cover! (Just saying...)

  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...



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.


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.)

(Click on names to see who was voted best to play them on film via TheForce.Net )
 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....

Vision of the Future



Talon Karrde (portrayed by Zahn, right)

Mara Jade (portrayed by Shannon McRandle)
Corran Horn (portrayed by Michael Stackpole).

Vision of the Future
As I thought! Spector of the Past was just a preamble for Visions of the Future! Wow! Timothy Zahn is pretty good! It's been quite a while since I've read one that got me that enthralled!
 
 There are a lot of characters! If you have never read any of the expanded universe books you might not want to attempt this set as your first, but if you want to know which ones are worth the read go for one written by Zahn!
This was a long one, 520 pages (my Hardback copy). According to Wookieepedia it is the longest Star Wars novel (694 pages) and in Germany it was split into two books. I had some trouble remembering who was who and where at times but most of the time I figured it out after reading a little into the chapter. (that's when character charts would be nice and handy!) It all intertwines in clever ways. Like I said in my review of Specter, Zahn has a way of being able to surprise me with twists I don't expect! He is also the creator of several of the major expanded universe characters so it just seems right for him to write life changes to these characters and get the personalities right while doing it! His characters are likeable and he's good at keeping a story going leaving you wanting more. He left room for more books to be written, he doesn't write himself into a corner.


The Planet Nirauan

So the story gets so complicated that I'm not even going to attempt much of a review. So I'll just skip to my discussion that will include spoilers... so fair warning! ;-)

• Han and Leia - This really isn't a huge book for them. Leia is no longer acting president of the New Republic. I thought she just ran out of terms or something but then you find she just stepped down temporarily... hu? I got a little lost there as to why that was but, it was. And since when does leia agree to go on little vacations when they are on the brink of Civil War? That kind of bugged me cause it seemed out of character...

• Corran - AH! I didn't know there were anymore books about this guy set after I, Jedi! I liked the way he was protrayed in this book and good to see him again even though I, Jedi was not my favorite.
•  Shada - Meet Shada! Yeah, Shada from a group of pirates I have never heard of... This story seem to come out of no where... but it worked. Made keeping up with the story a little harder though.
• Karrde, Ghent, and Bel Iblis .... I got so confused as to where these people were and what missions they were on! There were so many characters to keep up with!
• Pellaeon - I knew there was something I liked about this guy in the first Thrawn Trilogy!
• Flim - Ok, this was one character that was easy to remember his name. Just think of Flim Flam Man and you've got it made!
• Luke and Mara - Oh yes, you knew I would save them for last! Thank you Zahn, well done. There is nothing more humorous then purposing to a girl right before you are about to drown to death! It was funny... but in a Star Wars humor! But beside the amusing aspect of the whole romance I loved how a REAL connection strengthened between them. Love truly is more then just a feeling, but a connection of minds and emotion and a bond of two people. I'm glad Zahn went that route and made that point very clear.

 Ok, yeah while most girls had a thing for Han... Luke was more my type. One of the few times a male was my FAVORITE character in a movie and not the princess. Mara suites him well, so I wish him well ;-) I didn't like the other girls he was paired with in the past, he made the right choice... I mean, I was not an option since... wait... haha, I guess I can be a silly girl at times... sorry, I have a soft spot for Jedi!

 This novel even inspired me to create my own fan art. I got a new computer with a touch screen where I can draw on it. Check back later to see it... (Update, TaDa....

Click Here

Assault at Selonia

 When I first saw this trilogy I feared it would be boring cause Han is just not my favorite character but turns out that was not the case. The thing that gets me is the story isn’t boring nor do I dislike the author… but something about this one is just not incredibly exciting or compelling. There are things that seem rather silly and far-fetched. I mean while having Anakin have a special talent in electronics I feel like it’s a quality being totally taken overboard just to keep the story going…

Han Solo fighting a Selonian
Art by Joe Jusko

 And then putting a shadow of a doubt on Mara Jade doesn’t seem quite right as well! She has been around too long to be the first person looked at when something is amiss! Han may have had some doubts about her in the past but not Leia!

 And then we have a war where nobody seems to know who is behind it or really who is fighting who! And I mean, a ragtag group made to look like 2nd rate Nazis led by Han's evil cousin...

 I’m just at a loss at figuring out what is lacking and basicly going on in this trilogy… It's a bit all over the place! Well, let’s see if it picks up in book 3... then I can make my final statement on this!

 At least there were not nearly as many typos in this one as there was in Ambush at Corellia!

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...

Dark Apprentice

  Don't understand why the cover art on this novel is not as good as the first in the series but done by the same artist. Luke and Han look like prunes on the cover of Dark Apprentice Vol. 2, they don’t on Jedi Search Vol. 1. I did not like this one as much as Vol. 1. I read the first one again before reading this one cause it had been so long since I read it and I enjoyed it the second time maybe more so then the first! But Vol. 2 as I noted about Vol. 1 that this author just doesn't capture Luke Skywalker and since Luke is in this a lot it bugged me :-P

Vol. 1 was more about Han. I also felt the author was trying to stretch out this story out to make it into a book. The part about the twins seems a bit pointless and the way they return makes even less since :-/ Maybe it will tie in in Vol. 3. The main story did pick up at the end. Now on to part 3...