Reviews

The Ties That Bind by Jude Watson

onetrooluff's review

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4.0

I enjoyed this, but I feel like it was a weird direction to take Qui-Gon. Also, because I read a bunch of the Jedi Quest books first, I actually already know what is going to happen. *shrug* It really doesn't seem to fit with Jedi rules, but Qui-Gon is pretty good at ignoring rules when it's necessary, so I guess it's not that surprising.

berenikeasteria's review

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3.0

There were lots of points to recommend this story, but it also had faults. The plot did feel rather rushed – almost immediately after the twins are captured, Roan is suddenly killed. The various locations were interesting, but could have had more description and depth. The scenes on the training planet and at the Jedi Temple provided a variety of locations. Qui-Gon’s vision set an ominous, grim tone to the story that in places overshadowed scenes and made it depressing. The emotional scene brought some happiness towards the end, though immediately dashed. Qui-Gon takes a strange turn as he becomes wracked by his visions, and becomes obsessed, almost paranoid, which seemed slightly out of character, although his feelings for Tahl seemed realistic. Obi-Wan acts much older in accordance with his increase in age, although he was a little slow on the uptake in figuring out what Qui-Gon’s feelings for Tahl indicated. Pretty much all the new characters were in need of further development.

6 out of 10 (for a children's book).

janebby's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

cyris_reads's review

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

graff_fuller's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The way this story is framed is very interesting to me.

For one, Qui-Gon Jinn...seems to have an attachment to Master Tahl. It is effecting him...and even entering his dreams. This reminded me of a future scene in Luke's life while on Dagoba. His fear of losing his friends...and how Darth Vader manipulated him to leaving his training and to rescue those he felt needed him. So, for someone who already knows THAT story, it is impacted even more.

Is Qui-Gon wrong? I don't think so. This "knife's edge" idea of denying attachments, when in fact, other Jedi needing each other in time's of need...isn't a negative, but actually a positive.

Also, this world that they went to...to follow Master Tahl, and to protect the twin sisters...gave me vibes of the Bolshevik Revolution in the former Russian Imperial government. These Soviet thoughts permeated the reading of this story...and egged me to continue to read...late into the night. I had to finish the story.

Wow, such a great story, but ANOTHER cliffhanger. I cannot read more, tonight...but maybe tomorrow. We shall see. 

I really hope, what we fear...has NOT happened. Please, no.

jaredkwheeler's review

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4.0

Star Wars Legends Project #54

Background: The Ties That Bind came out in August 2001. It was written by [a:Jude Watson|11912|Jude Watson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1403530689p2/11912.jpg].

The Ties That Bind begins about 2 years after [b:The Dangerous Rescue|359822|The Dangerous Rescue (Star Wars Jedi Apprentice, #13)|Jude Watson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395776559s/359822.jpg|349939] (my review), 41 years before the Battle of Yavin and 9 years before The Phantom Menace. A few Jedi characters pop up on Coruscant at the beginning (Yoda, Mace Windu, Bant), but the major player aside from Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan is Tahl, who moves from a regular supporting character to take center-stage this time around.

Summary: Several years ago, Qui-Gon and Tahl brought peace to the planet of New Apsolon, but now that peace is threatened and Tahl's presence has been requested. Qui-Gon, haunted by dark visions of a possible future he dares tell no one about, is reluctant to let her go alone, but she and the Jedi Council insist. When her "brief" mission stretches from days to weeks with no contact, Qui-Gon defies the Council and goes looking for her, only to find a situation far more complicated and dangerous than even he had feared.

Review: Wow. This book really feels like a giant leap forward in quality for this series, in almost every way. The time-jump from the last book gives us an Obi-Wan who is older, more skilled and secure, and fully comfortable in his partnership with Qui-Gon. The "tension" of Obi-Wan's insecurities about his master are all but gone.

In their place is a new maturity and darkness, at least to this story. The whole book is suffused with a growing sense of dread that parallels Qui-Gon's mounting unease. Part of this comes from how off-balance the Jedi are at every turn. Nothing is what it seems or how they expect it to be, and they are caught off guard several times by some new development while they were still struggling to respond to something else. The rest comes from how high the stakes are here.

In the previous 3-book arc, there was an attempt at some of this tension, but it wasn't nearly as successful. In The Deadly Hunter (my review), the main character who was in danger was Didi Oddo, a more-or-less likable character, but a new and not very important character (plus, since the Jedi didn't even seem concerned enough about him to give him sanctuary in the Jedi Temple, why would we be worried?). In The Evil Experiment (my review), Watson upped the ante by placing Qui-Gon in deadly danger, which works well enough . . . Except that we all know she can't kill him off. In The Dangerous Rescue, the Jedi raced to rescue an elderly Jedi master we'd never heard of, and who barely even appeared (let alone spoke) at any point in the story. I can't even recall the moment when they rescued him because by that time he was so beside the point of the rest of the plot that he didn't matter. He was a pure MacGuffin.

Here, the endangered character is one who not only means a great deal to Qui-Gon, but one we've come to know and appreciate over the past several books as a sort of Oracle to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's Batman and Robin. And Watson does a great job of making the danger feel very real. There are no guarantees Tahl will make it through this alive, and Qui-Gon is almost crippled by his own fear for her, which isn't any great comfort.

The situation on New Apsolon also feels (a little) more complex and developed than on many of the planets they've visited in the past. There are at least 3 distinct factions, and while is clearly evil, it's not at all clear whether the other 2 are good or not, or who may be behind any given act or to what end they're working. I like that this book asks a question that none of the other books so far have really pondered: What happens on these planets after the Jedi have concluded their mission and moved on? Apparently it's not always all sunshine and puppies, especially when the Jedi (perhaps) left a bit prematurely. There are some additional issues raised by this book that I want to discuss, but I'll refrain until the next to get into them, cuz spoilers. I wouldn't want to give any more away than the next 2 freaking titles already do. Ugh.

B

hstapp's review

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2.0

So I think this one was done fairly well, but it had me all upset from the beginning. I think largely because of the childishness of Tahl and Qui-Gon

tylertylertyler's review

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3.0

Well that went well.

betarayclay's review

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

thebookslayer's review

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0